Ciao Italia--Bringing Italy Home

a well-written cookbook. It provides many authenic recipes for the everyday table.

Mrs. Esposito focuses on the regional cooking of Italy, with an emphasis on ingredients indigenous to each section. And the recipes are not the standard Chicken Cacciatore, Spaghetti Bolognese and lasagna. These are recipes garnered from individuals and they are authentic but unusual, like Rabbit in Balsamic Vinegar, Halibut with Mustard greens, plus plenty of breads like foccacia and sweets like pizzelle cookies. It's interesting reading, and definitely not your run-of-the-mill pasta and tomato cookbook.

I not only cook from this wonderfully written book (with full sample menus [appetizers, salads, main courses, and desserts] categorized by region), but I also love to simply sit and read about the various regions of Italy and gain some insight via Mary Ann Esposito's story-telling. Not only a wonderful cookbook, but actually a joy to read!

Mary Ann Esposito's new book has rounded out my collection of her cookbooks with a great new bunch of recipes. I'm already planning my next "trip to Italy" in my own kitchen with her cookbook by my side.