Just finished Stanley Tucci’s enjoyable new book, “Taste: My Life Through Food.” It was a quick, two-day read and perfect Thanksgiving fare.
You may have seen Tucci’s food-centric “Searching for Italy” series on CNN. It was quite good, but only watchable without the rash-inducing number of commercials.
Both projects underscore Tucci’s devotion to food, especially the cuisine of his Calabrian family’s roots. The two works also illustrate how and why his foodie film “Big Night” (1996) was conceived, developed, and produced.
I rewatched “Big Night” last night and, through it, both the book and the series took form and came to life. In addition to the film and food art forms on display, “Big Night’s” musical score was delightful with likes of Keely Smith, Sam Butera, Rosemary Clooney, Gary DiMichele, and Louis Prima. Ok, time to sign off while I continue to wait here for Prima’s arrival.
