Ismail Merchant’s Florence: Filming and Feasting in Tuscany/70 Recipes
by Ismail Merchant, Derrick Santini (Photographer)
A talented film producer adds to his growing culinary work by launching the first of many cook-alogues about cities where he has filmed and feasted. The site this first time is Florence and environs, where he filmed his beloved A Room with a View. In fact, the 70 recipes are almost incidental to Merchant’s gastronomic tour of the area, the accompanying photography, and tales of the film’s near disasters and final successes. Scouting for locations starts, of course, with a meal; the actual shoot is enhanced by, yes, yet more feasts and Merchant’s impromptu dinners. The dishes reflect very simple Tuscan fare with more than a few of the author’s improvisations. A passionate and personal reflection on movies and meals.