A Curious Absence of Chickens

Reviews / Votes

Jane Grigson, the best cookery writer in my lifetime, would have been so proud of her daughter. Sophie Grigson has written twenty-odd excellent cookbooks, but I think this is the best of them. It is her first book for a decade and was obviously driven by a real love of her subjects, which are Puglia, people and food. It is witty, informative, fascinating and stuffed full of recipes you want to cook. * Prue Leith * Vivid, humorous and unsentimental, Sophie's portrait of modern Puglia, still steeped in old ways, is a delicious treat. * Xanthe Clay * OMFG! This beautiful book is transporting me there. I can't put it down. And the lack of chickens... I never bloody noticed! * Matt Tebbutt * Part travelogue, part recipe book, A Curious Absence of Chickens recounts a lone foodie's peregrinations through southern Italy with humour and candour. * The Times * [A] delicious account of new friends and fantastico food that will leave you hungry for more. * Daily Mail * Take a vicarious trip to southern Italy with seasoned cookery writer Sophie Grigson...She recounts her impressions of everything from the idiosyncrasies of her local market to the region's famous storied olive groves in this charming, sparingly illustrated read, bookended with traditional recipes (some with her slant). One to savour. * Delicious Magazine * Jane Grigson, the best cookery writer in my lifetime, would have been so proud of her daughter. Sophie Grigson has written twenty odd excellent cookbooks, but I think this is the best of them. It is her first book for a decade and was obviously driven by a real love of her subjects, which are Puglia, people and food. It is witty, informative, fascinating and stuffed full of recipes you want to cook. -- Prue Leith