MANY OF YOU, I am sure, remember waking up Sunday morning to incredible aromas coming from the kitchen. More often than not, Sunday, along with those other holidays, found Mom in the kitchen preparing the afternoon meal that would be enjoyed after church. Whatever region of Italy you are from, Italians share this one common belief: Sunday is family time. Whether it is with your immediate family or together with extended family, Sunday is a day to be shared with others.
We all have our own stories to tell when taking on a project that we can reflect on with family and friends. I’ve never considered myself a great cook, though I am a passionate one; there is little doubt, however, that working on this cookbook has improved my culinary skills. Learning how to prepare and being able to taste a small portion of regional Italian cuisine over the past 18 months has taken me on an incredible journey through Italy from which I will reap continual benefits. The production of this book was a love affair with food, though I faced many trials and challenges.
During the course of compiling these recipes, a great deal of knowledge was gained about the many variations of Italian cuisine. I learned that a simple pasta dish with fresh tomato sauce will differ when prepared from one region to another. One of our contributors, John Benotto from Veneto, states the tomatoes from his region make their sauce better than any other; another contributor, Remo Tortola from Molise, disagrees and argues that the tomatoes grown in the soil of his region have a better taste. They would inevitably end their discussion with “Va Bene!” Of course, they were both right and “it is okay!”
What became apparent is that Italians are just as passionate about their food as they are about family, football (soccer) and politics. Sometimes I am unsure about which topic they are most passionate! One thing is for sure: gather two (you only need two) or more Italians, sit them down for a meal and let the fun begin.
The purpose of this book is to offer a gastronomical regional survey of Italian cuisine, colourfully illustrated in over 200 recipes from the homes of our members, their families and friends.
I do hope you take the opportunity to try these recipes with your favourite bottle of Italian wine. A quick final note about wine pairing with your meals: wine tastes better in the company of friends and family. My belief: drink what you enjoy and not what you are told to pair it with. If your palate says, “I like it,” then drink it!
Giacinto (Gino) Piazza,
Montallegro, Agrigento, Sicily
(Editor and Chair)