Meet Giancarlo and Veronica Palazzone, the Italian couple behind two of northern New Jersey's beloved Italian eateries.

The Italian Couple Who Came to New Jersey for Their American Dream

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Emmy Nominee, Cara Di Falco is host and executive producer of the cooking series “Cara’s Cucina.” The first show of its kind to receive an Emmy nomination.  She is also a culinary expert appearing on QVC, as well as a TV and radio host in the New York metro area. Cara hosts a culinary tour of Italy, giving fans an opportunity to vacation with her and learn about her beloved heritage through its regional cuisine.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Cara is a proud graduate of Rutgers University and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She’s been featured in We the Italians, Where Women Cook, and The Italian-American Podcast.
On top of her 2018 Emmy nomination, Cara is a Columbian Foundation Honoree for 2023, the 2012 &#8220;Woman of the Year&#8221; for the Italian-American Policy Society of NJ, and the 2019 &#8220;Woman of the Year&#8221; for the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Cara&#8217;s free time is spent enjoying nature, a good meal with friends and family, or snuggled on the couch with her dog Roxie.
Learn more about Cara at her <a href="https://www.caradifalco.com/">website.</a>
Follow her on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/caradifalco">Instagram.</a>

Cara Di Falco

Features

A Visit to Cucina Fresca, an Italian Market on the Jersey Shore

Travel Writers | Photographers | Hotel Scouts
Mary and Kevin are digital nomads living in Gozo, Malta. From their island home, they scout Europe, focusing on the Mediterranean and eastern Europe.
Exploring hidden gems and lesser-known spots is their true passion. They  love uncovering unique lodging, local art, the local music scene, and traditional and newly introduced food and drinks.
They delve into architecture, museums, parks, and well-curated tours. They enjoy telling stories about history and agriculture, and especially love discovering the unexpected, whether in a micro-town or a city.
<a href="https://marycharlebois.contently.com/">Portfolio</a> | <a href="https://wheremarygos.com/">Website</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MaryGo-114914398630479/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-and-kevin-travel-a894301b6/">LinkedIn</a>

Mary Charlebois & Kevin Scanlon

Entrance to Trattoria ’nta Nonna in Pozzallo, Sicily.

Travel

The Soul of Pozzallo: Finding Sunday Sauce on the Sicilian Coast

Courtney holds a degree in journalism and has always loved telling a great story. She works in B2B marketing, but travel writing is where she gets to write for the love of it. She believes life is made of experiences, which is how she ended up elbow-deep in fettuccine dough with her 12-year-old son in a Roman kitchen. She’s already looking for the next trip worth writing about.

Courtney Becker-James

Cooking class participants roll pasta dough at a wooden table in Testaccio, Rome.

Cooking with Nonno in Rome: A Pasta Class in Testaccio

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

Antonia Sautter holds a microphone onstage, surrounded by performers in ornate costumes.

Antonia Sautter: Creating the World of Il Ballo del Doge in Venice

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

Samuel Ghelli

Avere Sale in Zucca: When Common Sense Needs Seasoning

<div>Monique is a California-based travel and lifestyle writer dedicated to sharing unique experiences and diverse perspectives with a discerning audience. She holds a B.A. in Media Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and has built a foundation in public relations, journalism, and event planning, working with high-profile hospitality clients and journalists alike. Her writing has appeared in <a title="https://www.goworldtravel.com/tag/monique-evdokiou/" href="https://www.goworldtravel.com/tag/monique-evdokiou/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Go World Travel</a>, <a title="https://www.businessinsider.com/laid-off-first-post-college-job-cold-emailing-helped-2026-6" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/laid-off-first-post-college-job-cold-emailing-helped-2026-6">Business Insider</a>, and <a title="https://www.dailycal.org/users/profile/monique%20evdokiou/" href="https://www.dailycal.org/users/profile/monique%20evdokiou/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Californian,</a> and she has written podcast scripts for <a title="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mostar-bosnia-and-herzogovina-and-that-bridge/id1612514250?i=1000760332857" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mostar-bosnia-and-herzogovina-and-that-bridge/id1612514250?i=1000760332857" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoNomad</a>.</div>

Monique Evdokiou

Orvieto’s caves offer a glimpse beneath the hilltop town. Photo: Asurnipal/Wikimedia Commons

Fresh Pasta in a Centuries-Old Cave in Umbria

Erica D’Arcangelo is an author and creator specializing in Italian and Italian American food culture. Steeped in the vibrant traditions of her family’s business, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/darcspizza">D’Arc’s Pizza</a> (est. 1960), she writes about her culinary travels and heritage across fiction and non-fiction. She is the author of the Amazon #1 best-seller &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Story-About-Pizza-Erica-DArcangelo/dp/1917116993/">A Story About Pizza</a>,&#8221; the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Erica-DArcangelo/author/B0D8K62R5B?ccs_id=83ad4e56-afc0-4611-8147-ec7d7f32d3f6">Pietro’s Pizza children&#8217;s series</a>, and the host of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AStoryAboutPizza">The Pizza Story Podcast</a>, where she interviews cultural icons and master pizzaiolos. Her next book, &#8220;My Big Loud Italian Christmas,&#8221; releases in Fall 2026.

Author Erica D'Arcangelo staring at the camera in black and white

Erica D’Arcangelo

A pizza that reflects the writer’s passion for sourdough and fresh ingredients.

The Flame, the Field and the Sourdough: A New Wave of Pizza

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

Appetito

Part reporter, part pasta enthusiast, and always in search of a good story, the Appetito Editors bring readers the latest happenings in food, travel and Italian culture.

Appetito Editors

The flyer for the "Octoberfesta" event created by Krista Zangari.

News

An Appetito Event: “Octoberfesta” at Song’E Napule in NYC

Two people pull apart a pistachio cream-filled cornetto over a red-and-white striped plate.

This Week in Italian Food News (Sept. 28)

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I am the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Appetito magazine. I like Italian food &amp; drink, a lot. I am also an award-winning novelist and a regular contributor to the New York Times. More about my work can be found at <a href="https://andrewcotto.com/">Home &#8211; Andrew Cotto</a>.

Andrew Cotto

The ripened tomatoes of Campania being cleaned during processing.