Little Italy Cookbook

this cookbook has provided me MANY recipies which I've been after for years. I bought this book for the cover price of 29.95 and I have no regrets. This cookbook is the best you will find anywhere, short of having a 80 year old italian grandmother from northern New Jersey ( and even then it will have classics you do not have)I cannot recommend this cookbook highly enough. The recipies inside will amaze your northern New Jersey mafia families...it's that good.10 out of 10 stars.]

David Ruggerio's "Little Italy Cookbook" is an exploration of not only fine Italian American cuisine (not true Italian as defined by the author, but rather adaptations based upon the Italian immigrant experience once in America) but also of the soul of what it is to be Italian. He journeys back to New York's Little Italy and spends a great amount of effort in trying to create for the reader a sense of desire to be in the locales he is. Many of the recipes he puts forth are amazing. Some of my favorites: "Brisket of Beef with Genoese Sauce", "Collari - Crispy Fried Stuffed Bread", "Penne alla San Giovanni - Pasta with Sage, Walnuts, and Prosciutto", and "Chestnut and Ricotta Semifreddo". One of my favorite essays is about the Royal Crown Bakery and the "revival of a great tradition". The book is loaded with photos, both color and black and white, all of which convey an image of Italian American life. This is not just another Italian cookbook - it is an Italian American story. I highly recommend this to those who love to read while stirring the pot waiting for the pasta to finish.

I have prepared almost every recipe in this book and they are all outragous. David Ruggerio is truly one of the best up and coming celebrity chefs in this country today....If you buy this book you cant go wrong. If you dont buy it David will come into your house and bother you!!!!!!

David Ruggerio has successfully written a wonderfully delicious book of recipes and memories for one and all. Whether you are an Italian-American or of another ethnic background, you will enjoy his warm stories of neighborhood and family along with surprisingly simple and very appetizing recipes. I intend to buy several copies for family Christmas gifts this year. Bon Appetite!

As someone born and brought up in Brooklyn, one of New York's Little Italies, I enjoyed David Ruggerio's fine book both as a beautiful narrative and as an excellent resource for some long-forgotten and once-enjoyed culinary treasures. We lived only a few minutes from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn's famous center for fishing boats and fresh seafood. David's recounting of life in this area and the great wealth of seafood dishes was priceless. I've already bought several books as gifts for members of my family who moved from Brooklyn but feel proudly nostalgic about the Old Neighborhood and its smells, sights and great riches in foods from Italy. Thanks, David!