For Giuliano Bugialli's Foods of Tuscany, the internationally recognized authority on Italian food and cooking has collected more than 160 authentic recipes from his native region. Known for his painstaking research, Bugialli draws on the recipes of old Tuscan families (including his own), early printed cookbooks and field research in Tuscany's towns and villages. The result of his extensive digging is an important and exciting collection of recipes that includes not only the well-known favorites but also many of the hidden treasures.
Organized by course, the recipes represent the cooking traditions of all the important cities - Florence, Siena, Lucca - as well as the small towns and villages. Bugialli offers the ultimate version of such Tuscan classics as Focaccia with Rosemary, Pasta with Zucchini Blossoms, Country-Style Minestrone, Fresh Basil Risotto and Florentine Beefsteak. The book also includes such unusual and delicious recipes as Fenneled Chicken on a Spit, Veal Bundles Stuffed with Artichokes, Timbales of Pureed Beans and Broccoli Raab and Antique Pisan Torte.
Bugialli's informed and personal text weaves the recipes together in a fascinating narrative. From the renowned wines of Chianti to the distinctive fresh pasta dishes to the huge variety of breads, focaccias and pizzas for which Tuscany is famous, all aspects of Tuscan cuisine are celebrated.
Photographer John Dominis has shot the finished food in locations throughout the hills and plains of Tuscany. The 150 full-color photos also include scenes of the colorful Tuscan festivals, the famed markets and vineyards as well as the incomparable Tuscan architecture, monuments and fine art, reminding the reader that in Tuscany, cooking is an art form.