Please recommend an Italian cookbook

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by buckytom

ok, WHY is it your first choice, mr. andy m?

please stand and address the class.



actually, i'm interested in your take on italian.

I enjoy cooking and eating both Italian and Italian-American dishes.

Marcella Hazan is considered the royalty of Italian cooking. Her recipies are authentic, they come with some history and instruction.

I have nothing against Lydia Bastianich or Bibba Gaggiano. I have one of Bibba's cookbooks and use both their recipes.

[buckytom]

thanks!

it'll be first on my christmas wish list.

[BreezyCooking]

For me - hands down - it would have to be The Silver Spoon, which, according to copy press & definitely not surprisingly so, is "Italy's best-selling cookbook for over fifty years", & "The bible of authentic Italian cooking".

It's an absolutely FABULOUS volume, covering everything from the most basic everyday preparations to the more ornate; from everyday ingredients to the more unusual - all with very easy to follow purchase, storage, & prep info, notes, instructions, etc. Absolutely nothing is missing from this wonderful book, & I can't imagine being without it after husband gifted me with it last year. It's already stained & dog-eared, one of the best recommendations a cookbook can get - lol!!!

[buckytom]

wow breezy. on that kind of recommendation, i'll be on the lookout for it.

[jennyema]

Originally Posted by BreezyCooking

For me - hands down - it would have to be The Silver Spoon, which, according to copy press & definitely not surprisingly so, is "Italy's best-selling cookbook for over fifty years", & "The bible of authentic Italian cooking".

.

Thats supposed to be a very good book. I hope I get a gift certificate for Xmas!

[buckytom]

from what i just read, it's the italian "joy of cooking".

lots of pros; it covers the gamut.

the only cons being that it's a translated tome. some measurements are off, occasional technical translation errors, the baking section is lacking in specifics such as pan size and yield, and some ingredients would be difficult to find.

but the kicker is that any cookbook collection would be incomplete without it.

thanks, breezy. i have 2 things on my wish list.

[BreezyCooking]

I (or my husband, actually - lol!!) was lucky in that when the English translation first hit the shelves last year, CostCo had it for half the retail price ($19.95 vs. $39.95). However, Amazon does currently have it for $26.37, which includes free shipping. Here's the Amazon link, for anyone interested.

http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Spoon-Phaidon-Press/dp/0714845310/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-5705475-3881223?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194110691&sr=1-1

And yes, it is, essentially an Italian "Joy of Cooking" - lol. But believe me, the few things one might have to look up online or need to work out are very small in relation to the 2,000 wonderful recipes, their obvious authenticity, ease of putting together, & - the best part - how well they turn out.

[Hoot]

I gotta agree with "The Silver Spoon". I got a copy when it first came out and found it to be an excellent addition to my library of cookbooks.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by BreezyCooking

I (or my husband, actually - lol!!) was lucky in that when the English translation first hit the shelves last year, CostCo had it for half the retail price ($19.95 vs. $39.95). However, Amazon does currently have it for $26.37, which includes free shipping. Here's the Amazon link, for anyone interested.

http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Spoon-Phaidon-Press/dp/0714845310/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-5705475-3881223?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194110691&sr=1-1

And yes, it is, essentially an Italian "Joy of Cooking" - lol. But believe me, the few things one might have to look up online or need to work out are very small in relation to the 2,000 wonderful recipes, their obvious authenticity, ease of putting together, & - the best part - how well they turn out.

I've heard about this book. I believe someone said, in an earlier thread, the Italian language version was the #1 selling cookbook in Italy at one time.

[BreezyCooking]

And granted, while this is just personal preference, it beats the Hazan cookbooks by more than a mile. She may be considered "Italian cookbook royalty" by some, but that's by "some" only. Personally I find her more than a bit pretentious.

I do have her son's cookbook, that I do use frequently, but it still doesn't hold even half a candle to The Silver Spoon. The Hazan books are good, but frankly they've obviously been catered to the American-Italian expectation of of Italian cuisine - ala what one gets at upscale Italian restaurants.

But again - that's just my opinion. Cookbooks - like food & recipes - are ALWAYS going to be a matter of personal preference. Just like novels. Just because I love a novel doesn't mean you will; doesn't mean the novel isn't good.