From the Introduction: Years ago, at the beginning of my culinary career, I wanted to write a cookbook on Abruzzo, my native region of Italy, a land of colorful festivals, brooding traditions, gargantuan banquets, and ancient superstitions, where the accidental spilling of oil is a sure sign of tragedy. I also wanted to share the experience of growing up in a family of good cooks where food was an expression of love and caring...Many dishes from Abruzzo, such as maccheroni alla chitarra (guitar macaroni), brodetto di pesce (fish stew), and porchetta (roast pig), have, of course, traveled. But most of them are still the treasured secrets of families. They travel no further than the next generation...My family gave me a passion for food. The rituals that were practiced in my grandmother's kitchen are still with me. All this has remained part of my life, and cooking for family and friends is a constant joy for me. To celebrate and make people happy are the reasons why I wrote this book. Praise for Anna Teresa Callen's Menus for Pasta: A culinary gem for everyone who wants to bring the true flavor of Italy into their home. Paula Wolfert, author of Mediterranean Grains and Greens Of course one can eat pasta as a main course. It is how my mother would serve us pasta every Wednesday and Sunday when I was a boy. And this wonderful evocative book richly demonstrates that pasta can indeed be the centerpiece of an elegant meal. Bravo pasta, brava Anna Teresa! Fred Feretti, columnist for Gourmet magazine