Each of the ten itineraries in this cookbook/guidebook takes readers through parts of Tuscany that still remain largely undiscovered and into the kitchens of more than fifty superb but little-known restaurants specializing in regional cuisine–those that are for the most part overlooked by tourists and known only to the locals. Each regional section begins with illuminating and absorbing explanations of what makes Tuscan cooking so unique: location, location, location. You’ll read about a bean so beloved by a village that it’s been elevated to cult status–but unknown a few kilometers down the road; an aboriginal baby lamb that is almost unknown outside of the Zeri valley; the endless array of vegetable tarts found nowhere in Tuscany but Lunigiana and Garfagnana. With this guide in hand, you’ll not only know where to dine but what to order when you get there. In addition to 100 recipes, also included are nearby points of interest, descriptions and contact information for restaurants, trattorie, gourmet shops, wineries, olive oil producers, local markets, and regional food festivals, and how to find the monasteries, workshops, and artisans’ studios that offer local items ranging from herbal beauty products to traditional ceramics and handwoven linens.

The author takes readers through parts of Tuscany that still remain largely undiscovered and into the kitchens of more than fifty restaurants whose cooks reveal their most authentic recipes.--Jacket flap.

"After a lifetime of living and eating in Rome, Elizabeth Minchilli is an expert on the city's cuisine. While she's proud to share everything she knows about Rome, she now wants to show her devoted readers that the rest of Italy is a culinary treasure trove just waiting to be explored. Far from being a monolithic gastronomic culture, each region of Italy offers its own specialties. While fava beans mean one thing in Rome, they mean an entirely different thing in Puglia. Risotto in a Roman trattoria? Don't even consider it. Visit Venice and not eat cichetti? Unthinkable. Eating My Way Through Italy, celebrates the differences in the world's favorite cuisine"--Provided by publisher.

At once a collection of traditional, seasonal recipes and a guide to the area's top food markets, Giulia Scarpaleggia takes readers on a journey through her beloved Tuscany, exploring famous places but also more remote areas - from Florence's urban streets and enchanting Volterra to mountainous Garfagnana and the wilds of Lunigiana, the gentle rolling hills of Val d'Orcia, and the vineyards and olive groves of Chianti. Through photographs, words and recipes, Giulia tells the story of Florence's historic markets, local organic farmers markets, and the weekly market days held in Tuscan towns and villages. She also explores Tuscany's coastal fish and seafood markets, together with the roadside vendors of the Maremma area, with their vibrant fresh fruit and vegetable stands. With each encounter, Giulia delves into the stories of Tuscany's food markets, drawing on memories and recipes that taste of home.

A lavishly illustrated ode to the joys of Tuscany’s people, food, landscapes, and art, from the bestselling author of Under the Tuscan Sun and See You in the Piazza “A love letter to Italy written in precise and passionate language of near-poetic density.”—Newsday In Tuscany celebrates the abundant pleasures of life in Italy as it is lived at home, at festivals, feasts, restaurants and markets, in the kitchen and on the piazza, in the vineyards, fields, and olive groves. Combining essays by Frances Mayes and a chapter by her husband, poet Edward Mayes, with more than 200 full-color photos by photographer Bob Krist, each of this book's five sections highlights a signature aspect of Tuscan life: La Piazza: the locus of Italian village life. With photographs of the shop signs, the outdoor markets, medieval streets, people, their pets and their cars, and snippets of conversations overheard, Mayes reveals the life of the Piazza in her town of Cortona as well as out-of-the-way places such as Volterra, Asciano, Monte San Savino, and Castelmuzio. La Festa: the celebration. Essays and photos of feasts and celebrations, such as the Christmas dinner for twenty-seven at a neighbor's house and a donkey race around the church at Montepulciano Stazione, illustrate how the Tuscans celebrate the seasons--their open ways of friendship, their connection to nature, and most of all, their sense of abundance. Il Campo: the field. Here Edward Mayes evokes the deep sense of the shift of seasons as he picks olives before he and Frances head off to the olive oil mill and enjoy the first bruscette with new oil. La Cucina: the kitchen. An intimate view of the all-important role of the kitchen in Tuscan culture, including photographs of her own kitchen and gardens, menus from great local cooks, the elements of the Tuscan table, dishes with cultural and culinary notes on each, and, of course, delectable recipes. La Bellezza: the beauty. From the quality of the light falling on sublime landscapes in different seasons and Tuscan faces in moments of laughter to a silhouette of cypress trees in the early evening and a wild bird perched on a neigbor's head, In Tuscany features views of beauty that reveal the singular splendor of one of the world's best-loved and most artistic regions.

"Brava, Ms. Sheldon Johns, for bringing this cooking to us with such grace, and with a reverence that goes to the heart of the Italian cuisine." --InMamasKitchen.com "Cucina Povera is a delightful culinary trip through Tuscany, revered for its straightforward food and practical people. In this beautifully photographed book you will be treated to authentic recipes, serene landscapes, and a deep reverence for all things Tuscan." --Mary Ann Esposito, the host of PBS' Ciao Italia and the author of Ciao Italia Family Classics The no-waste philosophy and use of inexpensive Italian ingredients (in Tuscan peasant cooking) are the basis for this lovely and very yummy collection of recipes. --Diane Worthington, Tribune Media Services Italian cookbook authority Pamela Sheldon Johns presents more than 60 peasant-inspired dishes from the heart of Tuscany inside Cucina Povera. This book is more than a collection of recipes of "good food for hard times." La cucina povera is a philosophy of not wasting anything edible and of using technique to make every bite as tasty as possible. Budget-conscious dishes utilizing local and seasonal fruits and vegetables create everything from savory pasta sauces, crusty breads and slow-roasted meats to flavorful vegetable accompaniments and end-of-meal sweets. The recipes inside Cucina Povera have been collected during the more than 20 years Johns has spent in Tuscany. Dishes such as Ribollita (Bread Soup), Pollo Arrosto al Vin Santo (Chicken with Vin Santo Sauce), and Ciambellone (Tuscan Ring Cake) are adapted from the recipes of Johns' neighbors, friends, and local Italian food producers. Lavish color and black-and-white photographs mingle with Johns' recipes and personal reflections to share an authentic interpretation of rustic Italian cooking inside Cucina Povera.

Chocolate cake makes sweet dreams come true. In a real-life fairy tale, author Sheryl Ness shares how she fell in love with Vincenzo, a chef in a quaint Tuscan kitchen, over his decadent hot chocolate cake. This enchanting memoir will transport you to the cobblestone streets, lush hillsides dotted with grapevines and olive trees, and unique characters that create the backdrop for Sheryl's Italian love story. Love in a Tuscan Kitchen is sprinkled with traditional recipes she collected along the way and flavored with rich accounts of how her dreams were fulfilled many times over while living in a picturesque village in Chianti. Raise a toast and taste pure joy as Sheryl opens her heart to love, and in turn finds herself on a remarkable journey of discovery through the people, traditions, and customs of Italy as the blond Americana fell in love with the chef with twinkling eyes.

Cookbook of 50+ Italian recipes developed by the nonnas of Montefollonico, Italy

They had met and married on perilously short acquaintance, she an American chef and food writer, he a Venetian banker. Now they were taking another audacious leap, unstitching their ties with exquisite Venice to live in a roughly renovated stable in Tuscany. Once again, it was love at first sight. Love for the timeless countryside and the ancient village of San Casciano dei Bagni, for the local vintage and the magnificent cooking, for the Tuscan sky and the friendly church bells. Love especially for old Barlozzo, the village mago, who escorts the newcomers to Tuscany’s seasonal festivals; gives them roasted country bread drizzled with just-pressed olive oil; invites them to gather chestnuts, harvest grapes, hunt truffles; and teaches them to caress the simple pleasures of each precious day. It’s Barlozzo who guides them across the minefields of village history and into the warm and fiercely beating heart of love itself. A Thousand Days in Tuscany is set in one of the most beautiful places on earth–and tucked into its fragrant corners are luscious recipes (including one for the only true bruschetta) directly from the author’s private collection.

"In the summer of 1997, I couldn't have been more exhausted from life when I arrived with my family in Florence, Italy" Before we left California, a close friend had recommended a country restaurant outside of the city only known to locals, and well worth the visit. It was pouring rain when we ventured out of the city in our rented minivan. After getting lost on the country roads, then bumping and bouncing our way up the long, winding paths, we found ourselves at the front door of the restaurant. We couldn't help but wonder how a restaurant could survive in such a remote spot. Yet once out of the car, to our surprise, the views on the other side of the hill were glorious. Unfortunately, the restaurant had ended lunch service, and the doors were locked. At that point, we were disappointed, freezing and wet. To our surprise, the chef quietly opened the kitchen, relit the fireplace, and generously worried about our comfort. Then, in spite of just finishing a full service, he proceeded to cook an incredible meal. There were so many courses that we were left in awe. Touched by the simple, clean flavors and the rustic, authentic cuisine, we leaned back in our chairs and based in the surprisingly rich experience. The chef sat down with us and we all talked for hours about Italy and food. What resulted was a lifelong friendship and many lessons in Tuscan cuisine. We knew that we had found something special that others would love to be a part of, a secret that the Florentines already knew. They would drive for an hour on Sundays to eat at this unspoiled spot. This was a find and a food haven. We would laugh that year about how we should "make a book" about the experiences we had in that restaurant. We wanted to share the feeling of his cuisine with other food lovers who dream about food as I do.