Behind The Store: Newly Edited with Photos for 2014

by Vincent Romeo

Newly Edited with Photos for 2014 In 1950s Cleveland, Ohio, stands the Romeo family’s home, and inside this home is an ordinary table at which extraordinary memories are made. There’s no shortage of provisions, thanks to Mama’s magic hands. Nor is there any shortage of eaters. Through these meals, author Vincent Romeo delivers the very specific and dramatic world of first-generation Italian immigrants. Papa labors at the steel mill all day and comes home to rule his domain. Mama runs the store from dawn to dusk, then makes dinner for the family. And here the memories come to life like the sights and smells of Mama’s best recipes, which Romeo provides at the end of each chapter. Nino Pantano, from The Brooklyn Daily Eagle writes, “Each chapter of this culinary wonder deal with Mr. Romeo, now an actor in New York, and his upbringing in Cleveland, Ohio. Such delectable chapters as ‘Mom and I Make Italian Sausage’ or ‘Pasta e Fagioli’ and ‘The Simple Pleasures of Life’ will fascinate you.” Romeo’s memoir is a search for life’s meaning, for a father’s love, and a celebration of the connection that binds all of us regardless of race or the dinner table.

270 pages, Paperback

Published November 13, 2014

Reviews

[Dahlia Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a nice book to read! I stan this book and the author. This is my second book from the writer and I definitely like reading this type of genre because of the narration style of the author. Everything was vivid and clear, and I could taste crispness in every description that I felt and experienced those precious memories of Vincent Romeo. I was so happy to read an authentic account like this from a person who personally experienced what it was like in the golden days. It is both entertaining and informative all at the same time. His childhood rendezvous and all those crazy antics brought me back to my very own childhood days when everything seemed a little simpler.

[Paisley Booker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mouthwatering dishes are bursting in this memoir by Vincent Romeo. You will get hungry as you read this book. The recipes included in this book are heirloom that should be passed down to the generations to come. The author’s mother is a genius in cooking and a warm soul. Just by reading the stories in this book, I could tell that she did a great job as a mother to her two wonderful children and also as the best wife she could be for the father of the writer. Their family was far from perfect, but it gave me a picture of what a good family might be like. Having hard-working parents is certainly a blessing for any individual. This book really gives us a good picture of the 1950s.

[Elizabeth Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a heartwarming account of memories. This memoir gave me all the giggly and tingly feelings as I read it. Though it tells of some unpleasant experiences, the sweet and positive vibes rooted in this book are such a charm that no one would be able to resist finishing this book once they started reading it.

There is a lot to learn and enjoy in this book. The funny memories of the author just gave me the mood I needed to break from stress. I am looking forward to the other works of the author and hoping for some of his works to be produced in a motion picture. There is no harm in wishing for something like that to happen. I’m rooting for you author-nim!

[Wendy Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so sweet, but this isn’t a romance book. It will give you that pleasant-tingly experience as you read the book. I like how the author gave it all out. His childhood memories are extraordinary and interesting, I just can imagine those moments with him.

Relishing the good and bad encounters may sometimes be painful and unexpectedly funny. I must say he has talent in vividly putting what’s on his mind into writing. I tried to read in some area in our house where no one can see since I was aware that I kept stretching my lips to smile every time I got to read something hilarious or heartwarming in this book which happened a lot of times.

[Whitney Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh! I love it! I love it! This is one of my best reads in 2021. I find this book sweet and funny. There is a lot going on in this memoir and one of the highlights is the mouthwatering dishes prepared by the author's mom. There are bonus recipes inside this book that you don’t want to miss. You get to have a fair share of the author’s life adventure in this lifetime which is kind of refreshing since we totally live in a different era. It’s nice to see a different perspective. A point of view that compels me to reflect on the kind of life I am currently living. Such an eye-opener for a millennial like me.