How One Catch Can Lead To...

This catch of the day (measured 18 inches) was another good excuse for me to pull out one of my staples.

This led to trying a parchment bundle tied with string and placed on the grill.

I cut a long rectangle sheet and placed the fish on it. On top I placed fresh basil, lemon, a little butter, parsley flakes, 2 TB. white wine and matchstick carrots. The fish bundle was cooked for 25 minutes and turned once during the cooking.

 This no fuss meal gave me more time to read my book.

And what a book! This phenomenal opening grabbed my attention right away and swept me right into the epic novel. Trigiani's prose is quite lyrical
The scalloped hem of Caterina Lazzari's blue velvet coat grazed the fresh- fallen snow, leaving a pale pink path on the bricks as she walked across the empty piazza. The only sound was the soft, rhythmic sweep of her footsteps, like hands dusting flour across an old wooden cutting board. 
This historical fiction book was  fascinating read about the story of Ciro and Enza. Often their  stories were interconnected but yet at times seemed entirely separate.  The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani is a story about her  grandparents. 
Their story begins in the Italian Alps at the turn of the century. Ciro and his brother Eduardo are left in the care of the nuns at a nearby convent. Their mother, a recent widow, is unable to care for them. The brothers spend several years flourishing under the care of the nuns. But then a scandal erupts that involves a priest in the village. Ciro is witness to certain events and then is banned from the parish and village. He moves to America to become a shoemaker's apprentice. Eduardo moves to Venice to enter the seminary. Ciro meets Enza briefly before he leaves for America and they feel a real connection to each other. 
Meanwhile Enza's family encounters several disasters. Due to lack of money and several setbacks, Enzra and her father chose to move to America to earn money that the family needs.  Enzra gets a job in a factory and reunites with Ciro. But sadly it is too late as he has to leave to serve in World War I.
I will stop at this point with story details :) 
When I read the reviews of this book they were all 5's and that is high praise for the author. And if all the tears I  shed along the way reading this book are any indication of how good it is you will not be disappointed.  
Trigiani is skilled with period details really making the immigrant experience come to life. Do not be daunted by the size of he book. It is well worth it.