Page 22 - Boca Exposure - March '22

Page 22, Boca Exposure
Book Review

Taste: My Life Through Food For Italy, in which he tours the “... I probably spend more time thinking about and focusing
regions of that country bringing on food than I do on acting, as is evidenced by some of my
By Nils A. Shapiro viewers a taste of their famous recent performances; it seems appropriate that this primary
Of the many hats fit to foods and cultures. passion take yet another form: that of a memoir of sorts. The
be worn by Stanley Tucci— To say that I devoured following pages offer a taste of such a memoir. I hope you find
actor, writer, producer, this book after just a few them palatable. (More puns to follow.)”
director, with 70 films to bites of the first several Secondly, I myself was born in The Bronx, a borough
his credit plus scores of pages in an understatement. I of New York City, and, together with my brother Don, was
performances in television finished its 286 pages in only raised by deeply loving parents in the same kind of tight,
series, Broadway shows, two sittings — and there are close-knit family, with nearby grandparents, uncles, aunts,
Grammy-winning recordings several good reasons. cousins, almost always enjoyed home-cooked meals from
and more—it’s a safe bet that To begin with, Tucci has European Jewish recipes ... so I related completely to Tucci’s
the hat he is most comfortable a self-deprecating sense of descriptions of his growing-up years.
wearing, and most enjoys, is humor that is quite charming. And, finally, I can only add that the very first pages of this
the white chef’s toque. The following brief excerpt that ends the book’s Introduction book after the Introduction and the book’s very last pages
That is abundantly clear to anyone who has the good fortune section offers an example of this, and makes him such an are brilliantly tied together in a way that brought tears to my
to experience Tucci’s delicious and richly rewarding memoir that endearing companion in print that one can’t help but feel he eyes as I closed the cover ... and just sat there for a while,
quickly, and deservedly, landed on the national bestseller lists must be a fun guy to know, and wish that you could spend so grateful for having gotten to know this very special man.
and has been there for the past several months. some time with him in person over a few good meals: You should do the same.
I had not realized that this is actually Tucci’s third published
book, the first two having been The Tucci Cookbook and
The Tucci Table. But, as the opening text of this new book’s
dustcover’s flyleaf explains, “From award-winning actor and
food obsessive Stanley Tucci comes an intimate and charming
memoir of his life in and out of the kitchen.”
I have italicized the above words because they are what is the
very heart of this book. While food has always been a big part
of his life—from his childhood growing up in a warm, loving
immigrant Italian family to the world travels made possible by Upscale Resale
his star-studded career—there is so much more to this man, and
it is reflected in the down-to-earth, easygoing writing style and Experience The Difference
sense of humor that cannot help but give you the feeling you are
having a deeply personal conversation with a close friend as you
devour these pages at a hungry pace. (Tucci also assumes you New and consigned furniture, unique lighting, accessories and gifts.
won’t mind his occasional use of the four-letter “F___” word Complete wallpaper and fabric library for all your design needs.
whenever he deems it appropriate!)
Born in Westchester County, a suburb of New York City,
Tucci was raised by parents who had immigrated from the Italian
town of Calabria and carried on the old traditions, most especially New 23,000 sq. ft. Location
the closeness of family and the importance of homemade meals
from the recipes of the old country and enjoyed together around
the kitchen table ... with a special fuss on holidays. Consign and Design has EXPANDED! They have moved to a new, much
The early pages of this book warm the reader with
Tucci’s memories of his days growing up among family larger location at 7700 N Military Trail. The previous “Golf Store” has been
and friends, and when he describes the many dishes such redesigned and it’s gorgeous! Consign and Design has been the place
as Ragu Tucci, Spaghetti with Lentils, Timpano, or a to buy and consign for the last 20 years. They specialize in working with
deceptively simple-sounding Tomato Salad, he presents high-end homes, upscale designers, and luxury model homes. Multiple
the recipes right there in the book for you to try! celebrities and sports legends have used their services and shoppers have
In all, there are almost two dozen recipes included in these
pages, most of them his family’s own favorites, but he has added purchased incredible pieces as a result. With wait times for furniture at
several from among his world-famous restaurant chef friends, more than a year in some instances, luxury consignment brings great
and added his versions of such drinks as a Negroni up, an old- value. They also carry fabulous new artwork, lighting, and accessories. If
fashioned, and the martini. you haven’t experienced Consign and Design, check it out soon! You won’t
One friend from his high school days, Campbell Scott, is believe the buys. At least 5 trucks roll in weekly and it goes out fast!
the son of actors George C. Scott and Colleen Dewhurst, who,
when she was starring on Broadway, got the two young men
roles as soldiers in her play. That was in 1982, Tucci’s start in Nanci Smith, the owner, has had a fabulous store in Wellington for years
show business after he had majored in drama in college. but decided to expand in the Gardens 5 years ago. She couldn’t be happier
Since then, this formidable talent has racked up more than with that decision. She states, “I knew we would do well because our
35 nominations at such wide-ranging festivals as the Academy Wellington clients expect a certain level of service and I felt we could deliver
Awards, Golden Globes, Emmys, Tonys, Grammys, Golden
Globes, Screen Actors Guild, Film Critics Circle and others, and that in a different way than others in the Gardens, Jupiter, Stuart area. Our
he has taken home top prize 14 of those times. store was well received here and the time has come to expand. We also
As one would expect in a book about as prolific an actor as fill a void for well curated artwork and accessories. Art is one of our top
Tucci, he counts many A-listers among his personal friends, categories, and it’s hard to find in the mid range price point. It’s either very
and they turn up in these pages from time to time, but only cheap or super expensive. People want original and unique pieces without
in appropriate and interesting settings during discussions of
career experiences that make it clear he is not into name- purchasing a name. We offer new and consigned items at a fraction of the
dropping just for the sake of it. price and you can take it home today!”
But Taste is more than just a story of a life filled with
pleasure and success. Tucci’s first wife, Kathryn, whom
he married in 1995 and with whom he had three children,
died of cancer in 2009.
A little over a year later, actress Emily Blunt, with whom
Tucci had appeared in an earlier film, introduced him to her
sister, Felicity, an agent residing in London. They got to
know each other and were married in 2012. With her two
children from a previous marriage, theirs is now a family
of seven. Tucci, who despises Los Angeles and avoids it
as much as possible, now calls London home.
Knowing all of the above about Stanley Tucci, what do
you think would be a terrible punishment to inflict on him? Call us to sell. See us to buy.
At Christmastime of 2017, Tucci was diagnosed with a large 31,000 total sq. ft. in 2 locations to serve you!
cancerous tumor at the base of his tongue. Surgery would
mean that he could never eat nor taste through his mouth PALM BEACH GARDENS:
again. Having lost his first wife, Kathryn, to cancer, he 7700 N Military Trail • 561.694.0964
describes the experience of facing that medical diagnosis, the
decisions he had to make, and the six months of treatment. WELLINGTON: Wellington Marketplace
While Tucci’s memoir ends before the production of his 13857 Wellington Trace • 561.798.5222
latest television success, we know the result of such treatment
from the fact that he recently took home an Emmy for his six- myconsignanddesign.com Nanci Smith, CEO
part television documentary series, Stanley Tucci: Searching