Breaking Bread in L'Aquila
"For the cook with the sophisticated side, and an affinity for family-style Italian meals,Breaking Bread in L'Aquilais the perfect book. Maria Filice divulges an entire week of dinners which include five courses each: Antipasta, Primi Piatti, Secondi Piatti, Contorni, and Dolci. All have explanations of their original place in a family-style Italian dinner and variations that can be used to create smaller meals. Filice has planned the dishes to complement one another; however she makes it abundantly clear that picking and choosing favorites is entirely okay. Wine is an important aspect of any truly Italian dinner, and Filice makes sure to include wine suggestions, all native to Abruzzo, Italy.Breaking Bread in L'Aquilais an organized and nostalgic book, giving Filice the opportunity to share both recipes and family tradition with the world. Check out this book today in the library!! To see the author's signature, come to the library to view it in our special collections!"--Laura Belluomini, Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts"Breaking Breadis not just a collection of wonderful recipes. It is an invitation to share in a way of life animated by pleasure and infused with joy. Integral to any Italian meal is an aura embracing the meal and its partakers, a sense that preparing and eating a meal with those we love is a spiritual experience, including not just present participants but those who once gathered around the table. How beautiful it is that the things of earth, water, and sun are transformed into a heavenly repast, a sacramental moment. When we break bread with others, we invite them to share in what might well be called a heavenly repast, or at least a foretaste of the banquet to come. With this love letter to her dear late husband, Maria Filice extends the invitation, in typical Italian style, to everyone." --Thought Catalog"Breaking Bread in L'Aquilais the perfect Italian cookbook for those lacking a 'nonna' to pass down the mouth-watering, fresh & zingy recipes of L'Aquila, Abruzzo, and Southern Italy. This book's author, and possibly your new best friend, the thoroughly modern NY-based signora Maria Filice, provides an effortlessly readable narrative. Superbly blending simple instruction with extensive background knowledge, the Italian-Canadian author stimulates curiosity and counters ignorance with each dish. The stunning photography entices you to keep turning the pages whilst sipping a glass of one of Abruzzo's very drinkable wines and waiting for the water to boil so you can dunk your pasta for your Primo Piatti. . . . These are tried & tested recipes for those who want to impress with tasty & visually delightful dishes, but who don't want to be tied to a stove and left feeling stretched & exhausted by the cooking process. Instead, you'll be ready to share & enjoy each dish whilst catching up with friends & family like any good Abruzzesi." --Life in Abruzzo"Filice traveled many times with her late husband, Paul Piccone, to his native central Italy. Her cookbook is full of elegant and rich traditional dishes from the L'Aquila region, arranged as a week of feasts-each day has a menu of four courses, which can each be used as a stand-alone meal, plus a dessert. The recipes showcase the unpretentiousness of the region and use ingredients that can be found in most North American grocery stores. Filice includes notes on her experience with all the recipes, tips on entertaining, a wine guide, pantry stocking suggestions, and a measurement guide. VERDICT Although this wonderful book is not essential for smaller library collections, it will appeal to foodies and cooks looking for effortless Italian cooking."--Ginny Wolter, Library Journal"Maria Filice is an ardent fan of the city and traveled many times to L'Aquila, the hometown of her late husband, Paul Piccone. On their numerous travels there, Paul introduced Maria to San Biagio, a small and charming homestyle restaurant, owned by two brothers--Andrea and Luciano Carlofelice--experts in making customers happy with their warm smiles and their fresh, local, and incredibly tasty dishes.Breaking Bread in L'Aquilais inspired in part by those memorable meals, but even more so by a deep love for the joviality and warmth of shared hospitality. But above all, the book is inspired by the enduring love for Paul, the man who transformed Maria's life.Breaking Bread in L'Aquilais, essentially, a delicious love letter."--Aglio, Olio & Peperoncino"Breaking Bread in L'Aquilaby Maria Filice is an unequivocal joy. Not only does Filice welcome you into her private world with open arms, she makes you feel as if you can cook a multi-course Italian (dishes primarily from the Abruzzo region) dinner every single night of the week. And that's because you can with her masterful, yet simple instruction. . . . If you're looking for a touching story that spans generations, a guide to impressive and relaxed hosting, or a cookbook with authentic Abruzzo recipes, you have a combination of all three in this single volume. We can't recommend it highly enough."--Thomson Shore: Book of the Month"Maria Filice's favourite recipe is tried and true: combine excellent food, engaging company and delicious wine. Store the above in a warm, inviting atmosphere, marinate in stimulating conversation and serve. Her upcoming cookbook,Breaking Bread in L'Aquila, is more than a collection of recipes; it's a guide to entertaining and it's a love letter to her late husband's hometown . . . "--Partners Magazine" . . . Maria Filice, an ItalianNotebook reader, is now a published author. What's makesBreaking Bread in L'Aquilaextra special is its back story. It will be available on Tuesday, April 6th, on the anniversary of the Abruzzo earthquake. She was in L'Aquila (her late husband's birthplace) in the aftermath of the earthquake when a woman begged her not to forget about the people of the city. She says it deepened her resolve to complete her book, as a reminder to readers of the Abruzzo region's suffering. Net profits on the sale of the book will be donated to l'Aquila. Maria, our highest praise to you. . . . take a bow."--ItalianNotebook.com"Toronto native and first-time author Maria Filice delivers a heartfelt homage to the flavors of Italy's Abruzzo region with Breaking Bread in L'Aquila. Filice demonstrates how, with creative plating, a simple recipe can look beautiful and taste delicious. The author's warmth, humor, and savvy carry readers on a personal journey to one of the most beautiful areas of Italy's countryside. The book's April release commemorates the one-year anniversary of the earthquake that struck L'Aquila (the birthplace of Filice's late husband, Paul Piccone), and profits from the book's sale will be donated to the city."--The Upper North Side"When Maria Filice conceived this cookbook remarkable for its beautiful practicality she had love, simplicity and knowledge in mind. Love for the people living in the L'Aquila Region of Abruzzo, love for her late husband, Paul Piccone, who introduced her to their homey gastronomy, love for her guests past, present and future and love for ample, complete and delicious food. Simplicity in a book eminently utilitarian for all cooks and chefs, be they absolute beginners trying to please their loved ones or veteran chefs in search of inspiration back to the basics. Knowledge to be acquired about traditional ingredients, new taste combinations and forgotten wines for perfect pairing with her recipes. This cookbook ought to be left open at all times on the kitchen table of all Italian food lovers, and all food lovers for that matter."--Robert-Gilles Martineau, Shizuoka Gourmet