Sometimes, on slower days at Via Umbria, we wander to our Italian book shelf and flip lovingly through the many wonderful cookbooks we have in store.

It is always validating to have a book we have fallen in love with get recognized by the food and publishing community.

Which brings us to the Art of Eating Prize, which was awarded last week. The Art of Eating Prize was established in 2014 and is awarded annually to the author of the year’s best book about food.

The six books of the 2015 Art of Eating Prize Shortlist represent a range of outstanding food writing. From the daunting pile of 84 nominations, the judges produced first a long list of 12 books and then a shortlist of six. We were thrilled that one of our favorite new Italian cookbooks made that minimal list.

The three-Michelin-star awarded chef Massimo Bottura in presents the stories behind four dozen of his dishes in Never Trust A Skinny Italian Chef. Though this book looks quite serious, his interview and tasting menu on Jimmy Kimmel Live proves him to be a man of humor as well.

This tome is a tribute to Bottura’s twenty-five year career and the evolution of Osteria Francescana. Divided into four chapters, each one dealing with a different period, the book features 50 recipes and accompanying texts explaining Bottura’s inspiration, ingredients and techniques. Substantial enough to be a serious work of food literature, yet stimulating (and large) enough to be a coffee table book, this recognition is well deserved.

— Via Umbria