Pasta Lessons

January 19, 2009 --

ONE of the FBI's secret weapons against the Mafia was, believe it or not, the Food Network. Retired FBI Agent Jack Garcia revealed over breakfast at '21' that when his bosses asked him to infiltrate the Mafia, he boned up on the proper pronunciation of Italian delicacies to make sure his cover wouldn't be blown. To sound more authentic, Garcia said, he glued himself to the Food Network and watched Mario Batali, Lidia Bastianich and Giada DeLaurentiis to hear how they rolled out "manicotti" and "prosciutto."