76 year old grandmother debuts first book
Elisa Costantini was born in August 1938 to farmers, Alfredo and Maria Fantozzi, in Poggio Valle, a small town in the province of Teramo, located in the Abruzzo reign of Italy. As the second daughter, and one of six children, she learned to cook at a very young age and continues today using the same simple ingredients to create the most wonderful family dinners and desserts.
After several months of preparation and 1100 plus pre-sold copies via her 30 day Kickstarter campaign, 76 year-old Elisa will prove that beyond a shadow of doubt that love is an essential ingredient in the kitchen.
In her debut cookbook, Elisa collects her tried-and-true recipes for Italian favorites in one place, sharing them with anyone who has an interest in making phenomenal meals for the people they love. She includes easy-to-follow recipes for all the Italian classics, including antipasto, pasta, breads, pizza, main dishes and desserts.
And unlike many fussy, complicated recipes that rely on specialized ingredients and techniques, Costantini’s rustic, authentic recipes call for only fresh, simple ingredients available at local markets. Her clear writing allows even novice cooks to bring the old-world charm of the Italian countryside to their home dining room tables. Her book also shares stories of her life and explains the culinary history of food from the Abruzzo Region in Italy.
Elisa has published this book after the death of her husband and an expensive battle with cancer, left her concerned about her financial independence in these trying times. She complied the book with the help of her son, Frank Costantini. When asked to comment, he said: “This book will not be easy to say the least. Like most great cooks, a pinch of this, a pinch of that, is traditionally the way around a stove, so working with mom over the past few months to capture her secrets on paper took some time, but a project, as her son, I was committed to seeing come to print.”
Being the daughter of farmers, she learned to cook at a very young age as an apprentice to a local chef using simple, fresh ingredients to create wonderful food for those closest to her. At the age of twenty-three, she immigrated to the United States with her late husband, Francesco, and daughter, Nadia. Once there, she started from scratch to build a family and an endless circle of friends. For more than 35 years, she has used her expert cooking skills to provide for children with special needs at Divine Providence Village in Springfield, Pennsylvania.
In addition, Elisa will begin her cooking tour in July, first stop is at Culterra Magica in Tuscany, Italy. From there she will visit her hometown for the official book release in Italy. She will return to the US in the late summer to begin a series of book signings in both New York and Philadelphia. The publishing process for Italian Moms Spreading Their Art To Every Table has completed and the book is now available for autographed copies via her website, www.italianmomscooking.com, and will also be available July 1st in local bookstores and on Amazon.com. A kindle version will also be available.
