Desserts and Sweet Snacks

Book excerpt: Home-style, elegant, and easy-to-prepare sweets -- inspired by traditional Italian eating, perfect for today's table Viana La Place, one of Morrow's most-loved cookbook authors, brings us to Italy, where the best desserts are pure and simple treats made from the freshest ingredients. Viana has a true passion for home-style cooking and eating, which she shares in her teaching and has won her numerous fans. Published in the same lush, full-color format as Viana's popular Panini, Bruschetta, Crostini, Desserts and Sweet Snacks presents such delights as ripe fruit in clouds of whipped cream, tender single-layer cakes, and delectable ice creams. Sweet Olive Oil Cake with Lemon needs only a hot espresso to make a satisfying afternoon snack; Pink Honeydew Ice Cream cools on a sultry day. For Viana, sweets are inextricably linked to experiences in Italy, which she relates in beautiful narrative reminiscences interlaced with the recipes. Desserts and Sweet Snacks is a wonderful culinary trip and a collection of recipes to be savored.