Famed for its bustling cities rich with art, history, and centuries-old traditions, as well as for its gently rolling landscapes filled with vineyards, cypress trees, and olive groves, Tuscany is one of the most popular regions in Italy. Mary Ann Esposito, host of the longest-running television cooking show, invites us to experience the tastes, smells, and traditions of this wonderful region, one delectable meal at time. With eighty delicious recipes accompanied by anecdotes, travel essays, and cooking tips and techniques, this collection shares and explores the essence of Tuscan cooking. Cucina povera, country-style cooking, is the backbone of the Tuscan culinary heritage, and you'll see it in practice on an agricultural estate just outside of Siena, at a palazzino in the heart of Florence, at a popular restaurant in an industrial city, in medieval villages, and in the charming cities and towns across the region. Simple, flavorful ingredients are transformed into authentic, mouth-watering dishes such as Scarola e Fagioli (Escarole and Beans), Pappa al Pomodoro (Tomato Bread Soup), Patate con Olio e Ramerino (Potatoes with Olive Oil and Rosemary), Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Grilled T-bone Steak), Gnocchi di Patate con Salsa di Pecorino e Panna (Potato Gnocchi with Pecorino Cream Sauce), Panforte, Ricciarelli di Siena (Siena-Style Almond Cookies), and much more. Complete with information on mail-order sources, Web sites, and Tuscan restaurants, this celebration of the region of Tuscany is a tribute to the people practicing and preserving its rich culinary traditions.

Just east of Tuscany, Umbria is lush with rolling hills and rustic small towns - and delicious, healthful, traditional Italian cooking. In her most intimate and personal cookbook to date, popular cooking-show host Mary Ann Esposito, beloved for her long-running series "Ciao Italia," takes us through this delightful, unspoiled region - cooking, eating, and making friends along the way. With 60 authentic recipes along with anecdotes, profiles, and cooking tips, this companion to "Ciao Italia" is a "traveling cookbook" that transports us to the unforgettable foods of Umbria and the people who prepare them. You'll visit bustling food markets, glorious street festivals, aroma-filled home kitchens, family-run vineyards, top-secret truffle fields, and a heavenly chocolate museum. You'll also find information on mail-order sources, web sites, and Umbrian restaurants. Everyone who loves Italy will savor the bounty of Umbrian specialties on these pages, including hearty gnocchi, sizzling vegetables and pork sausages alla griglia (on the grill), delectable black truffles, simple ragus, healthful lentils and farro, hearty country breads, and Perugian chocolate desserts. So pull up a chair, pour a glass of Sangiovese, and come along to Umbria - and bring your appetite!

Damian and Johnny return with a colorful volume of hearty fare of Tuscan derivation. From the antipasti to dolci, these chefs offer intensely flavored dishes from that fabled west-central Italian region crowned by Florence.

From the Foreword by Jasper White, chef, restauranteur and author; "Fabulous recipes aside, this book is worth possessingjust for the in depth dissertations Mary Ann gives on so manyingredients like olive oil, cheese, rice, lentils, pasta, pasta sauces,tomatoes, bread, artichokes, radicchio, prosciutto, mortadella,balsamic vinegar and other stars of Italian cuisine. She teaches theimportance of each and their connections to particular regions, citiesand villages with a knowledge that can only come from firsthandexperience. Mary Ann tells fun stories of Saints and extraordinarypeople and their connections to particular customs, history, holidays,farming and techniques of food preparation. These delightful tales,like the one of her grandmother preparing elaborate dishes honoringSt. Joseph for granting her wish of saving her husband's life, give usa deeper understanding of how food is so much more than fuel forthe body. It is a celebration of love and of life.Mary Ann Esposito has spent her life cooking, traveling andteaching. The pages that follow are the culmination of her amazingcareer accomplishments, vast experience, intelligence, and most ofall her connection to the food and the people she loves. Grazia, MaryAnn, for sharing your great adventure with us.""In Ciao Italia, her very personal gastronomic journey, Mary Annreveals to us the extraordinary diversity and complexity of Italiancuisine and the importance of traditions, ingredients and regionalcooking. Full of useful information and historical references, her livelystory is told with the right touch of flair and confidence and revealsthe soul of Italy." -Jacques Pépin, chef and author

Cucina Tipica: An Italian Adventure is the story of Jacoby Pines, a disheartened American who arrives in Italy on holiday, and decides he never wants to leave. What follows is a wine-soaked, food-filled, travel-laden adventure about one man's quest for an antiquated existence in the modern world.

What could be better than an authentic Italian dinner like this that takes only thirty minutes to prepare? Little Ciabatta Toasts with Ricotta and Salami Skillet Breaded Pork Chops with Rosemary Cherry Tomatoes with Leeks and Thyme Dried Figs in Red Wine From years of cooking in her Ciao Italia television kitchen, Mary Ann Esposito understands what many people with busy lives, as well as those just beginning to learn their way around the kitchen, want to know: How do I prepare an authentic Italian meal without spending hours in the kitchen? In Ciao Italia, Pronto!, Mary Ann shows everyone how to prepare an authentic Italian meal in thirty minutes with more than eighty mouthwatering recipes from the entire gamut of Italian cuisine. She's gathered together a treasure trove of antipasti, soups, pasta dishes, main courses, vegetable side dishes, pizzas, calzones, and deserts that make easy and delicious meals for family and friends. Besides recipes for dishes like quick chicken cacciatore, macaroni with a rich lamb sauce or Cornish game hens with tomatoes and potatoes, Mary Ann shares her how-tos of cooking Italian quickly and authentically: · how to maximize your time in the grocery store · how to create a Pronto! pantry filled with staples · how to have a cooking plan and multitask as the preparation gets underway · how to get several meals out of a single preparation · how to use seasonal fruits and vegetables to greatest effect. For good measure, Mary Ann adds a dozen Pronto! menus to show readers how to combine the dishes, as well as a select list of mail order and online sources for specialty items. So, instead of bringing home fast food or prepared frozen dishes from the grocery story, involve the whole family, spend thirty minutes with Mary Ann, and bring a little la dolce vita---as Italians would say, "the good life"--- to your kitchen. Without fuss or bother, Mary Ann Esposito shows you how to bring an authentic taste of Italy to the table for your friends and family.