Viva Biba!

REVIEWS BY SIBYL PRATT

Can there ever be too many Italian cookbooks? That's a question I ask myself every month as I go through the new arrivals and pick out titles for review. The answer is yes, if they're mediocre, and definitely no, if they can recreate the endless wonders of the real cucina Italiana, whether it's what you'd find simmering on your nonna's stove (if you're lucky enough to have an Italian grandmother), served in a classy classic ristorante in Bologna or trotted out in a trendy trattoria in Rome. A new Italian cookbook by Biba Caggiano never poses such a question—it's always welcome, always authentic, always a pleasure to use. Biba's Italy: Favorite Recipes from the Splendid Cities offers a cook's tour of Rome, Milan, Venice, Bologna and Florence, with 100 recipes plus the names and addresses of restaurants, wine bars, food markets, specialty stores and cooking schools. You can try Chicken with Peppers alla Romana; creamy Risotto with Spinach from Florence; Potato Gnocchi with Classic Bolognese Ragù and Bologna's Stuffed Pork Chop from Biba's famous hometown; and Old-Fashioned Milanese Veal Shanks, Pasta and Bean Soup Venetian-Style. The easy-to-follow directions, anecdotes and advice come from one of Italy's finest cooks and teachers.


Good, better, best

Fran McCullough knows best, maybe not about everything, but surely about American recipes. She's sifted through cookbooks, magazines, newspapers, the Internet, supermarket flyers, restaurant press releases, even the backs of boxes for the past seven years searching, testing and tasting thousands of dishes for the 150 recipes that make it into her annual edition of The Best American Recipes. Now, Fran and co-editor Molly Stevens have taken the next step and culled their favorite 150 from all those previous winners. Not surprisingly, this book is called The 150 Best American Recipes and not surprisingly it's a fabulous collection of the best of the best. I usually figure that if I can find one or two recipes in a new book that become part of my do-over-and-over-again repertoire, it's well worth the price and the sampling, but here I found a lot more than that. Starters like Cheddar Walnut Crisps and Mini Frittatas with Wild Mushrooms are make-ahead marvels. The Fresh Corn Soup is a delicate delight, in midsummer or later on with frozen kernels. I could easy have the Mussels with Smokey Bacon, Lime and Cilantro or the Pomegranate-Braised Brisket once a week, not to mention the easy, airy lemon posset and sinful Intense Chocolate Torte. Why settle for less than the best?


A profusion of infusions

Michael Chiarello—founder of the acclaimed Tra Vigne restaurant in the Napa Valley, Food Network star, creator of NapaStyle gourmet products and author of three previous cookbooks—knows all about using creative ingredients and using ingredients creatively. Among his most treasured creative ingredients are infused oils and vinegars because they add "a little culinary magic to every meal." His special alchemy and 100 recipes for making these infusions and using the fabulous results are all included in Michael Chiarello's Flavored Oils and Vinegars. I love to use infused vinegars and oils, but I often shudder at the cost. Now, with Michael at my side, I'm going to fill my own fridge and shelves and have gourmet gifts galore. September is the time for herb oils like basil (perfect in a gratin of summer vegetables), cilantro, mint and lavender, and for herbal and tomato vinegars. But you can make flavored oils and vinegars all year round with items such as citrus or roasted garlic or caramelized onions that know no season—and your pastas, salads and everything else will sparkle with Michael's magic.


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