Pomp and Sustenance (Random) by Mary Taylor Simeti

Pomp and Sustenance (Random) by Mary Taylor Simeti

Pomp and Sustenance is a celebration of one of the oldest, most varied, and best-loved cuisines of Europe, at once frugal and extravagant, robustly simple yet often handsomely ornate. For twenty-five centuries, the people of Sicily have been creating what is perhaps the basic cuisine of Europe on the beautiful island in the heart of the Meditteranean.

Beginning with the oldest and most elementary components in the Sicilian diet, Mary Taylor Simeti surveys the bounty of the Sicilian table and Sicilian history. Simeti provides authentic recipes as well as evocations of the dishes' origins: from the simple glories of vine, olive, and wheat to the culinary innovations of Arab and Norman invaders; from the plain but mouth-watering dishes prepared by peasants in the Middle Ages to the ritual luxuries of Sicily's aritocracy; from the succulent delicacies made in monasteries and covents to the street-food pleasures that have become favorites all over the world.

With more than 100 photographs and illustrations, this comprehensive volume is a book to cook from, a book to read, and a book to treasure as a testament to one of the finest cuisines in the world.

MAry Taylor Simeti, an American married to a Sicilian, set out to learn more about Sicilian cuisine. She stalked the former convents and palaces that housed Palermo's libraries. She put each antique recipe to the test and modified the procedures. Her instructions are simple and straightforward. The content in the book is structured so that it reflects both the exterior impacts of a series of conquerors and the interior changes wrought by peasants, clerics, and aristocrats alike. The chapter titles allude to the tantalizing revelations that await the reader, and the recipes are based on the chapter titles.