italy

Is Genoa’s Pesto Overrated? I Had to Find Out

In Genoa, pesto isn’t just a sauce—it’s a legacy. Brent dives into the city’s food scene to uncover the best…

12 hours ago

Ravenna Food & Travel Guide

Ravenna, in northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna region is often dwarfed by Venice, Florence, and Bologna, all within easy reach of the…

7 days ago

The fancy fisherman’s drink

Fishermen in Fano, Italy drank a high octane mix of espresso and alcohol to prepare themselves for their rough days…

2 weeks ago

The Pope who didn’t want to be pope

A monk who built a following from a remote hermitage in Abruzzo, Italy was tabbed as pope in 1294. It…

3 weeks ago

Kitchen of the poor in L’Aquila, Italy

Cucina povera, known as “peasant food” or “kitchen of the poor”, is the idea that while some parts of Italy…

4 weeks ago

Podcast: Rome, Venice, and Abruzzo, Italy

Planning a trip to Italy? We’ve got some of the best things to eat in Rome, drink in Venice, as…

1 month ago

L’Aquila, Italy Food & Travel Guide

L’Aquila suffered a devasting blow when a 2009 earthquake severely damaged the city and killed over 300 people. But, L’Aquila…

1 month ago

Eating My Way Through Genoa 🇮🇹 Focaccia, Farinata & Hidden Street Food Gems

Genoa might be gritty, but its street food is pure magic 🇮🇹 Brent dives into the rough-and-tumble streets of Genoa…

1 month ago

A cake named after local wildlife

Scanno, Italy is proud of their brown bear population. So, of course, they named a cake after them.

1 month ago

Must-Try Foods of the French & Italian Riviera | Ultimate Food Travel Guide

From creamy pesto with a surprising twist to rich and earthy ratatouille, and a street food perfect for a hike…

1 month ago

The world famous edible Confetti

Enjoyed all over the world, Confetti has been made in a little Italian town for over 500 years.

2 months ago

Alassio, Italy Food Tour 🇮🇹 | Pesto, Aperitivo & Riviera Eats

Join Brent in Alassio, Italy, a beautiful town on the Italian Riviera, as he eats his way through local specialties…

2 months ago

Podcast: Carnival in Venice, Rio, and Guadeloupe

We’re celebrating Carnival season by starting the party early in Rio (at 7am!), dancing in the streets in Guadeloupe, and…

2 months ago

When the Dutch artist visited Abruzzo, Italy

Known for his surreal, yet mathematical drawings and lithos, the Dutch artist is remembered in a remote Italian town. Maurits…

2 months ago

I Ate Incredible Street Food & Snacks on the French & Italian Riviera 🇫🇷🇮🇹

From sizzling street food in Nice to centuries-old snacks in Genoa, I traveled the French and Italian Riviera to taste…

2 months ago

Podcast: Markets in Palermo, Venice, Kuala Lumpur, and Mexico City

Visiting local markets is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the culture and food of a city. Brent…

2 months ago

Scanno & Sulmona, Italy

It may be a tiny, mountaintop village, but Scanno has more than its share interesting cuisine including a pastry named…

2 months ago

Ultimate Italian Street Food Tour | Eats from Bologna to Puglia

Italy is famous for its food—but the street food might be even better 🇮🇹 In this video. Brent travels across…

2 months ago

Podcast: Modena, Italy with Lori Sganzerla from Taste Bologna

Lori Sganzerla is a foodie tour guide from Modena, Italy. She knows the famous city of gastronomy as well as…

3 months ago

The fishing platforms of Abruzzo called Trabocci

The coast of Abruzzo, Italy is dotted with characteristic fishing platforms called Trabocci. In fact, they are so common that…

3 months ago

Italian Desserts Road Trip 🇮🇹 | Lecce to Bologna Sweets You Must Try

I drove across Italy’s east coast from Lecce to Bologna on a dessert-filled road trip, tasting some of the most…

3 months ago

Pescara, Italy Food & Travel Guide

Pescara is a thoroughly modern city with miles of beaches and typical Italian beach resorts. However, it is also home…

3 months ago

I Ate Some of Italy’s Most Unique Pasta Dishes on a Foodie Road Trip 🇮🇹

Experience Italy through its most authentic and unexpected pasta dishes (and more!) on this unforgettable foodie road trip. In this…

3 months ago

Tourist tax

Ever been shortchanged, overcharged, or received less than you paid for while on vacation? Congratulations, you just paid the Tourist…

3 months ago

New Year’s Eve & red underwear

If you're in Italy for New Year's Eve, be sure to wear this specifically colored undergarment.

3 months ago

Puglia Foodie Travel Guide

From Baroque Lecce to rugged Monte Sant’Angelo, Puglia is a foodie's hidden paradise. Each city and town has its own…

4 months ago

Monte Sant’Angelo Foodie Travel Guide

Perched on a mountaintop in the middle of a national park, Monte Sant’Angelo is a pilgrim destination with several unique…

4 months ago

Podcast: Overtourism in Florence, Dubrovnik, and Rome

So many places in Europe are suffering from overtourism; massive crowds, overpriced hotels, and grumpy locals. So, we're giving some…

4 months ago

☕ I Tried Italy’s Most Unique Coffees — From Espresso to Caffè Speciale!

Embark on an Italian coffee crawl with Brent as he explores Italy’s most delicious and unique espresso drinks! 🇮🇹 From…

4 months ago

Santa Claus is entombed in Bari, Italy

The 4th century saint lived and preached in present-day Turkey. Somehow, his bones ended up in Bari.

5 months ago

Podcast: Rome, A Culinary History with Katie Parla

New York Times bestselling author Katie Parla talks with Brent about her adopted hometown of Rome and her new book…

5 months ago

Bari, Italy Foodie Travel Guide

A rough and tumble port city, Bari’s charm lie in its culinary culture, especially several unique street food items. Foodie…

5 months ago

Moscato di Trani

Arriving in the Puglian town of Trani, I had one beverage-based mission. Find and sample the local sweet wine, Moscato…

5 months ago

Trani, Italy

A quaint town on the Adriatic, Trani held great importance in the Middle Ages. Today, it’s more sleepy with a…

5 months ago

Taralli, southern Italy’s delicious cracker

When you go to Puglia (the heel of the Italian peninsula), you're sure to see Taralli. They're everywhere! Taralli are…

6 months ago

Caffe Speciale, the coffee drink invented a seaside Italian town

A coffee drink in Puglia is as delicious as it is decadent. Coffee in Italy I'm always amazed at the…

6 months ago

Monopoli, Italy

If Lecce is the sophisticated historical center of Puglia and Bari is the rough and tumble port, Monopoli is the…

6 months ago

Lecce, Italy Foodie Travel Guide

My latest foodie travel guide is to the Italian city of Lecce in Puglia. We've been going to Lecce for…

7 months ago

Bologna Street Food Tour 🍝 Hidden Michelangelo & Rum-Soaked Cake | Italy Road Trip

Discover the ultimate Bologna street food tour in Italy’s culinary capital! 🇮🇹 From a rum-soaked cake to tortellini en brodo,…

7 months ago

Modena, Italy Food Adventure: €5000 Balsamic, Lambrusco & one of the Best Meals Ever!

Modena, Italy is a food lover’s paradise — and in this episode, Brent dives deep into its culinary treasures. 🇮🇹✨…

7 months ago

Exploring Ravenna 🇮🇹 1,500-Year-Old Mosaics, Unique Pasta & Italian Street Food

Discover Ravenna, Italy — a city of dazzling 1,500-year-old Byzantine mosaics, medieval history, and incredible food you won’t find anywhere…

7 months ago

L’Aquila Food Tour | Hidden Gem in Abruzzo with Torrone, Meatless Meatballs & Evening Passeggiata

Discover the hidden flavors of L’Aquila, Italy — a city that rose from the 2009 earthquake to become one of…

7 months ago

Scanno, Italy Food Crawl 🇮🇹 | Hidden Mountain Town, Confetti Sweets & Arrosticini BBQ

Join Brent on a mouthwatering road trip through Scanno, a hidden gem in the mountains of Abruzzo, Italy. 🍝🍷 We’ll…

8 months ago

Italy Roadtrip: Pescara | Homemade pasta, local pastry, Montepulciano wine & empty beaches (for now)

Brent is in Pescara to sample the food of Abruzzo. That means homemade pasta named after a musical instrument, a…

8 months ago

Podcast: Florence, Venice, and the Bay of Naples in Italy

Everyone wants to visit Italy! Brent shares some of the best things to eat and drink in Florence, Venice, and…

8 months ago

Italy Roadtrip: Trani by the sea in Puglia | Searching for a unique liqueur

Brent's roadtrip takes him to Trani on the Adriatic Sea. He searches for a unique local liqueur and pastry (only…

8 months ago

Italy Road Trip: Seaside Monopoli with amazing rustica and pumped up coffee!

Brent is in the seaside town of Monopoli for homemade pasta and a giant slab of delicious rustica! Plus, a…

9 months ago

Italy Road Trip: Delicious Lecce in Puglia

Brent kicks off his Italy roadtrip in the far southern tip of country with an amazing food crawl in Lecce.…

9 months ago

Podcast: Venice, Italy cocktails with Monica Cesarato

Monica Cesarato is a native Venician who knows more about one of Europe's most popular cities than anyone. She tells…

11 months ago

Podcast: Ravenna, Italy with Silvia from Taste Bologna Tours

We're in Ravenna, Italy with Silvia from Taste Bologna Tours for a unique pasta that resembles a chicken's throat, local…

1 year ago

Podcast: Pasta Grammar with Harper and Eva

Harper and Eva are the charming couple behind the incredibly popular YouTube channel Pasta Grammar. They tell Brent about buying…

1 year ago

Foraging in Abruzzo, Italy with Marta Udalowa

Marta Udalowa and her husband gave up corporate jobs in Ireland for life in rural Abruzzo, Italy. She tells Brent…

1 year ago

Podcast: Christmas in France, Italy, Germany and the Philippines

For Christmas we're celebrating with Bûche de Noël in France, walking off the meal in Rome, a Glühwein crawl in…

1 year ago

Podcast: Cheese in Sardinia, Nova Scotia & Australia

We're sampling some of the best cheese from around the world. Amazing blue cheese from Nova Scotia, pecorino from Sardinia,…

1 year ago

Podcast: Naples pizza contest with Scott Weiner from Scott’s Pizza Tours [Ep 312]

Scott Weiner is the founder of Scott's Pizza Tours and owner of the Guiness World Record largest pizza box collection.…

1 year ago

Frozen treats from Italy, Australia, St. Louis & Canada

We're cooling off during the dog days of summer with frozen treats from all over the world. We'll sample the…

2 years ago

Podcast: Bologna with Andrea Chierici from Taste Bologna

Andrea Chierici lives and works in Bologna, Italy and loves his city! He tells Brent about the amazing food including…

2 years ago

Podcast: Pasta in Sicily, Turin, Abruzzo & Croatia

Brent searches for the best pasta shape for pesto with NYT bestselling author Katie Parla, tries the stuffed pasta native…

2 years ago

The best gelato in Milan, Italy

Milan is one of the best cities in all of Italy for Gelato. It rivals even Florence for the number…

2 years ago

Negroni Sbagliato (Incorrect Negroni)

The social media sensation cocktail was invented in Milan 50 years ago. Negroni Sbagliato origin story Negroni Sbagliato at Bar…

2 years ago

The Bone Chapel where a Duke was murdered

The Santuario di San Bernardino is not only where a creepy ossuary is located, it's also where a very unpopular…

2 years ago

Wine bars, Negroni Sbagliato, Truffles & Springsteen in Milan, Italy

Brent is in Milan visiting the coolest wine bar, sipping a "broken" Negroni, and enjoying decadent truffles. And, he caps…

2 years ago

Champagne sorbetto, wine & mini pastry in Milan, Italy

Brent is in Milan, Italy to visit the Milan Cathedral and tries a sorbetto made with Champagne, yummy mini pastries,…

3 years ago

Why We Eat Zeppole on Saint Joseph’s Day

Italian bakeries crank out millions of zeppole every Saint Joseph's Day. Enjoying this delicious pastry is a tradition not only…

3 years ago

Ape, the three-wheeled trucks from Italy

The modest Italian lightweight trucks are popular all over Europe. Ape Origin Story After WWII, Italy was in ruins and…

4 years ago

Why you shouldn’t book the cheapest ticket

The cheapest ticket isn't always the best choice. In fact, sometimes it will make your trip miserable. Remote Airports Maybe…

4 years ago

The (probably untrue) legend of Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Puttanesca translates literally to "prostitute." So, Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is "pasta in the style of a prostitute." That couldn't be…

4 years ago

Chocolate Hazelnut-the famous flavor of Turin

Chocolate and hazelnuts seems like a match made in heaven. But it took a war to bring them together Chocolate…

4 years ago

Halloween in Italy

Our notion of Halloween in the U.S., children in costumes going door to door for candy, originates in Scotland and…

4 years ago

The Best Pizza in Naples

Naples is known as the birthplace of pizza. But, there's more than just classic Neapolitan pizza in the Città del…

4 years ago

Orecchiette & Broccoli Rabe (Vegan)

This is a very traditional dish from the Puglia region (the heel of the boot) in Italy. But, I put…

5 years ago

Rome’s Drinking Fountains

Rome has thousands of quirky drinking fountains called Nasoni to keep you hydrated during the hot summer. Nasoni origin story…

5 years ago

A cheese from Sicily cooked three times

Tricotta takes Ricotta Cheese and cooks it a third time for a special Sicilian treat. Tricotta origin story Tricotta for…

5 years ago

Affogato

This rich and creamy drink combines two things that Italy excels at: espresso and gelato. What is an Affogato? Notice…

5 years ago

Music school in Lucca, Italy

Lucca, Italy (photo: Brent Petersen) Yet another entry in my long list of examples of why you should keep yourself…

5 years ago

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…in Italy

Chestnut vendor in Rome (photo: Brent Petersen) One of my favorite things about being in Italy in the fall and…

5 years ago

The Italian town that does the evening stroll on two wheels

Each evening, all over Italy, people come out for the "passeggiata," or stroll. Everyone takes part; young, old, rich, poor,…

5 years ago

When looking for a snack in Naples, head to the Friggitoria

In Italian, Friggitoria means fryer. And the name is apt. The local Friggitoria shop in Naples has a huge selection…

5 years ago

An Italian bread made from scraps of dough

One of my favorite things about Italy is the culture's ingenious frugality. Have grape skins and stems left over from…

6 years ago

How to make Limoncello at home

Homemade Limoncello is easy to make. You just need the correct ingredients and a little patience. Limoncello origin story Enjoying…

6 years ago

In Defense of Cheap Plastic Souvenirs

Recently, I was talking with my friend Mickela Mallozzi for my podcast. Mickela is the creator and host of the…

6 years ago

Movies featuring each region of Italy

Italy is home to a vibrant film making industry that has been widely recognized over the years for its quality…

6 years ago

10 movies that will make you love Sicily

Sicily is an extraordinary place filled with gorgeous scenery, a fascinating history, and interesting people. While many famous films are…

6 years ago

Naples’ custom of sharing espresso with strangers

Customers visit caffès in Naples each morning and order two espressos. But, they don't drink both. The second one is…

6 years ago

The Three Street Food Dishes You Must Try in Palermo

Your favorite culinary experience in Palermo might just be from the back of a 3-wheeled truck or a sidewalk street…

6 years ago

How to Enjoy Two Different Bellinis in Italy

You've probably enjoyed a luscious Bellini or two during brunch but there's a second Bellini-inspired dish that you have to…

6 years ago

Italy’s Greatest Coffee Drink

I know. “Italy’s Greatest Coffee Drink” is a bold statement. But, the first time I sipped a Bicerin, I knew…

6 years ago