Book excerpt: A Fresh Taste of Italy is two cookbooks in one. First, it is an everyday Italian cookbook, including must-have recipes for basics like homemade pasta, quick tomato sauce, perfect risotto, roast chicken, and traditional antipasti. But Michele also provides innovative recipes for specialties not found in other Italian cookbooks, such as Salmon Carpaccio, Duck Ragu, Risotto with Apples, and the extraordinary Spaghetti with Rubies. In addition to her recipes, Michele includes the names and addresses of her favorite restaurants, where many of these dishes can be found. Information-packed sidebars offer suggestions for choosing ingredients and step-by-step instructions for cooking pasta and risotto, chopping onions without crying, and pitting olives.