Breakfast, lunch, and dinner may mark the beginning, middle, and end of the day, but for centuries Italians have eaten two small informal meals that come in between. Italy in Small Bites is the first-ever collection of recipes for these bite-size treats, known as spuntini and merende, the soul food of Italy. Spuntini, the midmorning snack, can be as simple as a sublime walnut-and-raisin-studded coffee cake, while merende, which are enjoyed midafternoon, might be a wedge of onion frittata or artichoke tart, a crunchy pillow of fried dough served with figs or prosciutto, a purée of fava beans, or sweet peppers mounded on a slice of rustic country bread. The best-known merende in America are pizza and focaccia, but there's an entire universe of appealing food revealed in this book. Though the recipes are tied to centuries of tradition that go back to a time when merende reinvigorated laborers in the fields, they're singularly perfect for contemporary eating in America and are as versatile as they are delicious. Merende make perfect impromptu meals because they are stunningly simple foods meant to make life easy. Some -- bruschetta with various toppings, frittate, vegetable tarts, polenta crostini -- may be familiar, while others are welcome new discoveries. Served individually or in combination, they can become a meal -- any meal -- and they are healthy, inexpensive, and casual, perfect for the way we live.

The first cookbook from this little-known region of Italy celebrates the richness of the region's landscape and the allure of its cuisine, featuring recipes for easily accessible, fresh-from-the-garden Italian food from a Calabrian native.

Over 40 delightful recipes for Venetian bar bites, cocktails and spritzes that will transport you to the stone streets that line the interconnected canals of la Serenissima. Over 40 delightful recipes for Venetian bar bites, cocktails and spritzes that will transport you to the stone streets that line the interconnected canals of la Serenissima. Arguably the most seductive city in the world, Venice exudes magic and mystery, history and tradition, so it comes as no surprise that a city which delights at every turn should have a few little-known treasures to discover, too. Not least the custom of enjoying cicchetti (pronounced ‘chee-keh-tee’). Discover the charms of a small but bustling bacaro, where traditionally a glass of wine, known as an ‘ombra’, is served together with a selection of small plates or ‘cicchetti’. There are over 40 recipes starting with Verdura (vegetables) including Rosemary Roasted Chickpeas, Venetian Cheese with Cipolline in Agrodolce and Fig & Blue Cheese Pizzette; or try simple Pesce (fish) plates of Mixed Fried Fish, Soft Shell Crab with Lemon & Caper Mayonnaise, Red Mullet in Saor and Scallops with Borlotti Beans. Also featured are Carne (meat) recipes for Artichokes with Taleggio Cheese & Prosciutto, Calves’ Liver with Onions & Potato, Speck & Smoked Ricotta Crocchette. Finish up a selection of Crostini & Tramezzini (breads) as well as Bevande (drinks) to do as the Venetians do. Venetians love to linger a while with friends, chatting over these wonderful morsels and a glass of wine, a Spritz or Campari Soda, but cicchetti make perfect food for entertaining at home, too. Whether for pre-dinner nibbles, or a full blown party, bring a little taste of Italy to your kitchen at home.

Kick off the evening as the Italians do, with these recipes for drinks and small dishes from the best bars and restaurants of Venice, Milan, Turin, and beyond. Aperitivo takes the reader on a spirited ride through this cocktail culture, covering variations on all the classics including the Negroni, the Bellini, and the spritz and stopping at the chicest bars that have elevated this ritual to an art form. Many of the drinks are structured around vermouths and other botanical-infused liqueurs, which offer a new world of complex flavors. They yield enticingly simple cocktails that refresh—without stunning the palate (thanks to a lighter alcohol content). But Aperitivo is just as much about the food because in Italy, drinking and eating go hand in hand. Recipes feature fried sage leaves, oven-roasted eggplant, and carbonara tramezzini, as well as many delicious riffs on crostini, frittata, and focaccia. Whether planning a party or just having a friend over for a quick drink, Aperitivo brings a whole new spirit of conviviality and true Italian style to the occasion.

Small-plate dining is a Mediterranean tradition that’s become popular throughout the world. Mediterranean Small Plates includes recipes and presentation ideas for appetizers, antipasto, and charcuterie to share with friends and family.

This is not just another Italian cookbook filled with pizza and pasta recipes. Italian Street Food takes you behind the piazzas, down the back streets and into the tiny bars and cafes to bring you traditional, local recipes that are rarely seen outside of Italy. Delve inside to discover the secret dishes from Italy’s hidden laneways and learn about the little-known recipes of this world cuisine. Learn how to make authentic polpettine, arancini, piadine, cannoli, and crostoli, and perfect your gelato-making skills with authentic Italian flavours such as lemon ricotta, peach and basil, and panettone flavour. With beautiful stories and photography throughout, Italian Street Food brings an old and much-loved cuisine into a whole new light.