Italy: The Beautiful Cookbook

by Lorenza de'Medici

Filled with over 220 dishes, some show how Italians are modifying classics; others illustrate the living quality of Italian cooking in its acceptance of new ingredients and in new ways of using familiar ones. Included are gorgeous food and landscape photographs.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Italy, Reference, Nonfiction, Italian Literature

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Lorenza de Medici has published more than 30 cookbooks. She has appeared in a 13-part series on Italian cooking for public television and conducts a cooking school at Badia a Coltibuono, an 11th-century estate and winery near the Chianti region of Tuscany. She divides her time between Milan and Badia a Coltibuono.

Reviews

[Phillip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent...I've tried most of the recipies in this book, and they all came out nicely. The book rightly divides Italian cuisine into the country's regions, with their distinct ways of adapting to local produce and game. Highly recommended.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was (obviously) a beautiful book. I'll admit a lot of the recipes are not what or how I normally cook, but we did find a couple of recipes we are going to try this week. The photographs are beautiful, and I enjoyed reading about Italy.

[Ghost of a Rose]

Own, available at house 2023

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

When "The Beautiful" cookbook series first came out it seemed like they were all the rage. This one does not disappoint! Great recipes, and I like the regional focus and culinary history interspersed throughout the book. It's a big book so you need some counter space to have it open while you are cooking. Totally worth it.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this cookbook many years ago from my aunt and I have loved it ever since. Nice, authentic Italian recipes (at least as far as I know being an American) that are simple and delicious. I also appreciate that the book is arranged regionally and offers some historic and cultural tidbits. That makes every dish a little more interesting.

[Melanie Buchleiter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I have checked the box that says I'm finished with this book, that's not quite true. I have read through it now a couple of times & I will keep going back to it for various recipes that are fantastic. It has become one of my favorite go-to cook books.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing local Italian recipes. Not your typical Italian American variety. Some ingredients are a little hard to find in the states (such as fresh porchini mushrooms).