New members Laurel and Don Zinker enjoyed the meeting and winning a bottle of wine!
Kathleen Ripley Leo
The PebbleCreek Italian American Club held its first meeting on Sept. 8 at the Tuscany Falls Ballroom and it was an extravaganza for all of the 70–plus members who attended. The meeting began with the pledge of allegiance as always. After wine, courtesy of Realtor Donna Strand, our Program Director Bob Marchese and video master David Carnevale regaled the members with YouTube clips of actor Stanley Tucci and Chef Lidia Bastianich, who both gave introductions to the wines and desserts of the 20 regions of Italy and Sicily. Wine was poured by wine stewards Bill Frustaglia and Keith Martino.
Member Joe Witherup gave a superb introduction to specific regional wines and we now know about the DOC, the DOCJ, and especially about the Black Rooster designation. Nearly one–fifth of all wine produced in the world comes from Italy. In between the video clips, six members gave a presentation of their baked goods: Mary Ann Fusco on pizzelles, Kathleen Leo on Classic Tiramisu, Cheryl Baugh on Butter Balls, Bob Marchese on Genets, Suzette De Salvo on Biscotti, and Melinda Kresek on Limoncello Tiramisu. Also, a free wine drawing saw six winners walk away very happy. After the program, a wonderful tasting of all the desserts was enjoyed. There was also a 50/50 raffle courtesy of Ken Russo and Vic Leo.
The next meeting will take place on Oct. 8, when the second installment of Everything Italian will feature Christopher Columbus and his accomplishments in history and exploration. Any and all interested in becoming a member can call President Ken Minichiello at 419-356-4010 and also check out the club website at pciacaz.org for our calendar events and photos.