dsmWeekly: October 18, 2023

At Pyra Pizzeria in Norwalk, the Warrior pizza offers a mix of Italian and Iowan specialties. Photo: Karla Walsh

FOOD AND DINING

Following the footsteps of Stanley Tucci

Writer: Karla Walsh

I devoured Stanley Tucci’s memoir, "Taste," soon after it was released in 2021. As a reporter for EatingWell, I’ve covered many of his buzzy social media recipes, product launches and TV appearances. So recently, when I was flying to the Mediterranean for a vacation and discovered the entire archive of Tucci’s CNN series "Searching For Italy" streaming via the in-flight WiFi, the timing was perfect. I was about to land in Milan to kick off two weeks of hiking and eating my way through the Tucci family’s homeland.

While I knew a fair amount about Italian history and cuisine, the 14 episodes of the docuseries were excellent appetizers for the marvelous menu ahead. The cultural context really helped set the scene and helped me decide what to eat and drink while I was abroad. So now that I’m back stateside, I want to keep exploring regional Italian cuisine — and relive some of the most memorable bites from my trip. If you, too, want a taste of Italy close to home, try these stellar local restaurants that would surely earn Tucci’s stamp of approval.

Naples: Pyra Pizzeria
Tucci’s episode in Naples naturally focused on wood-fired pizza, which you can find at this hidden gem in Norwalk. Pyra imports San Marzano tomatoes and “00” flour — finely ground, with high protein for elastic dough — to ensure their pies are fairly close to the classic. If tradition is what you’re after, stick with the margherita. Otherwise, savor some Iowa flavor with the “Warrior,” topped with tomato sauce, Romano, bacon, Graziano's sausage, pepperoni, red onions, mushrooms, black olives and fresh mozzarella.

Rome: Lucca
During Tucci’s visit to Rome, rigatoni all'amatriciana earns the award for best supporting actor, and you can find it in fine form at this chic East Village bistro. (Try it for lunch in one of the best $14 mid-day deals in town.) Tucci once called spaghetti alla Nerano “life-changing,” and you can find a remarkably similar dish of zucchini and spaghetti on Lucca’s four-course prix fixe dinner menu.

Venice: Eatery A
Cicchetti are small snacks or bite-sized appetizers that are often enjoyed on-the-go or while standing and sipping a spritz at a Venetian snack bar, sort of like Spanish tapas. Tucci took a cicchetti tour of Venice on his show, and I followed in his footsteps with a local guide on my final day in Italy. After I returned home, I couldn’t resist swinging into this Ingersoll hot spot to share some happy-hour bruschetta with pals. The toppings vary with the seasons, so the current offerings are especially tempting: burrata, tomato jam and pickled fennel; fig, pear, five-cheese mousse, mostarda and candied walnuts; and anchovies, avocado and tarragon.

Sicily: Cooking with Alessandra
Of course, no local round-up of Italian food could overlook an experience hosted by Alessandra Meschini, the warm Italian mom we could all use some days. Her East Village cooking classes are so popular, they sell out months in advance. So book ahead: It’s worth the wait. You’ll be able to taste the cozy dishes that often have a Sicilian flair, such as cannoli and homemade pasta, and you’ll leave with recipes to recreate the experience again and again. And while your sauce simmers at home, be sure to watch Tucci’s 1996 hit, “The Big Night.”

To keep the fun going, reserve a table at Aposto, Centro, Cosi Cucina … There are more than enough Italian-American spots around town to hold us over until the next trip to Europe — or at least the next season of “Searching for Italy.”

The Sandbox Percussion performs this weekend with the Des Moines Symphony. Photo: Noah Stern Weber

BEST BET

Renewable energy inspires percussion quartet

Between performances of Dvorak’s “Carnival Overture” and Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade” at this weekend’s Des Moines Symphony concerts, the innovative Sandbox Percussion quartet plays water goblets, compressed air cans and other nontraditional instruments that suggest hydro, wind and solar power in Viet Cuong’s 2017 concerto “Re(new)al.” (Curious? Check out a cool video.) The concerts start at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Des Moines Civic Center.

“I have tremendous respect for renewable energy initiatives and the commitment to creating a new, better reality for us all,” the composer noted on his website.

Meantime, Sandbox Percussion is visiting local high schools this week — Valley (today), Southeast Polk (Thursday), Ankeny (Friday) and Urbandale (Monday) — thanks to the symphony’s Fred and Charlotte Hubbell Visiting Artists in Residence program. They’ll also lead workshops at Drake University and the Des Moines Symphony Academy to coach students on the finer points of rhythm and playing as an ensemble.

THE WEEK AHEAD

“Killers of the Flower Moon” (opening Thursday): This week Varsity Cinema opens a run of Martin Scorsese’s latest movie, which tells the true story of a series of murders among the Osage nation in Oklahoma in the early 1920s, after oil was discovered on their land. A special screening at 7 p.m. Friday includes a visit from Des Moines Symphony violinist Genevieve Salamone, a member of the Huron Wendat Nation, who composed music for the movie and performed at its premiere in May at the Cannes Film Festival.

Gallery talk with Max Colby (6 p.m. Thursday): The artist Max Colby visits the Des Moines Art Center to discuss her multi-piece work, “They Consume Each Other,” currently on display as part of the “Transform Any Room” exhibition.

Dinner and drinks (6 p.m. Thursday): Head to 503 Cocktail Lab + Tasting Room for a three-course dinner paired with specially created cocktails using spirits from Revelton Distilling. Snag your spot before reservations fill up.

Iowa Author Awards (6 p.m. Friday): The Des Moines Public Library Foundation celebrates libraries, literacy and local authors during its annual awards and fundraising event at the Embassy Suites downtown. Andrew Sean Greer, the Pulitzer-winning author and former Iowa Writers Workshop instructor will offer a keynote address, followed by a Q&A with dsm editor Michael Morain.

Jazz Hall of Fame (5 p.m. Sunday): The Community Jazz Center inducts saxophonist and educator Chris Merz and trumpeter Dave Rezek into its hall of fame during a reception, ceremony and concert at Noce.

Tribute to the Eagles, (8 p.m. Sunday):. The Black Jacket Symphony re-creates the iconic “Hotel California” album, note for note, during a concert at Hoyt Sherman Place.

ARTS AND CULTURE
Housewarming: Take a peek at Central Iowa’s newest performing arts center, the Vibrant Music Hall in Waukee, during a community party at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24. Enjoy a bite to eat and performances from the B. Well Foundation, Des Moines Music Coalition, Girls Rock! Des Moines and SEEDS Swans Program, an after-school ballet program for young dancers of color. Proceeds from the event, at 2930 Grand Prairie Parkway, benefit the Waukee Area Arts Council and other local nonprofits.

Elijah Muhammad (left) and Pat Ford co-founded Project Onyx to open up new possibilities for local teens. Photo: Ryan Parsons/RP Media

ARTS AND CULTURE

Project Onyx pumps up potential

Writer: Kelly Roberson

Project Onyx’s premise, and promise, is straightforward: Black and brown teens and young adults need affordable, accessible options for health and fitness, as well as mentorship.

The nonprofit’s activity, however, is anything but a straight line. Take a recent weeknight: Co-founder Elijah Muhammad was driving a car full of fed, exhausted teens home. One teen asked if the car could detour to the Popeyes drive-through. “Why now, and why Popeyes?” Muhammad queried. The answer:
There was no food at home for his siblings. So the group detoured to a grocery store, stocking up on basics for the teen’s hungry siblings.

Muhammad, a competitive CrossFit athlete, owns Unorthodox Fitness in Grimes. Project Onyx’s other co-founder, Pat Ford, has a doctorate in physical therapy and conducts workshops on anti-racism and diversity, equity and inclusion. They lived around the corner from each other but had never met until a summer night three years ago, when both were fiercely moved by the upheaval in the wake of George Floyd’s death and the activism of Black Lives Matter. The two came up with an idea to use fitness to connect with Black and brown kids.

Their initial idea: Gather young adults at Muhammad’s gym two or three times a week. Open each session with some conversation, then lead workouts in a safe space.

In three short years, Project Onyx has morphed into so much more than workouts and conversation. Active kids need energy, so Ford and Muhammad make sure the teens get fed. Transportation is always an issue, so they offer as many rides as they can. Two teens are pursuing athletic training certification, and summer is busier than the school year. “We’ve realized we need to meet the kids where they’re at,” Muhammad said.

Read the full story from dsm’s September/October issue online.