I’ve been cooking Italian all week in tribute to the late Marcella Hazan, but then I sort of always do, because really, her lessons are the intuitive backbone for all good and flavorful home cooking. I was lucky enough to work with one of my culinary idols and even more fortunate to stay connected over the years. She was far different from her brusque public persona. I write about her in this story on Zester Daily.
Here’s another reflection not included in that piece: Marcella and her husband Victor were inseparable partners throughout her long career. She wrote in Italian, he translated. Both were equally opinionated about Italian food (he about wine especially), and both used her bully pulpit seamlessly to express their views. Only if one actually knew them could one begin to distinguish who said what on the page.
It was a pleasure to work with the Hazans (that’s us, top photo, at the Hollywood Farmers’ Market at a signing for Marcella Cucina, one of my favorites) and to watch them cook delicious meals together at home in Florida (above).
Do you have Marcella memories? A favorite recipe or cookbook of hers? Let’s talk.
What a lovely tribute. Her “Essentials” book is fixed in my kitchen on it’s special stand, not only for myself and my husband but for my students as well. How lucky we are to have her legacy in print for all of us to share in our kitchens. After all, isn’t this what Italian food is all about?
Buon Appetito!
Barbara Giacometti
Thank you, Barbara! We are lucky indeed that Marcella launched an appreciation for quality Italian ingredients. Look what’s become available to us since “Classic” first came out!