Virginia N. Pipitone

I’ve thought about writing a book for years — but never dreamed it would be a cookbook! My long list of ideas ranged from children’s books to inspirational and self-help topics, but it wasn’t until my Italian mother-in-law passed that I thought about publishing recipes. What better way to honor Nana than by giving her cookies a new life, and compiling her recipes for a new generation of home bakers? You hear about some writers sequestering themselves with coffee and cigarettes to finish a novel. Coffee and cookies kept me going! I became obsessed, combing through old notes and index cards, translating Italian, and, of course, testing cookie batches — all while still working fulltime as a nurse case manager. What started as ten recipes became more than fifty, from America and Italy, with notes on history, ingredients, and baking tips. Now I’m hooked — I hope to publish another cookbook later this year.