Under the Tuscan Sun: A Book Review

  ​I remember when I first came across this book. I was on a ski trip with my study abroad program in Italy (which was definitely not as glamorous as it sounds - I spent most of my time in plough position on the bunny hill). One of the professors was reading this now classic and, as I wanted to be just like her, I immediately bought my own copy from the English language shelf in the bookstore when I got back to Scandicci. I'm not sure if it was because of the stage of life I was in, or because I was immersed in Tuscan culture at the time, but this book was absolutely magical. If you've seen the movie (2003, starring the lovely Diane Lane) you only got a small, Hollywood-edited snippet of this gorgeous work. Frances Mayes makes Tuscany come alive with people, architecture, culture, history, and glorious food. Her meal descriptions make you crave things like arugula and briny olives, and you will find yourself wanting to go out into the woods with your very own truffle pig to find those rarest of delicate mushrooms. 

        It's really hard to pin it down - at parts it reads like a novel, but would really be better described as an autobiography. Or travel guide. Or cookbook. Or love story. The point is, it's very, very good. If you're intrigued, support your local bookstore and get your copy there, and make sure to grab a highlighter to mark all the inspiring parts!

truffle hunters in Tuscany