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Original, Famous, and Everything In Between: Ray’s, a Pizza Wars Story

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Friday, August 9th, 2024 | 9,652 views

Ray's Pizza neon sign

There have been many Ray’s pizzas, some famous, some original, some famous and original, but nobody actually named Ray


Ray’s — or some variation of the original, famous pizzeria — because ubiquitous in New York City. And then the lawsuits began. A look at the pizza wars that gripped the many Ray’s of New York.

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The History of the Giglio Festival

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Sunday, July 7th, 2024 | 7,276 views

The festival is religious in its nature and includes Catholic celebrations

Bishop Robert Brennan leads a precession in 2022

Since 1908, the Italian American community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn has celebrated the Giglio festival.

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Baking Up Personal Experience: A Conversation with Renato Poliafito

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Tuesday, June 25th, 2024 | 3,951 views

Renato Poliafito, a pastry chef based in Brooklyn and the cover of his latest cookbook, Dolci

Pastry chef and Ciao, Gloria owner Renato Poliafito launched his latest cookbook, Dolci!: American Baking with an Italian Accent. We caught up with him to talk about how he curated the recipes in the book, flavors, and baking techniques.

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Pizza by the Slice or Pizza by the Piece?

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Friday, June 14th, 2024 | 3,776 views

A New York Slice from Joe's Pizza; its a slice, not a piece of pizza

What’s the difference between a slice and a piece of pizza? It’s a New York thing.

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The History of Rhode Island’s Pizza Strips

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Wednesday, May 15th, 2024 | 13,650 views

Rhode Island pizza strips, also known asa red strips, are topped with thick tomato sauce


No state has a larger percentage of residents with Italian heritage than Rhode Island, so it’s no surprise the Ocean State has its own unique style of pizza. What is surprising is this classic pizza doesn’t have any cheese.

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How Sicilian Citrus Salad Conquered the World (Or At Least The Internet)

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Friday, April 19th, 2024 | 7,143 views

Sicilian style citrus salad with navel oranges, cara cara oranges, and blood oranges topped with red pepper

Mixing blood oranges with Cara Cara oranges and navel oranges brings a variety of sweet, bitter, and sour to the plate, along with spice from crushed red pepper


Just about everyone seems to have a recipe for Sicilian-style citrus salad these days. The colorful combination of oranges photographs beautifully, particularly since the fruits span a spectrum of deep red to pale yellow, from blood oranges to grapefruits. In the era of visual-forward social media like TikTok and Instagram, brightly colored foods get the clicks.

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The Many Ways to Cook Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil

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Tuesday, April 9th, 2024 | 4,469 views

Pasta with garlic and oil, known as aglio e olio

Spaghetti with garlic and oil — and in this case, black pepper



Sometimes known as ‘cuckold pasta,’ legend has it that cheating wives only had time to cook spaghetti with garlic and oil, but there’s a lot more to this simple pasta.

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Panzerotti and the Mystery of the Missing Florida-Style Pizza

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Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024 | 8,415 views

A panzerotto from panzerotti bites on Smith Street in Brooklyn, filled with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce, fried in a thin pizza dough

Circulating on pizza message boards and other corners of the internet where pizza enthusiasts gather, a photograph of a sign advertising Florida Style Pizza has been making the rounds. Readers are confused: what is Florida-style pizza?

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The History of Zeppole di San Giuseppe

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Tuesday, March 12th, 2024 | 4,756 views

The zeppole di San Giuseppe are filled with custard or ricotta cream

The zeppole di San Giuseppe are filled with custard or ricotta cream


The Feast of San Giuseppe is celebrated every year on March 19, and is also known as Festa del Papá, father’s day in Italy. The feast day celebrates Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary. But it also means one thing for Italian American bakeries: zeppole di San Giuseppe.

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The History of Pasta Con Le Sarde

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Monday, March 11th, 2024 | 3,684 views

Pasta con le sarde is made in America with canned anchovies and sardines

Italians make pasta con le sarde with fresh fish, but Italian Americans are more likely to use canned anchovies preserved in oil

Macaroni con le sarde, or a pasta con le sarde, is a traditional Sicilian pasta made with a sauce of fresh sardines and fennel greens and tossed with toasted breadcrumbs. While a common dish in Sicily, it’s less well known in the United States, except perhaps, in New Orleans where it has become the cornerstone of the St. Joseph’s Day celebration.

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