Adriana Trigiani isn’t just a bestselling novelist, playwright, screenwriter, producer, director, and podcast host—she’s a force of nature! I met Adriana shortly after publishing my second novel, “Eliza Starts a Rumor,” and was immediately transfixed by her style, energy, and magnetic smile. She graciously invited me and my fabulous agent, Eve MacSweeney, to her home in Greenwich Village for an unforgettable lunch filled with sage advice, many laughs, and a heavenly chicken artichoke casserole that I’m still dreaming about. (Yes, it’s that good.)
Find her mom’s recipe below and her definitive answer to the age-old debate: Cake or Pie?
Jane Rosen (J.R.): You arrived in NYC in 1985, and I feel like you were instantly knighted a New Yorker. What drew you to the city?
Adriana Trigiani (A.T.): You have to understand Jane, that growing up in the mountains of Virginia, I dreamt of living in New York City since I was very small. Anything about New York, whether it was a story my dad would tell from his visits for work, or my grandmother, or uncles or an aunt, was like an IV drip infusion of energy. So, I couldn’t wait to move here. And I never left- even though I’ve worked around the country and in LA, I actually open my lungs and sit up straight when I see the skyline. That’s how much I love this city!
J.R.: You worked in television for ten years. Where did you get your start?
A.T.: I didn’t grow up watching TV, except for The Waltons and The Tonight Show, so I really didn’t understand how it was done. But, as a theater major, who concentrated on playwriting, I understood, even then, how to build characters, the world, the conflict, and the story. I loved writing for television. I worked for some of the best folks in show business.
J.R.: Coming from a large intergenerational Italian family, what about your heritage most influences your life and work?
A.T.: There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t call on my mother, grandmothers, father, grandfathers- aunts, uncles. I live in a suspended state between these worlds, as I miss them all so desperately that I have to put it out of mind, or I’d never accomplish anything. I have just described what my heritage means to me, it’s identity. I have written novels that pull the threads of my family history- the complexities, the joy and, of course, the pain that comes from the loss of love. I have a sense of peace when I return home to Italy, and I don’t think that’s an accident.
J.R.: Out of your 18 delightful novels, which pushed you furthest outside your comfort zone, either in its themes or its creation?
A.T.: They all do- and this isn’t a dodge. “The Good Left Undone” was a feat for me, but every time I turn in a manuscript, I lie down on the floor and say, I have nothing left to give!
J.R.: I look forward to a new episode of your podcast, “You Are What You Read,” every Tuesday. You seem impervious to stage fright. Has there ever been a guest who made you nervous to interview?
A.T.: I’m too busy trying to connect with the writer to be afraid! I try to get to the pith. Sometimes I fail, but I am in there slugging! My best friend is always telling me I could use a little fear in my life, but I think, what’s the worst thing that could happen? A big no? So, it’s a no. Moving on!
J.R.: Your mom was a librarian—how did that shape your relationship with books and storytelling?
A.T.: My mother shaped who I am in ways that, even at this hour, this late in the game, I learn anew. Her elegance, grace, soul, wounded by early loss, became my loss too. Isn’t this the essence of reading and writing? To tell a story, to hold on to the pain for long enough to describe it. To let it go so that the reader can be redeemed through the telling. My mom taught me to revere books. She believed there was nothing betterin this life that a book- than reading- than going into a world and escaping.
J.R.: You live in one of the most storied parts of NYC, Greenwich Village, and have for quite some time. New York City is in a constant stage of metamorphosis. What do you miss?
A.T.: It’s sad when a favorite restaurant closes, I still mourn Valdino’s. I actually set out on foot, following leads as to where the owner had gone and never found him. When I was pregnant, I lived on the Valdino salad: spinach, walnuts, beets. I hope I reunite with Stefano someday. Maybe he’ll read this!
J.R.: Cake or pie?
A.T.: Cake!
Ida’s Easy Artichoke and Chicken Casserole
SERVES 6 TO 8
Three 9-ounce packages of cooked chicken strips (white meat)
3 cans artichoke hearts, quartered
3 cups white mushrooms, sliced thin
1 fresh lemon
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon capers
½ cup gluten-free “bread” crumbs (or use regular if you wish)
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
½ cup olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a 9-by-12-inch glass baking dish, toss in the chicken, artichokes, and mushrooms. Squeeze with the juice of one fresh lemon. Toss in the garlic, capers, breadcrumbs (leave aside about ¼ cup for topping), and cheese, drizzle with olive oil, then mix thoroughly. Sprinkle remaining breadcrumbs on top.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Recipe from “Cooking With My Sisters,” co-written by Adriana and Mary Yolanda Trigiani.
Jane L. Rosen is the author of Seven Summer Weekends., On Fire Island, A Shoe Story, Eliza Starts a Rumor, and Nine Women, One Dress. She is also a screenwriter and contributor to publications including The New Times, Tablet, and now, her hometown paper, the Fire Island and Great South Bay News. She and her husband have three grown daughters and a rescue pup named Rosalita. Stay tuned for her upcoming title, Songs of Summer, scheduled for release in May 2025. Visit janelrosen.com for more details..