Customer Reviews

Italian Festival Food: Recipes and Traditions from Italy's Regional Country Food Fairs

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I enjoyed every page of this book. When I finished it, I wanted to know more, not only about festivals, food and other traditions but about the author. I felt like I should know her, like we should be friends.

The recipes are well research and well written, and include notations on the difficulty of preparation, making it a tool for novices and experts alike. When I finished reading this book I wanted to cook my way through it.

This one I will keep in the kitchen.

This review is written from the perspective of a serious home cook that has been studying cooking for 25 years, and concentrating on Italian cooking for the last ten.

This book is a wonderful addition to any Italian cookbook library. The author does a magnificent job of painting a picture of the Italian festival culture. I was surprised by the emphasis on food and festivals during my first trip to Italy. It now seems second nature to me. If you have ever been fortunate enough to eat any of the wonderful festival food in Italy you know what a gift this book is to the culinary community.

The recipe for baked Gnocchi with Asparagus, Taleggio and Asiago is simply amazing. If you have either a Wegmans or Whole Foods in your area you should have a source for Taleggio. It is worth the effort to find this specialty cheese; it is a fantastic product that is almost addicting. The Sauteed Chicken with Poached Shrimp and Fried Eggs is also to die for. I have been pleased with every dish from this book. Some are more work than others, but all worth the effort.

The author also does a nice job of explaining the regional aspects of the dishes. This book is part cookbook, and part regional cooking history. I highly recommend this book for anyone that is seriously interested in Italian cooking.