The Ultimate Pressure Cooker Cookbook: More Than 75 Foolproof Irresistible Recipes Tested in All the Most Popular Models

When I recently purchased a pressure cooker, a friend suggested this book and loaned me her copy. (I had already ordered copies of two of the Lorna Sass pressure cooking books, "Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure" and her new one, "Pressure Perfect.") I saw so many recipes I wanted to try that I am purchasing this book, too. My friend has made many of the recipes for her family and vouches for them. This book is clear, practical, and the author has had many years of perfecting the recipes for his favorite Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and North African dishes. I didn't find it intimidating at all. By the way, after researching various models, I chose the Kuhn Rikon 7.25 liter pressure cooker. This Swiss line, which comes in a variety of sizes and shapes, has been called by the NY Times "The Mercedes of pressure cookers" and is renowned for quality and excellent customer service. For cooking grains and legumes, I also got an Ohsawa Pot, a lidded ceramic pot that fits inside.

Everything I've made from this book has been delicious. I use it all the time. I don't think the ingredients are exotic! From reading the other customer reviews you can tell that the title should have emphasized the mediterranean aspect more but if super healthy delicious food is what you like, you'll like this book.

Tom LaCalamita is The Italian Pressure Gourmet. Some cookbooks are, as a friend, full of information and some are simply filled with dependable recipes that are easy to prepare and delicious; This cookbook is both. I find the exact ingrediants are important to the final finish. When I don't know what a particular ingredient is, I ask GOOGLE. For instance: I found that Italian frying peppers are simply very special in themselves as such, but that you can substitute yellow sweet peppers and be very close. I enjoy the book. It helps a great deal with simple, easy to follow directions, in making the pressure cooker a normal method of cooking without emotional pressure.

Tom Lacalamita's book gives just the right amount of help to a novice to prepare foods with the pressure cooker. The recipes are simple, but interesting to the taste. Safety is discussed, but the new cookers have triple-safe devices on them. You can't hurt yourself. His recipe for vegetable stock is absurdly easy to make well and delicious. Get the book!