Stuzzichini: The Art of the Italian Snack

What hors d’oeuvres are to the French and tapas are to the Spanish, stuzzichini are to Italians. These little nibbles and composed bites—often accompanied by a drink or two—are the focus of Ferrari’s (Ice Cream Adventures) fabulous new book that takes cooks on an effervescent snack-style culinary joy ride through Italy. The more than 100 recipes included, which range from farfalle chips with Parmigiano cream to cichi al forno (oven roasted figs), are grouped by manner of preparation or type such as crunchy, skewered, and sweets, with an added chapter offering some recipes for cocktails to accompany what’s just been whipped up in the kitchen. Sprinkled throughout are essays extolling the virtues of ingredients and products like licorice and Luxardo cherries, primers on topics such as nuts in Italy, and stories about the people who bring these products to Italian cooks.