Page 19 - Abacoa Community News - March '22

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Book Review

Taste: My Life Through Food I had not realized that this is writing style and sense of humor that cannot help but give you
actually Tucci’s third published the feeling you are having a deeply personal conversation with
By Nils A. Shapiro book, the first two having a close friend as you devour these pages at a hungry pace.
Of the many hats fit been The Tucci Cookbook and (Tucci also assumes you won’t mind his occasional use of the
to be worn by Stanley The Tucci Table. But, as the four-letter “F___” word whenever he deems it appropriate!)
Tucci—actor, writer, opening text of this new book’s Born in Westchester County, a suburb of New York City,
producer, director, with dustcover’s flyleaf explains, Tucci was raised by parents who had immigrated from the
70 films to his credit plus “From award-winning actor Italian town of Calabria and carried on the old traditions,
scores of performances in and food obsessive Stanley most especially the closeness of family and the importance
television series, Broadway Tucci comes an intimate and of homemade meals from the recipes of the old country and
shows, Grammy-winning charming memoir of his life in enjoyed together around the kitchen table ... with a special
recordings and more—it’s and out of the kitchen.” fuss on holidays.
a safe bet that the hat he is I have italicized the above The early pages of this book warm the reader with Tucci’s
most comfortable wearing, words because they are what is memories of his days growing up among family and friends,
and most enjoys, is the white chef’s toque. the very heart of this book. While food has always been a big and when he describes the many dishes such as Ragu Tucci,
That is abundantly clear to anyone who has the good fortune part of his life—from his childhood growing up in a warm, Spaghetti with Lentils, Timpano, or a deceptively simple-
to experience Tucci’s delicious and richly rewarding memoir loving immigrant Italian family to the world travels made sounding Tomato Salad, he presents the recipes right there
that quickly, and deservedly, landed on the national bestseller possible by his star-studded career—there is so much more in the book for you to try!
lists and has been there for the past several months. to this man, and it is reflected in the down-to-earth, easygoing In all, there are almost two dozen recipes included in these
pages, most of them his family’s own favorites, but he has
added several from among his world-famous restaurant chef
friends, and added his versions of such drinks as a Negroni
up, an old-fashioned, and the martini.
One friend from his high school days, Campbell Scott, is
the son of actors George C. Scott and Colleen Dewhurst, who,
when she was starring on Broadway, got the two young men
roles as soldiers in her play. That was in 1982, Tucci’s start in
show business after he had majored in drama in college.
Since then, this formidable talent has racked up more than
35 nominations at such wide-ranging festivals as the Academy
Awards, Golden Globes, Emmys, Tonys, Grammys, Golden
Globes, Screen Actors Guild, Film Critics Circle and others,
and he has taken home top prize 14 of those times.
As one would expect in a book about as prolific an actor as
Tucci, he counts many A-listers among his personal friends,
and they turn up in these pages from time to time, but only
2022 Minor League Packages in appropriate and interesting settings during discussions of
career experiences that make it clear he is not into name-
dropping just for the sake of it.
But Taste is more than just a story of a life filled with
pleasure and success. Tucci’s first wife, Kathryn, whom he
married in 1995 and with whom he had three children, died
of cancer in 2009.
A little over a year later, actress Emily Blunt, with whom
Tucci had appeared in an earlier film, introduced him to her
sister, Felicity, an agent residing in London. They got to know
Calling All Fans Calling All Fans each other and were married in 2012. With her two children
from a previous marriage, theirs is now a family of seven.
15 And Under! 55 And Over! Tucci, who despises Los Angeles and avoids it as much as
possible, now calls London home.
Knowing all of the above about Stanley Tucci, what do
Tickets To All Tickets To All you think would be a terrible punishment to inflict on him?
Saturday Games Wednesday Games At Christmastime of 2017, Tucci was diagnosed with a large
cancerous tumor at the base of his tongue. Surgery would mean
that he could never eat nor taste through his mouth again. Having
Official Official lost his first wife, Kathryn, to cancer, he describes the experience
of facing that medical diagnosis, the decisions he had to make,
Membership Card Membership Card and the six months of treatment.

While Tucci’s memoir ends before the production of his
latest television success, we know the result of such treatment
Free Hot Dog & Free Hot Dog & from the fact that he recently took home an Emmy for his six-
part television documentary series, Stanley Tucci: Searching
Soda At The Game Soda At The Game For Italy, in which he tours the regions of that country bringing
viewers a taste of their famous foods and cultures.
To say that I devoured this book after just a few bites of the
Official Kids Club Win Prizes In first several pages in an understatement. I finished its 286 pages
in only two sittings — and there are several good reasons.
T-Shirt Baseball Bingo To begin with, Tucci has a self-deprecating sense of humor
that is quite charming. The following brief excerpt that ends the
book’s Introduction section offers an example of this, and makes
10% Discount At 10% Discount At him such an endearing companion in print that one can’t help
The Team Store! The Team Store! but feel he must be a fun guy to know, and wish that you could
spend some time with him in person over a few good meals:
“... I probably spend more time thinking about and focusing
on food than I do on acting, as is evidenced by some of my
recent performances; it seems appropriate that this primary
passion take yet another form: that of a memoir of sorts. The
following pages offer a taste of such a memoir. I hope you find
them palatable. (More puns to follow.)”
Secondly, I myself was born in The Bronx, a borough
of New York City, and, together with my brother Don, was
raised by deeply loving parents in the same kind of tight,
close-knit family, with nearby grandparents, uncles, aunts,
cousins, almost always enjoyed home-cooked meals from
European Jewish recipes ... so I related completely to Tucci’s
descriptions of his growing-up years.
And, finally, I can only add that the very first pages of this
$25 for Kids Club and $35 for Silver Sluggers! book after the Introduction and the book’s very last pages
are brilliantly tied together in a way that brought tears to my
For More information: eyes as I closed the cover ... and just sat there for a while,
(561) 775-1818 Rogerdeanchevroletstadium.com so grateful for having gotten to know this very special man.
You should do the same.