A Taste of Tuscany, by Leslie Forbes, takes you there. This is one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. It's hand-lettered and illustrated, like you're reading a dear friend's Tuscan travel journal. The authentic recipes are inspired by the local cuisine and restaurants in small towns throughout the region. As they say, the best Italian food is the simplest, and the appetizer dishes in this book remind me of a family tradition of making appetizers for the cooks when we get together for a family meal, be it large or small. The appetizers are quickly made and meant to nibble as you go, so the easier the better.
Olive oil dipping sauce and quick crostini
A measure of your favorite olive oil, sprinkled with salt and freshly ground black pepper with grated Parmesan makes a tasty dipping sauce for crusty baguette slices. And a quick crostini consists of frying baguette slices in butter until golden brown, and topped with a mixture of chopped cherry tomatoes, red onion and olives along with a splash your favorite vinaigrette. Open a bottle of wine and you'll have a crew of happy cooks!