Jacob Kenedy has been conjuring up stripped-down, simple Italian meals at his London restaurant, Bocca di Lupa, since 2008. Now he's bringing his take on Italian cuisine to print with Bocca, his second cookbook (after The Geometry of Pasta with Caz Hildebrand).
The recipes in Bocca are inspired by the traditional cooking of Italy, giving nod to the distinct flavors of each region. Kenedy eschews heavy pasta dishes in favor of simple, elegant dishes like porcini risotto and "Little Birds with Polenta." Despite complicated, elegant flavors, the simplicity of the ingredients and Kenedy's careful explanations of complicated maneuvers make these gourmet dishes approachable. Add striking photography of Italy and its dishes to the well-written recipes, and Bocca proves to be a worthy ode to the underappreciated diversity of Italian cuisine. Part travelogue, part food history, part storybook (and part cookbook), Bocca is a delectable addition to any gourmand's bookshelf. --Kerry McHugh, blogger at Entomology of a Bookworm