This is the time of year when Italian traders are seen at their best and many of them give regular customers a little present for Christmas. The first picture shows the "Christmas card" I received from my "hairdresser number 2" [the one nearby] this morning; it is, in fact, a limited edition print. I am going to frame it.
Next my steps somehow took me in the direction of our local bookshop, where I solved a few present problems. It is always a pleasure to watch Italian shopkeepers gift-wrapping your goods prettily. In fact, I have one of those long, supermarket rolls of wrapping paper you can get in Britain with me here and I have needed to wrap so few gifts myself that it has lasted through three Sicilian Christmases and is still going strong. And then there is the thoughtfulness and pride in service: "Signora, we'll carry these home for you." I thanked them but said I could manage as the books were not particularly heavy.
I was just on my way out of the shop when I espied, not where you would expect it to be, something I have wanted for a long time: an edition of Il Cucchiaio d'Argento, Italy's most famous cookbook, published to much acclaim as The Silver Spoon in Britain in 2005. Well, "I've been a good girl, I have", and it's my Christmas present to myself. Having added this substantial tome to my acquisitions, I gratefully accepted the offer of help carrying them. So now the book can be added to my 91 other Italian cookbooks [27 of which are about the Sicilian region] and I am sure it will give me as much pleasure, over the years [god willing] as my Larousse Gastronomique.
11 comments:
How lovely. That print looks like an item to treasure.
The card looks lovely :-)
There was a big pile of the Silver Spoon in my local book shop this afternoon, it made me think of you over there in Sicily!
I think it is too, dragonstar. Hi, cherry. What a coincidence!
I will look forward to reading your cooking experiences with the new book!
That print is just delightful!
Now my cookbook collection is growing to well over 1000 but there is always a new one to grab. Having said that, why haven't I heard of "The Silver Spoon"???? Maybe it was released in Australia under a different name. Obviously I neeeeeeed a copy lol. Could you let me know the author's name so i can track down a copy?
Thanks in advance :-)
These things are what make the Italians so wonderful to deal with, aren't they?
You deserve such a gift after your annus horribilis well part of it anyway. Although I have never seen the book so I must go on a search for it.
I don't recall that there was much room left on those shelves, Welshcakes.
And i will certainly tell you about them, Miss B! Hi, mountaingirl. The book is published by Phaidon and the English edition has "various contributors" listed as author. The Ital editor is Giovanna Mazzocchi. You are right, James!
Hi, jmb. Yes, it makes you happy to deal with them. I think I deserve it, too!
I'm always amazed at your cooking prowess and I'm sure this new cookbook will be well used. My "friend" left me 2 cookbooks this weekend to go through to see what I'd like him to cook for me on Christmas Eve! *sigh* He's a keeper! :D
Hi, Leslie. It certainly will be! I am so happy for you.
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