Due grandi cuochi unici

November 17, 2009

What. A. Great. Evening.

Tonight our Rakestraw, our local independent bookstore hosted an incredible evening that brought together chefs Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Joey Altman. While known nationally Joey is best known in the Bay area for Bay Café a food-magazine television show that explored the local culinary scene. And Lidia Bastianich. Oh. Sigh. She’s my pasta hero, tomato sauce goddess, my polenta princess and the queen mother of all bubbling, fragrant sauce pots of Maltagliati Alla Salsa Di Cipolla (homemade pasta with onion-tomato sauce). Beshert and I are massive fans of her show Lidia’s Italy. Her name might be long but in our house we just call her Noni (Grandma). “Honey, it’s Noni! Noni’s on TV!”

The event was scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. and since the venue doors were opening at 6:30 that meant D and I were standing with our noses pressed against the glass doors by 6:00 pm. Not that I was excited or anything and suffice it to say we were first through the doors and grabbed up the seats in the center of the front row.

For the first hour of the event Joey interviewed Lidia about her new book Lidia Cooks From the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes that features recipes from last season, and which I now have sitting on my lap autographed only a couple hours ago. Following their delightful and engaging conversation, there were a few minutes provided for Q & A from the audience of 200 and then we all walked over from the local theatre where the event was held to the bookstore for the book signing and wine tasting. And yes, once again we managed, through a carefully plotted escape through the emergency exit doors at the front of the theater to get in front of the pack.

Not only was it an interesting and fun night but it was an inspiring one and I’ve already found the two recipes from her cookbook that will comprise tomorrow night’s dinner in our home. Dinner’s at 6:00. See you then?

Posted in Daily Life, Food, Our Town