Author Talk: Katie Parla, Rome: A Culinary History, Cookbook, and Field Guide

We are delighted to welcome New York Times bestselling author Katie Parla back to the shop to celebrate her new cookbook, Rome: A Culinary History, Cookbook, and Field Guide to the Flavors that Built a City, on Thursday, January 8th at 6:30pm! Her stunning new book with 100+ recipes offers a sweeping portrait of the city’s food culture, past and present, based on two decades of research, eating, and storytelling in the Italian capital. Moderator to be announced. Katie is an Emmy-nominated television host, journalist, and culinary guide based in Rome, who has written, edited, or contributed to dozens of books including Food of the Italian South, The Joy of Pizza, and Tasting Rome. She co-hosts Gola, a podcast about Italian food and drink culture, and has appeared as an expert on programs such as “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” and Netflix’s “Chef’s Table”. 

Reservations are non-refundable and can include a signed copy of the $50.00 book. Applicable sales tax and a $0.75 transaction fee are also included. Can't attend but still want a signed book? Order here for shipping or in-store pickup.

About the book: from Italy’s leading culinary voice and New York Times bestselling author Katie Parla, Rome shows how the Roman table has evolved from the Iron Age to today and why it remains one of the world’s most compelling.

The book contains over 110 recipes, drawn from experts (home cooks, restaurant pros, and food artisans alike) and is organized with a thematic approach: fried snacks and starters; pasta and soup; fish, meat and offal; vegetables, salads and sides; pizza and breads; and desserts. While the city’s beloved supplì, cacio e pepe, and maritozzi traditions are well represented, Parla finds opportunities to showcase a wider swath of Rome’s dining culture with recipes such as a hearty fettuccine al sugo di coda oxtail pasta and a warming minestra di broccoli e arzilla, or romanesco and broccoli soup. 

More than a mere cookbook, Rome contains in-depth features that range from reflections on the fetishization of the cucina povera to Rome’s drinking culture, spanning the categories of water, wine, craft beer and cocktails, followed by Parla’s essential recommendations to eating, drinking, and shopping in Rome today. Accompanied by playful illustrations and custom maps by designer Ian Dingman, the stories and ingredients of the Eternal City are brought to life in Rome with expressive photography by Ed Anderson.