Click To View Larger Image

• by:
• Nelson, Kay Shaw

A majestic mountain system of south-central Europe, forming about a 750-mile arc from the Gulf of Genoa in the Mediterranean Sea to Albania, the Alps have dozens of peaks taller than 10,000 feet. They are divided into the Western Alps (southeastern France, northwestern Italy), the Central Alps (north-central Italy, southern Switzerland, Liechtenstein), and the Eastern Alps (parts of Germany, Austria, and Slovenia), each of which contains several separate ranges. The cookery of the Alpine regions is ample evidence that the people who live there share a fondness for fine food, regardless of their regional or cultural differences. Despite the rigors of a checkered history and the effects of political grouping and regrouping, the cuisines of the various countries retain national and regional characteristics that make them fascinating and distinctive.

In Cuisines of the Alps, Kay Shaw Nelson offers more than 140 recipes that range from classic Italian pasta dishes to the wonderful fish preparations found in each of the regions. A section on drinks examines the wine production of these countries, from the well-known French and Italian wines to the more unfamiliar offerings of Slovenia and Liechtenstein. An extensive historical and geographical introduction complements the comprehensive headnotes.

Kay Shaw Nelson is the author of 18 cookbooks, including Cuisines of the Caucasus Mountains, All Along the Rhine, and The Scottish-Irish Pub & Hearth Cookbook, all published by Hippocrene Books. Her articles have appeared in such publications as Gourmet, Woman’s Day, House & Garden, Family Circle, Cuisine, and the Washington Post. She resides in Bethesda, Maryland.