In this episode, we begin where the interview ended. My guest, Sarah Topar, is a food blogger and friend who sat down with me over lunch at a local Ecuadorian restaurant in Des Moines, Iowa, called Mi Patria. We talked about her favorite foods, recipes, and the essence of what sharing food means. And just as we finished up our conversation, Sara mentioned her little pleasure of enjoying microwaved marshmallows. Thirty seconds later, the result is an instant, gooey dessert.  

PIZZA AND NEW HAVEN

“I find it weird that pizza is such a significant thing in Connecticut. I guess I see the pilgrims of New England in my head and can’t fit the reality that immigrants came there from everywhere, including Italy.”

Sara confirms that pizza is taken very seriously in her home state. Folks either favor Pepe’s Pizzeria or Sally’s. Care for your pizza to be a bit more avant garde? New Haven’s Bar Restaurant and Dance Club has made crafting pizzas with unusual toppings, most notably mashed potatoes, a staple. But where people may disagree on the #1 pizzeria in the area, completing the meal with an Italian ice from Libby’s works for everyone.