Florence: The Art of Cookery

Like all traditional cuisines, Florentine cookery has shown more than one sign of 'corruption'. We are not referring to the greater and lesser innovations which are historically inevitable and have, if anything, enriched the city's gastronomic heritage. No, we are talking about the use of vegetables out of season, and the outrageous re-working of basic dishes at the hands of inferior restaurateurs - truffle-flavoured tripe is just one example! This eminently sensible book presents the city's best-known recipes shorn of purist excesses, and completes them with lots of useful tips on how to get the best results out of each dish. The historical notes on the recipes' origin are both quaint and interesting. Very appropriate seasoning is provided by Paola Boldrini's eloquent illustrations.