-1 Star because of the weight: 4.25 lbs!

-1 Star because reading & reviewing the recipes was a tediously painful process

-1 Star because those were really weird recipes

This is one book that you can judge by it's cover... I usually would have passed it over, but as it is a cookbook, I had to look inside... Good thing I did or I'd have missed out on the one recipe I'm going to try: Pancetta, Chicken & Sausage rolls!

But REMEMBER THIS: the title states "CONTEMPORARY" and that is just what this book is about; Contemporary Recipes.... There is nothing Old School about this collection of recipes, not at all.

The recipes are one per page and many include a photo on the opposite page; the top of each recipe has the preparation time, cook time & wine suggestion. The title is under the fore mentioned information in a plain thin bold font. The list of ingredients is to the right of the recipe in a small bold font with the recipe itself in an equally small regular font, which makes for difficult reading. The bottom of the page contains a helpful hint. Between the recipes are short information articles about the types of ingredients used, which were interesting, but I found distracting.

The book consists of:
Table of Contents, Foreword, Introduction 504 pages of recipe each with a photo, a 40 page glossary w/ color photos of the items, & an index.

Recipe categories:
Antipasti (pp 12-47) : Antipasti Etiquette & What are Salumi (in the middle of the chapter); Carapaccio of Amberjack w/ Ginger, Lime & Pomegranate; Olivier Salad, Octopus Salad w/ Potato & Olive Puree; Fried Polenta w/ Lardo & Truffle; Corn Salad, Strawberries & Fresh Goat Cheese; Classic Caprese Salad; Cornmeal Cakes & Pancetta; Potato & Saffron Bake w/ Poached Eggs; Speck Ham, Walnut & Champignon Mushroom Salad; and Pancetta, Chicken & Sausage Rolls

Soups (pp 50-91): Fresh Pea Soup w/ Smoked Ham; Pumpkin Soup w/ Saffron Croutons; Aquacotta; Oat & Chickpea Soup; Rice, Pea & Pumpkin Soup; Onion Soup w/ Pecorino Cheese Toasts; Broths in Soup, but In Which Soup; Barley & Cavolo Nero Soup; and Tortellini in Broth

Fresh Pasta (pp 94-113):Runner Beans & Shrimp; How to Store Fresh Pasta; pappardelle w/ Rabbit; Fresh Egg Pasta and the Length of the Sfogline; Gnocchi w/ Broccoli, Rabe, Mussels & Clams; Fun of Colored Fresh Pasta; Lidia's Agnolotti Pasta; and Garganelli Pasta w/ Sausage & Zucchini

Dried Pasta (pp 116-153): Mezzi Paccheri w/ Artichokes & Cream Sauce; Sedani w/ rabbit & Mushrooms; Caserecce w/ Sage & Pancetta; Clamarata w/ Swordfish & Peas; Spaghetti w/ Mussels, Clams, Shrimp & Bell Pepper Puree; Cold Fusilli w/ Tuna, Eggplant & Cheese; Ziti w/ Cheese, Crisp Pancetta & Asparagus; and Bravette with Smoked Pancetta & Caramelized Onion

Rice (pp 156-189): Rice Salad; Mussels & Saffron Risotto; Stuffed Rice Balls; Black Rice w/ Cheese & Broccoli; Plum Tomato Risotto w/ Basil Puree; Rice & herb Flan (oh no!); Sausage & Cranberry Bean Risotto; and Langoustine Risotto

Savory Tarts & Pies (pp 192-219): Shortcrust Pie w/ Vegetable Whirls; Savory Tarts & Pies: basic Pie & Pastry Dough; Mediterranean Stuffed Pastry Roll; Pesto & Cherry Tomato Pie (I'll pass); Asparagus & Pecorino Cheese Puff Pastry Pie; Radicchio, Walnut & Smoked Cheese Strudel; Filling Combinations for All Tastes; and Pumpkin, Leek & Sausage Tart

Fish & Seafood (pp 222-253): Baked Sea Bass w/ vegetables & Parsley Mayonnaise; Fish Soup w/ Fregola pasta; Octopus & Cranberry Bean Salad; Fried Salt Cod Fish Balls; Parsley-scented Mussels & Clams; hake Steaks w/ Aromatic Herbs; Cooking Methods for Fish; baked red Mullet w/ Thyme & Olives; Salmon Tartare w/ Peas & Cucumber; Chickpea Soup w/ red Mullet, Calamari, & Rosemary Oil; and Sea Bream, Artichoke& Sun-dried Cherry Tomato Strudel (I told you "Contemporary")

Meat (pp 256-291): Asparagus, Chicken, Ham & Cheese Roll; Suckling Pig Shoulder w/ Fava Beans & Saffron; Pork w/ Sauerkraut & Prunes (not Italian); Osso Buco; How to recognize Good Quality Meat; Chicken w/ Grapes (no); Guinea Fowl w/ White Grapes (no, no); Five Spiced Beef w/ Onion, Orange & Fennel Sauce (no, no, no); Meatballs in Tomato Sauce; Filet of beef w/ Pistachios; Chicken w/ Lager; Baked Chicken Rolls; Rabbit w/ Grapes & Porcini Mushrooms; Pork Shank w/ Cavolo Nero & Potatoes; and Chicken Breasts w/ Red Bell Pepper Sauce & Poached Eggs.
What was with all the grapes?

Vegetables & Legumes (pp 294-341): Panzanella Salad; Vegetable Couscous w/ Roasted Bell Pepper Sauce; The Health Benefits of Vegetables; Tomato Salad w/ Salt Cod; Artichoke Parcels; Condiments & Dressings; Egg-Free Spinach & Carrot Frittata; Brussels Sprouts w/ Sesame Seeds; Polenta w/ Cheese, Baked Radicchio, & Leek; Cabbage Millefeuille w/ Potatoes, Pesto, Cooking Time w/ Legumes; Deep-fried Zucchini Flowers Filled w/ Mozzarella & Anchovies; & Cheese; and Cannellini Beans Pecorino Cheese Salad w/ Balsamic Vinegar

WAIT! There's More (as soon as I take a small break from this tedium)...

Grains (pp 344-367): Millet Gnocchi w/ Arugula Pesto; Quinoa w/ Red Beets; Asparagus, Shrimp & Pearl Barley Salad; Gluten Free Cereals; Fregola Pasta Salad w/ Chickpeas, Red Onion & Cherry Tomatoes; Rich Bulgar Wheat Salad (last I knew this was Armenian); and Spelt w/ Meatballs & Carpione Sauce

Breads, Pizzas, Focaccias, & Fritters (pp 370-414): Pizza w/ Mozzarella, Gorgonzola, Walnuts & Pears; Muffins w/ green Olive Pate & Ham; Seasoned & Soft Dough Knots; Rice & Cheese Fritters; Flours for Pizzas, Breads & Focaccias; Types of Yeast; Olive Bread; Walnut Bread; Neapolitan Pizza Versus Roman Pizza; Fried Pizzas w/ Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Basil; Baba Rustico; Not Just Bread; Potato Focaccia w/ Mozzarella & Porcini; Whole Wheat Focaccia w/ Ratatouille, Mint & Goat Cheese; Flour, Batter & Bread: Fried Food Dresses Up; Potato Cakes w/ Black Olives, Zucchini, & Carrots; and Chicken w. Provencal Herb Fritters

Cheese; One of my Favorite Foods (pp 417-433): Broccoli Roulade w/ Cheese; Ricotta & Semi-dried Tomato Cheesecake; Crepes w/ Gorgonzola & Pancetta; The King. Parmigiano Reggiano; Flatbread Millefeuilles w/ Mozzarella, Tomatoes, & Pesto; How to Serve Cheese; and Pecorino w/ Grapes, Dried Figs & Walnuts

Desserts (pp 436-481): Chocolate Mousse w/ Hazelnut Brittle; Making Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Maker; Strawberry Fruit Salad w/ Chantilly Cream; Citrus Fruit Panna Cotta; Cherry & Soft Fruit Pudding; Cherries w/ Almond Flavor Ice; Fruity Mascarpone Mousse w/ Coffee Caramel Sauce; Summer Fruit Cups w/ Grand Mariner; The Importance of Tempering; Lemon Custards in Chocolate Cups; Butterscotch Chocolate Cups; and Chocolate Galettes w/ Mascarpone Cheese

Sweet Tarts, Cakes, & Cookies (pp 484-517): Raspberry Cake; Buckwheat Cakes; Mini Easter Cakes; Rice Flour & Cocoa Powder Cookies; Amaretto & Peach Pastry Cake; Ricotta, Honey, & Apple Tarts w/ Apple Brandy; Almond & Pistachio Cookies; Wine & Raisin Cookies; and Chocolate Meringues w/ Mascarpone Filling

I apologize it this review was as tedious of a read as it was for me to write ( )