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

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

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

Pasta School with Lowcountry Bella: The Heart of Fresh Pasta

<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 she shares exceptional culinary and travel experiences.
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.
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.

Sarah Campise Hallier

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

Erica D’Arcangelo on the Family History That Inspired A Story About Pizza

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

Positive Influencer: Chef Stefani Poci

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

Italian vinegar on a table in the countryside

Per Forza Non si Fa Nemmeno L’aceto: When Italians Say You Can’t Force Things

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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.

Recipes

The Taste of a Sicilian Summer with Chef Mario Traina’s Tenerumi Soup

Isabelle Kellogg’s luxury lifestyle marketing career, along with growing up in Manhattan, gives her a unique perspective on topics like wine, which she enjoys drinking and writing about. Meeting wine makers and attending wine tastings with the wine community helps keep her on top of trends and changes in the wine industry, which is ever-evolving. She was the founding Luxury Editor at Cottages &amp; Gardens magazines, and her articles appear in Upscale Living Magazine, Luxury Facts and The Luxxe Mag. Isabelle is also a guest lecturer at Harvard Business School, having co-authored a case study with them on French heritage jeweler Mauboussin.

Isabelle Kellogg

Felice Flatiron's soaring dining room was designed to highlight the restaurant's expansive Italian wine collection. Photo courtesy of SA Hospitality Group

A Look Inside Felice’s Flatiron Take-Over

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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

Golden lobster arancini topped with grated cheese and herbs, served on a white platter

News

This Week in Italian Food News: New Restaurant Openings & More (July 31)

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 

Bowl of homemade pistachio pesto with fresh basil and pistachios.

Italian Pistachio Pesto Recipe Inspired by Lake Garda

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Rosa is a New Jersey–based travel content creator and writer whose passion for travel shines through every story she shares. With a focus on discovering destinations through their culinary traditions, she believes food is one of the most authentic ways to experience a place and connect with its culture. Through her writing and content, she inspires others to travel with curiosity, embrace local flavors, and create meaningful experiences around the world. Follow her adventures on social media at <a title="https://www.instagram.com/RosaAlexC" href="https://www.instagram.com/RosaAlexC">@RosaAlexC</a>.

Rosa Castillo

Panoramic views of Norcia Umbria. Photo Courtesy Vespasia