Italy will always be a special place here at Linus’s Blanket because that is pretty much where it got its birth as a book blog. Before that it was an all-purpose/keep up with friends type venture. I started posting reviews of books that I was reading as I was vacationing in Italy and I never looked back. Close to two years later here we are.
It is no secret, and in fact I try to talk about it as much as possible, that I am a big lover of all things food and eating, so I was really excited to READ a book (Keeping the Feast, by Paula Butturini) heavily featuring ITALY and heavily featured FOOD. All of the capitalized items are really GOOD things! This book, so far has not disappointed me and has probably managed to pull me put of my reading slump as nothing else could.
Keeping the Feast, is the story of how Paula Butturini sustained her family in hard times through food and love, and how her family was able to heal using simple rituals celebrating those things.
Food was present immediately in this memoir. Bam, right on the second page.
I woke up early, dressed, walked out the door and over to the Campo. I would buy a shiny, plump purple-black eggplant. Or a handful of slender green beans, so fresh and young you could eat them raw. I bought three golden pears, or a heavy bunch of fat green grapes. I bought a few slices of Milanese Salami, a bit of veal. I bought a thin slab of creamy gorgonzola, to spread on crusty, still warm bread.
Okay, just popping in to share that really quickly. I have to get back to my book!
If you enjoyed this post wander over to the Weekend Cooking at Beth Fish Reads. There you’ll find a yummy collection of food related posts. I love it!
Other reviews and posts:
oh, that quote has made me very, very hungry. thanks a lot…lol
I’m envious of your Italian vacation and all the great food you must have tasted there. How nice to have a book to bring back some of those memories. I love that quote.
.-= Margot´s last blog ..Memorable Cookie Jars =-.
I ws getting hungry reading that small blurb. Sounds like a good read.
.-= Heather´s last blog ..First Nations/Aboriginal Fridays – Blood Sports by Eden Robinson =-.
I’m coming over to eat. Right there, I could make a yummy meal….
.-= Beth F´s last blog ..Weekend Cooking: Babette’s Feast (The Film) =-.
Wow, I really want good food, right now! I’ve been sick all weekend and I’ve basically only been hugary for toast. I guess I should pick this up for more motivation! :O)
.-= Pam´s last blog ..Sunday Salon: Tummy Bugs and Swedish Thugs =-.
I think this book sounds great and now with those photos of food combined and it being able to get you out of a reading slump I know its gotta be good!
.-= Amused´s last blog ..Dating in the City =-.
I liked Keeping the Feast, but I don’t think I liked it as much as everyone else has, and I’m not really sure why.
I loved the connection to Italy, too, as it took me back to my trip (I was there in 2007).
.-= softdrink´s last blog ..Keeping the Feast =-.
Time moves so quickly. I was there in 2008 and already it seems like a lifetime ago.
My husband and I are hoping for a vacation in Italy next year to celebrate our 10th Anniversary. Keeping the Feast sounds like it will be excellent study material before we go
.-= Kristi´s last blog ..Anna Karenina Read Along: Part One =-.
It’ definitely a good study of Italian style food and there are some great parts where she and her husband stay with a family in a village about an hour outside of Rome, and they talk about the meals and the siestas. But other than that not too much is described of Rome or Italy itself.
I just had to say: Yay food! and Yay Italy! I am jealous of your trip, very very jealous.
.-= Trisha´s last blog ..Book Review: Uglies =-.
This is already on my Goodreads to-read list, but now I’m really hungry for it! (Pun intended.)
.-= Madeleine´s last blog ..These Three Remain by Pamela Aidan; Review =-.
Glad you’re loving it! Now I’m hungry and in the mood for a re-read.
.-= Andi´s last blog ..Scattershot Reading… =-.
Now that you mention it, it is one that I could easily re-read.
I loved the descriptions of food in this book. Pasta makes me go weak at the knees!
.-= S. Krishna´s last blog ..Marriage and Other Acts of Charity – Kate Braestrup =-.