A CURIOUS ABSENCE OF CHICKENS

Charming anecdotes about the author's life in Puglia with excellent recipes. Perhaps not for inexperienced cooks who need detailed step by step instructions and photos, but the recipes I have tried have worked beautifully.

I enjoyed reading this book at the beach in Puglia. Unfortunately as ebook(I decided there to buy it) so finding the recipes later is difficult. But as I know italian cooking esp. Pugliese I manage... Would love to meet her there. It is much more than a cooking book

So much more than just a cookbook. The writing is flawless and assured as expected, but here she also draws you into her new life in Puglia. This is a woman in transition and the book expresses all of the shock and the many pleasures of the new. I have not yet cooked from it but feel the same assurance that I do with the books of her mother. Sophie has your back. Go buy it!

My greatly anticipated book arrived yesterday the same day I arrived home from Puglia and I have already read it!Brilliant book, in addition to the fabulous recipes it also explains the Puglian way of life and cooking.As an avid cook who now spends half the year in our house in Puglia (Covid permitting) I love reading anything about Puglia. The way of life and food in Puglia is simple and 'honest', fresh ingredients and recipes that have not changed for centuries. All the Puglian classics are here with easy to follow recipes.I had never heard of Bombette before arriving in Puglia but you will find these everywhere and the book explains what they are as well as a recipe which is great for those who have never heard of them, they are the most amazing, tasty things and I will make these in the UK whenever we have a buffet or even as canapes, they are delicious, I would rather be eating them in the bar at the end of our street in Puglia but whilst in the UK they will do for me.Another great one and ideal for parties in the UK as a change from perhaps humous is 'Fave e Cicoria' as the book explains this is a puree made from broad beans, sound boring but is so tasty and very moreish, again a great explanation of what is probably the most staple dishes of Puglia along with 'Orecchiette alle Cime di Rapa'Can highly recommend this book for any cook or anyone interested in reading about the food of different cultures, Puglian food is quite unique and very interesting. It's all about ingredients, not fancy sauces etc so find your nearest Italian deli. I will make the Chocolate Olive Oil Mousse tonight as that sounds very interesting.

So a couple of weeks ago I was wondering whatever happened to Sophie Grigson. Google pointed me towards her blog about her (brave) move to Puglia. I stayed up far too late reading every post and then found out this book had just been released. This book is a real find with great recipes but also a real sense of people and place. I’m a bit of a cookbook obsessive - stopped counting them when I reached > 1000 as realised it was a pathology rather than a hobby….. This book has made me re-evaluate Sophie’s writing - maybe I just didn’t previously gravitate towards her books as I was a big fan of her Mums writing - but this book is up there with Jane Grigson, Elizabeth David, Simon Hopkinson and Lindsay Bareham. Have tried 10 recipies so far and all were really really good. It has no fancy overly styled photos so if this is your thing sorry. (But if you really think your food will turn out like that shot by professional food photographers and food stylist you probably are a bit delusional anyway. Have now ordered all the Sophie Grigson books I didn’t have…. Would really also recommend Travels a la Carte and Sunshine food which I have revisited after devouring this. Great book so get it…. I hope we get a vol. 2