William Black: Al Dente

Reviewed by JIM EAGLES

This is a delicious book.

Black takes us on a sumptuous culinary expedition through Italy, eating the food, uncovering the stories behind it, recording the recipes and savouring the people who produce it.

In Naples, the home of the pizza, he discovers the most popular pizzeria sells just two varieties: marinara (garlic, tomatoes, oregano and olive oil) and margherita (garlic, tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil and olive oil).

High in the bandit hills of Sardinia he savours a jar of casu marzu or cheese which has been eaten by maggots.

In Mantua he enjoys donkey stew on mushy polenta.

On the volcanic island of Stromboli he finds prickly pear pastries.

In Comacchio, the home of eel fishing, he misses out on the local speciality of eels with cabbage and a little grumpily enjoys eel broth.

In many places, he learns, the peasants had to make do with the gentry's leftovers and so they learned to make great dishes from the disregarded weeds, rejected fish and unwanted animal parts, which explains a lot.

Along the way he also discovers a great deal of Italian history and, in particular, the role of his own family in the creation of the modern Italian state.

All of this is recounted with an infectious enthusiasm which makes even the most dubious dish seem something you really should try.

And, as the almond on the nacatuli (look it up), he does this with a delightful gentle humour which neatly balances the obvious passion he feels for the food.

It's a book to drool over now, maybe try a couple of recipes (if you can find the ingredients) and put aside to take along if you ever get to Italy.

Random House, $27.95