The Classic Italian Cookbook

A collection of traditional and modern Italian dishes from every corner of Italy provides step-by-step instructions to assist even the beginner cook in producing delicious and stunning results. BOMC Alt.

The colorful pictorial approach of Dorling Kindersley to its cookbook series works well with the simple Italian fare proposed by Julia Della Croce. She illustrates the contents of the well-stocked Italian pantry, showing just what sort of fish, meats, and staples make up standard Italian dishes. This can prove useful in a library for responding to queries from patrons. Della Croce provides a well-illustrated introduction to the varying regional cuisines of Italy, and definitions that should prove even more significant for the tourist than for the cook. She even provides a number of examples of Tyrollean cooking, not often noted in Italian cookbooks for its Germanic influences. Della Croce's directions are clear and concise, and she knows how to pass on helpful cooking secrets. Mark Knoblauch