Q&A with Bella

Alisa Barry

What inspired you to create Bella Cucina?

There's nothing more that I love than sitting around the table sharing good food with friends.  Small bites and a glass of wine. That's the way I like to eat and entertain.  

From oven to table and jar to platter, you only need a few fresh ingredients to make it a festive feast. 

And, I believe how we eat is just as important as what we eat.  From sweet little plates that fit in the palm of your hand, to hand-carved wooden serving pieces as elegant accoutrements. They all enhance the experience.  

I first fell in love with the art of eating when I lived in Europe many years ago. Every time I returned, I was reminded that taking time to savor is one of the simplest luxuries we can afford ourselves, everyday.  Bella Cucina first started as a small lunchtime café.  Inspired by Alice Water's philosophy of using what's in season, I would buy whatever the organic farmer's harvested for the week and create my menu around the ingredients.  I was the cook, the caterer and the clean-up crew.  

Soon after we opened, customers were asking how they could enjoy the flavors of the food in their own kitchen.  Within a short year, I was bottling up freshly picked basil pesto, baking Death by Chocolate cookies and  and preserving a Mediterrean condiment called preserved lemons.  Within a short time, I had a complete line of Italian-inspired pantry provisions. 

Fast forward a decade and some years later;  Bella Cucina has become an award-winning artisan-made product line sold around the world.

For more Q&A with Bella, check out www.bellacucina.com

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Buon appetito! copyright 2012 Alisa Barry