Read Marsha Burdick

Shows, food, discussions and lots of people are all going to converge to hopefully bring a much needed surge of business to the local economy. We're counting on it, I'd say, but there is more to it than that. Universal Expositions are actually fairs to promote international tourism, industry, design and exchange. If you want more history, I suggest you hop over to Wikipedia for a quick brush-up. What is EXPO Milano 2015?  Tourism, farming, food, music, art, architecture: these are the more obvious themes of this year's Expo. Pavilion styles reflect cultural differences with a definite slant in expression towards food and perception of natural resources. Several countries have independent constructions to illustrate their commitment/contributions towards the world's food supply. Many have interactive tables or video games to let people playfully explore topics like crop production, sustainability and innovation. Argentine beef salad Feeding the Planet... ...

Farinata with an interesting white wine at the #Eataly Pavilion. That's all everyone is talking about right now. I live in Italy, and Italian food is ... well, do I really have to explain that? The main reason that food is on everyone's minds is that Expo2015 is all about food, so it seems obvious that this month's book list should discuss the topic. How many cookbooks do you own? At last count, I think I had between 40 and 50. Some of them are really small paperbacks, and some are nice big treasures with lots of pictures. A few were given to me as gifts, and one or two are legacies from grandmothers. My favorites?  They're oldies but goodies. The Microwave Guide and Cookbook by General Electric Company. La Cucina , edited and adapted by Myra Street with a wine section by Serena Sutcliffe. Chocolat by Stephan Lagorce is absolutely fabulous! Of course, my copy is in Italian. This very creatively packaged book looks like a wrapped chocolate bar, wi...