January 29, 2007 Vol. II Issue 1

Ciao Amici!

As many of you are aware, I’ve been in Italy since December, 2006. I’ve been all over, notably Tagliacozzo, which is where my great-grandfather’s vineyard is located, and at my Italian office in Rome.
	Here I am writing in my office in the mountains of Abruzzi. My new book is coming along great and I can’t wait for you to see it. If you sign up to receive these newsletters via e-mail, you will receive a 10 page excerpt from my upcoming book, Pasta! Pasta!
There is a cloistered convent in Tagliacozzo that I mention in chapter 17 of my first book, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking. In it there is a story about the cloistered nuns of this convent. Most of the nuns are gone, however there are a few that still exist though they are not allowed to have contact with anyone from the outside world. Their only social contact is with nuns within their convent, and I think they are able to see their parents but a few times a year!
	But to earn extra money for their church and missions, these women bake and see their own homemade cookies on certain days. And since they can’t show themselves to you, you must order the desserts through a lazy susan type contraption that is inside the front door! You tell them the type and amount of cookies you want, they give you the cost, you place your money on the lazy susan and spin it around to them, and they lay out your change (if any) and a beautifully wrapped tray of assorted cookies.
	Here I am with cookies of my own! These cookies are delicious. I usually take an afternoon outing to Tagliacozzo on a Sunday after dinner.
Tagliacozzo
Tagliacozzo is mentioned mainly in chapter 10 of my book. This is the town in which my great-grandparents began their vineyard that was continued by my grandfather. The town, located in the mountains, was once a popular summertime resort for people that lived in Rome since it is only 45 minutes away. During the summer, vacationers could go hiking and horseback riding, and in the winter there is skiing. Now, the town is experiencing a resurgence of popularity and is under quite a bit of reconstruction.

	This gorgeous town is great for afternoon walks. In the old piazza, you can walk to the convent and monastery after many, many steps up you will see grand artworks and churches.

	The drive to Tagilacozzo.
ROME
	Chapter 20 in The Basic Art of Italian Cooking is about Rome. Here I am in from of the Roman Forum and Roman Coliseum. My office in Rome is in this part of the town not very far from here. As you can see from the photos, the sun is usually shining in Rome. It was chilly when these photos were taken, but lately, it’s been unseasonably warm. I am in Rome about three days a week for appointments and meetings, picking up supplies and such, and it’s always wonderful to take time to see beautiful ancient Roman architecture.

Recipes
This month’s recipe of the month is Zuppa di Lenticchie (Lentil Soup)!

2 cups dried lentils 3-4 Tbsps olive oil 2 garlic cloves 2 slices of onions 3-4 cups vegetable broth 2 carrots, sliced (optional) 2 potatoes (optional) 1 stick celery, sliced
Soak the lentils in a large bowl of water the night before or at least 8 hours before cooking this recipe. Place oil, garlic cloves, and onion slices in a deep saucepan or a large pot. Heat just until the onions start to become golden. Pre-cook the potatoes for 3-5 minutes in a pot of boiling water. In a saucepan, mix lentils with some broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery. Add more broth as needed. When the lentils are tender, the soup is done -- approximately 20-30 minutes. Serve hot with homemade crostini, or croutons. To make your recipe a success, I recommend this month's featured products:
Chef's Planet 8-oz. Olive Oil Cruet Anolon 4-pc. Brunello Collection Cheese Knife Set Anolon 9-in. Brunello Collection Bread Knife Signature Housewares Set of 6 Sorrento Square Appetizer Plates, Ivory All-Clad 13x20 Nonstick LTD Double Burner Griddle
Looking for a spectacular wine to go with your soup? Try Balic Winery – American wines with a European accent.
Upcoming Appearances Maria LIberati's The Basic Art of Italian Cooking (tm) will be presenting a cooking program with Maria Liberati on March 13th from 6-8 pm at DiBruno Brothers 1730 Chestnut St, Philadelphia. Participants will get to sit down and eat a specially prepared authentic Italian menu from the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking. Call DiBruno Brothers at (215) 665-9220 today to register! Be sure to also visit their website at DiBruno.com! March 13, 2007 Di Bruno Brothers 1730 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 665-9220 March 24, 2007 Williams-Sonoma, Shops at Columbus Circle 10 Columbus Circle New York, NY 10019 (212) 823-9750 ***

Keep in touch with me through my blog, which is updated weekly. Click here to view my most recent post.

Thanks for reading this month's newsletter. If you would like to pass this along, feel free to do so!

Amore,

Maria Liberati

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About my book, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking :

This book is more than just a cookbook. It is my passion for food and cooking interweaved with stories from my past that make me who I am today. With my easy to follow recipes from a personal tour of Italy, you can experience every fresh fruit macedonia from my family's vineyard. Taste the minted pears and parmigiano antipasto. Italian cooking is never just a recipe, it is the basic art of creating something special from something simple and fresh.

Also, proceeds from the sale of each and every book go to Gilda’s Club. Gilda's Club is a special place where the focus is on living with cancer. And where men, women and children with any kind of cancer and their family members and friends can plan and build life-changing emotional and social support. Gilda's Club is named in honor of Gilda Radner, who, when describing the emotional and social support she received when she had cancer, called for such places to be made available for people with cancer and their families and friends everywhere. Although the Saturday Night Live comedian died in 1989, Gilda's spirit lives on at every Gilda's Club, where members join with other "experts" at living with cancer to both give and receive the benefits of love and laughter through the unique Gilda's Club program. Click here if you’d like to donate directly to the website.

“A fine primer for budding Italian chefs. The entertaining, informative stories that are woven into the cookbook provide a wonderful backdrop to the well-explained basic recipes of Italian cuisine.”
—MICHAEL DEGEORGIO, executive chef at Il Cortile Restaurant, New York City,
and specialty food consultant

“A memoir about living in Italy and the pleasures of Italian food that makes a perfect
gift. But the recipes are so delicious, you’ll want to try it first yourself.”
—CHEF ERHARDT TELL, four-time Cordon Bleu Award winner, television chef and cookbook author

“If you want to get a sense of true authentic Italian food and the flavor of living in the mountains of the untouched regions of Italy, like Abruzzo, not only do I recommend you take the trip, but also that you make Maria Liberati’s The Basic Art of Italian Cooking part of your library.”
—JIM COLEMAN, host of the PBS television series, Flavors of America, and executive chef at Coleman Restaurant at Normandy Farms