Anna Francese Gass - ITALIAN SNACKING - w/ Matriarch

Anna Francese Gass presents her new cookbook Italian Snacking, which invites food lovers and home cooks on a delectable journey through the heart of Italy, exploring the rich tapestry of flavors that define Italian snacking culture. This event is being held in partnership with Matriarch, a boutique shop on Thames St. here in Newport.

Tickets are $45, which will include a signed copy of the book OR a Charter Books gift card of equal value. Ticket purchase will also include an Italian Snacking-themed gift bag from our friends at Matriarch.

Join us for snacks, drinks, and a fantastic evening with Anna Francese Gass!

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Combining simplicity and creativity, at its best, Italian cuisine charms us through a combination of the highest-quality ingredients, simple recipes tied to the specialties of each region, and the experience of being at the table.

There is an entire category of delicious smaller bites in Italian cooking that few Americans know about—spuntini—meant to be enjoyed at in-between meal moments of the day.

In her second cookbook, Anna introduces the American audience to the complete range of spuntini, with recipes drawn from across the country. She shares recipes for spuntini di meta mattina (mid-morning snacks often enjoyed with a second—or third coffee); merenda, the cherished after-school treat for children (that also offers adults a way to stave off hunger before dinner); and aperitivi, delightful early-evening bites meant to be enjoyed with drinks. Also included is a chapter of delicacies from Italy's robust culture of street food (the one instance where Italians might eat on the go).

Highlights of Italian Snacking include:

• Authentic Regional Flavors: From the Fonduta made from the exquisite fontina of the Valle D’Aosta at the northern tip to the famed street foods of Sicily, Anna covers not only all the traditional snacking times but a recipe from almost every region of Italy.
• Thoroughly Tested and Easy-to-Follow Recipes: Anna obsessively tested and cross-tested the recipes in Italian Snacking to make sure they worked in American kitchens with American ingredients. She also posted many of them to her popular Instagram account @annafgass for people to cook and share feedback.
• Diverse Selection: Anna shares a diverse range of Italian snacks, from the classic bruschetta and arancini to unexpected delights, including Scarpaccia, a savory zucchini cake, strudels (Northern Italians eat strudel!), and a collection of cookies that belong on your table all year round.
• Beautiful Imagery: Italian Snacking is not just a culinary guide; it's a visual delight. Stunning, full-color photographs accompany each recipe, providing a feast for the eyes and inspiring readers to cook.

Studded with gorgeous photography of finished dishes and Italian food markets, cafes, bars, and pasticcerie around Italy, this book will elevate your snacking game to the Italian ideal.

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Born in Italy and raised in the U.S., the cuisine of Italy is part of Anna Francese Gass’s soul. She graduated from the French Culinary Institute and began her career in the test kitchen at Food52. Her first cookbook, Heirloom Kitchen: Heritage Recipes and Family Stories from The Tables of Immigrant Women, was a collection of cherished family recipes from around the world published in 2019 and was featured on Good Morning America, Today and Rachael Ray. Anna is known for her ingenious takes on traditional Italian dishes, and millions around the world have viewed her Instagram videos at @annafgass. She appears regularly on Good Morning America and Access Hollywood, and her recipes are top-rated on New York Times Cooking.