A Passion for Piedmont: Italy's Most Glorious Regional Table (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Located in the northwest region of Italy, Piedmont is recognized by Italians for having the richest of the regional cuisines, reaching its pinnacle in the fall, when the white truffles and porcini mushrooms indigenous to the area appear on the table. It is also home to the rice producing Po Valley, the motherland of risotto. Matt Kramer shares his passion for Piedmont in over 150 recipes featuring the specialties of the region-from antipasti such as Vitello Tonnato to easy, classic pasta dishes such as tajarin, Piedmonts interpretation of tagliatelle, from main courses such as Chicken Braised with Sweet Red Peppers to authentic desserts like Oven-Warmed Peaches Stuffed with Crushed Amaretti Cookies and Cocoa. An entire chapter is devoted to the world class wines of Piedmont, which include the noble Barolo and Barbaresco. With descriptive prose and beautiful color photography, just as The Splendid Table did for Emilia Romagna, A Passion for Piedmont will share the regions culinary treasures.

About the Author

Matt Kramer, who has visited the Piedmont for the past ten years and lived there for a year, is one of Americas most acclaimed wine writers. He is the regular wine columnist for Wine Spectator, The Los Angeles Times, and Diversion magazine. He resides in Portland, Oregon.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Cookbooks (November 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688115942
• ISBN-13: 978-0688115944
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #121,700 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost Lives Up to Its Name, December 8, 2003

By	Emily Restifo (New Canaan, CT United States) - See all my reviews

"A Passion for Piedmont" is aptly named and Matt Kramer indeed displays a thorough understanding of the region and of the Piedmontese. His book conveys a wealth of accurate information, wonderful descriptions of all things Piedmontese, and a genuine appreciation for all this region has to offer. No doubt he recognizes good food when he tastes it. But the editing of the recipes (and I hope the fault is in the editing) left me disappointed. As a teacher of Piedmontese cooking, married for 32 years to a Piedmontese husband, and a frequent visitor to my husband's hometown in Italy, I was thrilled to find a book I thought I could wholeheartedly recommend. Because I am so familiar with the dishes, it was not the recipes I needed. Most are now second nature to me and I cook by taste, feel, eye... the way the Piedmontese themselves do. I would also venture to guess that Matt Kramer cooks these dishes the same way, and probably with good results. But how does one explain a recipe for a 3-ounce serving of tajarin starting with over a cup of flour, (which he calculates to be 3-1/2 ounces) plus one large egg and 2 egg yolks? It just doesn't add up. And the recipe for capon with honey-hazelnut sauce calls for 1/2 pound shelled hazelnuts, 1 cup of honey, and 2 tablespoons dry mustard mixed with 2 tablespoons chicken stock... according to the author this is what it takes to prepare 1 cup of sauce. I cannot figure out how such inconsistencies could escape an editor's notice and I am left wondering if the other recipes work well enough to rely on. To be fair, many other readers seem to have enjoyed the recipes they've tried and most read as if they'll work out fine, although I have seen better recipes for gnocchi di patate (too much flour in proportion to the potatoes... they are bound to be heavy, though perhaps easier to work with). I would recommend though that the recipes be tested and that necessary revisions and corrections be made in future editions.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on a relatively unkown Italian cusine., August 18, 1999

By A Customer

Matt Kramer is an expert in wine as well as food. His dicussions on the outstanding wines of the Piedmont--barlo and barbaresco--alone are worth the price of the book. The recipes are well written and easy to follow. The cuisine of the Piedmont is an interesting cross between Italian and French styles. My favorite is sformato parmaseano, a fantastic cheese flan. Good reading!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Presenting Piedmont at its best, August 23, 1998

By A Customer

The Piedmont is without doubt the finest table in Italy. Laying in northwest Italy bounded by both mountains and rivers, it offers the ability to combine both the French and Italian cuisines to prepare and present food. The area is rich in history and has been for centuries the home of kings and peasant stock. The Piedmontese are known for their antipasti, dishes that prepare you for a meal like no other. Bounded in the south by the Liguarian area, rich in oils that are the world's finest, they are used in virtually all dishes. Truffles, for which the Piedmont is known add a wonderful taste unknown elsewhere. The sauces are unlike the rest of Italy, using little heavy tomato, but a taste of wonderful vegetables accented by spices, especially Basil.

The book is replete with recipes that will overwhelm the palate and provide months of expermentation. There are excellent tips on preparation, vocabulary and the ability of even the novice to prepare a wonderful first offering. Matt Kramer has indeed provided us with an excellent collection of both recipes and history that is rich even for the reading.