Books about Quadrilles from Amazon.com

For over 30 years London-based interior designer and Designers Guild founder Tricia Guild has looked to the world’s beauty for design ideas. Her book Inspiration is a captivating collection of her passions – art and music; architecture and design; theater and opera; novels and poetry; food; flowers and gardening; the broad sweep of landscape and the miraculous minutiae of nature; texture and form; light and shadow; and color.

“Wherever we go we are taking in glimpses, impressions, of the world around us, and I believe that these images go deep into our psyches, become part of our own energy and imagination,” she writes. Her passions range from the art of Frida Kahlo to the colors of India, from hydrangeas to butterfly wings. James Merrell’s photographs juxtapose raw muses with finished objects and the lovely presentation of these images encourages readers to reflect upon the beauty of this world.

Author of Harmony Angel Cards Angela McGerr here presents a wonderful companion set, Heart and Soul Angel Cards.

Covered in rose-colored silk, The Heart & Soul Angel Cards boxed set includes a guidebook and a deck of 48 cards featuring dreamlike illustrations by Richard Rockwood. They can be used in combination with Angela McGerr’s Harmony Angel Cards for a double reading so readers can learn their next steps from the angels, or on their own to help users identify their true hearts’ desire and souls’ purpose and work to achieve them. The beautifully illustrated cards are divided into 4 suits of 12: Heart's Desire Angel Cards, Mystical Animals Cards, Soul's Purpose Cards, and the Sacred Hallows Cards. The suits can be used for readings in various layouts either separately or together, for either a quick overview or a more in-depth look at life or a particular situation. The accompanying book describes the overall meaning of the four suits, the inherent meanings of each and every card, as well as several different ways to lay them out with sample interpretations.

London-based Italian chef, restaurateur and food expert Antonio Carluccio, founder of Carluccio's caffes, has deep roots in almost region of  Italy. He translates the spirit of his homeland's regional food culture in this latest book, Carluccio’s Italia the recipes and customs of the regions, a follow up to Carluccio’s Complete A-Z of Italian Food.  

By weaving together his own impressions of the regions with geography, culinary traditions and 100+ recipes, Carluccio'sItalia guides readers on a gastronomic tour embracing every one of the 20 regions of the country. Carluccio's introduction of each region is complemented by Alastair Hendy's photographs, which illustrate the stories of Italy's landscapes, people, fresh ingredients and regional recipes.

Carluccio introduces each region with an overview of geography's impact on cuisine.  He then focuses on the specific culinary traditions & specialties that originated from each region, such as crostini in Tuscany and Parmesan cheese in Emilia-Romagna. After piquing the taste buds, Carluccio presents a handful of signature recipes from each region, such as Bagna Cauda (Hot garlic and anchovy dip) from Piedmont and Umbria’s Strascinate di Cascia (Pasta with pancetta and sausage) and Pinocchiate (Pine nut toffee). Recipes from Sicily include Caponatina di Melanzane (Sicilian eggplant relish) and Insalata di Limoni e Arance (Orange and lemon salad). A simple recipe for Calabrian baked honey figs is included, as is another popular Calabrian dish, Pesce Spada a Ghiotta (Braised Swordfish). From Campania, where tomatoes were first appreciated, there are recipes for Polpi Affogati (Stewed Octopus) and Pizza Margherita. Carluccio identifies hallmark regional products such as cheeses, wines, and beef, such as buffalo mozzarella and calzone from Campania and Basilicata’s pork salami pezzenta, all the while sharing his own anecdotes.

Defying his sense of campanilismo, or loyalty to one’s own region, Carluccio writes with enthusiasm about Italian food from every region.