Italian Country Cooking: The Secrets of Cucina

Hardcover Metro Books Pub. March 2008 From the Italian Country Cooking is about the real food of Italy. It is about cucina povera, the name Italians give to traditional cooking, the kind that is more likely to be found in humble trattorias, homes and farmhouses than in fancy restaurants. As cookbook author Loukie Werle explains, cucina povera has no adequate translation–it can mean “poor cook” or “country food”–but it truly represents some of the most spectacular, affordable and satisfying Italian food that exists. It employs simple cooking methods, seasonal fare and only a small range of ingredients at a time (a few sausages, for example, or cheaper types of fish or meat), so that even the most novice cook can turn out delicious results. Italian Country Cooking, as you’ll discover when you try it, means eating with a warm heart–quite possibly better than you’ve ever done in your life. As a Roman proverb Più se spenne e pejo se magna ... the more you spend, the worse you eat.