Culinaria Italy: Pasta, Pesto, Passion [Paperback]

Claudia Piras (Editor), Eugenio Medagliani (Editor), Ruprecht Stempell (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 21, 2007

Food and culture are inexorably tied together. The Culinaria series reports on every aspect of the cuisine of a country within the context of the people who created it. One of the most successful series in cook book history, these new editions are updated with the guidance of first-class chefs, and come in a durable flexi-cover format to withstand abuse while spending time in the kitchen.

The teams behind each Culinaria volume spend months in the region they are working on, allowing them time to fully absorb all of the food and drink a country can offer. Profusely illustrated with spectacular photography and abundantly peppered with authentic recipes, these volumes are a treat for both the mind and the palate.


Learn about the history behind the dishes, their cultural significance, and how to prepare them.
Beautiful photographs take you on a tour from the local villages to inside the kitchen where you will find the final product.
Enormous variety of magnificent photographs and tempting recipes together with knowledgeable text that is easy for readers and cooks of all skill levels to understand.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Culinaria Italy: Cuisine, Country, Culture

Claudia Piras, H. F. Ullmann



"Culinaria Italy: Cuisine, Country, Culture" is a not just a superbly illustrated and keenly informative compendium of Italian cuisine, it is a 488 page masterpiece showcasing the very best examples of all manner of Italian dishes guaranteed to satisfy any appetite and please any palate. Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, the recipes themselves are clearly outlined and presented so that even the most novice of kitchen cooks can produced professional chef quality dishes for any and all dining occasions from humble family gatherings to elegant celebratory events. Of special note is the chapter devoted to Olive Oil and the chapter presenting Pesto and Other Sauces. The fabulous dishes are organized and presented regionally and include recipes from Sicily and Sardinia. Enhanced with an appendix that features 'Italian in the Kitchen' and 'Cooking Techniques'; a Bibliography; a general index and an index of recipes, "Culinaria Italy: Cuisine, Country, Culture" will prove to be an welcome addition to personal, professional, and family cookbook shelves, and is especially recommended as a Memorial Fund acquisition selection for community and academic library culinary reference collections.



Midwest Book Review --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Claudia Piras studied philosophy and literature and works as an editor, author, and translator. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Konemann (February 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1435101413
• ISBN-13: 978-3833134463
• ASIN: 3833134461
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,312,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Günter Beer lives and works in Barcelona, Spain. He is a photographer, journalist and chronicler. Germany's most well- known food magazine, DER FEINSCHMECKER ("The Gourmet") writes that "his life reads like an adventure novel."

In 1982, he accompanied Joseph Beuys on a project called 7000 Eichen ("7000 Oaks"). He worked as a journalist in Rio de Janeiro for Jornal do Brasil, and reported on the civil war in Nicaragua crossing back and forth between the Sandinistas and the Contras.

Günter Beer sat in the mud with Venezuelan gold panners, he published the latest news from US military laboratories, took fashion photographs in Mexico, Majorca and atop the Matterhorn.

For Könemann Verlag in 1994 he photographed 255 culinary specialities from all over Europe in 180 days. His work has since focused on more than 20 international cookbooks.

Publications (Selection)

2011 GoVeggie! (.B-APPs)
2010 The Cook's Encyclopedia (.B-APPs)
2009 Italienisch Kochen (.B-APPs)
2008 Italien - Die Landestypische Küche (Ullmann)
2007 Andalusien Kitchen & Culture (G+U)
2006 Fisch & Seafood (ViaBene)
2005 Pasta (Via Bene)
2003 Salat (Kone)
2002 Witzigmanns Kreta Küche (Mosaik)
2001 Witzigmanns CrossOver Küche (G+U)
1999 Culinaria France
1998 Culinaria Italy
1998 Culinaria Spain
1997 Culinaria Southeast Asia
1995 Culinaria Europe

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another CULINARIA experience! February 5, 2001

By Mario A. Nunez

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have been a fan of the CULINARIA series of books (European Specialties, Spain, France, The Caribbean, Hungary, Germany, to name a few). CULINARIA's Italy is their newest addition. What set the series apart from the rest of the food market cookbooks (it is almost inaccurate to call them "cookbooks" since the emphasis here is never on the recipes) is not the superb full color photographs of almost clinical detail of the various foods, food groups, regional specialties, food processes and products typical of the regions being explored, or the carefully written essays on the subjects being covered, or the cultural authenticity of the selections and the approach taken to covering the issues presented.

What really differentiates these books is the love and the caring that is obvious that the editors have employed to produce every single entry into the series. All the CULINARIA books have a polished look to them, but they are more than mere glossy coffee table books (although I must admit that they look really good anywhere u place them!);they are veritable reference sources of not only the food but also of the culture of the nations and regions they explore.

A veritable cornucopia of information, these books are the kind of books that can be cherished for a long time. The "Italy" book is one more jewel in the crown. Keep them coming!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Culinaria Italy- Outstanding book in an excellent series April 5, 2003

By Menthol Rum VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is another fantastc book in the Culinaria series. I own their Spain, France, Europe, and of course, Italy volumes.

If you know these books, then here is the short review: It's excellent, buy it. For the uninitiated, this is as good as it gets for a full culinary tour of Italy. The pictures are beautiful, the stories interesting and educational, and the recipes are great too. Learn about the variety of Italian foods, the regions and their specialties (recipes, wines, cheeses, etc), as well as many other interesting stories (the origin of Harry's Bar). I cannot stress the excellence this book provides in the images, the organization, the culture, the background and so much more.

You'll learn about different vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses, wines, spices and some history every now and again. Even if you don't try the recipes, or even cook, this is an interesting book. It is big and heavy, but what would you expect from a book that covers all of Italy's regions? I don't know about the rumor from Utah (see below), but the book is that heavy.

Bottom line, these authors, photographers, publishers, etc. did an excellent job, and if you want a great well-written book for learning about Italian cooking, culinary styles and some of their culture, this is a must own.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 Star Culinary Tour of Italy December 13, 2000

By SkyKing

Format:Hardcover

My wife and I love to travel to Italy, and are constantly reading cookbooks and travel literature in search of Italian cuisine. What a joy to read this book! Each chapter describes in precise detail the ingredients and products for a specific region. I have seen this format before, but never with as much useful information. This book not only illustrates the variety of Italian products, but also gives extensive attention to the traditions of production. To read this book is to be immersed in the wonderful world of Italian culinary traditions.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Designed to give you an appreciation of all things relating to the Italian kitchen January 29, 2008

By Penumbra TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

As it says in the introduction, "Culinaria Italy" is "where the art of cooking and the art of living meet."

This is a fairly comprehensive one volume adventure which explores the culture of the 19 regions of Italy. In the 750 miles from the Alpine mountains to the toe of the boot, the geography and history have shaped the people and the food. Available ingredients and the proximity of central Europe make cuisine in the northern part of Italy quite different from the Mediterranean influences in Sicily.

"Culinaria Italy" contains everything from maps to copies of 400 year old still life paintings of food from the Old Masters, in addition to some mouth watering recipes. For example, one section describes the region's wine making history and includes a lavish description of the Murano glassworks. So, you'll have a great cultural appreciation when you sip your wine from a Murano goblet.

The section on the Compania Region includes a beautiful four page layout about tomatoes. Pictures, descriptions, discussion of commercially available tomato products, instructions on how to can your own tomatoes, and several recipes that feature the tomato. There are similar sections of the book that give you plenty of detail on Italian olive oil, herbs, cheeses, wines, pastas, and more.

This is a beautiful book with gorgeous photography; evocative of a culture and a way of life. It's so much more than a cookbook!

Highly recommended!!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Massive Tome of Terrific Substance January 1, 2007

By Grady Harp HALL OF FAMETOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

CULINARIA ITALIA is more than a book about food: this magnificently produced volume offers more information about Italy than most books focused on the culinary arts. Put together by the team of editors Claudia Piras and Eugenio Medagliani and photographers Ruprecht Stempell and Guenter Beer, this volume of information is a colorful, intelligent, inspiring, educational and very entertaining book about the glories of Italy.

Broken down in to regions (what country is better known for Regional modes of living and eating?), we are traveled from north to south and in each region not only are the particular specialties of pasta, sauces, cheeses, wines, fish and meat dishes described, illustrated and given recipes, but also the specifics of the locales are described - geographic, architectural, historical, and cultural. For example, in the Veneto section we learn about living in Venice (Carnevale is a focus), the fishing techniques, the glass house of Murano, Harry's Bar of Hemingway fame, the joys of gondola cruising, and the cheeses so tied to the region in addition to a fine sampling of recipes of famous Venetian foods.

While some may bask in the very fine photographs spread so generously on every page of the book, others will read the secrets of how orchiette is made, the definition differences between macaroni and spaghetti, the nurturing of mussels, the manner of making the various forms of polenta etc. In other words, both the visual and the text are of the highest order. This book may make a dent in your lap (it is nearly 500 pages long!) but it will also make a strong mark in your desire to book passage to the land of beauty and culinary delights that is Italy. Highly Recommended for every reader. Grady Harp, January 07