Florentine: The True Cuisine of Florence

"Florentine is a book that appeals both to my sense of nostalgia (I lived in Florence, working as a chambermaid, when I was 19) and my appetite. It s a beautiful, large-format book, with gorgeous pictures of Florence, and snatches of Florentine life, but is far from being a coffee-table book: the recipes take you there just as evocatively." --Nigella Lawson Florentine is a collection of recipes and photographs from Tuscany's capital. Emiko Davies draws on her extensive knowledge of traditional Florentine cuisine to share recipes that transport readers to the piazzas of the city. From her torta di mele - a reassuringly nonna-esque apple cake - to ravioli pera e ricotta - mouthwateringly buttery pear and ricotta ravioloni - allow yourself to be taken on a culinary tour through the city. From the morning ritual of la pasticceria (the pastry shop) and il forno (the bakery), the tantalising fresh produce of il mercato (the market) and il maccellaio (the butcher) through to the romance of la trattoria, Davies expertly guides food lovers through the Renaissance city. Be swept up in the atmosphere of Florence's street food scene with a few bites of crunchy crostini with fig compote and prosciutto, or savour a silky gelato of hazelnut and crema. With a nod to Florence's rich history, Florentine offers some much-loved traditional dishes, such as schiacciata fiorentina (orange and vanilla cake), apricot jam crostata (apricot jam pie), piselli alla fiorentina (peas cooked in tomato sauce) and cinghiale con le olive (stewed wild boar with olives). Seasons and long-held food traditions play an important role in the Tuscan kitchen and this is reflected in every Florentine menu, bakery window or market stall. With beautiful food and location photography, this book is exquisitely produced as a clothbound hardback with orange sprayed page edges.