Recommended reading: Absolutely all about Italian food

January 10, 2022 | by Anne Katrin Schwanitz | lifestyle, publications

Italian food is legendary all over the world, and there is hardly a nation that does not love pizza or pasta. Germans and Europeans in particular love the culinary delicacies from “Bella Italia”, as studies have shown several times.

Anyone who enjoys Italian cooking and generally enjoys Mediterranean cuisine should not miss the new bibliophile show “The Gourmet Bible Italy”. This 400-page masterpiece, written by French restaurant critic and journalist François-Régis Gaudry, offers everything you need to know about Italy’s culinary universe: With 265 recipes, product portraits, product information and short anecdotes about the delicacies on display, the ultimate bible for everyone gourmeter. From “Affogato” to “Zuppa inglese” you will find top-class culinary secrets here.

Probably the largest collection of culinary facts

The extended title “Absolutely everything about Italian cuisine” is not exaggerated, because Gaudry has obviously not left out any relevant fact. The important kitchen utensils are described in words and pictures (eg the parmesan grater or cannoli rolls), different vessels such as different wine decanters and their correct designation or movements, how you can express without words if you like it. A special treat is the “Eat Spaghetti Proper” page. If you follow the instructions, you have a good chance of impressing both the host and those who follow you the next time you visit a local Italian restaurant.

Pleasure classified geographically

Another highlight is the overview «Genussgeografie», which describes the typical ingredients, dishes and drinks that traditionally come from and which are especially popular in which regions in Italy. For example, Italy fans will learn that Grana Padano hard cheese is especially popular in northern Italy and that Pecorino is much more common.

There is also food knowledge and just looking at it and the detailed description of the taste of 30 typical Italian tomato varieties can make you run water in your mouth. And anyone who thought they knew the way around the different types of pasta will quickly learn something else. The professional gourmet devotes two comprehensive pages to the origins and producers of spaghetti.

Classics in different varieties

Of course, the recipes of Italian classics such as pizza, lasagne, penne all’arrabiata, vitello tonnato, risotto or tiramisu are not neglected. What is special about the recipes presented is that they are varieties of special personalities such as Italian star chefs or film directors. Readers often also find out where the described dish originally came from and in what different ways (with fresh or canned tomatoes? Spaghetti or Penne?) The recipes can be prepared.

Italian food also includes “green bottle of gold” that sometimes makes Mediterranean cuisine so healthy: olive oil. That is why a detailed chapter on the history and selection of flavors of this important ingredient should not be missed. This also applies to the basic ingredient in olive oil: the most common types of table olives are also presented.

Italian food is much more than pasta and pizza, it is characterized by its diversity (Photo: Pablo Merchán Montes)

The author is also not stingy with background knowledge, and so readers also learn something about the Slow Food movement, which – what many do not know – has its origins in Italy. Although pasta and co are often referred to as ingenious Italian fast food due to their fast cooking method, it is an important principle in Italian food culture to take time to enjoy the meals – among other things to enjoy the food itself, but also the food Recognize the chefs for the food properly.

Conclusion: An absolute must for lovers of Italian food

Anyone who enjoys Italian and Italian cuisine and enjoys cooking will find that this masterpiece is the best basic book available at the moment. Reading provides not only absolutely deep knowledge, but also insider knowledge, which is not only useful in itself, but which you can quickly shine with in small talk. Rarely does a cookbook (the term is actually too mundane for this work) offer so much exciting culinary information and is so beautifully designed that it deserves a book design award. “The Gourmet Bible Italy” awakens the longing for the beautiful country in the Mediterranean and makes sure that you can conjure up a little “Dolce Vita” on your own dining table.

Anne Katrin Schwanitz

Anne-Katrin Schwanitz writes on Expat News about intercultural themes and aspects of labor, tax and social security law for business travel and assignments abroad as well as trends in digital nomadism and emigration.