The Chianti Family Cookbook: Classic Recipes from the Heart of Tuscany [Hardcover]

Giovanna Folonari Ruffino (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 1999

Throughout the world, the Ruffino name is synonymous with the fine wines of Italy's Chianti region. To the natives of Chianti, however, the Ruffino name also means fine food--in particular, the fine food of Giovanna Folonari Ruffino, whose Tuscan kitchen has become a magnet for culinary students.
        
As her friends and family will attest, Signora Ruffino is a charming hostess; as this book proves, she is also an accomplished cook. Now, with the help of Michele Evans, co-author of the James Beard Award----winning Gangivecchio's Sicilian Kitchen, she has collected a hundred of her favorite recipes so that the rest of us can enjoy the simple but delicious cuisine that has made her dinner parties and family meals so memorable.
        
Each easy-to-follow recipe consists of simple instructions and is accompanied by a beautifully reproduced color
photograph that enables the home cook to see exactly what the finished dish looks like. The result is a visual feast that will stimulate the eye and please the palate.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In Chianti Family Cooking, cooking instructor and member of the famous Ruffino Chianti family Giovanna Folonari Ruffino offers 100 lusty, simple, and intensely flavored dishes for the lover of Italian foods and Italian wines. Almost devoid of commentary, nearly every recipe is, instead, accompanied by a photograph. (Those dishes lacking pictures, such as Spaghetti with Onion Sauce, tend to be remarkably plain and presumably not all that photogenic.) Ruffino's first courses range from the familiar (Penne with Spinach and Gorgonzola, Orecchiette with Broccoli) to the extraordinary (Pennette with Arugula and Sausage, Crepes with Spinach and Ricotta served with Red Sweet Pepper Fondue). Her meat dishes shine: Veal Rolls stuffed with Radicchio, Prosciutto, and Fontina is yummy beyond compare. Each section is accompanied by a recommended wine list. Surprisingly, Ruffino shows little bias toward Tuscan wines--the wines of Northern Italy, from Collio to Barolo, are represented here, as well those of the Ruffino estate. Despite (or possibly because of) its inconsistencies and surprises, Chianti Family Cooking offers the kind of direct and forceful food that will delight even the most jaded of palates. --David Kalil

Review

"The typically elegant, authentic, straightforward Tuscan and Italian recipes contained in this volume are incredibly
easy to follow, and they work. I know because I've tasted many of the dishes in Giovanna's home and duplicated the aromas, flavors, and contrasting textures back in my own American kitchen with outstanding results.
-from the Introduction by Michele Evans

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1 Us ed edition (March 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812931386
• ISBN-13: 978-0812931389
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,713,832 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely easy, but extremely tasty!!! First hand knowledge, September 28, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Greensboro, North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Chianti Family Cookbook: Classic Recipes from the Heart of Tuscany (Hardcover)

This September I went to Tuscany for a visit of the wine country...among our tour of the country side, we were fortunate to tour Giovanna's vineyard, take a cooking lesson from her and eat lunch for which she prepared. Everything she served was not only delicious but extremely EASY preparation. Few ingredients. Nothing too difficult. Look for her wine as well. Awesome. She is probably one of the most energetic people I have ever met. Unpresumptious and Beautiful. This will be the only Italian book I ever use.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE ONLY BOOK ON ITALIAN COOKING YOU WILL EVER NEED, March 24, 2000

By 

"kingsransom" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Chianti Family Cookbook: Classic Recipes from the Heart of Tuscany (Hardcover)

This is the only book on Italian cooking you will ever need because this book has it all. Ruffino is not only a master cook, she is also a master teacher and this book proves it. The recipes are the best I've ever tasted and my personal favorite has to be the Spinach and Ricotta Crepes with Red Sweet Pepper Fondue--delicioso! This is more than a cookbook--it is an experience you'll want to savor again and again and share with your family and friends.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best cooking book I have ever had, December 21, 1999

By 

London Chef (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Chianti Family Cookbook: Classic Recipes from the Heart of Tuscany (Hardcover)

For all the people ho love the Italian kitchen, its flavours and its simplicity this is a real must. The best gift you could make to your family and the people you love