One of our favorite Italian cooking celebrities, Marcella Hazan, was just interviewed by the Boston Globe. She talks about writing her latest memoir, that regrets bringing Balsamic Vinegar to the US and why too much garlic ruins everything. Here is an excerpt of the interview:
Q. You introduced balsamic vinegar to the US.
A. It's going to kill me that I brought it in this country. A very tiny little bottle of balsamic vinegar, it costs $185. In an Italian restaurant, if you ask for olive oil and vinegar, now they only have balsamic. But it's not real.
Q. What is the biggest mistake we still make in cooking Italian food?
A. Too much garlic! Too much ruins everything. We say in Italy that what you keep out is as important as what you put in.
Q. If you were going to offer one piece of cooking advice, what would it be?
A. Simplicity. Try to have a good, fresh ingredient and don't ruin it by adding too many things. Bring out the flavor of that ingredient.
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