Discover the Flavors of Renaissance Florence
A Culinary Journey with Elisabetta Brogi
Review Elisabetta Brogi’s presentation on culinary traditions of Florence during the Renaissance as presented at the Dante Seattle meeting on April 23, 2025.
Meet Elisabetta Brogi
In English:
Elisabetta Brogi grew up in Florence where she studied history and art. A restorer of paintings in the past, a painter until now, a certified tour guide, she has ranged through various work sectors, from which she has gained satisfaction for “work” and developed curiosity for “knowledge of things”. She is married to Paul, also now a painter, and moved to the United States three years ago, where she participates in art exhibitions with her own painting that she continues to develop with commitment and renewed inspiration. Always a good eater, she has developed a passion for the food history also thanks to the strong Italian and family tradition in that.
In Italiano:
Elisabetta Brogi è cresciuta a Firenze dove ha studiato storia e arte. Restauratrice di dipinti in passato, pittrice fino ad ora, guida turistica certificata, ha spaziato vari settori lavorativi, da cui ha colto la soddisfazione per il “lavoro” ed ha sviluppato la curiosita’ per la “conoscenza delle cose”. È sposata con Paul, anche lui adesso pittore, e si è trasferita negli Stati Uniti tre anni fa, dove partecipa a mostre d’arte con la propria pittura che continua a sviluppare con impegno e rinnovata ispirazione. Da sempre buona forchetta si è appassionata alla storia del cibo anche grazie ad una forte tradizione familiare per il mangiare. Le piace viaggiare e conoscere la cultura di paesi diversi, e ovunque si trova… le piace mangiare!
Gabriella Vagnoli was born in Pisa, Tuscany, home of the famous Leaning Tower. She grew up in a multicultural family thanks to her Brazilian mom and remembers teaching Italian for the first time as a child to her Brazilian cousins. She obtained a Laurea in English and Spanish Language and Literature at the Università degli Studi di Pisa and during her college years spent a year in the University of Reading, UK, studying mainly the works of Shakespeare. After obtaining a Certificate as a Teacher of Italian (DITALS II) at the Università per Stranieri di Siena, she has taught in a full immersion school in Florence, a children's full immersion program in Chicago and a Community College in Illinois.
Tiziana was born and raised in Sardinia, a beautiful Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea. She has always been passionate about foreign languages and cultures, and studied French and German at the Scuola Superiore Interpreti e Traduttori in Milan, where she obtained her first Foreign Languages and Interpreter BA degree. She then pursued her MA in English and German Language and Literature at IULM, one of the most prestigious universities in Milan, Italy for Language and Communication studies.
Nicla is a native of Napoli, Italy. She has a Laurea in Materie Letterarie (degree in humanities) and a Laurea in Pedagogia (degree in Education) from the Università degli Studi di Cassino. She earned her M.A in Italian and her PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Washington. She has published articles and book chapters on gender and theater as well as politics and religion in Counter-Reformation Italy and in the last years, has been teaching Italian literature, language, and culture in different institutions. In addition to teaching in our program, Nicla is authorized to cover the role of esaminatrice and intervistatrice in our PLIDA Examination Board.
Born in the fabulous 80’s, Isabella was raised in Rome where she got her Degree in Teaching and Translation in foreign languages at the University ‘La Sapienza’.
Eric was born and raised in Como by an American mother and an Italian father. He holds a degree in Business Administration and Management from Bocconi University in Milan and a Master’s in Corporate and International Finance from Durham University in the UK. His international background led him to pursue a business career in the United States, ultimately settling in Seattle, where his wife grew up.