La Cucina

By: Lily Prior

Narrated by: Lisa Passero

Since childhood, Rosa Fiore—daughter of a sultry Sicilian matriarch and her hapless husband—found solace in her family’s kitchen. La Cucina, the heart of the family’s lush estate, was a place where generations of Fiore women prepared sumptuous feasts and where the drama of extended family life was played out around the age-old table.

When Rosa was a teenager, her own cooking became the stuff of legend in this small community that takes pride in the bounty of its landscape and the eccentricity of its inhabitants. Rosa’s infatuation with culinary arts was rivaled only by her passion for a young man, Bartolomeo, who unfortunately belonged to another. After their love affair ended in tragedy, Rosa retreated first into her kitchen and then into solitude, as a librarian in Palermo. There she stayed for decades, growing corpulent on her succulent dishes, resigned to a loveless life.

Then, one day, she meets the mysterious chef, known only is L’Inglese, whose research on the heritage of Sicilian cuisine leads him to Rosa's library, and into her heart. They share one sublime summer of discovery, during which L’lnglese awakens the power of Rosa’s sensuality, and together they reach new heights of culinary passion. When L’lnglese suddenly vanishes, Rosa returns home to the farm to grieve for the loss of her second love. In the comfort of familiar surroundings, among her, growing family, she discovers the truth about her loved ones and finds her life transformed once more by the magic of her cherished Cucina.

Exuberant and touching, La Cucina is a magical evocation of life’s mysterious seasons and the treasures found in each one. It celebrates family, food, passion, and the eternal rapture of romance.Executive Producer: Dan Zitt
Producer: Bob Walter
Jacket design and illustration by Honi Werner
©2000 by Lily Prior
(P)2001 Random House, Inc.

Linda from Maine

Anyone who understands the place of food in passion and love will get why this is a wonderful book. The reader is fabulous, and the images engendered involved numerous senses and were terrific. I had to restart this before I was really able to hear it, so give it a chance.

A little Shocking

Okay, don't get me wrong, this book was very good, and the narrator has a wonderful talent. The sexual parts are a little bit graphic, so if your not 18 stay away.

A good story, very well told ...

This charming story combines cooking and sex in equal portions (okay, just a little more cooking than sex) and is all the better for Lisa Passero's well accented narration -- it's an easy, if not compelling, yarn to listen to and you'll probably be as reluctant as I was to have to hit the pause button occasionally. Highly recommended.

Fabulous rich and complex yet simple story of cooking and lovemaking

This story filled my imagination and held me enthralled from start to finish. not for children.

Molto Moods

Here we have "Under the Tuscan Sun" meets "The Godfather", meets "Harlquin Romances" meets "Penthouse Forum ". Something for everyone, whether you want it or not. Makes for an interesting listen while in your car with your spouse for 6 hours. The one things we were wondering --- did the author actually taste the "fried calf's brains" recipe she offers in the narrative? She certainly doesn't menton how it tasted. Oh well.