L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014 www.italoamericano.com 8 Lottery-Winning Chef Has Big Italian Impact on Small Oregon Town The Italian Businessmen's Club Makes Community Giving a Priority When Ruby Lewis was a lit- tle girl in the tiny remote town of Bonanza, Oregon, she never imagined her hometown's name, which means "prosperity," would one day become a reality for her. At 16, Ruby was selected by the Girl Scouts to go to Boston to learn about U.S. history. Staying with the grandparents of a family friend there for three weeks, she got hooked on all things Italian. "I stayed near several Italian families whom I visited often," recalls Ruby. "I was greeted by the wonderful aromas of their food and welcomed to their tables. I loved my time there; eating, laughing and creating lasting friendships. "It was in Boston, under the culinary guidance of a special nonna, that I developed my pas- sion for cooking. She taught me how to make everything from Eggplant Parmigiana to fresh pastas and sauces. From then on, I learned everything I could about Italian gastronomy and culture." Years later, after attending Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, Ruby settled in the nearby town of Albany, where she decided to open her own restaurant. Enter invest- ment firm owner Tony Lewis — an Italian-American living in Washington state – who hap- pened to be representing the seller of Pizza King, the restau- rant she ultimately bought. When Ruby married Tony, she married into a passionate, extended family of Italian Zuccati's in Vezzano and Ciago near Trento. "Going to Italy was life In 1951, Portland's Italian- American business community came together to assist with the recovery of the disastrous flood of Italy's Po River. Soon after- wards, they decided that Portland needed a permanent Italian-American organization resulting in the formation of the Italian Businessmen's Club (IBC). Dedicated to preserving and promoting Italian culture and providing a civic service for Portland's community, the IBC has contributed to many causes, both locally and in Italy, through financial giving and volunteer work. A separate IBC Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organi- zation, provides yearly scholar- ships in Italian studies at changing," says Ruby, "because my husband is Italian-American, I — and our three children — were immediately welcomed into his incredible family. We have traveled to Italy 11 times." After operating her restaurant for 26 years, life changed drasti- cally for Ruby on March 28, 2012 when an anonymous Oregonian won the $9 million Megabucks lottery jackpot. Because the winning ticket was purchased at Pizza King, Ruby received a whopping $90,000 bonus. "With part of that windfall," notes Ruby, "I began searching for the best Italian culinary school. Academia Barilla in Parma was my choice because of its sterling reputation and trained chefs. I'd had no formal training, so I wanted to acquire first-class certification and test my skills. "Once accepted, I was given a huge reading list and arrived in Parma for ten days of total immersion. We worked long hours with other chefs from around the world and were taught by master Italian chefs. We had a one-day tour to learn about foods from the Emilia- Romagna region, learning first- hand how Parmigiano-Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma and Balsamic Vinegar are made. Last year, I was the only American chef that completed the CPIC. I'm proud to say that I was second in my class after being tested with a practical and written exam." Today, Ruby is known as the chef who keeps on giving. "I made a promise," she explains, "to use authentic Italian products at Academia Barilla, as their mission is to protect and defend Italian gas- tronomy. So at my restaurant I create a weekly four-course Italian meal that reflects regional specialties using quality Italian ingredients. Once a year, I also cook a special Truffle Dinner." Ruby teaches only Italian cooking and uses traditional methods and recipes. She has created a classroom in her restaurant where she teaches classes on a variety of menu items as well as giving private Italian cooking classes to clubs, for birthday parties, businesses, and bridal showers. "The Italian Food and Wine Connoisseurs is a group I estab- lished for people to learn about the unique differences of Italy's 20 different regions. We meet once a month to highlight a region and enjoy foods that I prepare which are typical from that area." Each member in the group is assigned a specific topic con- cerning the selected region, then researches it and shares the information at the dinner meet- ings. As a result, the group is able to share their passion for Italian cuisine and culture while creating friendships. The group started last year, shortly after Ruby returned from Academia Barilla, and now has 22 mem- bers with a list of people still waiting to join. Ruby has also written two cookbooks, A Taste of Italy: My Favorite Soups and A Taste of Italy: My Favorite Desserts. Each book includes family recipes and photos she has taken throughout her travels in Italy. "I love sharing my passion for Italy with others," concludes Ruby. "Our community has been very supportive, my class- es and dinners are full, and my students are highly dedicated. I work hard to be a productive part of my community and do my best to support local growers who produce Italian varieties of vegetables. I think what makes the difference is that I love what I do and I have wonderful cus- tomers!" For more information, con- tact Ruby at www.Pizza KingAlbany.com TErESA NEuMANN BOB IANNACONE Ruby Lewis with Chef and Instructor Mario Grazia at Academia Barilla Portland State University and supports La Scuola Italiana di Portland. As with many organizations, membership had declined over the years as newer generations became more assimilated. Realizing that maintaining a Portland focus on Italian her- itage is vital, the IBC made changes to bring in new and younger members. "Better communication with current, past and future members through traditional and modern networking techniques helped, but perhaps more meaningful was the elimination of the 'men only' rule," explains Guy LaCesa. "Today all persons of Italian heritage (or married to such a person) are eligible as full members. Within a short time, women have made huge contri- butions and enlivened the IBC." Being an Italian group, IBC monthly dinner meetings are lively, as are social events. One recent event, La Festa d'Estate, took place in a private garage full of beautifully restored clas- sic autos, and complete with an old-fashioned soda fountain. The night featured Italian food and music in a "Happy Days" set- ting. The IBC's big annual fundraiser, La Vendemmia, is a festival of food, wine and enter- tainment in celebration of the grape harvest. Harvest celebra- tions are common at vineyards in Italy but rare in the United States. Willamette Valley's famous Pinot Noir region and the IBC make the perfect combi- nation for a great day. This year's La Vendemmia takes place on September 21 at beauti- ful Ardirí Winery, an Italian- American owned and award- winning vineyard. For more information about the IBC, visit www.ibcpdx.org. Joe Cavalli and Frank Genovese of the IBC present a check to Andrea Scasso for La Scuola Italiana di Portland

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