AUTHENTIC  ITALIAN  RECIPES

 FROM

 RISTORANTE  d'ANNAMARIA

Hi everyone.  My name is Steve Slater.  As the author of this site, I thought you might be interested in knowing just what type of qualifications I have as a presenter of "authentic Italian recipes."

For just a moment, I'll digress.  After completing 24 years in "Uncle Sam's finest service", I retired from the Navy.  I was fortunate enough to be assigned to the US Naval Academy for 13 years. During that time my wife AnnaMaria and I got into the restaurant business. The name of our place was "AnnaMaria's Restaurant" which translated into Italian becomes "Ristorante d'AnnaMaria". We were located in Riviera Beach, Maryland which is just outside the city limits of Baltimore. I have always adored cooking and entertaining people.  As a matter of fact, I was a musician in the Navy so being "in the lime-light" or "on the hot-seat" was nothing new to me.

As you have probably understood, AnnaMaria is Italian. She was born and raised in Naples.  I met her in Annapolis, Maryland while she was visiting friends that she made in Naples and eventually married her. It was her idea to give the restaurant business a try.  I've been an excellent cook since I was about 21 or so years old or so I was told but, needless to say, she provided the recipes. I did the majority of the cooking though.  Well, we were a resounding success. In a little over a year's time, we were able to turn a run-down diner into a very successful  authentic Italian restaurant.  At times we actually had people waiting in line to be seated.

My assignment to the Academy was supposed to be permanent, but as fate (and Uncle Sam) would have it, we got transferred to Naples, Italy of all places.  Italian restaurants are no novelty here so we decided not to get back into the business.  My love of cooking, entertaining and sharing, though, has never diminished so I decided to start a web site containing "authentic Italian recipes". These recipes are just exactly as they would be prepared here in southern Italy. I have personally translated them so I know they are original and authentic. We've collected hundreds of recipes from Italian home-makers and professional chefs.  We've also included, whenever possible, links to importers of Italian products so that you don't have to substitute ingredients.  That's what makes these recipes authentic.  These are not Italo-American recipes.  They are real Italian dishes. Many of these dishes, you have probably never heard of or tried. Give some of the unusual ones a try. You won't be sorry you did.

The recipes are divided into courses and I've explained just how each course fits into an Italian holiday meal. Of course, you don't have to serve a seven course dinner to eat Italian . Italians don't eat that way every day, but on the big occasions they will eat something from every category, sometimes more than one dish from each category. They will sometimes remain at the table for four or five hours by the time they have finished with coffee. It can be a dining marathon. With that thought, I'll bid you welcome to the site and Buon Appetito.