[Thoughts on the Table – 79] Introducing Valeria and Benedetta from Local Aromas

Wine, cheese, and olive oil sommelier Benedetta Bianchini and pastry chef Valeria Bianchini talk about their family company Local Aromas, which specializes in walking tours, cheese & wine tasting, and cooking classes in Rome, Italy, as well as ... Continue reading

Home-Baked Sourdough Bread – At Last!

Never would have thought I could obtain these results in my regular oven and without special equipment. But after 11 months of weekly baking, fresh sourdough loaves have become a reliable tradition in our family. I’ve been thinking of posting my ... Continue reading

[Thoughts on the Table – 78] A Chat with Award-winning Author Andrew Cotto

Andrew Cotto is an award-winning American writer of Italian descent. His latest novel titled Cucina Tipica tells the fascinating adventure of a young American who falls in love with Tuscany and with the culture of its people. Naturally, food and wine ... Continue reading

Geographical Indications: Italian Food, Made Official Or “Complicated Simplicity”

For the first time in this blog, I have the pleasure to feature a guest post. This article is by enologist, writer, and photographer Melinda King. To know more about Melinda, check out The Premise of Italian Cuisine podcast. Melinda King Italian ... Continue reading

[Thoughts on the Table – 66] Introducing Giuseppe D’Angelo from Pizza Dixit

This episode’s guest is Giuseppe D’Angelo, the author of Pizza Dixit, the blog on Neapolitan pizza in the world. Born and raised in Naples, Giuseppe made a mission for himself to discover the best Neapolitan pizzerias around the world. In ... Continue reading

[Thoughts on the Table – 61] Rediscovering Artisan Craftsmanship and Ancient Grains, with Alida Zamparini

Friend, food blogger Alida Zamparini from My Little Italian Kitchen is back on the show to give us an update on her latest recipes and blogging trips. As you will hear, Alida has been focusing on regional Italian products and artisan craftsmanship, ... Continue reading

[Thoughts on the Table – 53] The Boom of Italian Food in the US, with Food Writer Mark Preston

Mark Preston is a food writer, a blogger, and the author of California Mission Cookery, a cookbook on the early cuisine of the Californio population, which he discovered while working as an archivist for the UCLA library. Last October, he got in ... Continue reading

[Thoughts on the Table – 51] Introducing Cooking Instructor Francesca Montillo

Thoughts on the Table is back with a new guest, Francesca Montillo from Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures. In this feature, Francesca talks about her unique upbringings, with her family straddling between Boston and a small village in southern Italy, ... Continue reading

[Thoughts on the Table Transcript] Gino De Blasio on Slow Food/Fast Food

Continuing on the series of transcripts, up next is the textual form of an old episode with my friend, writer Gino De Blasio. In this podcast, Gino applies his amazing storytelling to describe the origins of the Slow Food Movement, in response to the ... Continue reading