Florentine

Florentine is a book that appeals both to my sense of nostalgia and my appetite. It’s a beautiful, large-format book, with gorgeous pictures of Florence, and snatches of Florentine life, but is far from being a coffee-table book: the recipes take you there just as evocatively.

Nigella Lawson

Emiko Davies’ work is not a casual appreciation of Italian cooking— it is a studied, observant, and celebratory one. To see—and cook—Florence’s food traditions through Emiko’s recipes, research, and immersive photography is to gain a deeper understanding of the city than you’re likely to get in years of visits.

Kristen Miglore, Executive Editor, Food52

One to immerse yourself in — and cook from.

delicious. magazine UK

Part travel guide, part cookbook, part photo essay, this is a keeper.

Real Living magazine

Comfort cooking at its best.

MindFood magazine

Emiko Davies’ considered and in-depth exploration of cuisine in her adopted hometown, Florence, is inspired by its history, people, markets, bakeries and trattorias. Her stunning first book, Florentine, leaves you in no doubt that you’re in the hands of an expert with traditional recipes and immersive photography. A must have for lovers of all things Italian.

delicious. magazine Australia

This book is a delight for those who know Florence, and a dream for those who don’t. Congratulations to Emiko Davies for her very personal approach, the result is extremely human and warm.

Edouard Cointreau, President of the Jury – Gourmand World Cookbook Awards

Florentine: The True Cuisine of Florence (Hardie Grant, March 2016 and new edition November 2020) is a collection of recipes from the city of Florence, the author’s home for over a decade. In it you will find the dishes (and the stories behind them) that are uniquely tied to the Renaissance city, photographs of Florence and even an address book (and in the 2020 edition also a restaurant guide) of places to eat, drink and enjoy food like a Florentine.

Florentine won Best Italian Cuisine Book at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2017 and won the Designers’ Choice Book of the Year and Best Designed Cookbook at the 2017 ABDA (Australian Book Designers Association) Awards

Location photographs are by the author, while the recipe photographs were taken by Lauren Bamford, styled by Deb Kaloper and cooked by the author, her husband Marco and Caroline Griffiths. The book was brought to life by talented designer Allison Colpoys who also created the beautiful marbling on the cover and throughout the book.

Some recipes from Florentine:

  • Peposo, Tuscan beef and pepper stew in The Guardian
  • Torta di mele, or apple cake on my blog
  • Gnudi, spinach and ricotta dumplings on The Telegraph

Florentine in the Press (a selection):

COOKBOOKS

Gohan: Everyday Japanese Cooking
Cinnamon and Salt
Torta della Nonna
Tortellini at midnight
Acquacotta
Florentine