Planning a trip to Italy? We’ve got some of the best things to eat in Rome, drink in Venice, as well as enjoying the bounty of Abruzzo. There’s the reason why you should get your Suppli hot out of the fryer, the best wines from Abruzzo, and whether a gondola ride is worth splurge. Katie Parla joins Brent to talk about the tradition of organ meat in Rome, Monica Ceserato gives great tips on gondola rides, Sammy Dunham tells us the best wines to try in Abruzzo, and Marta Udalowa shares the edible flowers of Italy, including poppy petals! [Ep 379]

Show Notes:

Destination Eat Drink food and travel guides

Katie Parla website

Lauren Shannon has been living in Japan for over 25 years and is a partner at Arigato Tours. Lauren shares Kyoto’s unique take on sushi, creative Matcha dishes, and the massive Nishiki market. Plus, a deep dive into sake. [Ep 378]

Show Notes:

Ashton Schottler is an American who created the popular YouTube Channel Type Ashton and moved to Germany for love. She tells Brent about her life in the Black Forest including her love of the local cycling culture. Ashton also talks about her favorite dishes including the famous Black Forest Cake, flammkuchen, and earning a hearty meal after a hike. Plus, a dive into “fake foods” like truffle oil, hatch chilis, and wasabi.  [Ep 377]

Show Notes:

Destination Eat Drink food and travel videos

We’re celebrating Carnival season by starting the party early in Rio (at 7am!), dancing in the streets in Guadeloupe, and chowing down on the best treats and snacks before Lent in Italy. Plus, how to best enjoy Venice’s famous Carnival party! [Ep 376]

Show Notes:

Destination Eat Drink food & travel ebooks

Taste Florence food tours

Visiting local markets is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the culture and food of a city. Brent talks with locals about the diverse markets of Palermo, how to find the best fish at the Rialto Market in Venice, the kind of fruit at the market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and the must have food souvenir from the market in Mexico City. [Ep 375]

Show Notes:

Destination Eat Drink foodie travel guide ebooks

Alternative Tours Palermo with Enrica

Somsack is from Laos where he became a Buddhist monk as a young man and spent time living in a temple. Today, Somsack is a foodie tour guide for A Chef’s Tour, taking hungry and curious travelers around his city of Luang Prabang. He tells Brent why the French are to thank for coffee culture in Laos, how seaweed helps young people in a tough job market, and cooking a delicious stew for all his friends! [Ep 374]

Show Notes:

Destination Eat Drink foodie travel guide ebooks

A Chef’s Tour food tours of Luang Prabang

Lori Sganzerla is a foodie tour guide from Modena, Italy. She knows the famous city of gastronomy as well as anyone and shares the things you must try when visiting including the famous aged balsamic vinegar. Plus, a local wine that’s been unfairly maligned, dipping cookies in wine, making pasta with grandma, and running into a world famous chef at the market. [Ep 373]

Show Notes:

Destination Eat Drink foodie travel guides

Xavi Curtis is the brains behind Go Further, a tour company that takes curious travelers around Africa. Xavi tells Brent about the unique cuisine of Ethiopia including a grain so small they say you can’t see it, a carb heavy dish with an Italian twist, an unusual drink called Turbo. Plus, the birthplace of coffee and why most Ethiopian coffee is exported. [Ep 372]

Show Notes:

Destination Eat Drink foodie travel guide ebooks

Award winning author and podcaster Rick Kaempfer joins Brent to talk about vacation mishaps. There’s broken arms in Switzerland, broken legs in Montana, and an unwanted pig farm vacation. Plus, getting kicked out of a hotel in France and a suspicious credit card misplacement. [Ep 371]

Show Notes:

Rick’s publishing company Eckhartz Press

We’re toasting 2026 with whiskeys and liqueurs around the world. There’s a new favorite Irish whiskey, a liqueur that causes you to make a sour face, a drink made from cacti, and the signature drink of Estonia. [Ep 370]

Show Notes:

Rick’s publishing company Eckhartz Press