Bread, Wine, Sea Urchins, by Nicolas Stromboni

The secret corsica of Nicolas Stromboni through its produce, people and recipes.

Epicurean and gourmet Nicolas Stromboni is the founder of the Chemin des Vignobles (Vineyards Road), the largest wine cellar in Corsica. Voted the best wine merchant in France in 2011 by the Revue des Vins de France, today he is one of the most eminent ambassadors of the island. His first book, “Bread, Wine, Sea Urchins” talks about his secret Corsica through its produce, people and recipes. It reveals the many facets of a little-known cuisine, the richest in France. What do we eat in Corsica? How is the produce cooked in each region? Who are the people who preserve and reproduce this unrivalled heritage on a daily basis?

From cold meats to cheeses, to animal produce from both water and the land: citrus fruits, chestnuts, and of course the many varieties of wine, Nicolas Stromboni reveals the treasures of a simple and tasty cuisine. The dish of chestnut flour polenta with grilled figatellu sausage, the local herbs and brocciu cheese tart… dishes patiently concocted at the sea urchin fairs by the water. Nearly 80 recipes that enhance the countless products of the island of beauty. But “Bread, Wine, Sea Urchins” is much more than a collection of recipes; this book also brings together portraits of those who work hard here on a daily basis. Nicolas Stromboni raises the veil on his Corsica, this land with its wild beauty and many paradoxes. This remarkable island – which is always so fascinating – remains, with its 3 million tourists a year, the favourite destination of the French.