Somewhere South of Tuscany: 5 Years In a Four-Cat Town [Paperback]

Diana Armstrong (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 19, 2010

Somewhere South of Tuscany is a feet on the ground, boots-in-the-mud account of living and cooking in a beautiful hilltop village set in the spectacular Italian countryside between Tuscany and Umbria. After only one brief visit, Diana and her husband buy an ancient stone house right in the historic center of town. It has been carved out of a 400-year-old abandoned monastery. Disasters and discoveries abound. Somewhere South of Tuscany is a simpatico and humorous look at real life in an Italian Medieval village where most families live in the homes of their ancestors. Many neighbors are survivors of World War II and attitudes here have gone unchanged for generations. Diana's book includes her delicious recipes adapted in her ancient kitchen from the traditional dishes of Tuscany and Umbria. Once again, just as they have done for centuries, aromas of rosemary, sage, porcini, and truffles rise and fill the old stone kitchen. Diana G Armstrong is an award-winning food and travel writer and cookbook author. Born and raised in South Africa, she now lives in Denver, Colorado. She maintains a second home in Italy, which enables her to indulge her particular love of the life, food, and people of rural Italy.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Diana G Armstrong (B.A., M.A.) is a food and travel writer and cookbook author. She writes articles for magazines such as Gourmet Magazine. Her previous book Cooking for My Friends is available on Amazon.com. Born and raised in South Africa, she now lives in Denver, Colorado. She maintains a second home in Italy, which enables her to indulge her particular love of the life, food and people of rural Italy.

Product Details

• Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (March 19, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439266212
• ISBN-13: 978-1439266212
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #759,833 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #47 in Books > Travel > Europe > Italy > Umbria
  • #93 in Books > Travel > Europe > Italy > Tuscany

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't Put It Down!, April 23, 2010

By 

P. Davis (Asheville, NC USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Somewhere South of Tuscany: 5 Years In a Four-Cat Town (Paperback)

Don't miss this wonderful read that will make you laugh and cry as you follow the author's inexhaustible and often hilarious efforts to create a life in a small Italian village. As the author describes her navigation through the intricacies and vagaries of local law, customs, language and cooking, you get a strong sense of both her indomitable spirit and her open heart as she embraces all things Italian. The format of short stories makes it a quick, fun read and the clever way of introducing local foods first by describing the social occasion for which they are prepared and then including the full recipe at the end will have you longing to invite friends to share a meal. Maybe this book should come with a warning. After reading, you may feel an irresistible need to visit international airline websites and/or your closest Italian grocer.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ITALIAN VILLAGE LIFE AND FOOD, April 21, 2010

By 

John Lewis (Charlotte, NC, US) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Somewhere South of Tuscany: 5 Years In a Four-Cat Town (Paperback)

WHAT A MARVELOUS STORY OF ITALIAN VILLAGE LIFE AND FOOD! IT'S HIGHLY READABLE AND EXCEPTIONALLY ENTERTAINING. KNOWING UMBRIA WELL, I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK WHOLEHEARTEDLY TO ANYBODY YEARNING TO BE OFF THE BEATEN PATH.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating Fun Read for Lovers of Italy, April 2, 2010

By 

Rosemarie Gunsauls "Rosemary of Denver" (Littleton, CO, US) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Somewhere South of Tuscany: 5 Years In a Four-Cat Town (Paperback)

This book is captivating from beginning to end. It is an easy read about the fun things (and not so fun) that happen when you buy a very old house in a village in Italy.
I like the way Diana Armstrong talks about the food of the region and then gives you all the recipes at the end of the book. The book also covers quite a lot of the history of the area and so puts everything in perspective.