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Ciao Italia in Tuscany: Traditional Recipes from One of Italy's Most Famous Regions
 
 
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Ciao Italia in Tuscany: Traditional Recipes from One of Italy's Most Famous Regions [Hardcover]

Mary Ann Esposito (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

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Book Description

November 1, 2003
Famed for its bustling cities rich with art, history, and centuries-old traditions, as well as for its gently rolling landscapes filled with vineyards, cypress trees, and olive groves, Tuscany is one of the most popular regions in Italy. Mary Ann Esposito, host of the longest-running television cooking show, invites us to experience the tastes, smells, and traditions of this wonderful region, one delectable meal at time.

With eighty delicious recipes accompanied by anecdotes, travel essays, and cooking tips and techniques, this collection shares and explores the essence of Tuscan cooking. Cucina povera, country-style cooking, is the backbone of the Tuscan culinary heritage, and you'll see it in practice on an agricultural estate just outside of Siena, at a palazzino in the heart of Florence, at a popular restaurant in an industrial city, in medieval villages, and in the charming cities and towns across the region.

Simple, flavorful ingredients are transformed into authentic, mouth-watering dishes such as Scarola e Fagioli (Escarole and Beans), Pappa al Pomodoro (Tomato Bread Soup), Patate con Olio e Ramerino (Potatoes with Olive Oil and Rosemary), Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Grilled T-bone Steak), Gnocchi di Patate con Salsa di Pecorino e Panna (Potato Gnocchi with Pecorino Cream Sauce), Panforte, Ricciarelli di Siena (Siena-Style Almond Cookies), and much more.

Complete with information on mail-order sources, Web sites, and Tuscan restaurants, this celebration of the region of Tuscany is a tribute to the people practicing and preserving its rich culinary traditions.

Frequently Bought Together

Ciao Italia in Tuscany: Traditional Recipes from One of Italy's Most Famous Regions + Ciao Italia Slow and Easy: Casseroles, Braises, Lasagne, and Stews from an Italian Kitchen + Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites: Quick and Delicious Recipes from an Italian Kitchen
Price For All Three: $62.03

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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Ciao Italia in Umbria

" Delicious...Page after page of charming stories, photos, and mouth watering recipes invite readers to come and explore this lovely region with their favorite cook as a guide. No one has done more to introduce us to the pleasures of Italian cooking than Mary Ann."
--Michele Scicolone, author of Savoring Italy and Italian Holiday Cooking

" Mary Ann Esposito's love of Umbria and its rich culinary traditions shines through on every page. Vive Umbria! Viva Mary Ann!"
--Nick Malgieri, author of Perfect Cakes and Great Italian Desserts

Praise for Mary Ann Esposito

"Real Italian food comes from the home, and Mary Ann Esposito invites us to accompany her on a journey through the authentic home cooking of her favorite regions of Italy. Her food will warm the heart as well as the belly of those who prepare it."
--Jacques Pepin, author of Jacques Pepin Celebrates

"It is from great colleagues like Mary Ann Esposito that I can learn something new every time I step into my kitchen. She is an indefatigable culinary scout, an acute observer of foodways."
--Arthur Schwartz, author of Naples at Table

"Mary Ann Esposito has been a pioneer in the world of cooking shows. Ciao Italia is authentic and entertaining, like a great Italian meal, prepared for and eaten with friends and family."
--Mario Batali, author of The Babbo Cookbook

From the Back Cover

Praise for Ciao Italia in Umbria

" Delicious...Page after page of charming stories, photos, and mouth watering recipes invite readers to come and explore this lovely region with their favorite cook as a guide. No one has done more to introduce us to the pleasures of Italian cooking than Mary Ann."
--Michele Scicolone, author of Savoring Italy and Italian Holiday Cooking

" Mary Ann Esposito's love of Umbria and its rich culinary traditions shines through on every page. Vive Umbria! Viva Mary Ann!"
--Nick Malgieri, author of Perfect Cakes and Great Italian Desserts

Praise for Mary Ann Esposito

"Real Italian food comes from the home, and Mary Ann Esposito invites us to accompany her on a journey through the authentic home cooking of her favorite regions of Italy. Her food will warm the heart as well as the belly of those who prepare it."
--Jacques Pepin, author of Jacques Pepin Celebrates

"It is from great colleagues like Mary Ann Esposito that I can learn something new every time I--Arthur Schwartz, author of Naples at Table

"Mary Ann Esposito has been a pioneer in the world of cooking shows. Ciao Italia is authentic and entertaining, like a great Italian meal, prepared for and eaten with friends and family."
--Mario Batali, author of The Babbo Cookbook

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 272 pages
  • Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (November 1, 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0312321740
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312321741
  • Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.7 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #100,532 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mary Ann Esposito is the creator and host of public television's Ciao italia, a cooking show devoted to Italian food and culture. The show has been on the air for 20 years giving it the distinction of being the longest running cooking show ever. Ciao Italia is seen in all major markets across the U.S.

Mary Ann has written 11 cookbooks. Learn more about her at www.ciaoitalia.com and sample the more than 1000 recipes on her site.

Customer Reviews

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
When I opened this book by Mary Ann Esposito to read and review, I was looking for something that would raise it above it's face value of a companion volume to an average PBS cooking show series. When I embark on a review with this objective, I almost always find something. In this case, I did not.

This doesn't mean this is a bad book, only that it may not have that much to offer to someone who is already steeped in Italian culinary lore. It is inferior to, for example, David Downie's book on Roman cooking as a snapshot of an Italian regional cuisine. It is less genuine on a personal level than Mario Batali's `Simple Italian Food'. It is less of a cookbook than Lydia Bastianich's two books accompanying her PBS series on Italian food and Italian-American food. I will recommend this book as a source of classic Tuscan recipes over books by Pino Luongo, who clearly states that most of his recipes are original with him or his restaurant staff. They are not Tuscan; they are inspired by the Tuscan cuisine.

Part of the problem is that, unlike Lydia's books, this one has recipes in chapters which follow the episodes on the TV show rather than recipes organized by course as is typical of most Italian cookbooks. This awkwardness is not offset by a supplementary table of contents listing all recipes by food or by course.

Another part of the problem seems to be that unlike Mario's book, the experiences of Tuscan culture are all second hand. Most life experiences are not of the author but of the owner and employees at the Tuscan villa, Spannocchia, at which the PBS crew is housed. Ms. Espositio's experiences feel like a tourist's experiences.

One thing that impressed me about the creation of this book is the number of people it takes to put on a cooking show, even on PBS. There must be a dozen principle contributors at least in the Acknowledgments. In comparison, Julia Child started her show at the Boston PBS station with nothing more than her husband, a cameraman, a soundman, a producer, and herself.

I really wish I would have seen the PBS series on which the show is based, as I am sure that would have increased the value of the book for me by two or threefold. My experience with books by the `Frugal Gourmet', Jeff Smith show that books like this can be very attractive if you are not familiar with the wider world of cookbooks. Twelve (12) years ago, I thought Jeff Smith was something special. Now I know he was simply a decent communicator with a gimmick. I don't even think he was especially frugal. Since this book does accompany a TV show, I am really surprised at the dull photographs. The sepia coloring even seems to obscure some details in the picture.

There is no problem with the recipes in this book. Many classic Tuscan dishes are here and all of the recipes give competent instructions on how to prepare them.

I would recommend this book to anyone who plans to travel in Tuscany anytime soon. The book has a strong travelogue flavor about it and its recommendations about where to eat in Tuscany are not doing anyone any good unless you go there. The price of the book rescues it from a below average rating. As I stated at the outset, the book provides what is expected and nothing more. My only regret is that unlike many other regions of Italy, I have yet to find a good cookbook that effectively explores this cuisine.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
easy Italian food October 21, 2010
Format:Hardcover
I have seen many Ciao Italia shows with Mary Ann and her love of food and easy steps can make anyone an Italian cook. All her books are well written and easy to follow, so enjoy!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
A variety of recipes October 11, 2009
By Joanne
Format:Hardcover
On page 24 is my 'go to' chicken recipe...chicken breasts in white wine. It is easy enough for everyday or a company dish. It uses whole sage leaves which I love. Now that I'm dieting, I cut back a bit on the amount of EVOO and butter, and it doesn't hurt the outcome one bit. Normally chicken breasts can dry out in cooking, but this recipe somehow comes out amazingly moist and flavorful. For this one recipe alone, I am happy to own this book. Of course, you will find soups, desserts, sides, etc., in here too. There won't be a color photo for every recipe, but these recipes are so easy they are almost intuitive and don't require that many.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
THROUGHOUT A THICKET of woods lit by dappled sunlight, Spannocchia came into view. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
fresh cannellini beans, besciamella sauce, teaspoon fine sea salt, coarse black pepper, allpurpose flour, rosemary needles, cucina povera, truffle paste, cavolo nero, pecorino cheese, pastry cream, potato gnocchi
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Ciao Italia, Maria Pia, Vin Santo, San Sepolcro, Maria Gorelli, Middle Ages, Palazzo Davanzati, Raisin-Anise Bread, Golden Delicious, Great Northern, Mercato Centrale, Vineyard Kitchen, Chef Goes, Classic Fish Stew, Grilled T-Bone Steak, Marco Tofanelli, Mixed Mushroom Sauce, Tergo Trapassi
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