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It is
always a good feeling when August (Agosto) arrives because it means that
summer is at its peak and fall is just around the corner.
It's an especially good feeling this year because we have completed the
studio filming of our 19th season featuring the food and culture of the
Piedmont region of Italy. But does this mean I can put my feet up and sip limoncello until the leaves start to turn colors? No, rather it means that I can now concentrate on
thinking about next year's programs - and how we're going to celebrate Ciao
Italia's 20th anniversary!
Other than with food, that is.
The
beauty of the foods of Italy
is there is just so much to choose from, so much localism to it that I will
never in a lifetime cover every region. But I feel good when I look at the
library of information that we have established over the last 19 years and
realize just how much we have saved for posterity by placing all of those
recipes on our website for you to enjoy and to pass along.
And now that we have
video streaming as well, you can enjoy watching me prepare many of those recipes from the
comfort of your own home and on your own schedule.
Italy's food culture is strongly
influenced by America's;
more fast food establishments serving such things as smoothies and donuts,
more commercially prepared foods, more supermercati serving up
traditional foods like fresh pasta already made and waiting on plastic wrapped
Styrofoam trays...well you get the picture.
That is why it is time to
think about how to preserve and protect the rich heritage of Italian cuisine. And that's just what I'm going to do on this lazy, hot August day, a day that's perfect for
sipping limoncello.
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Don't forget, youre always welcome to drop by and sample our over 1000 authentic regional Italian recipes. Ive collected them over the years from my mother, my grandmothers, my aunts, my friends, and colleagues, and I want to share them with you. For our Premium Subscribers, we also provide exclusive video content that lets you follow my recipes nella cucina so that we can cook together!
Want to see what I mean?
Watch a sample video recipe here.
And if youre looking for a way to savor the traditional, authentic Italian experience beyond the kitchen, weve created Ciao Italia Lifestyle, a gateway to tips on gardening, travel, and wine and more that opens the door to some of our best ideas.
And be sure to visit my new blog for regular recommendations on how to get the most out of your Ciao Italia experience! You can find a link to it on the Mary Ann page.
As always, I love your feedback, so please e-mail me with your comments. I look forward to spending lots of time with you here at ciaoitalia.com so please bookmark this page and visit me anytime!