100 Years of Wisdom and Stories From Behind the Counter
Book Presentation and Signing by Lou Di Palo
You are cordially invited to attend a book presentation and signing by author and purveyor of fine Italian foods, Lou Di Palo, at the Italian American Museum this Wednesday, December 17th. The Wall Street Journal said, “Mr. Di Palo acts as a voluble and disarming tour guide. He takes the reader on a trip through 20 regions of Italy, from Sicily to Umbria, tracing the history of a particular ingredient, such as mozzarella, created 1,000 years ago by monks in Campania to preserve milk from their water buffalo…”.
About the Book:
In the heart of New York City’s Little Italy sits Di Palo’s, a family-owned food shop that has been the treasure of the neighborhood for more than a century. The four generations of Di Palos who have run this Italian specialty market have made it their mission to bring customers the finest old-world selections from Italy—handcrafted mozzarella, buttery prosciutto, estate olive oils, traditional artisanal pastas from throughout the country. Now, in one colorful volume, Lou Di Palo, great-grandson of the founder and steward of the family legacy, shares the vibrant history of this storied establishment and a lifetime of wisdom about the cuisine beloved around the world.
Di Palo’s Guide to the Essential Foods of Italy takes you on a gourmet excursion through Italy’s twenty distinct regions, from Sicily to Umbria to Alto Adige. Each chapter highlights a specific food and its rich history, along with practical tips for selecting, storing, and serving it at home. Many include signature family recipes that have been handed down through the generations, including Grandma Mary’s Sicilian Caponata and Concetta Di Palo’s Meatballs, or recipes gathered from trips to Italy over the years, such as Trapani-Style Salted Sea Bass and Polenta con Formaggio Crucolo Fuso. Readers will discover, among many other things, the secret to a balsamic vinegar worthy of sharing only with one’s closest friends, the proper way to prepare the perfect espresso, and the importance of looking for the Denominazione d’Origine Protetta—or the Protected Designation of Origin seal—which certifies that your food is a traditional, regional product. Complete with dozens of mouthwatering photographs, engaging anecdotes, and candid stories, and featuring a foreword by Academy Award–winning director Martin Scorsese, this immersive volume is part family narrative, part culinary odyssey, and part cookbook. Di Palo’s Guide to the Essential Foods of Italy is your ticket to the best Italian foods—without having to wait in line!
About Lou Di Palo:
Born Luigi Santomauro in 1951, Lou Di Palo grew up behind the counter at Di Palo’s in New York’s Little Italy and the Italian-American neighborhood of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Beloved by both his customers and those in the food community and media, Lou Di Palo is considered to be a preeminent Italian food expert. In addition to running Di Palo’s (for forty years and counting) with his brother, Sal, and sister Marie, he works as an Italian food educator and consultant for supermarkets, trade associations, and even Italy itself, which has given him many awards for his efforts to educate Americans in the ways of Italian food. He travels all over the United States, speaking about Italian food products on behalf of such regions or groups as the Consortium of Grana Padano or Speck from Alto Adige. With this, his first book, he hopes to bring his knowledge and passion to those who can’t make the trip to visit Di Palo’s in person.
Wednesday, December 17th, 6:30 P.M.
Italian American Museum
155 Mulberry Street
(Corner of Grand and Mulberry Streets)
New York, NY 10013
Suggested donation of $10
For reservations, please call the
Italian American Museum at (212) 965-9000
or
email: ItalianAmericanMuseum@gmail.com
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For information on the Museum's Travel Program, please call Jeannie Russo-Winner at (718) 597-1414
or email: JRusso-Winner@ItalianAmericanMuseum.org
The IAM is chartered by the University of the State of New York and has a 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS.
