Women’s  History Month, and the 2023 theme “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories” - Four Italian women storytellers from the 1900s: Alba de Céspedes - Novelist Storyteller, and her newly released "The Forbidden Notebook" - the NYT says she's “one of the few distinguished women writers since Colette to grapple effectively with what it is to be a woman." Jeanne Caròla Francesconi - Culinary Storyteller, sharing Naples cuisine in her 500 recipe cookbook, The Marchesa Colombi - Journalistic Storyteller & Prolific author with 40+ books, and Emma Stebbins (American sculptress living in Italy) - a Storyteller through Sculpture. Tune in to learn all about these amazing women and head to the flavorofitaly.com website for even more details!

A roundup of Milan's best restaurants, tastiest classic dishes and must-visit cultural icons, + the food (& drink) Milan is famous for. “Milan is a skyscraper metropolis, a city half avant-garde, half provincial, a mixture of risotto and steel.” says Alberto Lattuada, Italian Filmmaker, in his quote that captures the cultural and food scene in Milan. Think risotto, Osso Buco, Christmas panettone, delicious Northern Italian wines and cocktails. If you want to know more, catch this episode and dig into the details of the unparalleled Milanese cuisine.

Brunello di Montalcino is one of Italy's - and the world's - most renowned red wines. Made in Montalcino Tuscany - near thermal baths, cheese producers, and immersed in breathtaking, rolling hills. And just a 2 1/2 hours drive from Rome. Wine Searcher says it's “One of the pinnacles of what the Sangiovese grape variety can achieve, Brunello di Montalcino is a global touchstone for the variety – and great red wines in general.” The 2022 Brunello has just been unveiled: join me on today's episode to learn all about this magnificent wind and the exquisite area, and Terroir it comes from.

What you need to know before moving to Italy! Lots of details to think about! You need to sort out your finances, learn some Italian, choose your housing (did you know there are all kinds of free housing opportunities available in Italy?) And what about work? Italy has approved the digital nomad visa so bloggers and other online workers should check this out! Do you want a warm climate and seaside? Or do you want a super efficient city like Milan or Turin in the north?  Listen to this episode and check out the blog post to get answers to every single detail you need to know before you move to Italy!

There are so many myths - and little known truths - about the life of a gladiator back in Roman times. Were there female gladiators? Did gladiators battle wild animals? How were gladiators treated? Were gladiators always slaves or did they become a gladiator of their own free will? These are just a few of the questions you'll get answers to in this fascinating part 2 episode about gladiators and gladiatorial combat. SPECIAL EVENT for Substack Subscribers! Don't miss this upcoming private zoom chat with gladiatorial expert Alexander Mariotti reserved for Substack Subscribers ONLY. Make sure you subscribe soon so you can jump into this private zoom chat! Subscribe here.

So much of what we assume is fact about gladiators comes from what we've seen in movies, or read in novels. This fascinating two part podcast episode chat with gladiatorial consultant Alexander Mariotti is just the place to start to dispel some of these myths. Alexander helps us to better understand gladiators and gladiatorial combat back in ancient Roman times. Did the crowds eat the animals slain at the gladiatorial fights? Were all gladiators slaves and did they fight to the death? Were there women gladiators? You'll be surprised by the answers to these questions... Head to the Flavor of Italy website for more information, great photos, and links.

Molise - listener questions answered: "What's Molise anyhow? I thought it was part of the Abruzzo region? Is it?" Molise is a tiny little Italian region – the second smallest in Italy, and as of 1970 when it separated from Abruzzo it's a region all on its own. It's a magical secret region with exquisite food, and its very own wine made from grapes like the Tintilia grape, which only grows in the Molise region. Have a listen to this episode to discover the region, and take a deep dive into its fabulous food and wine and culture. If you're looking for a delightful place in Italy to visit that's still mostly unexplored this is your destination! Let me take you there in my three Molise region podcast episodes!

Don't miss the unexplored, little-known Abruzzo region! The Abruzzo region offers an abundance of history, culture and Abruzzo region food experiences: * Visit the hands-on sustainable farm Fattoria Valle Magica with unique heritage breeds, delicious artisanal salumi and local food. * Take a cooking class featuring Abruzzese cuisine.....arrosticini, pizzelle and spaghetti alla chitarra. * Join a day, weekend or weeklong food tour. Find all the details with links and photos on the Flavor of Italy website.

Neapolitan pizza-making is the ultimate proof that Italy's super power is deliciousness. It's on the UNESCO intangible world heritage list. Want to try Laura’s top three pizzerias where you are guaranteed to experience a delicious Neapolitan pizza tasting menu? Do you know how Pizza Margherita and Pizza Marinara got their names? Both steeped in history so have a listen to find out why! The history of pizza as a flatbread dates back many centuries. It was only after tomatoes were brought to Europe in the 16th century that Neapolitans began using them as a topping for their flatbreads and pizza evolved into what is known today as Neapolitan pizza.

The fantastic world of honey and the many things you probably don't know about it! Did you know that almost all beekeeper’s honeybees are Italian? Or that only the female bee produces honey and she produces a mere 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey during her lifetime! Italy has a long history of honey tasting, using the same sensory analysis techniques used in wine tastings: sight, smell and taste.  Not to mention the Royal Jelly that bees produce! Don't know what it is? Tune in to the episode to learn this, and so much more from the one and only Honey Sommelier, Marina Marchese! Head to the Flavor of Italy website for lots of great links, gorgeous photos of honey and bees... and a  tasty recipe!