Lucia's Calabria

Lucia's Calabria: Southern Italian Cooking in an Oregon Orchard

by Lucia Alviano Von Flotow
Caroline Woodham (photographer), Samae Horner (photographer). Logan Merriam (designer)

Drawing on her Italian heritage, Hood River resident Lucia Von Flotow has created  “Calabria,” a cookbook full of tasty treats.

About the Author

On July 12, 1992, Lucia, her husband Andy, and their four children ages one through five purchased an old school bus and transported themselves and all of their belongings to Hood River, Oregon.  Lucia had no idea what to expect of her new life, but upon arrival, she was mesmerized by the beauty of the land, the bounty of the orchards, and the mountains whose white tips seem to guard and nourish what lies below.  The valley where Lucia and her family call home has been planted with various types of fruit, including three varieties of wine grapes.  Six types of fig trees are grown in the greenhouse and harvested for her legendary pizzas among other delights.  Her four children, Andreas Jr., Fritz, Claudia, and Maurizio are currently in universities around the world, but love coming home to enjoy their Mamma Lucia's Calabrese cooking.  It is in her kitchen that they are reminded: "Si cucina sempre per amore!" - We always cook for love!