For Colomba, food has always been about more than recipes—it's about preserving traditions, celebrating family, and keeping Italian culture alive.

In this episode, Colomba, better known as Festa In Cucina, shares how her daughter encouraged her to start creating content online and how that one suggestion led to a thriving community of people who love authentic Italian cooking and traditions.

We dive into growing up in a close-knit Italian-American family in the Bronx, where cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents all lived just steps away. Colomba reflects on the values, traditions, and unforgettable memories that shaped her childhood, from speaking Italian and learning colorful expressions to celebrating Christmas with family around the table.

If you've ever wondered how Italians choose quality ingredients, Colomba explains what to look for when buying pasta, olive oil, and tomatoes, why whole tomatoes are often preferred over crushed, and the kitchen essentials she simply can't live without. She also shares which of her recipes unexpectedly went viral—and why some she thought would be huge never took off.

The conversation also explores balancing work and family, visiting Italy, and why passing down family recipes is about preserving memories as much as preserving flavors.

In this episode:

• How Colomba started Festa In Cucina
• Speaking Italian and learning expressions from family
• How to choose quality pasta and olive oil
• Italian traditions and family values
• Christmas in an Italian-American family
• Whole tomatoes vs. crushed tomatoes
• Midlife conversations and reflections

Like and subscribe for more interesting content on midlife and women reinventing themselves.

Follow us on all platforms 👇

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@midlifemafia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midlifemafiapodcast/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MidLifeMafia

Website: https://midlifemafia.com/

Follow Colomba 👇

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@festaincucina

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/festaincucina/

Podcast editing by https://podcastmagician.com/