School
Binghamton University, Fordham University
Expertise
Dessert Baking, Italian Soul Food, Food Facts
- Alba is a Claire Saffitz superfan, having watched every one of the star pastry chef's YouTube videos, read both of her cookbooks "Dessert Person" and "What's for Dessert" cover to cover, made her recipes, and used Saffitz's techniques and tips to help make her baking better.
- Her knowledge of food-related facts/trivia helped her get one of the questions right when she was a one-day champion on the classic TV game show "Jeopardy!" She had hoped to get a full food category or the iconic "Potent Potables."
- She started her dessert journey at a young age by helping her mother make pizzelles, a waffle-like cookie native to the Italian region where her family is from, and using her aunt's butter cake recipe so often she memorized it. Overall, she's learned that mistakes can result in an even better dessert, eggnog loaf cake is the perfect Christmas gift, and baking can help you heal, as making Key Lime pie cookies did for her.
Experience
Alba's writing career began in the news department of New York City radio station WOR after graduate school, where she wrote scripts for daily morning newscasts, oversaw newsroom operations, and learned all she could about the industry. She moved on to a national radio network where she wrote news and information packages daily for stations across the country. But she realized along the way that she was enjoying writing about food and lifestyle topics more than about news and politics, more animated when she wrote about the menu they were serving at a White House state dinner for a foreign head of state than about what foreign policy issues they were discussing, or about Starbucks' new holiday coffee flavors than about their labor policies. So, when Covid and some following events shook things up for her, Alba decided to put her skills to use writing about something she's really enthused about and is excited to be doing that for Food Republic.
Education
Alba has a bachelor's degree in political science from Binghamton University (State University of New York) and a master's degree in public communications from Fordham University.
Food Republic’s industry-leading coverage is created by qualified and experienced writers, and is reviewed and fact-checked by our editorial team to ensure everything is accurate and timely. Outside experts are also consulted whenever possible to help deliver factual, up-to-date information.
Our mission is to publish knowledgeable, engaging articles to give readers the information they're looking for, whether that is the news of the day or cooking tips, tricks, and trends. We also bring you recipes you can depend on, as well as reviews and recommendations. In an effort to provide the most comprehensive, current, and accurate content, our team is constantly reviewing and updating articles as necessary. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
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Coffee and Tea
By Alba Caraceni
Anthony Bourdain enjoyed his morning cup of joe, but had no time for pretentious coffee culture. Still, he preferred to drink his coffee out of an iconic cup.
By Alba Caraceni
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There's no denying that Ruth's Chris Steak House knows how to cook an excellent steak. Here's a simple rule the chain follows that you can implement yourself.
By Alba Caraceni
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Restaurants
By Alba Caraceni
If you're looking for a quick sandwich, you'll find plenty of chains ready to serve you, but you might have to search a little harder to find a Blimpie.
By Alba Caraceni
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Fast Food
By Alba Caraceni
An unofficial McDonald's museum about the fast food icon doesn't have any connection to McDonald's itself, but the corporate giant hasn't tried to shut it down.
By Alba Caraceni
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Shopping Tips
By Alba Caraceni
Are you a lover of Girl Scout Cookies? Do you miss them when the season is over? If so, just head on down to Dollar Tree to get a delicious dupe.
By Alba Caraceni
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Fast Food
By Alba Caraceni
Five Guys is one of the pricier options for fast food burgers, but luckily there's an easy workaround to build your own two burgers while only buying one.
By Alba Caraceni
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Trader Joe's
By Alba Caraceni
Trader Joe's doesn't offer membership cards for discounts, redeemable points, or online coupons. Instead, it relies on other ways to inspire customer loyalty.
By Alba Caraceni
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Casual Dining
By Alba Caraceni
Cracker Barrel has many devoted fans, but even those loyal customers may not know that it owns a separate breakfast restaurant chain.
By Alba Caraceni
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Exclusives
By Alba Caraceni
This simple seasoning is liberally sprinkled on meats at Brazilian steakhouses. It melts as it grills, and the bigger chunks are scraped off once it's done.
By Alba Caraceni
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Fast Food
By Alba Caraceni
TikTok food reviewer Keith Lee was so impressed with this Studio City burger joint's food that he gave two of its burgers a 10 rating and a third a 9.2.
By Alba Caraceni
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Cooking Tips
By Alba Caraceni
Did you know you can make kettle corn at home with just three simple ingredients from your pantry? Well you can, and we've got all the answers for you.
By Alba Caraceni
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Food History
By Alba Caraceni
Earning a Michelin star is an esteemed culinary honor, so you might think it's just a coincidence that it shares its name with a tire company.
By Alba Caraceni
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Cooking Tips
By Alba Caraceni
If you want to zhuzh up your mashed potatoes with some autumnal flair, all you need to do is add this one ingredient, a pantry staple, to your mix.
By Alba Caraceni
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Restaurants
By Alba Caraceni
Americans depend on Texas Roadhouse to keeps its steaks affordable. The most affordable steak on the menu, while technically not steak, is a customer favorite.
By Alba Caraceni
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Fast Food
By Alba Caraceni
Tired of having the same old condiment options at Chick-fil-A? Follow a trend and combine two of the chain's sauces to create a new sweet and spicy sauce.
By Alba Caraceni
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Restaurants
By Alba Caraceni
People in Portland, Oregon, can get a taste of Germany right in their own backyard at a local spot that makes its own delicious meats and sausages.
By Alba Caraceni
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Chili's is relaunching the popular Halloween costume that sold out in 20 minutes last year. On October 1st, make sure you log on fast to order one.
By Alba Caraceni
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Food History
By Alba Caraceni
KFC is the champion of fried chicken, but that doesn't mean it hasn't had its share of rivals. One chicken chain tried to do just that — here's what happened.
By Alba Caraceni
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Stores And Chains
By Alba Caraceni
With a large fan base that loves Aldi for its high quality, affordable products, the grocery chain is continuing to rapidly expand its presence in America.
By Alba Caraceni
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Pizzerias
By Alba Caraceni
Not all NYC pizzerias still nail the classic slice. However, the city's locals say that this old-school location continues to get it right every time.
By Alba Caraceni
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Cooking Tips
By Alba Caraceni
Although it consists of just two ingredients, even Julia Child found this French potato dish tricky to master. Here are some ways to make cooking it easier.
By Alba Caraceni
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Costco's Butter Croissants come 12 to a pack and are a fan-favorite. The only problem? That's a lot of croissants to eat before they become stale.
By Alba Caraceni
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Exclusives
By Alba Caraceni
In the endless list of ways to prep chicken, boiling is rarely considered. However, Chef Kolby Kash told Food Republic about the benefits of simmering chicken.
By Alba Caraceni
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Stores And Chains
By Alba Caraceni
If you're buying ice cream at Walmart and opting for the store brand over more expensive name brands, you'll be surprised to learn they're by the same company.
By Alba Caraceni
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Restaurants
By Alba Caraceni
The course Anthony Bourdain always wanted to skip was dessert, but that didn’t stop him from loving the ice cream he had at this California shop.
By Alba Caraceni
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Fast Food
By Alba Caraceni
Most McDonald's locations appear to be made from the same mold, but there are a few that stand out, including one inside a mansion in Maine.
By Alba Caraceni
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Food History
By Alba Caraceni
A key figure of the Pop Art movement, Andy Warhol was known for his innovation, but the artist himself said he ate the same lunch for 20 straight years.
By Alba Caraceni
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