Urban Italian: Simple Recipes and True Stories from a Life in Food

Usually, I go straight to the recipes and read the introduction and history later. But, with this book, after reading one page of the intro, I could not put it down. The author simplifies the cooking by listing the minute by minute process in order of the steps. Sounds like a it’s written for the novice by what I just said, but more for the intermediate cook. A keeper on your shelf!

This book is not in any way related to any other Italian cookbook you have on your shelves. This is a romance depicting Andrew Carmellini's love affair with food. This is the type of book that you will want to sit down with a glass of wine and some cheese and olives and just savour from cover to cover. As Carmellini says in his opening paragraph, "...a good cook brings his or her life to the table, and sucks as much experience as possible from the world to do it." The author takes you by the hand to tell you his story and is candid with both his successes and his failures. (Argh...the rack of lamb!) Before you can dive into the recipe section, Carmellini advises: ~ Do not stress out ~ Don't be afraid to taste, touch, smell, feel and make a mess ~ Measure but don't be a slave ~ Don't be afraid to adjust to taste...but don't leave out the salt or the fat ~ Time things but be a time-tester ~ Work with what you've got ...but when it comes to dessert, follow the rules ~ Plan ahead See? Simple good cooking. Most of the recipes are beautifully illustrated with step by step instructions. From the Marinated Beets with Grapefruit, Pistachios, and Goatcheese salad to the (I admiit it...I skipped to the dessert section) Perfect Panna Cotta with Raspberry Compote. I plan to give this book to my favorite cookbook aficionado and hope to be invited to dinner...often! So much for the New Year's diet resolution! Oh, well. ~

Fantastic Italian food recipes. I bought this for my wife. She loves cooking the food and I love eating it! The flavors are complex, original and worth the wait! Instructions are good. Sometimes the prep time is a little longer than stated although this may be a function of experience! If you are looking for a good xmas present, this is it. (Unless you don't want to wait to try the food in which case you give it now which is what I did!)

Andrew Carmellini serves the readers with an Italian cookbook that can help you create gourmet meals in little time. The book offers a rambling opening sprinkled with funny or horrific anecdotes, that all depend on your perspective of the situation. Carmellini shares one of the horror stories where he was faced with preparing 500 meals for models. Who wouldn't like the traditional Italian dish of escargot with polenta? 495 members of the fashion industry who view it as fattening and disgusting, that's who... The reader learns many lessons such as this most important lesson of knowing your guests before you prepare your meals in the book's introduction. For amateur cooks, the recipes are relatively simple, but a few do require specialized tools like a pastry bag that may not be found in all kitchens. Most recipes can be prepared in under an hour, but a few require overnight preparation. The ingredient lists also range from what can be found in the neighborhood grocery store to those that require visits to the gourmet store. In other words, novices and gourmets alike will find appetizers, entrees, and desserts to prepare and enjoy. WARNING: As something you wouldn't normally find in a cookbook, Carmellini's introduction does contain profanity (specifically the f-bomb).

I just received my copy of Urban Italian and I couldn't wait to get started. I love the fact that there are lots of glossy photos to show me what I have to look forward to. The recipes are very easy to follow, with step by step directions, and the ingredients used are readily available (even in my small town). My first dish was the Short Ribs Braciole, the meat was so tender and flavorful, I thought I'd have enough for leftovers-no such luck. The "Crumbs Yo" are a very nice touch, they accented the dish with some crunch and additional flavor. Because the "Crumbs Yo" are so versatile (seasoning them with different herbs and or zest), I plan on using them in many other dishes. I must admit when the book first arrived I couldn't put it down, the introduction was full of very amusing cooking tales experienced by the author. Now that I've read through the recipes, and made some myself, this will be my go to Italian cookbook.