Exploring our Heritage through Food and Travel

Welcome to Our New Home!

This weeks podcast episode is all about exploring our heritage through food and travel.  I chat with my longtime friend Selena Pellizzari who comes from Italian, Ukrainian and Norwegian Heritage.  Selena, is fortunate to have many recipes and stories from all  three cultures that represent her heritage.  Selena had a keen interest in these stories and recipes from a very young age and had the foresight to collect the recipes before they were lost.  

 I had three more interviews this week with guests that you will meet in the upcoming weeks.  In each interview I was reminded that food is a powerful vehicle, and you don't have to be traveling to feel its full impact.  This week through food, I learned about the inquisition trials, what it is like in the Ukraine on the front lines, domestic cooking in the times of the Hebrew bible  and how to eat baby eels, to name a few!  I can't wait to share these upcoming episodes with you.

Ep 29: From Farms to Flavour: Exploring Heritage through Food with Selena Pellizzari

What if your next meal could take you back in time—and across continents?

In this episode, Paula reconnects with longtime friend and accomplished equestrian coach Selena Pellizzari, whose story weaves together family heritage, global exploration, and rich culinary traditions.

From Ukrainian cabbage rolls to Italian minestrone, Selena shares how she’s traced her roots through food—and how those recipes carry stories of the past.

Together, Paula and Selena reflect on:

🍝 How food and travel have shaped Selena’s Italian, Ukrainian, and Norwegian identity
📚 The recipe book she’s filling with handwritten family favorites, including her grandmother’s special Put Together Cake
❤️ How resilience, gratitude, and connection helped her navigate loss

Whether you're drawn to heritage cooking, family stories, or meaningful travel, Selena’s journey is a heartfelt reminder of how food connects us to those who came before.
 
HELPFUL LINKS

🧳 Get my free Travel Planning Tool
🐴 Check out Selena's company, GP Cottonwood Stables

Happy Travels and Happy Cooking! Just hit reply to this email to say hi or to get in touch!

RECIPE SPOTLIGHT:
SELENA'S GREAT GRANDMOTHER'S UKRAINIAN “PUT TOGETHER CAKE”

Happy Cooking, Happy Travels

-Paula

P.S. I don't have anything extra to add today, I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week.