The Lady in the Palazzo

The chef and author of A Thousand Days in Tuscany takes in the flavor of Umbria while fixing up a dilapidated palazzo with her husband—includes recipes.

Marlena di Blasi seduced readers to fall in love with Venice, then Tuscany, with her critically acclaimed books about her experiences in those enchanting Italian regions. Now she takes readers on a journey into the heart of Orvieto, an ancient city in the less-trodden region of Umbria. Rich with history and a vivid sense of place, her tale is by turns romantic and sensual, joyous and celebratory, as she and her husband search for a home in this city on a hill—finding one that turns out to be the former ballroom of a dilapidated sixteenth-century palazzo. Along the way, de Blasi befriends an array of colorful characters, including cooks, counts, shepherds, and a lone violinist—cooking her way into the hearts of her Umbrian neighbors.

Brimming with life and kissed by romance, The Lady in the Palazzo perfectly captures the essence of a singular place and offers up a feast—and the recipes to prepare it!—for readers of all stripes.