Lidia Matticchio Bastianich - Lidias Italy: 140 Simple and Delicious Recipes from the Ten Places in Italy Lidia Loves Most

So many individuals in so many far-flung places have generously lent us assistance and support in writing this book. We must turn in many directions to express our appreciation and gratitude.

As Italy is both the subject of our book and its source, we first wish to thank the colleagues, family, and friends all over the country (and in Istria) who guided us to their local culinary and cultural treasures; introduced their favorite restaurants, artisans, and farms; and often opened their kitchens to share their wonderful dishes.

In my native Istria, where we treasure a colony of relatives and friends, special thanks to cousin Sonia Fonio and her husband, Zlatko Perdija; cousins Renato and Mariuccia, who keep a watchful eye on my childhood home; my attorney and dear friend Dobrovko Zic, who keeps me within the law; and his cousin Boris Zic, who takes me scampi fishing. Thank you to Gina Bergi for the delicious food served at Ristorante Gina in Stoja, Pula. Thank you to the musicians of Istriathe magnificent male chorus Societ Artistico Culturale Lino Mariani of Pula and my dear friend Mirko Cetinski, whose melodious voice I have been enjoying for years, and his quartet from Rovingo. Thanks also to Mayor Rino Dunis, who has been keeping the arts alive and well in his picturesque medieval hilltop town of Groznjan. For promoting all these cultural and culinary treasures, our gratitude to Denis Ivosevic, Assessore of Tourism in Istria.

In Trieste, where weve forged lasting friendships, we offer many thanks to Bruno Vesnaver and his family for the wonderful food and fun we always have at their Antica Ghiaccetteria and Trattoria da Giovanni. Thanks to the Benvenuti family of the Grand Hotel Duchi DAosta, who always have a fresh linen-lined bed for a weary traveler.

In Friuli, where we have a home and winery, we are grateful for the help and friendship of so many: first, of course, our old friend, the winemaker Valter Scarbolo; managing director Dennis Lepore, who makes it all happen; and Emilio del Medico, oenologist with a superb sense of taste. Grazie to Gianluigi DOrlandi, the commercialista and mayor of Fagagna, who knows all the artisanal producers of the Consorzio Prosciutto di San Daniele and in particular for bringing me to Prosciuttificio Giobatta Zanin and the Latteria de Fagagna Borgo Pauldo, producers of exceptional Montasio cheese. Thanks to Josko Sirk from La Subdia. Also thanks to Dott. Attilio Vuga, the mayor of Cividale del Friuli, and Assessore Enrico Bertossi of the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, who both understand the importance of preserving local traditions.

My travels in Friuli have been enriched immeasurably by my dear friend Mario Picozzi of Trieste. Thank you, Mario, for taking me to Le Malghe and the high mountain farm of Maiaso Dienemonzo, where they make extraordinary Montasio by hand; for sharing Sauris di Sopra, your little piece of heaven; for introducing me to the family Wolf-Petris, producers of the renowned speck and prosciutto di Sauris; and for the unforgettable visit to the polenta mill, Il Mulino di Godia. (And thank you, Doctor Mario, for fixing my teeth if they chip from all the chewing!)

In the area of Padova and Treviso, thanks to Dott. Walter Brunello and Dott.ssa Sanguin of the Veneto Region, who opened so many doors to memorable experiences, like our tour of the cultivation of radicchio trevisano at Azienda Agricola Fratelli. And I am grateful to Celeste Tonon, proprietor of the esteemed Ristorante Celeste in Venegazzu (near Treviso), both for his wonderful company and sharing his privileged knowledge of the original tiramis.

In Piemonte, a cherished region, first and special thanks to my dear friend Gianandrea Noseda, principal conductor of the BBC Philharmonic and principal conductor of Teatro Regio di Torino. Thanks also to Raffaela Bologna of Braida, Luca Vietti of the Vietti winery, and Lidia Alcianti from Guido da Costigliole at Relais San Maurizio, a very special chef and friend. Thanks as well to the Slow Food Movement in Bra, an organization that has awakened us to the need to preserve our culinary traditions.

In Maremma, thanks first to Maurizio Castelli, grande-over-all enologist, and his son, winemaker Simone Castelli, who direct La Mozza, our winery. To the attentive and caring staff at the Azienda Alberese, thanks for revealing the wild beauty of Maremma. Thanks to Alma Amaddii, whose wonderful recipe for acqua cotta enriches this book, and to Lucia Simoni for those luscious ravioli.

As we journey south, a warm and affectionate hug to old friend Paola di Mauro, the matron of Roman cuisine and a producer of great wines from her Azienda Colle Picchioni in the Lazio region.

And another hug to a great friend, Campanian wine guru, and true Napoletano, Bruno de Rosa, for guiding us to the heart of Naples. Thanks to Alfonso Matozzi, the fourth-generation proprietor of LEuropeo restaurant, for memorable dining and talk of food. Thanks to my cousin Clara and her husband, Francesco Pacelli; and to Sig.ra Mirella Capaldo of Feudi di San Gregorio winery and her husband, Dott. Enzo Ercolino.

One more huga big oneto Nonna Lisa Porcella (maternal grandmother of Tanyas husband, Corrado) for her great tiella, first enjoyed in Gaeta and now shared in these pages.

In Sicily, great thanks to dear friend Manfredi Barbera and family, merchants of wonderful Sicilian olive oil; to Santi Palazzolo, master pasticciere; and to Anna Santoro, the mistress of couscous making in Custonaci, and her husband, Giuseppe, and their family.

In Puglia, warm thanks to two restaurateur colleagues in Montegrosso: Pietro Petroni, who runs the wonderful Masseria Lama di Luna, and Pietro Zito, who expertly cooks the bounty of the region at Antichi Sapori. Thanks also to Domenico Asseliti and his family in Andria for making the most spectacular burrata, and to Eliah Pellegrino, producer of great Pugliese olive oil, and his mother, Signora Titina Pellegrino, who showed me how to make orecchiette. In Altamura I had some of the best bread, made by the Carlucci family.

Finally, thanks to New York City pal Francesco Luisi, who returned to his native Basilicata (just over the border of Puglia) and shared the wonderful products of the region as well as the wonderful folk songs and dances from the talented teenagers of Gruppo Musicisti e Ballerini-Folk-Art Stigliano.

To all of the above (and others too numerous to name) we say, Siamo riconoscenti del vostro contributo che arrichisce questo libro Mille grazie.

And how could we have completed Lidias Italythis book and its companion PBS television serieswithout the support and encouragement of our sponsors? You have made it possible! So thank you-to Cuisinart for a long-lasting friendship and support; to the premier pasta company, De Cecco; to Palm Bay Imports and their wonderful portfolio of Italian wine producers; and to the Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Grana Padano, whose exceptional product I have been grating over my pasta and using in my recipes for years.

We would also like to thank the businesses who support us through their generous product donations for the filming of the TV show: www.freshdirect.com; Jones New York; Arte Italica; American Pearl; Borghese; Keil Brothers; ceramicadirect.com; Omnipak; www.sambonetusa.com; Le Creuset; Villeroy & Boch Hotel and Restaurant Division; Tutto Mio; the Perrier Group; and Alitalia and Visit Italy Tours, who have facilitated many a research trip to Italy.

As always, the dedication and talents of everyone at my restaurants made it possible for us to devote ourselves to this book. Special thanks to Felidias chef, Fortunato Nicotra, managers Genji Ridley and Mario Pincic, and the entire Felidia staff; Shelly Burgess and the Felidia office staff; the staff of Becco; the staff of Lidias KC; and the staff of Lidias Pittsburgh.