Here's a wrap-up of the "Winter Braising Series" Appetito offered featuring social media star Joanna Moeller.

The Braising Series with Joanna Moeller of @spaghettiroots_nyc

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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/">@spaghettiroots_nyc </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.

Joanna Moeller

Recipes

Grilled Spicy Swordfish Caponata as a Nod to Sicily

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Matthew Scialabba and Melissa Pellegrino are husband-and-wife chef-owners of the Italian restaurant Bufalina in Guilford, CT. They are well-versed in all things Italian, having visited all twenty-one regions of the country. They are the authors of two cookbooks, The Italian Farmers’ Table and The Southern Italian Farmers’ Table.

Matthew Scialabba and Melissa Pellegrino, chef owners of Bufalina, with their cookbook Lido.

Matthew Scialabba and Melissa Pellegrino

Casarecce with Pesto and Crispy Calamari from Lido

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

The Seirēn Song Spritz, a gold-infused cocktail inspired by the aperitif traditions of Portugal and Spain

Seirēn Song Spritz: Exploring Portugal and Spain’s Aperitif Culture

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, is scheduled to be released on July 19, 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!

Lowcountry Bella

A savory zucchini olive oil bread perfect for an Easter brunch table

Zucchini Olive Oil Bread for Easter Brunch

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

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

Ricotta and Citron Easter Pie from Grandma Sessa

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

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

Easy Strawberry Mascarpone Shortcakes for Easter

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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

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Michael Politto Jr. is a retired Italian chef and accomplished journalist whose life’s work bridged the passionate artistry of traditional cuisine with the storytelling power of the written word. Born into a proud Italian-American family, Politto developed his culinary foundation under the mentorship of master chefs in Italy, refining his craft in some of the country’s most revered kitchens. His early career took him through the historic halls of Osteria Francescana, the elegance of Le Calandre, and the legendary La Pergola, where he became known for his disciplined technique and deep respect for regional Italian traditions. Over decades, Politto cultivated a reputation as a chef who could elevate rustic dishes into refined experiences, earning admiration from peers and critics alike.
In the later stages of his career, Politto transitioned seamlessly into journalism, bringing the same authenticity and depth to his writing that defined his cooking. As a contributor to leading culinary publications across Europe and the United States, he documented the evolving landscape of Italian gastronomy, profiling iconic chefs and preserving disappearing regional recipes. His work captured not just food, but the culture, history, and people behind it cementing his legacy as both a craftsman and a storyteller. Now retired, Michael Politto Jr. is regarded as a respected voice in the culinary world, a man whose life embodied the spirit of Italy’s kitchens and whose words continue to inspire a new generation of chefs and food writers.

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Mark Meyerrose lives in Vermont, though he travels a lot.  His partner, <a href="https://stacy-hopkins-design.com/">Stacy</a>, is a renowned jeweler who trained and lived 10 years in Florence.  At least several times a year, they travel to Italy to visit friends and celebrate something.  Back in VT, he’s a writer and a carpenter who enjoys, with equal enthusiasm, wine and food.

The Braising Series with Joanna Moeller of @spaghettiroots_nyc

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