TheÌýScottish-Italian food writer traces herÌýancestors' journey from Rome to Edinburgh.
Mary Contini is known to most as the author of the Easy PeasyÌý cookery books for children. She's Ìýalso a driving forces behind Valvona and Crolla in Edinburgh. It'sÌý a wonderful shop with salumeria, bakery and cafe - and a monument to the enduring place that the Italian Community has in Scotland.
Through photos, letters, anecdotes and recipes, Mary's book Dear Francesca: A Cookbook With LoveÌý aims to tell her eldest daughter aboutÌýthe hard journey their ancestors took to escape poverty in Southern Italy in order to make a new life in a colder climate .
Simon Parkes went to meet her in Edinburgh where she cooks some of the recipes that mean most to her.
Dear Francesca: A Cookbook With Love is available from Ebury Press ISBN: 009189235X