Lidia Bastianich will be at Table & Vine to sign her newest book.

"...food for me was a connecting link to my grandmother, to my childhood, to my past. And what I found out is that for everybody, food is a connector to their roots, to their past in different ways. It gives you security; it gives you a profile of who you are, where you come from."

Lidia Bastianich is an immigrant from the war torn area on the northern shores of the Adriatic sea that is now know as Croatia. The geographical proximity and history of Istria tie it closely to Italy.  Lidia has built her name and reputation around fresh Italian home style cooking.

A a savvy business woman Lidia co-owns four restaurants with her son Joe.  She has interest in several of his wineries in Italy and South America. Along side her daughter, Tanya, she hosts "Lidia's 'Esperienze Italiane'", an upscale Italian Cultural tourism company.

In the early 90's  Julia Child invited Lidia to be a part of Julia Child: Cooking With Master Chefs.  The show brought national attention to the talents of this New York Icon.  Since 1998 Lidia has hosted her own PBS show.  It is usually filmed in her own kitchen and vegetables and herbs come from her mother, Erimina's, garden right out side.  All four generations of Lidia's Family have participated in the show at one time or another.  Joe is the resident wine Guru and Tanya the cultural ambassador.

This evening both Lidia and Joe Bastianich will be in Table and Vine from 5:30 to 6:30 to sign books, answer questions and to taste a range of wines from Joe's ventures.  Lidia's Newest Book is Lidia Cooks From The Heart of Italy.  Joe's Book is Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy.

Lidia's take on figs and sandwiches

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