{"product_id":"never-trust-a-thin-cook-and-other-lessons-from-italys-culinary-capital-paperback-softback-9780816667468","title":"Never Trust a Thin Cook and Other Lessons from Italy's Culinary Capital (Paperback \/ softback) 9780816667468","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eNever Trust a Thin Cook and Other Lessons from Italy's Culinary Capital\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eEric Dregni (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9780816667468\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003ePaperback \/ softback, published 12 December 2023\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e240 pages, 1 map\u003cbr\u003e21.6 x 13.7 x 2.3 cm, 0.298 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"\u003ci\u003eNever Trust a Thin Cook\u003c\/i\u003e is a funny little intimate travel tale, it's like getting a series of letters from a good friend off on a great adventure.\"-Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, \u003ci\u003eMinnesota Monthly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"An enjoyable waltz through Eric’s, oft food inspired, exploits in Modena. . . . \u003ci\u003eNever Trust a Thin Cook\u003c\/i\u003e is well worth reading. Even those with no intention of coming to live in the Living Museum, will find Dregni’s book provides an interesting and amusing insight into contemporary Italian culture and life. Great fun!\"-Blog from Italy \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"This book is a truthful account of life in Italy and seeing and reading it through the eyes of an American as he adjusts to Italian life is enlightening.\"-\u003ci\u003eItalian American Girl\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"\u003ci\u003eNever Trust a Thin Cook \u003c\/i\u003eopens with [Dregni and Katy] already in Modena. Dregni paints a picture of the alley off their apartment so thoroughly that, within three pages, I felt I was smelling herbs and hearing tires rolling on cobbled streets. The author so completely transported me into his space that I realized it is perfect recession reading: I feel like I’ve visited remote places in a European country without shelling out for the airfare.\"-\u003ci\u003eMetro Lutheran\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"M.F.K. Fisher once wrote that the mark of a true gourmet is a complete lack of caution. Dregni seems to apply that philosophy to all of life, at least in Modena, putting himself at the mercy of come what may, whether it’s accepting a bite of something dubious or an impromptu speaking engagement on a foreign subject. The resulting essays provide a rich, if sometimes absurd, look at many aspects of Italian life: sex, politics, taxes, postal service, bikes, opera, soccer, superstition-and of course, food.\"-\u003ci\u003eThe Heavy Table\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"It’s a journey of gastronomical proportion, but it is also an exploration of cultural differences, awkward ‘lost in translation’ moments, and charming, homeless drunks who direct traffic and can speak eloquently on local history.\"-\u003ci\u003eCity Pages\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"A pleasant read.\"-\u003ci\u003eStar Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"Dregni’s essays easily and deftly draw the reader into the rhythm of his Italian community-a trait he shares with Frances Mayes (\u003ci\u003eUnder the Tuscan Sun\u003c\/i\u003e), although readers will find him rather more attuned to the quiet humor of the everyday. This witty and evocative culinary memoir will appeal to food lovers, those interested in Italy and Italian culture, and anyone who enjoys a good travel narrative.\"-\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"This is a splendid book for anyone who appreciates Italy and its people and to reminisce about their own experiences. It is funny, educational and enduring. Eric Dregni, the raconteur, uses his skillful writing to embrace each and every tale. I highly recommend this fabulous book, read it, you will not be sorry.\"-\u003ci\u003eThe Boston Post-Gazette\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"\u003ci\u003eNever Trust a Thin Cook\u003c\/i\u003e is a refreshing non-ethnocentric dip into Italian culture, with essays on everything from the importance of hats in the Italian wardrobe to the exhaustive list of celebrated saints’ days.\"-\u003ci\u003eMinnesota Daily\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"Dregni’s new book is comprised of individual stories layered together into a rich and satisfying whole. . . It is a tasty comparison of American and Italian cultures with a side of humor.\"-Anne Thillen, \u003ci\u003eWoodbury-South Maplewood Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"A delightful chronicle of three years of eating in Italy.\"-\u003ci\u003eStar Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"Readers of Dregni’s \u003ci\u003eIn Cod We Trust \u003c\/i\u003ewill delight in his gastronomic two-year adventure in Modena, Italy.\"-\u003ci\u003eLavender \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"\u003ci\u003eNever Trust a Thin Cook\u003c\/i\u003e by Eric Dregni can be devoured in less time than is required to sit down and eat an authentic Italian meal cooked by \u003ci\u003ela momma\u003c\/i\u003e, and it’s every bit as satisfying.\"-\u003ci\u003eMinnesota Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"What begins as a journey through Italy’s rich culinary traditions soon becomes a revealing portrait of how Italians live and how their culture differs from America’s. A professor of English at Concordia University in Minnesota, author Dregni spent two years in Modena, the ‘culinary capital’ in the title. There he delved into the lore of Modena’s famous balsamic vinegar, rich polenta, and even chocolate salami. He learns never to mix basil and oregano or cut up his spaghetti. . .it spoils the taste, he’s told. Anecdotes about his adventures and mishaps abound in this book about life in unpredictable Italy.\"-\u003ci\u003eItalian American Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"\u003ci\u003eNever Trust a Thin Cook\u003c\/i\u003e is one of those travelouges where the country being visited seems to remain strange to the writer even as he celebrates his experiences there - or at least the writer continues to present the culture as strange, even as he becomes accustomed to it. But each dispatch is just a brief taste of life in Italy; the full meal remains tempting.\"-\u003ci\u003eIsthmus\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"\u003ci\u003eNever Trust a Thin Cook\u003c\/i\u003e will hit you with culture shock the moment you start reading. It is much more than a cookbook; anyone with ah love of travel or who is thinking about teaching English overseas should pick up a copy. This lesson on life will most certainly leave you wondering, ‘what’s for dinner?’\"-\u003ci\u003eMinnesotaReads.com\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"The tales or stories are light and frothy like the foam atop a cup of cappuccino.\"-\u003ci\u003ePopMatters.com\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"He cracks the social code of drinking espresso correctly and understands the place of spaghetti and meatballs in Italy, and for this we can give thanks.\"-\u003ci\u003ePopMatters.com\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"Enjoyable and easy to pick up and read.\"-\u003ci\u003eMaria and Co.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"Perhaps the most liberating aspect of this book lies in Dregni’s voice, which carries a consistently friendly and oft-times humorous tone toward life in Italy. Each of the book’s brief, energetic chapters will make you feel as if you’re taking a moment out of the day to have a shot of espresso with a dear friend.\"-\u003ci\u003eItalian American Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \"Highly readable and remarkably funny about Italian life and an American making the transition to Italian living. \"-\u003ci\u003eBemidji Pioneer\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e   \u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe food-obsessed chronicle of an American’s three years in Italy-now available in paperback\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e   \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eI simply want to live in the place with the best food in the world\u003c\/i\u003e. This dream led Eric Dregni to Italy, first to Milan and eventually to a small, fog-covered town to the north: Modena, the birthplace of balsamic vinegar, Ferrari, and Luciano Pavarotti. \u003ci\u003eNever Trust a Thin Cook \u003c\/i\u003eis a classic American abroad tale, brimming with adventures both expected and unexpected, awkward social moments, and most important, \u003ci\u003every\u003c\/i\u003e good food. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e   \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Parmesan thieves. Tortellini based on the shape of Venus’s navel. Infiltrating the secret world of the balsamic vinegar elite. Life in Modena is a long way from the Leaning Tower of Pizza (the south Minneapolis pizzeria where Eric and his girlfriend and fellow traveler Katy first met), and while some Italians are impressed that “Minnesota” sounds like “minestrone,” they are soon learning what it means to live in a country where the word “safe” doesn’t actually exist-only “less dangerous.” Thankfully, another meal is always waiting, and Dregni revels in uncorking the secrets of Italian cuisine, such as how to guzzle espresso “corrected” with grappa and learning that mold really does make a good salami great. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e   \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e What begins as a gastronomical quest soon becomes a revealing, authentic portrait of how Italians live and a hilarious demonstration of how American and Italian cultures differ. In \u003ci\u003eNever Trust a Thin Cook\u003c\/i\u003e, Eric Dregni dishes up the sometimes wild experiences of living abroad alongside the simple pleasures of Italian culture in perfect, complementary portions. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003e Preface\u003cbr\u003e Vicolo Forni\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePermesso di Soggiorno\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A Page Boy in Pavarotti's Restaurant\u003cbr\u003e Sleeping with Nuns\u003cbr\u003e Il Cappuccino\u003cbr\u003e Lord Arnold and the Knight\u003cbr\u003e Terror and Courtesy at the Esselunga Supermercato\u003cbr\u003e Foiling the Cheese Thieves\u003cbr\u003e Mold Makes a Good Salami Great\u003cbr\u003e \"The Poor Meatball!\"\u003cbr\u003e Rats in the Canals, Peacocks in the Piazza\u003cbr\u003e The Bicycle Thief\u003cbr\u003e Treachery and Treason amid the Subcommittee of Vespa Paint\u003cbr\u003e Norman the Conqueror\u003cbr\u003e Eat Your Hat, Cowboy\u003cbr\u003e A Night at the Opera\u003cbr\u003e Four, Five, Sex . . .\u003cbr\u003e Lessons from Guido\u003cbr\u003e Arrangiati!\u003cbr\u003e A Risky Subject\u003cbr\u003e Casino or CasinÒ?\u003cbr\u003e Commie Pigs?\u003cbr\u003e Never Trust a Thin Cook\u003cbr\u003e Angry Noodles\u003cbr\u003e Walking over Death\u003cbr\u003e Super Pig Trotter\u003cbr\u003e Reggio's Blockheads and Bologna's Baloney\u003cbr\u003e The Secret World of the Balsamic Vinegar Elite\u003cbr\u003e Pet Pigs\u003cbr\u003e Buon Natale!\u003cbr\u003e Sunny Italy\u003cbr\u003e The Hot Springs of Ischia\u003cbr\u003e Naples at New Year's\u003cbr\u003e San Geminiano and the Festival of Fog\u003cbr\u003e Soccer Season\u003cbr\u003e Truffles and \u003ci\u003eCotecchino\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Porn and Puritans\u003cbr\u003e La TivÙ\u003cbr\u003e Politics, Italian Style\u003cbr\u003e The Art of Eating\u003cbr\u003e Eating Venus's Navel\u003cbr\u003e Back to High School\u003cbr\u003e La Ferrari\u003cbr\u003e Touch Your Balls for Luck!\u003cbr\u003e Why Would You Ever Leave?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Parli Italiano?\u003cbr\u003e Acknowledgments \u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"Univ Of Minnesota Press","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52570078314776,"sku":"9780816667468","price":12.78,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/never-trust-a-thin-cook-and-other-lessons-from-italys-culinary-capital-paperback-softback-9780816667468","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}