A Cookbook That Brings Southern Italy’s Sunshine to Your Kitchen

There’s something about Campania—the way the light dances on lemon groves, the scent of woodfired pizza mixing with salty sea air, the vibrant energy of Naples softening into lazy fishing villages. It’s the kind of place that lingers in your memory. Now, Campania: Recipes & Wanderings Across Italy’s Polychromatic Coast—the latest from Apartamento and Belmond—lets you bring that magic home.

This isn’t just another cookbook. It’s a love letter to one of Italy’s most captivating regions, with Lea Colombo’s dazzling photography making every page feel like a summer holiday. Her images—alive with colour and movement—transport you straight to Campania’s cobbled streets and sun-soaked terraces.

Dishes That Speak of Tradition

At its heart are 21 recipes that capture the region’s soul. Many come from Caruso, A Belmond Hotel, an 11th-century palace turned luxury retreat perched high above the Amalfi Coast. Here, Naples-born chef Armando Aristarco honours tradition with dishes like Caruso Pizza, baked in a centuries-old stone oven, and spaghetti with lemons and capers, as bright and fresh as the coastline itself.

The book shines when it shares stories beyond the restaurant, with recipes from:

• Nina Clemente, blending Southern Italian flavours with a modern twist
• Bernardo Costantino, an Italo-Venezuelan chef with a bold approach
• Salvatore Giuliano, carrying on his family’s legacy at Naples’ iconic Mimì alla Ferrovia (open since 1943)

  

A Celebration of Place

What makes this book special is how it goes beyond recipes. Essays from Elisa Carassai, Claudia Durastanti and Margo Schachter explore Campania’s culture—its history, landscapes and the way ingredients like Amalfi lemons, buffalo mozzarella and Cilento olive oil define its flavours.

Then there are the producers: pasta-makers shaping dough by hand, cheesemakers working near ancient ruins, olive growers tending trees older than living memory. Their dedication is woven into every dish.

Why This Belongs on Your Shelf

Whether you’re a traveller, a home cook or just someone who dreams of long Italian lunches, this book is a keeper. It’s the kind you’ll flick through for inspiration—then find yourself in the kitchen, tossing together a Caprese salad or shaking up a Caruso Gimlet as the sun goes down.

Campania: Recipes & Wanderings Across Italy’s Polychromatic Coast is out now—a delicious escape between covers.