This cookbook has been generations in the making. In the early 1970s, George Vespa had a dream of opening an Italian Restaurant in Lake Placid, NY. After hiring a chef from New York City's Little Italy, the Villa Vespa got it's start. Throughout the years, George made several trips to cooking schools in Europe, honing his kitchen skills and fine-tuning the recipes for the Villa Vespa. Throughout her young adult life, George's daughter Kimberly worked alongside her father in the kitchen, learning the recipes and finding her own passion for food. After the Villa Vespa closed in 1997, Kimberly opened her own successful takeout Italian food shop with many of the recipes from the restaurant. In addition, she jarred and sold the Villa Vespa Marinara sauce by the caseloads all over the northeastern United States. The recipes that follow are from the kitchen at the Villa Vespa. They are classic Italian dishes made easy. Although the Villa Vespa is no longer open, now everyone can enjoy the food we've all come to love. May you use them to create great memories of your own.
Salute,
Kimberly