Binding Agents: A Cook/Book Shop
908 Christian StreetJoin the authors of two beautiful spring cookbooks for a discussion on documenting, sharing, cooking, and baking the cuisine of Italy!
Domenica Marchetti is a professional recipe developer, cooking class instructor, and author of nine (!) cookbooks. Her latest, Italian Cookies, is a grand tour of Italy through (you guessed it) cookies.
Melissa Pellegrino and Matthew Scialabba are husband-and-wife chef-owners of the Italian restaurant Bufalina in Guilford, CT. Their new book, Lido, explores the history, culture, and food of Italian beach clubs.
We'll welcome them to Binding Agents for a Sunday afternoon conversation about their culinary careers, their travels through Italy, the pleasure and challenge of capturing the tastes of disparate regions into one book, and more! Sips and nibbles will be included. Don't miss it.
Guests may choose a ticket with or without copies of the books. Prices are inclusive of fees. Entrance to the shop requires one step up. Please contact us at hello@bindingagentsphilly.com with any questions or accessibility needs; we'd be happy to help.
About LIDO
An intoxicating tour of Italian Lidos with lush photography, Italian recipes and more, from some of the most sought-after beach clubs in Italy.
Brightly colored umbrellas dance in the wind, above matching sun beds in the same bold hues. The crystal blue water shimmers in the background and gently laps against the pebble beaches. Bronzed, glistening bodies dot the landscape. Like most things Italian, there is an art to a day at the beach.
Lido is a transporting exploration of the history, culture, and food of Italian beach clubs. Part 1 invites you to the clubs along the whole of the Italian coast. Part 2 shares over 60 recipes from apperitivi to dolci. Living la dolce vita has never been easier with recipes for Pinsa with Ricotta and Mortadella, Lobster Risotto, Puglian Bruschetta with Marinated Summer Squash, and Pavlova with Fior Di Latte Cream.
Grab your towel and find your spot under the umbrella. The salty, sweet air and azure waters of the Lido beach clubs await.
About ITALIAN COOKIES
ITALIAN COOKIES: Authentic Recipes and Sweet Stories is a grand tour of Italy through its cookies. It is a deep dive into a seemingly frivolous subject that turns out to be not frivolous at all. The book was years in the making, and Domenica’s research took her to country villages, towns, and cities in all 20 regions of Italy. What she discovered as she traveled from Piedmont to Calabria and to the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, is that much like Italian food and Italian wine, the cookies of Italy are regional in character, their recipes rooted in history, in the land, the culture, and in local ingredients that tell a story. Butter in the north, olive oil and wine in the south; rich hazelnuts in Piedmontese Baci di Dama, and sweet, buttery Romano almonds in Sicilian amaretti.
In Italy, cookies are in large part still made by hand: hand mixed, hand shaped. It was meeting the people—the bakers and the artisans—who continue to produce these beloved cookies—that made this subject so meaningful to Domenica and worthy of a deep exploration.
Sun, May 3, 2026 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Binding Agents: A Cook/Book Shop
908 Christian Street
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.
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