Source of Comfort

Marcella Hazan via Educated Palate: Giuliano & Lael Hazan's Blog

Marcella Hazan is my hero in the kitchen. (I daydream of a book-then-movie called 'Bridget and Marcella' starring Cate Blanchett and Isabella Rosselini). Her book, Essentials of Italian Cooking, is the most important book in my house - and there are an unbelievable amount of books in my house. When I need to center myself, I make a cup of tea, choose a Marcella recipe at random, then read her careful instructions over and over. I find comfort in her wisdom and in her confidence. Marcella is from a small town in Emilia-Romagna, and she is a stickler about adhering to the region’s time-honored traditions. I love that about her. I allow her instructions to transport me to another time and place, where flour, eggs, and ingredients from the backyard garden or the farm next door were all that were needed.