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This book, “The Foods of Italy” was given to me as a birthday present in July of 1986. I was working at the beautiful restaurant in Key West named “Louie’s Backyard” at that life changing time. It is remarkable to find a book such as this one during that time. It was probably the most graphically rich one to be had in the world of cookbooks back then. The photographer was named John Dominis. He has must be given probably as much credit for it as the author and cooking teacher Giuliano Bugialli. It is pure ‘gastro-porn’ and also a beautiful evocation of Italy.
Upon his death the New York Times wrote, “Mr. Bugialli’s books won three James Beard Foundation awards, and in 1986 the foundation named him to its prestigious Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America list, a sort of culinary hall of fame. Giuliano Bugialli was a pioneer of gastro-tourism, showing us how rewarding it can be to discover a culture through its food,” Mitchell Davis, the foundation’s chief strategy officer, said by email. “He helped generations of cooks and eaters fall in love with and master Italian food.”
This book would probably cost 100.00 if it were new today and worth every penny. But online it can be had for less than you might pay for a pizza. I find that both sad, but liberating in that I believe Mr. Bugialli would simply want people to be inspired to cook from it. So ‘avanzare‘!
@normanvanaken Anyone who knows me knows I am one who loves and collects cookbooks. So I thought since books are much appreciated on #tiktok I’d share my “Treasure Books”, and tell you why they are. So .. here we go! #treasurebooks #cookbooks #cookbooklibrary #herobooks #booktok #chefs #chefauthors #normanvanaken #giuliano #bugialli #italianfood