This was a beautiful book with great photographs — lots of pasta dishes, naturally, but also plenty of others to get you salivating. Not only was the scenery fantastic, but food photography was outstanding. ( )

For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

Tasting Italy: A Culinary Journey by America’s Test Kitchen, Eugenia Bone and Julia Della Croce is a cookbook which has recipes from certain regions of Italy. This is a book by America’s Test Kitchen, as informative and educational as the show.

The first thing I thought when I leafed through Tasting Italy: A Culinary Journey by America’s Test Kitchen, Eugenia Bone and Julia Della Croce is that this is one heck of a gorgeous book. The book covers Italy by region, with a few words about the culinary culture of that region, it’s history and then… the recipes, all accompanied by first rate photographs.

I cooked three recipes from this book – the Chocolate-Hazelnut Cake, the Hunter’s-Style Chicken, and made Fresh Semolina Pasta from scratch.

The Chocolate-Hazelnut Cake: from Piedmont region known for it’s chocolates, I had to make this. The recipe was easy to follow and I assume the cake came out good, I was expecting more of a Nutella taste, but it wasn’t sweet.



The Hunter’s-Style Chicken: This was a longer bake, not too difficult though. Even though this recipe is from in a book about Italian cooking, but I don’t believe it’s native specifically to Italy. I happen to know this because I’ve made versions of this recipe before, and they were all delicious. That being said, now I understand why this type of recipe works and know enough to add/remove/replace items in it.



The Fresh Semolina Pasta : I had some time on my hand, creating this pasta was not difficult and I got the hang of it after 2-3 pieces. It does take a long time to roll all the dough into malloreddus, but the kids were nice to “volunteer” to help (frankly they had a great time, even though I don’t know if they’ll be up for it again.



From a home cook perspective, the real strength of the book is the “why”, not just the “how”. Each recipe comes with a short, half-page or so, explanation of why the recipe works, why the America’s Test Kitchen staff made the decisions and changes and how one cane make it their own.

I picked three easy recipes with ingredients we have at our home, or could be quickly obtained, but the recipes vary in ingredients and difficulty. I’m looking forward to cook something which will stretch my limits for the next recipe – when I have time of course. The Hunter’s Chicken and pasta have already got themselves a place in our kitchen’s rotation. ( )

I cannot begin to describe what a joy this book was for me. The trip to Italy the hubby I took was one of the most magical vacations we took. It was a country I had long wanted to visit as I had studied art history in college and was passionate about Michelangelo. In addition to the magnificence of the Sistine Chapel and the other historical sites in Rome then the beautiful trip to Florence for the astounding glory of that city there was also some of the best food we had ever eaten.

Tasting Italy brought back so many memories of that trip and whetted my appetite for further explorations of the country. The book is broken down by region and takes the reader on a culinary tour through each one by showcasing what that area is famous for then sharing recipes you can make at home. Since this is a book from National Geographic it is full of absolutely stunning photos of the beauty that Italy has to offer.

I so enjoyed reading the history behind some of my favorite Italian treats and in seeing the recipes recalled the meals we ate while on our trip. The best meal of my life is still a roast chicken I had at this teeny, tiny restaurant in Rome. I don’t think it sat more than 10 people and it was the most delicious chicken I have ever eaten. I have tried more times than I can count to replicate that dish and I have come close but I have not matched it. Other dishes we enjoyed are represented in the book and just seeing them there brought smiles to my face.

This book is just an all around delight. From the photos to the anecdotes to the recipes it’s as close to a trip to Italy as you can get in the pages of a book. If you have been it will remind you of the joy of the trip. If you have not been it will ignite your desires and perhaps spark a trip. If nothing else you will be able to cook your way around the country and at least enjoy the glory of Italy that way. The recipes are representative of all the different areas of the country and run the gamut from soups, appetizers, main dishes, sides and desserts. Since they were written by America’s Test Kitchen you can feel comfortable that they will work for you in your home kitchen. I have never had an ATK recipe go south on me.

So, if you can’t go to Italy by plane buy this book you can imagine yourself there until you can actually get there. With all of the recipes you will be able to appreciate the bounty that Italy has to offer and learn about the country along the way. ( )

National Geographic and America's Test Kitchen have teamed up for a beautiful coffee table book, Tasting Italy- A Culinary Journey. Combining what they both do best, they take the reader on a journey through Italy, using the food of Italy as the basis.

America's Test Kitchen's Chief Culinary Officer Jack Bishop explains in his introduction how the differing climates of Northern and Southern Italy influenced the way that people in these regions ate. Traditionally pasta is a staple in the south, whereas corn polenta is the staple in the north. Olive oil is used more in the south, butter and cream more in the north.

The book is divided into three main regions- Northern, Central and Southern. The North is bordered by Switzerland, France and Austria and so their food is heavily influenced by those countries. It is surrounded by mountains, and therefore has a cooler climate. Fontina cheese and Nutella are among the most famous products made here.

The book is filled with gorgeous photographs of the region, as well as 100 recipes that the reader can try at home. Savoy Cabbage Soup with Ham, Rye Bread and Fontina and Spaghettini with Shrimp are two recipes from Northern Italy calling to me.

Central Italy, home to Florence, Rome and the Tuscany wine region, is probably what most people think of when they think of Italy. We took a trip to Florence this past summer, so I was most familiar with this section of the book, and I enjoyed reliving some of the best meals we have we have ever had by reading this.

Proscuitto wrapped in melon, figs, bistecca (steak), porchetta (pork) and the luscious Chianti wines can be found here in glorious abundance. The Hunter's Chicken recipe will find a place on my table soon.

Southern Italy has the hottest temperatures in all of Italy. The pace of life is a little slower here and you'll find tomatoes, eggplants and lots of fish (anchovies, sardines, cuttlefish and octopuses) and not as much meat. The recipe for Eggplant Parmesan looks incredible.

Tasting Italy- A Culinary Journey is a wonderful book to give as a gift to anyone who has traveled to Italy, and with the holidays coming up it's the perfect time. National Geographic covers the fascinating history of the different regions, and America's Test Kitchen perfectly pairs their best authentic Italian recipes with the history. Even armchair travelers will be entranced by this beautiful book. ( )