Dolci Toscani: The Book Of Tuscan Desserts

I admit - I'm marking this book high for its sheer entertainment value. I love a regional cookbook that gives a real feel for a culture. I love a cookbook whose author can't resist editorialising, telling me how she feels about the recipes, maybe where she ate the dish first, and what it reminded her of.Bald, unvarnished lists of ingredients and instructions? Boooorring. I'm an MFK Fischer fan. I want to know WHY you included the recipe for Chestnut Fritters in the book. I want to hear all about your aunt who bakes traditional cheesecakes. The essays opening each chapter of Dolci Toscani are fascinating things, images of a culture spinning out like a spiderweb from an opening anchorage of food. This is a bedside cookbook, a source of inspiration rather than a working book.My only disappointment comes with the last section... the lowfat section. Healthy baking is a hobby of mine; I love dessert, but one simply CAN'T have a slice of old-fashioned cake every night, unless one's willing to pay the price around the thigh area.Lotti and Bianchi, though, clearly view lighter desserts as a necessary evil, rather than, as I do, things to be truly enjoyed for their own delicious sakes. Whereas the original recipes are lovingly presented from start to finish, the light recipes use nasty shortcuts such as purchased cake and weird mixes, and have a sloppy, thrown-together feeling. Given that the authors are so emphatic, in the traditional recipes, about using "the right" real ingredients, I find it very, very sad that they couldn't have taken a bit more time, and figured out ways to make genuine, delicious desserts that could be eaten without needing to count the health costs, and that would still reflect the Tuscan spirit. I could do it myself... in fact, I just might.

I was looking for some new items to make for the holidays or just anytime. I think this book will do just fine.

This is one of the most fabulous dessert-recipe books I've ever come across--and from this sweet-tooth, this is quite a compliment! There is an excellent balance of flavors and dessert ideas here--I go back to it again and again, for all types of occassions. The chocolate desserts are some of my all-time favorites. For real cooks, this book is a good friend.