Taste of Italy

Author: Jeremy Parzen

  • IACC members at the Texas Restaurant Show. Thanks and congrats to the Texas Restaurant Associaton!

    IACC members at the Texas Restaurant Show. Thanks and congrats to the Texas Restaurant Associaton!

    The Italy-America Chamber of Commerce South Central would like to share its heartfelt thanks and warm congratulations to the Texas Restaurant Association for having hosted a phenomenal Texas Restaurant Show (formerly the TRA Marketplace) in Dallas this week at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

    More than 5,000 restaurateurs and industry experts were in attendance. And the standing-room-only seminars covered topics ranging from workforce solutions to ghost kitchens, growing through capital investment, diversity, inclusion, and bias training.

    The IACC was proud to be there representing our many food industry members.

    About the organizer, the Texas Restaurant Association:

    Formed in 1937, the Texas Restaurant Association (TRA) serves as the advocate and indispensable resource for the foodservice industry in Texas. As a leading business association, the TRA represents the state’s $70 billion restaurant industry, which comprises approximately 50,000 locations and a workforce of 1.3 million employees. Along with the Texas Restaurant Foundation, the workforce development arm of the TRA, the association proudly continues to protect, advance, and educate a growing industry as the TRA enters its 85th anniversary year. For more information, please visit www.txrestaurant.org.

    The IACC’s participation has been sponsored by the Italian government’s ongoing Extraordinary Italian Taste campaign, which promotes authentic Italian wines, foods, and foodways.

  • A new authentic Italian restaurant opens in Houston: Davanti.

    A new authentic Italian restaurant opens in Houston: Davanti.

    Congratulations to longtime IACC member chef Roberto Crescini (above, left) and his business partner and veteran Houston restaurateur, Francisco Calza (right), for the launch of their new restaurant Davanti!

    The restaurant officially opened its doors earlier this week.

    “Located near Central Market at 2900 Weslayan St.,” writes restaurant editor Eric Sandler for the popular lifestyle magazine CultureMap, “Davanti will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a menu built around Crescini’s freshly made pastas that diners can combine with different sauces and proteins. Other menu items will include pizzas and Italian desserts like tiramisu. Italian wines and craft beers from both Europe and America will anchor the beverage program.”

    Chef Roberto has a wide following of fans who loved his housemade pastas at his previous Houston-area restaurant. Calza, known fondly as Paco, has worked in the highest levels of the Houston restaurant scene and is the creative force behind one of its most celebrated Spanish restaurants.

    Chef Roberto, Houston wouldn’t be the same without you! We are all looking forward to enjoying Davanti!

  • IACC members featured at 85th annual Texas Restaurant Show in Dallas, July 10-11. Register now.

    IACC members featured at 85th annual Texas Restaurant Show in Dallas, July 10-11. Register now.

    The staff at the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce South Central is gearing up for the Texas Restaurant Association’s annual trade fair, the Texas Restaurant Show, July 10-11 in Dallas, now in its 85th year (see below for more background on the event).

    Click here to register. Use the following code: TRSItalia22. Please note that you will need to create an account to sign up.

    The IACC will be there will a number of its members, including the following: VERO Italian Traditional Food, Chiorri, Tenuta dei Mori, Selected Food & Beverage, Monti Trentini, Consorzio Prosciutto di Parma, Tutti Lili Vini, Peninsola Prosecco, Beviamo International, and Santo Iolo.

    And there will also be a space devoted to Calabrian wines (just added!).

    IACC will be there! We hope you can join us.

    From the Texas Restaurant Show website:

    The Texas Restaurant Show is the Texas Restaurant Association’s annual restaurant and foodservice show. The largest of its kind in the Southwest, it is backed by TRA’s more than 85 years of industry leadership, and is as bold, unique and packed with opportunity as the Lone Star state itself.

    Now in its 85th year, the Texas Restaurant Show dazzles visitors with stunning and interactive displays, state of the science products and equipment, cutting edge technology and the very latest news, trends and advice from dynamic industry leaders. Thousands of restaurateurs, chefs, and industry executives attend over the two-day period and over 400 booths and 300+ companies participate, showcasing everything from artisan food products and craft beverages to linens, mobile technology, security, kitchen equipment, supplies and much more.

    Part trade show and part conference, the Texas Restaurant Show motivates and inspires everyone – from first time restauranteurs to industry veterans. Engaging seminars and interactive panels are offered by industry thought-leaders on trending topics and specialty pavilions offer an exciting, diverse and valuable glimpse into the latest products and services that the market has to offer.

    Many nationwide consumer and industry trends have their roots right here in the Texas market. The Texas Restaurant Show provides attendees a chance to meet face to face with industry leaders, discover innovative products and practical tools, make valuable connections and discover relevant information not to be found any place else in the country.

    Texas remains one of the hottest growth markets for the restaurant industry as a whole, with sales projected to be $52.4 billion by the end of 2016. With over 42,500 eating and drinking establishments in the state, every $1 million spent in Texas restaurants generates an additional 26.3 jobs.

    The IACC’s participation has been sponsored by the Italian government’s ongoing Extraordinary Italian Taste campaign, which promotes authentic Italian wines, foods, and foodways.

  • Join us Thurs. 7/14 for a reception at the Carter Museum in Ft. Worth: Whistler, Sargent, Venetian glass and Prosecco!

    Join us Thurs. 7/14 for a reception at the Carter Museum in Ft. Worth: Whistler, Sargent, Venetian glass and Prosecco!

    On Thursday, July 14, IACC partner Jeremy Parzen, author of the popular Italian food and culture blog Do Bianchi, will be leading a Prosecco tasting at the Amon Carter Museum in Ft. Worth.

    Jeremy, who studied in Venice as a doctoral candidate, is not only a lively speaker but also an expert on all things Venetian.

    The event will be followed by a lecture on American painters in Venice during the 19th century and how they were influenced by the Murano glass works there. (The image above is an engraving created by Whistler during his time in Venice.)

    Alex Mann, Director of Curatorial Affairs and Chief Curator at Telfair Museums, and Carter curator Maggie Adler will be leading the discussion.

    Guests will then have the opportunity to view the museum’s current exhibit, “Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass:American Artists and the Magic of Murano.”

    Click here to reserve for this free event, including the wine and food tasting and a cocktail hour. Spots at the Prosecco tasting will be given on a first come, first served basis.

    We look forward to sharing a glass of Prosecco with you in Ft. Worth in July!

    The Prosecco wine and food tasting has been sponsored by the Italian government’s ongoing Extraordinary Italian Taste campaign, which promotes authentic Italian wines, foods, and foodways.

  • IACCTX helps Italians abroad obtain Italian citizenship.

    IACCTX helps Italians abroad obtain Italian citizenship.

    Many countries allow for dual citizenship with the United States, and every government has its own set of immigration policies and citizenship laws, which in turn shape the eligibility requirements and the conditions one must meet in order to apply for dual citizenship. Notably, the Italian government’s requirements to apply for Italian citizenship jure sanguinis (by descent) are less strict compared to other countries, which make Italian citizenship one of the easiest citizenships to acquire in Europe. Most importantly, unlike other countries, there are no generational limits that will prevent you from applying for Italian citizenship by right of blood. In other words, it does not matter if you apply through your most recent ancestor or through your most distant ancestor since there is no limit in the number of generations one can go back. For more information about the eligibility requirements to apply, the application process and the benefits that Italian citizenship entails feel free to visit ICA’s website.

  • IACC congratulates its new board members.

    IACC congratulates its new board members.

    The Italian-America Chamber of Commerce South Central would like to thank the newly elected members of its board: Massimiliano Tosi and Carlo Di Nunzio who now join Frank Cerza, Roberto Noce, and Franco Valobra who are now embarking on their second term.

    The current board is comprised of the following members:

    Brando Ballerini, president
    Edoardo Ascione
    Paolo Valente
    Niccolo Lorimer
    Andrea Benedetti
    Roberto Noce
    Filippo Spezzapria
    Massimiliano Tosi
    Carlo di Nunzio
    Frank Cerza
    Franco Valobra

    Our team would also like to thank previous members Federico Farina and Elena Hofmann for their service to the chamber and the community. And we would also like to recognize Mary Ann Remollino-Ellis and Amine Matta who also ran for board positions this season.

    The energy and enthusiasm that all of our members bring to the table are key to the success of the IACC and its engagement with our community. Board members, new and old, and board member candidates, we thank you for your service!

    About the IACC newly elected board members:

    Frank Cerza is a partner in the Business and Corporate Services and Real Estate practice groups at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP and is Chair of the firm’s Italy Practice Group.

    Architect Carlo Di Nunzio is the recipient of numerous awards for his work, which has been featured in leading magazines like Texas Magazine, Houston Lifestyles and Homes, Houston House and Home, Luxe, Beautiful Homes, and Beautiful Kitchens.

    Roberto Noce is a leading member of the oil and gas community in Texas and has worked for a number of top companies. In 2003 Roberto joined the Saipem Group of Companies to start up a newly acquired offshore engineering company, Moss Maritime.

    Massimiliano Tosi is the Event & Community Relations Manager at Eataly in Dallas where he focuses on promoting Italian high-quality products, tradition, and hospitality. He is an MBA who has years of experience in the food and wine industry.

    Frank Valobra, whose family has been in the jewelry business since 1905, is the owner of two prestigious jewelry stores in New Orleans and Houston. His family also owns a shop in Turin and in Lugano, Switzerland, located on the city’s famous Via Nassa.

  • Moscato d’Asti DOCG Master Class and Lunch, June 16 in Dallas.

    Moscato d’Asti DOCG Master Class and Lunch, June 16 in Dallas.

  • Italian food world mourns the loss of Adriano Grosoli, the “king” of traditional balsamic vinegar.

    Italian food world mourns the loss of Adriano Grosoli, the “king” of traditional balsamic vinegar.

    “Our Adriano has left us,” wrote his daughter Mariangela late last week on Instagram (image via the Aceto Balsamico del Duca dal 1891 Instagram). “He was a great father and a tender grandfather. His example of love for his family, passion for his work, and admiration and respect for his co-workers will always be with us.”

    Not only was Adriano Grosoli, 93, a beloved family man. He was also one of the pioneers of aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena — traditional balsamic vinegar from Modena. And it’s thanks to him that food lovers in the U.S. first began to pay attention to this pillar of Italian gastronomy.

    Grosoli began managing his family’s acetaio, Aceto Balsamic del Duca dal 1891, in the 1940s. But it wasn’t until the 1960s that he and a handful of other now iconic producers decided to refashion the balsamic vinegar trade that the products would travel to the U.S. among many other influential markets. Before that time, balsamic vinegars were known and consumed almost exclusively in Emilia where they are produced. Today, in no small part thanks to Grosoli and his family’s company, the vinegars are found all over the world and are served in top restaurants.

    In its obituary, the Italian national daily La Repubblica called him “the father and legacy” of traditional balsamic vinegar, a “pioneer” whose vinegar “was the first to be tasted in the U.S.”

    The popular Emilia regional daily Il Resto del Carlino called him the “king of balsamic vinegar.”

  • Nana’s Creole Italian Table: A new book on Sicilian cooking in New Orleans by IACC partner Liz Williams.

    Nana’s Creole Italian Table: A new book on Sicilian cooking in New Orleans by IACC partner Liz Williams.

    The Italy-America Chamber of Commerce South Central couldn’t be more thrilled to share the news: IACC partner and founder of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans, Liz Williams, has published a new cookery book this month, Nana’s Creole Italian Table (LSU Press 2022).

    Not only is Liz a leading authority on Italian-American cooking in the U.S. She is also the director of the IACC’s New Orleans office, which opened in early 2020.

    “In a kaleidoscope of flavors and fragrances,” says IACC director Alessia Paolicchi, “Liz Williams reveals Nana Elisabetta’s secrets in marrying authentic recipes from southern Italy with locally discovered ingredients, spices, and culinary traditions. Getting to know the different generations of Liz’s family, you’ll learn how hundreds of thousands of Sicilian immigrants socially integrated through the main point they had in common with New Orleanians: respect for the food.”

    In her new book, says Italian food and wine historian Jeremy Parzen, another IACC partner, Liz “weaves the personal and the epochal throughout the arc of this delightful and essential recipe collection. Each dish, paired with a family anecdote, is a pretext to explore New Orleans’ history as an expression of the American experience. This wonderful book is sure to take its place among the classics in the southeastern U.S. gastronomic canon.”

    Click here to read more about Liz’s new book on Amazon.

  • Dispatch from Houston by the legendary Darrell Corti, featured Taste of Italy speaker and “tastemaker” to a generation of Americans.

    Dispatch from Houston by the legendary Darrell Corti, featured Taste of Italy speaker and “tastemaker” to a generation of Americans.

    Above, from left: Rick Mindermann (Darrell Corti’s assistant), Ed Revak (a Houston-based spirits distributor), Darrell Corti, and Jeremy Parzen (Taste of Italy co-organizer and emcee).

    Darrell Corti, says celebrated food writer Colman Andrews, co-founder of Saveur magazine, “is one of those people whose importance is far greater than the name recognition.”

    The quote comes from a 2019 Los Angeles Times profile of Corti entitled “How Darrell Corti became a tastemaker in California food and wine.”

    Not only is Darrell, the owner of the legendary Corti Brothers grocery store in Sacramento, one of the top Italian-focused buyers in the country. He is also a legacy “tastemaker” whose encyclopedic knowledge of world gastronomy has introduced generations of Americans to the joys of traditional balsamic vinegar, countless iconic Italian wines, Spanish olive oil-cured tuna, and myriad other culinary treasures.

    “Darrell opened my eyes to products from around the world,” says Alice Waters, the founder of Chez Panisse in Berkeley and one of America’s farm-to-table pioneers. “He knows everything about everything.”

    That quote comes from a 2008 Los Angeles Times piece, “Corti Brothers store began a gourmet-food revolution.”

    On the occasion of his time in Houston for Taste of Italy, Darell also wanted to experience our city, enjoy our restaurants and food shops, and visit our museums. When the curator of Asian art at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston heard that Darrell, a noted collector of Japanese art, was coming to town, he insisted on giving Darrell a personal tour of the Asian collection.

    Yesterday on the Corti Brothers blog, Darrell’s assistant Rick Mindermann published this extremely detailed dispatch about the trip.

    We couldn’t have been more proud to welcome Darrell to our city. And it is with great joy that we share their notes from their time here.