For a culinary tour of Italy or a master class in creating the nation's many regional gems in your home kitchen, you couldn't ask for a better guide than Cathy Whims. And to showcase the ingredients that make Italian cooking one of the best-known and most-appreciated gastronomies worldwide, there's no better season than summer.

In her debut cookbook, Whims brings together dishes from Italy's many and varied regions, united by her masterful interpretation of cucina povera--literally "food of the poor," meaning fresh produce, local meats, handmade pasta and pizza, and simple cooking methods. Inventive recipes for drinks, appetizers, pasta, pizza, risottos, meat and fish, and desserts are united not by region but by feeling. Everything is authentically Italian yet easy for the home cook to create no matter where they live. Step-by-step instructions demystify essential skills, such as how to make fresh pasta, cook a perfect risotto, and craft heavenly, light-as-a-cloud gnocchi. Adorned with dreamy, original watercolor illustrations, The Italian Summer Kitchen is a one-way ticket to la dolce vita.