If I'm not reading mysteries, then the next best thing is a book about food. The Lady in the Palazzo: At Home in Umbria not only talks about food but also takes place in Italy - a favorite place. I first met de Blasi in her book A ThousandDays in Venice which was an almost too good to be true love story.

Marlena de Blasi is a woman of great energy, who loves drama and making over homes and even lives. This is the third book chronicling her romance, marriage and subsequent moves and make overs in different romantic Italian locales.

The latest home in Umbria seems to be the one that may take and the issues around Italian home buying, the included recipes and de Blasi's travel and decorating stories are always fascinating. As elaborate as her approach to life may be, Marlena also conveys great feeling toward the land and food - food eaten according to seasons when at it's peak.