05 Mar Please The Palate Pick of the Week: South of Somewhere: Wine, Food and the Soul of Italy by Robert Camuto

I love to read. But I cannot seem to find a lot of time to read a book these days. I start them, get distracted with work, and then too much time passes. But when I picked up South of Somewhere: Wine, Food and the Soul by Robert Camuto, I could not put it down. Camuto’s writing connects us to the people and places of Southern Italy and that is why South of Somewhere is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Robert Camuto is a prize-winning American author and journalist who has lived in Europe for 20 years. South of Somewhere is his third book and second from Italy, following his critically acclaimed: Palmento: A Sicilian Wine Odyssey (2010). In South of Somewhere, Camuto travels around Southern Italy, visiting with wine producers from the Calabrian toe of the Italian boot and Sicily’s still active Mount Etna to earthquake-shaken land of Abruzzo; from the remote lands of Campania and Puglia to Basilicata’s Mount Vulture; from the old papal territory of Umbria to Rome’s once great Lazio and back to the evocative cliffs of the Amalfi coast. As I read South of Somewhere, I would close my eyes and imagine I was there. Camuto’s descriptions of the people and places were so vivid. Painting pictures of these characters, I could picture them in my mind and felt as if I could hear them speaking. I could almost taste the wines and the food as he described them. In South of Somewhere everything comes alive, from the roads and buildings, to the vines and wineries, to the meals and people. I felt as I was traveling with Camuto in Italy and am now itching to travel to Southern Italy to explore the wines, the people, the food, the lifestyle. And, I am looking forward to meeting Robert in person this week as he comes to California for a series of events surrounding South of Somewhere. Check these events out, join us, and share with your friends: LOS ANGELES: Tuesday, March 8th, 5:45-7:30pm ($20-$40) – Italy America Chamber of Commerce West presents a Fireside chat with author Robert Camuto and Networking Aperitivo at No. 10 Ristorante Wednesday, March 9th, 6:30pm – 9:00pm ($340 per person) – Osteria Mozza welcomes renowned wine importer, Oliver McCrum, and award-winning author, Robert Camuto, for an evening celebrating the wine, food and soul of Southern Italy. Join us at Osteria Mozza in the Primo Ministro Room for a pre-dinner tasting of 10 wines from producers including Emidio Pepe, Cantine Lonardo & Ciro Picariello, followed by a three-course dinner with wine pairings. Throughout the tasting and dinner, Oliver and Robert will lead an intimate discussion covering the wines of southern Italy and Robert’s latest book South of Somewhere: Wine, Food and the Soul of Italy. Also as part of the special evening, all guests will receive a copy of the book as a take home gift. Book your reservation. Saturday, March 26th, 2:00-4:00pm ($35) – Book Signing and Wine Tasting with Robert Camuto at Barbrix Wine Shop. SAN FRANCISCO: Monday, March 14th, 5:00-7:00pm ($10 for glass of wine or flight / $30 glass of wine and book) – Conversation with Robert Camuto at Biondivino – THE IN-PERSON EVENT IS SOLD OUT BUT IT WILL BE LIVE-STREAMED – register to attend by selecting and checking out with the ‘FREE Join the livestream’ ticket option and we’ll send you all the details prior to the event. Tuesday, March 15th – Dinner at A16 San Francisco – Book your reservation and enjoy a la carte pairings with wines featured in South of Somewhere. Books will be available for purchase and Robert will be available to sign copies. Wednesday, March 16th – Dinner at A16 Oakland – Book your reservation and enjoy a la carte pairings with wines featured in South of Somewhere. Books will be available for purchase and Robert will be available to sign copies. Thursday, March 17th, 6:30pm (free) – In-Store Author Event with Robert Camuto at Omnivore Books SONOMA: Friday, March 18th, 6:00-8:00pm ($30 for members/$40 for non-members) – Special Author Showcase with Robert Camuto with the Sonoma County Wine Library Association SEATTLE: Tuesday, March 22nd, 6:00pm ($100++, includes a copy of the book) – Southern Italian Wine Dinner with Author Robert Camuto at Tavolata Stone Way Wednesday, March 23rd, 6:00pm ($145++, includes a copy of the book) – Volcanic Wine Dinner with Author Robert Camuto at Tavolata Stone Way