The Talisman of Happiness

The most influential and iconic Italian cookbook ever written, with more than 1,600 definitive recipes spanning every region of Italy, now available in English for the first time.

The Talisman of Happiness is the definitive Italian cookery bible. First published in Italy in 1929 by pioneering journalist and food writer Ada Boni, it has never been out of print since and has sold more than one million copies over the last century. With over 1,600 recipes, The Talisman is the essential catalogue of all the flavours, techniques and traditions that define Italian cuisine.

The book is an established wedding gift in Italy, a talisman of luck for newlyweds and an heirloom that is passed down from generation to generation as the indispensable source for classic dishes. 'There can be no true happiness,' Boni wrote, 'if such an essential part of our daily lives as eating is neglected.'

This landmark English edition of the complete work has been carefully translated to preserve the joy and warmth of the Boni's original for a new generation of home cooks, with specially commissioned illustrations from Italian illustrator Federico Bonfiglio.

The Talisman of Happiness is a gift of good luck, a timeless collection of recipes to feed the body and nourish the soul.

About the Author

ADA BONI was one of Italy's first and most influential food writers. She founded the food magazine Preziosa with her husband, Enrico, in 1915 and later opened a culinary school in Rome. In 1925, she gauged interest from her readers and students in a cookbook. After five hundred of them committed to buying a copy, Il Talismano della Felicità (The Talisman of Happiness) was born. It has never gone out of print.