It's been 48 weeks of the Sip and Feast podcast and we couldn't be more grateful to those who tuned in to listen over the past 11 months! During this time we learned much about our audience and will use our time between Seasons 1 and 2 to continue to learn and pave the way for new and exciting things.

Watch on YouTube

https://youtu.be/nAhtYo-de-w

What we know (and don't know)

Through every channel possible (email, the website, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube) we've heard a resounding message: our audience wants a Sip and Feast cookbook!

So it's time for us to shift our focus a bit to help make that possible.

This is what we know, but there is a lot we don't know, and that's where we'll need your help.

Over the next week we will distribute a very brief survey to all those who have subscribed to our email list. If you're not yet on our list, be sure to subscribe today.

The survey will include questions regarding cookbook content, the podcast, and other offerings you may want to receive from us.

We encourage your participation as you will be playing an active role in driving the future of Sip and Feast!

A moment of gratitude

As of today, the Sip and Feast podcast is ranked #59 on the iTunes list for Food Podcasts, and we couldn't be more grateful to be in the Top 100.

Thank you for all your support throughout our fledgling season; your questions, comments, and engagement are appreciated more than you know!

We'll communicate any and all updates regarding Season 2 via our email list and social media, so stay tuned.

If you enjoyed the Season 1 Finale Episode, leave us a comment below and let us know!  

We love your questions.  Please send them to [email protected] (remove the 11111 for our contact).  We'll get to them in Season 2!

If you enjoy our weekly podcast, support us on Patreon and you will get 2 more bonus episodes each month!

Thanks for listening!

For a complete list of all podcast episodes, visit our podcast episode page.

When it comes to cooking, there are a few staples that everyone should know how to make. Here we ask each other the question, "if you had only one meal to learn how to prepare, what would that be?".

Watch on YouTube

https://youtu.be/wgJWhvClTa0

Most people have that one dish they're really good at making; you know, the dish that everyone expects them to bring to gatherings, like your aunt's famous 7 Layer Dip, or your cousin's pudding pie.

But when it comes to really fine-tuning your cooking skills and making meals, which ones will get the most mileage for years to come?

To me, it would be a meal that stands the test of time and is impressive enough to make for a gathering, but simple enough to enjoy with those in your immediate family.

In this episode Tara and I talk through our top picks for the one meal everyone should know how to make and discuss how we arrived at our answers.

Taste testing Costco's Asian snacks

We were so excited to try these Asian snacks we found at Costco which included Korean crunchy calamari, Japanese sponge cake (castella), and Thai chili tamarind bites.

You might be surprised to hear which ones we liked best!

Resources

Short Rib Ragu with Pappardelle Recipe

Baked Chicken and Potatoes Recipes

Beef Bourguignon Recipe

Martini Recipe

Limoncello Spritz Recipe

If you enjoyed The One Meal Everyone Should Know How to Make Episode, leave us a comment below and let us know!  

We love your questions.  Please send them to [email protected] (remove the 11111 for our contact).  There’s no question not worth asking.

If you enjoy our weekly podcast, support us on Patreon and you will get 2 more bonus episodes each month!

Thanks for listening!

For a complete list of all podcast episodes, visit our podcast episode page.

We've all been there before, searching for an item in the pantry only to discover something that expired ages ago! Spring cleaning isn't just for closets and backyards, it's the best time to organize your pantry, and we've got some tips to help you formulate your plan of attack.

Watch on YouTube

https://youtu.be/LHuJSO_fZko

This is the time of year we all feel inspired to do some deep cleaning and purging.

Whether it be storing warm clothes and jackets until the fall, clearing our backyards to start a garden, or deep cleaning our homes, spring cleaning is something we as humans tend to do without thinking.

But all too often the pantry gets overlooked and it shouldn't!

In this episode we share our game plan for pantry cleaning and organization and talk about some of the containers and storage options we find most useful.

We also discuss some of the items you can consider stocking in your pantry and spice cabinet!

Taste testing Trader Joe's Greek goods

Tara and I were excited to try some of these Trader Joe's shelf-stable Greek goodies for you. The taste test included TJ's Greek eggplant, Greek chickpeas, and grape leaves.

Follow along in the video if you'd like to see the items we're tasting!

Resources

Lemon Caper Linguine Recipe

Linguine al Limone Recipe

Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe

Chocolate Guinness Cake Recipe

Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

If you enjoyed the Spring Cleaning Your Pantry Episode, leave a comment below and let us know!  

We love your questions.  Please send them to [email protected] (remove the 11111 for our contact).  There’s no question not worth asking.

If you enjoy our weekly podcast, support us on Patreon and you will get 2 more bonus episodes each month!

Thanks for listening!

For a complete list of all podcast episodes, visit our podcast episode page.

Humans have gathered together for millennia to break bread and share meals with loved ones. It wasn't just a time to eat but to celebrate, bond, and wind down after a long day. And in today's age of 24/7 access to technology, coming to the table with family and loved ones is more important than ever.

Watch on YouTube

https://youtu.be/ilGMaILNmtY

In our home, we've always placed a huge value on dinner time.

It's a time for us to regroup at the end of the day, sans technology, and bond over a shared meal.

We always knew it was important, but it wasn't until recently that we learned just how important it is, and that we as humans are hardwired to do this.

After listening to a recent episode of Chris Williamson's Modern Wisdom podcast and hearing his guest, Shawn Stevenson, talk about the physiological benefits of eating with family, we realized just how powerful eating with loved ones could be.

In this episode we discuss some of the details from Shawn Stevenson's book, Eat Smarter, and talk about our own personal history and relationship to the family table.

Taste Test: Costco's French Pastries

In our latest taste test, we're trying two of Costco's packaged French pastries, pains au chocolat, and mini almond cakes, or financiers.

Listen to find out which one we liked best! One was far better than the other.

Resources

Beef Bourguignon Recipe

Classic Chili Recipe

Italian Almond Cookies Recipe

Lasagna Recipe

Pesto alla Genovese Recipe

Potato Gnocchi Recipe

The Model Health Show - Shawn Stevenson's website

If you enjoyed The Power of Eating with Loved Ones Episode, leave us a comment below and let us know!  

We love your questions.  Please send them to [email protected] (remove the 11111 for our contact).  There’s no question not worth asking.

If you enjoy our weekly podcast, support us on Patreon and you will get 2 more bonus episodes each month!

Thanks for listening!

For a complete list of all podcast episodes, visit our podcast episode page.

Spring is here and with it comes warmer weather and meals that celebrate the lighter flavors and fresh ingredients. We've compiled our favorite must-make Spring recipes to help you usher in the season!

Watch on YouTube

https://youtu.be/s2kAJtkpa7w

We're now in that in-between time of year where it's not quite warm enough to eat outside every day, but we've already begun to crave fresher flavors and lighter food.

For me that means more vegetables, such as peas, asparagus, and artichokes, to name a few.

I take every opportunity to incorporate these ingredients into simple dishes such as rigatoni primavera or lemon asparagus pasta.

It also means cleaning off the grill and using it to make some delicious main courses, such as grilled chicken thighs and lamb chops.

In this episode, we discuss some of our favorite seasonal ingredients and how we use them in our must-make spring recipes!

Tiramisu taste test

In our latest taste test, Costco's refrigerated Tiramisu goes head to head with Balconi's shelf-stable Tiramisu.

Which dessert reigns supreme? The results might shock you!

Resources

Artichoke Pasta Recipe

Orzo with Shrimp and Feta Recipe

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta Recipe

Baked Chicken Legs Recipe

Chicken Thighs with Fennel and Cherry Tomatoes Recipe

Roasted Leg of Lamb - Greek Style Recipe

Stuffed Pork Loin Recipe

Orange and Fennel Salad Recipe

Italian Vinaigrette Recipe

French Vinaigrette Recipe

Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

Tiramisu Recipe

If you enjoyed the Must Make Spring Recipes Episode, leave us a comment below and let us know!  

We love your questions.  Please send them to [email protected] (remove the 11111 for our contact).  There’s no question not worth asking.

If you enjoy our weekly podcast, support us on Patreon and you will get 2 more bonus episodes each month!

Thanks for listening!

For a complete list of all podcast episodes, visit our podcast episode page.

Traditions play an integral role in any holiday. Each year we are reminded of old traditions that may have been around for generations, and we adopt a new one or two. And food almost always plays a significant part. Join us as we discuss some of our most loved Easter traditions, and share how they've evolved.

Watch on YouTube

https://youtu.be/oW8FuFP5iDY

When a listener wrote to us and asked us to share some of our family's Easter traditions, we couldn't help but turn it into an entire episode!

Together, Tara and I stroll down memory lane and share some of our earliest Easter memories, and you won't be surprised to hear that they revolve around food!

We discuss how the blending of family members ushered in new and wonderful traditions, such as the first time Tara discovered grain pie, aka Pastiera Napoletana, and instantly fell in love!

Taste Test - Manhattan Special

We're loving the new taste test segment and hope you are too!

Here we're trying 3 flavors of the Italian specialty soda, Manhattan Special: Orange, Vanilla, and Original.

If you have the means to pick these up, we invite you to follow along and taste test with us!

Resources

Pizzagaina Recipe

Easter Bread Recipe

Torta Pasqualina Recipe

Antipasto Platter Recipe

Lasagna Recipe

Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe

Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb and Potatoes Recipe

Spiral Ham Recipe

Limoncello Spritz Recipe

If you enjoyed the Easter Traditions Old and New Episode, leave us a comment below and let us know!  

We love your questions.  Please send them to [email protected] (remove the 11111 for our contact).  There’s no question not worth asking.

If you enjoy our weekly podcast, support us on Patreon and you will get 2 more bonus episodes each month!

Thanks for listening!

For a complete list of all podcast episodes, visit our podcast episode page.

Whether you're helping your child learn to cook, just getting started yourself, or have been cooking for years, there are a few best practices every home cook can benefit from knowing!

Watch on YouTube

https://youtu.be/rxQnSkJleBg

The Culinary Classroom

Throughout my life I've viewed the kitchen as the heart of the home, but also the room in which 95% of learning takes place.

Whether you're a novice cook who's just getting started, or a seasoned home cook, there is always more to learn when it comes to cooking and I learn something new on an almost daily basis!

As with any new skill, learning to cook can come with challenges, but we've come up with a few ways to cultivate a fun and fearless learning environment.

For example, start out by making dishes you actually love and feel passionately about, and don't get discouraged if you make mistakes; cooking is all about trial and error!

In this episode we explore our top dos and don'ts when it comes to learning to cook with the hope of helping you overcome any qualms you may have about cooking!

Trader Joe's Taste Test

We picked up a few spreads from Trader Joe's and are giving them a whirl!

Have you tried any of these before, and if so, which are your favorites?

Resources

Spaghetti carbonara

Cottage pie

Baked chicken and potatoes recipe

Chicken scarpariello recipe

Chicken Vesuvio recipe

Marinara sauce recipe

Salmon oreganata recipe

Pasta alla Norcina recipe

Brasato al Barolo recipe

Jarred sauce taste test YouTube video

If you enjoyed the Learning to Cook Episode, leave us a comment below and let us know!  

We love your questions.  Please send them to [email protected] (remove the 11111 for our contact).  There’s no question not worth asking.

If you enjoy our weekly podcast, support us on Patreon and you will get 2 more bonus episodes each month!

Thanks for listening!

For a complete list of all podcast episodes, visit our podcast episode page.

When it comes to spending money on kitchen gear, the sky is the limit, but is it really worth it to spend your hard-earned money on some of these high-ticket items?

Watch on YouTube

https://youtu.be/M-m3Rx9nfO8

Dollars and sense

We try always to keep value in mind when talking to our audience.

Whether discussing budget-friendly food or ways to save at Costco, value and saving money is an overarching theme of the Sip and Feast podcast.

Fancy coolers in bright colors, high-end ranges, high-carbon steel knives, outdoor pizza ovens, stand mixers, and more are up for discussion in this episode.

For example, high-carbon Japanese steel knives can come with a high price and while they have their benefits, if their owner isn't prepared to maintain them and properly care for them, they're simply not worth it.

And is the "pretty" trendy cooler really better than the one you can buy at Costco for half the price?

Join us as we have a lively chat about which high-end kitchen gear is simply not worth it.

Taste testing more snacks

We received great feedback on the taste test segment, so we're back at it again this week!

Tara and I are trying 4 different flavors of Loacker brand quadratini.

We're been enjoying these cube-shaped wafer snacks in our home for years and wanted to determine which flavors we like best.

Resources

Pizza Steel DIY

New York Pizza Dough

Chicken Valdostana

Zeppole di San Giuseppe

If you enjoyed the High-End Kitchen Gear Episode, leave us a comment below and let us know!  

We love your questions.  Please send them to [email protected] (remove the 11111 for our contact).  There’s no question not worth asking.

If you enjoy our weekly podcast, support us on Patreon and you will get 2 more bonus episodes each month!

Thanks for listening!

For a complete list of all podcast episodes, visit our podcast episode page.

With prices soaring to new heights, many of us can't help but reflect on what we're spending for food and contemplate ways to still make amazing food on an extremely tight budget. This isn't a new issue for humans and luckily we can look to our ancestors for inspiration.

Watch on YouTube

https://youtu.be/M0tScIESsyo

According to the Wall Street Journal, it's been 30 years since food ate up this much of our income, and we see it every day in the grocery store, at restaurants, and even at the drive-thru.

This is a problem I don't think is going away any time soon, but we still need to eat.

But there is no need to compromise on taste, flavor, and enjoyment of food.

You still can make amazing food on an extremely tight budget!

Modern day cucina povera

The Italian phrase, cucina povera, translates to "poor kitchen" and is a concept that isn't limited to Italians, rather it transcends cultures and time.

It relies on using inexpensive ingredients, often pantry-stable ones, and not letting anything go to waste.

Stale bread wouldn't be discarded, rather it would be used to make polpette di pane, or panzanella salad.

Meals classified as cucina povera often include some type of legume and a grain; rarely will any meat fall into this category, unless it's the innards, also known as offal.

These meals are ones that many Italian-American families make regularly, especially during Lent when many are fasting and abstaining from meat on Fridays, or the entire Lenten season.

Some of the more well-known grain and legume meals include pasta fagioli, pasta e ceci, and pasta e lenticchie and while each differs slightly, they all have one thing in common: they're amazing meals that are budget-friendly.

In this episode we discuss the problem at hand, talk through solutions, including buying in bulk (Costco), using leftovers in new ways, and some of our favorite budget-friendly meals.

Taste tests are back

Last year we recorded a few product taste tests on our main channel, and we've decided to bring them back, but in a different way.

We'll use the end of each podcast episode to try a new food or drink and let you know what we think of them.

In this episode, we're taste-testing a packaged Italian pastry similar to a cornetto, and one of my homemade zeppole di San Giuseppe. Listen to find out what we think!

Resources

Nerdwallet article: Food Prices: As Dining Out Costs Climb in 2024, It May Pay to Eat In

Wall Street Journal article: It's Been 30 Years Since Food Ate Up This Much of Your Income

Potato Frittata Recipe

Pasta and Peas in Red Sauce Recipe

Pasta Piselli Recipe

Pasta e Patate Recipe

Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe

Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Guinness Beef Stew Recipe

If you enjoyed the Amazing Food on an Extremely Tight Budget Plus Italian Pastry Taste Test Episode, leave us a comment below and let us know!  

We love your questions.  Please send them to [email protected] (remove the 11111 for our contact).  There’s no question not worth asking.

If you enjoy our weekly podcast, support us on Patreon and you will get 2 more bonus episodes each month!

Thanks for listening!

For a complete list of all podcast episodes, visit our podcast episode page.

While some foods, ingredients, and preparation methods have stood the test of time, others have gone extinct. We're here to examine some of the major once-loved food and cooking trends that have disappeared.

Watch on YouTube

https://youtu.be/cBrcC0GYtDc

I was born in the 70s, grew up in the 80s and 90s, and throughout my time here on Earth have seen my fair share of cooking trends come and go.

Some of them were enjoyable and I still appreciate them to this day, such as sun dried tomatoes and panini, while others I was happy to see fizzle out.

In this episode, we discuss many of the more well-known food trends we've experienced and reflect on our favorites.

From the hot and cheesy fondue craze of the 1970s to Instant Pot meals and zoodles; from frozen yogurt and shishito peppers to the rise of the superfoods we explore what may have contributed to some of these trends and their longevity, or lack thereof.

Resources

Braciole Recipe

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken (Marry Me Chicken) Recipe

Chicken Sandwich with Shishito Peppers Recipe

If you enjoyed the Major Food Trends That Have Disappeared Episode, leave us a comment below and let us know!  

We love your questions.  Please send them to [email protected] (remove the 11111 for our contact).  There’s no question not worth asking.

If you enjoy our weekly podcast, support us on Patreon and you will get 2 more bonus episodes each month!

Thanks for listening!

For a complete list of all podcast episodes, visit our podcast episode page.