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).

Thoughts on the Table

Introducing Chicca Maione from Chicca's Cooking Club

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)

Podcast Recording, Editing, and Production with Sound Designer Geoff Devine

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.

Introducing Becca and Sarah from Dietetics After Dark Podcast

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.

The Quest for Authentic & Original Recipes, with Diana Pinto

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.

Introducing Podcaster Wendy Holloway from Flavor of Italy

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)

Italian Words Gone Wrong – Mistakes on the Menu

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.

Introducing Kristie Prada from Mammaprada

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!

Chinotto - The Other Way of Drinking Dark

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.

Introducing Eva from Electric Blue Food

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!

Christmas Traditions from Growing up in Sicily, Canada, and Milan

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.

Introducing Local Aromas' Advent Calendar and More

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. Christine also 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!

Introducing Christine from Italian Dish Podcast

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!

Introducing Cooking with Mamma Marzia Cookbook

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?

Dissecting Ragu` alla Bolognese with Tina Prestia

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?

Questions Italians in North America Can't Help But Wonder About

An audioblog on Italian food and culture. Hi! I'm Paolo, the author of Quatro Fromaggio and Other Disgraces on the Menu. Join me and my notable guests to talk about Italy and the Italians, and to discuss the differences between the food of modern, continental Italy and its interpretations around the world. Don't forget to add your rating and, if you enjoy the podcast, please show your support by subscribing today!

hubhopper

Thoughts on the Table

hubhopper