Program 707: Islands of Britain; Italy for Food Lovers; Flavors of Florence

There's just something about an island.  On the next Travel with Rick Steves, actor Martin Clunes  [ cloons ]  recommends some of his favorite smaller islands off the British coast, which he visited while filming a travel documentary.

Also, Rick checks in with Italian-food expert Fred Plotkin, to celebrate working with him on a new guide to Italy's regional cuisine.

And Toni Mazzaglia  [ ma-ZAG-lee-ah ] tells us about her favorite food and wine shops, that she takes visitors to, on walking tours of Florence.

• Actor Martin Clunes, host of the "Islands of Britain" documentary (ITV)
• Italy impresario and cavaliere Fred Plotkin
• Florence, Italy–based tour guide Toni Mazzaglia

• Martin Clunes' "Islands of Britain" documentary series was produced by ITV Productions. It airs from time to time on local public television stations in the U.S., and is often available to watch on streaming services.
• The World Pilot Gig Rowing Championships are being held April 28-30, 2023 in the Scilly Islands, off the tip of Cornwall.  
• Radio Times provides spoilers on the final episode of Martin Clunes' "Doc Martin" TV series.  
• Fred Plotkin co-authored the Rick Steves "Italy for Food Lovers," released in January 2023.
• Fred posts links to his live Friday arts interviews on Idagio from his Twitter feed. He also posts episodes on YouTube.
• Toni Mazzaglia operates the Taste Florence walking tours to food and wine venues in Florence.
• The Eataly chain of specialty Italian food markets has an outlet in Florence.

• "As a bit of an Anglophile, I especially enjoyed Martin's "Islands of Britain" series. Often when planning vacations we tend to look to destinations abroad rather than discovering 'gems' closer to home. Where is one place Martin hopes to travel beyond Britain, and one he'd like to visit within Britain?" (Kris in Valencia, California)

• Electribe 101, "Talking with Myself," Café del Mar, vol. 5 (collection) / Geffen 
• The New England Music Collection, "Blow the Man Down," The Wind In the Rigging / North Star Records
• George Formby, "Isle of Man," 50 Favorites / Roslyn Records
• Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Gavin Sutherland, cond., "Renaissance Suite: II-Pavana e gagliarda (Francis Chagrin)," English String Miniatures, 5 / Naxos
• Kathleen Ferrier, "Blow the Wind Southerly," Music, The Sea and Manet (collection) / Philadelphia Museum of Art
• KPM_KPM_0301_10801_Blow_The_Wind_Southerly_c_APM
• * Baltimore Consort, "Scotch Cap," The Dorian Stereo Morning Sampler (collection) / Dorian
• Nino Rota, "La Dolce Vita (Finale)," La Dolce Vita (soundtrack)  / Creazioni Artistiche Musicali (Italy)
• The Philharmonia, John Wallace, trumpet, "Overture to 'Giardino di Rose' (Scarlatti)," Vivaldi Concerti and Baroque Trumpet Music / Nimbus Records
• St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, "Symphony No. 1: III. Dance in 6/8 (S. Perillo)," Stephen Perillo: Song for America, Symphony No. 1, Oboe Serenade, Hangoverture / Centaur 
• TCS_TCS_0025_00801_Poor_But_Handsome_APM 
• Giorgio Conte, "Cannelloni," Italian Café (collection) / Putumayo
• * Massimo Farao Trio, "Aguas de Março," Summer Travels: Music from the World Brazilian Dream (collection) / Playaudio
• Quartetto Gelato, "Tango Del Cuore (Nunzio Petruzelli)," Rustic Chivalry / Sleeping Giant Music
• Renaissance Piffaro, "Three Italian Dances," The Renaissance Album (collection) / Windham Hill
• Husikesque, "Wonderland," NPR Music Sampler (collection) / NPR Music
• I Bisonti, "De Cara a la Pared," Ciao Amore (collection) / Warner Bros-Starbucks
• London Sinfonietta, John McGlinn, cond., with Justin Lavender and Thomas Hampson, vocals, "'Come to Florence (Civic Story)' from 'The Firebrand of Florence' (Kurt Weill-Ira Gershwin)," Kurt Weill on Broadway / EMI Classics

* indicates filler music used during internal breaks on the broadcast

• Rick notes that "last week" we talked about the Orkney Islands on Travel with Rick Steves, in introducing the Islands of Britain topic in the segment A open.
• At 10:54, Rick notes that around 6000 people live on Sark, and Martin describes how a feudal privilege of the island’s seigneur recently was changed in favor of a representative island government.
• In the reset at 14:$0, Rick notes that the final episode of Doc Martin aired on Christmas, 2022 on ITV in Britain. Rick adds that Martin’s other travel documentaries are available to view on streaming services.
• At 17:45, Martin says he’s working on a plan to visit Japan for the first time.
• Rick announces "Italy for Food Lovers" as his new book collaboration with Fred Plotkin in the open of segment B,  in the resets at 25:18 and 30:42, and refers to "our book" during the interview.
• At 25:40, Rick notes that Fred hosts live interviews on the Idagio platform on Fridays at 2pm Eastern time.
• At 44:02, Toni says that her tours last about four hours and cost $100.
• Toni notes, at 48:42, that a food court opened upstairs in the historic Central Market in Florence "post-pandemic."