Binding Agents is Philly's bookshop for cooks and eaters. Located in South Philly’s culinary epicenter, the 9th Street Italian Market, we’re your go-to source for new cookbooks and food-focused reads, plus gifts and goods for making, serving and enjoying. We’re independent, women-owned, fun & funky. Learn more at bindingagentsphilly.com.
Description
Binding Agents is thrilled to welcome bestselling author, Emmy-nominated television host, journalist, culinary guide, and educator Katie Parla for a meet-and-greet and signing of her latest book, ROME!
This is a ticketed signing line. Reservations are non-refundable and include a signed and personalized copy of the book. If you would like more than one copy of Rome, follow the prompts to add these to your cart after clicking "Checkout."
Can't make it on 12/21 but want a personalized book? Select a free "Pre-Order & Pickup" ticket and add as many copies of Rome as you like to your order after clicking "Checkout." Follow the prompts to enter details for personalization.
About the Book
From Italy’s leading culinary voice and New York Times bestselling author Katie Parla, Rome offers a sweeping portrait of the city’s food culture, past and present. Drawing on two decades of research, eating, and storytelling in the Italian capital, Parla shows how the Roman table has evolved from the Iron Age to today and why it remains one of the world’s most compelling.
Rome launches with a thorough history through a culinary lens, beginning with its murky Iron Age origins, tracing the impact of conquests through the Roman Republic to the expansion of trade routes during the Empire and a scrappy period through the Middle Ages to ready Rome for its revival into the Renaissance era. Parla covers the political, societal, and economic shifts of the 18th and 19th centuries, from Napoleon to Mussolini and the post-war boom that introduced the “dolce vita” lifestyle, illustrating how people ate through the eras to bring readers into the mindset of present-day Rome.
The book contains over 110 recipes, drawn from experts (home cooks, restaurant pros, and food artisans alike) and is organized with a thematic approach: fried snacks and starters; pasta and soup; fish, meat and offal; vegetables, salads and sides; pizza and breads; and desserts. While the city’s beloved supplì, cacio e pepe, and maritozzi traditions are well represented, Parla finds opportunities to showcase a wider swath of Rome’s dining culture with recipes such as a hearty fettuccine al sugo di coda oxtail pasta and a warming minestra di broccoli e arzilla, or romanesco and broccoli soup.
More than a mere cookbook, Rome contains in-depth features that range from reflections on the fetishization of the cucina povera to the rise of the city’s urban dairy trade. An appendix highlights the forces shaping Rome’s drinking culture, spanning the categories of water, wine, craft beer and cocktails, followed by Parla’s essential recommendations to eating, drinking, and shopping in Rome today. Accompanied by playful illustrations and custom maps by designer Ian Dingman, the stories and ingredients of the Eternal City are brought to life in Rome with expressive photography by Ed Anderson.
About the Author
Katie Parla is a New York Times bestselling author, Emmy-nominated television host, journalist, culinary guide, and educator based in Rome. She has written, edited, or contributed to more than 40 books including the cookbooks Food of the Italian South, The Joy of Pizza, American Sfoglino, Flour Lab, and Tasting Rome. She co-hosts Gola, a podcast about Italian food and drink culture. In addition to appearing as an expert on television programs such as “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” and Netflix’s “Chef’s Table,” Parla hosts culinary shows on Recipe.TV including “Katie Parla’s Rome,” “Katie Parla’s Roman Kitchen,” and “Gola on the Road."
Date & Time
Dec 21, 2025 3:00 PM-5:00 PM
Venue Details
Binding Agents: A Cook/Book Shop
908 Christian StreetPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania 19147
