Food plays an important role in Donna Leon's bestselling Commissario Brunetti novels. InA Taste of Venice, Roberta Pianaro invites readers into the Brunettis' kitchen to learn how to prepare for themselves the delicious meals Paola Brunetti cooks for her family. We are given the secrets to Brunetti's favourite pasta (penne rigate), Paola's famous apple cake, a lasagne recipe from Brunetti's mother, Donna Leon's favourite meal (risotto di zucca), and a host of other sumptuous and authentic Italian classics.

Beautifully illustrated with vignettes by Tatjana Hauptmann, and with culinary stories by Donna Leon and extracts from the Brunetti novels, this is so much more than a cooking guide - it is a wonderful journey, full of ideas for recreating the delights of Venetian cuisine in your own home. So whether you want to eat spaghetti with clams, aubergine and prosciutto roulades or baked omelette with courgettes, you'll find all you need here to create the perfect Venetian feast.

Roberta Pianaro, born in 1948, has a jewellery workshop and a much used kitchen. Donna Leon calls Roberta the 'Risotto Queen' and often gets to enjoy her cooking. Just as well, for numerous dishes from Roberta's kitchen are served to the Brunettis as well.

Donna Leonhas lived in Venice for many years and previously lived in Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Iran and China, where she worked as a teacher. Her previous novels featuring Commissario Brunetti have all been highly acclaimed; includingFriends in High Places, which won the CWA Macallan Silver Dagger for Fiction,Through A Glass, Darkly, Suffer the Little Children,and most recently,The Girl of His Dreams.

Tatjana Hauptmannwas born in Wiesbaden in 1950. After attending the Werkkunstschule in Offenbach, she worked as an apprentice graphics artist at the Werkkunstschule in Wiesbaden for three years, and for ZDF television afterwards.