The Box of Torrone

The Box of Torrone is an unusual book of poetry about six flavors of the Italian nougat torrone, each flavor associated with a city in Italy, based on an actual box of torrone that the author received from his beloved Italian aunt years ago. This is a project that developed over years as associations between the cities and flavors of torrone coalesced to create a delicious blend of history, culture, poetics, and aesthetics.

The Box of Torrone begins with a three-part suite of poems, "In the Box of Torrone", in summary of the trip to come, tracking a journey up the Italian peninsula with stops at six major cities, Naples, Rome, Pisa, Florence, Venice, and Milan. This book takes shape from other terrains and histories, including Mexican jungles, Los Angeles, Fort Lee, New Jersey, and even the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory. The pairings seem classic and yet unusual: Lemons / NAPLES, Chocolate / ROME, Coconuts / PISA, Coffee / FLORENCE, Almonds / VENICE, Hazelnuts / MILAN.

Aside from the geographical and confectionary travelogue, The Box of Torrone is structured with a delicate network of time travel from the past to the future with a lingering layover in the eternal present, the City of Rome, informed by the concept of "yesterday, today, and tomorrow" and the joys of international cinema.

Highly unusual in its conception and composition with visual and aurally stimulating elements, The Box of Torrone has an international and yet personal theme, timeless in its breadth, suitable for readers who wish to explore a world of flavors and an armchair voyage to Italy.