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Sunday, August 22, 2010

Summer Time is Reading Time

A friend of mine gave me Delizia, an epic history of italians and their food by John Dickie.
And I have been devouring every word.

"Boisterous, gluttonous stories-some verging on the salacious..." Publishers Weekly

"A book that is as much a feast of horrors as delights..."The Sunday Times (London)

You don't read this kind of book when you are hungry or on a diet.  You read it when you are sitting down in the shade of a big tree, with trade winds blowing, with a glass of wine in one hand and the book in the other, savoring history one sip at a time.

I swear, there is as much history here as there are recipes and how they came about.

If you are curious about how Italy came to be a great place for food, read this book.  History was never this much fun for me.
If I were not already Italian, I would convert!

Buon Appetito!
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23 comments:

  1. Terra August 22, 2010 at 11:17 AM

    I am sure from what you wrote here that my dh and I would enjoy this book, so I wrote down the title.

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  2. Angie LedbetterAugust 22, 2010 at 11:57 AM

    Ah, books! Aren't they a gift?

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  3. UnknownAugust 22, 2010 at 12:03 PM

    I need to keep an eye out for this book!

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  4. Brian MillerAugust 22, 2010 at 12:27 PM

    nice. might check this out...just got back from the bookstore...

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  5. Rachel CotterillAugust 22, 2010 at 12:42 PM

    That sounds fun :) I heard a really great talk at a conference last year about the linguistics of food - how foods and their names (and recipes) have passed around the world, in some cases. Really fascinating stuff.

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  6. Ann BestAugust 22, 2010 at 12:45 PM

    The book sounds absolutely delicious!

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  7. MichaelAugust 22, 2010 at 2:12 PM

    Oh, I absolutely want to read this now--you've sold me. And that picture or the chair in shade? So beautiful and serene. I am sure you have spent many hours there.

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  8. Maggie MayAugust 22, 2010 at 2:32 PM

    Those look mighty cosy chairs. The book looks great. I have always taken for granted that Italians were good cooks and food lovers. I think out of all the meals I could have, Italian food is what appeals the most to me. definitely my favourite.
    Maggie X

    Nuts in May

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  9. What About The Girl?August 22, 2010 at 5:11 PM

    Oh. But I am always hungry! :-)

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  10. yayaAugust 22, 2010 at 5:43 PM

    Nothing better than a comfy chair and a good book...and I love Italian food, even though I'm Greek and I love that too! Thanks for the book tip!

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  11. Rob-bearAugust 23, 2010 at 1:51 AM

    A book like that would only make me hungrier, and larger. Sigh!

    I think I'll stick to reading light books on politics and philosophy. Not nearly as fattening!

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  12. rjerdeeAugust 23, 2010 at 4:00 AM

    "savoring history, one sip at a time"--love your expression and the idea of sipping wine while reading...I don't know if I could do that...I'd fall asleep with my nose in the book.

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  13. Arkansas PattiAugust 23, 2010 at 4:38 AM

    I'll have to pass. Living on 1300 calories a day leaves no room for temptation.
    The thing I like most about true Italian dining is that it is a social event that can last hours. None of this bolting food down to zoom off to the next project.
    Enjoy your reading.

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  14. NitWit1August 23, 2010 at 5:03 AM

    A culture and its cuisine are intertwined naturally.

    But my 900 cal to 1300 cal diet is not going well as it is.

    However, I agree books, printed or electronic make us what we are, or are NOT.

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  15. UnknownAugust 23, 2010 at 5:29 AM

    LOL, love that you would convert if you weren't already Italian! Not sure this is a book for me Rosario, but I'll put it on my "maybe" list.

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  16. Rosaria WilliamsAugust 23, 2010 at 8:41 AM

    Oh no! We are all a bit torn about food, aren't we? When did food become cosa non grata?
    I will pursue this topic at my other blog,btw.
    Food, like family, are necessary for our survival as a species, as a civilization: English and their tea time; Italians and their noisy mid-day meals that go for hours. See Rachel's comments below for further scholastic connections.

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  17. Fragrant LiarAugust 23, 2010 at 11:31 AM

    Sounds luscious!

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  18. JoAugust 23, 2010 at 1:50 PM

    Italians have THE best food in the world -- bar none.

    I love books about the history of food. The Tudors have a very interesting history of food as well, and some interesting recipes.

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  19. Granny AnnieAugust 25, 2010 at 4:14 AM

    As our weather finally cools, the idea of reading a book outside under the shade of a big tree sounds very enticing.

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  20. UnknownAugust 25, 2010 at 8:36 AM

    oh wow, this sounds like a book I have to read, notwithstanding the fact that my bookshelves are already groaning under the weight of Italian recipe books (I'm sure I must have been Italian in a previous life!) xx

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  21. Relyn LawsonAugust 25, 2010 at 7:25 PM

    I finally just got Ms. Dahl's Voluptuous Delights from the library. YIPPIE!!

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  22. Welshcakes LimoncelloAugust 26, 2010 at 8:34 AM

    I've got this book, too. It's a great read. Now I want to read John Dickie's book on the Mafia.

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  23. xxxAugust 26, 2010 at 4:08 PM

    Sounds like a brilliant way to spend time to me.
    I hope to make the book you mention a gift for a member of my family.
    thanks for sharing this.

    x robyn

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