Now he's written a book, a memoir that revolves around food: "Taste: My Life Through Food." And there are a few recipes thrown in for good measure. :)
While I didn't grow up in an Italian family, I married into one 36+ years ago -- and I can confirm that Tucci's stories about Italians and food ring true, both from my own experiences/observations and the stories I've heard from dh, his brother, SIL and cousins, among others. :) (Both Tucci's family and dh's come from the same region of Italy -- Calabria, right in the toe of "the boot.")
And even if I didn't grow up eating Italian food (Chef Boyardee doesn't count), Tucci is just two months older than I am (I checked! -- he was born November 11, 1960) -- so I can definitely relate to his memories of growing up in a small town (in New York) in the 1960s and 70s. We also get some behind-the-scenes stories from the movies & TV shows he's worked on, his real-life experiences working in restaurants, memories of living in New York City in the early 1980s, glimpses of his family life, his alarming bout with oral cancer (which temporarily robbed him of the ability to taste and smell), and more.
The second season of "Searching for Italy" begins on CNN on March 13th. I can't wait! :) In the meantime, this was a great read. If you're not hungry when you start reading, you will be when you put it down. ;) My only quibble: I wanted more. ;)
5 stars on Goodreads
This was Book #5 read to date in 2022 (and Book #5 finished in January), bringing me to 11% of my 2022 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 3 books ahead of schedule. :) You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2022 tagged as "2022 books."
Definitely on my to-read list. It sounds fabulous. I spent a month in Puglia (it's the heel to Calabria's toe), and adored the food there, so I'm keen to find out about Calabrian food too.
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