Jamie’s Italy

Jamie’s Italy By Jamie Oliver, Hyperion, 2006. Hardcover. $35; 319 pages

Amiable Brit Chef Jamie Oliver peeks into everyday Italian households where food remains so central to family. He tours the country, introducing us to home cooks, farmers, and producers whose stories captivated and inspired him to create this book. His conversational writing makes you feel like you’re along for the ride—and what a ride it is. “I want you to experience [the spirit of Italy],” Oliver writes. “I want you to walk past the wall of footballing posters in Palermo and chuckle because you’ve seen it here. I want you to go and find the old woman making polenta in the town of Bari in Puglia ... I want you to go and see Dario the butcher in Panzano in Chianti and shake his hand.”

GIVE THIS TO: Jamie fans who want a taste of Italian. —Deb Wise