To know Anna Teresa Callen is to love her. Perhaps that is why many people do their best to attend her cooking classes. Another reason is that she has written one of the best culinary reads regarding Italian regional cooking, Food and Memories of Abruzzo. A native of Guardiagrele in the Province of Chieti (Vitacolonna is her maiden name) her approach and method is a combination of tradition, straightforwardness and freshness in every sense of the word.

A member of the James Beard Institute, she is nevertheless very accessible. Her teaching is much like her tome in that it is accompanied by anecdotes that enhance the cooking experience.

Her residence has been New York City for the last four decades. Although a bona fide gourmand Anna Teresa has come there via World War II, Italian Beauty Pageants, the Cinema, Romantic Playwrights, Television, Eccentric Cats, Radio, Hollywood and the following favourite recipe:

Pollo Alla Canzanese
[Chicken Canzano Style – 8 servings]

2 small chickens, about 3 pounds each cut into 6 to 8 serving pieces
1 tbsp of kosher salt
2 sage leaves
4 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
12 whole cloves
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
24 black peppercorns, crushed
1 small diavoletto [“little devil”] – dried hot red pepper
two ¼ thick slices of prosciutto, diced
¾ cup dry red wine
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley

1. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl, sprinkle with the salt and cover with cold water and let stand for 20-30 minutes.
2. inse the chicken and place in a skillet into which the pieces can fit in one flat layer. Add the sage, bay leaves, garlic, cloves, rosemary, peppercorns, red pepper, prosciutto and wine.
3. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring once or twice, until the chicken is almost tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the lid from the skillet and cook until the sauce is reduced and the chicken starts to colour. If necessary add more wine or a little water. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

"[Anna Teresa Callen] is one of the national treasures of Italian cookery."

"Anna Teresa’s book is a definitive guide to the Neapolitan cuisine-a stunning collection of delicious, inventive everyday recipes that are perfect for the home cook. Her deeply personal view into the cuisine and history of Campania sets this book apart."
In this lovingly rendered cookbook memoir, Anna Teresa Callen takes readers on a culinary journey to Naples, one of her favorite Italian cities. From antipasti, soups, and pizza, to a host of pasta, fish, meat, and vegetable dishes, this collection of more than 250 recipes covers the cuisine of the Campania region, including its capital, Naples, the islands of Capri and Ischia, and the Amalfi coast. Neapolitan cuisine exemplifies la cucina povera or “the cooking of the poor”, whose inventiveness with inexpensive local ingredients produced the region’s legendary mozzarella di bufala, the famed, succulent ragu alla napoletana, and simple, hearty dishes that make the most of seasonal vegetables and abundant seafood. A skilled cooking instructor, the author provides easy, step-by-step instructions and much more.

You can purchase the book here