Gastronomical journeys in Corsica

To be able to immerse oneself in a whole new culinary realm is a rare treat – now's your chance. This intelligent, literate book is the only one in English on the subject of the food of Corsica. The island's cooking evolved separately from that of France and Italy and waves of invaders – Greeks, Romans, Ostrogoths and the rest – all left their mark.

The islanders are traditionally mountain-dwellers. Shepherds still take their flocks into the mountains in summer and back down to the valleys in winter to graze on the fragrant maquis. The herbs impart their flavour to the meat and milk and thus to the island's fine cheeses. Corsicans are taking renewed interest in their traditional foods. Chestnut flour is once again being used to make cakes, fritters and pasta, as well as pule, the original polenta.

Rolli Lucarotti is an Englishwoman who arrived on the island by catamaran and was forced to take shelter from the mistral. That was 30 years ago and she has been there ever since, running a catering business and restaurants. This fascinating book, her first, includes dishes you will probably never be able to bring yourself to make (stuffed pig's appendix) or cannot legally make (blackbirds with cherries). It is beautifully designed, with flawlessly legible typography and a few pretty pen-and-ink drawings.

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