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Appetito

<p>Michele Sessa is an Italian American home chef raised in upstate NY with a flair for creating new recipes. When she was young, her great grandmother would watch her while her parents worked. She only spoke Italian, and they communicated through the magic of cooking. The duo would bake, garden and even take care of the chickens, which developed Michele’s passion for making people happy through her food. All the women in her family fostered the importance of family, faith and healthy food.</p>
<p>Working in the apparel business for over 25 years in NYC and traveling the world for developing fashion lines, her love of different cuisines grew. Of course, Italian food is near and dear to her heart, but she now develops Greek, Asian, Latin and Mexican recipes for her family and for parties.</p>
<p>Now living in Florida with her husband and extended family, she even teaches her friends her innovative takes on Italian classic dishes. Everyone wants and invitation to her Italian Sunday feasts she makes for 8-14 family members, and everyone gets to pick their favorite dinner for their birthday celebration. Her Mother Louise has finally left NY and is living nearby, and they love cooking and baking together, especially for the traditional holiday meals. She learned everything about being a gracious hostess from her mom, and they even catered a large wedding for 65 guests in their backyard when her cousins came to America from Italy to get married!</p>
<p>Michele’s love for her heritage and family continues to drive her knack for entertaining, decorating and cooking. Instagram is another place where she shares her recipes, and she has a great following for her handle <a href="https://www.instagram.com/michele7533/"><u>@michele7533</u></a>. Make sure to stop by her page for inspiration and her authentic stories through her eyes and her food! Casa Michele’s kitchen is a special place that you can visit through her page!</p>


Michele Sessa

Ricotta and citron pie is the perfect addition to your Easter table this year.

Recipes

Ricotta and Citron Easter Pie from Grandma Sessa

<p>Morgan Hines is a New York City-based contributor for Appetito. She loves learning about and experiencing Italian cuisine and culture. Morgan is a full time reporter at PhocusWire and also contributes to Hotels Above Par, Women&#8217;s Wear Daily, Footwear News, etc. She was previously a full time reporter at USA TODAY and holds degrees from Columbia University and Georgetown University. Follow her on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/morganemhines/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@morganemhines?lang=en">TikTok</a> at <a>@MorganEmHines. </a></p>


Morgan Hines

The Après Italiano cocktail from Holiday Vodka and Pearl Box, served with citrus, spice and a touch of bitterness

Après Italiano Cocktail Recipe with Holiday Vodka at Pearl Box NYC

<p>Lowcountry Bella (Mandi Casey) is Italian by birth and Southern by choice. Moving to eastern North Carolina as a young girl, she was exposed to a whole new type of cuisine like BBQ and hush puppies. As an adult, she embraces both cultures so you never know what she may be cooking up in her kitchen! Currently she lives in both Pawleys Island, South Carolina and Fort Mill, South Carolina.</p>
<p>Her family continues to grow, and that makes her happy because there are more people to feed and love. What&#8217;s better than that?</p>
<p>In addition to creating, cooking and sharing great recipes, she loves to research the history of food origins. Understanding the flavors and ingredients helps her creativity, but more-so, appreciate the meal with even more passion.</p>
<p>Mandi loves to be a guest of events, signing books and donating a portion of her net proceeds to local charities. Her second cookbook, <em>Mangia Y&#8217;all &#8211; Make Everyday Delicious</em>, is scheduled to be released on July 19, 2025.</p>
<p>Please follow her on her website <a href="http://www.lowcountrybella.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.lowcountrybella.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1705416623316000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2qLX1Ag56lHqdrjNXYhkQG">www.lowcountrybella.com </a>or on social media: @lowcountrybella on both Instagram and Facebook.</p>
<p>Mangia Y’all!</p>


Lowcountry Bella

Exterior of Little Mama’s Italian Kitchen in Charlotte

Features

Inside Little Mama’s Italian Kitchen in Charlotte

Strawberry mascarpone shortcakes made with buttery biscuits and fresh spring berries.

Easy Strawberry Mascarpone Shortcakes for Easter

<p><strong>Mary Welsh</strong> is a Rome-based contributor for <em>Appetito</em>. After earning her BA from Barnard College and becoming a certified sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, she completed her MA in Cultural Heritage at the American University of Rome, where her research focused on women’s roles in sustainable wine marketing and tourism. Today, Mary manages social media for Untold Italy and writes <em>Forks and Corks</em>, her Substack exploring the intersections of food, wine, culture, and travel, along with her own personal reflections. Follow her on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maryuncorked" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/maryuncorked&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1761663283490000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0uCC-qQPiGid71GjDRnUxk">@maryuncorked</a>.</p>


Mary Welsh

Ape Calessino three wheel scooter tour vehicle parked near the Colosseum in Rome

Rome by Vespa: Inside Scooteroma’s Private Tours

<p><strong><b>Samuel Ghelli</b></strong> is an Italian scholar and educator based in New York. He teaches and directs the Italian and Food Studies programs at York College, CUNY.</p>


Samuel Ghelli

Fruit course at an Italian meal with grapes and figs on a rustic table

When the Fruit Arrives: The Italian Way of Saying It’s All Over

Appetito Editors

plated roast lamb with potatoes garlic and rosemary

News

Easter Recipe Roundup & Our EIC on ABC News Live (4/4)

<div><i>Toni Brancatisano was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, one of four children and the younger of twins. Her father, Giuseppe (Joe), was born in Calabria, Italy, to Vincenzo and Concetta, and is one of nine siblings. Like many Italian families seeking new opportunities, they emigrated to Australia in the 1950s, bringing with them the traditions, values, and flavors that would later shape Toni’s culinary path.</i></div>
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<div><i>Toni graduated from The Royal Melbourne School of Nursing in 1993. Two years later, she set off on what was meant to be a six-month working holiday in London. That short adventure quickly turned into a three-year journey when she became nanny to two-year-old triplet girls. When visa restrictions eventually required her to leave the UK, Toni found herself in La Jolla, California, where she spent several months working as a prep chef in a friend’s Italian restaurant — an experience that further sparked her love of cooking.</i></div>
<div><i>In August 1998, Toni arrived in Tuscany intending it to be her final summer abroad. Life, however, had other plans. A Tuscan wedding and two children later, she found herself firmly rooted in Italy. During those early years of motherhood, her passion for baking blossomed. What began with birthday cakes for her children soon grew into a thriving cake-decorating business specializing in cupcakes, celebration cakes, and elegant tiered wedding cakes.</i></div>
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<div><i>Toni stepped into the national spotlight in 2009 when she competed on Italy’s first cooking reality show, La Scuola — Cucina di Classe on the Gambero Rosso Channel (Sky). After twelve weeks of intense culinary challenges, she emerged as the winner, earning her own television show.</i></div>
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<div><i>In 2010, she launched Le Torte di Toni, a cake-decorating series co-starring her daughter Annabella. The pair filmed three seasons together, followed by two additional series titled Le Torte di Toni — Masterclass, where Toni welcomed guest cake decorators in each episode. In 2012, her first book, La Torta Perfetta di Toni, was published by Gribaudo Feltrinelli.</i></div>
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<div><i>After nearly fifteen years in Tuscany, Toni moved to Rome, where she continued sharing her passion for Italian food and culture. She led food tours and cooking classes with Eating Europe, catered events for the Australian and New Zealand embassies, appeared as a guest speaker, and worked as a food stylist for advertising campaigns.</i></div>
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<div><i>In October 2025, Toni’s first Italian cookbook for the American market was published in the United States by Mentoris Publishing, bringing her love of authentic &amp; traditional Italian home cooking to a wider international audience.</i></div>
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<div><i>Today, Toni focuses on leading private food tours in Rome, offering visitors a bespoke and deeply personal experience of the city’s culinary traditions. Working directly with travel consultants around the world, she curates tailored itineraries that connect guests with authentic Roman food, local artisans, and the stories behind Italy’s rich gastronomic heritage.</i></div>


Toni Brancatisano

Easter Roast Lamb (Agnello Arrosto) with Pancetta and Potatoes

<p>Hello. My name is Joanna Moeller, and I am a passionate home cook residing in downtown Manhattan for 20+ years. I started my Instagram cooking page <a href="https://www.instagram.com/spaghettiroots_nyc/"><u>@spaghettiroots_nyc </u></a>in April, 2023, as a way to showcase my cooking, as I initially intended for it to be more of an inspirational cooking page featuring my &#8220;No recipe, recipes.&#8221; It has truly been a wonderfully creative outlet for me.</p>


Joanna Moeller

A slice of Pizza Rustica from Joanna Moeller.

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