Old World Italian

June 15, 2020
In breathless prose, Thorisson (French Country Cooking) recalls “charging over the mountains in a car filled with children and dogs” to move from the French countryside to Turin on a whim. That fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants tone never lets up, resulting in a book that is exhilarating if occasionally scattered: a chapter on aperitivi, for example, opens with coffee drinks, and French madeleines pop up among the dessert selections with the justification that Turin was once a French duchy. The recipes are clear-cut and easy to follow, many of which come from Italian chefs and restaurants, such as the lemon meringue cake from Harry’s Bar in Venice and tomato jam from landmark Neapolitan restaurant Mimì alla Ferrovia. Characters like Frenky Vergnano, whose family owns Italy’s oldest coffee roasting company, also pitch in. (He contributes an artichoke risotto recipe.) As the title indicates, these are largely familiar, classic recipes, or, as the author deems them, “the universally beloved ones... the ‘Ultimate Best of Collection’ ”—and cover stalwarts including eggplant parmigiana, saltimbocca with sage and prosciutto, and pasta with everything from clams to a Bolognese sauce. The author’s husband contributes a mini-essay on coffee and spectacular photographs. This is an impeccably styled record from a keen-eyed outsider looking in.

September 25, 2020

After living in France for several years, chef Thorisson (Kitchen in France) moved to Turin, Italy, with her husband and children. This move inspired her to write this collection focused on classic Italian cuisine. Here, recipes are arranged by course: "Aperitivi, Antipasti, Primi (pasta)," "Secondi (meats)," "Contorni (vegetables)," and "Dolci (sweets)." It's a family affair, with excellent photography courtesy of Thorisson, the author's husband. Her children are often included in the photos, interspersed with shots of local residents and the beautiful Italian countryside. The recipes themselves are primarily familiar favorites, such as eggplant parmigiana and pumpkin ravioli with brown butter, chestnut, and sage. Each dish is further prefaced with personal stories and vignettes that often double as a travel narrative. VERDICT Well laid out and aimed at home cooks, with easily obtainable ingredients and measurements given in both metric and standard amounts, this is an attractive Italian cookbook with an inspirational lifestyle message. Purchase where there is interest.--Susan Hurst, Miami Univ. Libs., Oxford, OH

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