About Our Authors

^{Lauretta Avina, an Italian American immigrant, has a deep passion for sharing good food with family and friends. She self-published her first cookbook, Ricette del Mio Paese, in 2011. At the time of publication, Lauretta had been married for 36 years to her husband, a 24-year Army Veteran, now retired.}

^{Lauretta is the founder and president of the Franca Barsi Memorial Scholarship, created to honor her late sister by awarding a scholarship annually to a graduating high school senior. Following her sister’s tragic death due to domestic violence, Lauretta became a dedicated advocate and volunteer, educating others about domestic violence prevention and services. She has served as a guest speaker for various social welfare agencies and juvenile probation Victim Awareness Classes.}

^{In addition to her advocacy for domestic violence victims, Lauretta is a staunch supporter of military veterans and their families. She also advocates for students in her role as a Guidance Technician at her local high school.}

^{When she has time, Lauretta enjoys preparing delicious meals, often using vegetables and spices from her husband’s garden. She is well-known in her community for her Lasagna alla Lucchese and her Biscotti, which are frequently requested and sometimes sold to help fund her sister’s memorial scholarship.}

^{Despite not being a formally trained chef, Lauretta cooks from the heart, preparing what she loves to eat. Fluent in her native Italian, she keeps her language skills sharp through frequent trips to Italy to visit family and friends.}

^{Lauretta’s contributions have earned her numerous awards, including honors from the U.S. Army, the California Army National Guard, the Santa Clara County Juvenile Probation-Victim Services, and the American Legion Post 69.  She is also a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society.}

^{Throughout her life, Lauretta has dedicated countless volunteer hours to the California Army National Guard Family Readiness Group, especially during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, as well as to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, including serving as M.C. for the Veterans Day Parade. Additionally, she has also volunteered for the Gilroy Garlic Festival,  at  her son’s elementary, middle school and high school and was briefly a board member for Emmaus House, a shelter for domestic violence female victims and their children.}

^{Her community involvement extends beyond advocacy; Lauretta has held several pageant titles, including Miss Gilroy Bonanza Days 1982, Miss Gilroy Garlic 1983, and Miss Gavilan Hills Scholarship Pageant 1985. She was also 2nd runner-up in the Mrs. California USA pageant and has judged pageants at both the local and state levels.}

^{In her spare time, Lauretta enjoys long walks with her two dogs, Ava and Pepper, and her husband. She loves swimming, beach outings, crafting, and most of all, singing.}