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Southern Italian Desserts by Rosetta Costantino – A Book Review and a Giveaway
Zeppole di San Giuseppe
We have a winner!
The winner is Laney of the website Ortensia Blu!
Congratulazioni, Laney, your book is on its way!
Rosetta Costantino, food writer, cooking teacher, and native of Calabria, gathered her husband and kids, and traveled through the Italian regions of Calabria, Campania, Basilicata, Puglia and Sicily to find the classic desserts of Southern Italy, a swath of territory known as the Mezzogiorno. From cookies, to cakes, cream-filled pastries and frozen desserts, she tried them all, developed recipes and now presents them here in Southern Italian Desserts, entry number three in my Suggestions for Christmas Giving. This book will whet your appetite for holiday baking and gift giving, while awakening memories of family gatherings and long lost recipes. It’s a dream come true, a sweet tour of southern Italy, and I’m glad to say that the publisher, Ten Speed Press, has provided a copy of the book to give to one lucky reader.
The book opens with a brief history of Southern Italy and a discussion of the many different cultural influences and their contributions to the cuisine. The chapter A Southern Italian Dessert Pantry lists the tools, pans and other items necessary along with descriptions of various Italian ingredients. Like the country itself, the recipes are divided by region, presented in unique chapters. Read the remainder of this entry »
My Calabria by Rosetta Costantino with Janet Fletcher
A Book Review
My Calabria: Rustic Family Cooking from Italy’s Undiscovered South
I have mentioned it before. I am a cookbook addict, an avid collector. I love the genre, and my shelves are overflowing. Positively, absolutely overflowing. The truth is the books have begun a slow walk across the library floor, down the hall to the side of my bed. Ask anyone who knows me, and they’ll tell you. It is only fitting that the books have made their way to my bedside since cookbooks are my preferred bedtime reading. But with all those books I have had to become highly selective with my purchases. This one, however, was the proverbial no brainer. As soon as I heard that Rosetta Costantino had written a book on the cooking of Calabria, I knew I had to buy it. Ms. Costantino was born in Calabria, and at the age of fourteen came with her parents to the United States. She and her family live in Oakland, California where she teaches cooking. Her book was released late last year. I apologize to you all for keeping it to myself. Its 416 pages are filled with the food and culture of Calabria, all from the very personal viewpoint of Ms. Costantino. This collection of recipes, reminiscences and cultural background will have you reaching for your Post-It Flags. Read the remainder of this entry »