Need a new spritz idea to cool off without too much bitterness? Try this new pink spritz made with a lighter aperitivo.

Try This “Pink Spritz” Featuring Cocchi Rosa

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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

Recipes

Mondays with Michele: Baked Flounder Piccata Style

Jamie Spinato is an Italian-American writer and food storyteller currently writing her debut magical realism novel, Penny’s From Heaven. Her work explores the connections between food, memory, love, and the stories we create around everyday life. Through her recipes, essays, and newsletter, The Sunday Sauce, she shares Italian-inspired food and personal stories rooted in nostalgia, creativity, and the pursuit of la dolce vita—one page and one plate at a time.
Follow her on both Instagram and TikTok <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jamiespinato/">@jamiespinato.</a>

Jamie Spinato

Fall Harvest Salad With Tuscan Kale and Butternut Squash

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

Blue bowl of ribbon pasta with tomato sauce and fresh basil, beside grated cheese.

Pasta School with Lowcountry Bella: Sunday Sauce — Not Gravy! 

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

Rigatoni with spicy vodka sauce by Joanna Moeller.

Pasta Wednesday with Spaghetti Roots, Week 1: Spicy Vodka Sauce

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

Fig spritz over ice garnished with a fig slice and thyme beside a bottle of La Marca Prosecco

Cocktails

A Sparkling Autumnal Sip: La Marca’s Fall Fig Spritz

Dinner for One Deserves Pumpkin Vodka Pasta 

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

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Bona Furtuna

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

Man resting his hand against his mouth at a cafe table with an empty plate.

Features

Mangiarsi le Mani: The Italian Expression for Regret

Sunday Shop

Sunday Shop: Suitcase Faves for a Weekend in Philadelphia 

Rona D. is a published nature, folklore, and performance writer. Born and raised on the coast of Guyana, she emigrated to the Brooklyn and Queens area as a teenager. Pre-pandemic, she was a restaurateur, honing her already dynamic background in hospitality. Trading in city life, her focus is now on adopting a more sustainable lifestyle.

Rona D. Photo courtesy of Conveyor Recording Studio.

Rona Sarita Ramjas

When Lentils Are an Invitation into the Lives of Strangers

Riccardo Massetti

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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>.