In 1982, North Carolina native Susan Gravely took a trip to Italy with her mother and sister that would change the course of her life. It was on that trip that the idea for an Italy-based ceramics company, VIETRI, was born. Now, Susan has released her first book, Italy on a Plate, to commemorate the relationships and memories made in the 40-year history of the company. Part memoir, part travelogue, and part cookbook, Italy on a Plate takes readers on a tour through the towns and tastes of the country that has grown to feel like Susan’s second home.
On September 30, Susan visits Little Rock as a presenter during the Central Arkansas Library System’s annual Six Bridges Book Festival. Susan will host a cooking workshop (sponsored by At Home in Arkansas) at Eggshells Kitchen Co. at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $15 and available here. At 4 p.m., join Susan along with fellow cookbook authors Stacey Mei Yan Fong (50 Pies, 50 States: An Immigrant’s Love Letter to the United States through Pie) and Sandra A. Gutierrez (Latinisimo: Home Recipes from the Twenty-One Countries of Latin America) for a panel discussion at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (free).
Ahead of Susan’s Little Rock appearance, we asked her a few questions about Italy on a Plate, her travels, and her experiences as the founder of a beloved tabletop brand. Read on for more….
