Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy

Forget all those 'feel good' movies or comedy shows - for relaxing times, make it Stanley Tucci time...

this show is like Italian cuisine - simple yet beautiful, tasty yet very low-key. Walking with Tucci from joint to joint, re-discovering all those (in theory) familiar tastes is soothing and relaxing, and it leaves you with even greater appetite both for food, and for life in general.

Stanley Tucci himself strikes me as a reasonably (he's still a holywood star, mind you) humble guy, who still has this grip on reality, that is frequently, if not always, absent in people of certain status. There are no coerced laughs, no forced bonding, but we get a lot of "human touch" on this very basic, and - especially today - so much desired level. And I believe the credit goes equally to Tucci and all the people he meets along the way.

Combined with breathless shots, great recipes (most of them you can try to recreate at home... to a certain level of course) it's the ultimate show to relax, have a laugh or two, and regain some of that positivity that's definitely been lost during last 12+ months...

This is what Italy is all about.! Every region has its own specialty., I learned to cook from Italians in Italy. The hardest thing to do it cook with minimal ingredients. It is all about the technique and FRESH local ingredients. This series should be a weekly series that could go on for years. Every town or regions is a museum of gastronomy. Italians take pride in their unique quality of local ingredients and resources. You have to experience this first hand in Italy. Same ingredients made here is America won't work. In Italy you can hear a symphony of sound when you eat the foods. . Its an explosive experiences to your taste buds. This is why you can go to any continent in the world and find Italian food. Just not like its done in Italy. This is just the tip of the iceberg of the possibilities of the unique foods in Italy.

I have been to Italy on a personal trip (with an Italian-Canadian chef of all people!) and what they are showing is spot on. We've been to Naples, from Formia going through the region where they make the mozzarella di bufala, and that's exactly the feeling we had. The exceptional link to the land, the narrow streets of Naples, which felt like Rome's punk sister - an exceptional city on its own, being in the shadow of the Vesuvius ... and the food! Great, great work, and excellent host. Good to showcase the locals - and keeping it in the original Italian... get use to subtitles, that what makes it so authentic! Looking forward to the remaining episodes, hope Lazio will be in there.

Tucci takes you on a real deal tour of Italian cooking and ingredients and it's people and culture that is sparkling and fresh. He visits the cuisine of the poor and the rich, of the establishment masters and the young rebels. Unlike shows with an obnoxious UK host overplaying his own part, Tucci being Italian the show has a sweet, refined Italian hospitality and grace to it that is a great addition to the whole process. I moved to Italy 17 years ago after marrying an Italian from Bologna and we both think this is a great culinary adventure series. It is emotional and quite revealing.

After having spent my summers in Italy as a child and young adult, I always find time to return whenever I can, even though I am on the opposite side of the world. Stanley presents Italy as it should be, a view of its history, its people, it's tradition, and of course it's food and wine. What many reviewers and critics won't pick up on is the subtle nuances of each region the series covers, it opens a world of opportunity to both new and seasoned visitors to the flavor of The regions of Italy for all to take in, both tourists and off the beaten path travelers. I even learned a few new places to venture out to experience. Well done CNN and Bravo!