Italian-Americans, Magazines and Meatballs

I love that the October Issue of Food & Wine features Italian-American Favorites. Pick up the issue or read online for the many recipes and fun-facts. Did you know that there are 324 Italian festivals held annually in the United States? And 26 million Americans with at least one Italian grandparent? That makes the Italian-Americans the fifth largest ethnic group in the United States.

Wow. That’s a lot of Italian-Americans. And what do they like to talk about? Food. What do they like to argue about? Food.

Meatballs are a controversial topic. This one soaks the bread in milk first, this one has a secret ingredient she’ll never share.

I’m often asked for a good meatball recipe. I love making meatballs, but I don’t usually follow a recipe. bon appétit recently published Molly Wizenberg’s “In Search of the Perfect Meatball.” She describes a mixing technique that I look forward to trying the next cool, autumn day when our kitchen becomes a temporary meatball factory.

Happy reading, cooking, eating and good-natured arguing!