One of the benefits of my diverse food writing is receiving advanced copies of cookbooks and food related books. Publicist extraordinaire and friend, Carrie Weinberg-Bachman, formerly of Harper Collins/Wm Morrow, forwarded the soon-to-be released copy of Marcella Hazan's autobiography, Amarcord ~ The Remarkable Life Story of the Woman Who Started Out Teaching Science in a Small Town in Italy, but Ended Up Teaching America How to Cook Italian.I am a huge fan of Marcella's cookbooks; they are a must for every cook's shelf, the Italian gospel in cooking. I remember taking a cooking class 20 years ago and one of the recipes taught was her herb marinated green beans, simple yet vibrant in flavor. It is a recipe I have prepared over the years to the same oohs and ahhs I gave it when I first tasted it.
I have heard of Marcella's perfectionism and getting an insight into what makes her tick was a story I wanted to read. What brought this Italian girl to the forefront of the US and international culinary world was a fascinating read. From the beginning of the book, pre-war Italy and life as an Italian then, and through the war, to bringing authentic Italian cuisine to the world ~ this is a "must read." There are no cooking recipes but recipes for life and passion.
Amarcord by Marcella Hazan - release date October 2008
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