To travelers, the Italian Riviera and its famous villages– Portofino, the Cinque Terre– have meant “vacation,” “sea” and “sun” for more than a century. To food lovers everywhere its culinary triumphs such as pesto, focaccia and ravioli are icons of Italian cooking. Liguria is known as well for the trompe-l’oeil that decorates it architecture inside and out, and for its crafts– furniture-making, boat-building and lace-weaving among others, for which it has been renowned for centuries. This gorgeous book is devoted to Liguria, Italy’s picturesque and culturally rich region that boasts a breathtaking Mediterranean seacoast and its mountainous “backyard.” Downie’s lively account of the fascinating history and lifestyle is matched by Harris’s photographs of Liguria’s dramatic locales, from Camogli, the “saltiest, most piratical town” on the Mediterranean, to the interior, a vast, vertical garden dotted with towns carved from the rugged landscape. “Enchanted Liguria “also includes rarely photographed interiors of grand aristocratic villas and elegant houses, some of which have been family homes since before the unification of Italy. Thirty recipes from the region’s best chefs reflect the taste of Liguria in a celebration of herbs, marvelous pastas, breads and seafood. The appendix is a guide to museums, villas, specialty food stores and workshops. “Enchanted Liguria” is a practical, essential and beautiful tribute.
