Basic Cooking and Basic Baking served as solid foundations for novice cooks. Now, the series is branching out for even more culinary enjoyment and fun. Italy epitomizes vivaciousness -- la dolce vita -- and its cooking is probably the best-loved national cuisine in the world. The first section of this book offers basic how-to's on shopping for key ingredients (like pasta, cheese, balsamic vinegar, espresso, and wine) and Italian souvenirs that will infuse any home with that Italian feeling. The recipe section is divided into starters, snacks and salads, pasta, risotto, pizza and polenta, soups and vegetables, fish and meat, and dolci. But this is not a simple collection of ethnic recipes; it is a new approach to Italian cooking and sets out an eclectic group of meals that will well serve any party or gathering, big or small. Includes removable postcards with the book's most beautiful photographs.