Zuppe: Soups from the Kitchen of the American Academy in Rome, Rome Sustainable Food Project

Zuppe is a logical second volume in the series of Rome Sustainable Food Project cookbooks-soups are a centerpiece at almost every Academy meal, and the preparation that perhaps more than any other showcases the produce provided by farmer Giovanni Baernabei, whose farm provides the Academy#x19;s kitchen with an endless source of fresh, organic vegetables that inspire the inventive seasonal menus. The fifty recipes draw from the four traditional categories of Italian soups: those made with water (aqua cotta), with stock (brodo), with cream (veloute), and soups for the evening meal. The recipes are arranged by seasons. The Rome Sustainable Food Project, a program devoted to providing organic, local and sustainable meals for the American Academy in Rome, has launched a delicious revolution to rethink institutional dining. Headed by chef Mona Talbott, and guided by Alice Waters, the menus have given rise to a new, authentic cuisine, inspired by la cucina romana, Chez Panisse, and the collective experience of those working in the AAR kitchen.

Mona Talbott was chosen by Alice Waters to be the Executive Chef of the Rome Sustainable Food Project in 2006. Talbott is a mentor to many cooks starting their careers and is a respected teacher, author, and chef. Her first food-related job was working in large reforestation camps in Canada. After culinary school she was hired by Alice Waters to work at Chez Panisse. She later worked at Eli Zabar's Vinegar Factory and E.A.T. stores in New York and consulted for Hillary Clinton at her home in Chappaqua, New York. In 1999, Talbott began working as a chef for photographer Annie Leibovitz, and in 2004, was hired by Bette Midler's New York Restoration Project to design a children's after-school gardening and cooking program. In 2009, she was selected to be in COCO: 10 World-leading Masters Choose 100 Contemporary Chefs. She has written articles and recipes for The New York Times, Saveur, and Organic Style.

Annie Schlechter has been working as a photographer since 1998. She spent from September 2009 to June 2010 living at the American Academy in Rome. Her clients include The World of Interiors, House Beautiful, The New York Times Magazine, Real Simple, W magazine, Travel & Leisure, and many more.