A Tale of 12 Kitchens by Jake Tilson

I love cookbooks, maybe just beause they exist, but this one by Jake Tilson published by Weidenfeld &Nicolson is simply extraordinary. 

Jake Tilson in fact didn't create just a cookbook, but to my point a view a scrapcookbook, telling to all of us, what it meant and it means to him eating, presenting a good dish, sharing suggestions, family recipes, in a continuous and suggestive trip arund the world.

A Tale of 12 Kitchens in fact the title of this scrapcookbook. Yes because for the Tilson's family, not just for Jake, eating, having guests has always been a crucial part of their existence. Hospitality it is called, but also  desire of spending some time together, sharing a meal.

What it meant for the Tilsons? Meals passed through quality, and farm products, remembers Jake. At a certain point, they started to plant every sorta of veggies; they had a big garden. Not only, there was great appreciation for bread and baking their own bread became a mantra, because bread is also another symbol for families of food, appreciation.

Jake has had the big luck of visiting in not suspected times, in the 1960s (tourism destroyed partially the real aspect of many realities, I absolutely agree) France and Italy, when menus writes the author, were written in italian or french, where there was less aggressivity touristically, and when there was mainly local food. It insists a lot about local food the author, who lived for a certain time in Tuscany as well where he discovered, I want to add them because the same revelation touched greatly another American friend of mine, Connie: Zucchini fried flowers. You will find this recipes like also the one of panzanella and many many more here.

Scotland will present us many other surprises, like also cosmopolitan cities like Los Angeles and New York. If you love food, if you think that food is not just eating but also a family-tradition in grade to speak per generations; if you think that family dishes tell the story of a family; if you are curious about food of other corners of the world, this book is absolutely for you.

It is simply stunning and a real, a real treasure. I adore and I adore and I adore how they thought at this project, in a modality in grade of telling and sharing, adding pictures, situations, family moments, recipes, giving back us what food is: sharing and conviviality.

Absolutely suggested! to everyone. This one is a great gift! Trust me, if you have friends in love for the topic.

Anna Maria Polidori