"There has not been one single day since I have left Bologna in 1960 that I have not yearned for and lusted after the food of Emilia-Romagna. That food is part of my heritage and culture. After twenty-five years of cooking professionally, I can truly say that the food of my region has been a constant source of inspiration in all I have done."

Join author, cooking show host, and restaurateur Biba Caggiano on her journey back to her beloved region in Biba's Taste of Italy.Located in one of Italy's most prosperous northern regions, Emilia-Romagna has given the world a cuisine that is a luscious as it is refined: succulent seafood dishes from the Adriatic waters; hearty, long-simmered rag s; and rich pasta shaped into tortellini, anolini, and lasagna. With Biba, dicover the place that's home to so much of what we've come to love in Italian food: prosciutto di Parma, Modena's aged balsamic vinegar, mortadella, and perhaps the world's greatest cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Featuring more than 250 recipes, from antipasti to desserts, Biba introduces the vibrant food of her childhood: homestyle dishes and authentic recipes from humble trattorie and family-run restaurants. You'll learn how to make Tagliatelle with Bolognese Rag ; Eggplant Parmigiano that combines the salty-sweet flavors of Parma ham and Bolognese sausage; earthy, bread-thickened soups; Potato and Ricotta Gnocchi; and irresistible seafood risotto. Of course, the symbol Emilia-Romagna cooking -- stuffed pasta -- is here in all its glory with recipes for Ricotta and Goat Cheese Tortellini, Butternut Squash Tortellini, and Anolini in Broth, and so many more.

From the region's coastal towns and villages, Biba shares the simply prepared seafood dishes of the local trattoric -- Clams with Garlic and Cile Pepper and Baked Halibut with Potatoes, plus the simple tastes of grilling shellfish with olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs. In the same rustic spirit, you will also find Roasted Stuffed Breast of Veal, Braised Veal Shanks, and succulent Breaded Lamb Chops.

Biba's frequent family visits to Bologna evoke childhood memories of growing up in this food-lover's paradise, and reaffirms that the kitchen remains the heart and soul of Italian homes.

Bib's Taste of Italy is more than a collection of recipes. It is also a travel guide with all the names and addresses of her favorite trattorie and restaurants where her favorite dishes can be found.

Join Biba as she returns to Emilia-Romagna in Biba's Taste of Italy. It's a trip you will take again and again in your own kitchen.

Biba's Taste of Italy: Recipes from the Homes, Trattorie and Restaurants of Emilia-Romagna - sidottu, Englanti, 2001