The Isle of Wight Feast of Food & Drink celebrates the wealth of artisanal food & drink produced on the Isle of Wight. This culinary odyssey is developed through nine scenarios that reflect the Island`s pleasurable, healthy lifestyle
- renowned for sailing, walking & festival-going as well as its natural beauty
- & offer a flavour of the changing seasons. Each comprises a menu of dishes for the occasion, with easily accomplished yet imaginative recipes that make the most of the Island`s wonderful local produce, together with foods that can be safely & rewardingly foraged. There are always vegetarian & sometimes vegan alternatives, as well as dairy- & gluten-free variations. Along this gastronomic journey, key local products & producers are highlighted, with information panels showcasing Wight foodie gems, from freshly plucked perfumed apricots & award-winning small-batch roasted coffees to perfect craft beers for summer supping. The end section features seasonal charts of produce, showing what is available at its best throughout the year, while a comprehensive directory of products, producers & retailers gives full details of farm & produce shops, farmers` markets & other retail outlets, including online suppliers, with an easy-reference index of Island food & drink. There is also a guide to events for food-lovers, such as the Garlic Festival & Cowes Christmas Festival. A delightful book to keep & to give, for Islander cooks & self-catering visitors alike, full of new recipes for famous foodstuffs & hidden Island delights. Written by noted food & drink author & editor Jo Richardson & illustrated by the work of leading location photographer Ben Wood
- equally matched in their enthusiasm for the Island`s lifestyle & its wealth of produce.


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The Isle of Wight is England`s largest isl&, but its diamond-shape is at most 23 miles long & 13 miles wide. Anchored close to the Hampshire coast, its location has created a sheltered waterway, the Solent, with its own local roadsteads & a unique double tidal system. This geography has shaped the area`s history. Southampton`s docks, located on Southampton Water to the north-west, had become the country`s largest civilian port by the mid-twentieth century. Just north-east across the stretch of water called Spithead is the island city of Portsmouth with its ideal natural harbour. This was an internationally important port for over three hundred years, while the whole area has been places of naval significance on the world stage for even longer. From when Queen Victoria bought Osborne House in 1845 & had it remodelled as an Italianate mansion the Isle of Wight became a hub of Victorian society. The Poet Laureate Alfred Lord Tennyson lived at Freshwater, while Charles Swinburne grew up at Bonchurch, a place where Charles Dickens vacationed. Charles Darwin began his Origin of Species here, & Karl Marx came to restore his health; it was the expanding rail network that brought them there. Mark Bardell explores the Isle of Wight & Portsmouth & the surrounding maritime landscapes, revealing unexpected historical & literary associations. MARITIME LEGACY: seaside resorts & piers; Queen Victoria`s bathing machine; tourism, festivals & Cowes Week; the Titanic & Queen Mary. URBAN DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE: military & naval imperatives; Portsmouth Dockyard & the Solent forts; lighthouses & fortifications; Victorian mansions & the first garden suburb in Southsea. WRITERS & ARTISTS: Portsmouth & Rudyard Kipling, H. G. Wells & Arthur Conan Doyle; the Isle of Wight & the young Turner`s seascapes; J. D. Fergusson & Eric Ravilious, war artists in Portsmouth. ...

Experience the unique elemental landscapes of the Western Isles & Highland Scotland with The Isles & Highlands of Western Scotland: Island Hopping Bike Adventures by Cordee publishing. The serenity of cycling is the perfect way to enjoy this wild l&, & this guide presents four outstanding multi-day connecting circular tours, from Arran to Cape Wrath & the major Hebridean Islands. It contains first hand information & advice for touring cyclists, is ideal for planning, & is an essential on-the-road guide. Information of cycle shops, pubs, cafes, accommodation & information centres is provided, as are full route profiles & descriptions
- all routes avoid the main traffic arteries wherever possible. The guide also

Includes:: a wealth of information on the cultural & historic background of the area. Hand drawn route maps & photographs are also provided.


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Does America`s pro-Israel lobby wield inappropriate control over US foreign policy? This book has created a storm of controversy by bringing out into the open America`s relationship with the Israel lobby: a loose coalition of individuals & organizations that actively work to shape foreign policy in a way that is profoundly damaging both to the United States & Israel itself. Israel is an important, valued American ally, yet Mearsheimer & Walt show that, by encouraging unconditional US financial & diplomatic support for Israel & promoting the use of its power to remake the Middle East, the lobby has jeopardized America`s & Israel`s long-term security & put other countries
- including Britain
- at risk.

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Buried deep under Istanbul, a secret is about to resurface with explosive consequences... Alex Zegliwski has been savagely beheaded. His body is found hidden near the sacred archaeological site of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. When Sean arrives in the ancient city to identify his colleague`s body, he is handed an envelope of photographs belonging to Alek & soon finds himself in grave danger. Someone wants him dead but why? Aided by British diplomat Isabel Sharp, Sean begins to unravel the mystery of the mosaics in the photographs & inch closer to snaring Alek`s assassin. Evil is at work & when a lethal virus is unleashed on the city, panic spreads fast. Time is running out for Sean & Isabel. They must catch the killer before it`s too late. An electrifying conspiracy thriller which will entice fans of Scott Mariani, Sam Bourne & Dan Brown. ...

Melissa Forti is the Italian Baker. In her tea room in an idyllic medieval town near Tuscany, she bakes beautiful cakes that combine Italian traditions with her own modern twists. This book is a collection of Melissa`s favourite tarts, celebration cakes, loaves, biscuits & coffee-time treats borne out of her unique style of baking. Every recipe is a treat, taking in deliciously popular Italian ingredients like olive oil, mascarpone, almonds & stunning fresh fruit. Melissa gives perennial favourites like carrot cake, brownies, chocolate cake & cheesecake a fresh, Italian makeover, as well as sharing traditional Italian recipes & others handed down through her family. Every cake & cookie tells a story, reflecting Melissa`s travels, her passion for good food & the love of her Italian heritage. ...

Katie has travelled the rice fields of Italy`s northern provinces & the lemon groves of the south, the richly diverse urban & rural terrains & patchwork regions. She has collated recipes, techniques & ingredients to create this unique compendium of Italian food. The Italian Cookery Course will guide you through the vast collection of famous recipes & lesser-known regional dishes, with clear instruction on how to replicate them at home. The book is broken down into straightforward chapters including ` Meat`, ` Fish`, ` Dolci` & ` Cheese`. Each chapter contains `masterclasses` on technique, revealing the practical secrets of Italian cooking & giving the reader new confidence in the kitchen. All this is interwoven with fascinating narration about the culinary influences that have created this wonderful cuisine. ...

Famous for its bold flavours, seasonal ingredients & vibrant colours, Italian has repeatedly been voted the world`s favourite cuisine. Take a closer look, though, & you`ll discover that there is much more to this nation`s food than the ubiquitous pasta, pizzas & risottos offered at many restaurants. Italian-cooking expert Valentina Harris examines each area in turn, with a carefully curated selection of recipes, & detailed instructions & photographs to help you achieve an authentic, & completely delicious, end result. This comprehensive book is a must-have reference for anyone who is passionate about cooking authentic Italian food. ...

The `fatal charm of Italy` has held Lord Byron
- & millions of tourists ever since
- in its spell. Yet, beneath `the brilliant

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Sublime & maddening, fascinating yet baffling, Italy is a country of endless paradox & seemingly unanswerable riddles. John Hooper`s marvellously entertaining & perceptive book is the ideal companion for anyone seeking to understand contemporary Italy & the unique character of the Italians. Looking at the facts that lie behind
- & often belie
- the stereotypes, his revealing book sheds new light on many aspects of Italian life: football & Freemasonry, sex, symbolism & the reason why Italian has twelve words for a coat hanger, yet none for a hangover.

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