Sometimes the Best Ingredient Is the One That Isn't There

Faith Heller Willinger signs a copy of her new book at the Dupont Circle FreshFarm Market. (By Pouya Dianat -- The Washington Post)

My friends have introduced me to their friends, and I've introduced them to my friends.

You've made some of your friends famous.

Dario Cecchini, the legendary butcher, is somebody who has become a legend because I wanted everyone to meet him. And they did, and, deservedly, he has become quite famous.

" Mario, Meet Dario" -- that was the name of one of your classes.

I introduced Mario [Batali] to Dario, and that was the beginning of something fabulous.

Then Armandino, Mario's dad, wanted to learn to make salumi. He'd always dreamed of it. Mario asked me to help him. I said I'd work with him under two conditions: He had to learn to speak some Italian, and he needed knife skills. He went to Peter Kump's cooking school, took some language classes, and then he came over to me.

We spent a month traveling around with a norcino, the guy who goes to somebody's house and breaks a pig apart and makes all the stuff.

And that's how Armandino learned to make salumi.

Speaking of catchphrases, you're referred to as La Faith. Where'd that come from?

Dario. I need that "La" before my name. We both think it's funny.

You're after the best ingredients, all the time. But there has to be bad food in Italy.

First, there's long-life milk (UHT). It's become huge in Italy because it lasts a long time. We have ultra-pasteurized, too. It lasts for a week and a half instead of three days. There's bechamel in a box. We have a cake mix in a box. All you do is snip off the top and pour it in the pan.

Another thing is called quattro salti in padella, which means "four leaps in the pan" -- frozen food that you defrost in a skillet with some butter or some olive oil. It could be pasta, even! But the truly disgusting thing is that bars and places that serve lunch use it. I don't know anyone who eats that.

I heard someone at the market ask you if real pasta is dying in Italy.

Nothing is dying in Italy. There will always be someone who wants to do things the traditional way.

Massimo Bottura is somebody who was visited early in his chef career by Alain Ducasse. He spent time studying with him. He went to Ferran Adria to learn, as well, but has always stayed within his regional flavors.

At one point, Bottura did a balsamico gelatin, like this really thin sheet, draped over some rabbit. It was a traditional flavor used in a new way. You have to admire that.