The Maccioni Family Cookbook [Hardcover]

Egi Maccioni (Author), Peter Kaminsky (Author), Elizabeth Zeschin (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2003

From sweet and crumbly Ciambella Coffee Cake to Risotto Tri Colore, the recipes of this extraordinary home cook are a treasure. The book is presented in four sections chronicling Egi's life in and around the kitchen, beginning with her early apprenticeship in her grandmother's kitchen, and chronicling the dishes she created for her husband, their sons, and their restaurants. More than 90 recipes tested for the home cook are presented with clear instructions to enable readers to bring the rich flavors of Egi Maccioni's Italian cooking into their own homes.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tuscan-native Maccioni, writing with Kaminsky (The Elements of Taste), offers recipes served in her family's famous New York restaurants, Le Cirque and Osteria del Circo. While the narrative, memoir-ish format lacks spark ("Recipes from a Tuscan Childhood," "Sirio's Favorites," "New York," and "Restaurant" are some of the section headings), the recipes themselves are solid-and Zeschin's beautiful colorful photos are enough to whet anyone's appetite. The dishes include a refreshing Panzanella (bread salad) with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and Tuscan bread; My Turkey Stuffing (one of the few American adaptations), made with sausage, chicken livers, mortadella, eggs, chestnuts and black truffle; Ricotta and Spinach Ravioli, sauteed in butter and sage; and for dessert or a snack, Schiacciata con L'Uva, grapes and sugar rolled into pizza dough and baked. This is a perfect book of comfort food for the fall and winter.
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About the Author

Egi Maccioni is the consulting chef for the Le Cirque and Osteria del Circo restaurants and has been contributing signature recipes to the menu since the original Le Cirque's inception in 1974. Born in the Tuscan town of Montecatini, she learned to cook from her grandmother helping her roll out sheets of pasta as a child. She is married to restaurateur Sirio Maccioni and is the mother of Mario, Marco, and Mauro Maccioni. Peter Kaminsky has written extensively about food and the outdoors. He is a food critic who contributes regularly to both Food & Wine and The New York Times. Elizabeth Zeschin is an accomplished American photographer based in New York and London. In the past decade she has had numerous solo and group exhibitions. Among many published books and journals, she was the sole photographer for the Martha Stewart Garden Book, published in 1991.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Stewart, Tabori and Chang (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584792884
• ISBN-13: 978-1584792888
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,421,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Te piaci" (you'll like it), March 20, 2006

By 

Toni "the bookworm" (Chicago, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Maccioni Family Cookbook (Hardcover)

I guess that I am a bit late in getting this in, but better late than never!! I just LOVE this cookbook!!! I had become familiar with the Maccioni family through watching the PBS TV baking series called "Dessert Circus" with Jacque Torres, who was the chef at the Maccioni-owned Le Cirque in New York; different family members would occasionally share the camera with Jacque as he prepared one of his incredible desserts. One day as I was doing my usual cruising down the cookbook aisle of a book store, I noted this book, and seeing that it was written by Egi Maccioni, it caught my attention.

The book is an insiders view of how this family came about starting with what region she is from and how Egi and Sirio started out. I know that some folks don't care for the spinning of family yarns, but to me, I love it; it makes the book more personal and more familiar. I love the idea of "family" and how it enriches our lives and it is in this way that Mrs. Maccioni brings us her book. Interspersed with the many recipes are stories and photo's of the Maccioni's and you will be entertained as well as fed when you are done with this wonderful invitation from Egi Maccioni.

The contents of this book are:

Foreward
Introduction
Recipes from a Tuscan Childhood
Sirio's Favorites
New York
Restaurant
Index

Each section has delicious recipes that are so familiar, yet different in flavor because they are made with the idea's of the Tuscan region of Italy. Two of my absolute favorites are the "Fried Zucchini Flowers" and the "Lasagna Bolognese". My family just loves these two and no get-together will pass without me making at least the lasagna, and of course, the zucchini when in season. The "Apple Tart of Mama Giovanna" is a perfect ending to any meal because it is light and full of flavor. For me, it's like going back to when my "Nonni" (grandparents) were still here and everyone would gather every Sunday at their home; it was a madhouse with daughters, sons, in-laws, and a ton of kids. My Nonna made the best food that, to this day, we still cannot reproduce; she didn't use recipes and we couldn't come close to the flavor and aroma even if we did. Those sure were good days!!

This would be a great addition to your cooking library and you will be most pleased with any of the dishes that you would prepare.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great addition to your culinary library!, July 20, 2004

By 

Amica di Mostro "Amica di Mostro" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Maccioni Family Cookbook (Hardcover)

I received this book as a gift for my Birthday last year. I loved the recipes, photos and the sprinkles of the author's life and tradition mixed in. The recipes are straightforward and easy to create. It is a lovely addition to my culinary library and I?ve added some of her rich tradition to my holiday feasts. I may not be Italian, but I can certainly cook it! If you are looking for an authentic Italian cookbook, with ?out of the ordinary? dishes that are perfect for entertaining as well as sitting down to some everyday ?good old fashioned comfort food? then this one is extraordinary.

10 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste your money, December 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Maccioni Family Cookbook (Hardcover)

There is nothing in this book you can't find better explained somewhere else. In fact, you should know a fair amount about Italian cooking before you try any of the recipes, because otherwise who knows what you'll end up with. Not that there are very many recipes; instead you get lots and lots of relatively vapid filler in the guise of homespun advice and memories by family members. "Sirio Speaks," but who cares? For this much money, stick to Lidia Bastianich. You'll get better food and it will turn out well, too.