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Rating: 
Summary: An Italian Must
Review: Late 18th century cooking master Pellegrino Artusi created the "ethics" of modern Italian cooking, as evoluted from that which the Italians taught the French. The basis is that foods are to be tasty, but also healthy and digestible. The emotional value of Taste is thus spelled out by the Alchemist of Italian Cuisine. An absolute master with a hearty sense of humour. Not to be missed.
Rating: 
Summary: At Last, Artusi Complete!
Review: Of the two recent translations of this classic of Italian gastronomic literature, this one is the winner. The other, entitled The Art of Eating Well: Italy's Most Treasured Cookbook (Random House, 1996), translated by Kyle M. Phillips III, halves the number of recipes and excises large amounts of text in pursuit of readability. Unfortunately, the result is more like an old-fashioned Italian cookbook than the idiosyncratic masterpiece that Artusi wrote. This volume, on the other hand, contains the complete text of the definitive Einaudi edition, and the translation is, on the whole, more trustworthy. Readers should be aware, however, that Artusi wrote when the art of recipe writing was at its infancy; it will be a bold cook who uses this book to learn Italian cooking.
Rating:
Summary: Not a cookbook for the timid..
Review: This is a fantastic book, not just for the recipes, but also for Artusi's interesting and humourous asides. It contains a selection of recipes ranging from complex to very simple, yet elegant. IMHO it is far more than "marginal" as a cookbook. Because it is non-specific about quantities, Artusi seemed to assume that the audience reading this book knows what is what. Quantities are always adjustable according to individual taste, and that is the nature of real cooking. So in that sense, it is not a connect-the-dots cookbook, but a very good way to experiment with different variations of flavour.He obviously recognized that his readers already knew how to cook. This is a book to give the reader various ideas about recipes and menus. Beginners beware, it will not tell how many teaspoons of something to put into your sauces. We're supposed to know how much is too much or too little. It's a great book, and very unique among a plethora of same old-same-old cookbooks.
Rating:
Summary: Not a cookbook for the timid..
Review: This is a fantastic book, not just for the recipes, but also for Artusi's interesting and humourous asides. It contains a selection of recipes ranging from complex to very simple, yet elegant. IMHO it is far more than "marginal" as a cookbook. Because it is non-specific about quantities, Artusi seemed to assume that the audience reading this book knows what is what. Quantities are always adjustable according to individual taste, and that is the nature of real cooking. So in that sense, it is not a connect-the-dots cookbook, but a very good way to experiment with different variations of flavour. He obviously recognized that his readers already knew how to cook. This is a book to give the reader various ideas about recipes and menus. Beginners beware, it will not tell how many teaspoons of something to put into your sauces. We're supposed to know how much is too much or too little. It's a great book, and very unique among a plethora of same old-same-old cookbooks.
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