Love in a Tuscan Kitchen - Savoring Life through the Romance, Recipes, and Traditions of Italy

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

From the publisher ---

Chocolate cake makes sweet dreams come true. In a real-life fairy tale, author Sheryl Ness shares how she fell in love with Vincenzo, a chef in a quaint Tuscan kitchen, over his decadent hot chocolate cake. This enchanting memoir will transport you to the cobblestone streets, lush hillsides dotted with grapevines and olive trees, and unique characters that create the backdrop for Sheryl’s Italian love story. Love in a Tuscan Kitchen is sprinkled with traditional recipes she collected along the way and flavored with rich accounts of how her dreams were fulfilled many times over while living in a picturesque village in Chianti. Raise a toast and taste pure joy as Sheryl opens her heart to love, and in turn finds herself on a remarkable journey of discovery through the people, traditions, and customs of Italy as the blond Americana fell in love with the chef with twinkling eyes.

With my first anniversary in two weeks, I realize that although I love my husband and OUR love story I wish I had fallen in love in Tuscany! The hustle and insanity of speeding vehicles on the 402, 401, QEW and 406 (as we lived 180k apart) vs. the dappled sun and terracotta of San Gusme? I wish!! Ness’ stories are charming and the photos perfect for the book. And the recipes??? I recently took an Italian cooking course and (sorry, Beatrice & Teresa) these recipes are 100x better than the ones from the class --- I have a shopping list made up right now for the Lavender and Ginger Biscotti (and a batch of lemon cream for my mom who is in hospital and needs to gain weight.

If you love Frances Mayes’ Tuscany books (right from “Under the Tuscan Sun” through her new one “Women in Sunlight” you will love this book. If you love Italian food and culture, you will also love this book. If yu love books you will love this book. 5 solid stars (although I did want to add an “e” to her self-descriptor of “blond” vs. what I call a woman a “blonde”.)