Katie Parla is living her dream in Rome, The Eternal City. She grew up in an Italian-American household in Princeton Junction, where her parents worked in various food businesses. Papa now owns Clydz restaurant in New Brunswick (known for game and specialty cocktails), while her mother, Jo Ann, gives popular cooking demos at the West Windsor Community Farmers Market where she is also on the board.

"Because we are Italian American," Parla wrote in an email, "I always identified as 'Italian,' but during a high school Latin trip to Italy I realized the food in Italy was way different than what I ate growing up and I wanted to know more."

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Source: http://www.centraljersey.com/