'In Italy, eating translates into saporous feasts, merriment and chat, and all guilt free. I had travelled from purgatory to heaven.'
So begins Eileen Dunne Crescenzi's wonderful adventure with Italian food, culture and celebrations. In Festa the renowned restaurateur shares the recipes and memories that defined her many happy years living la dolce vita. For every occasion there is a recipe, and for every recipe there is a story about the trials and triumphs of an Irish food lover's life in Italy.
Here the table is the soul of the home - a place to come together, share food and thoughts, and spend valuable time with loved ones. Eileen's recipes are designed to create conviviality and make every occasion a cause for celebration, whether you're planning an annual holiday feast, a catch-up with friends or a special homecoming. Fill your home with the aroma of wonderful food, the sound of clinking glasses and happy chatter, while you create memories that you will treasure forever.
About the Author:
'Italian cuisine is a cultural and social art form that has developed over hundreds of years, revered by most and misrepresented by many. In this book I have portrayed my life in Italy through the culture of food.'
Hailing from Dublin, Eileen Dunne Crescenzi began her love affair with Italian food and culture when she moved to Rome in the 1970s, aged 17, to study painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti.
During that time she met and married her Italian husband Stefano Crescenzi and learned to cook with his formidable grandmother, Nonna Valentina. She then spent a year at Gambero Rosso to formalise her training. Eileen and Stefano's combined love of Italian food and wine brought them back to Dublin where they opened a number of restaurants and cafes.
Today, Eileen and Stefano own and run several award-winning establishments in Dublin, including Dunne & Crescenzi, Bar Italia and L'Officina. Eileen is also the author of the acclaimed cookbook Dunne & Crescenzi: The Menu.
