Anna del Conte in discussion with Silvana de Soissons

I recently went to an incredibly interesting talk with the culinary genius Anna del Conte, an Italian born food writer who has just released her latest book ‘Cooking with Coco’, a dedication to cooking with her 12-year-old granddaughter. Being a fan of Anna’s writing and having recently read ‘Risotto with Nettles’- her memoir with food, I was thrilled to meet her and her interviewer Silvana de Soissons, a fellow Italian and founder of The Foodie Bugle magazine. Anna spoke candidly to Silvana about her Italian roots, her upbringing, her move to the UK, and the inevitable difference in each cuisine. Her good friend Nigella Lawson often champions Anna del Conte; they both share an Italian link and the obvious love of good food, coincidently this is how I initially heard of Anna.

Italian food has become highly popular the world over. Anna puts this down to the ease of availability of ingredients- who hasn’t got a tin of tomatoes and some pasta in their cupboard- different to the exhaustive list of ingredients that a lot of other recipes require. Italian food is totally rooted in tradition, the champion dishes are the classics such as Bolognese. Recipes are passed down through the family and imbedded deep within the culture as opposed to the fads and fashion that food has often become linked with in Britain.

Anna del Conte was born into a Milanese family where the family cook Maria nurtured her initial interest in food. With the absence of entertainment for children she would rush off to the kitchen when she got home from school and help. Her mother was also a good cook, and her signature dishes were often requested at dinner parties. Anna came to England in 1949, a time when olive oil was only available in chemists, rationing was still prevalent and nobody had a clue what fennel or an aubergine was. Meat and butter were rationed, but this did not include horsemeat, which Anna would cook and serve to unsuspecting friends.

Although her dedication to her Italian roots is steadfast, she also has a love of a good shepherd’s pie or a sticky toffee pudding, dishes she has adopted into her repertoire.  Her food heroes include Margaret Costa, Jane Grigson, Katie Stewart and Elizabeth David.

Author to many a cookbook, Anna’s latest offering, ‘Cooking with Coco’ is a family cook book aimed at encouraging a child’s interest in food from a young age and based on her granddaughters interest in helping in the kitchen from a young age. The book is set out in chapters ordered by age group- relevant to what capability you can expect. It is bursting with bright, colourful photographs of food and family and regardless of who you want to share the culinary experience or just embark on a solo kitchen mission; the recipes are inspiring, delicious and suitable for anyone. 

Cooking with Coco is available on Amazon.co.uk