albiston

I'd seriously advise Tony to change his translator to German. I bought the book, compared the funny and fuck-laden sentences I'd read as quotes here and elsewhere and they where just lame, weak, all the sharpness of Tony's writing blunted. I got really pissed off. So I just brought the book back and ordered the English version from Amazon.uk. Tough luck for the German publishers and for Tony's German speaking fans.

Yes, indeed. And yes, not politically correct, but did the French hate Julia Child for dialing in to their cuisine? heh My favorites from the trattoria book, for the record, are the lemon cream pasta, the lemon risotto, and (blasphemy) the baked risotto with spinach and asparagus. ← tana and russ, the Wells book sounds really intriguing after your comments. The recipes seem indeed somewhat heretical to my Italian ears, the lemon cream pasta more than the baked risotto to be honest, but I think russ makes a great point: if they taste Italian then they're done right. I know many of my co-nationals would be horrified at this but, as much as I like tradition, I don't think it should get in the way of new ideas. In a way this sort of book is one of the things I'm looking for: a book that challenges and maybe shakes my Italian prejudices. Thanks for the tip, I'm really tempted to give it a try.

John, great to hear you had a good time. I was considering travelling to Sicily again next spring; after reading your post I decided I just have to. Could you tell us a bit more about Costanzo?

It's hard to stop eating Nutella by the spoonfull and think of something else to do with it, I almost never manage. There is one recipe I've tried which is delicious, Pierre Herme's Nutella tart. The only problem I see is that Nutella is more an underlying flavour than the main element .

Artusi's recipes can be great but are very disappointing at times. I have some tried and tested ones I use often. I think one of the problems with Artusi is the ingredients he uses: quite a few of these have disappeared, at least in the form known at the time, so one can only substitute using modern "relatives" and hope for the best. Translating cucina napoletana.... that's an intriguing idea I had forgot about the enciclopedia! as far as I know it has been out of print for a while. Pity, it's a book I'd buy straight away now that I'm past the pennyless student phase Slow food will probably publish more of these reference guides, and I have the feeling they will not only concentrate on Italy. They have a complete list of those available on their SF Editions page.

I don't agree much on the definition on top Italian places as "French", and I think a great explanation of why this is so can be found in this post by chef Cesare Lanfranconi on the DC board. Still, this is a recurring discussion here on eGullet and one where everyone tends to stick to their opinion . For top of the range places in Rome two tips: -La Pergola of the Hotel Cavalieri Hilton, serving German chef Heinz Beck's cuisine, considered by the critics as one of the best places in Italy. -Baby, Don Alfonso's chef Alfonso Iaccarino new restaurant in Rome. For more information on Rome take a look at the pinned Rome thread, if you haven't already.

I've been reading and pondering about this thread for the last two days, you picked a nice question there Melissa . Most of my feelings on the topic have been already discussed, so no need to add "me too". There is one thing I'd like to add to Daniel Rogov's very well put expectations theory. I agree wholeheartedly to the idea, but I think there's a part of the restaurant industry that is missing from the picture. I'm talking about those places which have specialize in one or few dishes. Where the cooks have no or little culinary education to speak of, instead profit from decades and sometimes generations of experience. Cooks that might know one technique only, but so well they could prepare their dishes in their sleep. Places which can look scruffy, even dirty at times, but where the single signature dish will open new gastronomic horizons. Eating a pizza at Da Michele in Naples for the first time completely changed the way I look at pizza, the same way that a little unnamed placed on the Portuguese coast North of Lisboa made me finally understand what sardines can be. To me these sort of cooks play with your (low) expectations and slap you in the face, surprise you with their simple perfection. I love these kind of eateries and their cooks because, as much as I enjoy inventive cuisine prepared by a professional chef, they always remind me that there's people out there who can show you that sometimes simple and straightforward cooking, and loads of experience , is all that is needed to experience a culinary epiphany.

Seth, from one obsessed home baker to another : thanks for this great review of all these books. You did a fantastic job. I don't have nearly as many bread books as you, though I'd really like to , but I have baked from a couple on the list. Rehinardt's (apprentice and C&C) and Silverton's books are those which I'm most happy with. Apart from the reasons you give each of these books has one thing I really like. I found Rehinardt's percentage tables very usefull on the few occasions I found myself baking larger batches of bread. I learned a lot using the "baking sheet" (can't remember the proper name) Silverton includes before her recipes, the whole temperature measuring thing (flour, dough, dough after proofing and so on) might seem overly complex at first but it really helps to find what might have gone wrong where, and indications for possible improvements. I use Field's Italian Baker often. It's a fine book. The recipes don't always work as they should, I've had several problems with some of her cookie recipes, but they can be easily improved with a little baking experience. Also, as Southern Italian, I find she focuses way too much on Northern bread, missing some of the nicest breads south of Rome. But I'm maybe just a tad biased there . I'm not a big fan of "The Village Baker". Or rather, I think the methods are very well explained and one does indeed learn a lot from the book. On the other hand, though I've had some success with the recipes in the book, I've also had a significant amount of failures, the last one recently. It could be my fault clearly, but the same doesn't happen with the recipes from other books. It's still a book I'm going to bake from, maybe in a while though. Another book I would add for those who love flatbreads is "Flatbread and Flavors" from Naomy Duguid and Jeffrey Alford. I find the bread instructions at times excessively simple, plus some of these have the clear limit of being recipes originally though for tandoors and similar, and adapted to home ovens. They're a good starting point for developing you own recipes though and the stories and background info in the book make for a great read.

I never used squash to completely replace potatoes, always kept a little potato there, maybe 20% or so. You can completely replace potatoes, it's just that I never did so I don't know how the dough would feel/work in that situation. The important thing with potatoes is: the more floury they are, the better. Also old is better than new, because of water content. I've made my best gnocchi ever usuing Irish potatoes in the UK, so, as long as you find good floury stuff, you can get great gnocchi with any sort of potato. The baking makes sense and I'll give it a try next time, it's always fun to try new methods out.

The temperature will definitely influence the dough feel, but humidity is even more critical. Don't let this scare you though, as the others have said, try a few times and you'll soon get the feeling of what the dough should look/feel like. As a general guideline I find gnocchi come out best when the dough is still slightly sticky. Also: I'd add an egg the first times you make potato gnocchi, but once you get those working try without. Egg-less gnocchi, when everything turns right, are a fantastic melt in your mouth dumpling, in a way the egg ones can never be. I never tried baking the potatoes, always boiled them whole with skin and peeled them afterwards, just the way I was taught in Italy. Could work fine, though it might take much longer. I'd go for a ricer, even the simplest kind (here in Germany about 3-5 $) works great. I've tried other methods but only the ricer keeps the potatoes fluffy as they should be. have fun!

russ, my pleasure to answer. One book which shouldn't be missing in any Italian home is Artusi's La scienza in Cucina e l'Arte del Mangiar bene. It's outdated, old fashioned cooking, but it's the first real Italian cookbook,opposed to Italian-Regional, and the first one with tried and tested recipes for home cooks and not for pros. It's also fun to read at times. There's loads of good regional cookbooks but it's often very hard to know what's good and what's not, or even to find these books outside their regions, or cities, of origin. I like the ones published by Newton Compton, with different volumes handling different local cuisines, available without too many problems throughout Italy. Quality varies, especially when it comes to introductory and explanatory material, but the recipes in these books are a great documentation of regional traditions, and they usually work well. I have a few of these, and my favourite is Jeanne Carola Francesconi's La Cucina Napoletana, full of information, stories, basic culinary knowledge and more; a book that would deserve being translated into English if I ever saw one. Apart Boni's book there's a few collections of Regional recipes which are better for different reasons. Anna Gosetti della Salda's "Le ricette Regionali Italiane" is a bit old fashioned but has a wider and better collection of recipes. Gualtiero Marchesi's "La cucina regionale Italiana", is the famous chef's take on regional cuisine: the recipes are a bit too cleaned up at times but he manages to retain the essence of the dishes using lighter and more modern approach. I like Slow Food guides on Italian Bread, Cheese, Salumi (and so on) a lot, but not their recipe collections. Bibliotheca Culinaria publishes some interesting thematic books which are well made, but in this case we're talking haute cuisine.

Good point. On the other hand, on certain occasions it's nice to stay light and choucroute doesn't really fulfill this requirement. Or maybe I still haven't mastered the art of kraut .

Ooops, I was wrong, I do have a book on Italian cooking in English, exactly the one you suggest. Field's Italian Baker is, at the amateur level, without any doubt the best recipe book on Italian bread available, in both English and Italian. I found some recipes needed a little tweaking and it has a marked Northern Italy bias, but apart from that it's a great book, one I regularly go back to. Suzanne: Bertolli's book sounds very intriguing. I've read a few reviews and read a couple of his recipes: it certainly is well written and true to the Italian cooking spirit. Probably I should get a copy to see if the whole book is as nice as the few pages I went through... there comes another Amazon wish-list item . Boni's book is good but I find it misses some representative recipes for almost all regional cuisines, though I guess it's just inevitable with such a huge range of dishes to choose from. What annoys me more is that a few recipes, the more rustic ones in particular, are cleaned up and made more acceptable for the less adventurous eaters, loosing much of their character. Boni always gives the impression she's a bit ashamed when it comes to certain simple recipes, both in the regional and the Talismano book, as if these dishes were not fit for the table of a properly behaved middle class family. Still her books are an important reference book and very useful ones too.

Adam-Depends. Which pickled cabbage? I'm surprised no one in Germany has yet thought about creating a sauerkraut sommelier figure . The choucroute sounds intriguing and a great idea for the colder days to come, but not for the occasion I'm going to prepare the quails for. If I served sauerkraut to my wife during a romantic dinner for just the two of us, I think she'd probably throw it at me. Not that she doesn't like it, on the contrary (she is German after all!) but it just isn't her idea of a special dish .

Tournedos Rossini, Consomme Rossini, Maccaroni Rossini... and I think there's a few others. You can find a bit more info here. Rossini was a seriuos gourmet; Careme once said that no one understood his dishes as good as Rossini did.

Am I joking? Why am I, an Italian and Italy FH, asking for a tip regarding Italian cookbooks? Very simple: I have a nice collection of Italian recipe collection, general gastronomy and wine books, but all published and written by Italians. And mainly available in Italian only. I think the time has come for me to check a few books written in English on Italian cuisine, after all quite a few of these get quoted here on eGullet from time to time, so it would certainly help me to know what you people are talking about all the time . Also, I'm curious to see how much they remain true to Italian traditions and how good the recipes are. In this last respect Italian (i.e. from Italy) books are quite bad: book budgets for recipe collections are usually pretty low and very often there's little or no recipe testing. So fire away: which books do you think represent the best ones on Italian cooking on the English speaking market? Thanks.

Robert kindly sent me some info he got directly from the people at Alba Tartufi in Italy. I just translated the message and made a little digest of the not too good news: Tuber Aestivum Vitt., Summer Black truffle This product is, at the moment, practically inexistent on the market. Small quantities might be available but no guarantee can be made. Tuber Magnatum Pico, White Truffle from Alba The amount of the truffles collected and their size has been disappointing , even considering the low expectations of the local experts. For truffles of approx. 20-25 grams the price is 2500 Euro pro Kilo, with 100 g as minimum order. The above truffle size is smaller than what usually offered by this company, a measure necessary to contain the growing prices. Clearly other sizes are available and quotes are available contacting info@albatartufi.com . The message also contains the program of the 50a FIERA DEL TARTUFO DI MONCALVO (AT), taking place on these three dates 24/10 (already passed), 31/10 and 6/11. On the first two dates a truffle market, typical products stands and eno-gastronomic offers will be available.

Thanks for the information. Iwas just wondering: is that in an older edition of the book or in the French one? The recipe is not in my 2001 UK version from hamlyn.

Did a little extra research and by chance i found two old recipes for cakes, in Italian, calling for Strega OR Millefiori to be added to the frosting. I'd assume they're pretty much the same thing.

Sorry you missed it, though I should add that not everyone likes Esposito's cooking like I do. He has many fans, but also many who think he's not yet worth all the hype, their point being that his technique is very good but his dishes are too simple and he still needs to evolve. Hope you had a good time in Italy and maybe, if you've got time, you could share with us any worthwile places, restaurants, trattorie, or just anything food related, you've tried.

Gambero Rosso digest: October ’04 issue Editorial: Stefano Bonilli comments on the situation of tourism in Italy, its crisis, the lack of serious services and ideas with an eye to the political decisions of the Italian government, which, instead of offering a plan of intervention and commitment, hits, with the newest tax plan, those few sections of the Italian tourist market that actually work. Wine Editorial: On the role of the Gambero Rosso Wine Forum for the growth of the magazine’s wine section, through the smart critiques and suggestions coming from the forum members The case: A new concept restaurant, @point, inside the complex of the Saint-Luc hospital in Lyon, run by chef Alex Alexanin and offering a mainly vegetarian menu using organic ingredients with a look at healthy eating. Special: Salt. - Italian chefs and their salts: Some of the best chefs in Italy talk about the salt they use in their dishes and the role of salt in both savoury and sweet dishes. - UK and France: a look at the famous salts of Maldon and the French coasts. - The history of salt and salt curing through the ages - The best Italian “saline” (salt producing facilities), unknown to most but finally free to offer their salts to the open market directly, now that the state monopoly on salt has been lifted in Italy: Salina di Cervia in Emilia Romagna, and its, Salina Atisale in Puglia, and the Saline Ettore E Infersa in Marsala, Sicily. Great Wines: Sangiovese di Romagna. Sangiovese is best known for its Tuscan wines but it originates between Toscana and Romagna. In Romagna a different biotype of the grape has evolved, giving warm, fruity and generous wines. This article looks at the history of Sangiovese di Romagna and tries to make a classification of the seven different terroirs producing this wine (Serra, Faenza-Brisighella, Modigliana-Marzeno, Oriolo dei Fichi-Vecchiazzano, Predappio, Bertinoro and Covignano). Some of the best producers are presented through a brief portrait: Fattorie Zerbina (Faenza), Fattoria San Patrignano (Coriano), Tre Monti (Imola), Leone Conti (Faenza), Stefano Berti (Forli’)Giovanna Madonia (Bertinoro) and Castelluccio (Modigliana). Donne di vino, Wine’s women: In this issues interviews and porteraits of Graziana Grassini, running one of the best labs dedicated to agrarian analysis in Italy, and Jose’ Rallo of the Sicilian Winery Donnafugata. Tourism: Alto Salento. Alto Salento, the part of Puglia between Ostuni and Brindisi, is a growing but still mainly unknown tourist destination. The article looks at the best local products (olive oil, wine, cheese and fish), and the most interesting eating and sleeping offers. Great Wines: Pommard. A look at the Pommard denomination with its best crus and producers, plus an interview with Jean-Louise Laplanche, till recently owner of Chateau de Pommard. Antwerp special. Andrea Petrini takes a look at Antwerp, and its role as new avant-garde fashion centre in Europe looking for the best eateries there. Claudio Puglia’s Mangia e Bevi, Laboratorio Culinario, an Italian restaurant serving only traditional dishes made with ingredients selected by Puglia himself, in declared opposition to any gastronomic fashion. “New Scandinavian Cooking” author Christer Elvfing’s Absoluut Zweeds, which offers fusion-tapas, christened Wappaz by the cook, mixing Spanish, Italian, Japanese and even South American inspirations. Kaspar Kurdhal’s Hecker, a dinner wine bar with a carte based mainly on simple comfort food, but also offering two special menus: a wine based one, choose the menu and the cook will come up with four dishes to match it, or an off-track menu, with dishes following a molecular gastronomy theme, not surprisingly given Kurdhal’s close contacts to Davide Scabin and his experiences with Adria’ Julien Burlet’s Le Dome is presented as the newest hot spot in town offering a superbly made French cuisine inspired by the classics. Wine Tasting - Over 30 Euros: Chianti Classico Castello di Fonterutoli ’01, Barolo Vigan Bricco Gattera ’99 from Monfalletto Cordero di Montezemolo, Marciliano ’00 Falesco, Villa Gresti ’00 Tenuta San Leonardo, Rosso di Sera ’01 Fattoria Poggiopiano, Anghelu Ruju ’97 Tenute Sella e Mosca. - Between 30 and 8: “high” wines, i.e. bottles from grapes grown at altitudes over 600 meters above sea level. - Under 8 (Almanacco del Berebene wines): southern Italian wines from Primitivo, Negramaro, Aglianico and Nero di Troia grapes. Contrappunto Luciano Di Lillo has a look at one of the best Bordeleis cut wines in Italy, San Leonardo and the youngest wine of the same winery, the Villa Gresti, which, rather than being a second win, turns out to be a great wine from Merlot grapes. The chef’s recipes Da Vittorio’s chef Enrico Cerea cooks some of his signature dishes: Raw tuna with fried bread, potato cream with veal cheek, and Vanilla flan with caramelized apple and cinnamon ice cream. Books The reviews: Camillo Lagnone’s Maccheronica, “A reactionary guide to Italy’s Restaurant Scene”; Slow Food’s Ludwig a Tavola, the memoirs of Ludwig II of Bavaria’s cook; Maruzza Loira and Sergio Quadruppani’s Alla Tavola di Yasmina, a culinary fairy tale taking place during the XI century in Sicily; Marina Fuentes looks at Salvador Dali’s relationship to food in her book Il Surrealismo in cucina tra il pane e l’uovo; Luca di Francia, a young barman with an astounding career in Italy and abroad, tells of his experiences and his tips for classic and modern cocktails in his book Io e il Bar; Nicoletta Negri’s Fusion da Sempre looks at 50 “fusion” recipes of yore that are now classics in their respective cuisines. Nutrition This month, a look at the link between cancer risk and nutrition. The role of diet (fibre consumption, fat origin, food linked with an increased risk) and physical condition (activity level, weight and so on) are discussed on the base of the latest medical informations. Travel tips: - Hotel/Restaurant: Hotel Paola-Ristorante 1 Maggio, a pleasant place to spend a few days discovering Carloforte (CA, Sardinia) with its peculiar traditional cuisine laden with Genoese and Tunisian influences. - B&B: Antica dimora is a the last addition to the B&Bs Lea Gulmanelli runs in Florence, in a ancient city centre building , offering high standard hospitality. - Shop: da Claudio, a famous fishmonger in Milan, has now become a hot spot for midday break offering among others shellfish, and a great array of raw fish. - Oil: Antico Frantoio in Sambuca (AG, Sicily) produces an excellent EVOO from the local biancolilla and nocellara del Belice olives - Oil: Le Contrade SOLEC is a small oil producer from Capaccio (SA, Campania), inside the Colline Salernitane DOP area, bringing together eight young friends with a love for high quality .olive oil

Caro Cesare, First of all thanks for taking the time to take part to this discussion on eGullet. I've always wondered how cooking at in Italy and abroad compare for someone like you, that is someone with a clear knowledge of what Italian traditions are. in a previous reply you hinted to this: In your view, what are these pros and cons when talking about Italian cooking? Does the expectations of the general public in Italy sometimes feel a bit tight, so to say, for a chef with new ideas? Grazie!

I must say I haven't, though it looks like a Strega imitation. Millefiori, thousand flowers, probably just indicates that many different herbs were used to produce it. Can you read who the producer is? From your picture I can only distinguish "Un prodotto dell Antiche Distillerie di...". Maybe finding who the producer was I could get some more info. edited to add: P.S. It seems in any case that Millefiori Cucchi is a quite prized collectors item, at least in Italy. Just look at those prices !

I was actually thinking of goose fat, since it's rather easy to find it here in Germany. Do you suggest duck fat for a particular reason?

Thanks!