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

Appetito

Alyssa Smolen, MS, RDN, CDN, is a community dietitian, nutrition content creator on Instagram, freelance writer and recipe developer. She has been quoted as a nutrition expert in Food Network, Martha Stewart Living, Food and Wine, Forbes, Parade and US News and World Report. Her work has been published in EatingWell, Dietitian Connection and Today’s Dietitian. Work. Alyssa’s account, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/arugalyssa/">@arugalyssa</a>, promotes simple recipes and is a source for myth-busting nutrition misinformation. 
Find Alyssa online at: 
<a href="https://www.arugalyssa.com/">Website</a>
<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@arugalyssa?_t=8lC6fE8Ykpf&amp;_r=1">TikTok</a>:
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssasmolen/">LinkedIn</a>

Alyssa Smolen

Recipes

“Ceci Ceci” Chickpea Bean Salad 

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>

Morgan Hines

Sunday Shop

Sunday Shop: Dreamy NYC lunch spot, Rosemary’s Summer of Spritz and a can’t miss burger, martini deal

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.
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?
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.
Mandi loves to be a guest of events, signing books and donating a portion of her net proceeds to local charities. Her second cookbook, Mangia Y&#8217;all &#8211; Make Everyday Delicious, was released in July 2025.
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.
Mangia Y’all!

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

Lowcountry Bella

Oven-Roasted Chicken with Fresh Figs

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.
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.
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!
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/">@michele7533</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!

Michele Sessa

Close-up of Sicilian salsa featuring tomatoes, olives, capers, herbs, and pickled cherry peppers.

Sicilian Summer Salsa Topper for Ferragosto and Grilling

Anita Jozsef is a Norwegian-Hungarian gastro journalist, luxury-hospitality communications strategist, certified Food Industry Communications Advisor, a certified Napa Valley Wine Expert, and a former private chef in luxury hospitality. Founder of TheTableofAnita Luxury Brand Marketing and Communications. 
She developed her career in gastronomy, gastrophotography, and luxury hospitality, with professional experience spanning Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, Andalucía and Hungary. Her favourite topics to cover: blue food, seafood, Sardinian cuisine, wine from Veneto region in Italy, sustainable cuisine and honorouring women in gastronomy. Follow Anita <a href="https://www.instagram.com/anita.jozsef/">@</a>anita.jozsef.
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Anita Jozsef sipping wine with a pink backgroun

Anita Jozsef

A Negroni overlooking Sardinia’s turquoise coastline,

From Florence to Sardinia: The Negroni With a Mirto Twist

How to Make a Sicilian Fig Torta

I am the idea behind and the co-founder of Mama Mancini’s. I am also a home cook, an obsessed entrepreneur, traveler, foodie, and I love sharing all of it with anyone who wants to listen. I believe passion fuels ideas and there is no such thing as a bad idea or too much passion. I look at the picture of my grandmother, Anna Mancini, holding me as a baby and think wow if my grandmother only knew that all those countless days of me learning how to cook by her side in Brooklyn would turn into this. After 25 years in the garment industry, I decided in 2007 it was time for a change. My idea: real meatballs made the authentic Italian way and sold in real sauce. To me there was no other way they should be offered, that was my big idea and Mama Mancini’s was born. The rest is history. So, I say this to everyone who has an idea: never give up; don’t listen to the people who say it won’t work. No idea is a bad idea and always chase your dreams. Let’s cook.

Daniel Mancini

Rigatoni tossed in a fresh basil tomato sauce with torn basil leaves, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and olive oil.

The 15-Minute Basil Pasta Sauce I Make All Summer Long 

Lowcountry Bella rolling fresh egg pasta dough by hand on a wooden countertop beside a pasta machine in her kitchen.

Features

Pasta School with Lowcountry Bella: The Heart of Fresh Pasta

Bowl of homemade pistachio pesto with fresh basil and pistachios.

Italian Pistachio Pesto Recipe Inspired by Lake Garda

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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 traditional bowl of Sicilian tenerumi soup with pasta.