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FG pizza & Italian Bookshelf     #5020 Tools are Made, Born are Hands - E-book $26.95 Many people have travelled to Mary G's Artisan Breads to attend the Introductory and Whole Grains wood fired bread baking workshops. They've come from across the United States, Canada, and as far afield as New Zealand and England. Frequently, they asked for a book-length document that recreates what Mary G’s workshop’s offer. Tools Are Made, Born Are Hands is the result. It's based on thousands of hours working with our wood fired oven, plus the input, questions and concerns of hundreds of students: experienced, professionals and beginners alike. Through 272 pages, 182 photographs, and six chapters, you'll learn the history of these fascinating and enduring ovens, follow a typical two-day workshop in detail, then explore the various oven shapes, types and building methods to select your own. A clear, unbiased investigation of oven types does not exist in print--until now. Throughout, myths are dispelled, little-known tips provided and results-oriented methods explained. Far too much mystery has surrounded true artisan baking. Not here. How about an authentic Neapolitan pizza baked for ninety seconds on a 750 degree hearth? This book shows you how. From theory to practical, hands-on techniques, from ingredients to equipment, from wild to commercial yeasts, hearth breads to sweet breads, from preparing to firing and baking, you'll gather the information you need to make genuine artisan breads in a wood fired environment--or even in a home oven. This is exactly the kind of detailed look at real hand-made breads that is not available anywhere else. We know, we checked. This is a book of method, not hundreds of bewildering recipes. As we tell our students, once you master the recipes in Tools Are Made, Born Are Hands, you will have the ability to approach any formula with confidence, whether you have a wood fired oven or not. Tools Are Made, Born Are Hands is available in pdf format that can be read with Adobe Reader, Adobe Digital Editions (both free programs) or on most book readers. The PDF file will be emailed to you. If you require a copy on CD, please make that notation within FG pizza’s checkout system.   [View Cart ]   Pizza Tools   Oven Tools   Bread Tools   Pasta Tools   Gifts   Musica Italiana!   FG pizza's Special Order Items   Friends & Family   About FG pizza & Italian   Customer Feedback Books on Pizza PIZZA Tony’s book is for those who need an introduction to pizza. Tony Gemignani is not only the world pizza champion with tossing and handling spinning pizzas, Tony is the first and so far the ONLY American to win a baking championship at the World Pizza Cup in Naples, Italy, when he brought home a gold cup for the best Neapolitan pizza in the world. The pictures are great and the recipes are obtainable. If you are new to pizza and want to see a variety of styles, this book has the goods. AMERICAN PIE On this page, you will be seeing the name Peter Reinhart quite a bit – and rightfully so! Mr. Reinhart writes clear descriptions, recipes and directions. The book shares his travels through different ”famed” pizza restaurants throughout the United States, where each style of pizza is discussed. He then goes on to discuss how he would create each pie. In true Reinhart-fashion, the book is entertaining and easy to follow. CHEZ PANISSE, PASTA-PIZZA & CALZONES The famous restaurant, Chez Panisse, in Berkeley CA, was created by Alice Waters. Though I do not personally own this book, I have glanced through it and like what I see. I have great respect for Ms. Waters. As a chef, an entrepreneur, and as citizen. She performs completely wonderful things food, and wood ovens; and her community involvement should truly be praised. PIZZA NAPOLETANA Amazon.com Review Pamela Sheldon Johns is a connoisseur of the best Italian foods. Following up on her definitive books, Parmigiano! ,, about the queen of cheeses, and , Balsamico! ,, about the artisanal vinegar that has enchanted cooks everywhere, Johns has written Pizza Napoletana! to tempt us with what is arguably the most authentic and best pizza in the world. PIZZA Ed Lavine is not only respected in the food industry, but very respected by pizzaiolo’s. His respect and knowledge of the craft deserves praise and attention. From Publishers Weekly Having consumed 1,000 slices of pizza in one year, across 20 states, Canada and Italy, Levine certainly possesses a firsthand, encyclopedic knowledge of the dish. But in his attempt to create "the ultimate guide and companion," he has constructed an unwieldy book with too many toppings. It is at once an anthology of reprinted essays and articles, a collection of celebrity mini-memoirs, a history of pizza both ancient and modern, and a collection of capsule reviews of dozens of pizza purveyors (including classic pizzerias, larger chains and staples of the frozen-food aisle). For the essays, Levine (New York Eats) raids the stables of the New York Times and Condé Nast on the East Coast, and culls from various Pacific coast journalists in the West. Highlights include an amusing piece by Jeffrey Steingarten on how to create a 700-degree heat source at home, and Levine's own seminal 2002 Times piece, "The State of the Slice." But Nora Ephron's memory of her "first time" eating pizza is disappointingly brief and hurried, and actor Ed Norton's 79-word cameo appearance in a paragraph about stromboli feels out of place. New York gets the most attention with reviews from all five boroughs, Westchester and Long Island (an eating trip to Italy merits just 10 pages). Levine at least ends on a high note, profiling the top six pie makers he encountered. B&w photos. (Mar.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. LA PIZZA Amazon.com Description La Pizza is a passionate account of the history of the Neapolitan pizza and the city itself. The pizza was born amid the poverty and exuberance of Naples. The classic Margherita and Marinara pizza are linked not only to the city's fresh produce of tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella, olive oil, and basil, but also to its history, religion, mythology, and street life. The author passionately relates the history of the pizza, from its origins as the food of the poor to its current status as the whim of the wealthy. 180 photographs beautifully evoke the street atmosphere, from the Vespas that swish by to the pizzerias where dough rises and wood burns steadily in the wood-fired ovens, where people flock at lunch time to eat the best pizza in the world. The book features 30 delicious recipes for all the classic, authentic pizzas you would expect, as well as modern twists, all based on genuine southern Italian ingredients. THE CHEESE BOARD – COLLECTIVE WORKS If you stand in North Berkeley, there is a spot on Shattuck Ave, where one can eat some of the best pizza and food in California. Chez Panisse, Lo Coco’s and The Cheese Board. From this one location, one could throw a rock and hit all three. But I’d rather eat the food. The Cheese Board is a cooperative business, and is and has been substantial since 1967 Amazon.com Description When a tiny cheese shop opened for business on a quaint Berkeley street in 1967, there was little hint of what the shop—and the neighborhood—would grow into over the next 30 years. The Cheese Board became a collective a few years later, and Chez Panisse opened across the street, giving birth to one of the country’s most vibrant food neighborhoods, the epicenter of California’s culinary revolution. Known and loved by locals and travelers alike, the Cheese Board is equal parts bakery, cheese store, pizzeria, and gathering place—a patchwork of the local community, where a passion for good food runs deep. For the first time ever, THE CHEESE BOARD presents the classic recipes that have made the store one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most acclaimed gourmet destinations. Complete with a history of the shop and neighborhood, a cheese primer, and all the classic recipes—including the corn-cherry scones, cheese rolls, and zampanos, all of which have a cult following—THE CHEESE BOARD is as rich and varied as the institution that inspired it. EVERYBODY LOVES PIZZA Everybody Loves pizza should be in every collection for those who love pizza. It gives a little history, and discusses a lot of pizzerias. Amazon.com Description Everybody Loves Pizza is a celebration of America’s favorite dish — its history, its versatility, its staying power. It delves into where pizza came from, where it’s going, and what it means to American culture. Thanks to food writers, pizza insiders, and ordinary, pizza-loving Americans, it also reveals where to find 540 top-notch pizzas across the country, plus recipes from the familiar (Pepperoni or Barbecue Chicken Pizza) to the adventurous (Shrimp Pizza with Tasso Ham, Goat Cheese, and Spinach or Prosciutto Pear Pizza). PIZZA – ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT Amazon.com Review Pizza--the tender-crisp crust, savory tomato topping, and bubbling, toothsome cheese. And the trip to the pizzeria--until now. With unprecedented clarity, Charles and Michele Scicolone's Pizza: Any Way You Slice It provides the step-by-step basics and 100 recipes to make authentic pizza, focaccia, and calzones at home. The Scicolones' explicit instructions, tips, and shortcuts--plus precise illustrations--make mixing, kneading, and shaping the dough--as well as preparing toppings--remarkably easy. Even timid cooks will find themselves achieving toasty crusts that balance crispness and chewiness perfectly (hint: a little flour sprinkled on the baking stone adds smoky flavor) and toppings that far surpass the pizzeria's in freshness and taste. The recipes are international. Traveling from Palermo to Chicago, from Naples to Brooklyn, the Scicolones have gathered recipes for such classics as Pizza Margherita (made with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil) and Spicy Pizza Marinara; new Italian favorites including Eggplant Parmesan Pizza and Pizza with Prosciutto and Arugula; and American pies such as Garlic and Cheese Pizza Bianca and Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza with Sausage and Cheese. Among the focaccia and other flatbread recipes is a must-make focaccia studded with pancetta and rosemary. Included also are suggestions for starters, salads, and side dishes, as well as wine and beer suggestions. Color photos present the pies in all their glory (and profile the all-important crusts), and there's a glossary of necessary equipment and ingredients. In Pizza: Any Way You Slice It, the Scicolones have included everything a pizza-lover needs to start baking beautiful homemade pies. --Arthur Boehm --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. VEGITARIAN PIZZA Amazon.com Description Innovative recipes for dishes, such as Tomato Garden Pizza, Potato-Leek Pizzette, Black Bean Chili Calzone, Tri-Color Pepper Pizza, Garlic Pizza Chips, and Pizza Colada, are culled from international cuisines. Simultaneous. Bread Ovens Bread Ovens THE BREAD BUILDERS - Hearth Loaves and Masonry Ovens THIS IS THE BOOK THAT STARTED IT ALL My Oven bible. The first half of the book explains everything that one needs to know about bread baking. From wheat to water, temperature to cumb. the 2nd half of the book describes and instructs one how to build and bake in a brick oven. If anyone out there is planning on building a brick oven, buy this book. It will answer 99% of your questions. If you would like to see the oven that I built using this book, click here: Frankie G's Pizza Oven Project Bottom line: this is the book to buy if you want to understand natural leavened bread and brick ovens. Bread Books Bread Books LOCAL BREADS Without a doubt, one of my favorite books I have purchased. You can read Amazon’s info below, but I will personally vouch for the quality of the clear directions and accuracy of the recipes. From Publishers Weekly Leader's new bread-baking book is distinguished from his earlier classic Bread Alone by its focus on regional specialties, from the Alsatian classic pain au levain to Tuscan black olive puccia, from German laugenbrezeln or pretzels to the dark Silesian rye of the Czech Republic. The book opens with 50 pages of well-written and thorough instructions on everything from ingredients to equipment. The most helpful part is the explanation of the basic steps of any bread-making process, which serves as a primer on the procedural elements that are universal across the various European traditions. Leader, who founded the heralded Bread Alone bakery in Woodstock, N.Y., is most interested in teaching holistically, so that his readers will feel comfortable becoming apprentices and then experts themselves. One can't help imagining, however, that bread baking is best learned in the flesh. Leader advises that the only way to figure out if the dough is ready is through experience, and a hapless home baker might agree. Still, the book is an excellent primer on the best breads of Europe, and the traveler who has returned home with a longing for the Roman specialty pane di altamura might be satisfied with a mouth-watering trip down memory lane. (Aug.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. THE BREAD BAKERS APPRENTICE I love this book and respect and give praise to Mr. Reinhart for writing it. The recipes are accurate, and wonderful. It’s also very nice that, along each recipe has a “timeline” given in the beginning of the recipes, so one knows what they are getting into. Mr. Reinhart explores wheat, flour, seeds, water, and multiple methods involved in bread making. Great pictures accompany each recipe. Amazon.com review "A bread baker, like any true artisan or craftsman, must have the power to control outcomes," says Peter Reinhart, author of The Bread Baker's Apprentice. "Mastery comes with practice." As in many arts, you must know and understand the rules before you can break them. Reinhart encourages you to learn the science of bread making, but to never forget that vision and experimentation, not formulas, make transcendent loaves. The Bread Baker's Apprentice is broken into three sections. The first is an amusing tale of Reinhart's visit to France and his discovery of pain à l'ancienne, a cold-fermented baguette. The second section comprises a tutorial of bread-making basics and Reinhart's "Twelve Stages of Bread." And finally, the recipes: Ciabatta, Pane Siciliano, Potato Rosemary Bread, New York Deli Rye, Kaiser Rolls, and Brioche, to name a few. All recipes include bread profiles and ingredient percentages. Reimagined for modern bakers, these mouthwatering classic recipes are bound to inspire. --Dana Van Nest FOCACCIA From my experience, if the book is authored by Carol Field, I buy it. This is a short book with great pictures and recipes of different styles of the Ligurian treat known as Focaccia. About the Author Carol Field has been writing about Italy and Italian food since 1972. She is the author of The Hill Towns of Italy, Celebrating Italy, Italy in Small Bites, and the best-selling The Italian Baker. She has also written articles on Italy for such magazines as Gourmet, Food and Wine, and Bon Appetit. She lives with her husband in San Francisco and continues to travel back and forth to Italy. Joyce Oudkerk Pool is an award-winning photographer specializing in food. Her photographs appear in a number of cookbooks including James McNair's New Pizza (0-8118-2364-4). THE BREAD BIBLE The Bread Bible by, Rose Levy Beranbaum, is wonderful. Ms. Beranbaum explains every step of the way and gives you a heads up on what to expect your dough to look like during the process. A GREAT book for those who are getting into extensive bread baking. I love this book. Amazon.com Review Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Cake Bible introduced readers to a newly illuminating baking-book approach--a precisely detailed yet accessible recipe format emphasizing baking science. The Bread Bible follows the same plan, offering 150 recipes, arranged by type, for a great variety of baked goods--from muffins, popovers, and English muffins to sandwich loaves, focaccia, rolls, hearth breads, rye bread, challah, and more, with a particularly vivid (and passionate) stop at sourdough loaves. Instruction is abetted by 32 pages of photos plus 300 step-by-step illustrations that depict, for example, bagel forming, in exact, imitable detail. In addition, an introductory section, "The Ten Essential Steps of Making Bread," includes a particularly lucid discussion on the way yeast works plus an invaluable comparison of kneading methods. Like the book's final look at ingredients, these "mini-texts" provide information uncommon to most home bread books, rendered in simple language that allays fears of putting one's hand in the dough. All this is impressive indeed, and readers bitten by the bread-baking bug will welcome the ultra-thorough Beranbaum approach. The less committed may find her technical demands too painstaking (her baguette recipe requires two starters, for example; though simpler loaves are, of course, offered) or even impractical (ingredient quantities using grams are sometimes given in minute fractions, requiring a special scale). The frequent inclusion of alternate mixing methods and equipment options can also make the formulas unwieldy. On the other hand, features like Pointers for Success and Understanding often yield exciting discovery as well as rewarding results. In short, this Beranbaum bible answers virtually every bread-making question, as well as providing exemplary formulas. It's the real deal for those willing to bake along with Rose. --Arthur Boehm AMY’S BREAD Amazon.com Review Amy's Bread is a legendary New York institution that serves some 50,000 customers every month and supplies bread to more than 300 restaurants and stores daily. Long out of print, Amy's Bread shares Amy Scherber's recipes and techniques for everything from basic loaves to artisan breads. Now fully revised and updated, this full-color edition includes more than fifty recipes for home bakers at every level of experience. Amy's Bread starts with the basics like Big Beautiful White Pan Loaf and French Baguette before progressing to more complicated recipes like Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread with Oats and Pecans and Semolina Bread with Apricots and Sage. But there's more here than just bread—recipes for pizzas, sandwiches, and sweet treats are also included. THE ITALIAN BAKER The Italian Baker, by Carol Field was given to me by my mother in 1986. It is the book that sparked my love of Italian baking. Back then, I explored the sweet side of Italian baking. This book has become my ”come-back-to” book. When I find a new recipe for Italian bread, I always come back to The Italian Baker to compare the recipe. This is a great book. From Publishers Weekly Italy's breads are "expressions of an earthy culture that still talks about its most fundamental experiences in terms of bread. . . . A down-to-earth man with a real heart of gold is described as 'buono come il pane'good, like bread," observes Field (The Hill Towns of Italy). Her book of baked goods is packed with recipes for breads made with herbs, mushrooms, fruits and cheeses; traditional loaves; breadsticks and rolls; chocolate and holiday breads; pizza and focaccia; as well as strudels and tarts, cakes and cookies. There are even recipes for leftover breadcrostini, garlicky vegetable soup, apple cake. Included also are directions for kneading by hand, by mixer and by food processor; dry ingredients are measured by both volume and weight. In order to write this book, Field worked with bakers in different regions of Italy and watched women making bread for their families. She recreates here for the American baker authentic Italian tastes and textures. Her informed discussion of ingredients and methods and her engaging commentary on the role of bread in Italy's history make this an important book for bakers. 20,000 first printing; Cooking & Crafts Book Club main selection; author tour. Foreign rights: Harper. October 30 Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. NANCY SILVERTON’S BREADS FROM THE LA BREA BAKERY Nancy Silverton has become one of the people that is credited with revitalizing artisan baking. She has grown from a baker to restaurateur and pizzaioli in the restaurant she created with Chef Mario Batali, Mozza. Amazon.com Review Silverton, who hails from the renowned Los Angeles bakery for which this book is named, goes back to square one in Breads for the La Brea Bakery: the yeast. While commercial yeast may work, using it doesn't really get to the essence of good bread or good bread making. Her book describes the two-week process required to create a starter the old-fashioned way. Once that is done, there are breads, pretzels, bagels, and a host of other good things to bake. BREAD ALONE I love the way Daniel Leader writes books. They read well, and the recipes work. From Library Journal Here is a wonderful collection of delicious recipes and bread lore. Leader, a former New York City restaurant chef, runs Bread Alone, a popular Woodstock, New York, bakery well known for its breads baked in wood-fired brick ovens. Blahnik is a food writer and editor. Leader is an example of the dedicated artisans described in Joe Ortiz's excellent The Village Baker ( LJ 12/92); as he became increasingly fascinated with bread-making, he traveled to Europe and throughout the United States to uncover the secrets of the craft. The results are his traditional and "tradition-based" breads such as Country-Style Loaf with Herbs and Onion, Sourdough Rye, and Pain au Levain with Olives and Rosemary. The recipes are extremely detailed, and the accounts of Leader's adventures in the world of bread bakers are both readable and fun. Highly recommended. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Publishers Weekly WHOLE GRAIN BREADS Bread is back, Reinhart (The Bread Baker's Apprentice) asserts, and it's better than ever after being villainized during the anticarbohydrate diet fads; his manifesto of renewal, this enthusiastic tome featuring the kinds of whole grain breads he sees as the way forward, will be eagerly received by serious bakers. In three useful preliminary chapters, Reinhart describes how he developed the delayed fermentation process that makes these breads delicious as well as wholesome, dissects wheat's route from stalk to loaf and patiently walks through the new technique's theory and process, in order to arm bakers with every bit of information before they start kneading. The level of technical detail and demand for scientific precision may overwhelm amateurs, but anyone with some experience working with bread dough and starters, as well as a desire to get to the next level, will be gratified by Reinhart's intense but friendly approach. In the more than 50 recipes, from a variety of breads including multigrain loaves, whole wheat cinnamon buns, brioche and crispy lavash, Reinhart builds on the first chapters with detailed commentary on ingredients and preparation, encouraging bakers to own the process but never leaving them in the lurch. Whether or not a home baker is looking for healthier recipes, Reinhart's peerless way of writing about bread is sure to inspire a new respect for whole grains. Color photos not seen by PW. (Oct.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. THE PRETZEL COOKBOOK I see lots of people who bake, and build ovens to bake, skip over pretzels. Pretzels can be soft, crunchy, crusty, salty, sweet, chewy, crispy… and all are really good. It’s nice to turn ones baking focus to something other than bread, especially if you have a wood-fired oven. JAMIE OLIVER –JAMIE AT HOME OK… Jamie built a woodfired oven in his backyard and has gotten into gardening and cooking the veggies he grows in his oven. While the book is not focused on cooking in a woodfired oven, the techniques, ideas and pictures are enough to make you wanna cook every time you pick it up. (especially if you have a woodfired oven). I love this book. LOVE IT. Creative ideas, simple and delicious recipes and tons of wonderful enticing pictures – this book has it all, even great tips for the garden. This is the companion book to his television series “Jamie at home.” The Food network ran it for a while, now it might be on only in the UK. The book is worth it. WOODFIRED COOKING Product Description Wood-Fired Cooking is a great book. It clearly explains what to look for in your oven or BBQ, and gives you the insight on how to prepare a dish... and a whole meal. Temperature control and timing is everything. This book answers those questions. COOKING WITH FIRE Product Description Cooking with Fire - French family recipes & more for woodfire ovens, Maurice Sabbagh Yotnegparian, founder of Earthstone Ovens, shares his wealth of experience along with recipes, tips and techniques for cooking with fire. Discover a mouthwatering world of woodfire oven recipes. from breads and pizzas to seafood, poultry, meats, veggies and desserts. this is the comprehensive book that will help you get the very most out of your woodfire oven. For those of you who do not have a wood fire oven, the book includes a recipe conversion chart for conventional ovens. Maurice makes it easy! See step-by-step recipes, instructional and oven preparation techniques that will have you cooking like a woodfire expert in no time. This beautifully illustrated book contains 83 recipes expressly devised for woodfire ovens, from timeless French Classics like French Onion Soup and Boeuf Bourguignon, to updated delights such as Fig & Prosciutto Pizza and Oven Roasted Mussels. Learn how to use your woodfire oven to create whole meals or whole menus for weekend entertaining by planning dishes that coincide with the temperature of the oven. For example, if you want to start your dinner party with pizzas, you d build your fire according to instructions for pizza at a temperature of 600-700F. The leftover embers after making the pizza are perfect for grilling a second course of steak kebabs with vegetables; then pop a tarte tatin into the oven afterward (with door closed) for a perfect end to a perfect meal. What could be simpler or more ideal for entertaining? Maurice gives you his tips on all this and much, much more. Also Includes a recipe conversion chart for conventional ovens Italian / Siclian Review THE HEART OF SICILY Paneli. Arancini. Pasta che Sardi. Cassata. Caponata. Pasta pic-pac. If any of these items sound familiar to you, then CONGRATULATIONS, you are Sicilian. If not, you will still love this book. It contains wonderful recipes and charming stores of, Anna Tasca Lanza, and her family. This book is truly peasant food made at its best! Delicious and obtainable recipes that I will back up 100%. This book has got the goods. A16 – FOOD WINE A16 is a wonderful restaurant in San Francisco, specializing in the cooking of the Capania, Italy. I love this book. The first 1/3 of its contents is on Italian wine and wine parings. The last 2/3 is recipes, condiments, and pantry staples. This book is well written and includes wonderfully creative recipes and techniques. Each recipe has a wine paring. At San Francisco's acclaimed A16 restaurant (named for the highway that cuts across southern Italy), diners pack the house for chef Nate Appleman's house-cured salumi, textbook Naples-style pizzas, and gutsy slow-cooked meat dishes. Wine director Shelley Lindgren is renowned in the business for her expeditionary commitment to handcrafted southern Italian wines. In A16: FOOD + WINE, Appleman and Lindgren share the source of their inspiration—the bold flavors of Campania. From chile-spiked seafood stews and savory roasts to delicate antipasti and vegetable sides, the recipes are beguilingly rustic and approachable. Lindgren's vivid profiles of the key grapes and producers of southern Italy provide vital context for appreciating and pairing the wines. Stunning photography captures the wood-fired ambiance of the restaurant and the Campania countryside it celebrates. SICILIAN FEAST Product Description SICILIAN FEASTS was born out of the author’s love for her native Sicily. She shares the history, customs, and folklore, as well as the flavorful and varied cuisine of her beautiful Mediterranean island in recipes, stories, and anecdotes. SICILIAN FEASTS offers more than 160 recipes, along with menus for holidays, notes on ingredients, list of suppliers, an introduction to the Sicilian language, and a glossary of food terms in Sicilian, Italian, and English. Illustrations demonstrate special techniques. Giovanna Bellia La Marca uses simple methods and readily available ingredients to teach the straightforward and delectable everyday cooking of Sicily, thus allowing even novices to create feasts in their kitchens. She features examples of elaborate dishes created by the monzu’, a class of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century professional cooks. These dishes are now effortlessly recreated with modern appliances. The astonishing ’Mpanata, a lamb pie from Ragusa, is sure to please one’s most exacting guests. La Marca also introduces her readers to the practice of transforming almond paste into beautiful and realistic marzipan fruits, a traditional Sicilian art form. VINO ITALIANO – THE REGIONAL WINES OF ITALY Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali….what a pair! Joe walks you through each region and explains simply how to understand Italian wine. He covers regions, traditions, DOC, and much more. Plus, delicious recipes for each region. Product Description At one time, Italian wines conjured images of cheap Chianti in straw-wrapped bottles. More recently, expensive “Super Tuscans” have been the rage. But between these extremes lay a bounty of delicious, moderately priced wines that belong in every wine drinker’s repertoire. Vino Italiano is the only comprehensive and authoritative American guide to the wines of Italy. It surveys the country’s wine-producing regions; identifies key wine styles, producers, and vintages; and offers delicious regional recipes. Extensive reference materials—on Italy’s 300 growing zones, 361 authorized grape varieties, and 200 of the top producers— provide essential information for restaurateurs and wine merchants, as well as for wine enthusiasts. CUCINA AL’ FAMIGLIA I have not met a person yet… who has seen BIG NIGHT, and not wanted have their own seat at the dinner table waiting for Louis Prima. This book contains recipes from 3 people. Stanley Tucci, Joan Trappiano Tucci (his mom), and Gianni Scappin. Full of great recipes from fancy to peasant food… heritage and memories. A great book. BIG NIGHT – THE DVD Amazon.com Review Critics tripped all over their big feet to praise Big Night, and in doing so performed a grave disservice to this fine little film. They fooled audiences into believing it was a "super movie" instead of a home movie buoyed by friends and family. Consequently, many viewers were disappointed. Big Night is an intimate look at the immigrant struggle to attain the American Dream, set in New Jersey in the 1950s. Its disproportionate success gave co-directors Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott, who also star in the picture, the green light to follow up with a smug, unsuccessful second venture called The Imposters. Tucci wrote Big Night with his cousin Joseph Tropiano, and they based the story on the experience of growing up in a large, proud Italian family. The brothers in Big Night--chef Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and businessman Secondo (Tucci)--have come to New Jersey to open a bistro named The Paradise that serves the finest in traditional, authentic Italian cuisine. Their every move is foiled by rival restaurant Pascal's, which serves mile-high servings of spaghetti and meatballs and flasks of bad Chianti at exorbitant prices. Primo is disgusted by the fact that Americans want cheap pasta instead of risotto, so Secondo hatches a plan to boost business: rumor has it bandleader Louis Prima is travelling through and will dine at The Paradise that very night. Secondo gambles to bring the finest dinner ever cooked--at the risk of losing his shirt and being reduced to exile to the old country with his tail between his legs. Big Night is a film that will easily invite comparisons to other "food" fare like Babette's Feast and Eat Drink Man Woman but, though Tucci insists his story is "about the struggle between art and commerce and the risk of staying true to yourself," the media refused to let it stay a small, comparative work. The movie, and the buzz around it, became a parable for the essence of the film itself: art vs. commerce. --Paula Nechak MOONSTRUCK – THE DVD I have family that would consider this movie a documentary. ‘nough said. Amazon.com essential video Remember the outfit Cher wore to the Oscars when she won an Academy Award for her performance in this 1987 film? Ay-yi-yi. The actress' more retiring character in this infectious comedy leaps several psychological hurdles just giving her hair a permanent. But then the original screenplay by John Patrick Shanley (Joe Versus the Volcano) is a wonderful, gently satirical tale of an Italian-American family dealing with repression and dissatisfaction against a backdrop of cultural expectations. Cher is focused and funny as a widow who feels she should marry an older fellow (Danny Aiello), but then falls for his black-sheep brother (Nicolas Cage). Olympia Dukakis and Vincent Gardenia are perfect as her parents, and John Mahoney (of TV's Frasier) has a memorable, small role as a middle-aged man on the make who gets a lecture from Dukakis's character. Shanley's dialogue is comically stylized in a way that makes one appreciate how much words can inform an actor's performance. Taking its cues from him and director Norman Jewison (And Justice for All), the cast immerse themselves in a pool of hilariously operatic emotion. --Tom Keogh ITALIAN BAKING SECRETS From Publishers Weekly One might expect a baking book that doesn't include its first recipe until page 57 to have excessive information. But that's not the case in Fr. Giuseppe Orsini's seventh title (including Cooking Rice with an Italian Accent), which includes useful, well-written prose on the history of bread in Italy as well as baking basics, ingredients (including thorough entries on cheese and herbs) and tools. The 150-plus recipes are titled in their traditional Italian (with English translation listed below) and are divided into such concise chapters as Regional and Rustic Breads, Sweet and Holiday Breads, Tarts, and Cakes. Biscotti enthusiasts can indulge in enticing versions such as cinnamon and almond raisin, rum macadamia nut and triple ginger pecan. Staples such as pizza, focaccia and ciabatta are presented alongside seasonal holiday treats including Christmas-time Panettone and Pastiera di Grano (Easter Cooked Wheat Pie). Bakers will be glad Orsini shared this collection of Italian gems that span the boot from top to bottom. (Apr.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. THE EDIBLE ITALIAN GARDEN I built my wood-fired oven so that it would be close to the garden. My thoughts were to pick from the garden, throw it on a pizza or in a pan and shove it in the oven. My dream came true and this book helped. Wonderful pictures, advice, directions and explanations. You’ll love it. WFO Books Review THE ULTIMATE WOODFIRED OVEN BOOK Product Description Join Anna Carpenter as she shares memories of growing up in Italy, where great meals were enjoyed around the fire with family and friends. Wood-fired ovens are enormously popular today because of who the unique taste only real wood fire can instill. This book equips you with information to successfully choose, install, and use your own wood-fired oven. Great tips concerning different kinds of insulation, tools, cooking techniques, and recipes. Step-by-step guidelines and plans for building are included. Great photos will inspire you to design the perfect setting for your oven, suited to your needs and budget. THE ART OF WOODFIRED COOKING From the inside flap THIS BOOK WILL BE AVAILABLE MAY 1, 2010 The Art of Wood Fired Cooking is filled with instructional information on how to properly fire a pizza oven so anyone can create and enjoy mouthwatering wood fired dishes at home. Andrea Mugnaini shares the method of wood fired cooking she has perfected over the last twenty years for her cooking school, as well as many delightful recipes for pizzas, breads, fish, poultry, meats, vegetables, pastas, and desserts-all of which are absolutely delicious. Now you can fire up the oven and enjoy Wood-Roasted Butterflied Shrimp, Zucchini Gratin with Tomatoes and Fresh Savory, Tuscan Style Pot Roast with Herbs and Chianti, Focaccia with Onions and Thyme, and Limoncello Bread Pudding with Fresh Blackberries. When cooking with fire at home, the possibilities are endless! Andrea Mugnaini started Mugnaini Imports in 1989 to bring the Italian style of cooking and living to America through wood fired pizza oven sales. A pioneer of the industry, Andrea founded the first school dedicated to wood fired cooking. When she is not teaching or in the office, Andrea entertains crowds in the Sonoma Wine Country with her interactive cooking events. WOODFIRED COOKING - Techniques and Recipes for the Grill, Backyard Oven, Fireplace, and Campfire Reviews: Karlin has passed down the knowledge of wood-fired cooking for nine years as an instructor at the Ramekins school in Sonoma, Calif., so it is not surprising that her first cookbook is a teacherlike endeavor. It begins with an extensive review of the basics, including a chart that looks at the "appliance characteristics" of a vertical clay top-vented oven, a list of woods and their proper uses (red oak for beef and fish) and a survey of various wood-burning devices including the classic La Caja China Box, a pig roaster on wheels. Next, there is a treatise on "Becoming an Efficient Wood-Fired Cook." Finally, she challenges her readers with 100 recipes ranging from academic to scholarly. Her specialty includes entrees that include the word "smoky" or involve a plank or a brick. Smoky barbecued oysters, grilled on a campfire grate, are served with an intense vinegar-based sauce. Smoked chicken and herb dumplings uses bacon, as well as smoke, to flavor the bird. And mushroom-rubbed plank-roasted steak employs a water-soaked aromatic board to flavor and keep the meat from drying out. For extra credit, there are several complex choices that seem a tough match for the open fire, such as an apricot tart with lavender crème anglaise. (May) --Publishers Weekly, February 2, 2009 "A wood fire is always the heart and hearth of a social gathering--I never feel more at home than when I'm cooking over the flames. Mary Karlin's comprehensive and beautiful book introduces you to one of our most ancient, basic, and satisfying ways to cook." --Alice Waters, founder and co-owner of Chez Panisse and author of The Art of Simple Food YOUR BRICK OVEN Product Description Since 1992 Russell Jeavons has owned and cooked at a unique restaurant in an old cottage in one of South Australia's prized wine districts. It is famous in part because it's only open on Friday nights, but moreso for its fresh, simple food cooked entirely in Russell's wood-fired brick ovens. His pizzas are renowned throughout Australia, with fine regional ingredients artfully combined atop classic, thin, wood-oven cooked crusts. Russell's Pizza is the kind of place where friends and family gather to eat within sight of the golden, glowing kitchen; where the garden is equipped with warming braziers and outdoor fire pits for chatting, relaxing, and munching. It is an atmosphere that many of us covet for our own homes—an outdoor space where we can come together on cool nights for warmth, fun, and good food. The first part of Your Brick Oven is a step-by-step guide that takes readers through the stages of building an oven, from choosing the site to firing up for the first bake. Part two explains how to cook in the oven with invaluable tips for brick oven cooks, with recipes for sour dough bread, thin-crust pizzas, traditional roasts, fruit tarts, and sinful cakes and pastries. ITALIAN FOOD ARTISANS Amazon.com Review The traditional food products of Italy are world treasures. From aged balsamic vinegar to creamy buffalo-milk mozzarella, from Parmigiano-Reggiano to mellow extra-virgin olive oil, these classic ingredients, lovingly crafted for centuries, form the backbone of a great cuisine. Pamela Sheldon Johns's Italian Food Artisans introduces readers to the men and women who, despite the press of modern industrialization, make these edible wonders today, while offering 50 simple but delicious recipes that use them. Readers interested in Italian food culture and those seeking accessible recipes for authentic Italian dishes will want this book. Arranged by general topics such as condiments, breads, rice, and pasta, the book profiles the artisans in words and evocative color photos; recipes follow. We meet, for example, the Mori family of Tuscany, whose farm factory has produced extra-virgin olive oil for over two centuries. Recipes include the enticing Penne Santo, a cabbage, pancetta, and olive oil-topped bread, and Torta di Capezzana, a delicious olive oil cake, among others. We journey also to the tiny village of Piantella in Abruzzo, among other places, where Gianluigi Peduzzi oversees the pasta-making business started by his great-grandfather; recipes include Orechiette with Clams and Broccoli Rabe, and Shells Stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta in Asparagus Sauce. We also encounter makers of chestnut flower honey, chocolate, vin santo, and wild boar prosciutto, among other ingredients, and are given recipes for their use. A list of resources for finding the products both here and in Italy concludes the book, which, in its evocation of venerable traditions still practiced, is also heartening. It's good to know the modern world, so geared to homogenization, still contains them. --Arthur Boehm For Kids Review STREGA NONA If you’re Italian, and you have little Italians….. BUY THIS BOOK. Call me… and we’ll chat over a Cannoli how wonderful this book is. STREGA NONA-MET HER MATCH STREGA NONA- MERRY CHRISTMAS BRAVA STREGA NONA STREGA NONA-MAGIC LESSONS Home - Frankie G's Pizza Oven Project - Email fgpizza@comcast.net or call 925.354.6129