Faith’s new bible

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Italy is a country built on a spider web of connections. To get to the good stuff, you often have to know somebody — or at least know somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody. For many Americans for many years, that first point of introduction has been Faith Willinger. And so when her friends Marvin and Judy Zeidler threw her a lawn party Sunday in honor of the publication of her new book, “Adventures of an Italian Food Lover,” several dozen of Southern California’s most ardent Italophiles turned out, including restaurateurs Nancy Silverton (at left in photo with Willinger) and Piero Selvaggio.

An American who has lived in Florence for more than 25 years, Willinger first came to national attention in 1989 with “Eating in Italy,” a food lover’s guide to some of the best restaurants, hotels, food producers and shops in that country’s north. For many American lovers of Italian food, it became a kind of bible — I remember standing in line at a small pasticceria in Venice while a group of Americans in front of me ordered straight out of the book (in essence, “I’ll have what Faith is having”).

Willinger’s new book is a kind of tribute to her divine connectedness — as she puts it in her subtitle: “Recipes From 254 of My Very Best Friends.” In it, you’ll find spaghettini with swordfish ragù from Gigi Vianello and Momi di Momi in Venice, grilled steak from the poet butcher Dario Cecchini in Tuscany, and pasta and bean salad with celery pesto from Mario Avallone in Naples.

On the other hand, with friends like these, who needs recipes?

-- Russ Parsons

Photo by Russ Parsons