Tucked away in the lush forests of northern Lazio, just over an hour’s drive from Rome, lies one of Italy’s most unusual and intriguing destinations: Bomarzo Monster Park. Known in Italian as Parco dei Mostri (Park of the Monsters), this 16th-century garden is unlike any other—part dreamscape, part nightmare, and entirely unforgettable.

This isn't your typical Renaissance garden filled with symmetry and order. Instead, it’s a chaotic, magical labyrinth of gigantic stone monsters, mythological creatures, dragons, ogres, leaning houses, and mysterious inscriptions carved into stone.

Perhaps the most iconic sculpture in the park is the “Mouth of Hell”—a grotesque stone face with a gaping mouth that doubles as an open doorway. Above the entrance reads the eerie inscription: “Abandon all thought, ye who enter here,” a clear nod to Dante’s Divine Comedy. It was this statue in particular that sparked Teresa’s imagination and became the time-travel portal in her novel.

Bomarzo is a "must visit" - listen for all the details about this unusual Bom arzo Monster Park!

Tucked away just around the corner from the bustling Piazza Navona, in the heart of Rome, lies one of the city’s most magical and often overlooked gems: the Biblioteca Angelica. Founded in 1604, this remarkable library is one of Europe’s oldest public libraries, created with a revolutionary vision for its time—free and open access to books and knowledge, regardless of social standing or class. It was a bold idea, and one that continues to resonate today.

Perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects of the Biblioteca Angelica is its collection of books that were once deemed heretical or forbidden. With special permission from the Pope, Rocca ensured that these banned books—many of which were listed in the infamous Index Librorum Prohibitorum—were included. These works included writings by controversial thinkers like Giordano Bruno and Galileo Galilei, whose revolutionary ideas put them at odds with the Church.

This is a captivating episode and a step into a magical, true hidden gem right in the bustling center of Rome!

If you've ever cracked open a sweet, succulent blue crab in the United States, you know how beloved this shellfish is across the East Coast. But in Italy, the story of the blue crab is far more complicated—and, until recently, largely untold. This invasive species, once a stranger to the Mediterranean, is now causing ecological upheaval and threatening Italy’s prized seafood industry.
In this episode, I spoke with marine biologist and entrepreneur Carlotta Santolini, co-founder of BluEat and the all-women initiative Mariscadoras, to learn about the growing blue crab Italy crisis and how a creative, sustainable food supply chain may hold the solution.

The Glassmaker
Exploring Venice, Murano, and the Art of Glass Beads through Tracy Chevalier’s Vision

Venice, with its dreamy canals and labyrinthine streets, is a city steeped in timeless beauty. But nestled just a stone’s throw away is the island of Murano, a place with an equally rich legacy—one forged in fire, colored in precious minerals, and shaped by centuries of craftsmanship. It is here that Tracy Chevalier sets her luminous new historical novel, The Glassmaker.
As the host of the Flavor of Italy podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Tracy Chevalier about her latest novel, The Glassmaker, which has captured the imagination of readers worldwide. From the shimmer of molten glass to the intricate art of bead-making, Chevalier’s novel is both a sweeping saga and an ode to a vanishing world of artistry. If you're fascinated by Italy, women's history, or the centuries-old tradition of Venetian glass, this story—and the story behind the story—is for you.

In Part Two of my conversation with cookbook author and recipe developer Maria Zizka, we dig even deeper and explore her work in Americanizing recipes, and her experience teaching at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Northern Italy.
Maria explains how she guides students through the many ways to write a recipe—always encouraging them to embrace their personal voice in the process. “Only you can write your version of a recipe,” she says, and that authenticity is what makes recipes truly shine.
We also touch on Preserving Tradition Through Adaptation, Why Voice and Specificity Matter in Recipe Writing and the Challenges of Ingredient Translation including the complexity of ingredient substitutions when adapting international recipes for American kitchens....

How Cookbooks Travel Across Cultures, Part 1
A Conversation with Cookbook Author and Recipe Adaptor Maria Zizka

When it comes to writing and publishing cookbooks, adapting recipes for different countries is far more complex than simply converting grams to ounces. In this week’s Flavor of Italy Podcast, I chatted with acclaimed cookbook author Maria Zizka, who specializes in the art and science of recipe adaptations—specifically the “Americanization” of international cookbooks.
Maria is based in the Berkeley Hills of California, while I’m in Rome, Italy. So we both understand the importance—and challenge—of translating food and flavor across culinary cultures. In this first installment of our two-part conversation, we dug into everything from ingredient substitutions and baking adjustments to measurement conversions and language nuances.

Lake Garda, Italy’s largest and most picturesque lake, is not just a scenic marvel but also a hub of exceptional wines. Thanks to its unique microclimate and diverse soil composition, this region produces some of Italy’s most distinctive and celebrated wines. From refreshing whites to complex reds, Lake Garda’s wines offer something for every palate.
One of the best ways to visit the enormous Lake Garda and its wineries is to ferry hop from one lakeside town to another.
Nestled on the western shores of Lake Garda, the Valtènesi wine region is an enchanting destination for wine lovers looking to discover something truly special. This area, with its stunning landscapes and rich winemaking history, remains relatively unknown outside of Italy, but that is changing—thanks to ambitious winemakers like the dynamic duo behind Conti Thun Winery.
This is a re-release of a 2021 episode that digs even deeper into the Valtènesi and Lake Garda wines.

If you’re looking for a fascinating drink that combines history, craftsmanship, and a bouquet of flavors, Italian Vermouth is a must-discover gem. And if you want to understand vermouth’s origins and why it’s so closely tied to Italy—and specifically the city of Torino—you need to hear the story that global sommelier and vermouth expert Martina Doglio Cotto shared with me on today' podcast episode.
So what exactly is Italian Vermouth?
Martina describes vermouth as a “liquid perfume,” an aromatic, drinkable elixir infused with herbs, spices, and botanicals. It’s technically a fortified wine but vermouth is much more than just a beverage. It’s a sensory experience, deeply rooted in the history and culture of Torino, the elegant northern Italian city where it was born.