With a writing career spanning over a decade, Liz SanFilippo Hall has written about everything from the correct way to assemble a Chicago-style hot dog to the intricate flavors and plating styles of Michelin-star European restaurants. Liz loves discovering new places and flavors to share with her readers, whether it’s the sandy shores of Lake Michigan and the foodie town of Traverse City or the vineyards and small towns of France. She hopes her stories inspire people to travel, try new dishes and ingredients, and learn about the history and culture of a place through its food and meeting the locals.

A graduate of The University of Chicago’s Master’s in Humanities/Creative Writing, she has a knack for combining research with her personal travel/food stories. Some of her most memorable food and travel experiences include slurping fresh French oysters at a market in Cognac, hunting for black truffles in the stunning Umbrian countryside, heading off the beaten path of the Amalfi Coast to find a Michelin-starred restaurant only known to locals, visiting the largest underground church in all of Europe, exploring the catacombs of Paris, and touring the vineyards of Northern Michigan, which is on the 45th latitude just like France’s Côtes du Rhône wine region.

In addition to her blog posts on The International Kitchen, her writing has been featured on CBSLocal.com and Hot Doug’s: The Book, among other sites and publications. She also writes about parenting, self care, and how to travel with kids (and maintain your sanity) on her personal blog, www.OopsandDaisies.com. She currently writes in the western suburbs of Chicago, where she lives with her two young children, husband, and stubborn bulldog named Kafka.


Posted

January 5, 2017

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

5 Tips for Dining Out in Italy

Filed Under  Destination Features, Travel Tips

Food, of course, is a staple wherever you go. But the customs that come with dining are different just about everywhere you go too. For starters, when visiting Italy, it's worthwhile to know that dinner tends to be later there than in the U.S., and often starts anywhere between 7:30 and 9pm. (And this is true of much of Europe too). It's also important to make reservations whenever you can… Read
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Posted

January 2, 2017

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

How Do I Choose a Cooking Vacation?

Filed Under  Travel Tips, What's Up at TIK

One of our favorite ways to discover a place: through it's food of course! We know that when it comes to travel and food there are so many opportunities to explore, so much so that it can be a bit overwhelming when it comes to deciding on a trip! But with more than 20 years of experience in culinary tourism, we're happy to help you figure out what YOU are… Read
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Posted

December 23, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Christmas Eve Memories and Traditions Around the World

Filed Under  Special Occasions, What's Up at TIK

While the Christmas season begins well before December 24 in many parts of the world -- December 8 in Italy, the Day of the Immaculate Conception; and December 6 in France, the Feast of St. Nicholas, for example -- it's Christmas Eve that marks the beginning of the major Christian holiday for many. For my family growing up, it meant heading over to my Irish grandmother's house where she'd always… Read
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Posted

December 21, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Christmas Muffins from Chef Katerina in Greece

Filed Under  Recipes, Special Occasions

We love our Greek cooking vacations, and think anything Greek is sure to please. And when it comes to the Christmas holiday in Greece, there are traditions galore -- and many of them surround food! Many of them too relate to keeping bad spirits -- known as "kallikantzaroi' - away. These kallikantzaroi, as the stories go, get in through the chimney and make trouble by doing things like putting out… Read
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Posted

December 9, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Praline Macaron Recipe

Filed Under  Cooking Videos, Recipes

Macarons aren't only delicious, but they're also a beautiful dessert, one that often graces tables around France come the holiday season (and all year round for that matter). They can be used as part of other desserts, like a Buche de Noel (Christmas log) or enjoyed all on their own. While they may take some time to master, they're well worth it… Here's just one of our favorite recipes come… Read
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Posted

December 7, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Le Réveillon in France for Christmas Eve and a Roasted Fig Recipe

Filed Under  Destination Features, Recipes, Special Occasions

The French know gourmet cuisine, which is why we feature so many culinary vacations in France. This is no more evident than on the holidays. Le Réveillon is one of the biggest meals of the year, and it's served on Christmas Eve following midnight mass. Yes, you read that right - it takes place after midnight; hence the word 'réveillon' means 'awakening' as the dinner often goes into the early… Read
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Posted

December 5, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Ile Flottante (or Floating Island) Recipe on a French Cooking Vacation

Filed Under  Recipes, Special Occasions

When it comes to Christmas celebrations in France, a lot of traditions revolve around food, and you can learn them on a French cooking vacation with The International Kitchen. A lot of those French food traditions revolve around dessert. After all, Provence has their 13 desserts for Christmas Eve! In terms of classic French desserts come the holidays, it's often the Buche de Noel (or Christmas Yule Log) that's talked… Read
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Posted

November 25, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Five Things You Shouldn't Do While on a Culinary Vacation in France

Filed Under  Destination Features, Travel Tips

There are some stereotypes when it comes to the food of France… that it's inaccessible, that it's hard to replicate back home, that it's all gourmet cuisine. While the French do offer some gourmet delicacies - like foie gras - don't let any of those stereotypes stop you from experiencing the cuisine firsthand on a culinary vacation in France. It's true that the French love and appreciate their food, and… Read
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Posted

November 23, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Pane Rustico (or Rustic Bread) Recipe from Italy

Filed Under  Recipes, Special Occasions

While the Thanksgiving table is often packed full of a variety of dishes, don't forget about the bread, whether it's roll or a loaf (or even cornbread)! One of the reasons we love bread on the table with a meal, whether it's Thanksgiving or not, is to clean our plates of gravy and sauces with the bread. Plus the bread is good to have on hand for after Thanksgiving when… Read
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Posted

November 21, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Italian-Style Stuffed Peppers Recipe from Abruzzo, Italy

Filed Under  Food History, Recipes

The turkey isn't the only thing that can be stuffed come Thanksgiving. If you're looking for something fun and different to serve on the holiday, here's one idea: a hearty dish of stuffed peppers like we make on our culinary vacations in Abruzzo. Just as stuffing recipes vary in the U.S., so too do stuffed pepper recipes in Italy. Stuffed pepper recipes are often passed down from generation to generation,… Read
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