Visiting the Hill, St. Louis

Buon giorno, mia amicos!  Hello, my friends.

 

This is July 1, 2007.  The cookbook, Rosalie Serving Italian, out eight weeks now, is getting much bigger than I am.  Help!!!, I need an agent or distributor.  If anyone has suggestions, let me know.  I cannot possible market this book by myself.

 

Yesterday I was at a book signing down on The Hill, at DiGregorio's Food Market.   Oh my goodness, talk about feeling like your in little Italy!  The store was buzzing with Italians, tourists, and locals from the time I arrived around 11am.  I was handing out my Itaian Cream Cake samples, and telling everyone how much they needed my Italian Cookbook.  A little Italian lady, who could partly understand me, said "scussi", (pointing to her head) "ecco e mia testa, grazie",  meaning,  "excuse me, it's all in my head, thank you".  Well, she certaintly put me in my place.  I politely said,  "Parlo un po' d' Italiana, ma va bene", meaning,  "I speak Italian a little, but all is well".  She smilled at my "Italian", and shook my hand.  She then said "Buona fortuna!, meaning,  "good luck".  Wow, that was a close one.  I surely didn't want my books ending up in the Missouri River by her Mafia sons.  I vowed to listen to my Italian tapes all the more, so I could throw some peace treaties in the mix, if needed.  Any way, meeting all these Italians, and who knows, half my cousins, I had a wonerful time.

 

About DiGregorio's on The Hill.  Great place to shop. All the imported olive oils, balsamic vinegars, spices, pastas of all kinds and shapes, cheeses, including Fontina, Goat Cheese, Mozzerella, Provolone, Romano, and the items just go on and on.  I really wanted to go shopping, especially because my table was right in front of the deli and meat cases, and everytime someone would select the Italina salsiccia, salami, stuffed olives, and deli sandwiches, I wanted to say "I need some too".  Actually, I was famished by the time the store was coming to a close, and book signing was over, that I restrained myself.  Otherwise I would have spent more than my net.  I'm not into profits yet.  So all of you fans out there, you all must visit the Hill in St. Louis.  The vallet boy in front of Charlie Gitto"s was so young and beautiful, I thought, forget the "ristorante", just park my car.

 

All in fun, the day was great.  Although, I did agree to some things I wasn't planning.  Like, telling the little lady who drives the bus for her ladies group, "of course I will cook you all an Italain dinner at my house when you come to tour Troy Mo."  She readily signed me up and we got the date. $12 per person for a complete meal including dessert.  She also wanted me to arrange places for them to visit.  This is when I said the fee only covered the meal, you people find your own entertainment.  Others standing in line and hearing the conversation started saying, "Will you come to my home and serve my group",  "or can we bring our groups over"?  I thought, now what am I going to do?  Probally all of it.  You all know how much I love to entertain and serve my Italian food.  In answer to one man's question at the book signing, "what all do you do".  I prodly answerd, "Cook and serve Italian food, do fundraisers, community benefits, speak when I'm invited, teach cooking classes, keep up with my website and newsletter, and literally go nuts.  But people, Im lovin' it.

(I know I left out about 20 other things)

 

Arrivederci, and goodbye for now.