Mietta’s Italian Family Recipes
"Who were the subtle Europeans who showed a raw young Australia how to eat well and enjoy the food the land produced? How did they perform that exuberant labour of kitchen love, the Italians who began arriving in Melbourne three or four generations ago? Mietta's Italian Family Recipes interweaves a loving story of Mietta's own family and friends with a clear and practical exposition of all the good Italian sense she learned in the kitchen at home - the secrets Mietta drew on as one of Australia's most celebrated restaurateurs. The social history is fascinating, the kitchen wisdom beyond praise, and Mietta's family snaps are a delight." - Peter Robb
Mietta's Italian Family Recipes presents over 185 recipes, covering antipasto, soups, risotto, pasta, fish, meat, pizza and desserts. Together they demonstrate the ways in which original Italian recipes can be re-interpreted to suit modern Australian life, ingredients and equipment.
Mietta O'Donnell (1951-2001) was a well-known restaurateur and author. Her grandparents, Mario and Teresa Vigano, arrived in Melbourne from Milan in 1928. They went on to establish the legendary "Mario's" restaurant, which they ran for more than thirty years. Mietta was influenced by their entertainment flair from an early age, and in 1974 she started "Mietta's" in North Fitzroy in partnership with Tony Knox and Jules Lavarack. From 1985 until its closure in 1995 the restaurant was located in Central Melbourne where it was celebrated as a culinary and cultural institution. Together, she and her partner, photographer Tony Knox, published a number of books, including Mietta’s Italian Family Recipes, Great Australian Chefs and their annual guide, Mietta's Best Australian Restaurants.
