Made in Italy: Food and Stories

Written by Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli, this work combines old Locatelli family stories and recipes with the contemporary dishes from the author's celebrated London restaurants.

Fantastic book of Italian recipes. I honestly cannot get enough from his recipes, so plan to get the next book of his "Made in Sicily" at some point. The books are not cheap but every recipe is outstanding (and not super complicated, either). There are a bunch of gorgeous photographs throughout the book (pretty much a MUST for me) and some stories in between (of his grandparents and such). The section on breads is particular great. A lot of step-by-step instructions and lots of variations to the recipes. Also, some unusual recipes, such as "Pumpkin and raisin bread." Their soups are also good and very simple. One is a recipe for "Chilled tomato soup" and all it is is three different types of tomatoes pureed, seasoned with salt and pepper, and chilled. I'm a fan of risotto, and he goes into great detail about the rice itself, the broth, the cheese, the technique, and so on. There are also photos showing the different phases of it while it's cooking. Very helpful. If you like Italian food and want a book from one of the best, this is the book. It has a very low-key (ie. boring) cover, but don't let that fool you. The insides are succulent. ;) Enjoy!