Thoughts on the Table

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)

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. In the second part of the episode, Kristie talks about the many challenges (and rewards) of raising her children while exposing them to both British and Italian cultures and languages.

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 of its bitterness!

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 but also as storytelling, and the value of food blogs over recipe books. To conclude, Eva shares her most special recipe.

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, Miriam's riveting performance in her childhood Christmas play, stockings, the presents-opening ceremony (between candlelight and spotlight), and of course and at length about the food of the holidays!

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.

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 talking-while-cooking helps her be her real self and connect with her audience. Finally, we digress on the difficult task of cooking Italian food for native Italians, with the high bars set by their nonnas and with the brutal honesty they are known for!

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!

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?

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 the stereotypes associated with them?