OP: Foods of Tuscany

Stewart, Tabori & Chang, New York, 1992. Hardcover. Very Good. First printing.

In his introduction to this first of several regionally specific cookbooks, Bugialli writes, “I think back to the time when I was searching for a name for my first cookbook, which was made up of recipes drawn from my own culinary life and that of my family’s, and was therefore almost completely Tuscan. The publishers recoiled in horror at the suggestion that the title should include the words Tuscan or Tuscany as they implied too specialized a subject…How things have changed!”

Indeed, Bugialli’s books have always emphasized the significance of regionality to Italian cuisine broadly–-the country was not unified into its present state until the 19th century, after all—regardless of the titles publishers selected for his books. It is with the freedom to delve deep that Bugialli truly shines, and you certainly get the sense that these are the books he wanted to write all along.

Balancing striking photography with 160 recipes and historical anecdotes, Foods of Tuscany is as much a useful tool for flavorful and daring kitchen adventures as it is a beautiful object to look at and learn from. A true celebration of the nuances in Italian cuisine.

Ours is a first printing, the book block and case Very Good Plus. The jacket is worn and chipping about the edges but remains intact.