Rustico: Regional Italian Country Cooking

Americans have fallen in love with Italian regional food, from the casual fare of Tuscan trattorias to the more refined creations of high-end Piedmontese restaurants, from Sicily’s wonderful desserts to Emilia-Romagna’s superb cheeses and cured meats. Rustico is the first American book to explore the remarkable breadth of these richly varied cuisines, devoting equal attention to each of Italy’s twenty regions. This includes thorough treatment of such places as Val d’Aosta, high in the Alps, whose fare is an intriguing mix of northern Italian, French, and Swiss influences: truffled fondue or grappa-spiked venison stew will
transport you to the slopes of Monte Bianco. Or Trentino–Alto Adige, with the southernmost German-speaking towns in Europe, for goulasch and spaetzle. Or the scorched southern regions like Basilicata, known for their spicy dishes; the Veneto, with the aromatic foods that are a legacy of Venice’s reign as the spice capital; or Sardinia, with its Spanish-inflected cuisine.

For each of the twenty regions, Micol Negrin provides ten authentic, truly representative recipes, with a special focus on original, rustic dishes, encompassing the entire meal—antipasti to dolci. Each chapter is introduced by an overview of the region, its culinary influences, food staples, and important recipes; each includes information on specialty products like cheeses and wines; and each explores the traditions, preparations, and life of the region, not only through recipes but through anecdote, history, and captivating photos. Each chapter, in fact, is a book unto itself; and the sum total is the last Italian cookbook you’ll ever need.

Micol Negrin was until recently the editor (and chief writer) of the Magazine of La Cucina Italiana and Italian Cooking & Living. She teaches regularly at the Institute of Culinary Education (formerly Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School) and has taught at the Italian Culinary Institute in New York City, the Culinary Institute of America, Johnson & Wales University, and the James Beard Foundation. Micol was born in Milan, moved to Montreal as a child, graduated from Canada’s premier college (McGill) and Canada’s premier culinary academy (Institut de Tourisme et d’Hotellerie du Québec), immediately started her own catering business in Montreal, and moved to New York in 1995. Visit Micol at www.rusticocooking.com.