Bravissima! Bravissimo! for the fabulous flavors of Italian cooking

Our infatuation with the food of Italy has gone far beyond a mere passion for pasta and pizza. It's become a full-fledged love affair with la cucina Italiana. This has translated into an ever-increasing volume of volumes on Italian cooking, with lots of repetition, imitation, and humdrum entries. So, finding a book, and author, with a fresh approach or hearing from a formidable force in food fashion is cause for jubilation.

REVIEWS BY SYBIL PRATT

Susan Herrmann Loomis, who took us on a recipe-packed Gallic gambol with her charming, informative French Farmhouse Cookbook, now takes us on a cook's tour of Italy's rich agricultural landscape in her fresh, authentic Italian Farmhouse Cookbook.

The more than 250 recipes come directly from farms and farmers, from cooks who remain connected to the land and prepare unpretentious, economical food with vibrant, complex flavors. No fancy urban flourishes here, just a feast of regional recipes to contemplate and cook. Loomis has explored every part of the Italian countryside, so you'll find an exquisitely simple salad of Radicchio with Anchovy Sauce from the Veneto, Garlicky Cheese Polenta from Lombardy, a real Tuscan Panzanella and a deep-flavored Chicken with Sage, gutsy Glutton's Swordfish sauced with a Sicilian blend of raisins, pinenuts, onions and garlic, Peppery Pork Stew from the Abruzzo, and an Amazing Apple Cake from Umbria made with biscotti dough.

This friendly, chatty book gives you a real feeling for the core cuisine of the country. As you travel with Loomis, you meet the people she met -- gardeners, rice farmers, olive growers, wine makers, prosciutto curers, cheese makers -- go into their kitchens, watch them cook and, with a little work on your part, taste their fabulous food.


Now for the fancy flourishes from a formidable force in food fashion. . . . Though Pino Luongo is the owner of 10 trendy, highly successful restaurants in the United States, and has lived and cooked here for 20 years, he's Tuscan to the very marrow of his bones and believes that big benefits can come from putting "a little of Tuscany" in all our lives. To bring that Tuscan touch to our tables and our attitude toward all things edible, he presents us with his third cookbook, Simply Tuscan. These "recipes for a well-lived life" are truly Tuscan and simply stunning, but they're not simple; be prepared to spend time with Pino, assembling ingredients, following his instructions -- and always read the recipe through before beginning. "Thinking Tuscan" and following nature's lead, the recipes are arranged according to the season, and each season is celebrated with a "quintessential menu" and three or four others that honor holidays and special events from "A Summer Grilling and Barbecue Buffet" and a "Lunch for Children and their Friends," to "A Tuscan Thanksgiving Dinner." Tradition mixes easily with modernity. Bay Scallops and Asparagus Risotto is a variation on a classic, as is summery Fusilli Salad with Swordfish and Grapefruit, while redolent "Rostinciana," Grilled Pork Ribs Florentine Style, and cream-filled "Bombolini," are among the tempting, time-tested Italianate treats. Evocative photos, lovely watercolors, and Senore Luongo's running commentary and reminiscences put the finishing touches on this eloquent Italian experience.


Sybil Pratt has been cooking up this column for more than five years.

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