The podcast and radio show “I Wish I Were a Prosciutto” is a finalist for a Signal Award in the Individual Episodes-Best Guest category and the Listener’s Choice award in that category.

“I Wish I Were a Prosciutto” is a podcast about Italian food and the stories and traditions behind the cuisine. It is co-hosted by Fairfield County residents Martin Blanco and Sandra Radosh, who invite their audience to “join us as we take a close look at a favorite dish or tradition, share memories closely tied to the Italian table, and discover places where these traditions continue.”

Blanco, a former Newtown resident who still lives in the area, is also the show’s producer. Radosh lives in lower Fairfield County.

“I Wish I Were a Prosciutto” features a mix of family stories, conversations with food professionals and home cooks, historic explorations, and sampling of delicious food. Discussions are suffused with wit and intelligence, while evoking the spirit of the traditional Italian American Sunday dinner.

The podcast streams on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, and other major platforms. It also broadcasts twice a month on WGCH 1490 AM, “the voice of Fairfield and Westchester counties.”

The Signal Awards were “founded to spotlight the most innovative and impactful voices in podcasting and recognize creators across genres from independent podcasters to global media giants. The Signal Awards continue to set the gold standard for excellence in audio storytelling,” according to its website.

General Manager Jemma Rose Brown remarked, “This year’s Finalists showcase not just great entertainment, but also education, activism, innovation and joy.”

The nominated episode of “I Wish I Were a Prosciutto” comprises a robust conversation with Lidia Bastianich, the celebrated PBS cook, restauranter, and Italian food ambassador.

Blanco says the podcast began “from my desire to preserve family recipes, traditions, and stories in an entertaining way. I also hoped to learn about the culinary traditions from other Italian American families as well, with the aim of weaving an auditory quilt of an extraordinary culture for anyone to enjoy.”

Cohost Sandra Radosh said she and Blanco “are honored and excited to be a finalist for a Signal Award, especially in the company of such accomplished people.

“Other finalists in our category include Mel Robbins, Stevie Wonder, Amanda Knox, and Carol Burnett, but we have Lidia Bastianich so it’s fair to say we’re all in good company,” she added.

The “I Wish I Were a Prosciutto” team is proud to be recognized for its efforts.

2025 Signal Award winners will be announced October 15.

Listener’s Choice Voting

In addition to being a finalist for the Best Guest category, all finalists are eligible for the Listener’s Choice Award in their respective categories. Listener’s Choice is a global competition where fans can vote online for their favorite podcasts from the Judges’ shortlist.

Listener’s Choice Award voting continues to October 9.

To view all categories and the podcasts eligible for Listener’s Choice honors, visit

https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2025/shows/craft/best-writing-comedy.

The page also links to all categories available for Listener’s Choice voting.

Listener’s Choice winners will also be announced October 15.

'I WIsh I Was A Prosciutto' Co-Hosts

Martin Blanco is a second-generation Italian American with roots in the famous Arthur Avenue/Belmont neighborhood in the Bronx. A stay-at-home parent for two decades, he remains a skilled home cook. Blanco worked in professional theatre for forty years in various capacities including stage director, arts administrator, actor, dramaturg, teacher and writer. He was an on-air personality for WMNR radio, a classical music station in Monroe, and currently reports on cultural issues for WPKN in Bridgeport and WGCH in Greenwich.

He has taught theater at SUNY Albany and American University, and high school English at The Academy of Our Lady of Mercy at Lauralton Hall. He also co-created and co-produces The Flagpole Radio Café variety show in Newtown and was a co-producer for the 2023 off-Broadway hit Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground. He is a graduate of the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University.

Sandra Radosh enjoyed distinguished careers with American Airlines, Richard Foster Associates/Architects, and commercial office interior sales, before venturing into the world of podcasting. Her life experience has immersed her in the traditions of Italian American culture. She brings her excellent cooking skills, highly cultivated palette, keen sense of humor, and abiding joy to podcasting. She is a graduate of the Chicago School of Art and Design and the College of New Rochelle.