Before I tell you a little bit about my first Cookbook Authentic Italian Desserts, I would like to tell you a little bit about how it actually came about. Starting from the big always asked question “How in hell did you end up in Italy”?
Cookbook Authentic Italian Desserts
Cookbook Authentic Italian DessertsBelieve it or not I actually met my husband “the Italian” at a church dance. My mother told my sister and I about it when she heard the announcement at mass one Sunday.
So we both thought ok what the heck let’s go, we will probably leave early and then we can do something else.
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But….. I saw him walk in the door and I turned to my sister and I said “I’m going to marry that guy”. Needless to say I did. After I guess what you would call a whirlwind romance. With him carrying his English dictionary and me my Italian one, we understood one another enough to know that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.
Leaving Canada and moving to Italy was probably one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made.
I moved to a small town from the big city of Toronto where I worked in one of the biggest Stock Brokerage houses in the country to tending a couple of sheep and picking beans.
Authentic Italian Desserts Cookbook
And believe me it was a small town, everyone knew everyone and there were very few foreigners in fact probably one and that was me!
Small town people can be brutal, they gave the marriage 6 months on the grounds that …
- I was Canadian
- I probably couldn’t cook and that is why we went for lunch to my mother-in-law’s so my poor husband wouldn’t starve.
- I couldn’t speak Italian and my husband’s English wasn’t great, (The Italian believes this is the reason why our marriage works. We don’t understand what the other is saying)!
But thank goodness I had a few amazing allies that taught me one of the most important things in an Italian’s life! Yes food. And the food I ate, from Lasagna, to homemade ravioli, to the best yeast breads and pizza, to something as simple as tender cicory tossed with a little salt and olive oil.
I always loved to cook and bake. I was brought up with a mother that was amazing in her own right in the kitchen. But if food could sing, then it’s the Italians that bring out the notes in some of the simplest dishes and not to mention the more complicated.
After spending loads of time in the kitchen and taking notes and asking lots and lots of questions between friends, acquaitances and especially my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, cooking and baking became a passion.
When friends and family would come visit they were so surprised? In awe? Who knows, but they loved my cooking and encouraged me to write a book. But writing a book was so complicated and much more than I could attempt at the time, so my friend mentioned starting a blog and eventually I did.
An Italian in my Kitchen which started out as a fun way to share recipes with family and friends, totally took me over and became my passion and a business. I love it and can’t imagine not cooking, baking, photographing and sharing. And I thank every one of you who has tried and enjoyed my recipes. I love hearing your comments, so please let me know what you think.
But through this whole journey the one thing I always wanted to do was a Cookbook. So when I was approached almost a year ago, I was beyond thrilled. After a phone call on what I would like to write about, I was excited when we came up with the idea of Desserts. I adore baking. From Cookies to Cakes to Pies to Yeast Breads and everything in between.
And that is how the cookbook Authentic Italian Desserts came about. These are desserts that I learned from Italians, whether they are friends, family or even women I met in the supermarket. Italian desserts are not as sweet or over the top as the North American Desserts I was used to as a kid. And to tell the truth I have come to love them and appreciate them so much more, as has my husband and our two daughters.
I tried to cover as many Sweet Treats as possible In Authentic Italian Desserts, including Breakfast Treats, Cookies, Pies, Cakes, Sweet Breads, Yeast Breads, Pastries, Chilled Desserts and Drinks, Regional and Seasonal. I hope you find it as delicious as we did. Thanks to all of you.
A few More Authentic Italian Desserts Recipes
Words of Encouragement
“Rosemary’s book is like taking a trip around Italy, while eating desserts. Decadent, sinful and with beautiful photography that will tempt you.”
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Deborah Mercy Jean says
I have just ordered your cookbook and I am very excited to get it. Being a native New Yorker who now lives far away, I really miss the desserts. I look forward to making each and every one!
Rosemary says
Hi Deborah, thanks so much, I hope you enjoy the book. Take care.
Carol says
Beautiful story thank you for sharing. I’ve tried several recipes of your desserts n they were a big hit with my Italian husband. Thank you
Rosemary says
Thanks so much Carol, glad you are enjoying the book.
CATHY says
WHAT IS “ICING / POWDERED SUGAR”? IS IT JUST POWDERED SUGAR. CONFUSED WITH THE “ICING” TERM.
Rosemary says
Hi Cathy icing sugar is what Canadians call powdered sugar also known as confectioners sugar.
Bob Tomassi says
I am making Girelle Alla Cremates Di Cioccolato Alla Nocciola using the recipe from your cookbook (which I am enjoying immensely) and I noticed that there is no leavening agent in the recipe. Am I to assume that the finished product does not rise?
Bob
Rosemary says
Hi Bob, thanks so much, so glad you are enjoying the book. This recipe doesn’t have any leavening agent, so you are right it doesn’t rise, they are quite crunchy though. Let me know how you like them.
Bob Tomassi says
Thank you very much for your amazingly fast response. I was in the middle of making them when I noticed there was no leavening agent. They are in the oven following your advice and recipe.
Thank you again for your quick response.
Bob
Neeraj Soni says
hii…!!
I got your cookbook and I have read it, I just loved it..!! I am going to buy this for my mother, Thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes, both on the blog and in this new cookbook…!!
thank you for such a wonderful & beautifully illustrated cookbook….
Keep sharing
cheers 🙂
Rosemary says
Hi Neeraj, thanks so much, so glad you like the book and I hope your mother does too. Have a great weekend.
Susan Porkovich says
I was looking for a collection of straightforward and not too sweet recipes and I found your blog and book. Congratulations on a fine collection of Italian favorites!
I was amazed at how your story had so many parallels to my own as I moved to Italy from the US for a work assignment in ’88 and met my husband there (he was Australian and not Italian.) We lived in Italy for some time and finally settled in the South of France. I can only imagine your loneliness living outside a large city in the ’80s and ’90s (before the internet folks!) and trying to learn Italian (much more difficult than French or Spanish!).
How long did you live there?
Rosemary says
Hi Susan, thanks so much. Nice the South of France. And yes those were sad days, waiting for the postman to bring a letter from home! Actually I am here part time. I have been a Canadian resident again for the past few years (my eldest daughter is in Canada and my youngest wants to go next year). So we will probably be there and here for a bit anyway.And yes learning the language was not easy, I absolutely massacre it lol. Have a great weekend.
Clara Nussbaum says
Hi Rosemary!
I got your cookbook on Saturday, September 22nd & I absolutely love it! I have already made the Torta di Mele,. I had company for dinner & they loved it, too. The next night, I had my son & daughter-in-law for her birthday dinner.I mad the Crostada alla Crema di Cioccolato alla Nocciola e Ricotta. I did add one thing to it. I put 2 drops of Fiore di Sicilia. It was outstanding & my daughter-in-law was ooooing & ahhhing! Being Italian myself, I was always with my grandmother on weekends & she was an amazing cook. I learned a lot from her as well as both my mom & dad. I was so excited when I made the pie dough, then read it was pasta frolla!. My grandmother & my dad always made the Easter Pastiera (with wheat). My dad was from Naples & I guess that version was made there? Anyway, I could never make the pasta frolla before. Now I realize that I was supposed to “work” the dough. duhhh. I thought it just wasn’t coming together. Yours came out perfect!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for such a wonderful & beautifully illustrated cookbook.
Ciao Bella!
Rosemary says
Hi Clara, thanks so much. I am so happy you love the book and the recipes that you tried. And yes Pasta Frolla can be tricky, I’m so glad I helped you make the dough. Have a great weekend.
Debbie says
Just got your book yesterday on my birthday. Love it. My daughter and I are having a hard time picking what to make first.
Rosemary says
Hi Debbie, thanks so much I hope you enjoy it. Have a great weekend.