The Sicily Cookbook
Authentic Recipes from a Mediterranean Island
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2.0 • 1 Rating
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- $1.99
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- $1.99
Publisher Description
Embark on the enchanting culinary journey and experience the culinary delights of the Sicilian diet.
Join Sicilian cook, writer, and photographer Cettina Vicenzino as she shares more than 70 authentic and mouth-watering recipes from this unique Mediterranean island. While only a few miles from Italy, Sicily's heritage is proudly distinct from that of the mainland, favoring dishes packed with spices, citrus fruits, cheeses, olives, tomatoes, eggplants, and seafood.
Featuring three strands of Sicilian cooking - Cucina Povera (peasant food), Cibo di Strada (street food), and Cucina dei Monsù (sophisticated food) - alongside profiles on local chefs and food producers, The Sicily Cookbook invites you to discover the island's culinary culture and let your summer cooking burst with Mediterranean sunshine.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Sicilian-born, German-raised writer Vicenzino beautifully captures Sicily's traditions and quirks with stunning images and insightful text in her U.S. debut. Biographical sketches of Sicilians tie the recipes together: for example, Elvira, who owns a bed-and-breakfast in Agrigento, explains how her mother makes jarred tomato puree and from that the intense extract known as stratt which in turn appears in a pasta recipe from the mayor of Palermo. A few items such as almonds used in cinnamon-scented meatballs and a blancmange pudding are treated to contextual histories. Recipes are specific and include suggestions for the type of olive oil and the preferred eggplant variety for the island's signature pasta alla norma. Unsurprisingly for the cuisine of an island "embraced by three seas," main courses rely heavily on seafood, and the sea seeps into other areas as well, such as a side dish of potatoes cooked in seawater. Dessert options include a cassata torte and a strawberry granita. The author notes that "a cookbook is not supposed to be a substitute for a country and its flavors" and instead is meant to "evoke a cooking culture" and inspire readers to learn more. This volume easily succeeds as an inspiring introduction to the flavors of Sicily.
Customer Reviews
Not What I Expected
I appreciate what the author has done, and the book is nicely designed. Not many recipes, more a survey of what is hip in the culinary scenes of Sicily. The constant suggestion to use produce from Sicily struck me as pretentious.