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It's been more than 40 years since Biba Caggiano came to America from her home in northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, and she still yearns for the luscious food that has earned the region a coveted spot on the culinary map. Long an accomplished author, television cooking-show host, and restaurateur, Caggiano still finds a constant source of inspiration in the cooking of her homeland--from the rich stuffed pasta dishes and complex ragus of Emilia to the simple grilled fish dishes and lusty brodettos (seafood stews) of Romagna.
Biba's Taste of Italy is a fascinating culinary tour of Caggiano's beloved region. In chapters on every course from antipasti to dolci, Caggiano introduces readers to the succulent dishes of the area and paints a vivid portrait of both the food and the people. Her salty-sweet Eggplant Parmigiano stars the region's own Parma ham and Bolognese sausage; Seafood Risotto recalls the irresistible bounty of the Adriatic sea that laps the shores of Romagna; and the trademark of Emilia-Romagna cooking--stuffed pasta--appears frequently in dishes like Squash Ravioli with Squab Ragu and Balsamic Vinegar and Cannelloni with Meat Stuffing
In the spirit of the region's small villages, Caggiano offers recipes for unassuming dishes like Roasted, Marinated, and Skewered Eel, in which the delicately sweet flavor of this unusual fish is expertly balanced with the simple yet robust flavors of extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, fresh sage, and pancetta. Roasted Stuffed Breast of Veal is a truly classic Emilian dish, and Caggiano's version--stuffed with a mixture of sautéed vegetables, Parmigiano, nutmeg, and eggs, then roasted golden brown with a crisp crust--is among the most delectable. Desserts run the gamut from the light, delicious Chestnut-Ricotta Fritters to the dense, sweet Honey-Walnut-Raisin Pie to a refreshing Strawberry Gelato.
The clear, easy-to-follow instructions accompanying each recipe make the book a joy to cook from and the beautiful page design makes it a pleasure to peruse. A brief chapter on the wines of the region and another on Where to Eat in Emilia-Romagna make the book complete. --Robin Donovan
Book Description
"There has not been one single day since I have left Bologna in 1960 that I have not yearned for and lusted after the food of Emilia-Romagna. That food is part of my heritage and culture. After twenty-five years of cooking professionally, I can truly say that the food of my region has been a constant source of inspiration in all I have done."
Join author, cooking show host, and restaurateur Biba Caggiano on her journey back to her beloved region in Biba's Taste of Italy.Located in one of Italy's most prosperous northern regions, Emilia-Romagna has given the world a cuisine that is a luscious as it is refined: succulent seafood dishes from the Adriatic waters; hearty, long-simmered ragÙs; and rich pasta shaped into tortellini, anolini, and lasagna. With Biba, dicover the place that's home to so much of what we've come to love in Italian food: prosciutto di Parma, Modena's aged balsamic vinegar, mortadella, and perhaps the world's greatest cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Featuring more than 250 recipes, from antipasti to desserts, Biba introduces the vibrant food of her childhood: homestyle dishes and authentic recipes from humble trattorie and family-run restaurants. You'll learn how to make Tagliatelle with Bolognese RagÙ; Eggplant Parmigiano that combines the salty-sweet flavors of Parma ham and Bolognese sausage; earthy, bread-thickened soups; Potato and Ricotta Gnocchi; and irresistible seafood risotto. Of course, the symbol Emilia-Romagna cooking -- stuffed pasta -- is here in all its glory with recipes for Ricotta and Goat Cheese Tortellini, Butternut Squash Tortellini, and Anolini in Broth, and so many more.
From the region's coastal towns and villages, Biba shares the simply prepared seafood dishes of the local trattoric -- Clams with Garlic and Cile Pepper and Baked Halibut with Potatoes, plus the simple tastes of grilling shellfish with olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs. In the same rustic spirit, you will also find Roasted Stuffed Breast of Veal, Braised Veal Shanks, and succulent Breaded Lamb Chops.
Biba's frequent family visits to Bologna evoke childhood memories of growing up in this food-lover's paradise, and reaffirms that the kitchen remains the heart and soul of Italian homes.
Bib's Taste of Italy is more than a collection of recipes. It is also a travel guide with all the names and addresses of her favorite trattorie and restaurants where her favorite dishes can be found.
Join Biba as she returns to Emilia-Romagna in Biba's Taste of Italy. It's a trip you will take again and again in your own kitchen.
Customer Reviews:
great addition to her tv show.......2007-02-05
I watched her show on PBS and wanted to know more. The recipies were great with varying skill level. Some were spend the day in the kitchen and others were simpler. I love the soup where you make "noodles" from cheese and breadcrumbs. That's the best!
A dispatch from the International Food Central.......2004-01-19
This sixth book from Biba Caggiano concentrates on `Recipes from the Homes, Trattorie, and Restaurants of Emilia-Romagna', which makes it a long dispatch from International FOOD CENTRAL. There is probably no other similarly sized region on earth with so many world class foodstuffs. At the top of the list stands Parmigiano-Reggiano, Balsamic Vinegar, and Prosciutto de Parma followed by a long tradition of salume, wines, and classic ragu and pasta recipes. The interest of the region is doubled by the fact that Emilia and Romagna have two different cuisines. The former is more traditional and is based primarily on butter. The latter is more adventuresome, more seafood, and more olive oil. This all contributes to a major head start for this book as a major culinary resource.
Ms. Caggiano is a native of Bologna and still has a substantial family living in and around the city, so her recipes have a certain cachet, which may be missing from the average Italian cookbook. Her chapter subjects are very traditional, being:
Antipasti
Savory Breads and Savory Fritters
Soups
Pasta
Risotto, Gnocchi, and Polenta
Seafood
Poultry and Meat
Vegetables
Salads
Cakes, Tarts, Fritters, Biscotti, Ice Cream, and Fruit Desserts
While it may not be an entirely fair comparison, I matched this volume to Lydia Bastianich's book `Lydia's Italian Kitchen'. Although Ms. Bastianich is covering all of Italy, her strength is in northern Italy, as is Ms. Caggiano. Both books have about 400 pages at $30 for Ms. Lydia and $38 for Ms. Biba. The indexes for both books are friendly to both Italian impaired and those who know and relish all the lovely Italian names for recipes. Ms. Bastianich takes the slightly more scholarly approach of having complete duplicate listings with separate listings, for example, of `frico con ripieno di patate e funghi' and `potato and mushroom filling for frico'. Ms. Caggiano gives the Italian name with a reference to the English translation, as in `cacciatora, see hunter-style'.
The two books give almost identical coverage to major topics such as gnocchi. I would give a slight edge to Ms. Lydia for her gnocchi, although I will concede that differences in recipes may be due to regional differences. For some reason, Ms. Lydia includes egg in her potato gnocchi and Ms. Biba does not. To break the tie, I referred to Waverly Root's book on Italian cuisine. He says a very little egg is typically included. Mario Batali's book on Emilia-Romagna gives a potato recipe almost identical to that of Ms. Lydia. Ms. Biba does have some recipes such as cacciatora style dishes, ragu Bolognese, and baccala (salt cod) that are not in Ms. Lydia's book.
In general, I believe Ms. Lydia gives more complete instructions on general topics such as artichokes, although their treatments of fresh pasta seem comparable. I would really like to have both available, as it is clear that both know what they are doing.
Sidebars and headnotes in the two books are equally entertaining, with no overlap. If Ms. Biba's book were the only one available on the cuisine of Emilia-Romagna, I would welcome both books on my bookshelf. At the moment, I know of no other book, which claims to cover the whole province. Mario's book, 'Simple Italian Food' only covers recipes from a single trattoria on the boundary of Toscana and Emilia-Romagna. To those without any Italian cookbook, I would recommend Ms. Lydia's book, as it claims to cover the whole country. To those with a good general Italian cookbook, Ms. Biba provides a delightful supplement.
One of the best!.......2003-01-11
Last summer I took my two adult daughters to Biba's for a special mother/daughter dinner. We were treated graciously and had an unbelievable dining experience! We were even able to purchase this book, all three of us, to add to our cookbook collections, and have them autographed by Biba herself. She is a most amazing, and warm host. Her book is beyond most in her style of cooking and authenticity. We love you Biba!
Biba Rocks!.......2002-09-11
I was given this book as a Christmas gift from my father, who even took the time to bring it to Biba at her restaurant in Sacramento (Biba's) so she could autograph it to me. Anyway, the very first recipe I tried, the sauteed halibut with olives, capers and tomatoes, turned out PERFECTLY. I've never had halibut so wonderfully and perfectly sauced. The treatment of the halibut meant it turned out exceptionally well textured, tender and flavorful, but not over or under cooked. My dinner date was extremely impressed. He actually thinks I can cook - well even! I'd like to take credit for it, but I can't. Since then, every other recipe from this book I've tried has also turned out successfully.
My main regret is that I didn't make more sauce, as I could have eaten twice as much of it. When not devouring the halibut, we were both frantically scooping any extra sauce onto the slices of rustic loaf Italian bread I baked earlier in the day - but that's another recipe.
The only additional item I would like to have seen is a wine pairing suggestion. But, I'm perfectly capable of figuring that out for myself, and rather enjoy the challenge. I chose a high quality light Red Zinfandel (1999 Fiddletown Lot 1 Red Zinfandel from Sobon Estate). Ordinarily it might be considered a little heavy for fish, but it balanced well with the glorious sauce in this recipe.
Biba Rocks!
Not enough recipes.......2001-12-11
If you're more interested in local flavor or in the history of the recipes involved then this is a good book for you. I prefer a cookbook with more recipes and less chit-chat. However, she does include "helpful tips" which I found useful.
Book Description
*Boxed set collecting is the fast growing aspect of the toy train-collecting hobby - an estimated 40% of Lionel Train collectors are interested in boxed set
*Train sets with all their original packaging and original set carton command twice the sum of individual components value
One man's trash is another collector's treasure, just take a look at today's growing community of toy train collectors eagerly searching for the boxes toy trains come in. Once the clumsy outer packaging quickly discarded for a prized Lionel Train, boxed sets of postwar Lionel Trains draw focus and favor today among many refined collectors. This beautifully illustrated guide, with 500 photos, includes every catalogued Lionel Train set, complete with current secondary market pricing and packaging information. This book undoubtedly will appeal to your love for Lionel!
Customer Reviews:
Lionel Trains.......2007-09-28
Anyone interested in Lionel Toy Trains would find this book very interesting. Listings presented with many pictures and a excellent description. There are many pictures showing the original boxes the train sets were in and giving various dates on production. This book is not just numbers and prices. A very good source of information for the collector and train buff.
No HO information at all.......2007-09-25
I found my old HO gauge train set in the attic and wanted to learn more about it. Reading the info about this book you would think it covered all Lionel train sets. The truth is there is info about all sizes except HO. If HO is your interest look elsewhere.
Excellent book for the Lionel Collector!.......2007-09-14
Excellent book, well written for even the most experienced Lionel Collector. I've put together a nice collection of books on Lionel Electric Trains over the years, and this nice work fits right and....and fills a void or two in the other works.
You will enjoy looking through it, and find answers to your questions.
Lionel Train Sets 1945-1969.......2007-08-06
I think the book is real good, a little confusing but with time should be a great guide.
Doyle Does it Again.......2007-06-10
It's a shame that Greenberg (kalmbach) decided not to update any of their books in a while, because they are top notch. This created a vacuum for those of us in the train collecting hobby that want the most current information. This book is wonderful. There are pictures of almost every set talked about, the language and writing style are great, and it is thorough. I hope Mr. Doyle writes a book on uncataloged sets too, as a recent book on that topic hasn't been written in over 10 years. The price of this book is unbeatable. Try finding it cheaper than on Amazon...and it shipped FREE.
Book Description
Do You Live for Lionel?
There may be other things to live for, but collecting Lionel Trains takes living to a whole new level! The world of postwar Lionel Trains brought countless innovations to the legendary line that helped define the electric toy train, and this book breaks it all down into easy-to-find sections.
Divided into locomotives, freight and maintenance of way, passenger cars, accessories, catalogs, and cataloged sets, each section is then broken down further into subcategories such as steam locomotives and flatcars. Once you've found your model and style, you'll discover detailed descriptions unmatched by anything you've seen in other train guides!
Identifying and assessing your Lionel collection is made easy by the 1,450 detailed color photos, rarity ratings and up-to-date values that fill the pages of this must-have collectible train resource.
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Reference.......2007-03-15
This is an excellent reference work. The layout of the book is easy to use and the pictures are first class. This book surpasses many of the standard reference works available. Makes a great addition to a reference library on Lionel Trains.
perfect.......2007-03-09
this is the only book you will ever need if you collect older lionel trains it covers all the bases and lets me remember everything I forgot many years ago when I got my first train set extremely informative thanks I only wish there was a book to cover later years
A major 'must have' bible of information.......2007-02-03
Now in a newly expanded and updated second edition, David Doylle's "Standard Catalog of Lionel Trains' showcases Lionel toy trains made from 1945 through 1969. Surveyed in an authoritative collector's reference this new edition packs over a thousand color photos with its expanded catalog , which includes variations on Lionel cars and accessories. Many collectors of Lionels will find come to consider this a major 'must have' bible of information, packing in color photos and charts of values for Lionel trains in all conditions.
Excellent catalog to find information on Post Lionel trains.......2007-01-19
Excellent amount of information on post Lionel trains. The catalog contains the highest amount of information on Lionel trains, the value and rarity for each model. Plenty of photos to provide visual reference for your research.
Collector Guide.......2007-01-04
The best or one of the best Lionel guides to postwar Lionel trains. The only guide that authoritatively lists all production variations over the years covered.
Average customer rating:
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Little Book of Garden Heroes (Centre for Alternative Technology)
Allan Shepherd
Manufacturer: New Society Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1902175212 |
Book Description
This delightful little book shows how to attract beneficial wildlife and choose useful plants that will help rule out the need for chemicals in the garden. It takes the four basic ingredients that make a successful garden and selects the 'heroes' (and some of their sidekicks) that best represent them:
- the earthworm soil improver
- the honey-bee pollinator
- comfrey, the beneficial plant, and
- the predatory ladybug.
The Little Book of Garden Heroes explains the work these heroes do and gives tips on how to cater for their needs and habits when designing a garden. It encourages readers to kick the chemicals and go organic.
Customer Reviews:
Helpful.......2006-12-06
This book is full of games to play with your baby, divided up by months. It is helpful for knowing the stages of mental growth and for finding fun things to do with your baby.
Baby Fun.......2006-11-03
First time mother with no kid experience. Was a helpful tool for me. Gave me ideas on games and activities that would not only be fun for my toddler but would help him developmentally. Really had some good ideas.
Good for when you run out of ideas.......2005-10-26
This book doesnt provide you with games that are unique or that you havent practiced by the time you receive the book. I knew this before buying the book, still I decided to buy it. I keep it in the playing area, and when I run out of ideas I turn to it and find something else to play with my baby. Its like a memory jogger, you know all the stuff in there, but you still need it to help you remember what you know...if that makes any sense to you.
A Must Have Game Book for Baby.......2004-07-26
I totally agree with the author's saying: The best toy for your baby is one that stimulates all five senses - and that is you!
I would spend a lot of money buying toys for my lovable baby. After reading this book, I knew that my baby favors me more than any toys. I used some of the game ideas from this book to play with my baby, we both had great fun. There are so many great ideas in this book, and it is nicely organized by age: 0-3 months, 3-6 months etc. I highly recommend this book to every parent.
not what I expected.......2004-01-10
There wasn't as much in this book as I was hoping for. The games that are suggested are mainly things I would do with my baby anyway. I guess I was hoping for a little more creativity and insight about development. Also, some of the games did not seem safe to me. One game suggests putting down a wooden ladder for a toddler to walk through like an obstacle course and sitting at the other end to encourage him/her to walk through. That just sounded like a trip hazard with a parent too far away to catch.
Book Description
“Frank Loesser could write authoritatively in virtually any style and, frankly, did,” observed composer-lyricist Maury Yeston. “A genius melodist and a supergenius lyricist, only he would ever rhyme ‘pelts’ with ‘else’ [“Take Back Your Mink”] or ‘India’ with ‘been to ya’ [“They’re Either Too Young or Too Old”] while simultaneously combining a crackling intellect with a heart as big as the moon.”
Frank Loesser–who, like Irving Berlin and Cole Porter, wrote both music and lyrics for his shows–has been called the most versatile of Broadway composers. His five musicals are among Broadway’s most creative and enduring achievements: Where’s Charley?, Guys and Dolls (for which he won his first Tony Award), The Most Happy Fella, Greenwillow, and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (for which he won both the Tony and the Pulitzer Prize). But well before Loesser wrote his first show, he was known to America for the song hits of his Hollywood career, including the Oscar-winning “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” “On a Slow Boat to China,” “Two Sleepy People,” “Heart and Soul,” “I Don’t Want to Walk Without You,” and “Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year,” as well as the wartime hit “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition.”
Robert Kimball and Steve Nelson have gathered lyrics from such varied sources as rare private recordings, the personal files of Frank Loesser, and the archives of various film studios. Here, too, are photographs of the stars who helped make Loesser’s songs famous, such as Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Marlene Dietrich, Ray Bolger, and Betty Hutton. Kimball and Nelson’s research has yielded many previously “lost” lyrics, making it possible for the first time to fully grasp the extent of Frank Loesser’s extraordinary talent.
Customer Reviews:
A great resource!.......2007-06-16
If you are a fan of musicials or even just a fan of music then I recommend this book. With over 700 songs listed there is something in here for everyone. I originally bought it as I wanted to find the lyrics for some of Betty Hutton's songs, but I will also look into more of Frank Loesser's musicials in the future.
Wonderful!.......2003-11-21
Any serious fan of popular songwriting should buy this book. Frank Loesser is frequently overlooked when discussing the great songwriters of the 20th century. Hopefully, this book will correct that. I just got the book a few days ago, and skimming through it I've laughed out loud and have been moved by Loesser's facility with language. There are dozens of unpublished songs in here, and I yearn to hear the melodies, especially Loesser's own.
Meticulously researched and bountifully exuberant, I will treasure this book for many years. Thanks to all who assembled it.
Customer Reviews:
A Wider World Not as Primitive As Bronx Primitive.......2000-04-13
Kate Simon truly throws her whole self into her novel, A Wider World: Portraits In An Adolescence. A Wider World is the detailed and enjoyable sequel to Bronx Primitive: Portraits in a Childhood. In Kate Simon's non-elusive description of her horrifying and lesson-teaching adolescence, a grand picture is painted of growing up in the heart of New York City, and what it feels like to be alone while surrounded by so many people. What makes this lenghty prose so amazing is that it's all true! To read Simon's words, knowing that it happened, and that someone can reflect upon their teenage-hood with such grace and dignity, is more than worth the time it takes to read it.
Books:
- Confession of Skulls: The Ghost Clan
- Confessions of a Name Dropper
- Corregidor: From Paradise to Hell!
- Crash and Burn: The Survival Story of a Fighter Pilot
- Cuban Confederate Colonel: The Life of Ambrosio Jose Gonzales
- Diary of an Army Baker, Quartermaster Corps, Southwest Pacific, 1942-45 (Studies in American History)
- Diary of Desert Storm's Combat Gynecologist
- Don't Tread on Me: The Selected Letters of S. J. Perelman
- Drawing Fire: Vietnam Through the Eyes of a Combat Artist
- Ensor's Endeavour: A Biography of Wing Commander Mick Ensor Dso & Bar, Dfc & Bar, Afc, Rnzaf & Raf
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