Introduction

I watched the cab carry her to the airport, taking her away forever. My heart disintegrated. My stomach collapsed. As the tears rolled down my face, I knew my one chance at happiness had left me. My one true love was gone. My life had changed for the worst and forever. As the black cloud settled on me, I was sure I was going to die.

For weeks, it seemed as though I had, in fact, died. The sun wouldn't shine. The stars had gone dark. Color ceased to exist. But one morning after having spent the previous night seeking solace in the bottom of a bottle of bourbon, I remembered how whenever I felt sad, my Nonna made me feel better by cooking for me. And when she cooked, she always told stories. Stories about her life, her experience. Stories that related to the food she was preparing and somehow made me see that everything would be okay. I realized that for my Nonna, food was a way to deal with life.

So I dragged myself into the kitchen and I made Nonna's famous scrambled eggs with potatoes and peppers. As I stood over the stove, I heard her voice saying in Italian, "Dante, the heart and stomach are connected. When one hurts, take care of the other and you'll always be well." I looked up and thanked my Nonna for reminding me and I immediately began to feel better.

The Broken Heart Diet is a cookbook, not a fad diet. There is no science behind it. I'm not a nutritionist, not a dietician. But I am a hopeless romantic. And The Broken Heart Diet is all about healing the heart. It's about doing something for yourself when you feel like you can't do anything at all. Cooking has more power than anything else I know. From the preparation to the consumption, the healing power of food is undeniable.

I want to share my experience and give you a few of my favorite recipes in the process. In honor of my Nonna, each recipe is also accompanied by a story like the ones she used to tell me. Stories of my own heart break and the cuisine that helped me get over it.

Enjoy making these recipes. Enjoy eating the food. And heal your broken heart. Buon Appetito!