Customer Reviews

The Sopranos Family Cookbook: As Compiled by Artie Bucco

5 star:		(104)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

As a Director of Catering I collect a lot of cookbooks. In fact if you like this review you might want to check out my listmania list I have several on cookbooks.
Now to my review. This book, in my opinion, is Beautifully put together. Recipes are easy to read with items that are accesible at most grocery stores. The stories throughout the books and little articles that in reference to the series was a excellent idea. This book had so many different little added extras that it was hard for me to remember that this was a fictional family they were speaking of LOL. I especially like the page of top 10 Famous Food scenes in Mob movies it was interesting. The book has recipes from Appetizers to Desserts. No Fuss to a little Elaborate. Pictures are nice and I had the feeling, after reading this book, that I could do many of these recipes even if I wasn't a Director of Catering.

I highly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys Italian Food or the Series, in fact I had an idea to do a Gift Basket for Christmas with the DVD's (from the series), this Cookbook, a Sinatra CD and a bottle of Ruffino Chiante what a perfect evening.

If you find that you like this style of cookbook, ethnic or because it tells a story along with the recipes also check
Van Gogh's Table (the artist life story is throughout the book), and Soul Food: Recipes & Reflections from African-American Churches by Joyce White

Respectfully Reviewed

I absolutely love this book. I bought it this afternoon and read it by this evening. I love it for the following reasons: 1. The recipes are authentic & outstanding. I learned to cook in a Culinary Institute internship kitchen, and I know good when I see/taste it. Having spent lots of time in old country Southern Italian families, I know what's real. Take for instance, "spaghetti sauce". This book differentiates between simple Marinara, and "Sunday Gravy". You learn about Sunday Gravy from little old ladies in black who live to cook for the familia. And... how many non Italians know how to choose a wine like "Lacrima Christi"??? 2. The interviews and conversations, by the letter of the Law are fictitious... but so well done that they fulfil the spirit of the intended conversations. I'll attest to that from years of experience in the Italian-American world and as a retired homicide detective. From my present vocation as a Priest, I'll give this comment: "Nonne dulce est familiam totam in unem locum cogere"? (Isn't it great to have the whole family together?)

My advice: BUY THIS BOOK !!!
Fr. Bob Haux

This book is great, and not just because it has anything to do with one of the greatest tv shows ever, the Sopranos. This cookbook has excellent recipies! If you live in NY/NJ then you will recognize almost all of the dishes as the staples of any neighborhood italian restaurant. If you don't live here, this is a great way to bring the taste of NY/NJ Italian cooking home to your neck of the woods! I've already made the Chicken Francais (lemon chicken) and it came out excellent. My husband is Italian and this is one of his favorite dishes that when I've tried to make it before, it never came out quite right. This came out perfect and he loved it, as did the rest of my family. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone, whether or not you are a Sopranos fan (and who isn't?!).

Allen Rucker has captured the Sopranos perfectly and the recipes are delicious. You can really imagine each character in the book talking to Arite Bucco or writing their own section. Tony's tips for controlling the heat on the grill are hilarious! And Bobby Bacala's thoughts on dessert are equally funny.

But on top of this being a great book for any Sopranos fan, it is a great Italian cookbook on its own. I cook Italian food all the time and I've already tested many of the recipes...and they are great!

Whether a Sopranos fan or a lover of Italian food, this book is a must for you!

On a whim I scooped this one up today off the 'new' books stacks at work. I love watching the Sopranos, which if you haven't heard, is a very strange look at modern America through the eyes of a mobster family. And like most families, one of the topics here is Food.

Specifically, southern Italian, heavy on the cheese, pasta and tomato sauce variety. That's ok, this is food that sooths, and brings back happy memories. Or, in the case of the Sopranos, some not too happy memories.

Told as a journey down memory lane by the character of Artie Bucco himself, the owner and principal chef at the Nuovo Vesuvio, we get various interviews from various characters from the series. From AJ's three pop tarts and a Coke breakfast, to Meadow's self-absorbed fears of getting fat, Carmela's tips on having a party, to Adriana's guide to a sexy night out, it's giggle from start to finish. The men wiegh in as well, with Junior's memories of life with Tony's dad, a screamingly funny bit from sister Janice to Tony's rules for grilling. (Lighter fluid is for sissies) And of course, Furio's take on American cuisine. Even Dr. Melfi joins the fun with a paper on the eating habits and styles of Italian-Americans.

So, besides the in-jokes for followers of the series, there's also plenty of family style recipes. Some are pretty basic, from 'Sunday Gravy' -- a very rich meat and tomato sauce, to a cholestrol heavy Baked Ziti with meatballs, various zuppe or soups, and plenty of hearty meals. Photographs in lush, mouthwatering detail accompany most of the recipes -- the one of the standing rib roast made me drool, and I'm going to try very hard not to enthuse about the cannoli shot. Most of the recipes are fairly basic, relying on fresh ingredients and simple techniques, and a minimum of fancy equipment that you need beside cannoli shapers and a pasta machine.

Trust me, homemade pasta is still the best. What I really like is the author, Alan Ruddick, took the time with this one to stay true to each character as they are in the series, slang and attitude and all ? it's a giggle from start to finish, and some of the photographs are screamingly funny ? especially the one of Tony and the barbeque.

(and for fans, the endpapers of this oversize book is a hoot -- nothing less than Livia trying to burn down her kitchen...)

One doesn't generally think of cookbooks as entertaining, but this one is. That's just a bonus, however, as the fulsome, tongue-in-cheek, rambling escapades of the Soprano's and their "associates' juxtapose against some very fine Italian recipes.

I'm only a casual Soprano viewer but, nevertheless, I found the character spiels quite entertaining. They are just wacky/tacky enough for entertainment without roaming into the completely absurd-or worse, boring.

We've tried several recipes and found all excellent. They are well and logically displayed, the instructions are clear, and the lists of ingredients complete.

The book does have one down side-these are not, on the whole, low fat offerings. I suppose the "family" worldview is if we can't get you one way, we can get you another!

Probably snobby cooks will roll their eyes and pooh-pooh the whole thing, but for the rest of us these folks have created a wonderfully useful oxymoron-a fun cookbook!

I have a personal library of over 500 cookbooks, yet I feel this is the best cookbook I have purchased in years. Every recipe works! The "family" history is very entertaining.

I just received it and in two days I have done 3 recipes from the book. Its easy to understand and fun at the same time. In addition it has stories from each of the Soprano's casts.

SOPRANOS MENU FAVORITES (from the book & the show)

The following is a list of the best Italian American comfort foods for goombas (all spelled phonetically and broken down into categories)

Macaroni (must be eaten with homemade gravy)
-Baked Manicott' (manicotti)
-Gavadell' (cavatelli)
-Ziti with Ricott' (ricotta)
-Ravioli
-Lasagne

Fish (must eat at least 7 on Christmas Eve)
-Calamod' (calamari)
-Mussels Ma-dinara (mussels marinara)
-Clams Oregenata
-Seafood Risotto
-Shrimp Scampi
-Anchovies/Sardines
-Lobster Fra Diavolo

Deli & Pizza Parlor Items (the classics)
-Olives, Peppers, Provolone, Grissinis, Salami & Pepperoni Antipast' (antipasti platter)
-Gabagol' (capicola)
-Proshoot (prosciutto)
-Fresh Mozzarell' (mozzarella)
-Ahbeetz (pizza)
-Eggplant Parmigian' (eggplant parmigiano)
-Veal Marsala
-Sausage & Cheese Frittat' (frittata)
-Pepperoni Calzone
-Stromboli Bread
-Stuffed Mushrooms
-Breaded Zucchini
-Meatballs

Soups (the best to warm the soul)
-Pasta Fazool (pasta fagioli)
-Minestrone (minestroni)

Dessert (must sample one of each on holidays)
-Zeppola (zeppolis)
-Shfooyadell' (sfogliatelle)
-Canolli
-Torrone
-Struffoli
-Pignoli Cookies
-Nutella on Pannetone

Remember, you may see other Italian-Italians or Italian-Americans pronouncing these words differently just as they would other Italian words. The east coast Goomba uses the above dialect, and it is a very real and true version of the Italian words

This is not your average cookbook. Yes, it has great Italian dishes. But it also is written to be funny and entertaining. Which it is. My girlfriend wants me to cook for her. She figures since I'm Italian that I can cook. Fat Chance. My Mother can cook. So, I figured I'd better get this. If you like the show, and Italian food (And who doesn't like Italian food?), then this book is well worth it.
--MICHAEL NASELLI--AUTHOR OF "THE LITTLE GUIDE TO HAPPINESS"