Flavors of the Riviera
For all the demands it makes on one's imagination, the Riviera is but a scrap of beach to the whole body of the Mediterranean, a maritime nook where France meets Italy and mountains meet sea. Genoa is the main Italian city of the region, Nice speaks for the French, and the Riviera is more or less everything in between. It's a land of ancient languages still spoken and equally old traditions still practiced. Colman Andrews brings it all to life. HisFlavors of the Rivieracan't be called a cookbook and left at that; there's far too much more going on. The recipes lead the food adventurer deeper and deeper into the country. Andrews combines a scholar's taste for history and culture with a sybarite's joy at a well-laid table, allowing you to smell and taste the food as you learn about its origins. There's more to it than Salade Niçoise--though that dish is here--or ratatouille. Although wealth and privilege come immediately to mind when the Riviera is considered, the food itself rises out of poverty. The central food tradition, then, is one of maximizing the flavors of humble ingredients--that, and making the unexpected guest feel welcome. Andrews not only takes you there, but he shows you how it's done, all with grace, style, and a keen sense of pleasure.