Customer Reviews

Gusto Italiano: Quick and Simple Vegetarian Cooking

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I use this book frequently. The pictures are beautiful and the recipes delicious. I have not had anything out of this book that I did not like. A previous reviewer claims that this is not a vegetarian book because it is not vegan. That is opinion, don't go by that review! The author points out that vegetarian cheeses are available. My only issue with this book is that many of the recipes are high in fat and there is no nutritional analysis. Otherwise, when I am not counting calories, I love this book!

What great recipes! And the hints and suggestions at the bottom of each recipe really add to the book.

And the photography in this book is stunning - I've seen that word used too often, including in the description here on amazon.com, but it really does fit this book.

And it IS a vegetarian cookbook. The reviewer who panned it for not being vegetarian needs to make the distinction between vegetarian and vegan. I am a vegetarian, and it's hard to find recipes for such dishes as risotto (like the great ones in this book!) that don't depend on chicken stock. The risotto section in this book starts off with a recipe for the vegetable stock that is used in all the risotto recipes - perfect!

the author gives vignettes of italian life, not just italian food. the sections preceding each chapter are a great read all by themselves. the recipes by themselves are quite simple and easy to follow, and the empahsis is on the freshness and quality of ingredients.

the pictures are wonderful too. the one "turn-off" for me, if you may call it that, was the copious amounts of fat in each recipe, in the form of oil, butter, cream and cheese. that said, it doesn't claim to a low-fat book. the recipes are authentic and very satisfying to the tastebuds.

I had the pleasure of attending a cooking class taught by the author of this ccokbook. Ursula is a vivacious woman with an infectious enthusiasm for cooking. I bought this book immediately after that class and it quickly became one of my favorites. The recipes are simple to prepare and yet the resulting dishes have a wonderfully complex flavor. If you prefer fast, processed, or canned foods, this book is not for you. But if you, like me, can appreciate authentic italian dishes prepared from fresh ingredients, buy this book!

I absolutely love this cookbook, and everyone who eats the results agrees. (I've been using it for about a year.) The recipes are mostly very simple and very flavorful. Great for every-day meals. Instructions are clear. The recipes are very authentic. (I am of Italian ancestry, have relatives from Italy, and have eaten there with Italians.) As a vegetarian for many, many years it is a treat to have a whole cookbook on Italian food. And I absolutely love the photos. This is a beautiful book.

This book is in no way a vegetarian cookbook. Too often vegetarianism is associated with not eating meat, and that is it. A true vegetarian does not eat dairy, eggs, or any meat (poultry, beef, pork, fish and seafood). This cookbook has recipes that include cheese... If you are a true vegetarian this is not the book for you, but if you are just limiting yourself to meatless meals, then this is a good book for you. I rated this book a two, because there are a few recipes that could be modified to fit a vegetarian diet by simply omitting the cheese. They really should change the title to "Meatless Gusto Italian"