Delizia

'If only we could all write as brilliantly on Italy and its food as John Dickie does. He may well know Italy and Italians better than they know themselves' Stanley Tucci

The new edition of the much-loved classic, with a fresh chapter that brings the surprising and moreish tale of the Italian way of eating right up to the present.

Delizia! takes the reader on a revelatory historical journey through the flavours of the cities that shaped the Italian love for good eating. From the bustle of Medieval Milan, to the bombast of Fascist Rome; from the pleasure gardens of Renaissance Ferrara, to the putrid alleyways of nineteenth-century Naples. In rich slices of Italian life, Delizia! shows how violence and intrigue, as well as taste and creativity, went to make the world's favourite cuisine. With its mix of vivid story-telling, ground-breaking research and shrewd analysis, John Dickie's Delizia! is as appetising as the dishes it describes.

'If only we could all write as brilliantly on Italy and its food as John Dickie does. He may well know Italy and Italians better than they know themselves' Stanley Tucci
'John Dickie is the only non-Italian that we Italians would trust to write the history of the food we are so passionate about.' Francesco Mazzei
'No one is more authoritative on the history of Italian food and its culture, Delizia! is an addictive read for anyone interested in the dolce vita.' Angela Hartnett
'Food and culture of Italy come together in this fantastic, must-have book from John Dickie.' Giorgio Locatelli
'John Dickie is a brilliant storyteller... and what better story is there to tell than the history of Italian food?' Dan Saladino
'Delizia! is one of those rare books that changes the way you think about food. Scrupulously argued, elegantly expressed, it is a delight in every sense.' Matthew Fort

John Dickie is Professor of Italian Studies at University College London. He is an internationally recognised specialist on many aspects of Italian history and his books have been translated into well over twenty languages. His history of the Sicilian mafia, Cosa Nostra, has sold a million copies. John has reached a multi-national television audience with a number of documentaries he has co-written and presented, including the six-part history of Italian food-a smash hit in Italy-which was based on Delizia! It is now on Amazon Prime as Eating History - The Story of Italy on a Plate.

John has been a judge of the Pesto World Championships in Genoa. In 2017 and 2018 he was the host of the Pasta World Championships in Parma, sponsored by Barilla. In 2021 he hosted the San Pellegrino Young Chef Academy in Milan.

In 2005 the President of the Italian Republic appointed him a Commendatore dell'Ordine della Stella della Solidarieta Italiana.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.