Stanley Tucci loves to taste extravagant and delicious cuisine, but when it comes to the staples on his family’s holiday table, he keeps it basic.
“Wine and San Pellegrino,” Tucci, 64, exclusively tells Parade in celebration of his new National Geographic series’ Sunday, May 18, premiere. “We always make marinara sauce or Bolognese or eggplant parmesan. Lots of salads. Stuff like that. Really simple stuff.”
In the upcoming five-episode, food-and-travel show, Tucci takes viewers on an Italian voyage to learn about the country’s food, culture and history. Along his journey, he meets with several interesting locals, farmers and restaurateurs who share their own personal stories while feeding Tucci some of their finest dishes.
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During filming, Tucci flew back and forth from Italy to New York City so that he didn’t go too long without seeing his wife, literary agent Felicity Blunt, and five children. Because of his long travel days, he became a master at packing perfect snacks for the long haul.
“Bring salami sandwiches and lots of like little snacky things, but not like sweet things, more savory things,” Tucci advises. “Or if we make something, we’ll make sandwiches. Maybe eggplant parmesan sandwiches, or something like that that you can bring with you, so you’re not eating the sort of crappy food that you can often get in the airports and on an airplane.”
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Tucci, who also serves as a producer on the show, was blown away by many things he tasted along the way, but now that he’s back in the States, there’s one dish he’s still dreaming of.
“I really did love that Timballo that they made in Abruzzo,” Tucci says. “I thought that was amazing.”
Tucci in Italy premieres Sunday, May 18, on National Geographic.