Q & A with Divina Cucina and Cookbook Giveaway
Many of you may know Judy Witts, otherwise known as the Divina Cucina. But, do you really know her?
Judy lives in Tuscany and her live revolves around food. Cooking food, teaching classes about food, shopping for food, etc. In fact, she has just written her first cookbook, Secrets from My Tuscan Kitchen! And if you stay tuned, after the interview, Judy has graciously agreed to give one away to a lucky reader. But more on that later.
Here is our interview.
MM: Can you tell us a little about how you came to love and live in Italy?
DC: I was a Francophile for most of my life, my grandfather was born in Paris ( English mom and Turkish dad) and I studied French for 13 years- travelled to Europe as soon as I got out of high school and spent most of the trip in France.
After 5 trips, I got a job in a 5 star hotel and was trained as a Pastry chef.
I was finally ready to leave the hotel and start my own business and wanted one last trip to Europe. My roommate at the time had just come back from a year in Paris and one in Rome. She told me to go to Italy, that I would love Italy and Italy would love me.
It was true!
MM: Of all the places to settle in Italy, why Tuscany?
DC: When choosing a place to stay for a month in Italy to study Italian so I could learn more about food, I was told that there were three places to study Italian, Perugia, Siena and Florence- where they spoke perfect Italian and not dialect.
Siena and Perugia were hill towns and I wanted to live in a city.
MM: Can you share one little secret about Tuscany with us? One that you might not find in any guidebook?
DC: I think people do not really realize what Tuscany is- many of my clients say, I am going to Florence and then to Tuscany- meaning Siena usually or south. Tuscany is HUGE and has mountains to go skiing just outside Florence ( Abetone) or a huge coast from just below the Cinque Terre all the way down to Maremma.
I think Maremma is waiting to be discovered by Americans. The British have been going for years. Some of Tuscany’s best wines come from there, the area has cowboys , incredible food both from the mountains and the sea. I adore Niki Saint Phalle’s Tarocchi garden, an incredible sculpture garden in the hills.
MM: What is your favorite Tuscan village and why?
DC: My local village Certaldo is rather untouched by tourism, and is a perfect example of a Medieval village. Located between Florence and Siena it is an easy day trip from both on the train or by bus.
MM: Who is your food hero? Who inspires you?
I have learned the most from Italian mamma’s. All Italians will tell you the best place to eat in Italy is at home.
I adore Fabio Picchi of Cibreo, as he has recreated the food his mom prepared, perfecting it for the restaurant.
I also was lucky enough to work with Master Butcher Dario Cecchini in Panzano in Chianti, he is another very passionate culinary professional and I have learned a lot working with him.
MM: How did you come up with the name Divina Cucina?
DC: Originally my cooking school was called Mangia Firenze- but no one knew that Firenze was Italian for Florence.
I did a play on words of the Divina Commedia, Dante’s famous writings to create Divina Cucina.
MM: We know your livelihood is based on food. Can you share the one Italian ingredient you couldn’t live without?
DC: Extra virgin olive oil and great sea salt.
MM: What is your favorite food market in the area?
DC: I was very lucky to live in front of the Central Market in Florence for 20 years, and before that near the San Ambrogio market.
Now in the countryside I can attend a weekly market in a different town almost any day I like.
MM: Your favorite wine bar?
DC: In Florence, I usually go to Gianni Migliorini’s Casa Del Vino, as it was near my house. Across the Arno I go to Le Volpe e L’Uva, just across the Ponte Vecchio, a tiny place with an incredible wine list and great small plates.
MM: What is the one local dish that you must order if you see it on a trattoria menu?
DC: Suckling pig- something I usually don’t prepare often at home and is cooked mostly for special parties.
MM: And your favorite recipe to prepare for friends and family?
DC: Ragu with fresh pasta, can be pici, the flour and water hand rolled spaghetti or lasagna
MM: Speaking of recipes, you just launched your first cookbook – what inspired you to write it, how long did it take you, and what surprised you most about the process?
DC: The cookbook is called Secrets From My Tuscan Kitchen- I share the secrets I learned living here and gathered from Mamma’s, chefs and at the market shopping. Usually one has to speak the language to gather these sorts of tips. So I wanted to share what I have learned over the years.
I started gathering the recipes when I moved here in 1984 and in 1988 I began teaching cooking classes to the local study abroad American college kids from Syracuse University. Eventually I hand-wrote the recipes and had them photocopied and spiral bound.
I had always dreamed of having it published and could not find a publisher in the states. So I decided to print it myself. Most Italian cookbooks in Italy are imported and so expensive here. So I have an Italian published cookbook in English.
I closed the school and took about a year for the whole project to happen. I created my own handwriting font, had my friends do artwork for the cover and I worked with the printing-house on how I wanted the book to “feel”. I chose Fabiano watercolor paper for the cover and a more rustic paper for the inside. The book is stitched and then glued, so made to be used. Every other page is lined for notes from the chef- I really wanted this to be a cookbook that would be used and passed on.
Thank you Judy, for taking the time out to chat!
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December 21st, 2009
Delighted to hear that Le Volpi e L’uva in Piazza dei Rossi in Florence, tucked round the corner from Piazza Santa Felicita, on the Oltrarno side of the Ponte Vecchio, are still around: tiny indeed, but absolutely wonderful selection of wine and food.
Tuscan Recipe? Italian recipe? let me have a think. A lot of my faves start with bread and something …
December 21st, 2009
Oh, nice interview! I loved reading about Judy’s trips to the San Lorenzo Central market in Florence while we lived there…
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December 21st, 2009
I love Italy, but not sure of any italian recipes but I do love ..Spaghetti alle vongole or any italian Fish dishes…mmmm
December 21st, 2009
Ooh- interesting interview. I’m just (as in, 2 weeks back) back from Florence where many ‘food related’ places I visited were based on Judy’s recommendations (both on her website and on the Slow Travel site)..So I can only imagine how great her cookbook will be.
My current favorite Tuscan recipe is probably Fabio Picchi’s yellow bell pepper recipe that I found on Judy’s website. I’ve made it twice (the second time with a few changes) and loved it. I also love her pappa al pomodoro recipe.
But I have realized that one of my favorite things to eat in Italy is the risotto (which is not really a tuscan recipe). I had an absolutely delicious leek risotto in Al Tranvai in Florence (again, one of Judy’s recs). It tasted so wonderfully homemade. I am currently addicted to Italian cooking, so fingers crossed..:)
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December 22nd, 2009
Here’s a favourite “want the recipe” from Tuscany: last year, when we were in Florence, we had a wonderfully simple dish of leeks and baccala with a touch of tomato. It looked like nothing but tasted divine. Been searching for a recipe every since.
December 22nd, 2009
During the winter we are sometimes given a wild boar leg by our neighbors who hunt. I found a Tuscan Wild Boar Stew recipe that is absolutely delicious!
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December 22nd, 2009
What a lovely story! The book must be filled with so many wonderful recipes!
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December 22nd, 2009
Judy, I always find your posts on Twitter inspiring, good to know you a little more with this interview.
My favorite tuscan recipe is simple trofie with fresh pesto and lots of parmiggiano Reggiano.
December 22nd, 2009
OK, so it’s not a Tuscan recipe, per se, but one of our favorite dishes from Le Marche was Farro Con Porcini. It was so good that we attempted to make it when we came home, but realized just how expensive porcini mushrooms are in the US! We’d been totally spoiled by Italian country living, where awesome fresh produce is abundant and ripe for the picking. Still, even with a substitute of portobellos or some other mushroom, this farro stew is warm and hearty and perfect for the winter season.
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December 22nd, 2009
So many Italian recipes … so little time! As for a Tuscan recipe, I made ricciarelli last week for the first time and they were fantastic. Love wild boar stew – great for this time of year!
December 22nd, 2009
What a great interview that brought back memories of the time we spent in Tuscany (although we lived full-time in Milano). Cibreo is one of our fave restaurants – it is a totally unique concept and the food is to die for.
My favorite Tuscan dish is pappa al pomodoro, followed closely by ribollita. Serious YUM!
Congratulations on the launch of your first cookbook – it seems it is a true labor of love!
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December 22nd, 2009
I love vegetable lasagna with herb-infused tomato sauce and thick chunks of veggies, especially zucchini.
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December 22nd, 2009
My family came from south-eastern Italy and one of our favorite recipes was called “Poppin’ John”. My mother was not Italian but, as per tradition, she was tutored in Italian cooking by her mother-in-law, especially Dad’s favorite dishes. .”Poppin’ John” consisted of chunks of pork, browned slowly in olive oil with garlic, with green pepper added the last 15 minutes. Fresh sweet basil was stirred in shortly before serving. Usually at least one hot pepper was added, too.
Legend says the dish’s name came from my grandmother because when my Uncle John was just a toddler, he was a bit of a “clinger”, always hanging onto his mother’s apron or dress. When she was cooking the above dish, she would try to shoo him away by telling him with her strong Italian accent that it would “pop on John.” And the name stuck to the dish ever after! One of my favorite dishes and favorite stories.
December 23rd, 2009
My favorite Italian recipe is broccoli and shrimp primavera. I put sundried tomatoes in mine. So yummy everyone loves it. Sometimes I like to put feta cheese on it. Sounds weird but people love it.
December 23rd, 2009
Not entering the contest but I can sure vouch for the cookbook – even without the authentic, highly-cookable recipes, it’s something that’s simply a pleasure to hold in your hands.
Cucina absolutely Divina!
(I really love Tuscan rabbit recipes, and or course, La Bistecca…)
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December 23rd, 2009
The cookbook sounds delightful! My favorite Italian recipe is grilled portobello mushrooms that have been marinated in ‘holy oil’ (garlic, oregano, crushed hot chile, and extra virgin olive oil) Yummy!
December 23rd, 2009
I am a sucker for Seafood and soup so I would have to go for cacciucco – Livornese Seafood Stew, but would be happy to just settle for a plate of local Extra Virgin Olive Oil : )
Great Blog, both the writing and the design!
A
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December 24th, 2009
I really enjoyed reading this interview. I did not realize Judy studied French for 13 years.
My favorite Tuscan recipe is bruschetta. I order it whenever it is on the menu. I also discovered burro e salvia while in Tuscany when eating at my friends’ house (but am not sure if it is a Tuscan recipe).
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December 24th, 2009
the trick is to scroll down til the end…i’m not so savvy . after leaving a tuscan recipe by emailing back i will instead just tell you about something i make from Lorenza de Medici . A spinach tart that is eaten at room temperature, which makes it a fantastic dish when you are having company as it can be ready before friends arrive. The ingredients ( spinach, egg, milk, parmesan cheese, golden raisins and pine nuts ) are baked in a pastry shell. Great with a simple salad, some cheese, and of course bread….or to begin a heartier meal.
Thanks for not giving up on me Robin!
December 27th, 2009
anything with fresh truffles…pasta…eggs…whatever. have been lucky enough to visit tuscany a few times during truffle season…heaven!
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December 27th, 2009
The insanely good bread we had at Fabio Picci’s teatro del Sale. Wish I had the recipe. Although nearly any savory thing would taste good with Tuscan olive oil on it. Sigh.
December 27th, 2009
As an American who currently lives in Sicily, I’ve had the chance to visit Tuscany but I want to share my favorite Sicilian meal- pasta norma. It’s made with eggplant & I loooove it! I would love to add this cookbook to my growing collection!
January 1st, 2010
Thanks so much for the terrific interview. Great getting to know more about both Judy and Tuscany.