Author Description

One of the delights of Italian food is its diversity. Every region has its own favorite ingredients and cooking techniques, and each has its own unique character, but one thing is common to all -- the quality of the raw ingredients used. The Italian Cook is an authoritative, yet easy-to-read, guide to these ingredients and how to use them in the kitchen. The book opens with a fascinating introduction to the background of Italian cooking. This is followed by a full-color, illustrated reference guide, with information about all the common and less well-known Italian ingredients, including pasta, rice, grains and pulses, cheeses, cured meats and sausages, meat and poultry, fish and shellfish, vegetables, mushrooms, fruits, store cupboard goods, and aperitifs and spirits. Each section includes facts about how and where the ingredient is made or grown, its history and culinary uses, and essential information on buying and storing, along with detailed preparation and cooking instructions and basic recipes where appropriate.