The Food of Italy by Claudia Roden

Whilst I was out on my training walk for my Mt. Kosciusko climb yesterday, I knew full well I'd be going past the Lifeline second hand Book shop at the Range Shopping center and that I'd find it irresistible to dropping in.

And as usual I came away with a little gem. This one is called The Food of Italy by Claudia Roden.

I've only had this book just on twenty-four hours but already there is half a dozen recipes I'm eager to try.

The inside liner notes suggest 'The Food of Italy' is an original and authoritative record of the world's best loved cuisines.

It goes on to say, 'For her award-winning series 'The Taste of Italy' in the Sunday Times Magazine in 1988, Claudia Roden travelled up and down the country, through every region, to discover the local specialities on their home ground. She spent much of her time in the kitchen of both professional and private cooks, watching them at work and listening to their stories. In this book, which is based on her series but offers a great deal more, she gives us the best of the dishes she discoverd in more than 300 fully tested recipes. Uncomplicated and unaffected, they are part of the authentic regional traditions now being rediscovered'.

I'd go on further to say she gives each region, eighteen in all, its own introduction including some history of the area. The recipies also include a brief introduction along with an Italian and english title ie:-

PATE DI FEGATO

Liver Pate

The recipe for this pate comes from Danilo, the young owner-chef of La Crota at Roddi d'Alba. Most of his customers ask for assaggi-small tastings of everything, a way of eating which has come into fashion in the last ten years.

I'm going to find this book very enjoyable as a read as well as a reference for some good cooking.

Biography

CLAUDIA RODEN was born and brought up in Cairo and educated in Paris and in London, where she now lives. Widely admired as both a great cook and a fine writer, she is the author of several books, including The New Book of Middle Eastern Food and The Book of Jewish Food. The Food of Italy grew out of "The Taste of Italy," a series of articles she wrote for the Sunday Times of London. Her writing has been awarded many prestigious international prizes, including five Glenfiddich Awards, the James Beard Award in the United States, the Versailles Award in France, and the Prince Claus Award for Culture in the Netherlands.

Happy cooking and cheers everyone,

Stewart