Have you ever wondered about the offstage world of a professional musician? Every month in this column, bluegrass now will provide a glimpse into the lives of some of your favorite bluegrass stars. To see captions, just move your cursor over the photos!

Bluegrass music may have originated in the hills and hollows of Appalachia, but Tony Trischka, one of the world's best-known banjo players, has lived on the East Coast all his life. For the past 13 years, Tony and his family have made their home in Fairlawn, New Jersey, which he describes as a “solidly middle-class suburban community”.

“I've got two children, and it's a great place to raise a family,” he explains. “It's got all the energy of New York City, because we're so close, but it's nice to have a garage to put your car into.” Before moving to suburbia, Tony lived in the Big Apple for 17 years, and he still goes there frequently. “You can get into midtown in a half hour, and I go three or four times a week. It gives me the edge I need!”

Tony's family includes his wife, Assunta, an English teacher; their children, Sean, 9, and Zoe, 5; and Assunta's mother and father, originally from Naples, Italy. “My in-laws live on the second floor, and I love them, they're great--but it's dangerous, because at 10 o'clock at night you start smelling homemade pizza wafting downstairs! I gained ten pounds when I joined this family.”

The big brown home has a basement that Tony describes as his zone. That's where he teaches, does business, and writes instruction books for aspiring banjo players everywhere. Upstairs, the Trischkas gravitate toward the family room, which holds the kids' toys, the TV, and Tony's stereo and CDs. His eclectic collection includes albums by the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Sting, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Aaron Copeland.

A serious Beatles fan, Tony often includes a medley of their tunes in his solo performances. He took his son to see Paul McCartney in concert last year. “The tickets were pricey, but I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather take. Thirty years from now, he'll be able to say, 'I saw Paul McCartney!'”

Tony reads and plays a little tennis, but has little time for hobbies. “It's embarrassing,” he grins. “Someone asked me, years ago, 'What do you do professionally?' I said, 'Well, I'm a banjo player.' Then they asked: 'What do you do as a hobby?' 'Well, I like to play the banjo . . .' I find my life is overwhelmingly busy with details about musical things, and my family. I wake at 7:30 AM and burn till midnight without stopping!”

He collects banjos, as he says, “in an informal way”. “I've got maybe 11 or 12 of various sorts, and I collect banjo-related ephemera. I have a banza, made from a gourd with a fretless neck. It's a replica of an instrument in a painting from the 1780s of a slave wedding. The bride and groom are dancing, and off to the side is a percussionist and a guy playing one of these banzas.” The late Scott Didlake, a Mississippi luthier, built the instruments to honor Africans who played early banjos. “It's got a sweet sound, and I play it clawhammer style,” says Tony. “It's like being in a time machine!”

Visit Tony online at www.tonytrischka.com.

From The Kitchen of Tony Trischka:

Tiramisu

This heavenly dish is an authentic Italian dessert that can be made ahead and frozen for up to two months. It's based on a recipe from the New York Times, with modifications by Tony's wife Assunta, and a favorite in the Trischka household.

2 ½ c. strong cold espresso
Approx. 32 Italian ladyfingers or Savoiardi
5 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
1 lb. marscapone cheese
2 tbsp. Marsala wine
1 pt. heavy cream
3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

Pour the cold coffee into a very large pie plate. Dip 16 ladyfingers very quickly into the coffee and line the bottom of a 12”x9”x2” oval dish with the ladyfingers. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs and sugar till thick. Add the marscapone and marsala; whisk till well blended and smooth. In another bowl whisk cream till stiff and fold into marscapone mixture till smooth. Put about ½ of the mixture over ladyfingers. Dip remaining ladyfingers quickly into coffee; arrange another layer over cheese mixture. Place the remaining mixture over the ladyfingers. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least six hours. When ready to serve, sprinkle cocoa powder through a fine sieve over entire surface of the tiramisu. Spoon portions on to individual dessert plates. Serve with large spoons. Serves 8-10.