Reports about every aspect of food and the culture it stems from, both practical and anecdotal, and naturally all the most important recipes from Italy's various regions open up a culinary universe that you can capture in your own kitchen. The "land where lemons bloom" was already a fascinating travel destination long before Goethe identified it as such. The grand culture and varied landscapes of Italy have attracted and inspired artists and writers of every epoch. Since the time of classic "educational trips" to the ancient sites of the Apennine Peninsula, ever-increasing numbers of travelers have developed an affinity to this country and the ars vivendi of its inhabitants. Indeed, the simple and yet ingenious Italian cuisine has become the expression of countless visitors' approach toward life. In 496 pages and more than 1,200 color photographs, Culinaria Italy introduces not only kitchen and cellar, but also the land and people who reside between the Alps' peaks and the pointed toe of the Italian "boot". More than 380 time-tested recipes from every region of the country ensure that a feast for the palate can follow the stimulating reading pleasure. AUTHOR: Claudia Piras studied philosophy and literature and works as an editor, author, and translator. Eugenio Medagliani is the proprietor of a firm in Milan that has specialized in sales of utensils for professional kitchens since 1860. For more than 25 years he has published the magazine Il Cuoco, the journal of the organization Federcuochi Italiana. He also works with diverse fine food journals and television programs and is a member of the international jury of the gourmet association Slow Food. Ruprecht Stempell has photographed the stars of the international media world for music and lifestyle magazines. In conjunction with international aid organizations, reports about slums in Ethiopia, street children in Brazil, child labor in Bangladesh, as well as photo documentaries of Nepal and Romania followed. Stempell has also contributed picture material to additional volumes of the Culinaria series. 1400 illustrations