From Publishers Weekly
Trabocchi, chef at Maestro in Washington, D.C., is a native son of Le Marche, the Italian region that the
New York Times recently deemed "the new Tuscany." Trabocchi grew up in the small town of Santo Stefano, and with assistance from Kaminsky (
Pig Perfect) he achieves a lovely style that is rather low-key in comparison to the commanding tone many chefs affect in cookbooks. Trabocchi also does an excellent job of isolating the best, most characteristic recipes from Le Marche, as
cucina marchigiana is often difficult to differentiate from that of Umbria or Emilia-Romagna. Yet what makes the food of Le Marche so special is its rustic quality, which is hard to imitate in American kitchens. It's fun to read about dishes like Roasted Suckling Pig Ascolana-Style and Turbot in Smoky Hay, but preparing them may be out of reach ("You will need to get clean green hay from a local farm," instructs the latter recipe). Fried Stuffed Olives Ascolana-Style, one of the region's classics, calls for pitting, stuffing (with a mixture of chicken liver and pork butt) and deep-frying 60 individual olives. There are less labor-intensive choices, such as Ancona's famous fish stew, and Trabocchi includes an excellent discussion of local wines.
(Oct.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
“Move over, Tuscany. Italy’s Le Marche region is moving onstage Trabocchi has quickly become a star among Washington chefs.” (Phyllis Richman, former Washington Post restaurant critic )
“A beautiful postcard from Le Marche. Thank you Fabio for sharing these wonderful treasures!” (Michel Richard )
“A rare innovator in Italian cuisine and pioneer… an amazing cookbook with terrific food, incredible flavors… a classic.” (Hubert Keller )
“I have always had a great admiration for Fabio’s cooking… ‘Bravo, Fabio,’ you make Italy proud!” (Roberto Donna )
“Trabocchi invites us home… an accomplished and daring chef, he rewards us with unique and wonderfully approachable, treasured family recipes.” (Patrick O'Connell )
“One of the most delicious reads I have had… makes me want to cook these regional specialties all year long.” (Mario Batali )
“Wonderful culmination of Trabocchi’s genius talent and the traditional heritage of Le Marche… beautiful collection of refined, yet classic dishes.” (Daniel Boulud )
“From my first meal at Maestro, I have been a huge fan of Trabocchi’s… combines tradition and innovation.” (Cesare Casella )
