The Splendid Table

`The Splendid Table' by Lynne Rossetto Kasper is simply the most splendid book I have read on a regional cuisine and it is by far and away the best of the three books on the cuisine of Emilia-Romagna, even though the other two, `Biba's Taste of Italy' by Biba Caggiano and `Recipes from My Two Villages' by Mario Batali are excellent, as far as they go. Ms. Caggiano's book is simply a collection of recipes from Emilia-Romagna and Mario's book is more of a personal diary of recipes than a thorough examination of a historical cuisine. Ms. Kasper's book, in the year it was published, won both the James Beard and Julia Child (IACP) cookbook awards, which is roughly the same as winning both the Academy award and the Foreign Press Writers award for best picture. And, I believe this book deserved all the attention it has received. Even Mario, who has his own book on the subject, made a special point to mention this book on his `Molto Mario' show. Since I have owned the book for over a year, it is one of those cases where I deeply regret having taken so long to get to studying the volume. All that remains, then, is to point out what it is which makes the book so good. For starters, it covers every aspect of a region's cuisine. That is, it deals with the history, the agriculture, and the economy of the region as well as the great recipes. And, what a background we have to relate. Emilia-Romagna is not just another region in one of the world's great culinary countries. It is THE very heart and soul of that culinary tradition, even more than the fabled provinces of Tuscany (Florence) in the north and Campagna (Naples) in the south. It is the home of Italy's three most important non-wine food products, Proscuitto de Parma, Parmesano-Reggiano, and Balsamic Vinegar. On top of that, it is also the home of some of the most famous fresh pasta dishes to come out of Italy plus several of the most famous salume products from Italy (witness the name Bologna, the region's capital city, given to some of these products). While this coverage is necessary for a complete book on this subject, it is not enough. And, this book gives us the most important component, an excellent selection of very well written recipes. And, with over five hundred pages to fill, Ms. Kasper has given us several different takes on many of the more interesting recipes. A fine example is the famous ragu Bolognese, which is offered up in at least six different variations, each for a slightly different purpose or from a different background. Never having studied this northern (generally tomatoless) sauce in detail before, I am struck by how similar it is to the most common recipes for Texas chili. It has no beans, the meat is diced and browned, not ground, and tomato and other spices are added sparingly. In the place of dried chiles, the ragu includes cinnamon (in several of the more traditional recipes). One very odd facet of these recipes is that where a Bay leaf is specified, the author calls f

The Balsamic Roast Chicken is simply splendid. I use free-range chicken parts and rub the garlic-rosemary paste under the skin (I make more of the paste than the recipe calls for). The chicken is delicious even without the balsamic vinegar--moist and tender. I love the recipe for sprucing up canned chicken broth, too--use fat-free broth and you can skip a step or two. The Green Beans Bolognese are absolutely wonderful, as well. I am looking forward to trying more recipes from this book and wowing my dinner guests (again)! YUM!

No other author has inspired such creativity and emotion in me. Kasper doesn't just tell you the ingredients and procedures, she relates the history of her dishes and the people behind them. From the Wine Basted Rabbit to the Balsalmic and Braised Garlic Pasta, every recipe is absolutely wonderful! Each recipe is followed by helpful wine and menu suggestions. If you are passionate about the people, culture, and food of Italy this is the book for you.

The recipe for soup stock alone has changed my life. I used to use canned stock, but now I make this stock once a month and use it for everything -- I even drink steaming mugs of it for breakfast as the author recommends. The recipes are so precise that even a beginner like me can prepare some impressive meals.