Thoughts on the Table

By Paolo Rigiroli

What's Thoughts on the Table about?

Hi! I'm Paolo, the author of Quatro Fromaggio and Other Disgraces on the Menu. This is Thoughts on the Table, an audioblog on food and food culture, with a special eye on the difference between the so-called Italian Food and the real food of continental Italy.

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Thoughts on the Table episodes:

05.19.2022
The Meta of Food - All About Food Besides Eating It!
Join us in our journey through this fascinating subject as we touch on the concept of authenticity and on how culture influences our appreciation of flavor. Conversely, in the second part of the episode, Jason and I discuss some cooking...
04.20.2022
Taste and Flavor Flashbacks with Jason and Paolo
Today’s issue contains extracts from the first six episodes where Jason and I discuss flavor and taste, as well as cultural differences between Italy, North America, and Japan. Among other topics, we touched on why as an Italian I would...
03.23.2022
Introducing Jasmina and Stefano from Bread and Spirits
Bread and Spirits is an Instagram feed that unites Italian cuisine and cocktails enthusiasts around the world. Born out of the March 2020 lockdown from the combined talents of Jasmina and Stefano, Bread and Spirits is visually stunning, informative, entertaining,...
02.17.2022
Cookbooks and the People They Were Written for, with Diana Pinto
Is a cookbook on a cuisine a mirror of what takes place in its people’s kitchens? Or does it reflect more the desires and needs of its intended audience? And if that’s the case, are these desires of a practical...
01.16.2022
What Makes a Dish Italian? With Eva from Electric Blue Food
Join us in this episode to hear more about the true cuisine of Italy by going over some unexpected Italian dishes, such as Mostarda, Bagna Cauda, Prosciutto and Cantaloupe, as well as evidence of many dishes wrongly labeled as "non-authentic"...
09.15.2021
Introducing Chicca Maione from Chicca's Cooking Club
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...
06.03.2021
Podcast Recording, Editing, and Production with Sound Designer Geoff Devine
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)
05.13.2021
Introducing Becca and Sarah from Dietetics After Dark Podcast
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,...
05.06.2021
The Quest for Authentic & Original Recipes, with Diana Pinto
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...
02.16.2021
Introducing Podcaster Wendy Holloway from Flavor of Italy
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...
02.04.2021
Italian Words Gone Wrong – Mistakes on the Menu
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)
01.27.2021
Introducing Kristie Prada from Mammaprada
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....
01.06.2021
Chinotto - The Other Way of Drinking Dark
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...
12.30.2020
Introducing Eva from Electric Blue Food
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...
12.23.2020
Christmas Traditions from Growing up in Sicily, Canada, and Milan
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,...
12.16.2020
Introducing Local Aromas' Advent Calendar and More
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.
12.09.2020
Introducing Christine from Italian Dish Podcast
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...
12.02.2020
Introducing Cooking with Mamma Marzia Cookbook
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!
11.25.2020
Dissecting Ragu` alla Bolognese with Tina Prestia
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?
11.18.2020
Questions Italians in North America Can't Help But Wonder About
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...
11.11.2020
Dining Out and Traveling During a Pandemic
Join me and my returning guest Raffaella De Amicis as we look at how our lives have changed over the last six months, and how we may be able to adjust our strategy during partial lockdown in order to support...
09.18.2020
Introducing Valeria and Benedetta from Local Aromas
During the episode, we discuss the four Roman pastas, the Florentine Lampredotto, sweet wine and cheese pairing, the Roman dish called Suppli`, and the three kinds of Roman pizza.
09.29.2019
A Chat with Award-winning Author Andrew Cotto
Please join us in this episode where we discuss the novel *Cucina Tipica* in its many aspects - from the significance of food in the Italian culture to the chemistry of taste, from culture shock and relocation to speaking a...
07.07.2019
Celebrating Memorie di Angelina’s Ten-Year Anniversary, with Frank Fariello
In the episode, Frank talks about his blogging process--from identifying a new dish to sourcing the ingredients, executing the preparation, taking the photos, writing the recipe, editing it for publication. In particular, Frank discusses his approach on measurements or lack...
07.02.2019
Introducing Tina Prestia from Tina's Table
Tina Prestia is a food blogger with a fascinating background. She grew up in upstate New York in an Italian-American community (her dad being from Calabria), moved to New York City to pursue musical theater, graduated and worked at the...
05.23.2019
Geographical Indication and its impact on the Italians, with Melinda King
As Melinda King puts it, Geographical Indications are a way to legally recognize 'quality of place', meaning: 'it tastes like it tastes because it's from this place.' In this episode, Melinda breaks down Certification of Origin in its deep 'cultural,...
03.16.2019
Commercial vs. Domestic Kitchens and Italian Food Questionnaire, with Simon Pagotto
In the first part of the episode, Simon does an interesting comparison between commercial and domestic kitchens, touching for instance on timing, equipment, dealing with large quantities and consistency of product. In the second part, Simon goes through a list...
02.10.2019
Introducing Francesca Montillo's New Paperback - The 5-ingredient Italian Cookbook
Francesca introduces The 5-ingredient Italian Cookbook, a collection of 101 regional classics which stems from her experience as a cooking instructor. During the episode, Francesca shares a behind-the-scenes on the making of the book, from the choice of the recipes...
02.07.2019
Introducing Kelly Leonardini from Italian at Heart
Join us in our chat to learn more about Kelly and her deep connection to Italy. In the episode, Kelly describes how her blog posts and videos combine her passion for cooking, language, and the Italian culture. She also introduces...
01.25.2019
Introducing Cooking Instructor Marzia Molatore from Bella Cibo
Originally born in Naples, Marzia grew up near Valtellina, in Northern Italy before relocating to Vancouver, Canada. Recently, she shared on her blog the truth about her childhood events, which affected her entire life. In the episode, Marzia shares more...
01.01.2019
Define Culture Shock - Diana Zahuranec's Take on Relocating and Moving Back
Following her six-year relocation to Italy and her subsequent return to the United States, Diana analyzes the life in New York city, where she is now based, in contrast with suburban living in the USA, and in surprising accordance with...
12.28.2018
Introducing Food Blogger Pina Bresciani
Join me as I learn more about Pina, starting from her upbringings in an Italian family in Vancouver, speaking Italian at home and English at school, and spending her summers at her grandparents in Sperlonga, a seaside town between Rome...
11.06.2018
The Forward and Reverse Culture Shock of Relocating and Going Back, with Nick Zingale
How do we cope with culture shock? When do we start adopting new habits? If we go back, do the acquired habits stick? Do we see our native land differently? Join us as we try to answer these and more...
05.16.2018
The Premise of Italian Cuisine, with Melinda King
This episode's guest is Melinda King, an established writer and editor who has worked in the food industry and who has an extensive background in science and history. In our chat, Melinda introduces herself and then shares her view on...
04.04.2018
Introducing Giuseppe D'Angelo from Pizza Dixit, the blog on Neapolitan Pizza in the world
Giuseppe describes how pizza makers outside of Naples can obtain an excellent product by operating on the variables they still can control, such as the dough, the oven, and the choice of ingredients, starting from tomato sauce and mozzarella. In...
02.10.2018
Introducing Foodiamo - the Italian Guide to Italian Food, with Raffaele Asquer and Roberto Croci
In the episode, Raffaele Asquer shares how the Foodiamo project was born, from the marketing research, to the choice of the name and logo, to the creation of a brand. Roberto Croci, writer and editor for several Italian entertainment magazines,...
01.26.2018
Introducing Crazy Italians and their Video Series on Italian Food
Crazy Italians is an Italian restaurant located in Memphis with a mission to feature nothing but continental Italian food. In order for the Italian owners to help explain their product, for over a year they have been producing amazing short...
12.22.2017
Italian and Italian-American Christmas Traditions
Nick Zingale is back on the show with his great storytelling to talk about Christmas and the way he and his Italian-American family celebrated it over the years. From the anticipation leading up to Christmas Eve, to the Feast of...
12.13.2017
Introducing Enzo De Chiara from The Italian Guest
During the interview, Enzo explains his link to the United States and how he started his blog to document his food, travel, and lifestyle experiences across from his hometown of Bergamo (in northern Italy) and his adoptive city of Columbia, Missouri....
10.28.2017
Rediscovering Artisan Craftsmanship and Ancient Grains, with Alida Zamparini
Alida Zamparini from My Little Italian Kitchen is back on the show to give us an update on her latest recipes and blogging trips. As you will hear, Alida has been focusing on regional Italian products and artisan craftsmanship, which...
10.20.2017
The Basic Rules of Italian Food with David Scott Allen
David from Cocoa and Lavender joins me to discuss a guest article I wrote in collaboration with other Italian bloggers on the "Basic Rules of Italian Food." For instance, among the various topics, we talk about the fact that no...
07.19.2017
Introducing Australian Restaurateur Simon Pagotto
During the episode, Simon talks about his Italian roots, his deeply Australian upbringing, and how his discovery of traditional Italian food led him to embrace authenticity in his trattoria, even against the general expectations of his patrons. In our exchange,...
07.03.2017
A Morning in San Giovanni in Galdo, with Nick Zingale
During his day-trip to San Giovanni in Galdo, Nick Zingale has a series of encounters that make him closer to his roots and that he will remember forever. (Music by www.purple-planet.com)
06.17.2017
Nick Zingale and his Emotional Trip to Molise
Nick Zingale shares another chapter of his past Italian trip which allowed him to explore his southern Italian roots. In this episode, he takes us through his emotional journey to Molise, the small Italian region where his maternal ancestors were...
05.25.2017
Italians of the World - Introducing Linda from Signorina Spaghetti
Linda talks about what brought her to Brussels, Belgium and about her motivations for starting a blog, which she describes through hilarious examples and colorful stories. She also talks about her inspiration as a cook, her most important recipes, and...
03.29.2017
Discovering Cinque Terre, Lake Orta, and Como with Nick Zingale
Nick Zingale is back with his great storytelling and distinctive charm to talk about his journey throughout the Italian peninsula that took place about a year ago. With the ultimate goal of reaching his ancestors' towns in southern Italy, Nick...
02.19.2017
True or False? Fifteen Stereotypes on Italy, with Nick Zingale
Is it true that Italians drink espresso all the time? Live with their parents until they're 30 years old? And they all know how to dress up? In this entertaining episode, Nick and I try to debunk these and more...
01.29.2017
The Boom of Italian Food in the US, with Food Writer Mark Preston
Mark Preston, food writer, blogger, and cookbook author, talks about his encounters with Italian cuisine while growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, and how this experience prompted him to travel to Europe, as he says, 'just to go to Italy...
01.17.2017
Italian and American Culture with Nick Zingale
Nick Zingale is an American of Italian descent who lived and traveled in Italy and Europe for seven months last year. He joins me in this episode for a fascinating overview of his experience abroad, which he documented on his...
12.03.2016
Introducing Cooking Instructor Francesca Montillo
In this feature, Francesca talks about her unique upbringings, with her family straddling between Boston and a small village in southern Italy, and between adopting new traditions and maintaining their old ones, while living abroad. In the second part of...

What's Thoughts on the Table about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Thoughts on the Table episodes:

The Meta of Food - All About Food Besides Eating It!

Taste and Flavor Flashbacks with Jason and Paolo

Introducing Jasmina and Stefano from Bread and Spirits

Cookbooks and the People They Were Written for, with Diana Pinto

What Makes a Dish Italian? With Eva from Electric Blue Food

Introducing Chicca Maione from Chicca's Cooking Club

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

Introducing Becca and Sarah from Dietetics After Dark Podcast

The Quest for Authentic & Original Recipes, with Diana Pinto

Introducing Podcaster Wendy Holloway from Flavor of Italy

Italian Words Gone Wrong – Mistakes on the Menu

Introducing Kristie Prada from Mammaprada

Chinotto - The Other Way of Drinking Dark

Introducing Eva from Electric Blue Food

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

Introducing Local Aromas' Advent Calendar and More

Introducing Christine from Italian Dish Podcast

Introducing Cooking with Mamma Marzia Cookbook

Dissecting Ragu` alla Bolognese with Tina Prestia

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

Dining Out and Traveling During a Pandemic

Introducing Valeria and Benedetta from Local Aromas

A Chat with Award-winning Author Andrew Cotto

Celebrating Memorie di Angelina’s Ten-Year Anniversary, with Frank Fariello

Introducing Tina Prestia from Tina's Table

Geographical Indication and its impact on the Italians, with Melinda King

Commercial vs. Domestic Kitchens and Italian Food Questionnaire, with Simon Pagotto

Introducing Francesca Montillo's New Paperback - The 5-ingredient Italian Cookbook

Introducing Kelly Leonardini from Italian at Heart

Introducing Cooking Instructor Marzia Molatore from Bella Cibo

Define Culture Shock - Diana Zahuranec's Take on Relocating and Moving Back

Introducing Food Blogger Pina Bresciani

The Forward and Reverse Culture Shock of Relocating and Going Back, with Nick Zingale

The Premise of Italian Cuisine, with Melinda King

Introducing Giuseppe D'Angelo from Pizza Dixit, the blog on Neapolitan Pizza in the world

Introducing Foodiamo - the Italian Guide to Italian Food, with Raffaele Asquer and Roberto Croci

Introducing Crazy Italians and their Video Series on Italian Food

Italian and Italian-American Christmas Traditions

Introducing Enzo De Chiara from The Italian Guest

Rediscovering Artisan Craftsmanship and Ancient Grains, with Alida Zamparini

The Basic Rules of Italian Food with David Scott Allen

Introducing Australian Restaurateur Simon Pagotto

A Morning in San Giovanni in Galdo, with Nick Zingale

Nick Zingale and his Emotional Trip to Molise

Italians of the World - Introducing Linda from Signorina Spaghetti

Discovering Cinque Terre, Lake Orta, and Como with Nick Zingale

True or False? Fifteen Stereotypes on Italy, with Nick Zingale

The Boom of Italian Food in the US, with Food Writer Mark Preston

Italian and American Culture with Nick Zingale

Introducing Cooking Instructor Francesca Montillo