Over the course of my marriage, I have become the chef of the house, because I love to cook and Dennis doesn’t. Rosie and Tycho can not reach the knobs on the stove.
So I got new pans for “Christmas.” We had a set of KitchenAid non-stick pans, but as the Teflon had begun to peel, so I wanted stainless steel. I also wanted something made in the US. (Or at least something built without sweatshop labor) I chose AllClad Stainless Steel. They are absolutely gorgeous. When we bought a small set, we got a lasagna pan, pot holders, and a lovely hardback book Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan. I’ve been using them since I got them, we didn’t wait for the holiday.
Okay on to the book review. This is simply one of the best cookbooks I’ve come across for simple, delicious, and authentic Italian food. The book is filled with recipes, but my favorite part is the the descriptions of ingredients and their uses in the beginning of the book.
As for the recipes, the step-by-step instructions are easy to follow. Many of the recipes have personal stories attached to them. Each recipe I have made so far— which has only been a few since I only have had it for a few weeks–have been fantastic. It’s been cold, so I’ve made mainly the soups and pastas.
Tomorrow, I’m using a few friends as Guinea Pigs… I mean I am hosting dinner guests so I can make pasta with cream and butter sauce and the pan roasted lamb on page 411 which is an old recipe from Lombard. The recipe talks about how this method of cooking makes even older lambs tender which is a good idea since I am purchasing lamb in winter.
ZB's Blog of Awesomeness 