Italian Friends: A TASTE OF THE OLD COUNTRY
HOME COOKING, ITALIAN STYLE:
IT`S NOT CHIC, IT`S JUST PLAIN DELICIOSA
Italian friends have told me that by studying cooking in France before Italy, I learned gastronomy backward. The Italians, they insist, not only taught the French how to make sauces, they got them to stop eating with their fingers after Catherine de Medicis brought forks from Italy to the royal court when she married the future King Henry II in 1533. The French, they do acknowledge, did jump ahead of them when it came to restaurants. As even xenophilic Italians see...
Italian Friends: Goodby, Columbus
If Columbus' Italian friends had thrown him a farewell party on the eve of his voyage, what would they have served?We can easily think of things they wouldn't have served: cornmeal polenta, potato gnocchi, tomato sauce. There would have been no zucchini or pasta e fagioli or penne all'arrabbiata , either (squashes, beans and red pepper are New World crops too). And no desserts containing cioccolata, of course.Hey! What's left? Some...
Italian Friends: Guest Commentary; In Italy too, Klein mourned by friends [includes photo]
To the family of Jeff Klein and to the people of Naples: I am writing on behalf of the many Italian friends of Jeff Klein. Knowing how strong was our link, Jeff's brother informed us of the shocking event. As it was for many people of Naples, last week was an extremely sad time for us. Like many of you, we have been struggling, trying unsuccessfully to find answers, relief.As your journal correctly reported, Jeff served the U.S. Air Force for about 10 years in Italy and most...
Italian Friends: Fama in Santa Monica: It's Like Visiting an Italian-American Family
All the kids at P.S. 41 hoped our Italian friends would take us home for dinner. Their mothers, we knew, spent all day in the kitchen stirring pots of spaghetti sauce and stuffing sausages. The food was a lot better than what our mothers made; if we were really lucky there might even be pizza.There may not be any Italian-American mothers eager to feed you, but there is Fama, 1416 Fourth St., Santa Monica, (213) 451-8633. The restaurant belongs to Hans and Mary Rockenwagner, who own the...