[Thoughts on the Table – 78] A Chat with Award-winning Author Andrew Cotto

Andrew Cotto is an award-winning American writer of Italian descent. His latest novel titled Cucina Tipica tells the fascinating adventure of a young American who falls in love with Tuscany and with the culture of its people. Naturally, food and wine end up setting the pace and become deeply entrenched in the story.

I was humbled to be contacted by Mr. Cotto who sent me a copy of the book for consideration as he thought it would fit with the theme of the podcast. After reading it, I couldn't agree more! Please join us in this episode where we discuss the novel in its many aspects-from the significance of food in the Italian culture to the chemistry of taste, from culture shock and relocation to speaking a foreign language and what it does to interactions and introspection.

You can follow Andrew Cotto on andrewcotto.com as well as on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Cucina Tipica is available on Amazon.

As an "appetizer" for the book, Andrew sent me a recap in the form of a Food and Wine Plot Menu with 24 tastes each corresponding to a food scene in the novel. Enjoy!

Cucina Tipica: An Italian Adventure
A Novel by Andrew Cotto

Food & Wine Plot Menu

Novel Overview: Cucina Tipica is the story of a disheartened American who arrives in Italy on holiday and decides he never wants to leave. What follows is a wine-soaked, food-filled travel adventure about one man's quest for an antiquated existence in the modern world.

Characters:
Jacoby Pines - a forlorn young American with a "golden palate" and hopes of redemption in Italy
Claire - a travel writer and Jacoby's fiancee
Bill - a septuagenarian ex-pat from Texas and Jacoby's wingman in the "adventure"
Paolo - Jacoby and Claire's neighbor and landlord in the hills south of Florence near the village of Antella
Dolores - Claire's "outrageous" English cousin and "Chiantishire" resident
Helen - An Aussie/English ex-pat and Florence museum guide

3rd Taste:
Who: Jacoby and Paolo
Where: The terrace behind Paolo's villa featuring a wood-burning oven
Food: Handmade pizza with olives, anchovy fillets, and fresh basil; "Misto Arrosto" - a mixed roast of lamb, sausage, rabbit, liver in caul fat, guinea hen, halved-potatoes, heads of garlic, caramelized carrot and fennel.
Wine: "Local Chianti" - DOCG Colli Fiorentini, Grappa
Additional Notes: Jacoby felt as peaceful and inspired as he had in months. Maybe ever. The best two meals of his life had been had over the first two days in Italy. The country itself was more beautiful than pictures could capture. The people spoke a lovely language and wore elegant clothes. It was all good. And he wanted in.

5th Taste:
Who: Jacoby and Claire
Where: An elegant agriturismo in Le Marche
Food: Charcuterie plate of house-cured meats; silky thick noodles topped with black truffles; lamb roast; Pecorino cheese drizzled with honey
Wine: Rosso Piceno
Additional Notes: After dinner, they roamed the silent grounds and made love on a pool-side chaise lounge after skinny dipping in the cool water that rippled with shards of silver moonlight.

10th Taste:
Who: Jacoby and Bill
Where: Hotel Floria-Zanobini, Antella
Food: Sausage and eggs with stewed tomatoes
Drink: Espresso
Additional Notes: "I've been an ex-pat for 35 years, and the only thing I miss about America is breakfast," - Bill

15th Taste:
Who: Jacoby, Bill, Helen
Where: Florence, club Sriracha
Drinks: Negronis (many)

23rd Taste:
Who: Claire & Dolores
Where: Hotel Floria-Zanobini
Food: Cinghiale ragu over polenta
Wine: Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino
Additional Notes: "My f****** God!" Dolores' voice shot from the kitchen. "This is the best thing I've ever tasted in my life!"
Jacoby and Claire cracked up and parted their hug.
"Bring it in here," Jacoby called.
"No f****** way!" Dolores called back.

24th Taste (in absentia):
Who: Jacoby, Claire, Dolores, Bill
Where: The cantinetta near Antella
Food: To be determined
Wine: To be determined (lots guaranteed)
Additional Notes: "How's the food?" Dolores asked Jacoby. "Decent?"
"Oh, it's way better than decent," Jacoby said. "More like typical."

END OF NOVEL.