The Four Seasons of Italian Cooking: Harvest Recipes from the Farms and Vineyards of the Italian Countryside (Hardcover)

by A. J. Battifarano (Author), Alan Richardson (Author), Time-Life Books (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
The Four Seasons of Italian Cooking is a handsome reminder of the simplicity and splendor of rustic Italian food. To demonstrate the regional nature of Italian cooking, A.J. Battifarano traveled around Italy and met with fascinating characters in Tuscany, Umbria, the Piedmont, Lombardy, Campania, and Apulia. In each region, we learn the story of families and individuals involved in the food industry, perhaps as a farmer or as the owner of an inn or restaurant. Meet Franco and Esther Carnero, a couple who restored an old house in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, developed a vineyard and garden, and then opened a small inn, La Luna e i Falo, or the Moon and the Bonfires. Here Esther serves dishes based on old, local recipes (which she shares with us), including roast veal accompanied by a sweet red pepper and fig sauce, and a hazelnut cake made with the locally grown crop of nuts. Throughout this Italian adventure, we are introduced to satisfying, yet simple to prepare, dishes. Misticanza is a splendid example--a dish of dark leafy greens, just boiled and simply dressed with extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice. In addition to 125 charming recipes, and personal narratives, Battifarano also presents expert advice for storing and preparing fruits and vegetables from the four seasons. In true Italian fashion, it is the flavor of each ingredient that matters. This means the freshest ingredients are required for reproducing the profoundly satisfying flavors of Italy's farmhouse cooking. --Dana Jacobi

Product Description
Filled with more than 125 recipes, 200 glorious, full-page photographs, and wonderful narrative vignettes, this rich, seasonal celebration of the Italian countryside is as much a travelogue as it is a cookbook. The authors collect the culinary wisdom of cooks from all parts of Italy, offering in the process a delightful glimpse of the country's culture and ambience.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Time Life Medical (November 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0783553285
• ISBN-13: 978-0783553283
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 10.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,249,660 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book on really authentic Italian cooking, November 29, 1998

By A Customer

In this world inundated with tomes devoted to Italian cooking, this wonderful book stands out. The author spent years researching, collecting and testing authentic, seasonal farmhouse recipes (from all over the country) made with only the freshest ingredients. (The recipes are full-proof!!) This is one of the few books that allows everyone to make some of the most appetizing Italian dishes--just as the Italians do. Everything is explained in detail--from ingredients to techniques to customs to mail-order sources--in one of the most complete books ever written on the subject. And if this weren't enough, the flavor of the food is beautifully captured in some of the most exquisite photographs ever taken of Italy and its food. This book is a MUST for anyone who likes to cook and/or eat the most mouth-watering Italian cuisine!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a terrific cookbook, travel book and picture book all in one, November 18, 1998

By A Customer

This is a great Italian cookbook, very different from most of the cookbooks you see. Not only does it have great recipes but it also tells great stories about all the various farms the authors visit. And it also tells you how you can visit the farms yourself. The pictures in particular are very interesting. They are not the usual slick shots. It seems like they were all done on location and they have a feel of food photo-journalism. This book has great recipes and great heart and soul.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic and Outstanding, September 28, 2003

By	K. Robert (North Grafton, MA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I just returned from a lovely stay at La Luna e i Falo, and enjoyed six nights of impeccable meals prepared by Elena and Franco. Our meals included all of the recipes from this cookbook, and I must say, not one of them disappointed! I was able to read this cookbook while at the farm, and made a note to immediately try to find it when I returned home. Amazon is the only place to get it, since it is now out of print. It was only released in America, so you can't even find an Italian version of the book. The other recipes from other cooks featured in the book look equally as good. You can't get more authentic, regional recipes than those that are found here. I highly recommend it!