Customer Reviews

Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well

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`Science in the Kitchen and The Art of Eating Well' by Bologna native, Pellegrino Artusi, recently republished in English with a new introduction by American food writer, Michelle Scicolone is a work originally written in Italian and published by the author almost 115 years ago. I was drawn to it by a very positive reference to it in Paul Bertolli's cookbook, `Chez Panisse Cooking'.

If it were not for this recommendation, I may have been inclined to dismiss the book as irrelevant to today's cooks, given the wealth of Italian cookbooks from Marcella Hazan, Lydia Bastianich, Michelle Scicolone herself, and a dozen of scribblers on the cooking from the various regions (Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Sicily, etc.) and `superregions' (north versus south) of Italy. So, here I am to say that there is much of value here for the foodie and the professional cook. For all you casual cookbook clients out there, you may want to give this one a pass. In spite of its title, it has absolutely nothing in common with the kind of kitchen science written by Harold McGee, Shirley Corriher, and Alton Brown.

This is not to say that there is no deep thinking about food in this book. The paperback has over 650 pages filled with 790 recipes plus an English and an Italian index. And, in all that space, there are hundreds of little observations about the right way to cook dishes. The problem for the amateur is that almost all the recipes assume you already know a lot about cooking, so lots of little details are left off. One of my favorite examples is in the recipe for veal saltimbocca (Veal cutlets, Roman Style). Artusi gives scant details on the size of the cutlet except that they should be a half a finger thick. He also gives no details about the sautee time except to say that the side with the procuitto should not be cooked for too long, lest it become too tough. On the other hand, the author takes the time to say that the veal should not be prepared with a whole sage leaf, as this would be too much. One wonders how large his sage leaves are, as I have made this dish several times and used a full sage leaf with no ill effects. To the good, I welcome the warning about not sauteeing too long. I just finished making a veal Marsala which turned out poorly, as the meat was too thin for my cooking time. Live and learn.

Probably the biggest disadvantage for typical American amateur cooks is that most measurements are made by weight. The fact that they are translated from metric into Imperial units does little good, as most kitchens are simply not equipped to weigh an ounce of butter or 2/3 of an ounce of grated Parmesan cheese. Thus, unless you use the book to provide supplementary insights to recipes from Mario Batali, I would place the book by your favorite reading chair rather than on the kitchen shelf between `The Joy of Cooking' and `Mastering the Art of French Cooking'.

As an historical document, this is really a great read. It was first published just after the unification of Italy and, while the book has many references to the geographical sources of these recipes, it does address the cuisine of Italy as a whole, at a time before Escoffier, when claims to dominance in the cuisine of Western Europe between Italy and France was a pretty lively issue. In fact, the author was criticized for being too French and by reflecting the practices of the French professionals working for the nobility rather than the practices of mother and grandma in the kitchens of Sienna or Leghorn. The most pervasive evidence of this French influence is that almost all sauces are strained before serving. I think Mario Batali would rather sell his firstborn before he strains an Italian sauce. But there it is. Artusi gives us professional Italian culinary practice among the nobility and restaurante chefs of 1890.

While the value of this book is unmatched, I give it only four stars to warn anyone to read the review carefully before buying this book with mistaken expectations.

If you are a died in the wool foodie, food professional, or cookbook collector, you must have this book. In addition to the recipes, there are dozens of stories, the kind which foodie readers really appreciate. For all others, consider a more modern encyclopedia of Italian recipes such as Michelle Scicolone's own `1000 Italian Recipes'.

This is a fantastic book, not just for the recipes, but also for Artusi's interesting and humourous asides. It contains a selection of recipes ranging from complex to very simple, yet elegant. IMHO it is far more than "marginal" as a cookbook. Because it is non-specific about quantities, Artusi seemed to assume that the audience reading this book knows what is what. Quantities are always adjustable according to individual taste, and that is the nature of real cooking. So in that sense, it is not a connect-the-dots cookbook, but a very good way to experiment with different variations of flavour.

He obviously recognized that his readers already knew how to cook. This is a book to give the reader various ideas about recipes and menus. Beginners beware, it will not tell how many teaspoons of something to put into your sauces. We're supposed to know how much is too much or too little.

It's a great book, and very unique among a plethora of same old-same-old cookbooks.

Late 18th century cooking master Pellegrino Artusi created the "ethics" of modern Italian cooking, as evoluted from that which the Italians taught the French. The basis is that foods are to be tasty, but also healthy and digestible. The emotional value of Taste is thus spelled out by the Alchemist of Italian Cuisine. An absolute master with a hearty sense of humour. Not to be missed.

I'm quoting the review by B. Marold: "So, here I am to say that there is much of value here for the foodie and the professional cook. For all you casual cookbook clients out there, you may want to give this one a pass." Read his review if you want more information.

This is one of the maternal Italian cookbooks in a very impressive lineage. This puts perspective on modern Italian cooking that you see in books like the Silver Spoon. This is more of a read than a cookbook, dont expect amounts or details, this is the cooking your mother does, so this is only for advanced cooks who are daring, and devil may care, be prpared to do alot of testing and know what goes with what, if you are starting out pick a different book, like the Silver Spoon, thats easy peasy.

A masterpiece, it is up there with the Larousse Gastronomic, a must for anyone who is inspired by Italian cooking.

The product was recommended to me by a friend from Italy who said her mother had one of the original books in her kitchen and purchased one for her daughter as well. The copy sold here is in English and a reprint of the one my friend has. I assumed it to be the same book. It arrived in a timely manner and looks very interesting. It speaks in a general nature and not recommended for very beginning cooks.