Lidia's Italian Table: More Than 200 Recipes from the First Lady of Italian Cooking

This companion to a PBS series presented by Ms. Bastianich includes over 200 authentically Italian recipes. I believe the value in purchasing this book depends a lot on how many cookbooks of Italian cuisine you already have. There is a fair amount of overlap with Ms. B's first book, `Al Cucina di Lidia'. For example, in the PBS title, there is a recipe for rabbit, `Coniglio al Balsamico' which features balsamic vinegar and sage, while in the earlier book, there is a similar recipe, `Coniglio alla salvia' featuring balsamic vinegar and sage. Both are braises, cooking for about 45 minutes. Both books also include recipes for sauerkraut and pork. The overlap may be less than 10 percent and Ms. B. does cite her book as a reference, along with ten (10) other titles, about half of which are in Italian. It is just important to realize this in weighing the value of the book.Based on the incidence of recipes for strudel, fresh pasta, polenta, and risotto, I would say the book concentrates on the cuisine of northern Italy, which is totally expected, as Ms. B was born and raised on the Istrian peninsula, east of Trieste. The chapters and number of recipes in each are:Appetizers: 21, many of bruschetta and including prosciuttoSoups: 22, including an essay on how to make a good minestre.Fresh Pasta: 16, including an essay on pasta making and several recipes including game meatsDry Pasta: 14, including essay on tomatoes and saucesRice: 11 recipes, almost all for risottoGnocchi: 11 recipes, many with game meatPolenta: 9 recipes, mostly regional specialitiesVegetables: 20, including lessons on prepping artichokes and favasGame and Chicken: Rabbit and boar and venison, oh myMeat: 19, including recipes for saucesFish and Shellfish: 17, including general tips on handling bivalves and crustaceansSweets: 22, including Strudel and Zabaglione. If you have no Italian cookbooks or only cookbooks covering the hard pasta / tomato ridden Neapolitan cuisine or really need a book for game recipes, you could do no better than this volume. If you absolutely must have every cookbook by a major Italian cookbook author, this will be a worthy addition to your collection. If you have Ms. B's third book on Italian-American cuisine, this will be a very good compliment, as I expect no overlap there. If you really enjoyed the PBS series for which this book is a companion, then I highly recommend it.But, if you already own a few of the other hundreds of Italian cookbooks, I suggest you at least browse the book before signing up. There may be more overlap than is worth you money. I will still give it the highest rating, because on its own merits, it is a very good book.

I watch Lidia on PBS and have drooled over many of her visual creations. After purchasing her book and re-creating her roasted veal shank with potatoes and swiss chard, I am a hero in the kitchen!Thank you, Lidia, for sharing these fabulous recipes and making it a joy to cook & eat!

This is a woman who puts her heart as well as her] creative mind into her cooking. She respects the food as well as loving those she serves.Recipes are either followed to the letter by inexperienced cooks,..or used as precious guides by those of us who've cooked for many years. Potato Gnocchi..a personal favorite, is one of her pastas that my family enjoys, too.I've seen her cook on the Food Network Chef du Jour spots, and wish they'd give her a regular program in their schedule.This woman has earned the love and respect of many Italian-Americans and the world at large.

Lidia's book is a good comprehensive guide to Italian cooking. I enjoy the simplicity of her recipes and the stories of her childhood (also a lot of fun when watching her PBS TV show which features many recipes from the book). There are many great pasta, gnocchi, and risotto recipes which she and her restaurants are famous for. Lidia's recipes and cooking techniques are straightforward enough for anyone cooking at home.