“This is one of Lidia’s top spots in North America!” The news came as a bit of a surprise to all who heard Corrado Manuala make that bold statement. It was in the midst of a crowded, festival-like atmosphere centered around Manuala’s mother-in-law, celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich. On a frigid but sunny Veterans Day afternoon at Dave’s Marketplace in East Greenwich, Bastianich sat about 15 feet away signing copies of her new cookbook, “Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian: 220 Foolproof Recipes That Make Every Meal a Party.” She was making her third visit to Dave’s and the latest of many to Rhode Island to appear at such events as the Newport Mansions Wine and Food Festival, where she headlined in 2011. Bastianich’s fans’ admiration shows no sign of abating after two decades of television appearances, restaurant openings, her own brand of food products and a seemingly endless series of cookbooks.
As Manuala stood watching Bastianich sign and pose for pictures, it was like observing a rock star manager backstage during a concert. He carried on business conversations with Dave’s executives and answered questions from store customers, all the while keeping an eye on the center of the stage. The day in East Greenwich was so successful and so many fans had to be turned away that Bastianich agreed to return for a second signing as soon as a quantity of books could be shipped to East Greenwich, which turned out to be Nov. 25.
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MEET & GREET: Celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich, right, poses for a photo with a local fan during her recent cookbook signing at Dave’s Marketplace in East Greenwich.
/ PBN PHOTO/BRUCE NEWBURY[/caption]
The prime territory for all things Bastianich is New Jersey, which Manuala calls “Lidialand.” It should come as no surprise that her fan base would be close to New York City, where she has her largest number of restaurants – four that she started on her own and the “foodie amusement park” known as Eataly, which she started with son Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali. But here in Rhode Island, she continues to draw crowds. “[Lidia] is about the message of cooking and eating with the family,” Manuala said. “There are so many people who relate to that here in Rhode Island.” Her formula of success was developed with her daughter Tanya, Manuala’s wife. Tanya customarily takes the role of backstage manager at events such as this one, as well as taking the lead in researching the cookbooks. Bastianich’s rules to live by and secrets to success? Every recipe must be straightforward; ingredients always easy to find and budget-friendly; and the recipes must always be authentic Italian.
At Dave’s Marketplace this day, Bastianich shared the spotlight with approximately 20 local food artisans who have been enjoying success on their own with their creations of everything from tea drinks to cooking sauces and kimchi. They are bringing their goods to market through Hope & Main, the state’s culinary incubator located in Warren, which has a relationship with Dave’s Marketplace. One in particular is a classically trained chef. Brian Halloran and his wife, Lori, have developed a line of herb and seasoned butters that are proving to be popular with home cooks who use them in a variety of dishes. Halloran explained the classic French culinary techniques originally used to create his product. These techniques once were only known to chefs. The time is right for these touches and techniques to be more readily available to the home cook, led by Lidia Bastianich, America’s Italian grandmother.
Note: Dave’s Marketplace is a sponsor of Bruce Newbury’s Dining Out radio talk show, which is heard Saturdays at 11 a.m. on 1540 AM WADK and through the TuneIn mobile app. Email Bruce at Bruce@brucenewbury.com.
