Carluccio's Complete Italian Food (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Priscilla Carluccio (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A beautiful, informative book - a must for all lovers of Italian food" - Good Housekeeping "The ultimate compendium of Italian ingredients, produce and recipes" - Publishing News "A delight to read, look at and cook from" - Sainsbury's Magazine --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description

From one of the greatest authorities on the culinary products of Italy comes this definitive guide for the Italian food devotee. Illustrated with more than 300 color photographs and supplemented with 200 classic recipes, Carluccio's Complete Italian Food provides detailed descriptions of nearly every natural ingredient or prepared product made or used it Italy.

Each of 11 main food types is traced to its origins in an introduction that describes the product's history, techniques of agriculture and production, varieties and specialties, and regional differences. Each introduction is followed by an A-Z dictionary to that category of food. The Pasta section reveals the exact differences between fettuccine and tagliatelle; Dairy Products distinguishes between pecorino romano and pecorino sardo (from Sardinia); and Vegetables and Legumes describes the many ways in which the essential tomato is preserved. Finally, every section offers a selection of authentic recipes for soups, appetizers, sauces, main courses, pastas, breads, or desserts--each using the particular ingredients and terms presented in the chapter. An appendix of Italian wines and other drinks, especially those used in cooking, completes the book.

With infectious enthusiasm, Antonio Carluccio reveals a lifetime of knowledge about Italian food and his passionate belief that Italy has one of the richest cuisines in the world. His message is that a meal, however humble or extravagant, starts with the land or sea in which its ingredients originate.

Carluccio's Complete Italian Food is a resource, food dictionary, and cookbook that will be used time and again by anyone interested in the unequaled Italian culinary tradition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Rizzoli International Publications; illustrated edition edition (September 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0847820378
• ISBN-13: 978-0847820375
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #431,649 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ONE OF THE BEST, April 24, 2003

By	C. Terzis "cterzis" (Nicosia Cyprus) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Carluccio's Complete Italian Food (Hardcover)

I own 200 cookbooks of which 30 on Italian cooking and this book comes second only to "CULINARIA ITALY" by KONEMANN.It is virtually packed with information about Italy and its food ,all accompanied by hundreds of full colour photographs of the land, the food ,the techniques and the people.Descriptions of the growing of certain vegetables,of the making of essential ingredients(e.g. pasta ,both in the home and in factories)and of the particular cuisine and tastes of every region ,make this book an immensely satisfying and enjoyable book to read. There is a plethora of recipes, authentic and tasty and explanations on the many preserved meats, salamis and cheeses of Italy.If you are interested in Italian cooking, or Italy as a land this book is essential.

5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice and detailed A-Z about Italian ingredients, May 30, 2009

By	Jackal (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Carluccio's Complete Italian Food (Paperback)

This book is 50% A-Z description of Italian ingredients, organised into categories; and 50% recipes and illustrations. The book describes the ingredients in a lot of detail and illustrations are well chosen. I would buy the book for the A-Z. The recipes are fine, but more showcases of the usage of some of the ingredients. The author is an Italian restaurateur living in London and seems to travel extensively to Italy. This is a guarantee for quite a bit of authenticity of the information.

1 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars not delivered, January 9, 2007

By	Angela Greaney "AG" (NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Carluccio's Complete Italian Food (Paperback)

I wish I could review this product but I haven't received it yet!!!!!!!!