November 30, The Alys Stephens Center Presents Chef Frank Stitt, “Bottega Favorita”

The Alys Stephens Center presents “An Afternoon with Frank Stitt featuring Warren St. John,” launching Stitt’s new book, “Bottega Favorita,” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30, at the Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. S.

October 16, 2008

 

• Chef Frank Stitt launches second book

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Alys Stephens Center presents "An Afternoon with Frank Stitt featuring Warren St. John," launching Stitt's new book, "Bottega Favorita," at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30, at the Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. S. Tickets are $65 and include a copy of "Bottega Favorita: A Southern Chef's Love Affair with Italian Food" signed by both Frank Stitt and Warren St. John and a post-show reception featuring delicious culinary samples from the book and complimentary wine tasting. Seating is limited. Please call (205) 975-ARTS to reserve your tickets. Sponsors are UAB, Viva Health and The Birmingham News.

Celebrate the launch of "Bottega Favorita" with the author as he discusses his recipes, inspirations and travels throughout Italy. He will be joined by friend Warren St. John, best-selling author of "Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer," who will interview and talk with Stitt about his life, the book, his restaurants and more. Stitt also will do food demonstrations from the stage.

Chef Stitt is the man The New York Times credits for turning Birmingham into a "sophisticated, easygoing showplace of enticing Southern-accented cooking." "Bottega" is the companion to his first book, "Southern Table," where Stitt's homey, yet elegant, Provençal-influenced Southern food was showcased.

In "Bottega Favorita: A Southern Chef's Love Affair with Italian Food" (Artisan Books; $40; January 2009), the purity and simplicity of Mediterranean food is celebrated with Southern spirit. To Stitt's mind, the two regions - Italy and the American South - share commonalities. Both native cuisines have a tradition of turning humble ingredients such as ground corn, bitter greens, cured pork and the daily catch into poetry on the plate.

"There's no Pompano in Venice, but ours, fresh from Apalachicola, fits into the cartoccio (Italian fish stew) perfectly; our Chilton County white peaches are squeezed by hand for a bellini; our wild Gulf shrimp, oysters, crab and fish are easily a match for their Mediterranean equivalents," Stitt says in the book.