Secrets from my Tuscan Kitchenis a cookbook written by my friend Judy Witts Francini. Judy and I worked together at San Francisco’s Stanford Court Hotel in the mid 1980’s. When I moved to San Francisco during a difficult time in my life, I spent an awful lot of time at Judy and Cathy’s apartment, listening to punk rock, sipping Stoli and tasting Judy’s budding culinary creations. Judy began her culinary career as a pastry chef in California, but in 1984 declared that she was going to move to Italy to pursue her culinary aspirations and “find a real man”.
Secrets from my Tuscan Kitchen is the culmination of more than two decades of total immersion into the cultural and gastronomical sensibility of Tuscany. This beautiful book contains nearly 100 of Judy’s favorite recipes which she also teaches at her culinary program Divina Cucina which is based in Florence. From Antipasti (appetizer) to Dolci (dessert), recipes are logically organized and each is paired with a note page so that you can apply and notate modifications to your own taste. Given that Violet and I are addicted to the Primo Piatto(first course) I return time again to Judy’s exquisite Naked Ravioli and outrageous Risotto.
Delight your friends and family with the fresh, creative, and beautiful dishes in Secrets from my Tuscan Kitchen. Autographed copies of this fabulous cookbook, which I highly recommend, are available through Judy’s Divina Cucina website. If you are looking for last minute Christmas gifts that will wow and impress the recipients you cannot go wrong with Secrets from my Tuscan Kitchen!!!
Oh, and Judy had no trouble finding that “real” man she was seeking in 1984. She has been happily married to Andrea Francini for many years now.