It might be a weird comparison, but if you loved the vibe of Stanley Tucci's CNN series 'Searching for Italy', you're probably going to like this book.

Being very Italy-centric (it's translated from Italian) 'Serendipity' dedicates chapter upon chapter to food and drink that were created by serendipity, or in layman's terms, a happy accident. Whether it's chocolate ganache (created because cream was accidentally poured into chocolate) or Worcestershire sauce (abandoned for months then rediscovered by two chemists), each item has been carefully researched and is intertwined with interviews and stories from chefs, sommeliers, waiters, food historians and business owners.

I enjoyed this book largely for all of the crazy stories - you're going to be well-armed with facts at your next pub quiz, let me tell you that. The format gets a bit repetitive after a while, but the charm of the author's writing will keep you engaged.