This day has been coming for so long I thought I would be prepared. Eating Rome: Living the Good Life in the Eternal City is officially for sale! I thought I would have all my ducks in order: blog post written and ready to go, various social media blasts in order and - most importantly - this monthly newsletter thing.

Weirdly though, I find myself, on the morning of April 7, pub date, finding myself looking at a blank page. While I usually have no trouble ‘selling’ myself (or my books, tours , apps or anything else me-related) I’m having an awful hard time wrapping my head around how to tell you to go out and buy this book now that it’s actually available.

I think it is related to the same trepidation I feel when someone suggests I take a selfie. This book, more than anything else I’ve ever written so far, is one big selfie. Yes, there is lots that is practical (recipes, lists of restaurants, tips on eating your way through Rome) but there is also a lot of me - and my family - in there too. So there is a lot of fear going on here this morning. That same kind of fear when I hold out that iPhone and aim it at myself. Will I look weird? (probably) Will my hair be sticking up at odd angles? (almost certainly) Will it be embarrassing? (I hope not)

So here it is. Eating Rome. On a bookshelf, real or virtual, near you. I can’t wait to hear what you think. It’s available at Amazon,Barnes & Noble and if you’d like to download it directly ontoyour kindleyou can do that too. And of course, if you're near a bookstore, please head there straight away.

If you do buy the book, you’ll see I thank a lot of people (including the entire city of Rome) but one more thank you is in order. Thank you so much for supporting and reading my blog these past five years. So much of what your write in comments and in emails to me affects what I do. And much of it has made it into Eating Rome. So a big mille grazie to you!!!!

The videos continued last month with the rest of my visit to Umbria, cooking in Laura’s kitchenwith Paola. As always with these videos I try to capture and learn some new technique that is difficult to convey in words. And Paola always has something new to teach me.

Torta al Testo was something I had always eaten in Umbria, but never seen made. And although Apple Strudel may not be typically Umbrian, or Italian for that matter, Paola puts her own spin on things and taught me how to pull together an incredibly impressive dessert with very little hassle.

I’m not the only one with a new book out.

I first met Jenn Louis when I took her and her husband David around Rome several years ago. I was thrilled to help Jenn plan a trip through Italy researching gnocchi in all its delicious forms. Her fantastic book, Pasta by Hand, is out and should be in your kitchen.

I’ve known Nancy Harmon Jenkins for too many years to count. You probably know her other expert tomes on Italian cooking. What you may not know is that she is an expert on olive oil and has finally written a book about it: Virgin Territory: Exploring the World of Olive Oil.

John Hoopers The Italiansis a must read for anyone who cares anything about Italy.

The prolific Domenica Marchetti’s newest book is Ciao Biscotti, which I can’t wait to cook from. Not just sweet biscotti, but savory as well.

And for lighter reading:
The most beautifully written discussion of manners ever, from Tamara Adler
Rome in 36 Hours: not quite enough time to see everything, but the author makes a pretty good start with great video.
Preventing food fraud using technology.

Sadly I’m not doing a real book tour. But happily I’ve been talking to lots of folks about Eating Rome, and they’ve been talking and writing about me. Here is the latest press so far:

Talking about How to Cook Traditional Italian Food on the Clever Cookstr at Quick and Dirty Tips. You can listen to the pod cast here.

Quoted in the LA Times, “Why Aren’t Italians Fat?”

Chatted with Julia Moskin about lamb in the New York Times

Eco Salon wrote a lovely and long reviewand even made some of my recipes!

To keep up to date with news about Eating Rome, and future radio appearances and news stories please 'like' myEating Rome Facebook page.

Thank you!

xx,Elizabeth