A couple of weeks ago in the Good Food newsletter, I shared a few of my favorite OG newsletters. These were cookbook authors, recipe developers, or travel specialists who have been writing since the blog came onto the scene, who now pivoted to the newsletter model, mostly on Substack. Since I’m on my way to Italy, I thought I’d share some of my favorite newsletters that focus on Italian food culture and recipes. Some of these writers are Italian and live in the U.S., but have a deep knowledge of how things are done in Italy. Some are expats who live in Italy and have a unique perspective that comes from living in a culture but not being of it. Some stick close to writing recipes, others research and write more expansive essays. My criteria for continuing to subscribe to these newsletters: Am I learning something new or a new way to look at something I’ve known for a long time? Do I feel like the writer is being open and sharing something real with the reader? Am I moved to actually make a recipe that I’m reading about? The latter is actually the least important for me. I appreciate eating with my mind as well as my mouth.
Emiko Davies made a Substack post of her husband Marco’s Giardiniera pickles. Photo by Emiko Davies.
Notes from Emiko’s Kitchen by Emiko Davies
Davies “is an award-winning Australian Japanese writer, culinary educator, and cookbook author based in Tuscany, Italy. Her sixth cookbook, Gohan: Everyday Japanese Cooking, has just been published.” She’s married to Marco Lami, a Tuscan-born sommelier. They run Enoteca Marilu, offering classes and workshops of various types. Her latest posts were on butter in art and the seasonal giardiniera that Marco makes for the wine bar, especially her favorite that’s made from fall ingredients. She also takes on subjects such as overtourism in Florence. I admire how Davies is willing to share her occasional struggles within the context of her life, illustrating that no life is perfect, even if you move to Tuscany.
Simply Divina - My Tiny Tuscan Kitchen by Judy Witts Francini
Francini bought a one-way ticket to Italy in 1984 and learned how to become Italian one recipe at a time. She fell in love with Florence, then a year later a Florentine. Through her website Divina Cucina, she has been sharing recipes and documenting her life at the market, in the garden, and at the table for years. Her market guides are legendary and her archives are filled with recipes. My memories of a day winding through the Mercato San Lorenzo with her are precious to me. Francini is using this newsletter as a way to look back and create a memoir after 40 years in the country. A recently posted recipe is Tuscan Apple Cake.
Buona Domenica by Domenica Marchetti
Marchetti describes herself as “author of Italian cookbooks; freelance food writer and recipe developer; cooking teacher; occasional tour guide.” She also co-leads an annual food writing workshop in Italy. Her website is Domenica Cooks. She lives in Washington D.C and has a house in Abruzzo. Her latest post is from Liguria and Piemonte, where she is touring with a group. It’s a lovely snapshot of the still untrammeled hills and valleys dotted with small towns. Her featured recipe is from her archives, a family pantry recipe of Fusilli Corti with Fresh Herbs and Chopped Olives.
A Pint of Rachel Roddy by Rachel Roddy
Roddy describes herself thusly: “Rachel Roddy is a food writer from near London, based in Rome since 2005. She is the author of three books, contributes regularly to a number of publications, and has a weekly column in The Guardian called A Kitchen in Rome.”
I’ve been enjoying her Guardian column with its decidedly read food photos for years, and I’ve been fortunate to spend some time with her in Rome. Roddy’s Substack is very new. She created it to have a venue for an expanded essay about the life of much beloved Roman cook/chef/gardener Carla Tommasi. It’s a lovely piece.
Fearlessly Setareh says about herself, “I'm nearly 40. A fat, queer woman of color, Iranian and living in Italy, and I want to tell it all, when I want, and how I want, but always with honesty, dignity, and hopefully, some leggerezza (lightness/fun).” I loved Saghar’s book Pomegranates and Artichokes (where she explores the intersections and influences of Italian and Persian cuisine) so much that when she started her newsletter, I jumped into it. Her latest two are good insight to what she shares. The most recent is a deep dive into a recipe for a gorgeous pavlova and her joy at being able to shop for its ingredients after recovering from a car accident. The post previous to that is titled “Making Amends to a Ginger Cat.”