It is time for our next Cookbook Book Club! Please join us on May 25 at 6:30 PM here at Island Books for pasta, pasta, and more pasta. Michela Tartaglia of local Pike Place establishment Pasta Casalinga will be joining us as we share a variety of the pasta recipes from her debut cookbook, Pasta for All Seasons. This book is a nod to her Italian upbringing while simultaneously celebrating the local bounty of the Pacific Northwest.
Now, those of you who have had the good fortune of stumbling upon Pasta Casalinga tucked away in a corner of Pike Place Market know what a good time we're in for (if you haven't been so fortunate yet, it's just a 15 minute drive from Mercer Island; the trick is going before they sell out for the day). I found Pasta Casalinga when a friend from out of town and I had just returned from Bainbridge and bookstore hopping. We were starving and I had heard about a handmade pasta place hidden in the warren of shops. We found it after some wandering, chose from the seasonal offerings, and devoured some of the best pasta I've ever had. Since then, whenever I get the craving for seasonal, authentic, delicious pasta, I head to Pasta Casalinga. It is a place that embodies some of the best qualities of the Pacific Northwest. It is small, local, and fresh, with the pasta handmade daily in small batches and a seasonal rotating menu.
If you love pasta, supporting local businesses, and enjoy cooking (or just looking at gorgeous pictures of scrumptious food), then make sure you stop by to pick up a copy of Pasta for All Seasons before Cookbook Book Club. There are a variety of excellent recipes to choose from, all conveniently sorted by season. While Michela gives you a beginners guide to pasta in her book (how to make it and what types work best for which sauces), you can rest easy knowing that you don't need to handmake your own pasta; Michela reassures us that store-bought noodles are just as authentic as handmade. In fact, if you want to stay true to the Pasta Casalinga vibe, they also sell ready-made pasta noodles at Metropolitan Market. Michela will be signing books, and you can ask her any questions you have about her recipes or what it's like to run a shop in the iconic Pike Place Market. As a fan of Pasta Casalinga myself, I can't wait to try my hand at some of the amazing recipes in the book and see what everyone else cooks up. Hope to see you there!
— Becca
