Carmine's Celebrates: Classic Italian Recipes for Everyday Feasts

by Glenn Rolnick, Chris Peterson (With)

Carmine's is founded on the twin concepts of deliciousness and Italian abbondanza. In their wildly popular Times Square flagship location and their other restaurants in New York City, Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Washington, DC, and Paradise Island, Bahamas, the tables are filled with giant platters of pasta, steaks, chicken, vegetables and more. And every single diner has a smile on his face. Now that concept comes home from the masters. In new cookbook Carmine's Celebrates, Chef Glenn Rolnick teaches home cooks how to make more than one hundred dishes in happy-making quantities. Nothing is difficult to make, serve or store. Each dish uses grocery store ingredients and extracts the flavor of Italy from them so anyone can be an amazing cook. There is a special emphasis on "everyday" holidays, such as weekend family dinners, and also on traditional holiday food for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Recipes ―Crostini with Cannellini Bean Dip―Sea Scallops Wrapped in Pancetta―Mussels Fra Diavolo―Pasta Carbonara―Chicken Cacciatore

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food

288 pages, Hardcover

First published November 4, 2014

Reviews

[Shamim Reza]

★★★★★

Carmine's Celebrates is a wonderful collection for anyone who loves classic Italian cooking and generous, comforting meals. The recipes capture the spirit of an Italian feast while remaining approachable enough for home cooks to enjoy. I especially appreciate the variety of dishes and the focus on flavorful food that feels perfect for sharing with family and friends. The cookbook offers plenty of inspiration for everyday dinners as well as special gatherings and celebrations. The recipes have a warm, inviting quality that makes you want to spend more time in the kitchen. A lovely addition to any Italian cookbook collection.

[Jennifer Mitchell-Shirley]

Yum! Tried many of the recipes from this book, wonderful. The photographs are beautiful. Even has instruction for making your own lemon cello. Have checked it again since the first time I had it.

[Juergen John Roscher]

I received a copy of this book through the GoodReads First Reads program.

In the town where I live there is not any good options for great Italian food and I thought I might be able to cook my own with a little guidance from a good Italian cookbook. Also, I love classic Italian food so I thought it would be fun to have a good Italian cookbook. I think that Carmine’s Celebrates: Classic Italian Recipes for Everyday Feasts will be my book of choice for Italian cooking.

This book consist of classic Italian recipes from the premier Italian restaurant in New York, Carmine’s, as stated in the preface of the book. The book contains recipes for appetizers (cold and hot), salads, pasta, fish and seafood, meat and chicken, side dishes and desserts and a helpful section on The Italian Kitchen Pantry. It has detailed food lists and amounts, easy-to-follow steps and techniques and beautiful pictures of water-watering food.

The first recipe that I cooked was Sausage, Peppers, Potatoes and Onions (pg. 164). I found the instructions easy to follow and the techniques were simple, even for an inexperienced Italian cook as myself. It was one of the better dishes that I have cooked according to my wife, who seldom enjoys my cooking.

Other recipes that I cooked from this cookbook that were delicious: Roasted Vegetables (pg. 202), and Crusty Rosemary Potatoes (pg. 201). I look forward to the coming months and years trying the recipes in this book to create great Italian meals.

I recommend Carmine’s Celebrates: Classic Italian Recipes for Everyday Feasts to anyone that wants to cook classic Italian food using the recipes and methods of a first-class Italian restaurant. It is even recommended for inexperienced folks who only have a desire to learn how to make great Italian food.

[Shelly Donaghey]

CARMINE’S CELEBRATES introduced me to what appears to be fast becoming one of New York City’s most prominent Italian dining experiences. After a short introduction to the restaurant, the idea behind it (Grandma’s Sunday family dinner) and several other asides, the book gives you a heads-up about Italian wines.
The body of the work is fabulous recipes. With everything from hot and cold appetizers, salads and pastas, through the main courses and side dishes and finally, desserts. A photograph, so tantalizing that it almost makes you want to tear it out of the book and devour it, accompanies every recipe.
Chicken, steak, or veal, you can select a favorite and know there is something tasty to be had. Like all good recipe books, this is one that will take years to wear through and I’m only afraid it will add inches to my waist.
If you like good Italian food, here is the book for you, a book I won through Goodreads.

[Rebecca]

I won a copy of this book from Goodreads Firstreads. I had never heard of Carmine's before getting this book. The recipes in this book cover standard Italian fare, like pasta carbonara, meatballs and lasagna. The recipes themselves are fairly simple and the instructions are straight forward. There are several recipes my husband said we must try. Not every recipe has a photo of the finished dish, which is a drawback. The book does come with tips on Italian wines, olive oils and other staples of the cuisine. This would be a great gift for someone that loves Italian food. Not that this is the books fault, but the copy I was sent has several pages marred by large ink stains, that must be a printing error. Not sure if other copies will have this, but it is something to watch out for.

[Dawn]

I received an ARC from Goodreads Firstreads.

Carmine's one of the best places to eat in New York, and now in your home. This book is packed with dishes from the restaurant that everyone will love. Just like you are eating there, the portions are huge. I would recommend making them when you have a large crowd to feed! Or just want a ton of leftovers ( assuming you csn resist over eating)

I am by no means an expert chef, but these recipes are actually easy to follow. They are accompanied by gorgeous full color photos which will keep you hungry and motivated while you cook up your feast!

This would make a great hostess gift for the holidays, or an a great addiction to your collection so you can keep everyone eating happy during the holidays!

[Peacejanz]

This may be the most beautiful cookbook that I have ever seen. First, we have recipes and then see them in magnificent color. This is a gift book for anyone. But what makes the book so good is the additional information -- info on various types of pasta, on Italian wines, an education on cheeses and superb tomatoes. There is so much here but the photographs! This cookbook from an actual restaurant could be one of those cocktail table books. I love it and am so glad that I got an advance copy from Goodreads. I will use it the rest of my life.

[Sara Rishforth]

I received this book in a Good Reads Giveaway. My first cookbook win, and I love cookbooks. The recipes are easy to follow, and I like the pictures throughout the book. Yesterday, I made the bolognese, and it was fantastic! Plenty of leftovers for another meal, and I suspect it would freeze well for later meals. Next on my list is the eggplant dip and the New York style cheesecake.

Many thanks for including this as a giveaway! It's a wonderful cookbook to add to my collection.

[Cherie]

Lovely cookbook. Loved the colorful illustrations. Loved the introduction about the restaurant and about Italian food in general. I word of warning to the novice cook, many of these recipes are a bit too complicated and ingredient laden for the beginner cook. Some recipes I especially would love to try are the stuffed salmon, cod puttanesca, chicken marsala, garlic bread, and garlic-roasted broccoli.

[Carolyn]

I received this book free from Goodreads and threw myself into some of the most delightful dinners. The pictures were excellent and very easy to follow directions. I do plan on using this book for company feasts and do not plan on loaning it to anyone for fear of it not being returned.

[Abe]

I really enjoyed this book. Simple, easy, tasty recipes for a novice. I'm tempted to invite guests over weekly just so that I can try some of the treats I have yet to try.