Listen to “248. Mangia! How to Eat Your Way Through Italy with Maria Pasquale” on Spreaker.
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Dining in Italy is an experience that extends far beyond pizza and pasta. Each region boasts its own unique flavors, traditions, and dishes, creating a vibrant culinary landscape that’s as diverse as the country itself. From bustling food festivals to intimate family gatherings, Italians celebrate food as a way of life – sharing not only delicious meals but also the joy of time spent together. Here, every dish tells a story, and every meal is a celebration of tradition, community, and the simple pleasure of eating well and with loved ones.
Summary
In this episode, we’re diving into Italy’s rich culinary heritage with Maria Pasquale, a food and travel journalist from Australia, who has lived in Rome for over 13 years and has been visiting Italy since she was a child. We explore what, despite the regional differences, are common threads that run across Italy’s food culture – from family feasts to local food festivals. Maria shares some of the unique culinary traditions of various Italian regions, ahead of the release of her book Mangia: How to Eat Your Way Through Italy, on that very subject.
What you’ll learn in this episode
- Recommended destinations for winter culinary experiences are the Dolomites (spas and strudels), Valle d’Aosta (cheese and fondue) and Bologna and Parma – great for food tours and cooking classes
- In summer, enjoying eating pasta on a boat and celebrating the Ferragosto festival are food highlights
- Sagre are Italian food festivals celebrating specific produce like chestnuts, figs, beer and cheese – of note is the pistachio festival in Bronte, Sicily. Often not advertised online, keep an eye out for local posters and ask your hosts
- Beyond Pizza and Pasta – regional differences offer a huge variety, from meat, game, and foraged foods in mountainous locations, to seafood on the coast, to the prevalence of vegetable dishes in Basilicata and the bitter green salads of Rome
- Traditional Italian beverages include Bicerin from Piedmont and the citrus-flavored drinks from Southern Italy – Katy and family are fans of trying the local Chinotto options
- Conviviality is part of the Italian food experience – spending time together and sharing meals is the uniting aspect of Italian culture despite regional differences
- There are unique culinary experiences to be had throughout Italy, from a cooking class near Matera at the Coppola family establishment, to truffle hunting in Piedmont, to luxury eco-resorts in Sardinia, making cheese with local shepherds
- Beware of Social Media information – viral TikTok trends may not represent the real Italy
- Maria Pasquale’s “Mangia” book highlights regional foods and festivals – inspired by her lifelong travels through Italy
- . Release dates of October 29 in Australia, March 2025 internationally
- The book is a combination of coffee table style with a travel-sized format and has an emphasis on sensory engagement through photos and informative writing
Timeline Overview
- 06:43 The prevalence and importance of Italian pride, tradition, legacy; diverse regional cuisines
- 08:20 Italian cuisine offers more than pizza and pasta – culinary experiences in Italy are unforgettable adventures
- 15:08 Sardinia: Shepherd culture, luxury, and immersive experiences
- 17:55 Truffle hunting creates memorable, unique food experiences
- 24:00 Sagre focus on single-produce festivals year-round
- 27:29 Italian drinks reflect rich cultural diversity – with different flavored herbal, carbonated drinks popular across Southern Italy
- 31:24 Maria’s book, Mangia: How to Eat Your Way Around Italy is out October 29
About our guest – Maria Pasquale
Follow Maria here
Maria’s books
Italian places, foods and concepts mentioned
Places
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Valle d’Aosta – small region in the very north of Italy near France
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Abruzzo – region in central Italy, bordering Le Marche, Lazio and Molise. Known for the Trabocchi Coast as well as its mountains
- Basilicata – a small region in Southern Italy best known for Matera, the cave city with only 54 people per square kilometer
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Piedmont – Northern region bordering France
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Dolomites – mountain peaks found in the North of Italy, forming part of the Southern Limestone Alps
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Bologna, Parma, Modena – cities in the Emilia-Romagna region famous for their food
- La Tavola Marche – culinary experiences and agriturismo in the Marche region
- Sardinia – the 2nd largest Italian island after Sicily
- Paestum – amazing ruins sites to visit when based in Sorrento or the Amalfi Coast with the area around where you can get the best buffalo mozzarella
- Sciacca – thermal spa town in Southern Sicily
- Bronte – town on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily which grows the best pistachios
- Perugia – a medieval college city in Umbria
- Palazzo Margherita – Coppola family (as in Francis and Sophia Ford Coppola) boutique hotel in Basilicatta
Food / Drink
- radicchio – also known as Italian chicory, it is a leafy vegetable with a bitter taste
- Cicoria alla Romana – chicory is a very popular Roman side
- contorni – side dishes. On the menu where you’ll often find the vegetable choices
- Torta Caprese – flourless cake of chocolate and nuts
- Tortellini in brodo – famous dish from Bologna of tortellini in broth
- Truffles – delicacy found in various regions of Italy, but Piedmont is particularly known for the White Truffle
- Euro Chocolate – the chocolate festival in Perugia, Umbria
- gianduiotto – chocolate ingots made from gianduja, individually wrapped in a gold or silver foil cover
- bicerin – hot drink from Turin made of espresso, drinking chocolate, and milk
- Chinotto – Italian bitter-sweet carbonated soda drink. The chinotto itself is a small citrus fruit coming to Italy from China in the 1500s. Found all over the country with different flavors
Words / Concepts
- convivialità – conviviality/merriment – the art of spending time together
- Perfume: The story of a murderer – novel set in 18th century France and around the world of Perfume and sense of smell
- Ferragosto – yearly celebrations and public holiday in Italy on 15th August
Related content on Untold Italy
Podcasts
- Ep 096 – A wander through Trastevere
- Ep 051 – Christmas in Rome and Italy
- Ep 219 – Reasons to visit Sardinia
- Ep 128 – How to spend 5 days – in South Tyrol and the Dolomites
- Ep 097 – Magical Matera – the cave city
- Ep 085 – Hiking the Dolomites
- Ep 083 – Sardinia – Sun, sand and sea – and much, much more
- Ep 064 – Stunning South Tyrol and the Dolomites
- Ep 063 – Amazing Abruzzo – from coast to mountain peaks
- Ep 055 – Picturesque Piedmont
- Ep 047 – Basilicata – Ancient southern region of tradition and history
- Ep 244 – How to eat like a Roman
- Ep 242 – Tastes of Tuscany in Fall
- Ep 241 – Parmigiano Reggiano – a story of precision and passion
- Ep 233 – A taste of Puglia
- Ep 231 – Roman pizza – what to try and where
- Ep 227 – Pesto Perfection – A locals guide
- Ep 223 – Umbria’s most tasty food experiences
- Ep 211 – Eating out in Italy
- Ep 209 – Delicious winter dishes from Tuscany
- Ep 200 – More than Nutella – a tasty look at Italian chocolate
- Ep 187 – Cheap eats in Italy – tasty street foods to try
- Ep 185 – Venetian cicchetti – a food lovers guide
- Ep 181 & Ep 182 – A tale of Roman pastas – part one & A tale of Roman pastas – part two
- Ep 163 – Pesto, pasta and the dishes of Liguria
- Ep 160 – Delicious dishes from Capri
- Ep 157 – All about gelato
- Ep 152 – Dishes to try in Bologna and the Emilia region
- Ep 149 – Pasta grannies preserving traditions across generations
- Ep 148 – Dishes to try in the lagoon city
- Ep 146 – Best food and wine gifts to bring back from- Italy
- Ep 143 – 7 delicious local dishes from Abruzzo
- Ep 142 – A tale of 3 cities – a food tour adventure in Italy/
- Ep 133 – Delicious products to try in Liguria
- Ep 117 – Porchetta, pasta and panzanella – dishes from Umbria
- Ep 113 – Spring dishes from Tuscany
- Ep 107 – Tastes of Sicily
- Ep 105 – Dishes to try in Piedmont
- Ep 094 – 8 Italian cheeses to try
- Ep 073 – Pizza from Naples – the full story
- Ep 070 – Cooking pasta with nonna
- Ep 046 – Foodie adventures in Puglia
- Ep 037 – Unearthing truffles in Le Marche
- Ep 034 – Llifting the lid on Bologna’s food culture
- Ep 021 – Savoring Sorrento – a food lovers guide
- Ep 004 – Mangia – food and eating in Italy
Articles
- Famous Roman dishes to try in Rome
- Delicious food to try in Venice
- What to eat in Palermo
- What to eat in Milan
- What to eat in Bologna
- Must try food from Naples
- Best pizza in Naples
- Dishes to try in Piedmont
- 40 Italian food facts
- Visit Italy in November – Reasons to visit and what to expect
- Piedmont travel guide
- Emilia Romagna travel guide
- Best towns in the Dolomites
- Best things to do in the Dolomites
- Bologna Itinerary Ideas
- Best things to do in Parma
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