Pleasures of the Italian Table

The author profiles Italians who continue to follow traditional methods of raising and refining foods despite the regulations favouring mass production which have lowered culinary standards across Europe. Join the author on his quests, from the edge of the Alps to the far reaches of Sicily, tracking white truffles in Piedmont with a "trifolau" and his dogs, tasting true balsamic vinegar more esteemed than aged wine in Emilia, visiting a family "pastificio" in a vain attempt to witness the ritual of pasta being shaped and cut, and cultivating olives on a Tuscan hillside for his own oil. Topics include such familiar foods as pizza napoletana, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and espresso, as well as rare culatello, a pork speciality more prized than proscuitto. Suggestions for buying, storing and serving the foods are provided along with recommended restaurants and shops in Italy that offer them at their best.