Seafood alla Siciliana: Recipes and Stories from a Living Tradition [Hardcover]

Toni Lydecker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 16, 2009

For the first time, the history and techniques behind Sicilian seafood are captured in one book. Beautiful photography and in-depth information on the seafood used in Sicilian cooking and local alternatives make the recipes accessible to everyone. Over 100 recipes, gathered from home cooks and talented chefs, will show you how to put any dish on the table.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I am very impressed with the thoroughness of Toni Lydecker's research and how carefully she has thought out the instructions for buying and preparing seafood, a task many find a bit daunting. Old hands will find the range of her recipes exciting, while the novice will feel well guided into new and very rewarding terrain." --Mary Taylor Simeti, author, Sicilian Food: Recipes from Italy's Abundant Isle

"Toni Lydecker has gathered a gorgeous collection of seafood recipes from Sicily's home cooks and professional chefs and included a good number of her own interpretive dishes, too. The recipes burst with authentic Sicilian flavor, bringing to life the island's traditional and contemporary cooking, with its brilliant mix of Greek, Arab, and Spanish influences. I'm in love with every recipe. The book is a wonderful achievement, gracefully combining extensive research with creativity." --Erica De Mane, author, The Flavors of Southern Italy and Pasta Improvvisata

"In this ode to Sicily and Sicilian seafood, Lydecker presents the island as it should be with respect to long traditions, the bounty and quality of ingredients, and the rich variety of a cuisine shaped through the centuries. This informative book, with its emphasis on authenticity, is a joy to read. Thank you, Toni..." --Piero Selvaggio, restaurateur, Valentino Restaurants

About the Author

Toni Lydecker is a journalist and cookbook author who specializes in Italian regional cooking. Her articles on food and culinary travel have appeared in many magazines and online publications. She is the author of Serves One: Simple Meals to Savor When You're on Your Own (Lake Isle Press, 2005). She lives in New York's Hudson Valley

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Lake Isle Press; 1 edition (September 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891105426
• ISBN-13: 978-1891105425
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #886,146 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pretty close to an ideal cookbook, November 19, 2009

By 

Suzanne Fass "Notorious Stickler" (New York City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Seafood alla Siciliana: Recipes and Stories from a Living Tradition (Hardcover)

I work on cookbooks for a living, and I've seen a lot that, forgive me, should never have made it off the printing press. But this one is about as close as I can imagine to my ideal cookbook. It starts with a map of Sicily -- how many times do you see a map in a regional cookbook? Not often enough, for sure. Then there are essays about Sicily and its food and people and history; pictures of almost all the dishes; helpful headnotes, tips, variations, and other useful bits of information, including a seafood buying guide, glossary, source list, and recommended readings. And the recipes: clearly written recipes that really convey the simplicity and flavor of the food, recipes that just about anyone could follow. I don't think there are many recipes that take more than one page; none of those five-day, zillion-ingredient affairs. These are recipes you can make NOW and enjoy today.

There are so many recipes I want to try, like the Swordfish and Roasted Zucchini Pie (page 210), Baccala (Salt Cod) Salad with Blood Oranges and Pomegranate Seeds (pabe 144), a pasta dish with roasted cauliflower and anchovies (page 102) -- I look forward to working my way through everything!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hard not to keep one for your own cookbook library, November 27, 2009

By 

The Friendship Doctor "Irene" (Chappaqua, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seafood alla Siciliana: Recipes and Stories from a Living Tradition (Hardcover)

I just purchased two copies of Seafood alla Siciliana as holiday gifts. When I browsed through the beautiful potpourri of stories, photos, and recipes, I couldn't help but keep one for myself---so now I'll have to purchase another.

Each recipe is evocative of a trip to Italy, wafting with wonderful regional tastes and aromas of Sicily. The book's title is a bit of a misnomer, however, because its contents is far more ambitious than seafood alone; it offers delectable suggestions and recipes for accompanying antipasti, pastas, wine pairings, desserts and more.

Bravo!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Different Style of Italian, September 23, 2009

By 

BRB (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seafood alla Siciliana: Recipes and Stories from a Living Tradition (Hardcover)

Like many of the best modern cookbooks, or at least the ones I most enjoy reading, "Seafood alla Siciliana" illuminates a relatively unknown but rich regional cuisine. Ms. Lydecker provides general information about Sicily and Sicilian cooking, specific information about selecting seafood for Sicilian dishes, and some beautiful illustrations. And fascinating recipes, of course. (The ones I've tried have all been winners.) This in well-written and entertaining book that will make me a better seafood cook and give me many new ideas for interesting meals.