Are wine windows, flambéed cheese wheels, and viral affogatos ruining Florence's food culture... or is there room for a little culinary theater? Georgette and Valentina sit down with Florence-based cooking instructor, food journalist, and Saporita Supper Club founder Sara Cagle (LOVE HER) to talk about what has changed the city's culinary landscape due to viral trends on Tiktok. You know about the wine windows serving unnamed "red, white, or spritz" and one historic gelateria where Valentina, who grew up on its gelato, now waits half an hour for a cone. We get into how social media and post-pandemic tourism have changed the way people eat in Florence, and who that change is actually for. Sara also shares how she ended up here (culinary school, then a surprise pandemic), why a supper club full of strangers is a very un-Italian idea that works anyway, and the simple ways to eat better in Florence: small local food tours, the Sant'Ambrogio market, a breakfast standing at the bar, and just asking people what's in season. In this episode, we cover:From LA to Florence: Sara's path from food journalism in Los Angeles to culinary school in Florence in 2019, a pandemic halfway through, a stint making pasta at Eataly, and moving back for good in 2022Saporita Supper Club: how it started with friend and food writer Phoebe Hunt at Beast Gallery in Sant'Ambrogio, the Italian-meets-international menus, and why Valentina says eating dinner with strangers is "so American"Wine Window Overdrive: the history of the buchette del vino (yes, including the plague), the numbers the Associazione Buchette del Vino has mapped across Florence, Tuscany, and the world, Vivoli selling gelato through one during lockdown, and how they turned into crowded streets and unlabeled spritzes made for the cameraThe Vivoli Affogato phenomenon: what happens when the algorithm "discovers" a gelateria Valentina's family has been going to for generations, and our modest proposal involving residency cardsBistecca for Two? Why Sara gently steers couples away from ordering a Florentine steak because Tuscan cuisine is much varied than one thinks.Rage Bait and Protein: "Italians don't eat vegetables," requests to add chicken to the pasta, and why expecting another country to feed you like home is a universal habit, not just an American oneCheese-Wheel Pasta: hygiene questions, whether it's actually new (Valentina remembers it in Rome before it went viral), Georgette's theory that it's an '80s throwback, and what you're really paying forNovelty Imports in the Centro Storico: lobster rolls in Santo Spirito, Japanese pancakes in Sant'Ambrogio, a matcha shop in San Frediano, and a viral cinnamon roll, and Sara's point that when new spots open where locals no longer live, they aren't really for locals but that doesn't mean we can't love them anyway.How to Eat Well in Florence: small independent food tours, exploring Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio on your own, breakfast al bar, following local food voices instead of the algorithm, and why you shouldn't plan your whole trip with a chatbotAI in the Kitchen: students doing all their research through ChatGPT, Google's AI search, and why Sara still keeps recipe development human (which is actually harder than it sounds).Cose a Caso Spitfire Round: the one authentic dish every tourist walks past (frittelle di riso, sfoglia alla crema, schiacciata all'uva, and pane, vino e zucchero), and the one food trend each of us would ban from the city tomorrow Connect & Links MentionedGuest: Sara Cagle , Sara's InstagramSaporita Supper Club: InstagramFood voices mentioned: Giulia Scarpaleggia (Juls' Kitchen), Emiko Davies, Gipsy in the KitchenAssociazione Buchette del VinoWine window book by Robin Gheesling Hosts: Georgette & Valentina — Two Voices, No Filter: Talking Truth Beyond the Dolce Vita Big thanks to Vivace Media for producing the show, and to ZOWorking Sesto Fiorentino for hosting us. If this episode resonated with you, leave us a review, drop a comment, and share it with someone planning a trip to Florence.
