Authentic Italian gelato and sorbet  book
934251
This book is great for many reasons. To start with, the photos are gorgeous, with slightly textured pages and cover, lending an old world feel. The author explains the history of Italian gelaterias, problems that can occur when making certain types, etc. She also, give simple but descriptive notes at the start of each recipe. I also like that the amounts are in oz. (U.S.) and grams (UK). I did take one star off because I felt that more gelato recipes would have been better. Grantias and iced desserts are included, but I wanted more cream based gelato recipes because the ones included are so great and i personally prefer that type of creamy base. With this book, I especially found the peach gelato and gelato di nocciola wonderful. There is also a great basic custard gelato recipe that you can use as a base for creative additions. I used it and added vanilla bean, sliced strawberries and melted chocolate. I would recommend this book for anyone wanting to make authentic gelato or for someone that simply enjoys gorgeous dessert/food photos.
1189215
I am a professional chef of Greek decent and have lived in Greece for more than half of my life. I have traveled throuout the country and have tried several of the dishes that appear in this book but until now was not able to succesfully duplicate them. I was quite excited when I came across this collection and give the author five stars for her tremendous effort of bringing them together unadulterated.

This book is exactly what it claims to be, if not more than it claims to be and most definately deserves a five star rating. As a few other reviewers have mentioned it is not a collection of Americanized versions of Mousaka and Pastitsio, but a comprehensive collection of recipes borrowed from kitchens across the country which may or may not appeal to all palates. Many of these dishes you will not find outside it's reigion of origin let alone at Kostas opa on Main Street USA. It is worth mentioning that the author has traveled accross Greece collecting these recipes, many of which have not been published before. Having said all of this if you are looking for a recipe for Mousaka, run a search on Google and you will get 100s of results but if you wish to experiment and test your pallate try this book. It is truly authentic!
642350
This cookbook has easy to read and follow directions, great pictures.  It makes putting a wonderful, traditional Italian meal on the table easy for the busy person.  I like it so much I bought another one for a gift.
4407445
THE SCENT of ITALIAN COOKING has great Italian recipes that are authentic and easy to make.  The photos really add to the book because I can see what the food looks like after it's cooked. I especially love the green salad made with olive oil and vinegar.  Easy and quick.  I can't wait to try some of the other recipes for my friends and fill my kitchen with the wonderful aroma of healthy, Italian food.
4500929
If you are looking for Americanized versions of Asian dessertslook elsewhere! These desserts are the REAL DEAL.  Each and every recipe is totally authentic.  Some of the ingredients are a bit exotic, but I found that they could all be found in a mid-size Asian market.  Further, some, like jaggery, an unrefined palm sap sugar, I was unfamiliar with, and required some translation.  However, it was easily found on Amazon, as was matcha (green tea powder) and even red bean paste.  The time spent making the translations was totally worth it, as the flavors that emerged when making some of these desserts were incredible.  The desserts I tried from the Indian section, Kheer, for example, definitely rivaled the best that I have ever sampled at my favorite Indian Cuisine restaurants.
Each recipe is also accompanied by a picture, which I found to be helpful.  One word of caution, however, is that often the picture shows the dessert as made by a professional chef. They are beautiful photographs, and they did help me to visualize the desserts, which I would sometimes have a hard time doing otherwise, especially when the ingredients were unfamiliar to me, so overall, I did appreciate thembut don't be disappointed when your Modak (delicious little stuffed sweet dumplings) more resembles dough balls than the perfect pictures in the book! Dont worry, they still taste great!
This book was divided up into sections by country, and each section is prefaced by an informative overview of popular desserts throughout the various regions of that country.  I found these inside views to be some of my favorite parts of the book.  It was obvious throughout that Charles Ho is very familiar with the regions are recipes of which he writes.  I enjoyed traveling across Asia in my kitchen with Mr. Ho as my guide!
2102000
I expected the best from Giulian, and he did not disappoint.  Loved his mother's books, and can't wait to get started on this.  Good selection of Italian dishes with easy to follow directions.
293790
Great beginner cookbook for authentic Italian food. I've made several recipes and they've all came out delicious! A few of my favorite recipes: Napoletano, marinara, and arrabbiata sauces, rosemary potatoes, pork chops alla salvia, penne with portobello sauce, tomato & oregano chicken soup, and stuffed flounder florentine. I really enjoyed the explanation between "American" Italian food and "Mediterranean" Italian food, as well as, the pasta chapter and pizza making chapter.  There are editorial stories & comments from her "RHONJ" experiences, but don't let that deter you from picking up this cookbook.  I haven't "read" the entire book. I've read the informational parts and, of course, the recipes, tips and how-to's. I often cook the recipes from this cookbook about once a week.
3195819
Great follow up to Bobbi Jo's first book. Many authentic Italian & Puerto Rican recipes and also stories of the author's family traditions. Get one for yourself & one to share her delicious recipes!!
2857410
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/by-Marcella-Hazan-Author-Essentials-of-Classic-Italian-Cooking-Hardcover/dp/B00366HMJW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">by Marcella Hazan (Author) Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking (Hardcover)</a>&nbsp;I'm a first generation Italian-American who grew up in a culinary family and has enjoyed cooking Italian a long lifetime. During a half-year stay in Umbria I pursued family recipes there as well as in other parts of Italy. Thus, I can rate Marcella Hazan's compilation and comments as the very best, most authentic Italian cookbook I've seen in English. By authentic, I mean that the recipes are as close to what one gets in Italy as is reasonable, as opposed to the many cookbooks that mix in substantial Americanization. As anyone who has dined in Italy knows, the Italian-American cooking in so-called "Italian" restaurants here is only fitfully representative of the lovely dishes characteristic of Italy. Bless Marcella Hazan for preserving the real thing!
445677
I gave this cookbook only four stars because of some of the mistakes or mistranslations of ingredients. For everything else, five stars. Remember that in the Italian culture the children are no strangers to the kitchen while growing up. This book is better served to cooks with some experience. I purchased this book a couple of months ago, so I haven't had a lot of time to really get the full impact yet. The dishes I have done have come out very well, and are enjoyed by everyone. This is a fun cookbook to browse through to get ideas for future meals or just to read. If you have trouble with the recipes the book is heavy enough to use for a workout. The book got to me very quickly, and arrived in very good condition. This is not a lot of money for a book of this quality. Thank you Amazon for the great service.
481799
Williams-Sonoma Italian is in a league of its on. The technique references in this book alone make the purchase a must-buy and the recipes are classic and absolutely authentic and delicious. I highly recommend.
429695
This cookbook gives us truly authentic Tuscan recipes that are found in many Italian American family's memories of their Grandmothers and Great Grandmothers family favorites.  Ms. Shelton-Johns pays omage to these traditions with a beautifully designed and illustrated book and more important, her fine research into the dishes published
734753
This past Spring I was in Tuscany for 12 days, of which 4 were at the International Academy of Italian Cuisine, and the food we made and ate were some of the best Italian meals I have ever had.  One of the dinners we made was the Ragu which is featured in Tuscan Sun cooking, and it is exactly how I remember the taste of Tuscany.  Excellent.
The other recipes in this book are easy to follow, the illustrations are beautiful, and it brings me back to the jaw dropping scenery of Tuscany.
A friend recommended this book, and I inturn, recommend it to anyone who loves to cook, and made authentic Italian food
1571948
I love all the authentic recipes in this book. The book is worth buying for the cashew crema recipe alone. I could drink it from a straw.
953751
This is one of my fav. WS cookbooks, besides the Paris destination cookbook.  We cook quite often from this book.  Most fav. recipes, pasta al forno, torta di nonna, soupli.  Everyone loves the pasta al forno dish when my husband cooks it.  Romans love to use a lot of peas and carrots in their recipes.  This dish is a baked pasta as the name suggests - with prociutto, cremini mushrooms, peas and cream.  My other favorite is the appetizer, Soupli.  I luv this one.  In Rome at any lil food shop they will typically sell this, obviously our cheese is different so its not completely the same but it is a crocoquette with rice, tomatoes and mozarella inside.  Its really delicious.  They don't even have it in most so-called italian rest. here!!!!  Personally we don't even go out to eat italian at any rest. here anymore, we just make it at home.  Torta di nonna is a very typical dessert in Italy.  The cooking is very distinct in each region/city.  Its a very good cake with pine nits and a nice hint of lemon in every bite, perfect with an espresso [lavazza/crema di gusto]!  I know that the birthplace of pizza is Napoli, but I think Roman pizza is just better, my fav. pizza margherite.  Why go out and get t.v dinner americanized-italian food at a rest. when you can have close to the real thing at home.  You will never eat pasta al forno at a restaurant ever again if you make this recipe.  My friend taught us how to make authentic Roman lasagna, not in the book, can I just say its way better!!!  They put eggs, peas, carrots, mixture of ground beef/veal/chicken and mozzarella, they never use RICOTTA cheese!!!!  Oh, and if you make lasagna, go to a special store and use double zero flour its really better that way. Instead of feeling like you ate a brick - it will just feel like a reg. meal.
4809582
One simple word: Yum. The recipes in this book are fantastic. From a basic guide to stock Italian ingredients in the front to the desserts in the back, this cookbook is chock full of all the recipes anyone who loves Italian food should know in one beautiful book. Get to know Cindy through her anecdotes about her family and travels to Italy while trying your hand at traditional recipes that will impress both family and friends.
131953
Awesome.  I have made 10 recipes so far and they were all very good.  There is an entire chapter on spreads for bread.  Only one pasta dish in the entire cookbook.  Very authentic.