198. Reliving Italy’s Best Meals: Pure Joy!

198. Reliving Italy’s Best Meals: Pure Joy!

Author: Clever Dog Digital October 29, 2025 Duration: 32:24

Please Follow us on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

In this episode, Kimberly and Tommaso apologize for the delay in their latest release. They then dive into a discussion about their favorite meals in Italy, looking back at 28 years of travel.

Key Points:

  • Kimberly and Tommaso offer a sincere apology for the delayed episode.
  • They recap their previous discussion on favorite cities and regions.
  • The main topic is their favorite meals in Italy, spanning 28 years of travel experiences.

Episode Highlight: First Italian Meals in Cervinia

  • Kimberly and Tommaso recount a ski trip from Zermatt, Switzerland, down to Cervinia, Italy.
  • Kimberly describes their incredible hunger after the challenging ski descent.
  • Tommaso recalls his memorable Zuppa Valdostana, a rich beef broth soup with bread and fontina cheese.
  • Kimberly shares her delight in eating polenta with fontina cheese and red wine.
  • They reminisce about a Raclette lunch with Matterhorn views, marking it as a beautiful outdoor dining experience.

Meals in Lago di Como and Florence:

  • Kimberly shares a story about visiting friends in Lago di Como, coinciding with their annual Brunello bottling celebration.
  • Tommaso describes enjoying five to seven-year-old Brunello with grilled beef prepared by an international meat dealer.
  • Kimberly celebrates her 40th birthday lunch at Alvalu in Tremezzo, featuring simple tomato pasta, cured meats, and a beautiful fruit tart.
  • They both recall the unique grappa infused with blueberries, made by monks.

Rome and Florence Culinary Experiences:

  • Tommaso shares his first carbonara experience in Rome in 2021, describing it as a moment of pure paradise.
  • Tommaso notes the relaxed dining pace in Italy, contrasting it with the faster pace in America.
  • Kimberly describes a simple, attractive enoteca in Rome where they enjoyed another carbonara and a mozzarella di bufala appetizer.
  • Tommaso discusses his anticipation and enjoyment of Bisteca Fiorentina in Florence, splitting it with a friend.
  • Kimberly remembers the bright and loud atmosphere of the Florentine restaurant, a contrast to their preferred dining setting.

Southern Italy and Pizza Delights:

  • Kimberly highlights her favorite meals in Puglia, particularly a salad with tuna, mozzarella, and local vegetables, drizzled with Puglian olive oil and served with local bread.
  • Tommaso praises the simplicity and quality of Puglian bread.
  • Tommaso declares his favorite pizza was in Ischia, preferring a heartier style with onions, mushrooms, and prosciutto.
  • Kimberly recounts a standout Napolitano pizza experience in Torino, found in a residential neighborhood across the river.
  • Tommaso reflects on the ongoing challenge of finding the “next best something” in Italian cuisine.

Coffee and Truffles in Torino:

  • Kimberly raves about the bicherine, a coffee layered with dark chocolate, espresso, and frothy cream, at Cafe Bicherine in Torino.
  • Tommaso praises a wide noodle pasta with shaved white truffles, enjoyed during truffle season in Torino, paired with a bottle of Barolo.

Join Kimberly and Tommaso as they revisit their most cherished Italian meals, sharing anecdotes and insights from decades of culinary adventures.

Kimberly and Tommaso share their most memorable meals from 28 years of Italian travels, from ski trips to Roman trattorias. This episode explores Italy’s diverse culinary landscape and the joy of savoring food and culture.



There's a particular magic to Italy that goes far beyond its famous landmarks, a rhythm of life that you only really start to feel once you've lingered in a local piazza or navigated a bustling market. Kimberly's Italy Travel is an invitation into that deeper experience, guided by Kimberly Holcombe, whose own story began with a life-changing move to Milan years ago. That journey didn't just create memories; it reshaped her perspective, and she shares that genuine, lived-in understanding in every episode. You'll hear personal stories from her travels, often punctuated by the kind of comical, real-world lessons that no standard guidebook ever mentions. This podcast serves as a rich audio companion, weaving together passionate discussions about regional cuisine, layers of local history, and the vibrant arts that define Italy's culture. It’s about the sensory details-the taste of a perfectly simple dish, the echo in an ancient alleyway, the warmth of a conversation with a new friend. Listeners gain practical, invaluable travel tips born from direct experience, all while feeling like they're sharing a coffee and a laugh with a knowledgeable guide. Through these conversations and reflections, the aim is to transport you, offering not just a list of destinations, but a feeling for the places and people that make Italy endlessly captivating.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Kimberly's Italy
Podcast Episodes
219. A Road Trip from an Italian Lake to a Swiss one! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:29
Please follow us on: Instagram or Facebook. Grazie Mille!Key Points:The Road Trip Experience:Kimberly and Tommaso drive from Italy to Zurich, exploring both the west and east routes.They discuss the “vignette” sticker re…
217. The Ultimate Guide to Italy’s 20 Regional Pizzas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:51
Please follow us on: Instagram or Facebook. Grazie Mille!In this episode of “Kimberly’s Italy,” Tommaso and Kimberly embark on a culinary journey across Italy, exploring how pizza transforms across the country’s 20 disti…
216.  Holy Pizza!! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:18
Please follow us on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! If you enjoy our podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Grazie Mille! In this episode of Kimberly’s…
215.  Italy's Markets Something Fun and Different to Do! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:26
Please follow us on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! If you enjoy our podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Grazie Mille! In this episode, Kimberly and…
214. A Surprisingly Slow Start to Summer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:57
Please follow us on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! If you enjoy our podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Grazie Mille! In this episode, Kimberly and Tomm…
213. Our move to Italy... How we got here! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:21
Please follow us on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! If you enjoy our podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Grazie Mille! This episode is an overall view of…
212.  Transatlantic Chaos! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:42
Please follow us on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! If you enjoy our podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Grazie Mille! In this episode, Tommaso and Kimbe…
211. Tuscan Spring Roadtrip: Beyond Expectations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:12
In this episode, Tommaso and Kimberly share their road trip from Rome to Lago di Garda. They talk about unexpected turns, unique culinary experiences, and the unparalleled beauty of Tuscany in spring. Please follow us on…
210. 48 Hours in Rome [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:53
Please follow us on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! If you enjoy our podcast please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, Grazie Mille! In this episode, Kimberly and Tommaso c…