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

September 12, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

The Most Popular Fruit in the World

Filed Under  Food History

Chances are, if you're from the U.S., you'd probably guess that bananas or apples are the most popular fruit. (When I polled the staff at The International Kitchen, that's even what they guessed!) While bananas and apples might be the most popular in the States, it's something a bit more exotic that is the most consumed fruit around the world: mango! That's because it's considered a staple fruit in so… Read
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Posted

August 19, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Ancient Sites to Visit Around the World

Filed Under  Destination Features, Travel Tips

One of the most awe-inspiring things to see when traveling the globe on a culinary tour are ancient sites that have stood the test of time (in some way or another). They're also sites that you truly can't see anywhere else in the world. While our cooking vacations are very much focused on food and cooking, naturally, we also love the draw of stepping into the past and experiencing these… Read
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Posted

August 17, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Italy Culinary Tours: Discovering the Beauty of the Umbrian Countryside

Filed Under  Destination Features, Travel Tips, What's Up at TIK

When planning a food and wine tour to Italy, Tuscany is often one of the regions that comes to mind, with its rolling hills, vineyards for miles, famous Chianti wines, and, of course, the historic city of Florence. While it is definitely worth a visit (or two), it's eastern neighbor, Umbria, deserves some attention too, and we offer some of our best culinary tours of Italy in this region. Landlocked… Read
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Posted

August 3, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Roasted Quail Recipe from Chef David of our Yucatan Cooking Vacation

Filed Under  Destination Features, Kitchen Tips, Recipes

Heading south to the Yucatan, travelers will discover a cuisine that's heavily influenced by the hot tropical climate, its situation on a peninsula, and its ancient roots in Mayan civilization. Influenced by the likes of everyone from the Caribbean to the Spanish and Dutch -- to name a few -- it's a pretty incredible variety in dishes too. While fruits and vegetables figure heavily into the gastronomy, so too does… Read
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Posted

July 18, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

5 Places to Visit in the Winter

Filed Under  Destination Features, Travel Tips

We may be in the midst of Summer -- and all the heat that comes with it -- but it's also the time of year to start thinking of your Winter travels, especially in November and December… and whether or not you want to escape the cold or embrace it. Here are five wonderful overseas destinations for cooking vacations in order of coldest to warmest. So either dust off your… Read
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Posted

July 4, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Trips for the Advanced Cook

Filed Under  Destination Features, Travel Tips

Are you spending time with family and friends for the Fourth of July? While barbecuing over the grill, and enjoying all the festive desserts at the backyard potluck, don't forget to talk about planning your next vacation together! One of the reasons we offer so many different cooking vacations is that we can help you pick the perfect trip that fits what you want to see, to, do, and of… Read
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Posted

June 24, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Two Unique Summer Cocktail Recipes

Filed Under  Recipes, Wines & Spirits

There are some cocktails and summer beverages that seem intrinsically tied and associated to a specific place. A margarita is like that for Mexico, just as sangria is for Spain. But on your next overseas culinary vacation, consider trying some of the other local flavors by mixing it up with your drink order! In the meantime too you can craft your own cocktail with some inspiration from some of our… Read
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Posted

June 20, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Crafting a Cognac Cocktail for Summer

Filed Under  Destination Features, Wines & Spirits

Cognac may be best known as a brandy and aged spirit that is wonderful for sipping. Plus, with its warm and comforting earthy flavors, it's also often associated with enjoying it alongside crackling fires in the Winter. But come Summer time there are even more ways to enjoy this brandy on cognac tasting tours particular to the cognac country of France, located just a few hours from Bordeaux. Learn more… Read
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Posted

May 27, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Tips for Pizza Making from our La Cucina Romana Cooking Vacation

Filed Under  Destination Features, Kitchen Tips

I'll never forget the night my husband decided to grill pizza while we were on vacation in the Bahamas. There were no outdoor lights, and after he was done with the dough and assembling all the ingredients to the top the pizza with, it had grown dark out… But there wasn't any oven in our rental, so we had to make do with the outdoor grill. His solution? Use a… Read
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Posted

May 25, 2016

By Liz SanFilippo Hall

Memorial Day Weekend Recipe: Chicken Kebabs

Filed Under  Kitchen Tips, Recipes, Special Occasions

Chicken is delicious over the grill no matter which way you cook it: over direct heat for pieces like wings and thighs, or indirect for the whole chicken. Spice rubs can amp up the flavor, and sauces can complement the chicken too. But if you're looking for something new to try this Memorial Day weekend, we've got a delicious recipe for chicken kebabs from the chefs of our cooking vacations… Read
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