The Food of Love

Wow - what a wonderful find. Couldn't put this beautiful book of Capella's down. You can almost feel the wonderfully green olive oil dribbling down your chin (just as you can feel the pounds piling around your hips!)

If you have ever been to Rome, this book transports you there in just a few short pages - the author describes not just the food, but the smells, the tastes, the combinations of flavours. Mrs Capella must be a very lucky woman for surely, no man can write as well as this without being able to love this well too.

Would recommend this book for anyone about to engage in a gastronomic delight, a trip to Italy or indeed ... a romantic liaison.

Think Cyrano de Bergerac helping Christian de Neuvillette woo Roxane, but instead of wooing her with words, he cooks for her and you have the premise of this book. Bruno is in love with Laura, an American exchange art history student in Rome, but in his shyness he believes he's not worthy of her. Unbeknownst to her, he helps his friend Tomasso, a waiter woo her, by cooking amazing and inventive meals for her and letting Tommaso take credit for the work. What ensues is a comedy of errors and descriptions of some incredible Italian dishes that will leave the reader salivating and craving Italian food.

The scenes between Laura, Tomasso and Bruno are pretty bland and I found myself just skimming, until the author starts describing show more ingredients, the preparation and the taste of the food. That's where his genius lay. He took us through a culinary journey through Italy. He also generously included some recipes at the back of the book that I am going to try. show less

The Food of Love by Anthony Capella is a light romance, a re-telling of the Cyrano de Bergerac story. It is also a tribute to Italian food and cooking. This is a book that is very difficult to read on an empty stomach as every other page concerns the cuisine of Rome. The plot is simple, waiter Tommaso wants to meet and bed the lovely American art student, Laura who in turn has been disillusioned by Italian men and been advised to look for a chef, the idea being a man who slices, dices, braises and roasts is more apt to be a sensitive, sharing partner.. Tommaso has a friend, Bruno, who is a chef, and thus begins the deception. Laura thinks all this wonderful food coming from the kitchen is the work of Tommaso, Bruno falls hopelessly in show more love with Laura and inspired by his love produces masterpiece after masterpiece, and Tommaso eventually tires of both the deception and of staying faithful to one girl. With a few other plot twists thrown in, The Food of Love was a enjoyable read that made my mouth water for an Italian meal. show less

Laura Patterson is a visiting student in Rome studying Art History. After several disastrous dates with Italian men she swears that the next man she's going to date is going to be a cook.

Tommaso Massi tells her he's a chef to impress her, and he has the patter, however thats because he's a waiter at an exclusive restaurant in Rome. His best friend Bruno helps him with the deception, mostly because he likes Laura and wants to show her how much.

Yes it's a Cyrano de Bergerac and there are times that it falls a bit flat but overall it's quite a readable story. After I got past the first few chapters it flew. I'm looking at the recipies included at the end and wondering about trying them...

This is most amusing book I have read for some time. It is a heady mix of handsome Italian men, one pretty American girl, and mouth watering Italian food with a large helping of sex and romance.

The story is a modern day Cyrano de Bergerac style tale of seduction and unrequited love.

Tommaso was my favourite character with his classic Italian looks, he may have been a love rat but at least he was reasonably honest about it. Bruno the supposed hero of the story struck me at times as a bit wet but his talents in the kitchen and his passion for food and for the beautiful American Laura were pretty good redeeming features.

The scenarios and complications which developed with the plot made me laugh out loud. All in all a feel good, funny show more romantic read. Who could ask for more? show less

Perhaps if I hadn't been so drawn in by the epic storytelling in The Various Flavors of Coffee or the war-time flavor of The Wedding Officer -- in other words, had I read this book first instead of last -- I might have liked the food of love.

As it was Capella has left me expecting more from him.

The story was, in a word, cute. Cute's okay, if you are looking for cute. I was hoping for sweeping. If I may be permitted to allow another word? Predictable. I was kinda rooting for a plot surprise towards the end, but I did not get my wish. Everything went as I suspected it would from about page 10.

I don't read a lot of chick-lit, to be honest, and I would say this book falls firmly in that category. For a light, fluffy read, it isn't bad. But show more for Capella, it could be better.

(As a side note: I am very worried about the coffee shop guy. Was I the only one?) show less

An Italian Cyrano di Bergerac, (Bruno) cooks for the woman he loves while his dashing friend Tomasso, takes the credit. While the writing and plot was not deep, the descriptions of the food and especially the small village in Le Marche I found very enticing!