Riolo - The Italian diabetes cookbook : delicious and healthful dishes from Venice to Sicily and beyond

Director, Book Publishing, Abe Ogden; Managing Editor, Greg Guthrie; Acquisitions Editor, Victor Van Beuren; Project Manager, Boldface LLC; Production Manager, Composition, Melissa Sprott; Cover Design, pixiedesign, llc; Photography, Rene Comet Photography; Printer, Versa Press.

2016 by the American Diabetes Association, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including duplication, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the American Diabetes Association.

Printed in the United States of America
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

The suggestions and information contained in this publication are generally consistent with the Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes and other policies of the American Diabetes Association, but they do not represent the policy or position of the Association or any of its boards or committees. Reasonable steps have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the American Diabetes Association cannot ensure the safety or efficacy of any product or service described in this publication. Individuals are advised to consult a physician or other appropriate health care professional before undertaking any diet or exercise program or taking any medication referred to in this publication. Professionals must use and apply their own professional judgment, experience, and training and should not rely solely on the information contained in this publication before prescribing any diet, exercise, or medication. The American Diabetes Associationits officers, directors, employees, volunteers, and membersassumes no responsibility or liability for personal or other injury, loss, or damage that may result from the suggestions or information in this publication.

The paper in this publication meets the requirements of the ANSI Standard Z39.48-1992 (permanence of paper).

American Diabetes Association titles may be purchased for business or promotional use or for special sales. To purchase more than 50 copies of this book at a discount, or for custom editions of this book with your logo, contact the American Diabetes Association at the address below or at booksales@diabetes.org.

American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22311

DOI: 10.2337/9781580405652

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Riolo, Amy.
The Italian diabetes cookbook : delicious and healthful dishes from venice to sicily and beyond / Amy Riolo.
pages cm
Summary: This book will help the reader see that Italian food is not off limits for people with diabetes. It will help change the way Italian cuisine is viewed abroad, and demonstrate ways in which traditional Italian food can be part of a diabetes-friendly eating plan-- Provided by publisher.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-58040-565-2 (paperback)
1. Diabetes--Diet therapy--Recipes. 2. Cooking, Italian. I. Title.
RC662.R514 2015
641.56314--dc23
2015018201
eISBN: 978-1-58040-646-8

Table of Contents

I owe my ability to write this book entirely to destiny. If I had been born into another family or culture and had not had the opportunity to live in Italy and the U.S., it would never have been possible. It was my mothers battle with diabetes that gave this cause such a large place in my heart and mind.

Destiny is also to thank for the opportunity Ive had to get to know so many people and places in Italy on such an intimate level. I believe that it truly takes a village to make a good chefand in my case, that village is a global one. I am honored and proud to say that I have learned from amazing cooks in places that I never dreamed I would even visit. For all of you who have shared a kitchen or a meal with me, I thank you.

My nonna, Angela Magnone Foti, taught me to cook and bake and gave me valuable lessons that served me outside of the kitchen as well. Because of her and our heritage, my first tastes of Italian food were Calabrian dishes. Those edible time capsules formed a culinary link between the two of us and our relatives in southern Italy. Because of her, I am able to prepare many of the same dishes that my Italian relatives do, even though I am a fourth-generation American. Nonna Angela gave me my first cookbook and showed me how cooking was not a mundane chore, but a form of magic that could unite people across distances and time. I owe my career to her and would give anything to be able to share more time in the kitchen with her. Cooking was so important to her that a few weeks before she passed, at 90 years old, she refused to go into the hospital because it was Christmastime. She told the doctors that she needed to be home so that she could make cookies with Amy. It is an honor for me to be able to pass her knowledge on to my readers. My yia yia, Mary Michos Riolo, also shared her beloved Greek traditions with me, and I am happy to say that they have become woven into my culinary fabric as wellwhich is not surprising, since many Italian regions were Greek colonies in antiquity.

My earliest memories of cooking were with my mother, Faith Riolo, who would sit me on the counter and roll more meatballs and cookies than I could count. She taught me that food was not just something we eat to nourish ourselves, but an edible gift that could be given to express love. I owe my love of food history and anthropology to my father, Rick Riolo. He planted in me the desire to answer the question, I wonder what they eat. This is a type of culinary curiosity that is never completely satisfied and gives me the motivation to continue my work each day.

I would probably never have published a cookbook if it werent for my mentor, Sheilah Kaufman, who patiently taught me much more than I ever planned on learning. I am proud to pass her knowledge on to others. My special thanks to my partner, Chef Luigi Diotaiuti, for being a continuous source of inspiration and motivation, for sharing my passions for maintaining culinary traditions that are on the verge of being forgotten, and for promoting all of the splendor that southern Italy and the Mediterranean region have to offer.

In Italy, I thank my cousin Angela Riolo for sharing my passion and continuously supplying me with authentic Calabrian recipes. In Rome, I thank Liana Mari, Mauro Lesti, and Marialuisa DiMatteo for their continued support. I also thank Luigi and Maria Fabbiano for sharing so much with me over the years.

Thank you to Dr. Norton Fishman, Dr. Beth Tedesco, and Dr. Mary Lee Esty for enabling me to overcome my illness and fulfill my dreams. To my dear friends Dr. Amira Mohsen and Susan Simonet, you are the sisters I never had. To Kathleen Ammalee Rogers, my adopted sister, trusted healer, and wellness coachthank you for your love and support, for guiding me to realize my full potential, and for enabling me to achieve my dreams. I have you to thank for the goodness I have created in my life.

At the American Diabetes Association, I would like to thank Abraham Ogden, Director of Book Publishing; Greg Guthrie, Managing Editor; and Lauren Wilson for assisting me with the creation of this book. I truly appreciate the food styling of Lisa Cherkasky and Rene Comets great food photography. I also appreciate the assistance of Robert Schueller and Melissas Produce for providing produce for our photo shoot, and Anthony Quinn of Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits for providing Calabrian wine. I would also like to thank every shopkeeper, housewife, taxi driver, chef, fisherman, farmer, and restaurateur who took the time to discuss food with me and provide me with additional insights.