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News, stories, and recipes for anyone who loves Italian food, wine, spirits, and travel

Appetito

<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>, was released in July 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>


Mandi Casey of Low Country Bella on a foam green Vespa in a floral skirt.

Lowcountry Bella

Handmade pici pasta strand being held in a kitchen

Features

Pasta School with Lowcountry Bella: How to Make Pici Pasta

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<div class="py-[3px] whitespace-pre-wrap u-break-words">Mario Traina is a Sicilian chef, gastronome, and educator based in Catania. A graduate and ambassador of the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo (founded by Slow Food&#8217;s Carlo Petrini), he is the founder of the Comunità Educativa Gastronomica Etnea, Sicily&#8217;s first educational gastronomic community. He works as a private chef across the island, cooking for travelers with a zero-waste philosophy rooted in local ingredients and Sicilian tradition.</div>
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<div class="py-[3px] whitespace-pre-wrap u-break-words">Website: <a title="https://chefmariotraina.com" href="https://chefmariotraina.com/">chefmariotraina.com</a> | Instagram: @chefmariotraina</div>
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Chef Mario Traina in the kitchen with an apron on.

Chef Mario Traina

A man cutting watermelon beside a truck filled with watermelons in Sicily.

Gelo di Mellone and a Family’s Sicilian Summers

<p><a href="https://www.sarahhallier.com/">Sarah Campise Hallier</a> is the associate editor of Appetito Magazine and co-founder of <a href="https://www.forkboundfoodies.com/">Forkbound Foodies</a>, where <span class="wixui-rich-text__text">she shares exceptional culinary and travel experiences</span>.</p>
<p>She is also a board member of Poggioreale in America Inc, a nonprofit committed to preserving the history and cultural heritage of Western Sicilians and their diaspora. Featured in Italy Magazine, The Local IT, la Repubblica, and We the Italians, Sarah enjoys covering everything from cultural identity to the evolving Italian-American food experience.</p>
<p>A California girl at heart, when she’s not crafting food, travel and wellness stories, she’s chasing down the best foodie finds on her travels and sharing them at <a title="https://www.instagram.com/foodiesfromca/" href="https://www.instagram.com/forkboundfoodies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@forkBOUNDfoodies</a>.  Subscribe to her <a href="https://www.sarahhallier.com/about-1">newsletter</a> to keep up to date on the best places to eat, stay and tour.</p>
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Sarah Campise Hallier

Dinner by candlelight at Glorietta. Photo credit: Patty Schmidt of Forkbound Foodies

Features

Pasta School with Lowcountry Bella: How to Make Pici Pasta

Gelo di Mellone and a Family’s Sicilian Summers

Glorietta Brings Wood-Fired Italian Cooking to Jackson Hole