Download or read book Jamie Cooks Italy written by Jamie Oliver and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2018-08-09 with total page 550 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Every bookshelf needs this - it's Italian food, but not as you know it' The Times Jamie returns to cooking the food he loves the most, getting right to heart of the Italian kitchen in his ultimate go-to Italian cookbook. He shows you that truly authentic Italian cooking is simple, beautiful and achievable. Find all of the recipes from Jamie's Channel 4 hit-series Jamie Cooks Italy, and many more inside this book. _____________ This wonderful, best-ever collection of recipes, deliver on big flavours and comfort; a celebration of truly great Italian food you'll want to cook for yourself, your friends and your family. Delicious recipes include . . . · GRILLED APRICOT SALAD with thyme, mozzarella, pink peppercorns and proscuttio · TUNA FETTUCCINE with baby courgettes, cherry tomatoes, pecorino and crushed almonds · CHICKEN SKEWERS wrapped in proscuttio with salsa verde stuffing, potatoes and tomatoes · LIMONCELLO TIRAMISU with vanilla mascapone, crushed cherries and white chocolate Featuring 140 recipes in Jamie's fuss-free and easy-to-follow style, the book has chapters on Antipasti, Salads, Soups, Pasta, Rice & Dumplings, Meat, Fish, Sides, Bread & Pastry, Dessert and all of the Italian basics you'll ever need to know. ______________ *SHORTLISTED FOR A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD* 'An irresistible collection of classic Italian recipes . . .An essential purchase for any fan of Italian cuisine' Daily Express 'Food is described in Jamie's trademark cheeky chappy style, but infused with real, in-depth knowledge of Italian food. Bravo, Jamie' Daily Mail

Download or read book Mike Isabella s Crazy Good Italian written by Mike Isabella and published by Da Capo Lifelong Books. This book was released on 2012-09-25 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the tastes of New Jersey childhood alongside the refined flavors that come from decades in the culinary world. Whether you know Mike Isabella as the tough-talking Top Chef competitor or as the -- chef behind hot DC restaurants Graffiato and Bandolero, you'll now be able to recreate his recipes: one part old-world inspired Italian, one part old-school Jersey, one part modern Mediterranean -- all parts delicious. Inspired by the food his Italian-American grandmother prepared, Isabella serves up 200 recipes for everyday meals that appeal to the heart and the appetite, with a modern twist. These "small plates" versions of Mediterranean classics are food that's original and accessible, authentic without being fussy. Isabella shares his secret family recipes, the dishes that made him famous on Top Chef, and signature meals from his restaurant, from Ricotta with Charred Scallion and Harissa to Grandma's Potato Gnocchi, Chicken Wings with Pepperoni Sauce to Carnival-Style Zeppoles. Whether you're a seasoned home cook or just starting out in the kitchen, you'll taste the pure joy these meals can bring. Delive ring lip-smacking food (and talking some smack while he's at it), Isabella makes Italian fun to cook again.

Download or read book The Pasta Queen written by Nadia Caterina Munno and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2022-11-08 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER TikTok sensation and beloved home cook Nadia Caterina Munno, a.k.a. The Pasta Queen, presents a cookbook of never-before-shared recipes featuring the signature pasta tips and tricks that are 100% authentic to Italian traditions—and just as gorgeous as you are. In the first-ever cookbook from TikTok star and social media sensation Nadia Caterina Munno—a.k.a. The Pasta Queen—is opening the recipe box from her online trattoria to share the dishes that have made her pasta royalty. In this delectable antipasto platter of over 100 recipes, cooking techniques, and the tales behind Italy’s most famous dishes (some true, some not-so-true), Nadia guides you through the process of creating the perfect pasta, from a bowl of naked noodles to a dish large and complex enough to draw tears from the gods. Whether it’s her viral Pasta Al Limone, a classic Carbonara, or a dish that’s entirely Nadia’s—like her famous Assassin’s Spaghetti—The Pasta Queen’s recipes will enchant even the newest of pasta chefs. Featuring a colorful tour of Italy through stunning photographs and celebratory tales of the country’s rich culinary heritage, along with stories about Nadia’s own life and family, The Pasta Queen is a cookbook that will warm your heart, soothe your soul, and spice up your life. And best of all? It’s just gorgeous.

Download or read book How Italian Food Conquered the World written by John F. Mariani and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2011-03-15 with total page 415 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Not so long ago, Italian food was regarded as a poor man's gruel-little more than pizza, macaroni with sauce, and red wines in a box. Here, John Mariani shows how the Italian immigrants to America created, through perseverance and sheer necessity, an Italian-American food culture, and how it became a global obsession. The book begins with the Greek, Roman, and Middle Eastern culinary traditions before the boot-shaped peninsula was even called "Italy," then takes readers on a journey through Europe and across the ocean to America alongside the poor but hopeful Italian immigrants who slowly but surely won over the hearts and minds of Americans by way of their stomachs. Featuring evil villains such as the Atkins diet and French chefs, this is a rollicking tale of how Italian cuisine rose to its place as the most beloved fare in the world, through the lives of the people who led the charge. With savory anecdotes from these top chefs and restaurateurs: - Mario Batali - Danny Meyer - Tony Mantuano - Michael Chiarello - Giada de Laurentiis - Giuseppe Cipriani - Nigella Lawson And the trials and triumphs of these restaurants: - Da Silvano - Spiaggia - Bottega - Union Square Cafe - Maialino - Rao's - Babbo - Il Cantinori

Download or read book Food of the Italian South written by Katie Parla and published by Clarkson Potter. This book was released on 2019-03-12 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 85 authentic recipes and 100 stunning photographs that capture the cultural and cooking traditions of the Italian South, from the mountains to the coast. In most cultures, exploring food means exploring history—and the Italian south has plenty of both to offer. The pasta-heavy, tomato-forward “Italian food” the world knows and loves does not actually represent the entire country; rather, these beloved and widespread culinary traditions hail from the regional cuisines of the south. Acclaimed author and food journalist Katie Parla takes you on a tour through these vibrant destinations so you can sink your teeth into the secrets of their rustic, romantic dishes. Parla shares rich recipes, both original and reimagined, along with historical and cultural insights that encapsulate the miles of rugged beaches, sheep-dotted mountains, meditatively quiet towns, and, most important, culinary traditions unique to this precious piece of Italy. With just a bite of the Involtini alla Piazzetta from farm-rich Campania, a taste of Giurgiulena from the sugar-happy kitchens of Calabria, a forkful of ’U Pan’ Cuott’ from mountainous Basilicata, a morsel of Focaccia from coastal Puglia, or a mouthful of Pizz e Foje from quaint Molise, you’ll discover what makes the food of the Italian south unique. Praise for Food of the Italian South “Parla clearly crafted every recipe with reverence and restraint, balancing authenticity with accessibility for the modern home cook.”—Fine Cooking “Parla’s knowledge and voice shine in this outstanding meditation on the food of South Italy from the Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, and Calabria regions. . . . This excellent volume proves that no matter how well-trodden the Italian cookbook path is, an expert with genuine curiosity and a well-developed voice can still find new material.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “There's There’s Italian food, and then there's there’s Italian food. Not just pizza, pasta, and prosciutto, but obscure recipes that have been passed down through generations and are only found in Italy… . . . and in this book.”—Woman’s Day (Best Cookbooks Coming Out in 2019) “[With] Food of the Italian South, Parla wanted to branch out from Rome and celebrate the lower half of the country.”—Punch “Acclaimed culinary journalist Katie Parla takes cookbook readers and home cooks on a culinary journey.”—The Parkersburg News and Sentinel

Download or read book Fabio s Italian Kitchen written by Fabio Viviani and published by Hachette Books. This book was released on 2013-04-23 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Fabio Viviani was growing up in a housing project in Florence, Italy, the center of his world was the kitchen, where his mother, grandmother, and especially his great-grandmother instilled in him a love for cooking and good food. Now he shares the best of Italian home cooking while telling the story of his hardscrabble childhood, his success as a chef in the United States, and the women in his family who inspired him. In more than 150 delicious recipes, Viviani takes us from his family home, where his great-grandmother taught him to make staples like Italian Apple Cake and Homemade Ricotta, to the kitchen of a local trattoria, where he honed his craft cooking restaurant favorites like Gnocchi and the Perfect Tiramisu, and then across Italy where he studied each region's finest recipes, from Piedmont's Braised Ossobuco to Emilia Romagna's Perfect Meat Sauce. A gorgeously illustrated cookbook, Fabio's Italian Kitchen is a celebration of food and family that brings all the joy, fun, and flair that Fabio Viviani embodies to your kitchen. Fabio Viviani was born in Florence, Italy, and became a sous chef at Il Pallaio, a trattoria in Firenze, at the age of sixteen. He now works as the owner and executive chef of Cafe Firenze, a renowned Italian restaurant in Ventura County, California, and Osteria Firenze, a Los Angeles Italian eatery. He has appeared on Top Chef (season five), Top Chef All Stars, and Life After Top Chef. From growing up in a Florentine housing project to charming millions on Top Chef, Italian chef Fabio Viviani blends his amazing personal story with his favorite recipes from his home country. Fabio shares the best of Italian home cooking while telling the story of his own, hardscrabble Italian childhood (and subsequent success upon arrival in US) and especially the women in his life mother and great grandmother who taught him to cook and inspired him. The book will feature photos and over 150 recipes with stories, including Viviani staples (Italian Apple Cake, 7 Flavors Meat), restaurant favorites (Gnocchi, the Perfect Tiramisu), and recipes from his travels and apprenticeships across different regions of Italy (Braised Ossobuco from Piedmont, the Perfect Meat Sauce from Emilia Romagna).

Download or read book Crazy in the Kitchen written by Louise DeSalvo and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2008-12-01 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During Louise DeSalvo's childhood in 1950s New Jersey, the kitchen becomes the site for fierce generational battle. Louise's step-grandmother insists on recreating the domestic habits of her Southern Italian peasant upbringing, clashing with Louise's convenience-food-loving mother; Louise, meanwhile, dreams of cooking perfect fresh pasta in her own kitchen. But as Louise grows up to indulge in amazing food and travels to Italy herself, she arrives at a fuller and more compassionate picture of her own roots. And, in the process, she reveals that our image of the bounteous Italian American kitchen may exist in part to mask a sometimes painful history. Louise DeSalvo is a writer, professor, lecturer, and scholar who lives in New Jersey. Her many books include the memoirs Vertigo, Breathless, and Adultery; the acclaimed biography Virginia Woolf: The Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse on her Life and Work; and Writing as a Way of Healing. Recently, she edited Woolf's early novel Melymbrosia and coedited The Milk of Almonds: Italian American Women Writers on Food and Culture. A Book Sense 76 pick in hardcover "Louise DeSalvo packs about six courses of emotional wallop into her slim memoir...[A] tough, courageous story, one of hard-won wisdom and memory."-San Francisco Chronicle "Illuminate[s] the difficulties of reconciling past and present...DeSalvo celebrates the table of her ancestors by savoring her own rediscovered history."-New York Times Book Review

Download or read book Chewing the Fat written by Karima Moyer-Nocchi and published by Medea. This book was released on 2015-09-22 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Italy is experiencing a surge of gastronomic nostalgia, a yearning to recreate and relive the delectable rustic meals of yesteryear, of brimming chalices of wine and sauce-laden pasta. A return to the simple abundance of Italy's past! Ah, if only it were true. If there was a glorious yesteryear of Italian feasting, it was enjoyed only by society's elite. As for standard, rustic fare, such meals bore little resemblance to what is now considered-even in Italy-traditional Italian food. Determined to uncover the true roots of Italian cuisine and reveal its intriguing yet uncelebrated past, food historian Karima Moyer-Nocchi interviewed Italian "ninetysomething" women from various walks of life, from charcoal-makers to countesses. Her travels spanned from the far north to the deep south, as well as Italy's former landholdings. All of the interviewees had lived through the harrowing years called the Ventennio fascista, the twenty-year reign of fascism in Italy, and were eager to have their final say. What follows are eighteen remarkable oral narratives, each building upon the last to create a mosaic of Italian foodways, from the fascist era through to the post World War II boom, the "Dolce Vita." Each woman contributes a recipe chosen specifically to reflect what food was like when she was growing up under Mussolini. The narratives are separated by astringent, yet entertaining essay briefs, illuminating various aspects of gastronomic history and daily life in fascist Italy. Engrossingly entertaining, "Chewing the Fat" gently debunks the myths of Italy's gastronomic nostalgia industry, revealing a culture of food that is surprisingly different from the image most people have of Italian cuisine. "A remarkable insight into the realities of Italian food. This book lays bare the multiple dimensions of Italian gastronomy: geography, politics, social background, education and economics. It is an eloquent dissection of the nuances of the world's favorite cooking as well as a magical exercise in memory. A brilliant reconstruction of the kitchens and cookery (and much else besides) of a previous generation." -Tom Jaine, Food writer, publisher, critic, and restaurateur

Download or read book Italy for the Gourmet Traveller written by Fred Plotkin and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 724 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A gastronomic guide to Italy from country markets and wineries to city restaurants and cooking schools, and lessons on cheese making, wine, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The guide covers over 504 places with a classic town selected from each region that best embodies the region's cuisine, information on over 800 eating places and over 40 recipes.

Download or read book Downtown Italian written by Joe Campanale and published by Andrews McMeel Publishing. This book was released on 2014-10-07 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Italian-inspired dishes, drinks, and desserts from three top Manhattan restaurateurs: “I can vouch for the soul-satisfying deliciousness of all of these.” —Anita Lo, chef and author of Solo: A Modern Cookbook for a Party of One Amid the cobblestoned streets and picturesque brownstones of New York’s charming West Village, three dynamic young restaurateurs have created some of the most inventive and delicious Italian-inspired cuisine in a city world-famous for its Italian food. Now the drinks and dishes that have inspired fanatical loyalty among customers of dell’anima, L’Artusi, L’Apicio and Anfora—including Charred Octopus with Chicories, Impromptu Tiramisu, and a sparking Roasted Orange Negroni Sbagliato—are accessible to home cooks in the first cookbook from executive chef Gabriel Thompson, pastry chef Katherine Thompson, and beverage director Joe Campanale. Gabe Thompson’s antipasti, pastas, main courses, and side dishes emphasize simplicity and deep flavor, using the freshest ingredients, creative seasonings, and the occasional unexpected twist—in such dishes as Sweet Corn Mezzaluna and Chicken al Diavolo. Katherine Thompson’s desserts are both inspired and downright homey, running the gamut from a simple and sinful Bittersweet Chocolate Budino to the to-die-for Espresso-Rum Almond Cake with Caramel Sauce, Sea Salt Gelato, and Almond Brittle. And all are paired with thoughtfully chosen wines and ingenious Italian-inspired cocktails—Blame it on the Aperol, anyone?—by Joe Campanale, one of the most knowledgeable young sommeliers in New York City.

Download or read book Eat Better Feel Better written by Giada De Laurentiis and published by Rodale Books. This book was released on 2021-03-16 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Giada De Laurentiis shares how her unique approach to wellness completely transformed her relationship with food—featuring 100 recipes to boost gut health and immunity and nourish your mind, body, and spirit. This book is the culmination of a ten-year journey. . . . I’ve made a conscious effort to take control of my health because it had finally become impossible to ignore the fact that the choices (or lack thereof ) I’d been making for the past twenty years just weren’t working for me anymore. In Giada’s most personal book yet, she gives you an inside look at her path to wellness and how she maintains a balanced life. Giada walks you through how to select food that can actually make you feel better and curate a personalized wellness routine to support a healthy mind and body. She shows you her own process of reconfiguring her diet to control inflammation—and how you can use the same steps to turn your life around. Giada also includes information on how to use complementary wellness tactics like intermittent fasting, meditation, and other self-care routines to optimize your well-being. Giada devotes an entire chapter to her 3-day reboot—which she follows several times a year—and offers more than two dozen dairy-free, sugar-free, and gluten-free recipes to accompany the plan, as well as a 21-day menu outline that makes good, healthy cooking easy to implement at home. Even though it’s so much more than a cookbook, Eat Better, Feel Better also offers 100 new recipes, ​from Italian-influenced ones like Fusilli with Chicken and Broccoli Rabe and Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with Cherry and Red Wine Sauce to her everyday healthy favorites including Quinoa Pancakes; Sheet Pan Parmesan Shrimp and Veggies; Roasted Cauliflower and Baby Kale Salad; and Chocolate and Orange Brown Rice Treats. Eat Better, Feel Better is the perfect jumpstart to wellness.

Download or read book Italian Cuisine written by Alberto Capatti and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2003-09-17 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Italy, the country with a hundred cities and a thousand bell towers, is also the country with a hundred cuisines and a thousand recipes. Its great variety of culinary practices reflects a history long dominated by regionalism and political division, and has led to the common conception of Italian food as a mosaic of regional customs rather than a single tradition. Nonetheless, this magnificent new book demonstrates the development of a distinctive, unified culinary tradition throughout the Italian peninsula. Alberto Capatti and Massimo Montanari uncover a network of culinary customs, food lore, and cooking practices, dating back as far as the Middle Ages, that are identifiably Italian: o Italians used forks 300 years before other Europeans, possibly because they were needed to handle pasta, which is slippery and dangerously hot. o Italians invented the practice of chilling drinks and may have invented ice cream. o Italian culinary practice influenced the rest of Europe to place more emphasis on vegetables and less on meat. o Salad was a distinctive aspect of the Italian meal as early as the sixteenth century. The authors focus on culinary developments in the late medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque eras, aided by a wealth of cookbooks produced throughout the early modern period. They show how Italy's culinary identities emerged over the course of the centuries through an exchange of information and techniques among geographical regions and social classes. Though temporally, spatially, and socially diverse, these cuisines refer to a common experience that can be described as Italian. Thematically organized around key issues in culinary history and beautifully illustrated, Italian Cuisine is a rich history of the ingredients, dishes, techniques, and social customs behind the Italian food we know and love today.

Download or read book Grandi Vini written by Joseph Bastianich and published by Clarkson Potter. This book was released on 2010-11-09 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Travel through the Italian countryside with Joseph Bastianich in search of the country’s eighty-nine finest wines. Joseph Bastianich is steeped in Italian wines like no one else. Not only is he the co-owner, with Mario Batali, of some of America’s premier Italian restaurants, but he also produces wine on four separate estates—three in Italy—and is responsible for bringing Eataly, the groundbreaking artisanal Italian food and wine marketplace, to New York. His thoughtfully honed list of favorite wines makes for a fascinating journey that brings Italian wines to life. Grandi Vini introduces readers to the greatest wines in Italy by bringing them to the vineyards and introducing the winemakers behind the bottles. More than simply appealing to the palate, the wines on Joe’s list have made an impact on the industry. In Central Italy, he recommends a stunning Sangiovese in Emilia Romagna, produced at San Patrignano, the largest drug rehabilitation center in Europe. The island of Sicily is typically known for bulk commercial wine; but now, in the unique terroir of Mount Etna, wine lovers can discover the perfectly fresh, dry white Pietramarina, produced by the forward-thinking Benati family. And we can’t forget the great Barolos. Bastianich selects a specific list of wines from this legendary production region—some of which come from family outfits, like Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata Riserva of Paolo Scavino, by the son of the winery’s founder; and others that have emerged only recently, like the Barolo Cannubi Boschis made by Luciano Sandrone, a winemaker who only started producing great wine in the 1990s. Grandi Vini also includes a wine list in the back of the book that shares vinification, production, and website information for every wine. With lovely hand-illustrated maps locating the wineries in their various regions, Grandi Vini is a rich exploration of eighty-nine Italian wines that rank among the world’s best—a wonderful read for any wine enthusiast.

Download or read book Mediterranean Lifestyle For Dummies written by Amy Riolo and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2021-10-26 with total page 331 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Achieve optimal health and live longer with timeless advice from Mediterranean culture The Mediterranean lifestyle offers achievable and enjoyable opportunities for a longer, healthier, and happier life. By incorporating simple and fun habits into your daily life, you can enjoy these lasting benefits. In Mediterranean Lifestyle For Dummies, best-selling author, Mediterranean lifestyle ambassador, chef, and culinary expert Amy Riolo walks you through the basic lifestyle practices that have stood the test of time and will transform the way you eat, socialize, and experience life. You’ll find practical ways to enjoy increased energy, better sleep, an improved attitude, and a revitalized social life. You’ll learn to make a healthy, produce-based diet the centerpiece of a new approach to living that includes engaging with nature, making mealtimes sacred, and laughing at life every day. More than 30 delicious, simple, and authentic Mediterranean recipes from various countries in the region, this book shows you how to: Benefit from ancient wisdom which has enabled people to survive and thrive well into their 90s for millennia Adopt a food-friendly approach that makes cooking for yourself, friends, and family an opportunity for fun and memorable experiences Organize your pantry and kitchen around Mediterranean principles so making simple, healthy foods becomes second nature Make time for yourself, your family, and your friends by reconnecting with the outdoors, siestas, and communal meals The transformational opportunity found in this lifestyle guide is about more than improving your diet and losing a few pounds. It’s about showing you how to find a happier and healthier you without resorting to fads, tricks, shortcuts, or diets that only last a few days. By revealing the often-overlooked cultural traditions and lifestyle components that have earned the Mediterranean Diet top ranking among the world’s diets, this book will help you to achieve lasting and meaningful results, anytime and anywhere. Mediterranean Lifestyle For Dummies is for anyone who wants more flavor in their food, more wine in their glass, more friends at their table, and more life in their life.

Download or read book The Dictionary of Italian Food and Drink written by John F. Mariani and published by Broadway. This book was released on 1998 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the origins of gnocchi to a short history of restaurants in Italy. Notes regional variations on specific dishes. Differs in detail to Laroosse Gastronomiquet offers more historical detail and such things as a complete listing of the rules for a true Neapolitan Pizza.

Download or read book Peace Love and Pasta written by Scott Conant and published by Abrams. This book was released on 2021-09-14 with total page 363 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From award-winning chef and Food Network personality Scott Conant, a cookbook of restaurant-quality Italian meals that you can make easily in your home kitchen Thirty-five years into an illustrious career of restaurant openings across the country, widespread acclaim, and frequent appearances on the Food Network’s Chopped and many other shows, Scott Conant has returned home to create his most personal cookbook yet. Meals cooked from simple, fresh ingredients were staples of Conant’s childhood in a New England family with roots in Southern Italy. From his grandparents’ garden to the dinner table, he learned early on to appreciate the nuances of different flavors and ingredients, and the strong connection between food and family. Focusing on these foods Conant grew up with and the ones he makes for his loved ones today, Peace, Love, and Pasta compiles simple, fresh, and flavorful Italian recipes for the home cook to bring to their own family’s table. These recipes are built on the art of cooking for love, fascination with flavors and ingredients, and the simple pleasures of taste and conviviality.

Download or read book Il Bel Centro written by Michelle Damiani and published by Rialto Press. This book was released on 2020-08-09 with total page 514 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A witty and warm-hearted memoir of abandoning fast-paced American days in favor of discovering the Italian secrets of food, community, and life. Moving across the globe meant Michelle Damiani soon found herself untangling Italian customs, delighting in glorious regional cuisine (recipes included), and creating lasting friendships. From grandmothers eager to teach the ancient art of pasta making, to bakers tossing bread into fiery ovens with a song, to butchers extolling the benefits of pork fat, Il Bel Centro is rich with captivating characters and cultural insights. Throw in clinking glasses of Umbrian red with the local communists and a village all-nighter decorating the cobblestone streets with flower petals; as well as embarrassing language minefields and a serious summons to the mayor’s office, and you have all the ingredients for a spellbinding travel tale. Exquisitely observed, Il Bel Centro is an intimate celebration of small town Italy, as well as a thoughtful look at raising a family in a new culture and a fascinating story of finding a home. Ultimately though, this is a story about how travel can change you when you’re ready to let it. With laugh-out-loud situations and wanderlust-inspiring storytelling, Il Bel Centro is a joyous and life-affirming read that will have readers rushing to renew their passports. “This is one of the most beautiful book I’ve ever read.” “I absolutely couldn’t get enough of this book.” “This book made me want to pack my bags.” “I loved, loved this book. Fabulously written, engaging, and entertaining.” “A magical read.”