You will probably get enough of a buzz, in the dog days of dour January, just by looking at the pictures in Antonio and Priscilla Carluccio's book, Complete Italian Food. Packed with lovely and lovingly captured photos, by Andre Martin, of markets and landscapes and ingredients, they are every bit as evocative as the classic dishes which the Carluccios offer.
The book is divided according to ingredients - fresh and cured meats; rice and grains; breads and baking, and so on - with an a-to-z offered about the great foods of Italy. This is followed, then, by a selection of recipes which will be familiar to all: vitello tonnato; Neapolitan tomato sauce; sweet and sour artichokes, to name just a few. It's a handsome book, but others have covered this area with greater passion, though the enthusiasm of the authors is impressive. But, just looking at the pictures is a charming diversion right now.
Antonio and Priscilla Carluccio, Complete Italian Food (Quadrille £25).