ABOUT CATERING SERVICE:
CELEBRATIONS, GATHERINGS & RETREATS - Make your event an unforgettable experience. The natural beauty of your home, the finest wines and some of the most amazing culinary offerings make Beacon Vatel the ideal caterer for your special occasion. Our professional services provide an ideal experience for corporate retreats and business, family and friend gatherings. The Beacon Vatel Culinary team under the leadership of Chef Carter can create the perfect menu for your event, from light passed hors d’oeuvres, a full set buffet, or a multi-course menu, all paired with your wines or wines from Chef Carter’s extensive network of wine purveyors.
WWW.BEACONVATEL.COM
ABOUT THE CANYON VILLA:
The Canyon Villa, where weary wine lovers revive
Like an Italian villa perched on a Tuscan hillside, the Canyon Villa bed and breakfast pampers wine lovers touring Paso Robles wineries or couples seeking a charming retreat. The Canyon Villa offers an intimate setting, lavish amenities, fine food and an ideal location.At the Canyon Villa, we offer only four guest rooms, each uniquely decorated and each appointed with luxurious extras such as spa tubs and lush towels. You can enjoy your gourmet breakfast in the courtyard or our dining room.
We also offer a cozy great room for relaxing with other guests, and a wine tasting with hors d'oeuvres every afternoon between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. In the summer, enjoy your wine and appetizers in our lovely shaded courtyard, with its trickling fountain and evening breezes.
Beyond the elegant setting of our inn, take a leisurely stroll through our eleven acres while admiring the views. Visit the local wineries, and then enjoy an evening meal at one of Paso Robles' fine restaurants. The Canyon Villa is also the ideal bed and breakfast for day trips to other locales, such as Hearst Castle or Cambria's art galleries.
Indulge your love of wine or your love of each other. Plan a romantic getaway to charming Paso Robles, and plan to indulge in the intimacy and luxury of the Canyon Villa.
The Canyon Villa Bed & Breakfast
1455 Kiler Canyon Road
Paso Robles, CA 93446
805-238-3362
WWW.THECANYONVILLA.COM
LEE AND BOB CASAZZA - BIG MAMMA'S ITALIAN – AMERICAN COOKBOOK: EASY AND DELICIOUS RECIPES FROM OUR FAMILY
Lee Casazza was the lucky recipient of the family's cooking secrets and homemade meals. All were passed down or inspired by her husband's great grandmother, Teresa Lapetina, affectionately known as Big Mamma . Lee's cookbook also includes decades of personal research, travel, Italian chefs, restaurants, and hours of kitchen trial-and-error.
This is a personal story about Lee's passion for Italian cooking, family, and sharing with others. Big Mamma's Italian-American Cookbook is an easy-to-follow guide on preparing well-known traditional dishes and many new recipes created by Lee. Recipes are presented in glorious color and introduced with background antidotes. Menu chapters are highlighted with a wonderful collection of family photos over the years.
Lee Casazza's work in this book is equal to more famous cookbook authors. She does more than chronicle the fusion of old world Italian recipes into new world versions. Lee contributes to today's on-going evolution of Italian-American cuisine. The result is one of the most appealing and original cookbooks ever published on this topic.
Big Mamma's Italian-American Cookbook is also distributed by Henschel Haus Publishing, Inc. It is available in both hard-cover and Ebook.
ABOUT LEE:
Born and raised on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Lee Casazza is a genuine "foodie" who loves to cook. Her interest in cooking started with her family's southern background; growing up, her favorite place to be was in the kitchen helping her mom prepare their many southern-style recipes.
In 1967, Lee married Robert Paul Casazza, and her love of Italian cooking began. Bob and Lee would often drive to Richmond, Virginia, for Sunday dinners at the home of his grandparents, Ernest and Elisabeth Novello. This spot was a favorite destination for the extended family, with as many as twenty relatives, attending. Sunday gravy and homemade pastas were prepared by Elisabeth, affectionately known as "Mamaw." It was where the entire family experienced "Old World" and "New World" recipes developed over many years, helping to define what Italian-American cooking has become today.
Lee is the fortunate recipient of recipes and secrets shared by both Mamaw and Bob's mother Marie, who both had a firsthand knowledge of all the recipes passed down by generations of the Casazza and Noviello families. Over the years, Italian food has become an important part of Lee's life. New cookbooks, articles, famous chefs, restaurants, and travels to Italy have been constant inspirations. These exposures to the world of Italian food preparation have allowed her to develop her own unique techniques.
In Washington, D.C., Lee had a successful career in real estate. After the family moved to Seattle
in 1994, she was ready for new challenges. Lee designed and built a home and cottage on an
island in the Pacific Northwest; she was both a carpenter and the general contractor on the projects. Today, Lee is an avid volunteer genealogist and an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Lee created "Big Mamma's Italian-American Cooking" blog in March of 2011. This blog has
developed into an ongoing collection of recipes passed down by the Casazza and Noviello families, with frequent new additions from Lee. It also includes historical family photos, recipe origins, and helpful preparation tips. Her blog has attracted followers from countries around the world.
As the author, chef, photographer, and researcher, Lee has put her "Italian heart" into this cookbook. Her love for her Italian-American family and her culinary devotion to Italian-American cooking has combined to produce the most delicious collection of recipes you'll ever find.
What truly sets this cookbook apart are the talents of the four ladies in this Italian-America family. Meet Teresa Lapetina Greco, "Big Mamma," Elisabeth Greco Noviello, "Mamaw," Marie Noviello Casazza, and Lee Casazza.
Lee is currently working on a second cookbook titled "Izetta Southern Cooking."
WWW.LEECASAZZACOOKING.COM