ExtraVirgin Food & Travel

Italians have what is indisputably the best cuisine and lifestyle in the world, right?

In this episode of ExtraVirgin Food and Travel, Natascha Mirosch talks with Silvestro Silvestori, owner and director of cooking school The Awaiting Table, in the beautiful baroque city of Lecce, in Italy's south about how to cook and eat like an Italian.

Rich in cooking tips and fascinating facts about this highly regional cuisine, this episode is essential listening for anyone who loves Italy and Italian food.

Buon appetito!

In this episode of ExtraVirgin Food and Travel podcast, we hear from travel and food journalist Belinda Luksic, who left her home in Australian in December to live in Split, in Croatia.

For this postcard from her adopted town, Belinda shares what's so special about Split, its beautiful coastline and nearby islands, the ancient palace and atmospheric old town, packed with cafes, galleries and homely restaurants.

She tells us about her favourite places to eat and drink, how she likes to spend her weekend and shares tips only a local would know.

So whether you're planning a trip or just armchair travelling, sit back, relax and enjoy this postcard from Split.

What is wrong with our food system? What's threatening food security? Covid and food shortages highlighted one aspect - the supply chain, and climate change is showing us another. There is an urgent need to fundamentally transform the way we farm, shop and cook - it's no longer enough to just try to maintain the status quo, but instead, we need to realise the abundance is finite and adopt a regenerative approach.

In this episode of ExtraVirgin Food and Travel, Natascha Mirosch talks to Jade Miles, CEO of The Sustainable Table, author, podcaster and regenerative farmer about what's wrong with our food systems, what they're doing as an organisation, life on her farm and how we as consumers can do our bit.

The Great Barrier Reef, at 2300 kms (1400 miles) is almost twice the length of Italy. It's pristine southern end, just four hours drive, or a short flight from Brisbane, however remains a bit of a secret yet is no less spectacular than the tourist hot-spots off Cairns.

For this episode of ExtraVirgin, we travel to one of the southern islands, where we hear from Amy Gash, whose family caretake a spectactular coral cay where you can step into the coral gardens from the beach and swim with turtles, manta rays the size of small cars, reef sharks and a rainbow of fish.

Amy and Natascha talk about the health of the reef, what it's like to grow up with an island as your playground and the measures her family are taking to ensure the island continues to be a leader in sustainable tourism.

Well, some of them!

This year has produced a bumper crop of fantastic cookbooks - way too many to give love to in a podcast, so Natascha Mirosch has picked out a few of her favourites from 2022. Some are already sauce splattered and dog-eared, others waiting their turn, but she reckons all are a little bit special - from books that will help nip food wastage in the bud, to easy "Chinese-ish" recipes, a history of food though English puddings and more.

If you're looking for the perfect gift for the foodie in your life, or even you want to give a hint to loved one for your own Christmas present, have a listen.

Did you know that Berlin has more bridges than Venice? Or that has a 160km bike trail along the former Berlin wall? Or that vintage shopping and "textile free" bathing are big?

You'll learn more about these topics, plus where to eat, drink and play in this exciting, creative city in this episode of ExtraVirgin Food & Travel's Postcard.

So whether you're planning a trip to Berlin, or just armchair travelling, listen in as lifestyle writer Cindy Brzostowski shares with us the very best bits of her adopted city.

All over Italy, in tiny mountain and seaside villages, elderly women are making pasta by hand, as their mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers did before them.

But with a shrinking world with accessibility to prepackaged food and supermarkets, and an ever-elderly population of nonnas, it's a dying art. Since 2014, however, Vicky Bennison has taken it upon herself to document it. She launched "Pasta Grannies" on Youtube in 2014 and so far has produced more than 400 episodes to a fan base of more than two million.

In this episode of ExtraVirgin, Natascha Mirosch talks with Vicky, who's just released her second Pasta Grannies cookbook, about what it's like to have access to these wonderful women and document their lives, the pasta (and life!) tips she picked up on the way and more.

Ola! This ExtraVirgin Postcard comes from the beautiful capital of Portugal - Lisbon, one of Europe's oldest cities.

Tour guide, travel and food writer and blogger Daniela Sunde-Brown moved to the city in 2018.

In this postcard, Daniela shares with us the best of her adopted city, from the miradores offering the best views of the city, to where to eat and drink, including the famous Portuguese tarts, grilled fish and the slightly sparkling 'green' wines.

If you're planning to visit Lisbon or looking for European travel inspiration, you'll love this episode.

In April 2022, chef Adam Wolfers was riding his bike when he was struck down by a stroke, at just 38.

He lost movement on one side of his body, his sense of taste and had to learn to do the everyday things he once took for granted all over again.

In this episode of ExtraVirgin Food & Travel, Natascha Mirosch catches up with this talented chef, who's worked under Wylie Dufresne in New York, and at the 3 Michelin -starred Quique Dacosta in Spain, in addition to a raft of hatted restaurants in Australia.

They discuss how he's doing, what such a life-changing event has taught him, mental and physical health in the hospitality industry, his foodie heroes and more.

If you'd like to support ExtraVirgin Food & Travel Podcast and keep us ad-free, you can do so for as little as the price of a coffee here.

New York City. "Everybody is here and everything is here for you. A lot of people are here to live out their dreams and make wonderful things happen."

So says our guest in this episode of ExtraVirgin Food & Travel Podcast's "Postcard," Dena Levitz.

Event organiser, yoga teacher and travel journalist, New Yorker Dena shows us her New York, taking us on an in-depth virtual tour.

She tells us about little-known museums, parks and markets. How you can attend a private music event at a local's home or an unsual piano bar where the guests join in as well as comedy clubs and cocktail bars.

And with a professional interest in food, Dena generously shares her extensive knowledge - from where to get New York's best bagel to "bacon egg and cheese," at a local bodega; what she reckons are the best dosa outside India, as well her favorite restaurants, delis and much, much more.