Apparently, Italy's first food blogger was born in 1820. 😂

No Instagram. No YouTube. No email. He wasn't even a chef.

And at 71 years old, Pellegrino Artusi decided to self-publish “La Scienza in Cucina e l’Arte di Mangiar Bene” (Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well) when Italy itself had only been a unified country for 30 years.

This completely blew our minds!

In this episode, we talk about how Artusi asked people from around Italy to send him their recipes, tested them, shared their stories, and slowly created an enormous cooking community at a time when Italians didn't even necessarily think of themselves as Italian.

And then our conversation takes us into another cookbook we grew up with, Ada Boni's “Il Talismano della Felicità”, our great-grandmother's handwritten recipe notebook, the recipes we have inherited and changed over the years, and the ones we're now passing on to our own children and our Local Aromas Family.

Because maybe that's the real magic of a recipe.

Someone shares it with you. You make it yours. You change it a little. You cook it for someone you love. And eventually, it becomes part of somebody else's story.

And if you're ever afraid you're too old to start something new, remember Pellegrino Artusi.

71 years old. Nobody wanted to publish his idea. So he did it himself.

And more than 130 years later, we're still talking about him. ❤️

Local Aromas is all about Italy and 100% made in Italy 🇮🇹

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Italian breakfast may be one of the most controversial things we talk about. 😄

Every time we post about it, someone asks …

Where are the eggs? Where is the bacon? Why are you eating so many carbs?!

So in this episode, we're finally talking about how Italians really have breakfast.

We chat about breakfast at home versus breakfast at the bar, why bread has always been such an important part of the Italian morning, how the sweet breakfast we know today is actually more modern than people think, and why cappuccino somehow became attached to the morning.

And then, of course, Italy being Italy, breakfast changes completely depending on where you are.

✔️ A maritozzo in Rome.
✔️ Granita and a warm brioche in Sicily.
✔️ Focaccia dipped in cappuccino in Genoa.
✔️ Budino di riso in Florence.

So yes, we eat carbs. And yes, we love them. 😂

That’s exactly why we created our Italian Breakfast Tour in Rome, so you can experience this delicious Italian morning ritual for yourself … the right way! ☕🥐🇮🇹

Italian breakfast is really about much more than food. It's ritual, routine, local culture, and one more little moment of the day that brings people together.

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How can one tiny boot-shaped country possibly have so much?

Valeria went down one of her research rabbit holes for this episode—and Benedetta had absolutely no idea what was coming. 😄

We're talking about Italy's incredible concentration of history, landscapes, plants, animals, grapes, olives, foods, wines, volcanoes, microclimates ... and even winds.

Because once you start putting all of these things together, you begin to understand something we've been saying for years: traveling through Italy isn't really like visiting one country. Every region, town, landscape, and local cuisine tells a completely different story.

We also talk about something very close to our hearts: preserving all of this.

Italy inherited an extraordinary amount from the people who came before us, but keeping those ingredients, traditions, producers, and local identities alive is now our responsibility too.

And as a traveler, you can be part of that!

So come nerd out about Italy with us. We promise the numbers are much more exciting than they sound. 😂

Local Aromas is all about Italy and 100% made in Italy 🇮🇹

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We have a confession …

We're complete gelato snobs. 😄

Well … at least Valeria is. Benedetta has slowly been converted over the years.

In this episode, we talk about one of our favorite Italian foods and why not all gelato is created equal.

We share the simple clues Italians use to spot a great gelateria, why bright colors and giant mountains of gelato can actually be warning signs, and why we'd rather skip gelato altogether than eat a bad one.

We also chat about our favorite flavors, Sicilian granita for breakfast, why gelato is one of the healthiest treats you can have when it's made properly, and why artisan gelato is something worth protecting.

If you've ever wondered how Italians choose gelato—or why we get so passionate about it—this episode is for you.

And fair warning ... you'll probably be craving a cone by the end. 🍦❤️

Local Aromas is all about Italy and 100% made in Italy 🇮🇹

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When people think about Italy, they often picture pasta, piazzas, and beautiful landscapes.

But if you ask an Italian what really holds the family together, the answer is often much simpler ...

… the grandparents! 💝

In this episode, we talk about the extraordinary role nonni play in everyday Italian life.

They're the ones picking children up from school, sharing family recipes, keeping traditions alive, telling stories, offering unconditional love, and helping entire families in ways that often go unnoticed.

We also share our own memories of growing up with our grandparents and how their presence shaped who we are today.

If you've ever wondered why family feels so different in Italy, this conversation will give you a glimpse into one of the most beautiful parts of our culture.

Local Aromas is all about Italy and 100% made in Italy 🇮🇹

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Social media has changed the way we travel. ✈️

But has it also changed Italy?

In this episode, we talk about something that's been weighing on our hearts for a long time: how viral videos, Instagram hotspots, and "must-visit" lists are transforming Italian cities, local businesses, and even the way visitors experience our country.

As Italians, we're incredibly grateful that so many people want to visit Italy. But we're also watching historic neighborhoods lose their identity, family-run businesses disappear, and authentic traditions make way for experiences designed purely for social media. 🫥

This conversation isn't about blaming tourists or criticizing social media. It's about asking a bigger question.

⁉️ How can we travel in a way that helps preserve the places we love instead of changing them forever?

We also share why there are places we'll never post publicly, why we design our experiences the way we do, and why we believe every traveler has the power to protect local culture with the choices they make.

We hope this episode inspires you to discover a deeper, more authentic side of Italy. 💖

Local Aromas is all about Italy and 100% made in Italy 🇮🇹

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It's my birthday week! 🎉

So this time, I got to surprise Valeria by choosing the podcast topic ... and she had absolutely no idea where the conversation was going.

We ended up talking about something that has been on my mind a lot lately: how the smallest decisions can completely change the direction of our lives.

Looking back, so many choices that didn't seem to make sense at the time ended up leading us exactly where we needed to be.

We also talk about trusting your intuition, learning from painful experiences, letting go, finding peace in the decisions you make, and why happiness is often more of a choice than a destination.

It's probably one of our most personal conversations so far, and we hope it encourages you to look back at your own journey with a little more gratitude.

And maybe a little more courage for whatever decision comes next. ❤️

Local Aromas is all about Italy and 100% made in Italy 🇮🇹

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Everyone jokes that Italians speak with their hands. 🤌🇮🇹

The funny thing is ... they're right! 😜

But it turns out there's much more to it than simply being expressive.

In this episode, we went down a rabbit hole that completely surprised us. We discovered that Italian gestures may have roots in Ancient Rome, medieval monasteries, bustling trading ports, and even centuries when people needed to communicate without speaking the same language.

We also share some of our own stories (including a confused policeman, an embarrassing pharmacy visit abroad, and why our dad once thought Benedetta was using sign language 😄).

By the end of this episode, you'll understand that Italian gestures aren't just movements. They're history, culture, and sometimes an entire conversation without saying a single word.

Local Aromas is all about Italy and 100% made in Italy 🇮🇹

💗 Join our online community ⁠Local Aromas Family⁠

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