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Bitter Almonds
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Description
In the early 1950s Maria Grammatico and her sister were sent by their impoverished mother to the San Carlo a cloistered orphanage in Erice an ancient hill town on the western coast of Sicily. It was a Dickensian existence - beating sugar mixtures for six hours at a time rising before dawn to prime the ovens and surviving on an unrelenting diet of vegetable gruel. But it was here that Maria learned to make the beautifully handcrafted pastries that were sold to customers from behind a grille in the convent wall.
At 22 Maria left the orphanage with no personal possessions minimal schooling and no skills other than what she carried in her head and her hands - the knowledge acquired during a childhood spent preparing delicacies for other people's celebrations.
Today she is the successful owner of her own pasticceria in Erice a mecca for travellers the world over. Her counters are piled high with home-made biscotti tarts cakes and jams - Torta Divina Cassata Siciliana Cotognata. A frequent customer Mary Taylor Simeti became first friend and then chronicler of Maria's moving story.
Product details
- Binding:
- Paperback
- Edition:
- 1
- Languages:
- Original: English
- Number of Pages:
- 242
- Publisher:
- Bantam
- Publication Date:
- 2002-09-01
- ISBN / EAN:
- 9780553814651
- Weight:
- 288 g
- Dimensions:
- 13/20/2 cm
- GPSR Manufacturer Reference:
- [email protected]
Condition
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Very good
Almost no signs of wear. Book pages have no markings, accessories are intact and all other media are in good condition.
Available immediately
€9,59
Incl. VAT, plus shipping costs
Only 1 item left in stock
€9,59