A Curious Absence of Chickens : A journal of life, food and recipes from Puglia - Sophie Grigson

Sophie Grigson moved to Puglia in Italy in 2019. I recall her living in Northamptonshire in the 1990s (I lived not far away), but with her children grown up and having left home she sound herself living alone and decided to start a new life in Puglia. This book is both an account of moving to a new country and landscape and also an account of the food of Puglia.

The title derives from the fact that very little chicken is eaten in the South of Italy; either in restaurants or in the home. Grigson posits the idea that the reason behind this is that the food culture that was in that area was cucina povera (the cooking of poverty) and that chickens were too valuable a resource as a source of eggs to also be a source of meat. Once their egg producing days were over the birds were too tough to be eaten.

'Italians cleave fiercely to traditions, especially here in the south. It will be a long time until chicken supremes make their way onto the official Puglian menu.'

There are no luscious pages of food photography in this book instead there is page after page of perfectly poised text and inviting recipes.

Hardback. 320 pages

Measurements:

16.5cm x 24.1cm x 3.4cm

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