Sun dappled stones and overflowing flowers are the images I have of Italy. Frances Mayes has given us many images of Tuscany and now she gives us a whole picture of her beloved country. Her newest book, See You in the Piazza, is a travelogue of the many adventures she has had in Italy with her husband, grandson and other guests.

Mrs. Mayes tends to stay away from the popular places that one might hear about when researching Italy. She prefers the small towns to sample their wines and local foods. She calls pasta Italy’s “national anthem.” You will read descriptions of the local delicacies and even have the opportunity to try your own hand at cooking some of the food with the recipes provided at the end of the chapters. She describes one wine as “mellow and deep, with just enough tannin to make me sit up straight.”