than just a cookbook. It's a journey. It is filled with over 175 recipes and stories that define the city, its people, and its culture. Pittsburgh is a city founded and formed by hardworking immigrant families. It is a city proud to say that all people were and always are welcome. As the city evolved over the past several hundred years, so did its cuisine. The ethnic food became part of who we are. It defines our lives, celebrates our family times, and honors our traditions.

These are recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation and gathered over the years from my family, my husband's family, and many close friends. Most were on handwritten recipe cards, in worn notebooks, and penciled on scraps of paper stuck in cookbooks, all kept so dear. Recipes run the spectrum from those from my own "numbers-running bookie," pickle-packing Grandma Mary to the special Pittsburgh cookie table section featuring thirty of my favorite cookie table cookies. Italian, German, Polish, and many more recipes exemplify the food Pittsburgh loves. Its stories will make you chuckle, raise a brow, and warm your heart. Family tales, ethnic lore, historic and city anecdotes embrace what it is to be part of this wonderful, unique black and gold Yinzer city of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh on Your Plate is waiting for you to enjoy the food world of our hometown. Yinz know...that city where the three rivers meet "dahntahn" and "them Stillers" play!