Book review: The Real Flavour of Tuscany

The Real Flavour of Tuscany
Lori De Mori and Jason Lowe
Published by Quadrille
RRP £14.99

Lavishly illustrated throughout with Jason Lowe's stunning photographs and portraits, The Real Flavour of Tuscany is as much a pleasure to read as it is to use. Intriguing sounding recipes such as Spaghetti with 'fake sauce', 'Naked' ravioli with mutton sauce and Chestnut flour cake support long-time Tuscan resident Lori de Mori's detailed prose on a plethora of artisan producers from the region, not to mention vividly drawn stories from the author's own experiences of Tuscany.

The dishes themselves all relate to the preceding essay rather than being divided by course, and feel like they could well be the producers' personal favourites. I love this touch- for me it gives a deeper connection to the food described, and gets me itching to get my hands dirty. Indeed, the olive oil cake I tried was at once tender and hearty- even more so when I replaced some of the flour with proper stone-ground cornmeal.

The book also functions as a foodie's handbook- those visiting the region would be delighted with the gazeteer and producer map tucked away at the back. A real treasure trove of authentic cuisine and local lore- a truly fascinating read.