COOK ING THE BOOK S

Some of the best recipes are those that are handed down the generations; demonstrated rather than written, every slice of the knife or sprinkle of herb imparting culinary knowledge. Anna Maggio has committed to paper such personal, family recipes in Under the Olive Tree: Memories and Flavours of Puglia (£20, Unicorn), beautifully illustrated with delicate drawings by Emma Hobbins. The simple, authentic dishes created from seasonal crops, or lessons in pressing and preserving, offer an insight into the traditional way of life and cooking in this area of Italy.