A beautifully designed cookbook with easy, seasonal Italian recipes - the perfect gift for any foodie in your lifeRussell Norman returns to Venice - the city that inspired POLPO - to immerse himself in the authentic flavours of the Veneto and the culinary traditions of the cityHis rustic kitchen - in the residential quarter of the city where washing hangs across the narrow streets and neighbours don''t bother to lock their doors - provides the perfect backdrop for this adventure, and for the 130 lip-smacking, easy Italian family recipes showcasing the simple but exquisite flavours of Venice. The book also affords us a rare and intimate glimpse into the life of the city, its hidden architectural gems, its secret places, the embedded history, the colour and vitality of daily life, and the food merchants and growers who make Venice so surprisingly vibrant. ''Russell Norman is among the brightest stars of the British food scene'' Esquire ''Offers a rare insight into the beating heart of th