The Italian American Podcast

Alessandro Crocco is an energetic and personable thirty-something from Calabria, on a mission to change the way Italy and Italian America interact.  And, as the newly elected President of the Committees of Italian Abroad (Com.it.es) for New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut (and Bermuda!) Alessandro is in the perfect position to do so.  But, Alessandro has a secret… after all these years, he may h...

8 years in the making, our 300th Episode is an uncut dive into the past, present, and future of our show, and the real-life friends behind it. We're catching up and sharing stories from our times together beyond the podcast, giving you a glimpse "behind the green-white-and-red", and letting the tangents do the talking as we discuss everything from Rossella's upcoming celebration- the Inaugural " P...

Because this is the final episode of Italian American Heritage Month, we thought we'd gather the Famiglia and share the stories of the "Italian Heritage Heroes" who inspire each of us, except… we never quite got to that! When Dolores, Rossella, John, and Pat reunite in person and around the table for the first time in a long time, and 3/4 of the group decides to bring foodstuffs, it's no surprise...

We're keeping the Italian American Heritage Month party going with a visit to one of our favorite Italian American hangouts, a place that lives up to its cozy name, Staten Island, NY's stunning Italian Cultural Center at Casa Belvedere . The "House with the Beautiful View" was the brainchild of our friend Gina Biancardi, an Italian American with an incomparable passion for our culture and an indef...

Happy Italian American Heritage Month Paesani!!! We're kicking off our favorite month of the year with a good old-fashioned "Power Hour" roundtable, with Rossella, Pat, and John catching up on how they've spent the first few weeks in a month filled with Italian American Pride! We're discussing the galas, gatherings, and get-togethers that we've all been a part of… from the NYC Columbus Day Parade...

Brandon Ficara thinks we Italian Americans have a special relationship with humor. Born in Philadelphia, and raised in Ocean City, NJ, this proud Italian American used humor to combat the tribulations of life at an early age. Born with Sprangles Deformity, a condition that required major back surgery when he was three years old, Brandon turned to humor to combat pain and ostracism. With his humoro...

When you spend as much time as we do examining and analyzing the Italian American experience, sometimes you just have to laugh.  There are those little quirks that make us unique which are often at the source of so much of the "Italian American comedy" that speaks to each of us every time we encounter it.    But what makes "Italian American comedy" genuinely Italian American?  Is it the ethnicity...

Every September for the past ninety-seven years, thousands upon thousands descend on Mulberry Street in Manhattan's venerable Little Italy for "a festa 'e tutte 'e feste"—"The Feast of All Feasts"... the eleven-day celebration that is the Feast of San Gennaro !  This year, the Italian American Podcast is celebrating the Patron Saint of Napoli- and one of Italian America's most important Italian Fe...

Summer is almost over, and many Paesani are outside soaking up the last weeks of our  "Italian American National Sport"… the beloved game of BOCCE! For many, this simple lawn game is a staple of Italian American summer life, but for an increasing number of young people seeking out ways to engage and promote their Italian American heritage, bocce has become a "gateway tradition" of sorts… an inviti...

In our final LIVE and UNCUT recording from the National Convention of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), in #Pittsburgh PA, Pat, John, and Rossella sit down with some very special Paesani from Buffalo, NY. Danette Porto and Danielle Salasavage are a Nonna and Granddaughter team representing FIVE GENERATIONS of their Italian American Famiglia who've spent decades in service of the Bu...

Come back to the table for Part 2, as we throwback to the old "Italian American Power Hour" days, with the second half of a conversation already earning rave reviews! Pat, John, and Rossella are joined by longtime friend Marianna Gatto (Executive Director and Co-FoundRESS of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles) for a freewheeling conversation about all things #ItalianAmerican! Recorded LIVE...

Get ready for a throwback to the old "Italian American Power Hour" days, as you join four friends at the kitchen table for a breakneck conversation about something we all love… being Italian American! When Rossella, Pat, and John are brought together with some of their favorite out-of-town Paesani for the 46th Biennial National Convention of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America, in Pittsburgh...

We here at the Italian American Podcast have spent eight years and 288 episodes exploring the ins and outs of what it means to be an American descendent of the Italian diaspora…  but have you ever wondered what it's like to be the offspring of Italian immigrants from a little further afield?  For two of our loyal listeners who tune in each week from the land down under, listening to us inspired th...

For years we've been searching for an idyllic Italian American village where we might find the perfect spot to recreate the Italian American neighborhood life we all long for, and this week, we've literally hit the Big Time! In this week's episode, we discuss our recent trip to Pennsylvania's Slate Belt borough of Roseto, a historically Italian American town where the annual "Big Time" Festival ha...

In an Italian American family, every dish tells a story. For two young Italian American bloggers, the stories of so many of their family dishes have become wildly popular with readers worldwide. In this week's episode, we're discussing how our Italian American foodways have helped our guests Kate Famiglietti of The Two Bananas and Maria Del Russo of Sunday Sauce to connect to past generations and...

Next time you grab a mouthwatering chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano, before you take that first wonderful bite you might want to make sure you're eating exactly the type of cheese you think it is! This week's guest, Robert Campana, the founder of " Stop Italian Sounding, " has made it his mission to educate people about the deceptively labeled "Italian Sounding" products that flood our grocery stores...

Our language is a reflection of ourselves, and this week's guest has made it her mission to present both Italians and Italian Americans with a unique mirror in which to see that reflection… the fascinating and distinct Italian American language! What is the "Italian American language," you ask? To answer that question, we're joined this week by Federica La Torre, the founder of " Just a Siciliana...

Sometimes we have conversations that veer off into so many wonderful topics that they seem to make a concise introduction nearly impossible.  When this week's guest, author and "recovering lawyer," Leigh Esposito , joined us to discuss her debut novel, the conversation quickly turned into one you won't want to miss! Her new book, "The Godmother," was recently released to excellent reviews and has...

When Viviana Altieri journeyed from Rome, Italy to Pittsburgh, PA, on a dare nearly 30 years ago, she could never have imagined staying in the United States and pursuing the life of a "Professional Italian American."  But this week's guest is a natural-born adventurer, and her many incredible journeys seeking out the essence of what it means to "be Italian" have given her unparalleled experiences,...

It's one of Italy's hidden treasures. Known as "strong and kind," the stunningly beautiful region of Abruzzo might be considered off the beaten path for many travelers to the Bel Paese; however, this week's guest, Michelle DiBenedetto, is here to explain why this undiscovered region should be at the top of your "must-see" list. Michelle is the owner and founder of Majella Tours of Abruzzo , throug...

Even though we at the Italian American Podcast spend A LOT of time together, every once in a while, our adventures around Italian American life take us to distinct destinations. Like any group of best buds, we look forward to reuniting and catching up, so this time, we thought we would share that conversation with you! In this week's episode, John, Pat, and Rossella reunite to share their latest a...

When you say the word "football" to friends and famiglia in Italy, they probably conjure up images of World Cup soccer and the many greats who have worn the famed "Azzurro" of the Italian national team, or their favorite local club competing in Serie A. But, to many an Italian American, football means helmets, hard knocks, and the great American gridiron game invented in the Buckeye State of Ohio!...

In Italy, calcio (or the game we Americans call soccer) is life! And after thirty-three years in the making, the city of Napoli can finally lay claim to the title of Champions of Italy! In winning the "scudetto," with the best record in Italy's famed Serie A, S.S.C. Napoli has sent fans throughout their city, Italy, and around the world into weeks-long revelries that have even made their way into...

May is the month that begins to tease summer, and for those who can't get enough of them, it also signals the start of the Italian American Feast season! In this week's episode, our very own P.O.B. talks about the feast that he lovingly resurrected 11 years ago: The Feast of Madonna del Sacro Monte in Clifton, N.J . To tell the story of this feast, he has invited on several friends: Valerie Cappel...

If you're a loyal listener to the Italian American Podcast, you'll know that technology isn't exactly an area we focus on week in and week out.  Artificial intelligence and chat-bots and whatnots might not exactly be our expertise, but for this week's guest, the rapidly unfolding revolution in artificial intelligence has become a valuable tool in his quest to bring Italian American genealogy to as...