L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano Sharing a Passion for Italian Culture, Travel and Cuisine The Italian Business Club presents an Italian Marketplace in Wine Country studied Italian history, literature and mythology. His gregarious personality led him into work as a r e s o r t d i r e c t o r a n d entertainer. In fact, he was in between acting jobs when he a n d A d r i e n n e m e t a t a c h i l - dren's theater class in Rome. " H e a s k e d m e o u t f o r s i x months," laughs Adrienne. "He would bring me mozzarella di buffala from Naples and sfo- gliatella; he went broke! When we finally went out on a date, w e w e r e n e v e r a p a r t again." They were married in Naples. Raised in Portland, Adrienne grew up listening to her grand- father tell tales of his time in Italy during WWII. His love for travel and all things Italian inspired Adrienne to include the country on a backpacking trip t h r o u g h E u r o p e w i t h h e r sister. "It is so different when you go to Italy the first time; y o u j u s t f e e l s o m e t h i n g s o intense. You feel the history in the streets and the ancientness around you." Determined to live in Italy, Adrienne first worked as an au pair in Rome and then as a tour guide with a large tour company in Rome, until Renato convin- ced her to quit her job so they c o u l d s t a r t t h e i r o w n c o m - pany. They began as a cultural association in 2009, leading small groups with an emphasis on Italian history and cultu- re. With Renato's deep know- l e d g e o f I t a l i a n h i s t o r y a n d mythology, his natural storytel- ling ability, and Adrienne's art history background, A&R Tours b e g a n t o g r o w i n popularity. Even so, there was still a learning curve. "We went flat broke the first y e a r , " s a y s A d r i e n n e . " A n d then it went crazy!" Of course, a big aspect of t h e t o u r s r e v o l v e s a r o u n d Italian food. After that first year, Renato began offering cooking classes, preparing tra- ditional Neapolitan dishes in a special lunch for their guests at his parent's home, overlooking the Bay of Naples. The expe- rience was unforgettable. "It turned out to be the num- ber one thing they talked about on Trip Advisor," the couple laughs together. "They would say, 'Visit the Colosseum, visit the Vatican, go to Pompei, but d o n ' t m i s s t h e N e a p o l i t a n lunch!'" Today, A&R Tours includes several employees in Italy, and they still specialize in connec- ting the traveler to the local h i s t o r y , c u l t u r e a n d cuisine. Adrienne and Renato live half of the year in Rome, t h e o t h e r h a l f i n Portland. Three years ago, they welcomed daughter Emily, and they are expecting their second child in mid-July. The success of the cooking classes in Italy inspired Renato t o b e g i n c o o k i n g c l a s s e s i n Portland. Operating as Napoli, That's Amore!, his goal is to present authentic Italian food in an entertaining but educational a t m o s p h e r e . I n a d d i t i o n t o catering, the couple offers in- home and group classes, as well as dinner parties where each guest becomes a part of meal preparation. Italian-style wed- dings are becoming a specialty. "Italian cooking should be authentic," says Renato. "It is i m p o r t a n t t o u s e v e r y g o o d ingredients. My cuisine is sim- p l e , o r g a n i c - n o t h i n g artificial. When we come from I t a l y , I b r i n g a l o t o f p a s t a , mostly artisanal pasta, handma- de and amazing." Renato brought his cooking enthusiasm to Festa Italiana for the first time last year. It was a family affair with Adrienne and other family members prepping and cooking. Their Frittura Napolitana - lightly breaded and fried seasonal vegetables – quickly became the favorite dish of the Festa. This year, he will prepare fried calamari. Thinking back to the lessons he learned as a child, Renato knows what legacy he wants to leave to his children. "It is important to be active and work but not work to make only money," he says. "Work to keep your soul and brain active. Always recycle yourself. Life is an adventure – you can't wait for this thing to happen or that thing to happen; be ready to change and risk." I n t h e h e a r t o f t h e Willamette Valley's wine coun- try, Old Town Sherwood is set to celebrate Italian culture at an Italian Marketplace featuring local Italian businesses, musi- cians, and vendors on Saturday, July 25 from 3:00-9:00pm. Along with their generous sponsors, the Italian Business Club Foundation is excited to host this cultural event. The IBC is a local Italian organiza- tion that supports Italian culture in Portland and awards a scho- larship to a student each year at Portland State University. Sherwood has a rich Italian history in the area, really pro- spering around the turn of the 20th century when the Italian farmers who had settled there made onions the area's biggest export crop. A lasting record of this is Cipotle Road, named for the onion (cipolla) flats that once lined the local highway. The Marketplace will open in Cannery Square, a beautiful brick "piazza" with cascading fountain, and will feature Italian food and wine, gelato and cof- f e e f r o m l o c a l m e r c h a n t s . There will be homemade pizzel- le, hearth-style breads, pasta and olive oil, as well as infor- mation on private tours of Italy and cooking classes by both T a s t e o f I t a l y a n d N a p o l i , That's Amore! Crooner Kes Rooney will serenade the crowds with the s o n g s o f F r a n k S i n a t r a a n d Dean Martin. Vocalist Pina di R o s a w i l l p e r f o r m c l a s s i c Neapolitan songs. Children will play Italian language games presented by La Scuola Italiana, and authors Nick Nigro and Bay Ewald will be signing copies of their newly released cookbook, Living the Mediterranean Diet. To keep everyone cool in the s u m m e r s u n , V o i c e s f o r t h e Performing Arts will be selling Italian sodas, and balloon twi- sting, face painting and a visi- ting donkey will keep the chil- d r e n b u s y w h e n t h e y a r e n ' t playing in the fountain There will be something for e v e r y o n e a t t h e I t a l i a n Marketplace in Wine Country. F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t www.italianportland.com M e e t i n g C h e f R e n a t o Solpietro for the first time is a happy experience. He is pas- sionate about life in general and Italian culture and cooking in particular. His wife, Adrienne Davis is just as outgoing - pic- ture a glass jar full of swirling fireflies and you have a good image of the exuberance and j o y t h a t e m a n a t e f r o m t h e m both. They pour that energy into their two businesses, A&R T o u r s a n d N a p o l i , T h a t ' s Amore! Born and raised in Naples, Renato comes from a long line of talented chefs. His mother, A n i t a , i s n o exception. Growing up, he was fascinated watching her prepa- rations in the kitchen. " M y m a m m a m a k e s t h e Neapolitan lasagna," he shares. "She says that her recipe was given to her by her bisnonna. A n d t h e b i s n o n n a o f h e r bisnonna had this recipe. This recipe goes all the way back to my ancestor who made it for t h e l a s t K i n g o f N a p l e s , Francesco II." Anita was a strong influence on her sons. She pushed them to learn English, to study hard i n s c h o o l , a n d t o a p p r e c i a t e their Italian culture. Renato KERRY-LYNNE DEMARINIS BROWN Renato Solpietro teaches how to cook Italian recipes with enthusiasm and humor TONYA RUSSO HAMILTON Vocalist Pina di Rosa brings classic Neapolitan songs to the event

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