This book is a tribute to all the strong women in my life. I wanted to also make the rest of the world aware of this mouthwatering cuisine that hails from the land of Piacenza in Northern Italy. This lineage of inspiration began with my great-grandmother, Maria; her unending determination despite great odds enabled her to open a restaurant. The restaurant would ultimately be transformed into a bed-and-breakfast which still exists today. The recipes that were born through that establishment were enhanced through the generations that followed and continue to satisfy the many palates of various family members and friends.
