Tiziana Ciacciofera , the stove at La Piccola Cucina is now turned off : how did it go ?
The stove de La Piccola Cucina are never turned off . After we are ready for another adventure even more exciting . From Friday, October 10th , La Piccola Cucina will be present , with 5 special sessions at the 36th Houston Italian Festival, the most important annual event which organizes the Cultural Center . My little chefs will compete in the execution of elaborate dishes like arancini , agnolotti stuffed with fresh red pumpkin tarts with Nutella and jam, homemade margherita pizza , session sponsored by the Italian restaurant “Il Mascalzone ” and coguidata by a Neapolitan pizza doc, and finally, his sfincione . the month of October in America is “National Italian American Heritage Month “, a traditional pattern of renewed pride for all of us Italians abroad , which coincides with the feast of Columbus Day , which recognizes the many accomplishments , contributions and achievements of American ‘ Italian origin , as well as Italians in America . In this context that our festival , moment of real triumph of the promotion of culture, language and traditions of Italian food and wine in Texas.
These little ones , of which – we must remember – the youngest are have only three years of age, they have betrayed emotion in front of the cameras of Fox 26 ?
Ada and Julia were perfect , not at all excited , so good to forgive them also when they called them ” arancini ” !
And were arancine good ?
My arancine are appreciated by the best Italian chef in Houston, but perhaps we should ask Sally MacDonald, who got me to leave them in the studio!
A big party , I imagine, not only for the Italian American community : gives us some significant moments ?
The Houston Italian Festival is an event awaited for with much enthusiasm by all Houstonians . This year will be particularly rich in events celebrating our culture and our traditions . There will be activities for everyone , young and old, and of course plenty of food, wine and ice cream , but only authentic Italian ! Very significant is the parade of the flags that will be preceded by the greeting of the General Consul of Italy in Houston, Elena Sgarbi. The flags of all the regions of Italy will be announced and will parade, and all this will end with the waving of the flag and the “stars and stripes” corresponding to the sound of Italian and American national anthems . I assure you that it is a very exciting time that goes straight to the heart.
You, happy but excited, along with Sally MacDonald : For the Sicilian street food a unique opportunity to be on TV overseas. And for the little chefs ? Do you think that any of them may decide to continue on the “way of the dippers and toques ” ?
My kids certainly were much less excited than me . The cameras and I do not love each other a lot, but in the end we came to a compromise and the end result is appreciable . I do not know if any of my little chefs will continue their studies in this area. Of course we ‘re working hard to improve their manual skills, make them measure their skills and their creativity , learn the Italian play , and discover the culinary traditions of Italian and educate them to a healthy diet . It is no coincidence that we issue the diplomas at the conclusion of each session , labeled ” Eat Healthy, Eat Italian ” .
I will confess a detail. I wondered how they would ever utter your “everything but easy” last name while broadcasting live. Of course they have chosen that of her husband , Triolo (*) , with a much more viable “tr ” rather than an array of C ; for the Americans almost unpronounceable : I must say that this
detail has added a moment of joy in the already highly pleasant feeling of watching the video of a program that we followed from its early stages of implementation. But now I ask you in an official manner : is there anyone in America who ventures to call you ” Tiziana Ciacciofera ” ?
In fairness I have chosen to use my husband’s last name just to help the Americans in pronunciation and spelling of a surname certainly easier than mine. Here in the USA it is common practice that the women, once married , change the name and use that of their spouse . I, for bureaucratic reasons, I can officially change it only after obtaining American citizenship , so still for a while, when asked to give my maiden name, I will be asked , ” Could you spell it for me?”
Getting back to La Piccola Cucina and the kids : were there hitches , emotions that played tricks on them , unexpected faults or mistakes?
When you only have four minutes available before the spotlights come up , it is already difficult for an adult to keep calm andfocused, but I have to say that Ada and Julia were very respectable . Errors? One, and even sympathetic . As you know, the arancine were born in Palermo but in later centuries they also found space in eastern Sicily , where they are called arancini . With Ada we had rehearsed until a few moments before the cameras began to shoot , that the correct term was arancina , which is derived from the fruit ” orange ” . At the end of the excitement won and , alas, arancine became arancini. This is the beauty of children : their simplicity and naturalness. Of course , by that time Ada has become an icon for the people of Catania who live in Texas!
You were , for one day , the mother of all and then the counselor : his little ones have asked for help on a few occasions ?
Children know that ” Aunt Tiziana ” , is always there at their side ready to intervene when necessary. But really there was not any need .
Do we want to talk about winners?
The children were certainly the real winners, but with a touch of pride I would give an ex aequo to La Piccola Cucina.
Do you know? I am tempted to suggest a tournament of Calzoni Fritti , pizzas and sfincioni for teenagers ? From the kitchen to the road with a scrumptious ” free for all” , what do you think ? In that case , believe you me , I would be happy to ” get my hands dirty ” with you.
La Piccola Cucina has reserved a session to the Sicilian rotisserie earlier this year with great success . You might think of a little challenge between chefs under 12 and teenagers. What do you think ?
It seems that La Piccola Cucina has been freely adapted in some way – but one could tell revisited – in Italy. By whom? Do We want to tell us about it?
What can I say? For me it is a source of great pride to see my program proposed with a different name in Palermo by chef Roberto Lombardo. In May of 2013 I invited him and hosted him at the Cultural Center , making him participate , along with 3 other Italian chefs of Houston,in a series of events planned by our Centre , including one entered by the Italian Embassy in the USA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , amongst the celebratory events of ” 2013 : Year of Italian Culture in the USA ” , and a special session at La Piccola Cucina . I think the chef has enjoyed the power and beauty of this program so much to offer it , with the skill that only a chef owns, to the young audience of Palermo . However , fear not : I own the original mold !
Alessandra Verzera
A glance of La Piccola Cucina night, live at Fox26
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