Italian Recipes
(click below )

Risotto with Butternut Squash and Montasio Cheese, with an Emulsion of Amarone Wine.

Guinea Fowl Breast Coated In Saffron On A Cream Of Celery.

Veal With A Mushroom And Parmesan Cheese Sauce
Finished In An Oven Wrap.

Veal White Stock

Squash And Eggplant Cannelloni With Veneto Ricotta, Aromatic Herbs And Smoked Pancetta Along With A “Stufatino” Of Radicchio Of Treviso And Smoked Pancetta.

Multilayered “MILLEFOGLIE” Adriatic Seafood

Chicken salad with a balsamic vinaigrette

Team Veneto in RAGBRAI 2004

In July, the Veneto committee hosted ten bicycle riders from the Veneto Region riding as Team Veneto, in RAGBRAI 2004. This is the fourth time that the Veneto committee has collaborated with the Padova Province (Veneto) chapter of AICS (Associazione Italiana Cultura e Sport) to participate in Iowa’s classic cycling event which is now in its 32nd year. The Veneto riders are well-known participants in the Des Moines Register’s great Iowa “coast-to-coast” cycling event. Of the ten cyclists who came this year, six are now veterans of from two to four RAGBRAIs – 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004. This year’s Team Veneto included Giancarlo Alibardi, Elio Rigotto, Nicola Trombetta, Pierluigi Bonora, Alessandro Cingolani, Stefano Lazzarini, Alberto Cariolato, Elda Aida Soldà, Camillo Pretto, and Alessandra Tormene. Veneto committee members Amy and Tom Worthen biked with the Italians again this year. RAGBRAI provides an unusual and ideal way for citizens from our Italian sister state to see Iowa and meet Iowans, while spreading the word about our sister state relationships and Iowa Sister States.
An amazing amount of effort and collaboration on the part of Veneto Committee goes into this project. Members organize home stays in Des Moines and along the bike route, transported riders, bikes, and
luggage, and threw parties. ISS staff members Laura Zaper and Sara Graham coordinated logistics and arranged meetings with county officials. Lois and Lou Fingerman hosted a welcome party for riders and host families at their home. Des Moines host families were Patricia Baldwin; Paolo Bartesaghi and Mark Pritchard; Dee and Eugenio Coco; Marilyn and Chuck Farr; Lois and Lou Fingerman; Amy and Tom Worthen.

Hosts along the bike route included Camp Nebowa in Onawa; Cynthia Seymour in Lake View; Michelle and Don Woodruff in Fort Dodge; Ellsworth College in Iowa Falls; Beverly and Ross Iverson in Marshalltown hosted an incomparable evening barbecue and Iowa wine tasting; Stephanie and Daniel Hinz in Marion rode on RAGBRAI and then came home to host our team; Sheri, Sue, and Sam Sandburg in Maquoketa. Sam Sandburg, a Beatles aficionado, and his band presented a great Beatles-cover concert. Assisting with transportation of bikes, riders, and luggage were Luca Berrone, Jamie Core, George Belken, and Frank Affannato. Amy Worthen designed this year’s Team Veneto tee-shirt. In addition to all the RAGBRAI fun, several official and professional contacts took place.
Mason City and Montegrotto Terme (province of Padova in the Veneto Region) are currently in the process of becoming sister cities, and a delegation of citizens from Mason City, led by Dave Vikturek,
generously organized a welcome party for the RAGBRAI riders in Iowa Falls. Veneto rider Alessandra Tormene, representing the International Affairs office of the province of Padova, had meetings with county supervisors in Polk County and Johnson County to explore possible sister- county relationships. Rider Alberto Cariolato, a dentist, had an opportunity to tour the College of Dentistry and the University of Iowa hospitals. RAGBRAI notoriously takes place during the hottest week of the summer, but this summer Iowa was blessed with cool temperatures and delightful weather during the ride. Once again, the Veneto riders fell in love with Iowa and were overwhelmed by Iowan’s openness, hospitality, and generosity. They were very impressed by the way ISS volunteers throughout the state work together. Team Veneto is already planning for RAGBRAI 2006.
--Amy Worthen

Official Delegation to Veneto, 2003

From September 29-October 1, 2003, Iowa Sister States conducted an official visit to Veneto, Italy. Led by Eleanor Verwers, ISS President, and Paolo Bartesaghi, Chair of the Veneto Committee, the delegation made site visits and held meetings with key members of the Veneto Regional Government. Other members of the delegation included: Elizabeth Hoak, Robert Anderson, Amy Worthen, Ross and Beverly Iverson and Phil Latessa, ISS Executive Director. The delegation focused its attention on developing a work plan of projects that would be conducted over the next two years. Among those proposed are: sharing expertise in wine making, marketing and distribution; an adult choir exchange; high school student exchanges; sending an exhibit of historic quilts to Veneto; receiving a RAGBRAI delegation; establishing a culinary exchange program between the Des Moines Area Community College Culinary Arts Program and the Chefs Association of Veneto; and an exchange between the Des Moines Metro Opera company and the opera company of Verona. A draft of this work plan is being reviewed in Veneto. After it is approved by both sister states, the Veneto Committee will convene a series of meetings to create subcommittees of volunteers who will plan and carry out the projects. If you are interested in these projects, please contact ISS staff.