Chef Melissa Muller’s magnificent book, Sicily the Cookbook: Recipes Rooted in Traditions, is now available in book stores (Rizzoli). Melissa dedicated years to researching and absorbing Sicilian food culture. From wine grape varietals and cheese making techniques to the esoteric details of manna cultivation and ritual bread loaf shapes, she has composed a superb love letter to Sicily and its people and given us a definitive treatise to which to refer in order to truly understand the histories, traditions, and finer details of Sicilian cuisine. I should have posted this article hours ago, but I became enthralled with reading Melissa’s exquisite entries and pouring over Sarah Remington’s gorgeous photos. After having traveled to the center of Sicily with Melissa last year, I know how much work and love went into this project. Now that I have the volume (no exaggeration here!) I can’t wait to read more and make some of the recipes.

Bravissima and congratulations Melissa!