Simply Tuscan: Recipes for a Well-Lived Life (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Will America's appetite for all things under the Tuscan sun ever be satisfied? Not likely with Pino Luongo's Simply Tuscan. Luongo, owner of 10 restaurants and Manhattan's market Tuscan Square, may have spent the past 20 years in the Big Apple, but he is still synchronized to life in the Tuscan countryside. Simply Tuscan honors those rhythms with its seasonal organization and easy mix of food lore, travelogue, and personal reminiscences. Luongo opens with spring (though fall is his favorite season for cooking); in this section, the Italian passion for simplicity--which Luongo constantly endorses--achieves quintessential form in a mache salad topped with quail eggs. The fall section is studded with such treasures as a trio of recipes showcasing the revered tartufo bianco, or white truffle. All the reader really need remember, though, is Luongo's offhand remark on his favorite way of enjoying this delicacy: shaved over fried eggs. Simply Tuscan speaks to cooks of all abilities. The pared-down arrangements of summer and spring will yield memorable results for less-confident cooks who take care to use only the most immaculate and best ingredients. More familiar hands will welcome the savory complexities of the fall and winter menus. Professional cooks will want the book for its bomboloni recipe alone. A favorite from Luongo's childhood, this sweet fritter is used to evaluate potential pastry chefs for his restaurants. If you can't make bomboloni, you'll never cook for Pino. --Sumi Hahn Almquist

From Publishers Weekly

Weaving poetry, culinary commentary and childhood reminiscences about his native Tuscany into this winsome collection of recipes, restaurateur Luongo (Fish Talking; A Tuscan in the Kitchen) introduces traditional Tuscan cuisine with thematic flourish. Chapters are organized by season, setting the stage for menus that include seasonal holidays and special occasions. For example, spring menus highlight "Easter Lunch and Easter Dinner" as well as the "First Dinner with the In-Laws," while autumn features "Fall's First Truffle Dinner" and "A Tuscan Thanksgiving Dinner." Throughout, Luongo proffers anecdotes and a Tuscan worldview: on summer entertaining, "Think of it as having a date with nature"; on men cooking: "If a man can't cook in Tuscany, he has something to be ashamed of." Devoid of elaborate explanations, recipes are refreshingly straightforward, taking a matter-of-fact approach to cooking. The traditional preparations emphasize handmade pastas and a prolific use of indigenous ingredients, including chestnuts, truffles, herbs, butter and various Italian cheeses. Dishes range from simple--Lamb Stew with Artichokes, Fusilli Salad with Swordfish and Grapefruit, Watermelon Granita--to such involved and elaborate recipes as Ravioli Filled with Pappa al Pomodoro (a tomato sauce) and Black Cabbage, and Sweet and Sour Boar with Chestnut Gnocchi. Luongo will charm readers into incorporating a bit of Tuscany into their workaday life.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Broadway; 1st edition (April 18, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385492901
• ISBN-13: 978-0385492904
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 8.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #672,538 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like to travel? Like to cook? Do both!, April 28, 2000

By	pontmarie (SF Bay Area) - See all my reviews

Do NOT be intimidated - I am barely starting to do more than very basic cooking and the cuisine of Tuscany is my favorite. The instructions are clear, I had with me a friend who is a very good cook and this book worked for us both, doesn't talk down to you and it doesn't make you feel like an idiot.

Perfect timing, too - start with summer and spring recipes, I find those not only more appropriate but a bit easier.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For Those Who Love Tuscany, This Book Has It All, November 23, 2000

By	Deb Mele (Toronto, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This book is much more than a mere cookbook, as Pino Luongo shares his love of Tuscany in a friendly informal way that I found particularly appealing. The book is divided into the four seasons as Mr. Luongo feels this best reflects nature's lead. The recipes are very easy to follow, containing easy to find ingredients, and he has added a number of menu selections sprinkled through each chapter. Having lived in Italy for 8 years myself, Tuscany was one of my favorite regions, and I thoroughly enjoyed traveling back there with Mr. Luongo in this book. If You love Tuscany and it's food, you'll enjoy this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and Well Done!!!, May 20, 2002

By A Customer

This book is so beautiful and the recipes are so wonderful! I highly reccommend this book for anyone who loves Tuscany, fine cuisine or just a lesson on culture and history. Great reading and Even Better Cooking!!!