At the height of the pandemic during the winter when many friends and family were still reticent to get out, Stanley Tucci’s television show “Searching for Italy” appeared on CNN. It was a curious mix of amazing locales in Italy where the acclaimed actor sampled the foods of each region and waxed poetic about the experience. As a host, Tucci exudes an elegance and a much-needed sense of calm that made you feel like you might enjoy hanging out with him. He also had a side hobby making cocktails on Instagram that was also quite popular around the same time that I was quite fond of and looked forward to seeing. Clearly his favorite drink is the negroni, which also happens to be my husband, the Irishman’s favorite drink as well. How could anyone not love that?
I came to really enjoy each episode of the show, although I wasn’t into some of the political discussions which didn’t seem to fit in Tucci’s love affair with the culture he adores. Maybe CNN being a news station asked him to add it? Regardless, it was obvious he loved making some of the recipes he shared included one particular episode where he made pizzoccheri, a buckwheat pasta with cabbage, butter, garlic, potatoes, and Valtalline cheese. That sounded so amazing. What also comes across is his love for Italy, the people, the food, and the way of life showcased in the series.
This is why I decided to read Tucci’s latest book “Taste: My Life Through Food.” The book is exactly what you might expect and something even more. To me, it read like it could have been my own experience, although unlike Tucci, I lived in London growing up instead of Florence. His stories about his family made me laugh out loud. Particularly his commentaries about his mom. Take this sample: Tucci: “What are we having for dinner?” Mom: “Pork chops.” Tucci: “Awwww! No, I don’t like pork chops.” Mom: Sighs. “Well, why don’t you go next door and see what the neighbors are having?” I loved this because this was something my own mother said to my sister and I frequently and that I say to my own children! The kids in my neighborhood growing up often had hot dogs for dinner, which completely shocked me since that was something my mom only served on 4th of July. It became apparent to me at a young age that things were very different at my house on the food front when we ate over at our friend’s houses (except for Mrs. Parker’s house which was very nice, it must be said!)
The other thing that rang true for me was his hilarious chapter on holiday dining in which he describes his brother-in-law, the actor John Krasinski, as being in shock that his family was eating two meals for dinner. This was my experience as well growing up. Every Christmas, we would travel to three different homes to celebrate the holidays. First, we started at my Sicilian grandfather’s house outside of Baltimore where we had a modest meal that included some overcooked pasta (my grandfather was remarried after my grandmother passed away in 1974 to a very nice Irish lady, who was sadly not a very good cook, but a lovely person) and the famous cheerio treats offered up for every occasion. My sister and I knew to barely touch anything there to save ourselves for the meals that would come later. Then, we stopped at my aunt’s house where we were treated to amazing cookies, a lunch fit for a king that often included something delicious and unexpected like homemade manicotti made of crepes, or cherry tomatoes stuffed with a smoked oyster and homemade zeppole, which my aunt ingeniously made from store bought biscuit dough that she placed in the fryer and dusted with cinnamon and sugar. The last stop was the piece de resistance for my sister and I though. My uncle and aunt had the food table to end all food tables. My aunt must have slaved for days. Her sugar cookies to this day are the ones that perfection is measured from and that I dream of when I think about amazing cookies every Christmas. But the table! My goodness. It had every possible thing imaginable on it. Meats, seafood, pasta, salads, and desserts. And all of it was lovingly prepared. Even more exciting were the spirits. My sister and I were always allowed as a special treat to have a taste of something special. Maybe a little wine or a little crème de menthe in the form of a grasshopper. My cousins were wonderful bartenders! I guess what I am getting at here is that Tucci’s experience is not that uncommon if you are Italian American.
What else can I say about the book? It covers absolutely nothing about his career as an actor, other than to mention how delightful Meryl Streep, who he acted in “Devil Wears Prada” and “Julie and Julia,” is and how he enjoyed working with her. What you do get a sense of is how much he loves food and the way it connected him to the people in his life including his late wife Kate, his new wife Felicity, and his parents and sisters. I loved his descriptions of some of the restaurants in New York that sustained him when he was starting out in his career, particularly Carnegie Deli, which I loved even though there were long lines of tourists when we would visit it each year. You also get the sense that he would much rather do more with food now that he has reached the ripe old age of 60. That is something I truly admire as I think Tucci has something important to give all of us and I for one, would like to follow him anywhere he goes. His dry sense of humor and the way he talks about his family shows a lot of love and appreciation, which I completely relate to and understand. I definitely have felt and continue to feel that he could easily be one of my family members. That’s what is so special about being Italian American – the commonality that we all feel when it comes to our culture and the food. It’s a terrific feeling. And we always welcome those who aren’t Italian to enjoy our heritage and eat the amazing food!
I really am excited to see the second season of his television show. I’m hoping he visits his family’s ancestral land, Calabria. My mom’s step grandfather (her maternal grandfather died by the hand of the mafia – not uncommon in those days apparently) was from this land and my mom said she was fascinated by how he kept a dish of hot peppers on the side of the table while he played cards. She asked if she could have one and she did, and it burned her mouth! Calabrese are known for enjoying spicy peppers and if you should ever see Calabrian pepper paste, grab it, and thank me later. The other areas I am interested in Tucci visiting include the Veneto, the area where Venice resides, as it is the largest wine growing region in Italy, if not the world producing more bottles per year than just about anywhere. It accounts for a staggering 25% of the total Italian wine production, which is quite impressive. Another personal favorite area is Umbria. This region does not get as many visitors as Tuscany, but it is just as magnificent. Many people see Assisi and keep pushing through, but they miss so much by doing this. I visited the region when I was 16 with my family and I never forgot it. I was able to go back a few years ago with John and was richly rewarded. We ran into many interesting people, all from Europe, who were biking across the region, and they came every year from Germany and Norway. Either way, I cannot wait to see where he travels to next and will be eagerly awaiting episodes in the new year.
I encourage everyone to check out Tucci’s show and his new book. I’ve really enjoyed and it and hope you will too!
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