In Italian Food, Elizabeth David created something more than a practical cookery book. It is no wonder that Evelyn Waugh chose it as one of the two books that gave him the most pleasure. Delightful prose, filled with fascinating asides on local tradition, brings the reader to a visual and imaginative feast before ever onion has been sliced or garlic chopped.

Italian Food was first published in 1954 and there were few ingredients available in Britain. Even in the 1963 edition Elizabeth David felt the need to explain that a courgette was 'a tiny marrow' and lamented the difficulty of finding basil and pine nuts. Yet she refused to participate in what she called the 'censorship' of assuming English cooks were too timid or stupid to try anything different; she included recipes for wood pigeon and squid-ink pasta alongside aromatic marinades, wholesome soups and delicious breads. It's easy to forget that supermarket aisles were not always filled with packets of fresh herbs, dried porcini and regional olive oils. Elizabeth David was among those responsible for the change, because she inspired a generation with her own curiosity and appreciation for the mouth-watering variety of authentic Italian food.

'The very best book about Italian food that has ever been published here'
TERENCE CONRAN

Read more about the life and work of Elizabeth David