Festa Recipes and Recollections of Italian Holidays [Paperback]

Born of Italian-American parents, Helen Barolini rediscovered her culinary heritage when she married Italian writer Antonio Barolini and lived for some years in Italy. Festa is a year-long feast of memories and delicious, traditional Italian dishes—from St. Nicholas sweetmeats in December and perciatelli with sardines and fennel for March’s St. Joseph’s Day, to figs with prosciutto for summer’s Ferragosto and pumpkin gnocchi for an American Thanksgiving in Italy.

Born of Italian-American parents, Helen Barolini rediscovered her culinary heritage when she married Italian writer Antonio Barolini and lived for some years in Italy. Festa is a year-long feast of memories and delicious, traditional Italian dishes—from St. Nicholas sweetmeats in December and perciatelli with sardines and fennel for March’s St. Joseph’s Day, to figs with prosciutto for summer’s Ferragosto and pumpkin gnocchi for an American Thanksgiving in Italy.

"An enchanting guide though the calendar of Italian holidays. . . . A cookbook that offers more than just good food."—Booklist

"Anyone who has even a touch of Italian in them—by heritage, proximity, or choice—should run, not walk, to the nearest bookstore to get a copy ofFesta. It is, indeed, a ‘feast,’ from the author’s very personal sharing of stories, traditions, and feelings to the very practical journey she takes you on, giving you a taste of the holidays celebrated by Italians, along with their origins, observances, and foods."—Antoinette Bosco,Litchfield County Times

"Barolini’s book is a journey of discovery . . . the personal memoir of a sensitive woman [that is] filled with the sights, sounds, and joys of a host of characters shopping, sharing recipes, cooking, and eating."—Gerald Etter,Philadelphia Inquil“r