Above all, Cinnamon and Salt is a dream-inducing collection of stories that take you through the small streets and glimpses of sudden great vistas, evoking not only the spirit of the place, but its flavours, too.
Nigella LawsonA glorious book on cicchetti, the small plates and snacks for which Venice is famous. Cooking these recipes is almost as good as being there.
Diana Henry, food writerAn enticing collection of Venetian snacks, traditional and modern, sweet and savoury, and a portrait of the city, its past and its present.
Jill Norman, editorA transportive cookbook that shows how food can help us understand the heart and soul of a city.
Hetty McKinnon, food writerThe way Emiko expertly weaves history and story into her food is pure magic.
Julia Busuttil Nishimura, food writerThrough recipes, stories and photographs, Cinnamon and Salt: Cicchetti in Venice: Small Bites from the Lagoon City invites you to experience Venice and its beloved cicchetti (pronounced chi-ke-tee): literally, little morsels. You can think of them as appetisers, aperitivo or hors d’oeuvres, but cicchetti are distinctly Venetian and a way of life in the lagoon city, where for centuries people have wandered the backstreets and canals, stopping for a glass of wine or a bite to eat while meeting friends, exchanging news or doing business.
Delving into the rich, multicultural history of Venice, from its days as a powerful maritime nation and the wealthy spice emporium of Europe, these pages explore the city’s unique cuisine, including nearly sixty classic and modern recipes, from fried bites to small plates to drinks and sweets, such as creamy whipped cod on squares of polenta, legendary fried meatballs, sugar-coated fritters, and lagoon specialties including soft-shell crabs and baby artichokes.
Includes a foreword by Venice historian Rosa Salzberg.
Find it at your local independent bookshop or here.
Short listed for Best International Cookbook at the Guild of Food Writers Award 2023 and long listed for the Andre Simon Award.
From the judges of the Guild of Food Writers:
“The wealth of research supporting Davies’ long-standing love of the city’s bars and bàcari results in clearly written recipes. These are completed with fact-filled head notes and helpful tips ranging from” The art of frying” to” How not to stir polenta”. Magical evocation had our judges planning their next tour, masterful guide in hand.”