This book introduces readers to the cuisine of the author's favourite city. The cuisine of Naples has absorbed and perfected the influences of numerous Mediterranean regions. Neapolitan cuisine is known as the 'cooking of the poor' whose inventiveness with inexpensive local ingredients produced the region's famous mozzarella di bufala along with various soups, legumes, vegetables, rice and pasta. Not to mention the world renowned pizza-napoletana which has 'conquered the world more than the legions of Caesar!'

"In the tradition of M.F.K. Fisher and Peter Mayle, this ... memoir follows American-born Katherine Wilson on her adventures abroad, where a three-month rite of passage in Naples turns into a permanent embrace of this boisterous city on the Mediterranean. It is all thanks to a surprising romance, a new passion for food, and a spirited woman who will become her mother-in-law--and teach her to laugh, to seize joy, and to love"--

Arthur Schwartz, popular radio host, cookbook author, and veteran restaurant critic, invites you to join him as he celebrates the food and people of Naples and Campania. Encompassing the provinces of Avellino, Benevento, Caserta, and Salerno, the internationally famous resorts of the Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Ischia—and, of course, Naples itself, Italy's third largest and most exuberant city—Campania is the cradle of Italian-American cuisine. In Naples at Table, Arthur Schwartz takes a fresh look at the region's major culinary contributions to the world—its pizza, dried pasta, seafood, and vegetable dishes, its sustaining soups and voluptuous desserts—and offers the recipes for some of Campania's lesser-known specialties as well. Always, he provides all the techniques and details you need to make them with authenticity and ease. Naples at Table is the first cookbook in English to survey and document the cooking of this culturally important and gastronomically rich area. Schwartz spent years traveling to Naples and throughout the region, making friends, eating at their tables, working with home cooks and restaurant chefs, researching the origins of each recipe. Here, then, are recipes that reveal the truly subtle, elegant Neapolitan hand with such familiar dishes as baked ziti, eggplant parmigiana, linguine with clam sauce, and tomato sauces of all kinds. This is the Italian food the world knows best, at its best—bold and vibrant flavors made from few ingredients, using the simplest techniques. Think Sophia Loren—and check out her recipe for Chicken Caccistora! Discover the joys of preparing a timballo like the pasta-filled pastry in the popular film Big Night. Or simply rediscover how truly delicious, satisfying, and healthful Campanian favorites can be—from vegetable dished such as stuffed peppers and garlicky greens to pasta sauces you can make while the spaghetti boils or the Neapolitans' famous long-simmered ragu, redolent with the flavors of meat and red wine. Then there's the succulent baked lamb Neapolitans love to serve to company, the lentils and pasta they make for family meals, baked pastas that go well beyond the red-sauce stereotype, their repertoire of deep-fried morsels, the pan of pork and pickled peppers so dear to Italian-American hearts, and the most delicate meatballs on earth. All are wonderfully old-fashioned and familiar, yet in hands of a Neapolitan, strikingly contemporary and ideal for today's busy cooks and nutrition-minded sybarites. Finally, what better way to feed a sweet tooth than with a Neapolitan dessert? Ice cream and other frozen fantasies were brought to their height in Baroque Naples. Baba, the rum-soaked cake, still reigns in every pastry shop. Campamnians invented ricotta cheesecake, and Arthur Schwartz predicts that the region's easily assembled refrigerator cakes—delizie or delights—are soon going to replace tiramisu on America's tables. In any case, one bite of zuppa inglese, a Neapolitan take on English trifle, and you'll be singing "That's Amore." A trip with Arthur Schwartz to Naples and its surrounding regions is the next best thing to being there. Join him as he presents the finest traditional and contemporary foods of the region, and shares myth, legend, history, recipes, and reminiscences with American fans, followers, and fellow lovers of all things Italian.

“A love letter to the history, traditions and culinaria of one of the richest and most complex regions of Italy.” —Stanley Tucci In other places, it might seem trite or cliché to say that love is an essential component of cooking, food, and dining. But in the shadow of a still-fuming Vesuvio, the love of everyday life is palpable in Naples: that passion for life is the spirit that guides Neapolitan cuisine. You can taste it in everything. In this tantalizing tour of the culture and cuisine of Napoli, Marlena Spieler reveals the tastes, sights, and sounds of the city and surrounding area (including its islands) in gorgeous detail. Using her own experiences and conversations with others, both tourists and residents alike, she offers us the rich history of this unique culture and cuisine. “Part travel guide, part cook's memoir, this charming little book delivers a true taste of a quirky, elusive city.” —Barbara Fairchild, former editor-in-chief of Bon Appetit “This book ought to come with bread, to sop up the extra goodness sloshing over the sides.” —Clark Wolf, author of American Cheeses, restaurant consultant, food writer “Traipsing through the foodways of Naples with the legendary Marlena Spieler is pure joy.” —Tia Keenan, author of The Art of the Cheese Plate and cheese columnist for The Wall Street Journal “Marvelous to read and a joy to cook from.” —Julia della Croce, Italian food expert and James Beard award winning author of Italian Home Cooking “[Spieler’s] enthusiasm and knowledge will likely inspire travelers to Italy to add a stop on their trip.” ―Publishers Weekly

From the pastel rooftops of Positano to the soaring peak of Monte Solaro, immerse yourself in la dolce vita with Moon Amalfi Coast. Inside you'll find: Flexible itineraries for spending 1 to 5 days in different spots along the Amalfi Coast, including Sorrento, Capri, Naples, and more, that can be combined for a longer trip Strategic advice for foodies, art lovers, hikers, history buffs, beach bums, and more Must-see highlights and unique experiences: Swim in turquoise waters, relax on sun-soaked beaches, or hop on a boat and cruise past cliffs, coves, and secret caves. Go underground to see ancient ruins in Naples or climb the towers of medieval castles. Take a day trip to Pompeii and hike to the top of Mount Vesuvius, ride a chairlift to the top of Monte Solaro, or unwind in the natural hot springs that dot the island of Ischia The best local flavors: Stroll quiet village streets where the scent of Sunday ragu fills the air, feast on fresh seafood steps from the Mediterranean, sip local limoncello on a sunny terrace, and chow down on authentic Neapolitan pizza Honest suggestions from Amalfi local Laura Thayer on where to stay, where to eat, and how to get around Full-color photos and detailed maps throughout Background information on the landscape, history, and cultural customs of the Amalfi Coast Handy tools including an Italian phrasebook and tips for seniors and traveling with children With Moon Amalfi Coast's practical tips and local insight on the best things to do and see, you can experience the best of the Amalfi Coast. Exploring more of Italy? Check out Moon Milan & the Italian Lakes or Moon Rome, Florence & Venice.

Full of lighthearted humor, sumptuous food, the wisdom of an Italian mother-in-law, and all the atmosphere of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels, this warm and witty memoir follows American-born Katherine Wilson on her adventures abroad. Thanks to a surprising romance—and a spirited woman who teaches her to laugh, to seize joy, and to love—a three-month rite of passage in Naples turns into a permanent embrace of this boisterous city on the Mediterranean. In this warmly funny and spirited memoir, American-born Katherine Wilson arrives in Naples, Italy, for an internship at the U.S. Consulate. One evening, she meets handsome Salvatore and finds herself immediately enveloped by his elegant mother, Raffaella, and the rest of the Avallone family. From that moment, Katherine’s education begins: Never eat the crust of a pizza first, always stand up and fight for yourself and your loved ones, and consider mealtimes sacred—food must be prepared fresh and consumed in compagnia. Unexpectedly falling for Salvatore, and captivated by Raffaella’s companionship and guidance, Katherine discovers how to prepare meals that sing—from hearty, thick ragù to comforting pasta al forno. Through courtship, culture clashes, marriage, and motherhood, Katherine comes to appreciate carnale, the quintessentially Neapolitan sense of comfort and confidence in one’s own skin. The Mother-in-Law Cure is a sumptuous story that is a feast for the senses. Goethe said, “See Naples and die.” But Katherine Wilson saw Naples and started to live. Praise for The Mother-in-Law Cure “In a world filled with food memoirs, this one stands out. Katherine Wilson gives us more than the fabulous food of Naples. She offers us a passport to an exotic country we would never be able to enter on our own.”—Ruth Reichl, author of My Kitchen Year “Warmhearted . . . an exuberant account of love and great Italian food.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Sweet and humorous.”—Publishers Weekly “Wilson has written a glorious memoir celebrating the holy trinity of Italian life: love, food, and family. Her keen eye and sense of humor take you through the winding streets of Naples at a clip, on a ride you hope will never end.”—Adriana Trigiani, author of The Shoemaker’s Wife “How lucky we are to get these hilarious and wise perceptions filtered through a sincerely loving eye.”—Julie Klam, author of Friendkeeping “This thoroughly enjoyable love letter to Naples is a tribute to the author’s irrepressible mother-in-law.”—Luisa Weiss, author of My Berlin Kitchen and founder of The Wednesday Chef

A woman goes home to Naples after her mother’s mysterious death in a “tour de force” by the New York Times–bestselling author of My Brilliant Friend (Seattle Times). Following her mother’s untimely and unexplained drowning, which was preceded by a series of strange phone calls, forty-five-year-old Delia leaves Rome and embarks on a voyage of discovery through the beguiling yet often hostile streets of her native Naples. She is searching for the truth about her family and the men in her mother’s life, past and present, including an abusive husband. What she discovers will be more unsettling than she imagines, but will also reveal truths about herself, in this psychological mystery marked by “tactile, beautifully restrained prose” (Publishers Weekly) about mothers and daughters and the complicated knot of lies and emotions that binds them. “Ferrante’s polished language belies the rawness of her imagery.” —The New Yorker “With the quick-paced mystery guiding the story, Delia explores her relationship with her mother, unraveling memories and secrets repressed since childhood and coming to terms with an upbringing filled with jealousy and violence . . . Troubling Love is vivid and powerful.” —Library Journal