Welcome to episode 2170 of the Italian Wine Podcast, and episode 167 of Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon. Marc’s guest today is Valentina Todino. Valentina is Marc’s Italian teacher (for the past 20 years or more), is originally from the province of Avellino in Campania, and has a great knowledge and love of her area. In this episode they talk about life, wine and food in Irpinia (Avellino and Benevento) and also about life, wine and food in general in Campania.

More about today’s guest:

Valentina Todino is Honorary Associate Research Fellow for the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures (MLC) and MA in Applied Translation, at University of Exeter (UoE), following her BA Hons in Modern Foreign Languages at the University of Rome, La Sapienza.

Being herself a migrant to the UK since 2002, her interest has focused on migration and translation of identity for several years. Since 2017, she worked on a project called Transcultural Devon. This draws inspiration from her central role of community connector, especially within the Italian diaspora as founder of the Italian Cultural Association Exeter, but more in general within the whole international and migrant community based in Devon.

As a believer in praxis and inspired by her will to continue her research into migration issues, she decided to build first-hand experience of working with asylum seekers and refugees. Alongside her independent research role, she is now become Drop-in and Events coordinator for the charity Refugee Support Devon.

Valentina Alba Todino was born in Italy, were she remembers spending many Sundays in her uncle’s backyard, under a roof of grapevines, singing along all the cliche Neapolitan songs that you can think of, accompanied by an accordion and some dancing too, depending on the quantity of wine offered by the host. She always had a keen interest in music, so she started learning some jazz standards from a friend double bass player in her twenties and then went on to folk music, by singing in an amateurs’ local bands, when still in Italy. After moving to this country, she had a long break from singing until she became co-founder of southern Italian folk band Trikkeballakke, inspired by the traditions of Tarantelle, especially Tammurriate and Pizziche. Her research interest in music in migration has led her to meet many talented local artists and she enjoys occasional jam sessions with them and some gigs too, including some collaboration with Spanish, Latin American, Kurdish, Mexican musicians and many more.

Connect

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItalianCultureExeter

More about the host Marc Millon:

Marc Millon, VIA Italian Wine Ambassador 2021, has been travelling, eating, drinking, learning and writing about wine, food and travel for nearly 40 years. Born in Mexico, with a mother from Hawaii via Korea and an anthropologist father from New York via Paris, he was weaned on exotic and delicious foods. Marc and his photographer wife Kim are the authors of 14 books including a pioneering series of illustrated wine-food-travel books. Marc regularly lectures and hosts gastronomic cultural tours to Italy and France with Martin Randall Travel, the UK’s leading cultural travel specialist.

Connect:

Website:

https://www.quaypress.uk

https://www.marcmillon.co.uk

https://www.vino.co.uk

https://www.quaypress.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-millon-50868624/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Marc_Millon

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