"So filled with passion and expertise...the definitive guide for Italian food culture."---Rick Steves<BR><BR>"Takes dead aim at the brain's pleasure centers, conjuring up a seductive vision of simple but succulent meals dished out to hardy fisherfolk surrounded by gorgeous scenery."---New York Times<BR><BR>"The perfect food lover's guide to Italy."---Carol Field<BR><BR>"An outstanding book, remarkable for its breadth of coverage, full of insights and compulsive reading. Plotkin eats where locals eat, shops where they shop, celebrates local folklore and festivals, visits museums, vineyards, craft bakers and other artisan food producers and generally relishes life `con bri'." ---Philippa Davenport, The Financial Times<BR><BR>Fred Plorkin has lived and worked in Italy on and off for 30 years since he fell in love with the country while studying opera at the University of Bologna. He writes for many magazines on the subject of Italian food and culture and is the author of nine books, including the acclaimed The Authentic Pasta Book and Opera 101. He is a popular speaker who appears frequently on BBC and NPR. Fred divides his time between New York and Liguria, Italy's beautiful Riviera. www.fredplotkin.com