I.　　The texts in this series offer recipes, cuisine highlights maps, and regional and city maps. As well as containing explorations of regional influences and traditional cooking they provide guides to markets, dining out and celebrating in each country plus a cuisine dictionary.

　　A definitive culinary guide to Italy. With tantalising photography throughout and written in an entertaining, opinionated and contemporary style, this guide is intended to be the benchmark for Italy's cuisine. This pocket-sized guide includes everything to do with eating and drinking in Italy.

II.　　To eat and drink in Italy is to be thrust - head reeling, heart pumping and mouth watering - into the heart of Italian life. A myriad of regional influences make up what we know as 'Italian cuisine' but what all Italians have in common is ars vivendi (the art of living). With this unique guide to the culture of food & drink in Italy, you will discover that it all starts at the table.

　　1.a guide to home cooking, traditions and celebrating with food

wine guide, by region and by grape

　　2.a guide to finding the best places to eat, and understanding the menu

an exploration of the regional cucinas

　　3.the definitive culinary dictionary, quick-reference glossary and useful phrases for every food & drink occasion

　　4.tantalising photography & recipes

　　5.Try this Recipe!

　　　Minestrone

　　　Ingredients:

　　　300 g dried white cannellini beans

　　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　　3 medium sized onions, peeled and diced

　　　2 cloves garlic, crushed

　　　2 large carrots, peeled and diced

　　　4-5 courgettes (zucchini) peeled and diced

　　　3 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and diced

　　　a half small cabbage, finely chopped

　　　1 piece parmigiano skin, about 3 cm x 5 cm

　　　2 medium sized peeled tomatoes (tinned Italian tomatoes are okay)

　　　2 and a half litres chicken stock

　　　100g green beans, topped, tailed and cut into 1 cm lengths

　　　50g finely broken spaghetti

　　　salt and pepper

　　　Soak the white beans in water for as long as possible, up to 24 hours. Heat the oil and gently fry the onion until a very pale gold. Add the garlic, carrot and zucchini and gently fry for about 5 minutes more. Throw in the potato, cabbage, parmigiano skin, tomato and chicken stock. Add some salt and pepper and simmer very gently for about 1 ? hours.

　　　Toss in the drained cannellini beans and cook for an hour longer or until the beans are soft. Add the green beans and spaghetti, simmer for a further 10 minutes and serve. If you have pesto, a dob on top makes it more Ligurian. Serves 10 as a primo.

　　Italy

　　A country of southern Europe comprising the peninsula of Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, and several smaller islands. It was settled in antiquity by Italic tribes, Etruscans, and Greek colonists. The non-Roman peoples were gradually supplanted as the power of Rome grew from the fourth century B.C. After the fall of the Roman Empire (A.D. 476), Italy was ruled by various barbarian tribes, local families, and popes. Nationalism in the 19th century led to unification under King Victor Emmanuel II in 1870. Italy became a fascist state under Benito Mussolini, whose regime (1922–1943) was allied with Germany in World War II. After surrendering to the Allies in 1943, Italy was reconstituted as a republic in 1946. Rome is the capital and the largest city. Population: 58,100,000.

　　Italian cuisine

　　Italian cuisine is extremely varied: the country of Italy was only unified in 1861, and its cuisines reflect the cultural variety of its regions and its diverse history (with culinary influences from Greek, Roman, Norman and Arab civilizations). Italian cuisine is regarded as a prime example of the Mediterranean diet, and is imitated all over the world.

　　To a certain extent there is really no such thing as Italian cuisine in the way that one usually understands national cuisines. Each area has its own proud specialties, primarily at Regional level, but also even at Provincial level. Italian cuisine is not only highly regionalised, it is very seasonal. The high priority placed on the use of fresh, seasonal produce distinguishes the cuisine of Italy from the imitations available in most other countries.