[Thoughts on the Table – 99] Taste and Flavor Flashbacks with Jason and Paolo

As Thoughts on the Table approaches 100 episodes, I chose to dedicate episode 99 to the series’ beginnings, dating back to August 2013. I was an avid podcast listener and, inspired by great productions like This American Life and Stuff You Should ... Continue reading

Eleven years of blogging, eight of podcasting

Another year! The good news is that this blog is still active and luckily keeps being found by those searching for Italian specialties like pizzoccheri or canederli or Italian misconceptions like my 6 Italian myths. The bad news of course is that I ... Continue reading

[Thoughts on the Table – 86] Christmas Traditions from Growing up in Sicily, Canada, and Milan

A classic Christmas special, featuring two very special guests: my wife Candace and our dear friend Miriam. Join us to hear us compare our different childhood traditions between a farm in Saskatchewan (Canada), an apartment in Palermo (Sicily), and ... Continue reading

[Thoughts on the Table – 69] Introducing Food Blogger Pina Bresciani

This episode’s guest is Pina Bresciani (pinabresciani.com), a talented food blogger based in Vancouver, Canada, with strong ties to Italy. Join me as I learn more about Pina, starting from her upbringings in an Italian family in Vancouver, ... Continue reading

An Italian in Canada – From the Food of Italy to “Italian Food”

I came to Vancouver in 2001, right after getting my Electronic Engineering degree. I had a six-month contract as a software engineer, joining an Italo-Canadian development team. Naturally, I was very excited for the professional experience that ... Continue reading

[Thoughts on the Table – 48] Introducing Ale Gambini and her Cookbook: A Queen in the Kitchen

This episode’s guest is Cannolo Award winner Ale Gambini, food blogger, recipe developer, and web series host. Ale just published her first cookbook titled A Queen in the Kitchen, which she dedicates to her grandma Fernanda and to the cuisine of ... Continue reading

[Thoughts on the Table Transcript] Grandma’s Wartime Memories: Food in Northern Italy

Back in May 2014, I published an unusual episode of Thoughts on the Table, but also an episode that meant a lot to me. I had just returned from a trip to Italy, where I had a chance to record a conversation with my grandmother, Chiara, on her life in ... Continue reading

Il Mercato – The Tradition of the Italian Street Market

~~~ This article is available in narrated version. Check it out! ~~~ Every year, when I go back to Italy to see my family, I manage to squeeze in a visit to a mercato. As you may have guessed, the word “mercato” means “market”, ... Continue reading

[Thoughts on the Table – 21] Introducing Fiona from Nuts About Food

Hi and welcome to Thoughts on the Table! As you may already know, I am just back from a brief trip to Italy. This time, I managed to bring back a special podcast featuring my friend Fiona, an amazing food blogger based in Milan. Join me as I chat ... Continue reading