<DIV><DIV>Francesco shows cooks how to prepare 150 classic Venetian recipes ranging from antipasti, sauces, soups, and fish, to meats, pasta, and puddings. He demonstrates how Venetian food is a fabulous fusion of ingredients brought together over centuries as merchants and traders traveled the Mediterranean. The ancient broeto (stock) and mollusk soups testify to this, as does the richness and variety of dishes based on fish, roasts, grills, tasty deep-fried delicacies, and sauces. Each chapter is introduced with the history and origins of the recipes, and throughout there are personal reminiscences by Francesco of his first encounters with his favorite dishes. As Francesco is keen to tell, his passion for cooking authentic Venetian food comes from home: "When I start talking about cooking, it is impossible to forget my father, his love and imagination for all things culinary. He has never feared unusual combinations of ingredients and seasonings, and I have always been a willing guinea pig."</DIV></DIV>