The Heritage of Italian Cooking

by Lorenza de'Medici

This description may be from another edition of this product. The author has compiled recipes from historic menus, ancient diaries, and early classic cookbooks. This old-world cookery, gathered from every region of Italy, is complemented by over 260 color photos...

Customer Reviews

highly recommended authentic Italian cookbook

This book brings back memories of my wonderful experiences in Italy. The author does a nice job explaining the history of food and cooking in Italy. At the beginning of each chapter she explains each course or section (antipasti, fish, vegetables, etc.) and the role that food plays in the Italian culture. The food that one can prepare from this book rivals the food you get in Italy. As Americans we seem to think that Italian American food is Italian food, which of course it is not. But since it is what we grew up eating, it is what we expect. This cookbook is the authentic article. If you love authentic Italian food, or you want to, this is a great book to add to your library. I purchased this book in Florence Italy more than 10 years ago. At the time, I bought it because it was translated into English and my Italian was weak. In the time I have had this book I have grown to love it. The photographs of the dishes are beautiful, as in the scenery in which the dishes are placed. The recipes in this book are like being transported back to Italy. There is a recipe for Tuscan peasant bread in this book that I now get requests to prepare. The Sicilian gnocchi with raisins and ricotta has been a family favorite. This book contains a recipe for Onions braised in a Tomato and White Wine sauce with Pancetta that is nothing short of one of the best things I have ever eaten. This is a large coffee table size book. The pages are printed on glossy paper, and the spine is very tough (you can not tell how much wear it has gotten at my hands). If you are interested in authentic Italian cooking this book is a winner. I highly recommend this book to any serious student of Italian food.