Winter in Tuscany by Amber Guinness

‘This book is a collection of the cosy, hearty dishes I love to cook in winter – recipes that are either traditionally Tuscan or Tuscan-inspired. It’s all about comforting, flavourful food for cold winter nights. But more than that, this book is about a way of cooking I truly believe in: the quanto basta method. It means ‘as much as you need’ – a glug of olive oil instead of a tablespoon. A pinch of salt as needed. You taste as you go and adjust. Once, when I was learning to make pici with a local cook, she simply said, “We need as much flour as it takes.” That’s the essence of quanto basta. It’s not about being perfect – it’s about being present, being practical, and making something delicious with what you have.

Winter in Tuscany celebrates rich culinary and cultural traditions with a quanto basta approach – the intuitive, Italian method of ‘just enough’ – and brings the heart of Tuscany’s cosy autumnal and wintry flavours to your kitchen. But quanto basta is more than just a philosophy for cooking; it’s a metaphor for life.

This book celebrates life in the off-season; an ode to exploring Tuscany’s villages and countryside when the crowds have thinned, allowing for a deeper, more intimate connection with the culture, food and landscapes. There are charming suggestions for pottering around Florence and Siena, and smoothly delivered snippets of history and art.

But most of all, this book is about the recipes. An artichoke omelette, chicken liver pate crostini, a lentil and sausage stew, the most delicious bistecca fiorentina and the ultimate green salad. Filled with an array of hyper-local, traditional recipes for the home cook, Winter in Tuscany is an invitation to slow down and appreciate the beauty in small moments and big flavours.

About the Author: Amber Guinness is an English cook and food writer who lives in Florence, Italy. She was born in London but raised at Arniano, the Tuscan farmhouse her parents restored near Siena. She has a first class Masters degree in History and Italian from the University of Edinburgh, and has worked as a cook in both London and Italy. Amber’s first book, A House Party in Tuscany, featured family recipes and stories from her internationally acclaimed residential painting school at Arniano. Her second book, Italian Coastal, was a culinary journey across the Tyrrhenian Sea, from Tuscany to Sicily. Winter in Tuscany is her third book. Amber is married with a son.

02 Sep 2025
 

Winter in Tuscany: Amber Guinness brings the heart of Tuscany’s cosy autumnal and wintry flavours to your kitchen by Amber Guinness ISBN 9781760764753