Flavor of Italy podcast

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  Food and Wine Entertaining: Meet Your Food and Wine Big Sister 18.08.2026 27мин

  What happens when the doorbell rings and suddenly you have people to feed? Maybe your husband is bringing colleagues home, relatives appear unexpectedly, or friends are coming over and you'd really like the evening to feel special. You start wondering what you can possibly put on the table, which bottle of wine to open, whether you have the right glasses, and how you're going to pull everything together without spending hours in the kitchen. This is exactly when Megan Recce wants you to call your food and wine big sister. That's how Megan describes the role she hopes to play for anyone who has questions about food and wine entertaining. No question is too basic, and there's no requirement that you know the difference between Gamay and Sangiovese or own twelve different kinds of wine glasses. Her approach is practical, knowledgeable and, above all, reassuring: food and wine are supposed to bring people together, not make us anxious about whether we're doing everything correctly. That philosophy was at the heart of my recent Flavor of Italy podcast conversation with Megan. We talked about everything from opening a bottle of wine and choosing the right glass to assembling a last-minute cheese board, making a simple pasta impressive, setting a beautiful table, choosing wine for a sweltering summer evening, and why you should actually say yes when a dinner guest asks, "What can I bring?"
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  Italian Language and Culture - What Italian Words Reveal About Life in Italy 11.08.2026 20мин

  There comes a point when you're learning Italian when knowing the translation of a word simply isn't enough. Understanding Italian language and culture means going beyond the dictionary. You can know that tavola means table. You can learn that magari sometimes means maybe. You can be told that pronto means ready. And you can dutifully memorize that in bocca al lupo is what Italians say when they want to wish someone good luck. But none of that necessarily tells you what those words actually mean when you hear Italians use them. BUT: Margherita Berti, language teacher and creator of Italian Matters, has a BRAND NEW book that just came out TODAY August 11:  Italian History & Culture Through Language that takes you deeper and explores 200 Italian words and expressions that look  at the culture, history, habits, and ways of thinking behind them. Join the episode today to find out all the details through our fun and engaging Italian language chat! AND be the first to grab the book: link in the show notes that accompany this episode.
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  Naples Travel Experiences You Won't Find in a Guidebook 02.08.2026 26мин

  Karen Phillips, founder of Andiamo Trips, has developed a deep appreciation for the places, wines, food, and stories that many visitors never discover. Rather than offering conventional tours, she creates memorable experiences that invite travelers to slow down, engage with local culture, and see southern Italy from a completely different perspective. If you're looking for authentic Naples travel experiences, look no further! For example: Sea & Sip - the experience begins aboard a boat exploring beautiful parts of the Bay of Naples, including islands such as Ischia or Procida. Guests have time to swim, relax, and enjoy the spectacular scenery before settling in for something quite unexpected: a guided tasting of Campania's wines while surrounded by the landscape that produces them!
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  The SUMMER OF SANCERRE: The World's (and Taylor Swift's) White Wine Darling 28.07.2026 31мин

  Taylor Swift may have made Sancerre the world's hottest white wine, but what makes it so special? Discover the fascinating French region behind this iconic Sauvignon Blanc, why wine lovers have treasured it for decades, and why it's perfect for summer. PLUS: these are the wines that deserve a place on your table next…
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  An Italian American Story of Wine, Family, and Innovation: The Gemello Winery and its Italian immigrant founders 21.07.2026 25мин

  When we think about California wine, names like Napa Valley, Mondavi, and the famous 1976 Judgment of Paris often come to mind. Yet behind the success of California's wine industry are countless immigrant families whose stories are every bit as remarkable, even if they've been largely forgotten. One such story is that of Gemello Winery, an Italian American winery founded by immigrants from Piedmont who arrived in California with little more than determination, a knowledge of viticulture, and a willingness to work incredibly hard.  In my recent conversation with author Kevin Ferguson, I discovered that his forthcoming book, Rain on the Monte Bello Ridge, is about much more than a family business. It's a fascinating story of immigration, innovation, perseverance, and five generations of one Italian American family whose legacy continues to inspire today.
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  Winter in Tuscany: Cozy Recipes and the Quanto Basta Way 15.07.2026 30мин

  When most people dream about Tuscany, they picture golden wheat fields, rows of cypress trees, vineyards glowing in the summer sun, and long lunches enjoyed beneath blue skies. It's the classic image we've all come to know, and for good reason. Tuscany is undeniably beautiful in summer. But there's another side to the region that visitors often miss. In my recent conversation with cookbook author Amber Guinness about her beautiful new book Winter in Tuscany: Cozy Recipes and the Quanto Basta Way, she shared a completely different vision of Tuscany. Having grown up there, she doesn't associate home with sunflowers and cicadas. Instead, she remembers misty mornings, roaring fireplaces, steaming bowls of soup, and the comforting dishes that filled her family's kitchen throughout the colder months. Listening to Amber reminded me that winter in Tuscany isn't simply another season. It's a completely different experience of the region, one that feels quieter, more intimate, and deeply connected to everyday Tuscan life....
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  Italian Longevity: What Italians Do Differently to Live Longer and Better 08.07.2026 24мин

  The Greatest Secret Isn't the Mediterranean Diet People usually assume the answer is simple: the Mediterranean diet. Certainly food plays an important role, but it tells the whole story. Italian longevity comes from a combination of habits, attitudes, relationships, and daily routines that work together over an entire lifetime. When people ask me about Italian longevity, they usually expect me to point to olive oil or pasta or red wine. Those things certainly have their place, but after more than four decades living here, I believe the greatest secret lies elsewhere. It is the combination of fresh food, moderate portions, strong family relationships, close-knit communities, natural daily movement, time for rest, accessible healthcare, and perhaps most importantly, a positive attitude toward aging itself. Italians don't spend their lives worrying about getting old. Instead, they continue living fully at every stage of life. Here's what Italians do...
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  How to Survive Summer in Rome: 10 Local Tips That Really Work! 30.06.2026 28мин

  How to Survive Summer in Rome : 10 Local Tips That Really Work! Every summer in Rome I receive emails from readers asking the same question: Is it too hot to visit Rome? If you've been watching the news, it's easy to understand why. Headlines about record-breaking temperatures and red heat alerts can make it sound as though Rome should be avoided until autumn. After living in Rome for 43 years, I can honestly tell you that summer in Rome is still one of my favorite times to be here. Yes, it's hotter than it was when I first arrived in the early 1980s, and climate change has certainly made summers more intense. But Romans have spent centuries adapting to the heat, and once you understand how they approach summer, you'll discover that the season has its own unique rhythm and charm. The secret isn't trying to do everything despite the heat. It's learning to experience Rome the way the locals do. These 10 tips that all Italians use really work! Listen for the details!
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  Karoline Walch and the Elena Walch Winery: The Women Shaping Alto Adige Wine 23.06.2026 28мин

  Join me for a fascinating conversation with Karoline Walch, fifth-generation owner of the renowned Elena Walch Winery in Alto Adige, one of Italy's most distinctive and exciting wine regions. Nestled among the dramatic peaks of the Dolomites, Alto Adige is a place where Italian and Austrian influences blend seamlessly, creating a unique culture, cuisine, and wine tradition unlike anywhere else in Italy. Karoline shares the remarkable story of how her mother, Elena Walch, an architect from Milan, helped transform a family winery and became one of the pioneers behind Alto Adige's quality wine revolution. We explore the estate's celebrated single vineyards, Castel Ringberg and Kastelaz, discuss why Alto Adige produces such exceptional Pinot Grigio and Gewürztraminer, and learn how sustainability guides every aspect of the winery's work. Along the way, Karoline offers insights into growing up among the vineyards, working alongside her sister Julia as the fifth generation of the family, and welcoming visitors to experience one of Italy's most beautiful wine destinations. Whether you're passionate about Italian wine, dreaming of a trip to Alto Adige, or simply enjoy stories of family businesses built on vision and dedication, this episode offers an engaging look inside one of Italy's most respected wine estates.
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  Celebrating 300 Episodes of the Flavor of Italy Podcast 09.06.2026 27мин

  Reaching 300 episodes of the Flavor of Italy Podcast feels both surprising and deeply rewarding. When I recorded my first episode, I had no idea where this Italy podcast would take me. I simply wanted to share my love of Italy's food, wine, culture, travel, and people with an English-speaking audience. Three hundred episodes later, I've had conversations with bestselling authors, chefs, winemakers, artisans, historians, photographers, and people who have completely reinvented their lives by moving to Italy. Looking back, what stands out most is not the number 300, but the extraordinary people and experiences that have made the Flavor of Italy Podcast such an important part of my life. Thank you to every guest who has generously shared knowledge, experiences, and stories. Thank you to every listener who has spent time with me while driving, cooking, walking, gardening, or relaxing at home. Thank you to those who comment on blog posts, subscribe on YouTube, join me on Substack, and share episodes with friends and family. When I started the Flavor of Italy Podcast, I could never have imagined where it would lead. It has introduced me to extraordinary people, deepened my understanding of Italy, and even strengthened my efforts to bring a long-awaited cookbook project closer to publication. Three hundred episodes later, my curiosity remains as strong as ever. Italy continues to surprise me, inspire me, and teach me something new every day. I hope you'll continue listening as we begin the next 300 episodes together.
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  Italian Republic Day: The Vote That Changed Italy Forever 02.06.2026 21мин

  Every year on June 2, Italy pauses to celebrate one of the most important moments in its modern history. Across the country, Italian flags appear on balconies, official ceremonies take place in cities and towns large and small, and in Rome the skies are filled with the colors of the national flag as the Frecce Tricolori soar overhead. For many Italians, it is a welcome holiday that signals the arrival of summer, but Italian Republic Day is far more than a day off from work. It commemorates a decision that fundamentally changed the nation and shaped the Italy we know today. What makes Italian Republic Day (Festa della Repubblica) particularly fascinating is that it is not a celebration of the country's founding, nor does it commemorate a military victory or a declaration of independence. Instead, it marks the anniversary of a democratic choice made by ordinary citizens in the aftermath of World War II. On June 2 and 3, 1946, Italians went to the polls and voted to abolish the monarchy and establish a republic. In doing so, they helped define the future direction of their nation at a moment when the country was still struggling to recover from one of the most difficult periods in its history.
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  Italian Festivals: a different way to experience Italy beyond the Tourist Trail 26.05.2026 26мин

  Italian Festivals are a different and joyful way to experience Italy beyond the Tourist Trail: town squares filled with music, local communities gathering to celebrate the harvest, patron saints.... Italy is a country that celebrates with extraordinary enthusiasm, and one of the greatest pleasures of living here is discovering just how deeply these traditions are woven into everyday life. Visitors often arrive with a familiar checklist in mind - Rome's monuments, Florence's art, Venice's canals, perhaps the Amalfi Coast or Tuscany's vineyards - and while those places are undeniably magnificent, there is another side of Italy that many travelers never fully experience. That Italy reveals itself in town squares filled with music, in church processions that have taken place for centuries, in celebrations tied to local harvests, and in communities gathering to honor traditions that remain central to their identity. In my recent Flavor of Italy podcast conversation with travel writer Katerina Ferrara, we explored exactly this world of Italian festivals, and it was a conversation that reminded me just how special these experiences can be for anyone wanting to connect with a more authentic side of Italian life. The blog post that accompanies this episode is full of photographs and links to help you get started with your own Italian Festival exploration! 
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  Polignano a Mare, Puglia: A Local's Guide to One of Southern Italy's Most Beautiful Coastal Destinations 19.05.2026 24мин

  Why Polignano a Mare, Puglia Belongs on Your Travel List If you've been dreaming about southern Italy, there's a very good chance that Polignano a Mare, Puglia is already somewhere on your radar. Even if you don't immediately recognize the name, you've almost certainly seen photographs of it: whitewashed buildings dramatically perched on limestone cliffs above the Adriatic, impossibly blue water below, and terraces that seem suspended between sea and sky. It's one of those places that looks almost too beautiful to be real. But as stunning as Polignano a Mare is, what makes it truly memorable goes far beyond the view. This is a place where food traditions run deep, where local markets still reflect the seasons, where olive oil is part of daily life rather than a luxury, and where a traveler can experience Puglia in a far more meaningful way than simply checking scenic spots off a list.  
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  Italian Wine Without the Intimidation: Kate Leahy's Inviting Guide to Italy in a Glass 13.05.2026 29мин

  Italian wine inspires passion, curiosity, and, for many people, a fair amount of confusion. Even devoted wine lovers can feel overwhelmed when faced with Italy's astonishing range of native grape varieties, regional traditions, appellations, and bottles whose labels sometimes seem to raise more questions than answers. Unlike wine cultures built around a relatively smaller group of internationally recognized grapes, Italy's wine identity is gloriously complex, shaped by geography, history, climate, and deeply local traditions that can shift dramatically from one valley to the next. That's precisely what makes Italian Wine: The History, Regions, and Grapes of an Iconic Wine Country, co-authored by Kate Leahy and Shelley Lindgren, such a genuinely useful and engaging book. In our recent podcast conversation,  Kate and I talked not only about the book itself, but about why Italian wine remains one of the most fascinating, and sometimes misunderstood, wine cultures in the world. Listen to the episode and don't forget you can also watch the upcoming YouTube version of the episode!
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  Davide Cenci Rome, A 100-Year-Old Family Business at the Center of Italian Style 05.05.2026 22мин

  If you're walking through central Rome near the Pantheon and the Parliament, you're in one of the city's most elegant shopping areas. It's also where you'll find Davide Cenci, a store that has been part of the Roman landscape for a full century and is still run by the same family today. The story behind Davide Cenci Rome starts in Umbria, where Davide's great-grandmother sold fabrics at local fairs in the early 1900s. That background in textiles and direct customer interaction shaped what came next. Her grandson, who later opened the Rome store in 1926, took that experience and applied it in a much larger setting. He chose a location near the center of political and cultural life in Rome, and that decision has defined Davide Cenci Rome ever since. The store has expanded over time within the same footprint, growing into a substantial retail space while maintaining its original address. In a city like Rome, where location plays a major role, that consistency has clearly paid off. Today my interview was with this generation's Davide Cenci, about the company's history and some brand new initiatives…
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  Dream of Italy with Kathy McCabe 28.04.2026 29мин

  For anyone who loves Italy, the phrase Dream of Italy has a certain magic to it. It suggests the Italy so many travelers carry in their imagination: hill towns, long meals, local stories, ancestral roots, beautiful landscapes and the possibility that a trip might become something much deeper than a vacation. That's exactly what happened to Kathy McCabe, founder of Dream of Italy, when she first traveled to Italy with her mother to search for her grandfather's ancestral hometown. Her grandfather had dreamed of finding that village for most of his life. Kathy and her mother found it, and just 36 hours later, he passed away. As Kathy told me in our conversation, it felt almost metaphysical, as though her grandfather had left Italy to her. What began as a personal journey soon became a lifelong obsession, and in 2002 Kathy founded Dream of Italy as a travel magazine and membership website. Today, more than two decades later, Dream of Italy has grown into a rich travel platform with more than 210 magazine issues, PBS television series and specials, travel planning services, moving-to-Italy resources, and now an expanding presence on YouTube and Substack.
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  Italian Cookies: Stories, Traditions, and Regional Treasures Behind Domenica Marchetti's New Book 19.04.2026 44мин

  If you love baking, Italy, and the kind of cookbook that offers much more than a stack of recipes, Domenica Marchetti's new book Italian Cookies sounds like a real delight. In this recent Flavor of Italy podcast conversation, Domenica joined me to talk about her ninth cookbook, a beautiful and deeply researched exploration of Italian cookies that goes far beyond the familiar idea of biscotti. What emerges from our conversation is a portrait of Italy told through butter cookies, almond cookies, olive oil doughs, rustic biscuits for dunking, and small-town specialties that carry generations of memory and pride.
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  Bitter in Italian Cuisine - Why Italy Loves Bitter Flavors 14.04.2026 19мин

  If there is one flavor that quietly defines the Italian table from north to south, it's bitterness. Not harshness, and not austerity, but a layered, balancing bitterness that sharpens appetite, supports digestion, and brings depth to everything from aperitivo to dessert. Understanding bitter in Italian cuisine means understanding something essential about how Italians taste the world. During a recent conversation with Lolly Martyn, we explored how bitterness runs through Italian food culture in surprising and beautiful ways - from wild greens gathered in fields to amari served after dinner, from espresso to radicchio risotto. For many visitors, bitterness is the most unfamiliar Italian flavor. For Italians, it's indispensable.
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  Macaroni and Cheese: from Ancient Rome to Modern America 07.04.2026 21мин

  The real history of macaroni and cheese stretches back more than 2,000 years and begins not in North America at all, but in ancient Rome. When people think about macaroni and cheese, they usually imagine a familiar American comfort dish that somehow emerged in the twentieth century and quickly became a childhood staple. Yet the real story of macaroni and cheese history stretches back more than two thousand years and begins not in North America at all, but in ancient Rome. What makes this history so compelling is that it isn't simply the story of a recipe. It's the story of ritual food, class identity, industrial change, migration, women's labor, wartime necessity, and the emotional meaning of comfort at the table. In my recent conversation with culinary historian Karima Moyer-Nocchi, author of The Epic History of Macaroni and Cheese: From Ancient Rome to Modern America, it became clear that following the trajectory of this single dish reveals an extraordinary amount about who we are and how we eat. Macaroni and cheese history turns out to be a cultural journey as much as a culinary one.
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  Who Rings Rome's Church Bells...Not Always a Bell Ringer RE-RELEASE 01.04.2026 26мин

  Who Rings Rome's Church Bells? Not Always a Bell Ringer A few years ago, I recorded a podcast episode about something many of us notice in Italy but rarely stop to think about - the sound of church bells drifting across the city. I found myself wondering: is there really someone up there in the bell tower pulling the ropes, or is it all automated now? Around that time, my husband showed me a newspaper article about a Roman bell ringer whose fascination with bells began when he was still a toddler in a stroller. His mother would take him around Rome to hear different bells ringing at different hours because he loved them so much. That early curiosity stayed with him, and as an adult he became a bell ringer himself. I knew immediately I wanted to speak with him. The episode that followed turned into a wonderful exploration of bell ringing traditions in Italy. I learned about different regional styles, including the distinctive system used in Verona, and even how Italian approaches compare with English bell ringing. It opened up a whole hidden world behind a sound we hear so often without realizing what's involved. I'm re-releasing this episode now because it feels especially appropriate at this moment. As Holy Week approaches, Rome fills with the sound of bells. Whether you're here in the city or simply remembering visits past - or planning a future trip - this episode will change the way you listen. Sometimes there's a person high in the bell tower guiding those sounds. Sometimes there isn't. Either way, there's a story behind every bell you hear. This has always been one of my favorite episodes of the Flavor of Italy podcast, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. And if you're in Rome during this season of ringing bells, listen closely - now you'll know what may be happening high above you.