A love of history is actually what provided the initial spark for my culinary persuits. Being an avid reader as a child, I devoured everything from the World Book Encyclopedia to the Time Life Series of Cookbooks. That collection of international guides to the food culture of far away places transported me to foreign lands I only dreamed of traveling to in those days. It’s not surprising that my favorite cookbooks are written by authors who delve into the local culture of even the tiniest hamlets featuring traditional local recipes and lore….
