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Summary: Mama Mia!
Review: The recipes in this cookbook are absolutely delicious. You will not be sorry if you buy this book. It makes a wonderful gift also!
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Summary: This Cookbook Is A Lot Of Fun
Review: If, like me, you are addicted to the Sopranos and have seldom seen an Italian dish you didn't like, you will find this cookbook much to your taste. In addition to the recipes, there is much information about almost everyone on the Sopranos. The introduction is by Artie Bucco; he then interviews several members of the Soprano family-- Janice, Junior, Carmela. Tony et al. Carmela on why she does all the cooking for her family herself and doesn't hire a cook: "I don't like strangers in my house, nor does Tony." I bet. Tony gives advice on how to grill perfectly and points out that grilling is almost genetically a masculine activity. We can only hope that he doesn't pass out from an anxiety attack and fall into the lighted grill. There are lots of food tips here--party tips by Carmela and Charmaine-- as well as Junior's advice on how to live long and well.These Italian recipes, which Artie tells us when the world thinks Italian food, they really mean Neapolitan food, to my unpracticed eye appear to be quite comprehensive. I know that a lot of good desserts are included. I can testify to the quality of Mom's Pear and Grappa Pound Cake on page 71. It's moist and light with a nice flavor of alcohol that does not overpower. There are also recipes for Baba au Rhum, Cannoli, Tiramisu, Zabaglione and a Ricotta-Pineapple Pie that Carmela made for a local professional woman on one of the shows. "She must have really enjoyed it--she came trhough so nicely," Carmela tells Artie. Hey, I don't want to take anything away from this lady's cooking skills, but as I remember the series, the professional "came through" after Tony turned up the heat on her. There are many color photographs of members of the cast as well as of the food. This cookbook is a lot of fun.
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Summary: A cookbook with style
Review: This book is one of those clever ideas that makes you want to say "Why didn't I think of that before?" There's no shortage of reference and pics from everybody's favorite HBO mob family, but the recipes in here are genuine, wonderful Italian food. But the best part? Somehow, the recipes in here make you look GOOD no matter how skilled a cook you are. I can tell you now that I'm in the less talented bracket to put it mildly, but the recipes in here have the virtue of being eye-catching and flavorful (incredible use of spices) while not being too difficult to put together. A rare combination. Definitely a book to grab whenever you can.
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Summary: Real Favorite Italian Dishes
Review: Anyone who enjoys dining in Italian restaurnts has to have this cook book. It has brought the delight of Italian Cuisine into my home with real recipes used in homes of real Italian families. Even for a beginer cook, you can not go wrong, I know because I was a beginer. I shocked and delighted my family and friends with the meals in this book. It is a must have for every one who loves Italian food!!!
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Summary: Fun Read and Fabulous Cookbook!
Review: As a huge Sopranos fan, I bought this book more for the editorial content than the recipes. What a fun surprise to find that this is actually a great cookbook, in addition to a wonderfully funny addendum to the series. The "Sunday Gravy" is a particular favorite, and soon to become a staple in our house. Enjoy!
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Summary: The best cookbook I own!
Review: This is the simplest, easy to follow cookbook I've ever seen- and it gives me results my family and friends rave about!
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Summary: The Sopranos Family Cookbook
Review: When you scan through The Sopranos Family Cookbook, and if you are unfamiliar with the television hit series The Sopranos, you are duped into believing that the fictional character Artie Bucco is "alive and kicking." You also are ready to telephone his restaurant, Nuovo Vesuvio Ristorante, and make immediate reservations to savour some of his Rigatoni with sweet sausage and tomato sauce.
After all, as indicated in the introduction, "it is a book of meals coming from real life, la vita reale and real people cook them in real kitchens."
Unfortunately, as the publicist informed me, "Artie Bucco is not a real person - he's a character on the show. There is a real author, Allen Rucker, and a real chef Michelle Scicolone." So much for my television knowledge! Over a century ago Italians immigrated to the shores of North America bringing with them their scrumptious food dishes from many Italian Provinces such as Avellino, Campania, Napoli, Caserta and Salerno.
It is the recipes from these southern localities that are the main focus of this cookbook.
As Bucco reminds us, "If you are one of us, either by birth or in spirit, you know that food is not just fuel for the Italian body. Food is la gioia di vivere, zest for life. Food is family, tradition, birth, confirmation, marriage, sickness, death-life itself."
With this in mind, Rucker and Scicolone effectively team up to entwine history, culture, geography and photography with the presentation of their various Italian dishes. Using the multigenerational Soprano family and Bucco as the authors' spokespersons, the reader is apprised of twenty nine different pastas, fifteen different desserts, twenty-five different seafood preparations, and many more "goodies."
To simplify the tracking down of the various recipes, the authors have provided us with a very extensive and useful index that breaks them down alphabetically into nineteen different categories. As for seasoning, mix in the insights of members of the Soprano family, such as Janice, Carmela, Corado Jr. et voila you have a tasty Italian salad filled with philosophical ingredients. Finally, we should not forget the closing sound advice of Artie Bucco:
"Please don't move through this hurly-burly modern world so fast that you forgot to stop and enjoy the celebration of eating. Do you want your kids growing up and passing on to their kids your junk food love of ranch-style chips or the double-bacon cheeseburger? How sad is that? No matter who you are, you come from somewhere, and that somewhere has a tradition of native foodstuffs that in part define you. If, for any reason, you can't locate that tradition, then join us at the Italian-American table and eat our food. You could do no worse." My own mother used to say, "try it, you'll like it." This review first appeared on the reviewer's own site
www.bookpleasures.com
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Summary: Buy This Book
Review: This book has tons of yummy recipes. I've already made several dinners and they are really good. There is tons of fun character info too. My only warning is don't cook this stuff too often it's really good, but really fattening.
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Summary: Real Italian Cooking, Really Simple
Review: This is the best cookbook I own! The recipes are authentic and easy to follow. I recommend this cookbook to beginners and advanced cooks alike. Whether you're a fan of the show or not, you will be of this book!
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Summary: A great read, fair cookbook and must for soprano's fans
Review: I am not a big fan of the show,nor am i a good cook, but i was very pleased with this cookbook. I often read cookbooks for enjoyment not for recipe guidance and this one seemed to be made for me. It is, of course, based on the hit show. The chapters are divided into characters (instead of the usual food categories-dessert, main meals, appetizers, soups etc). It has a lot of pictures from the show and of the food. Their is an index for those looking for a particular recipe. The chapters features letters, comments, thoughts from the characters which any fan would enjoy. This cookbook is a fun read and is a tongue in cheek version of a cookbook- you can tell right away that the purpose is entertainment. The recipes seem like your typical hearty Italian fare- not for those counting calories!
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