Williams-Sonoma Foods of the World: Rome: Authentic Recipes Celebrating the Foods of the World [Hardcover]

Chuck Williams (Author)

Book Description

Series: Williams-Sonoma Foods of the World | Publication Date: October 1, 2005

Hearty pastas accented with tomato, pizzas with a crispy-thin crust, and artichokes braised to perfection are all hallmarks of the Roman table. A cookbook that showcases the cuisine and food artisans one of the world's most beautiful cities, Williams-Sonoma Rome is required reading for anyone with a passion for Italy.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Oxmoor House; 1 edition (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0848730062
• ISBN-13: 978-0848730062
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 0.9 x 10.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #283,040 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent effort to define Roman Cooking, May 2, 2006

By 

Amalfi Coast Girl (Mid-Atlantic, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Williams-Sonoma Foods of the World: Rome: Authentic Recipes Celebrating the Foods of the World (Hardcover)

This review is written from the perspective of someone that has been studying cooking for 25 years, and concentrating on Italian cooking for the last 10 years. I have more than 100 cookbooks on Italian cooking and have traveled to Italy many times. I am a tough critic on Italian cookbooks.

This book begins with a little history of Italian cooking, the outdoor markets in Rome, and the distinct differences in the neighborhoods. Then the book discusses the following topics from a Roman perspective:
Coffee
Pasta
Greens
Pizza
Cucina Ebraica (Jewish Cooking)
Wine
Dolci (dessert)

The recipe section is subdivided as follows:
Antipasti
Primi (first course: soup, pasta, pizza)
Secondi (second course: meat and fish
Contorni (side dishes: vegetables)
Dolci (sweets)

The photography in this book is fabulous. They did a wonderful job of capturing what it is like to walk down the streets in Rome. As you turn the pages each new photo is another little peak into Roman life and food.

The recipes are very authentic. I was pleased to see that the recipe for Carbonara did not include the Americanized version which adds cream. This recipe is for the Carbonara that you would find in Rome. Of the recipes that I have prepared (approximately 50% of the book) all have turned out exactly as I expected them. A few of the recipes are time consuming. But, making homemade stuffed pasta is not something that happens in a flash.

If you are looking for a nice authentic cookbook on the cooking of Rome, written for Americans, you will love this book. My only complaint is that the book left me wanting more photographs and more recipes. Overall, this is an excellent book for those that love Italian cooking.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, Great Food, November 8, 2005

By 

Molly Daisy (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Williams-Sonoma Foods of the World: Rome: Authentic Recipes Celebrating the Foods of the World (Hardcover)

I bought this cookbook in order to prepare a romantic multi-course meal for my husband and we were not disappointed. The recipes were easy to follow and the food tasted fantastic! This book is defintely only for those who love to cook because the recipes do take quite a bit of time to prepare. The four course menu I chose took roughly three hours to complete, but the time was well worth it for the incredible food!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Williams-Sonoma Rome Cookbook, March 10, 2007

By 

Carolyn A. Wyatt "history teacher" (Portsmouth, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Williams-Sonoma Foods of the World: Rome: Authentic Recipes Celebrating the Foods of the World (Hardcover)

This is my favorite cookbook. The recipes are terrific and the pictures bring back wonderful memories!