Welcome to The Fifth Course

Before we dive in…

Writing has never really been my love language. I’m more of a dinner party talker, a glass-of-wine oversharer. Give me a stranger and a good meal, and I’m in my element. Talking? Easy. Typing? We’ll see.

Here’s me and my daughter, Mars. This is our default setting 99% of the time.

Picture this: You start with something bright, like a tuna crudo. Then comes a lobster bucatini, gone too soon. A sip of wine. Perfectly seared duck. Another sip. Then dessert - maybe dark chocolate mousse with a raspberry drizzle. You close your eyes and taste actual heaven.

Making peanut butter - L&B Pizza - Mars at 6 months proving that she is indeed my child #spritzsummer

Most people would call it there. But then comes my favorite part: that extra glass of wine, that second amaro, that unhurried conversation when the plates are cleared and everyone lingers. That’s The Fifth Course. The food fades. The good stuff starts. That’s also why I’m trying my hand at this whole Substack thing. Because I have something to say - a perspective on food, creativity, motherhood, running a business, and the beauty (and chaos) of doing it all at once. I want to share the behind-the-scenes, the off-menu thoughts, the stories that don’t always make it to the plate.

Here, The Fifth Course will be broken down into sections. Several times a month, you can expect:

• Meals Out – restaurants, bars, and bites worth the hype

• Meals In – recipes, hosting tips, and dinner party energy

• High Chair Talk - Mom life, baby bites, and the beautiful mess of feeding tiny humans

• Side Plate – what I’m wearing, loving, using, hating, and more

• Sound Bites – a monthly playlist to cook and chill to

Our First Sound Bite Playlist is here to soundtrack the chaos, because…believe it or not, we are 6 days into June. A little moody, a little dreamy, and a few old-time favorites that somehow all click (in my brain, anyway). Hit play and let me know which songs you save.

A well-made Negroni with friends is the best medicine. This is science.

One of those monthly issues will be dedicated to my food media show, Campers, a deep dive into the episode dropping that month. I’ll share what it was like to interview that guest, what I cooked (and how I’d change it in hindsight), lessons I learned, and behind-the-scenes moments you won’t find anywhere else.

This is my way of staying at the table a little longer, and I hope you’ll stay with me

xx

Gina