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Delicious Memories: Recipes and Stories from the Chef Boyardee Family
The Boiardi name has reached tables across America for more than 70 years. Most Americans have fond memories of this iconic brand, evoking nostalgia for a simpler time. From a very young age, Anna Boiardi spent countless hours helping her mother and grandmother, kneading and folding, and listening to stories as rich as the tortellini she and her mother would work to perfection. Now, for the first time, Anna brings us the authentic recipes that inspired the brand, including Ravioli with Ricotta and Squash Filling, Cotechino with Lentils, and Baked Fennel with Butter and Parmesan. Recipes for sauces, meats, and of course pasta dishes are just some of the secrets Anna shares in Delicious Memories .
Praise for Delicious
"Anna carried on her family's culinary tradition; her new book, Delicious Memories , is part cookbook, part family history, and part homage to her ancestors-immigrants who made their way in a new country."
-NPR
" Delicious Memories . . . written by Anna Boiardi, the granddaughter of Mario Boiardi . . . is filled with fabulous-looking dishes that appear to not come out of a can."
-USA Today
"You won't find the secret recipe for Beefaroni in the book-but you will discover how to make the tomato sauce that turned her family into an American sensation."
-New York Post
"Aside from the classic fare, [Boiardi] includes some recipes for unexpected dishes such as potato salad Italian style, apple cider rosemary roast chicken, and baked cauliflower. Enhanced with striking full-color photos throughout, this loving paean to home-style Italian cooking and the culinary traditions of a family dynasty rooted in food offers just the right balance of nostalgia and appetizing recipes."
-Publishers Weekly
"If you've never been excited by Chef Boyardee's spaghetti and ravioli dinners, fear not-there's much more to the Boiardi family's recipes than what you've seen in the supermarket."
-Library Journal
"To Anna, food is not just a family business, it's a family passion, something that she has known ever since she was young and hopes to carry on for the rest of her life."
-Haute Living
Praise for Delicious
"Anna carried on her family's culinary tradition; her new book, Delicious Memories , is part cookbook, part family history, and part homage to her ancestors-immigrants who made their way in a new country."
-NPR
" Delicious Memories . . . written by Anna Boiardi, the granddaughter of Mario Boiardi . . . is filled with fabulous-looking dishes that appear to not come out of a can."
-USA Today
"You won't find the secret recipe for Beefaroni in the book-but you will discover how to make the tomato sauce that turned her family into an American sensation."
-New York Post
"Aside from the classic fare, [Boiardi] includes some recipes for unexpected dishes such as potato salad Italian style, apple cider rosemary roast chicken, and baked cauliflower. Enhanced with striking full-color photos throughout, this loving paean to home-style Italian cooking and the culinary traditions of a family dynasty rooted in food offers just the right balance of nostalgia and appetizing recipes."
-Publishers Weekly
"If you've never been excited by Chef Boyardee's spaghetti and ravioli dinners, fear not-there's much more to the Boiardi family's recipes than what you've seen in the supermarket."
-Library Journal
"To Anna, food is not just a family business, it's a family passion, something that she has known ever since she was young and hopes to carry on for the rest of her life."
-Haute Living
208 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 3, 2021
Checked out just to see what the original 1930s recipe might have looked like, which is on page 80. The rest is very ordinary Italian American fare.
And now I have discovered the reason Chef Boiardi hit it big in America: the region he was from doesn’t use garlic. The tomato sauce he was slinging was just tomatoes, onions, black pepper, basil. As Anglo Americans were terrified of that “ethnic odor,” his box of biteless tomato pulp with noodles and cheezy dust must have been a safely exotic experience for many. The family author didn’t seem to cotton on to this aspect of their riches, or maybe she keeps it under her hat!
And now I have discovered the reason Chef Boiardi hit it big in America: the region he was from doesn’t use garlic. The tomato sauce he was slinging was just tomatoes, onions, black pepper, basil. As Anglo Americans were terrified of that “ethnic odor,” his box of biteless tomato pulp with noodles and cheezy dust must have been a safely exotic experience for many. The family author didn’t seem to cotton on to this aspect of their riches, or maybe she keeps it under her hat!
July 3, 2011
This was a fun read. I loved the bright photographs and family memories in between delicious recipes.
July 14, 2023
I forgot what drew me to the book but I always enjoy histories of brands and so was curious about Chef Boyardee. Like so many others, I grew up eating Chef Boyardee foods in my after school snacks and/or in college, etc. So I was wondering what a member of the Boiardi family would have to share with the reader and what history could be shared.
A mix of memoir and cookbook, author Anna Boiardi tells us a little bit about the company and brand and shares various family recipes with us. Most of the book is composed of recipes with some memoir mixed. And that's mostly it, it's not really much more than that.
I will admit that I was disappointed. I had hoped there would be more about the history of the brand to what it is today but it was really more of sharing recipes/cookbook (which I suppose matches the title). I haven't tried any of the recipes, so I could not tell you how true it is as cuisine or any similarities to the Boyardee products, etc.
If you're a foodie or enjoy cooking stuff like this for fun, to compare, etc. this might be a good read. I would guess this would appeal to people who might want to make a social media project out of this (ie, people recreating dishes to see if they can match/surpass/successfully create something). It also might be of interest to food historians who have a specific interest in Italian food in the US, this brand, etc.
Borrowed from the library and that was definitely best for me. I would have considered buying out of curiosity but as a layperson who was simply curious and had no expertise or special food interest, a borrow was best.
A mix of memoir and cookbook, author Anna Boiardi tells us a little bit about the company and brand and shares various family recipes with us. Most of the book is composed of recipes with some memoir mixed. And that's mostly it, it's not really much more than that.
I will admit that I was disappointed. I had hoped there would be more about the history of the brand to what it is today but it was really more of sharing recipes/cookbook (which I suppose matches the title). I haven't tried any of the recipes, so I could not tell you how true it is as cuisine or any similarities to the Boyardee products, etc.
If you're a foodie or enjoy cooking stuff like this for fun, to compare, etc. this might be a good read. I would guess this would appeal to people who might want to make a social media project out of this (ie, people recreating dishes to see if they can match/surpass/successfully create something). It also might be of interest to food historians who have a specific interest in Italian food in the US, this brand, etc.
Borrowed from the library and that was definitely best for me. I would have considered buying out of curiosity but as a layperson who was simply curious and had no expertise or special food interest, a borrow was best.
June 22, 2022
Great book, filled with stories and recipes of the Chef Boyardee family
November 12, 2011
I often browse the featured books in the main entrance of the library. One of the recommended summer reads was this cookbook from a grand-daughter of the "Chef Boyardee" family. Anna shares family recipes, in addition to her family's history. Each chapter has a thorough introduction, and each recipe has a memory associated and written down with it. I'm only halfway through this book, and I have some recipes flagged, including: roasted peppers, grilled party vegetables, grape tomato bruschetta, Italian style potato salad, penne rigate and rigatoni with roasted tomatoes.
September 16, 2011
Loved this book, I'm definitely adding it to my Amazon wish list. I loved the mix of recipes, with the stories behind them, and beautiful photos of food and family.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews