It's my new kitchen bible!

books:


	• Sweet Myrtle and Bitter Honey: The Mediterranean Flavors of Sardinia Efisio Farris, Jim Eber Rizzoli, 2007 - 272 pages average customer review:based on 7 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Salute!

My most anticipated book purchase has exceeded all of my expectations!

If you think this is just another Italian cookbook, think again. As the author explains in the book, after centuries of raids from foreign cultures like Phoenicia, Arabia, and Spain (just to name a very small few), Sardinia finally became a part of Italy in the 1850s. This excerpt says it best; "Some of the pasta shapes, meats and cheeses (like lamb and pecorino) and of course olive oil will be familiar. But lingering Roman, Arabian, Moorish, Catalan, and other Mediterranean influences (like myrtle and saffron) make our cuisine a hybrid".

Efisio guides you through each of these exquisitely authentic recipes, shared from his own family's kitchen and effortlessly weaves in his deep devotion to Sardinian culture and history so that every page just drips with his love of country (and food). His use of indigenous ingredients such as Botarga (dried grey mullet), Miele Amaro (bitter honey) and Malloreddus (one of their pastas), paired of course with either a good Cannonau (red wine) or Vermintino (white wine) offer an exciting array of surprisingly uncomplicated recipes which makes this a treasure trove of refreshing new ideas for everyday cooking.

In true Sardinian style, you are his guest in his "home" as he takes you on tour through his beloved country. And, being the generous host, you almost don't realize that you too are falling in love with his country and its culture. Yet it seems that is the hope, for at the end Efisio has provided not only a "pantry" for places to purchase authentic Sardinian ingredients (a must have to do any of these recipes justice), he also provides a short list of hotels and restaurants to get your actual travels to Sardinia a leg up in the right direction.

This book is such a breathtaking tribute to Sardinia and its culture, it is a must read even for those with no interest in cooking, it's that good!

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It's my new kitchen bible!

Everybody that comes to my house gets Sardinian food these days. The recipes are deceptively easy and fill my house with lusty, irristable aromas. The lamb stew, gorgonzola-asparagus pasta (which the author cooks on Martha Stewart show) and the pork tenderloin are staple dishes in my kitchen now. Plus the beautifully written book and pitcures transport me back to Sardinia and all my wonderful trips to that magical island. This is a special book that will be a part of my kitchen for a long time!

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Beautiful Cookbook!

After visiting Sardinia this summer, I was so excited to find this cookbook to give to my daughters this Christmas. We were all so enthralled with this area of Italy and all of its' cuisine. This cookbook has recipes for many of the delicacies we loved while visiting there and is just simply a beautiful book -- many historical facts and wonderful pictures are included.

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Not just a cookbook

This book is not just another italian cookbook. It shares detailed stories of the author's homeland. I have visted Sardegna twice and fell in the love with the island, the people and of course the food. Now I am able to cook the dishes at home. Not only are the recipes delicious but fairly simple to make. The natural food and simplicity of life are described in this book. No wonder Sardegna has the world's longest living people. After reading his stories and sampling the recipes, you will want to visit Sardegna. I've purchased three books to give as gifts and everyone has enjoyed them.

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Unique and Delicious

I was intrigued by the flavors of the recipes; not just another italian cook book. The many cultural influences on the island culture are apparent in this book's recipes. Exquisite and delicious. I also recommend Finger Licking Different if you love something tasty, quick to prepare and unique.

reviews: page 1, 2

Sardinia now rivals its northern neighbor Provence as a vacation destination. The coastline lures visitors, but it is the food that will make you linger. Chef Efisio Farris is poised to become the next great ambassador of Italian regional cuisine. To promote the cooking of his native Sardinia, he has appeared on the Food Network, given demonstrations at food festivals across the country, and even launched his own company that imports Sardinian specialties for his restaurants and for retail. It is Mediterranean cooking at its purest, making liberal use of olive oil, fish, and fresh vegetables. But it?s also distinguished by indigenous ingredients that are becoming hot trends in America: pecorino, flatbread, fava beans, fregula, and bottarga. Farris has pulled together more than one hundred recipes?many of them family secrets. Among them are Watermelon Salad with Arugula and Ricotta Salata; Pannacotta with Bitter Honey; and Bruschetta with Sausage and Pecorino Sardo. More than 150 breathtaking images take you on a tour of the countryside?from the terraced olive groves to the riverbanks full of wild asparagus. In sidebars, the author relates charming anecdotes and Sardinian history. Readers will come away not just with a taste for the island?s flavors but also a sense of Sardinia?s magical beauty and culture.

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