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Summary: Talk about classic resourses!
Review: This is a classic resource for casa linga Italian cooking. Each of my children and grandnephews who have set up their own households have copies of this book. It saves me writing out the recipes from my kitchen. The instructions for preparation are excellent and include, in some instances, menu suggestions for side dishes.
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Summary: Not a bad recipe in the bunch!
Review: I've owned this cookbook for about five years now, and have never made one of these recipes that turned out badly. I've become known among our friends and family for my homemade pasta with Bolognese sauce, and the pasta with sausage and peppers is absolutely heavenly (and easy, too!). There's nothing that impresses your guests more than homemade pasta. (Marcella also gives tips for preparing many of the recipes ahead of time, so they're great for dinner parties.)
The recipes are based on the idea of spotlighting a few fresh ingredients and using techniques that bring out the best in those ingredients. Some of the recipes are a bit involved, but many of them can be thrown together in a few minutes, once you get the hang of it.
This is not necessarily a cookbook you'll pull out every night of the week, but once you learn the concepts and techniques, I've found that you can apply the principles to whatever you have in your refrigerator.
(I also bought another Marcella Hazan cookbook, but I keep coming back to this one. It's much more basic and straightforward than "Marcella Cucina"-- save that one for later, when you're ready to move on to more exotic fare.)
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Summary: Great book
Review: I have used this book so much that I have broken the binding. It is literally falling apart. I have had it for over three years and I am still being amazed by the new items I find in here. It is fun book to cook out of. Only thing I wished I knew when I first started was to use fresh herbs; the recipes are so much better when the herbs are fresh.
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Summary: If you only have the money for one Italian cookbook....
Review: This is it! The best there is, and I'm a cookbook junkie!I'm one of those strange people that reads cookbooks cover to cover. There isn't another Italian cookbook that can begin to compare to the authenticity and clear directions in this book. It made me a very popular hostess!
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Summary: The way to cooking great authentic Italian
Review: This book is how I learned to cook. I have been fortunate to travel to Italy every summer for the past 10 years. the food is the reason. No restaurant where I live ever came romotely close to capturing the flavors and tastes I enjoy in Italy, so I looked for a book to teach me how. I started with this book and have to say it is the best book to learn about Italian cookng. The recipes and explanations and tips are all clear and helpful. I have been successful with every recipe and recommend this highly to the beginner or the expert chef. I refer to this book all the time and use the recipes over and over. This is a must have book for every kitchen and every person who wants to learn about or increase their expertise on Italian cooking. Excellent
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Summary: Difficult
Review: Um, this book looks really good, and I'm sure if I knew what I was doing I could make some really tastey food with it. But, I'm not a great cook, and I don't own half the equipment needed to make this stuff. Most of the time Marcella insists that the yummiest ingredients are the ones I can't find at the supermarket -and I live in Japan which just makes things harder. I don't own a pasta making machine, and I'd rather not go to the effort of making my own anyway. I don't have an ice-cream maker either, or the fancy thing she uses for blending stuff. I tried to make the Bolognese Meat Sauce which, according to Marcella, should take at least three hours, and I ended up buring it. What wasn't burnt didn't taste as good as the simple stuff I used to make. I tried a couple of other recipies without much success, too. I have to say the idea of pouring Scotch Whisky and sprinkling espresso coffee over vanilla icecream is a winner. I'll stick with this book and hopefully get it right in the end, but it is definitely not for blokes without patience. The Edmonds Cookery Book has Italian recipees which anyone can make really easily without a lot of fuss or equipment. They might not be the real thing, but they taste really good. Think about how much time and effort, and equipment you want to buy, before you purchase this book.
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Summary: Outstanding recipes, but time-consuming!
Review: This is one of my top cookbooks, and I love to return to it just to read the descriptions of the food and the lifestyle that accompanies it. Some recipes are standards in our home, such as the Garlic-Infused Tomato Salad, the Salt and Olive Oil Foccacia, and the traditional Bolognaise sauce. Nonetheless, I find that I don't tend to cook from it that often, because of the time-consuming nature and specialized ingredients of many of the recipes. It appears that most recipes are designed as though you had a couple of hours to dedicate to the execution of that recipe -- no shortcuts, little simplicity. Still, it is THE bible of Italian cooking and covers every aspect and type of food in the region, so I can't give it anything less than five stars.
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Summary: A very good book without photos
Review: This book is my always-recommanded book to my friends. However it is a pity there is no photo inside. A little difficult to imagine what the ingredients look like. Personally I like the introduction best, even read it carefully with notes on it. It is Marcella who taught me how to choose the finest ingredient and now I can distinguish and refine my cooking, The receipes are trustworthy, almost no failure if i followed totally. The taste is fresh yet impressive. After trying this, i bet you won't like those fake American-italian food. (....)
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Summary: Make your hungry guests asking for more.
Review: Expands on her earlier book called Essentials of Italian Cooking. Italian cuisine consists of polenta, risotto, squid braised with tomatoes and white wine, sautéed swiss chard with olive oil and garlic.... and many more delicious recipes. This book serves as a basic manual for cooks of every skill level. Recipes have been revised to reduce fat content, and a whole new chapter full of fundamental information about herbs, spices, and cheeses used in Italian kitchens. I loved using these recipes on my guests. An enjoyable read that will make your hungry guests asking for more. FinancialNeeds.com
Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: buy this book, open it up to Chicken with Two Lemons and make it immediately. This is the best,the easiest chicken recipe you will ever find. The rest of the book will live up to this recipe.
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