Thursday, September 3, 2009

Camela's Cucina - Southern Italian Cooking

Carmela’s Cucina
by Carmela Tursi Hobbins

ISBN-13: 978-1932472356

The warmth and subtlety of Southern Italian cooking comes to life on every page of Carmela Hobbins’ new collection of recipes and reminiscences. The recipes are easy to follow and the ingredients are far from exotic, but the results remind us how delicious Southern Italian cooking at its best can be. Home-made pasta, delectable seafood appetizers, ricotta torts, and a remarkable array of wedding cookies are only a few of the heirloom treats to be found here. The book is enlivened by full-color photos of the dishes that have made Carmela’s cooking classes so popular and picturesque scenes from the Italian towns where Carmela holds her overseas classes.

Carmela Hobbins developed a love of cooking as a child in Des Moines, Iowa, watching her Italian grandmothers produce the pasta, sauces, breads, and desserts that the family would enjoy during the evening meal, and as an adult she has explored the remarkable offerings of the region with heightened interest. Her experience preparing hearty family meals and elaborate dinner parties, augmented by extended studies in Italy, served as a foundation for a successful catering business. In recent years Carmela has taught classes in many Twin Cities area cooking schools and hosted annual culinary tours of Tuscany and Liguria. In Carmela’s Cucina she shares both the warmth of her Italian-American Inspired by her travels and studies at La Quercia in Chianti and IL Mulino in Tuscany, Carmela Tursi Hobbins has created Carmela’s Cucina to offer small group, private lessons in the art of Italian cooking and entertaining. Carmela also teaches at, Byerly’s, Cooks of Crocus Hill, Nordic Ware, Sopra-Sotto in Rochester, MN., Acorn Pantry in WI. and in many Community Education programs through out the Twin Cities area.
Buon appetito,

BIOGRAPHY
Being of Italian heritage, her experience blends years as co-owner of a successful catering business and her background as a classroom teacher. She is currently expanding her travel in Italy to include small group culinary tours and she is working on her second cookbook. Her first cookbook, Carmela’s Cucina is now available for purchase. Her family has been in involved in the food business for over 50 years and her enthusiasm for the tastes of Italy is energizing. Carmela is a member of the Italian Table Club, Women Who Really Cook and the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Carmela will also come and speak to your group about her experiences of growing up in Italian American family, traveling throughout Italy and can do a short cooking demonstration for your club or organization.

WEBSITE
http://www.carmiescucina.com/

BLOG
http://carmiescucina.blogspot.com/

The book can be purchased through my web site at http://www.carmiescucina.com/
or at Byerly's Grocery Store in St. Louis Park, Mn. or at Cook's of Crocus Hill.