Remembering Sardinia
Remembering Sardinia
Plus a giveaway for Katie Parla's new cookbook, "Food of the Italian Islands"
A few years ago, I was invited to lecture on a residential ship called The World (Judge Judy used to own one of the residences!). They flew my husband and I to Siracusa, Sicily, to board the ship, then we went to Malta for four days, then to Sardinia, where we spent an afternoon exploring Cagliari. While I wasn’t paid for the food history lectures, I didn’t pay a dime save for my husband’s flight cost. We had a tiny cabin, but the Michelin-level food was free. It was truly a wonderful experience. Plus, at the end, I had a chance to meet one of my history inspirations, author Ross King, who was boarding the ship as I was leaving.
We only had a few hours in Cagliari, and the sad thing is that it was Palm Sunday, so literally everything was closed save for a very few things. We could go into the Cathedral after service was over (and the townspeople were picking up their palm fronds on the way out). It’s a gorgeous and somewhat eclectic church, with various styles from across the centuries.
We checked out the Royal Palace, Palazzo Reggio, as well, which was once the home of the kings of Sardinia.
The Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari was another gem, and has artifacts that date back 25,000 years (!!!), such as the Venus of Savignano.
While we saw many wonderful things in our four or five hours there, what I remember the most was a meal at one of the few restaurants open, Ristorante Ammentos. It was certainly the best meal of our trip (and we ate some amazing food on the ship and in Malta), and it was one of the most memorable I’ve had in Italy. There were so many things I wanted to try, foods I hadn’t ever heard of, much less tasted. It’s where we discovered Pane Carasau, the crispy flatbread typical of the island.
I had an incredible pasta dish, Malloreddus alla Gergese (gorgonzola sheep cheese).
Dessert was an array of little cookies, accompanied by a delicious sweet wine.
I have wanted to go back to Sardinia since then to explore and experience more of the food that is so unique to the island. But the good thing, in the meantime, is that now I have some of these recipes in my hot little hands and can make them myself, courtesy of Katie Parla!
This last weekend, I went to IAM Books, Boston’s gem of an Italian bookstore, to see Katie speak about her new cookbook, Food of the Italian Islands: Recipes from the Sunbaked Beaches, Coastal Villages, and Rolling Hillsides of Sicily, Sardinia, and Beyond. I had last met up with her in Rome, where she so graciously agreed to chat with me about my novel, The Chef’s Secret, at Otherwise Bookshop in Rome. I only had a handful of people there, but it was special for me to talk about the history of Bartolomeo Scappi, in the city where my heart is, and with someone who intimately understands Italian food culture. So, it was great to see her here in Boston and pick up a copy of this beautiful cookbook
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I’ll let her tell you a bit about it.
Want to win a copy of Food of the Italian Islands?
Food of the Italian Islands contains over 85 recipes, both original and reimagined, that showcase the allures off Italy’s coasts, including pane frattau featuring Sardinia’s beloved flatbread; bigoli in salsa, a party pasta popular in Venice; coniglio all’Ischitana, braised rabbit in the style of Ischia, and torta caprese, Capri’s flourless chocolate-almond cake. With New York Times bestselling author Katie Parla as the intrepid guide, Food of the Italian Islands delves into the rich culinary and cultural fabric of the destinations, inviting readers to join a highly specialized, curated experience through places never previously documented in English or Italian cookbook form.
This giveaway closed at midnight on 11/12/23. The winner will be announced in my next newsletter/post.
A couple of things: you must be 18+ and a United States resident (pesky international laws make it tricky to do giveaways worldwide). If you are someone who loves rules, you can find the obligatory info here.
What’s Bringing Me Joy This Week
Neighborle is a great way to learn a bit of geography, by guessing neighboring countries.
Awww. Here’s a baby wallaby for you.
If you love food and love Italy, and haven’t read THE CHEF’S SECRET or FEAST OF SORROW, click the links to learn where to buy your copy! 🍒🍗🍷
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Thanks for the recommendations! I bought three of Katie Parla's books and enjoyed an Italian Thanksgiving this year.