At the heart of Mediterranean cuisine lies a trio of traditional staples: rice, pasta, and couscous. Join the author as he travels from Morocco to Syria to Italy to Spain, discovering such delectable treats as Classic Seven Vegetable Couscous and Handmade Tagliatelle with Fresh White Truffles. Along the way he tells fascinating stories of the food artisans he meets and cooks with. He prepares couscous in Algiers with Sid Ali Lahlou, the world's only commercial manufacturer of hand-rolled grains, while in Tuscany his six-year-old daughter accompanies him to a master class in making fresh pasta. 100 gorgeous photos of the dishes, ingredients, faces, and places show what it's like to live and travel in this special area of the world, and reveal how rice, pasta, and couscous have become an integral part of Mediterranean cultureand today's family table.