Ashley Nathe: The Season Starts Here

📝 Episode Description

For generations, the Minneapolis Farmers Market has been more than a place to buy produce—it has been a meeting place, a community hub, and a living connection to Minnesota’s agricultural roots.

In this episode of Midwest Meets Mediterranean, Chef Laura Bonicelli sits down with Ashley Nathe, Executive Director of the Minneapolis Farmers Market, to explore the history, culture, and evolving future of one of the region’s most iconic public spaces.

Ashley’s connection to the market runs far deeper than her professional role. Her father has been a vendor at the market since 1976, and Ashley herself grew up immersed in the rhythms, relationships, and traditions of the market community. In many ways, her leadership reflects a lifetime of lived experience inside the institution she now helps guide.

Together, Laura and Ashley discuss the market’s surprising history, the role of family farming today, food accessibility initiatives like SNAP and EBT, the importance of the Hmong farming community, and how the market continues to evolve while preserving its deeply rooted identity.

This conversation is about much more than produce. It’s about place, stewardship, and the people who keep local food systems alive.

🎯 What You’ll Learn

• The history and evolution of the Minneapolis Farmers Market
• How Ashley Nathe’s lifelong connection to the market shapes her leadership
• Why family farming still matters in Minnesota
• How the market supports accessibility through SNAP and EBT programs
• The important role of the Hmong farming community
• What makes the Minneapolis Farmers Market unique today

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

00:18 – Welcome

01:09 – Ashley’s Background

04:06 – Market Family

09:20 – Ashley’s Parents’ Story

11:32 – Surprising Market History

12:57 – The Unique Market Board

15:39 – Decisions for Longevity

22:42 – SNAP and EBT Access

25:10 – Farming Today

29:57 – The Hmong Community

32:59 – Other Unique Vendors

39:38 – Variety and Ashley’s Leadership

👤 About the Guest

Ashley Nathe serves as Executive Director and Market Manager of the Minneapolis Farmers Market. Her leadership is rooted in a lifelong connection to the market community—her father, Dave Nathe of Riverside Farms, has been a market vendor since 1976. Growing up within the market culture gives Ashley a uniquely personal understanding of the institution, its vendors, and its role within the broader Twin Cities food community.

Under Ashley’s leadership, the market continues to balance tradition with innovation through community outreach, food accessibility programs, and support for regional growers.

🔗 Resources & Links

Bonicelli Cooking Club

https://bonicellicookingclub.com/

Minneapolis Farmers Market

https://www.mplsfarmersmarket.com/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/MplsFarmersMarket/

Instagram

@mplsfarmmarket

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Salt is one of the most fundamental ingredients in the kitchen—and one of the most misunderstood.

In this episode of Midwest Meets Mediterranean, Chef Laura Bonicelli sits down with Mary Lower, creator of Hacking Salt, to explore how salt shapes the way we cook, taste, and think about food.

Mary shares her journey from a career in public relations and storytelling into the world of sodium awareness, and how a personal health shift led her to rethink flavor from the ground up. Together, they explore how reducing salt doesn’t mean sacrificing taste—in fact, it can open the door to a deeper, more nuanced way of cooking.

This conversation is both practical and inspiring, offering a new perspective on an ingredient we use every day.

What You’ll Learn

• Why salt is so deeply embedded in how we cook and eat
• Mary Lower’s journey from PR to Hacking Salt
• The difference between salt and sodium
• How reducing sodium can improve your sense of taste
• Practical ways to cook with less salt without losing flavor
• Common misconceptions about salt and health

Timestamps

00:55 – Welcome Mary Lower

01:16 – Introducing Hacking Salt

01:22 – Mary’s Background in PR, Photography, and Storytelling

10:05 – Building a Life in Minneapolis

15:29 – Chris’s Journey and the Role of Salt

15:39 – Midroll

15:57 – Salt vs. Sodium

17:24 – Reading Labels and Hidden Sodium

18:54 – Processed Foods and Sodium in the American Diet

23:05 – Finding Community Through Health Challenges

24:34 – The Launch of Hacking Salt

28:28 – The Hacking Salt Cookbook

34:22 – Midroll

34:39 – Does Low Salt Mean No Flavor?

36:24 – Fresh Ingredients vs. Processed Foods

38:43 – Trusted Resources and Community Tips

40:03 – How Low-Sodium Cooking Shaped Family Meals

43:01 – Misconceptions About Low-Sodium Food

43:57 – Returning to the Cookbook

47:27 – What’s Next for Hacking Salt

48:33 – Where to Find Hacking Salt

👤 About the Guest

Mary Lower is the creator of Hacking Salt, a platform dedicated to helping people rethink their relationship with sodium and flavor. With a background in public relations, storytelling, and media, she brings a thoughtful and practical approach to helping home cooks reduce salt while still creating deeply satisfying food.

Resources & Links

Visit Bonicelli Cooking Club:

https://bonicellicookingclub.com

Learn more about Hacking Salt:

https://www.hackingsalt.com/

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If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and share it with someone who is looking for a more thoughtful, balanced approach to cooking and flavor.

In this episode of Midwest Meets Mediterranean, Chef Laura Bonicelli sits down with Elaine Trigiani, a master olive oil producer in Tuscany, to explore what truly goes into making exceptional olive oil.

Elaine took it to heart when her aunt told her, “You don’t buy olive oil—you make it.” Years later, she now produces award-winning olive oils in both Tuscany and Sicily.

This conversation offers a deeper understanding of olive oil—not to complicate it, but to make it more approachable. By exploring both the process and the practical questions we all have, this episode will help you become a more confident and informed olive oil consumer.

What You’ll Learn

1. What makes high-quality olive oil different from what most of us buy
2. How olive oil is grown, harvested, and produced in Tuscany and Sicily
3. What to look for—and taste for—in a good olive oil
4. Why cooking with good olive oil matters
5. How to read and understand olive oil labels

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

00:43 – Welcome

02:45 – Elaine’s Story

07:59 – Olive Oil Production in Tuscany and Sicily

11:39 – Midroll

12:01 – Piero and La Storia

28:11 – Midroll

28:30 – Certification and Awards

31:40 – Color and What It Means

31:59 – Picking and Processing

41:51 – Heat and Olive Oil

47:56 – How to Buy Olive Oil

53:48 – Myths and Misconceptions

About the Guest

Elaine Trigiani is a master olive oil producer based in Tuscany, where she works closely with the land and traditional methods to produce high-quality olive oil. Her work reflects a deep respect for seasonality, craftsmanship, and the cultural heritage of Italian food.

Resources & Links

Visit Bonicelli Cooking Club:

https://bonicellicookingclub.com

Elaine Trigiani’s work:

https://www.oliodelladonna.com/

https://www.olio2go.com/

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If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and share it with someone who loves food, cooking, and discovering the stories behind what we eat.

If cooking has started to feel overwhelming, complicated, or disconnected from how you actually want to live, this episode offers a different perspective. Laura shares the “why” behind the podcast, what listeners can expect, and how a more thoughtful, seasonal approach to food can bring both ease and meaning back into the kitchen.

This is not about perfection. It’s about possibility—and reconnecting with food in a way that feels good.

What You’ll Learn

• Why cooking feels more complicated than it needs to be
• The inspiration behind Midwest Meets Mediterranean
• A simpler, more seasonal way to approach everyday meals
• What to expect from future episodes

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

00:45 – Meet Laura Bonicelli

06:24 – The Why Behind Midwest Meets Mediterranean

10:30 – The Promise of the Show

15:45 – Call to Action

Resources & Links

Visit Bonicelli Cooking Club:

https://bonicellicookingclub.com

Subscribe & Follow

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and share it with someone who loves cooking, seasonal food, and simple, thoughtful living.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• What the podcast is all about
• Who it’s for (food lovers, home cooks, market-goers)
• Chef Laura’s vision for seasonal, mindful cooking

About Your Host:

Chef Laura Bonicelli is a cookbook author, cooking club founder, and passionate seasonal eater. She brings warmth, curiosity, and over a decade of culinary storytelling to this new podcast — from the heart of the Midwest to the heart of the Mediterranean.

Subscribe & Follow:

Don’t miss the first full episode!

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• 🌐 bonicellicookingclub.com

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