Thoughts on the Table

Join us in our journey through this fascinating subject as we touch on the concept of authenticity and on how culture influences our appreciation of flavor. Conversely, in the second part of the episode, Jason and I discuss some cooking trends that affect the flavor of food such as the tendency to finish cooking pasta in its sauce and to alter traditional recipes to make them visually pleasing for sharing on social media, more so than with our guests!

Today's issue contains extracts from the first six episodes where Jason and I discuss flavor and taste, as well as cultural differences between Italy, North America, and Japan. Among other topics, we touched on why as an Italian I would never try to put salt on pasta, whether eating spicy food can damage our taste buds, the reason why desserts tend to end the meal, why many people learn to appreciate "spoiled" foods like Gorgonzola and Natto, what exactly astringency is, and the path to appreciating subtle flavors. To wrap up, I couldn't help but include extracts from episode seven, a recording that took place right in the center of Milan on Jason's impressions from visiting Italy for the first time.

Bread and Spirits is an Instagram feed that unites Italian cuisine and cocktails enthusiasts around the world. Born out of the March 2020 lockdown from the combined talents of Jasmina and Stefano, Bread and Spirits is visually stunning, informative, entertaining, and very much unique. In this episode, I have the pleasure to record Jasmina and Stefano's first audio interview and capture their incredible energy and passion for food and drinks, but also for human connections and communication. (Music by www.purple-planet.com)

Is a cookbook on a cuisine a mirror of what takes place in its people's kitchens? Or does it reflect more the desires and needs of its intended audience? And if that's the case, are these desires of a practical nature, or for something that people like to dream about? These are some of the questions that Diana Pinto has been asking herself while going through lots of cookbooks as part of her “2-week cookbook project.”

Join us in this episode to hear more about the true cuisine of Italy by going over some unexpected Italian dishes, such as Mostarda, Bagna Cauda, Prosciutto and Cantaloupe, as well as evidence of many dishes wrongly labeled as "non-authentic" that are eaten daily all around the Peninsula, like Spaghetti alla Bolognese, Gnocchi al Pesto, Lasagne al Pesto, Carbonara with Pancetta, and Strawberry Tiramisu.

My guest today is Chicca Maione, an extraordinary cooking instructor for both in-person and online classes on Italian cuisine. Based in Castagneto Carducci - Bolgheri, Tuscany, Chicca shares her fascinating story, from her Neapolitan origins to the amazing experience of cycling all over the world for over ten years, before settling in Tuscany and seeing her love for food and cooking materialize into a new career. In the episode, Chicca Maione also goes over her philosophy on food, how to bring joy into the kitchen, and the benefits of cooking every day. Finally, she talks about the food she cooks the most (Italian-Mediterranean).

Geoff (We Regret To Inform You, Alone Together, Dietetics After Dark) answers my questions on podcast sound design and gives me a glimpse into the fascinating world of professional audio production. (Music by www.purple-planet.com)

This episode's guests are podcasters Becca and Sarah from Dietetics After Dark, a highly trending podcast on food-related scandals, misconduct, fraud, and drama. In the episode, we learn more about Becca and Sarah, how Dietetics After Dark came to be, and how it's made behind the scenes.

Thoughts on the Table is back with a new guest, Diana Pinto, and a very special episode. As she describes it, Diana became interested in noting variations across different cookbooks. Incidentally and unexpectedly, this brought her to challenge the concept of authenticity or at least the implication that there's one true way to cook traditional Italian dishes, a claim that we see so frequently on social media and that risk having a deeply damaging effect.

During the episode, we discuss becoming absorbed into a new culture by learning people’s language and their values. We also talk about the immense richness of the Italian food traditions and the importance of capturing them faithfully to make them more accessible to other cultures. Finally, Wendy describes her current culinary projects and how podcasting has become such a central channel for her.

A reading on the six types of mistakes that are commonly found on the menus of Italian restaurants outside of Italy. A pretentious reminder that languages are more than a collection of nicely sounding words! (Music by www.purple-planet.com)

Join us in our chat to hear Kristie's unique perspective on how much love and respect Italians have for their food, how much they honor even their humblest meals, and cherish the time spent with their families at the table. In the second part of the episode, Kristie talks about the many challenges (and rewards) of raising her children while exposing them to both British and Italian cultures and languages.

In this unusual episode, I try to break down Chinotto. From my memory of sipping it for the first time, to its presence while I was growing up in Italy, to the origin of its name, its flavor, and especially of its bitterness!

During the podcast, we talk about Eva's upbringing and the places she's lived, then we focus on Scandinavia and what's like in winter for a photographer who prefers to work with natural light. We also discuss blogging as a diary but also as storytelling, and the value of food blogs over recipe books. To conclude, Eva shares her most special recipe.

Join us to hear us compare our different childhood traditions between a farm in Saskatchewan (Canada), an apartment in Palermo (Sicily), and one near Milan. During the episode, we talk about how Nativity scenes can take on a local flavor, Miriam's riveting performance in her childhood Christmas play, stockings, the presents-opening ceremony (between candlelight and spotlight), and of course and at length about the food of the holidays!

Join us to hear more about the 9 food ambassadors that contributed the recipes and to hear us dig into some of them, such as tortellini, minestra maritata (Italian Wedding Soup), insalata russa, and salmon mousse.

During our chat, Christine and I compare our experiences fitting in into the culture of our adoptive homes and how we found it important to try to master the language, but also the local cuisine. In the episode, Christine reflects on how talking-while-cooking helps her be her real self and connect with her audience. Finally, we digress on the difficult task of cooking Italian food for native Italians, with the high bars set by their nonnas and with the brutal honesty they are known for!

During the episode, Marzia describes how much this cookbook means to her and presents a selection of its recipes: casatiello napoletano, polenta taragna, pizzoccheri, pesce all'acqua pazza, vitello tonnato, and crostoli!

Join us to hear Tina Prestia break down Ragu` alla Bolognese after she analyzed 50+ recipes and directly tested several of them. What ingredients are non-negotiables? What ingredients can be optional? What are most definitely a no-no?

In this episode, we dissect some of the most pressing questions Italians living in North America ask themselves, including: Why does fresh milk last three weeks? What is the difference between ice cream and gelato? How do Italians feel about the stereotypes associated with them?

Join me and my returning guest Raffaella De Amicis as we look at how our lives have changed over the last six months, and how we may be able to adjust our strategy during partial lockdown in order to support small businesses and reduce the risk of exposure, while always respecting local regulations.

During the episode, we discuss the four Roman pastas, the Florentine Lampredotto, sweet wine and cheese pairing, the Roman dish called Suppli`, and the three kinds of Roman pizza.

Please join us in this episode where we discuss the novel *Cucina Tipica* in its many aspects - from the significance of food in the Italian culture to the chemistry of taste, from culture shock and relocation to speaking a foreign language and what it does to interactions and introspection.

In the episode, Frank talks about his blogging process--from identifying a new dish to sourcing the ingredients, executing the preparation, taking the photos, writing the recipe, editing it for publication. In particular, Frank discusses his approach on measurements or lack thereof. In the second part of our chat, Frank gives his take on how blogging has changed in the last ten years and makes a prediction on how it may evolve in the future.

Tina Prestia is a food blogger with a fascinating background. She grew up in upstate New York in an Italian-American community (her dad being from Calabria), moved to New York City to pursue musical theater, graduated and worked at the French Culinary Institute, moved to Nashville working as a personal chef, then (five years ago) moved to Bologna, Italy.

As Melinda King puts it, Geographical Indications are a way to legally recognize 'quality of place', meaning: 'it tastes like it tastes because it's from this place.' In this episode, Melinda breaks down Certification of Origin in its deep 'cultural, social, political, economic, and historical meanings.' Also, she further elaborates on the impact of Geographical Indications by interviewing me as an Italian.

In the first part of the episode, Simon does an interesting comparison between commercial and domestic kitchens, touching for instance on timing, equipment, dealing with large quantities and consistency of product. In the second part, Simon goes through a list of 12 questions he's been asking other Italian food ambassadors to test their knowledge. How did I do? Do you agree with my answers?

Francesca introduces The 5-ingredient Italian Cookbook, a collection of 101 regional classics which stems from her experience as a cooking instructor. During the episode, Francesca shares a behind-the-scenes on the making of the book, from the choice of the recipes to the use of a test kitchen to validate them and photograph the resulting dishes.

Join us in our chat to learn more about Kelly and her deep connection to Italy. In the episode, Kelly describes how her blog posts and videos combine her passion for cooking, language, and the Italian culture. She also introduces #dolcevitabloggers, an open community for everyone who blogs about Italy in English or Italian.

Originally born in Naples, Marzia grew up near Valtellina, in Northern Italy before relocating to Vancouver, Canada. Recently, she shared on her blog the truth about her childhood events, which affected her entire life. In the episode, Marzia shares more details about her story. In the second part of our chat, Marzia talks about her cooking school and her goal to inspire more people to cook real food. (Music by www.purple-planet.com)

Following her six-year relocation to Italy and her subsequent return to the United States, Diana analyzes the life in New York city, where she is now based, in contrast with suburban living in the USA, and in surprising accordance with the Italian lifestyle she was used to.

Join me as I learn more about Pina, starting from her upbringings in an Italian family in Vancouver, speaking Italian at home and English at school, and spending her summers at her grandparents in Sperlonga, a seaside town between Rome and Naples. (Music by www.purple-planet.com)

How do we cope with culture shock? When do we start adopting new habits? If we go back, do the acquired habits stick? Do we see our native land differently? Join us as we try to answer these and more questions while trying to break down the differences between Canada, England, and Italy. (Music by www.purple-planet.com)

This episode's guest is Melinda King, an established writer and editor who has worked in the food industry and who has an extensive background in science and history. In our chat, Melinda introduces herself and then shares her view on what Italian food really is, with what I think of as one of the most insightful analysis I have ever encountered! (Music by www.purple-planet.com)

Giuseppe describes how pizza makers outside of Naples can obtain an excellent product by operating on the variables they still can control, such as the dough, the oven, and the choice of ingredients, starting from tomato sauce and mozzarella. In the episode, Giuseppe also tries to define what Neapolitan pizza *is*, a controversial topic even within Naples itself, by stating what Neapolitan pizza definitely is not!

In the episode, Raffaele Asquer shares how the Foodiamo project was born, from the marketing research, to the choice of the name and logo, to the creation of a brand. Roberto Croci, writer and editor for several Italian entertainment magazines, tells about his desire to cover Italian food and how this led him to approach Foodiamo.

Crazy Italians is an Italian restaurant located in Memphis with a mission to feature nothing but continental Italian food. In order for the Italian owners to help explain their product, for over a year they have been producing amazing short videos featuring their daughters Azzurra and Lucrezia (9 and 13) who, every week, tackle a different Italian product or food concept by presenting informative facts in an entertaining way. In this podcast episode, owners Yvette, Giampaolo, and Azzurra share their story and describe the laborious process of video production, also including some funny behind the scenes! (Music by www.purple-planet.com)

Nick Zingale is back on the show with his great storytelling to talk about Christmas and the way he and his Italian-American family celebrated it over the years. From the anticipation leading up to Christmas Eve, to the Feast of the Seven Fishes, to the many family gatherings. In the episode, I also talk about my own Christmas memories from growing up in northern Italy, with a special emphasis on the food.

During the interview, Enzo explains his link to the United States and how he started his blog to document his food, travel, and lifestyle experiences across from his hometown of Bergamo (in northern Italy) and his adoptive city of Columbia, Missouri. In the episode, Enzo and I also discuss some of the differences between Italians and Americans in the context of social interactions, lifestyle, and of course food.

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, which she documents on her blog. In particular, she describes her visit to "the dairyman," an artisan who makes ricotta in the traditional way in the Friulian Alps, and the production of the black fig of Caneva, which Alida makes good use of in her figs and ricotta tart. In the second part of the episode, Alida introduces her passion for ancient grains such as spelt and Kamut Khorasan, which she uses for their rustic feel, depth of flavor, and wholesomeness in her berry crostata and Kamut pizza. (Music by www.purple-planet.com)

David from Cocoa and Lavender joins me to discuss a guest article I wrote in collaboration with other Italian bloggers on the "Basic Rules of Italian Food." For instance, among the various topics, we talk about the fact that no Italian would dare to cut spaghetti with a knife, to have a cappuccino after a meal, or to cook pasta other than in plenty of salted water at full boil. To conclude the episode, David introduces his latest recipe which is dedicated to the traditional Ligurian pasta shape called "Corzetti". (Music by www.purple-planet.com)

During the episode, Simon talks about his Italian roots, his deeply Australian upbringing, and how his discovery of traditional Italian food led him to embrace authenticity in his trattoria, even against the general expectations of his patrons. In our exchange, we touch on several hot topics including: the three fundamental pasta sauces of Rome (Gricia, Amatriciana and Carbonara) and how they should be properly executed; the overrated role of fresh pasta and the surprising presence of dried pasta in the diet the of Italians; the omnipresence of balsamic vinegar outside of Italy versus the appreciation of plain wine vinegar in Italy; the difference between serving pasta in large amounts of sauce and lightly coating it, in a balance of flavor and texture. (Music by www.purple-planet.com)

During his day-trip to San Giovanni in Galdo, Nick Zingale has a series of encounters that make him closer to his roots and that he will remember forever. (Music by www.purple-planet.com)

Nick Zingale shares another chapter of his past Italian trip which allowed him to explore his southern Italian roots. In this episode, he takes us through his emotional journey to Molise, the small Italian region where his maternal ancestors were from. Particularly, he talks about the paese of Matrice and its strong connections to Cleveland. (Music by www.purple-planet.com)

Linda talks about what brought her to Brussels, Belgium and about her motivations for starting a blog, which she describes through hilarious examples and colorful stories. She also talks about her inspiration as a cook, her most important recipes, and her plans for future projects and collaborations.

Nick Zingale is back with his great storytelling and distinctive charm to talk about his journey throughout the Italian peninsula that took place about a year ago. With the ultimate goal of reaching his ancestors' towns in southern Italy, Nick explored several destinations along the way, and some out of the way. In this episode, he shares entertaining tales from short trips to the beautiful Cinque Terre, Lake Orta, and Como. (Music by www.purple-planet.com)

Is it true that Italians drink espresso all the time? Live with their parents until they're 30 years old? And they all know how to dress up? In this entertaining episode, Nick and I try to debunk these and more stereotypes. But will we succeed?

Mark Preston, food writer, blogger, and cookbook author, talks about his encounters with Italian cuisine while growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, and how this experience prompted him to travel to Europe, as he says, 'just to go to Italy to eat!' He also analyzes how the popularization of the Mediterranean diet may have caused a shift in preference from Thai to Italian in Los Angeles, where he now lives. Finally, Mark reveals his thoughts on what, in the fifties, caused the Americans to go crazy for pizza!

Nick Zingale is an American of Italian descent who lived and traveled in Italy and Europe for seven months last year. He joins me in this episode for a fascinating overview of his experience abroad, which he documented on his personal blog - from working as an English teaching assistant, to his discovery of his ancestors' native towns in Sicily and Molise, to his solo travel around the Italian peninsula. Throughout the episode, Nick shares plenty of insights on Italy and the Italians from his special point of view of someone who grew up in an Italian-American family.

In this feature, Francesca talks about her unique upbringings, with her family straddling between Boston and a small village in southern Italy, and between adopting new traditions and maintaining their old ones, while living abroad. In the second part of the episode, Francesca describes how she made professional use of her Italian background both by teaching Italian cooking classes and by organizing and conducting culinary tours of Italy.

Jason, my original podcast co-host, is back on the show with one of his topics. With our usual investigative approach, Jason and I theorize on why North Americans seem to focus on high ranking foods (the so-called 'proteins'), relegating the rest of the dish to mere accompaniments, whereas the Italians - and the Japanese - value dishes in which the various components are paired harmoniously. (Music by www.purple-planet.com)