Italian Food [B0730]

1999 PB Penguin Classics printing of the 1954 classic, revised to include a foreword by Julia Child. Elizabeth David's Italian Food was one of the first books to demonstrate the enormous range of Italy's regional cooking. For the foods of Italy, explained David, expanded far beyond minestrone and ravioli, to the complex traditions of Tuscany, Sicily, Lombardy, Umbria, and many other regions. David imparts her knowledge from her many years in Italy, exploring, researching, tasting and testing dishes. Her passion for real food, luscious, hearty, fresh, and totally authentic, will inspire anyone who wishes to recreate the abundant and highly unique regional dishes of Italy.

From Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "This is a classic cookbook, the first attempt to reflect real Italian kitchens. It is sometimes annoying with David's strong opinions and lack of specifics in recipes, but nevertheless a useful book. You have to approach it realizing it is a historic document."; "This book is about the truth of Italian cooking verses the fictions of the nineteen fifties and sixties. It is a fascinating historical object and David has a strong voice."; "An oldy but a goody, reread with great pleasure. In the drab 1950s and 60s, when" spaghetti "meant canned Heinz noodles in a miserable tomato sauce, served on toast; and garlic was reserved for warding off vampires - Elizabeth David introduced England to real French and Italian cooking. Her combination of intelligent writing and clear recipes dispelled the English fear of 'Foreign food'. A generation of cooks is in her debt."; "A wonderful long weekend with a well-read, well-traveled, charming, engaging friend reminiscing about our times together eating our way through Italy. That is how I felt about this book. I am going to try several of the recipes and read several of her recommended books,, but mostly I loved this for its ability to transport me to to Italy and England in her care."