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Cooking with Italian Grandmothers: Recipes and Stories from Tuscany to Sicily
WINNER 2011 IACP Judges Choice Cookbook Award (International Association of Culinary Professionals)
WINNER 2011 IPPY Gold Award (Independent Publisher Book Awards)
Best Italian Cookbook of 2010 - Publisher's Weekly
American chef Jessica Theroux spent a year traveling throughout Italy, cooking and talking with Italian grandmothers, learning their secrets and listening to their stories. The result is a charming and authentic collection of recipes, techniques, anecdotes, and photographs that celebrate the rustic and sustainable culinary traditions of Italy’s most experienced home cooks.
Cooking with Italian Grandmothers features the histories and menus of fifteen grandmothers, each of whom welcomed Ms. Theroux into their kitchens and pantries and shared both their favorite dishes and personal wisdoms. From the dramatic winter shores if Ustica to the blooming hills of Tuscany in spring, readers will journey through Italy’s most divers regions and seasons, to discover the country’s most delectable dishes, from the traditional to the unexpected, and meet the storied women who make them.
Part travel diary, part photo essay, part cookbook, Cooking with Italian Grandmothers features over 100 time-honored recipes, from the perfect panna cotta to the classic meat lasagna.
Includes:
Recipes and wisdom from 12 Italian grandmothers
100 classic Italian recipes
A number of regional and seasonal menus, complete from appetizer to dessert.
Over 150 full color photographs.
WINNER 2011 IPPY Gold Award (Independent Publisher Book Awards)
Best Italian Cookbook of 2010 - Publisher's Weekly
American chef Jessica Theroux spent a year traveling throughout Italy, cooking and talking with Italian grandmothers, learning their secrets and listening to their stories. The result is a charming and authentic collection of recipes, techniques, anecdotes, and photographs that celebrate the rustic and sustainable culinary traditions of Italy’s most experienced home cooks.
Cooking with Italian Grandmothers features the histories and menus of fifteen grandmothers, each of whom welcomed Ms. Theroux into their kitchens and pantries and shared both their favorite dishes and personal wisdoms. From the dramatic winter shores if Ustica to the blooming hills of Tuscany in spring, readers will journey through Italy’s most divers regions and seasons, to discover the country’s most delectable dishes, from the traditional to the unexpected, and meet the storied women who make them.
Part travel diary, part photo essay, part cookbook, Cooking with Italian Grandmothers features over 100 time-honored recipes, from the perfect panna cotta to the classic meat lasagna.
Includes:
Recipes and wisdom from 12 Italian grandmothers
100 classic Italian recipes
A number of regional and seasonal menus, complete from appetizer to dessert.
Over 150 full color photographs.
250 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Jessica Theroux
1 bookChef, teacher and author Jessica Theroux comes from both a culinary and artistic background. Her artistic background involves a year-long photographic residency at the Maine Photographic Workshops, and a degree in Visual Arts from Brown University. In 2003, Jessica was awarded the Arnold Fellowship to spend a year in Italy documenting culinary traditions. Her book Cooking with Italian Grandmothers details the year that she spent cooking, foraging, and eating with women in nine of Italy's regions.
Jessica earned her culinary degree at The Natural Gourmet in New York City. She has cooked at a number of renowned healing centers, including The Chopra Center and the Kushi Institute for Macrobiotics. Since returning from Italy in the spring of 2005, she has been working as a private chef and culinary instructor. Jessica lives and works in Northern California."
Jessica earned her culinary degree at The Natural Gourmet in New York City. She has cooked at a number of renowned healing centers, including The Chopra Center and the Kushi Institute for Macrobiotics. Since returning from Italy in the spring of 2005, she has been working as a private chef and culinary instructor. Jessica lives and works in Northern California."
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 5, 2018
This may very well be my favorite cookbook/travel journal ever. Being of Italian heritage, it spoke to my heart in so many ways. That being said, it wouldn't matter if you are Italian or not - this is a great cookbook and a great read.
The author travels throughout Italy, and as the title suggests, she cooks with Italian grandmothers. Along the way, she makes lifelong friends, eats amazing food, and feeds her soul as well as her tummy.
I plan on buying a few copies of this book for Christmas presents this year - it's that good.
The author travels throughout Italy, and as the title suggests, she cooks with Italian grandmothers. Along the way, she makes lifelong friends, eats amazing food, and feeds her soul as well as her tummy.
I plan on buying a few copies of this book for Christmas presents this year - it's that good.
January 10, 2012
This book is a treasure. As a young chef, Jessica spent a year in Italy, learning from Italian grandmothers about food and about life. She spent several weeks with each of the twelve women, and dedicated a chapter to each one and her recipes. The women's life stories and wisdom are interwoven with a wonderful collection of truly mouth-watering recipes.
Here is one of my favorite quotes:
"Carluccia taught me to pay attention to each little thing in my cooking. Where is this fruit or vegetable in its life cycle? Is the meat from a young animal or an older one? And what part of the animal is it from? Where are we in the season? Has the weather been damp or dry, sunny or cold lately? How fresh is the flour? Is the water hard or soft? What can I infer about my ingredient's flavor and texture? And who am I feeding? Are they happy, or in need of comfort? Are they cold to the bone from being out in the rain, or hot and sweaty? Ultimately, what is the most appropriate way for me to cook this food, to bring out the best it has to offer for my friends and family?"
I found Italian Grandmothers at the library, but I'm now dying to have my own copy. Learning how to cook a time-honored Italian dish from an Italian nonna is one of the most delightful experiences in the world. This book is the next best thing.
Here is one of my favorite quotes:
"Carluccia taught me to pay attention to each little thing in my cooking. Where is this fruit or vegetable in its life cycle? Is the meat from a young animal or an older one? And what part of the animal is it from? Where are we in the season? Has the weather been damp or dry, sunny or cold lately? How fresh is the flour? Is the water hard or soft? What can I infer about my ingredient's flavor and texture? And who am I feeding? Are they happy, or in need of comfort? Are they cold to the bone from being out in the rain, or hot and sweaty? Ultimately, what is the most appropriate way for me to cook this food, to bring out the best it has to offer for my friends and family?"
I found Italian Grandmothers at the library, but I'm now dying to have my own copy. Learning how to cook a time-honored Italian dish from an Italian nonna is one of the most delightful experiences in the world. This book is the next best thing.
April 8, 2011
Jessica Theroux takes a year to travel through Italy and spend time with families and grandmothers. She learns recipes from the regions and some of the best meals from each person. The recipes included are full of stories and connected to the land of each city or town. She writes about each place and family for several pages before getting each section of recipes, so it's more than just a cookbook. This is definitely a book to own, and I'm sad that I have to return it to the library without a chance to try any recipes.
May 1, 2014
I have a confession. I collect cookbooks. That sounds like it's nothing but you need to understand, I have a serious cookbook addiction. As in, every time I order off Amazon, you can rest assured that a cookbook (or two) is heading my way. It's getting to the point where I might need to purchase more shelves. I love reading cookbooks like picturebooks, having a stack of post-its next to me so I can mark what recipes I'd like to try.
This particular cookbook helps my research and also satiates my wanderlust just a tad. That's why books are so amazing. How else could you travel the length of Italy in 24 hours?
My only complaint is that the story section of the cookbook seems a bit dry. I want to connect with all the grandmothers, their stories, their lives, but Ms. Theroux presents them with a certain journalistic distance that frustrated me.
As for the recipes, most of them are labor intensive. I can say from previous experience that making fresh pasta is not my thing and there is A LOT of fresh pasta in these recipes. However, the few recipes I selected, the ones I have yet to try, seem feasible enough. I will report back once I give them a try.
Rating: 3.5/5.
This particular cookbook helps my research and also satiates my wanderlust just a tad. That's why books are so amazing. How else could you travel the length of Italy in 24 hours?
My only complaint is that the story section of the cookbook seems a bit dry. I want to connect with all the grandmothers, their stories, their lives, but Ms. Theroux presents them with a certain journalistic distance that frustrated me.
As for the recipes, most of them are labor intensive. I can say from previous experience that making fresh pasta is not my thing and there is A LOT of fresh pasta in these recipes. However, the few recipes I selected, the ones I have yet to try, seem feasible enough. I will report back once I give them a try.
Rating: 3.5/5.
January 7, 2012
This cookbook is a mixture of stories about the Italian grandmothers Jessica spends a year in Italy cooking with as well recipes that come from those meetings. The cookbook's goal seems to be geared more towards authenticity than accessability.There are lots of recipes that are time consuming and/or contain hard to find ingredients. But unlike some cookbooks, Theroux fully explains techniques needed for these recipes. Some people might have a problem with the fact that the some of the recipes aren't super accessible but I think there are plenty of cookbooks full of accessible recipes. The authenticity of both the stories and recipes is what's great about this one. I will also say that Theroux's stories are full of admiration for the people she meets, rather than the self-admiration that can come from travelogues.
February 5, 2016
This is a very unique and charming cookbook! Each chapter has a different quote and hand drawn illustration, like a rabbit or an octopus. Each chapter is about a particular region in Italy and a featured grandmother. I came upon this book by accident when the Ward Center Borders store was getting rid of its stock before it closed down, and I'm SO glad I found it! You'll need to see it yourself in order to understand why I love it so much. I gifted it to several girlfriends who were delighted to receive it. Love love LOVE this book!
January 2, 2019
Theroux has so many fascinating glimpses of life in Italy in this book. In particular, the sourdough starter and homemade ricotta recipes from local matrons are gems.
Ricotta al caffe or Ricotta with coffee and honey - ♥♥♥♥
Simple and sweet. My husband really enjoyed this, but he's both a coffee and honey lover, so no surprise there. It's like flavored cream cheese, but with ricotta instead.
Spaghetti with burst tomatoes (Spaghetti con pomodori scoppiati) - ♥♥♥♥
Lots of flavor here from the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes - my husband loved this recipe. I think this would be a great recipe to try with home-grown cherry tomatoes and basil (instead of the store-bought I had to use in December).
Ricotta al caffe or Ricotta with coffee and honey - ♥♥♥♥
Simple and sweet. My husband really enjoyed this, but he's both a coffee and honey lover, so no surprise there. It's like flavored cream cheese, but with ricotta instead.
Spaghetti with burst tomatoes (Spaghetti con pomodori scoppiati) - ♥♥♥♥
Lots of flavor here from the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes - my husband loved this recipe. I think this would be a great recipe to try with home-grown cherry tomatoes and basil (instead of the store-bought I had to use in December).
January 26, 2023
I have read several Italian cook books in a row and I liked this one. it is people and place focused, the people being grandmothers who know a lot about cooking and have strong ideas about whats the right way to do things and place being mostly southern small towns in Italy. The recipes are good and cover a wider range than I would have thought.
March 10, 2019
I borrowed this from a friend. Before the halfway mark it became clear I'll have to buy a copy. I loved these grandmothers, especially Daria, we might be kindred cussing spirits.
March 1, 2023
Wonderful stories and recipes
May 17, 2011
I liked this book because it reminded me of my own childhood, growing up at my grandmother's table. The author travels to many parts of Italy and then stays with a grandmother in her home. These women then teach her how to cook a few of their traditional dishes. When she becomes ill during her travels, she learns how truly healing food prepared by these women in the traditional ways can be. The recipes are included.
January 9, 2011
As a cookbook this isn't so great...really, how often am I going to prepare rabbit? And the recipes are all fairly labor intensive, good for Sunday's but not every day. But the stories that preface each section are wonderful. Theroux captures the mood of a way of life that just doesn't exist in too many places these days, but one that we all wish did.
April 3, 2016
The best cookbook I've ever had. I'm Italian and these recipes are often new too me. Everything I've made (almost all the recipes by now) has been unbelievably delicious. I love the stories and photos too. Only downside is many of the recipes are time consuming and there is more focus on rabbit (which I haven't been able to find) than I'd like but those recipes all worked Well with chicken.
May 21, 2011
I LOVED this cookbook, because not only does it have some amazing traditional Italian recipes, it also tells the story of Italy and how important the traditions of cooking are to their communities. I ended up with not just one, but TWO, copies of this book!
April 19, 2018
This book is beautifully designed, the cover and leaf and inside papers etc are wonderful. The beauty of the book jacket and the poetic title made this irresistible.
Executing these complex recipes might be better left to professional chefs, however.
Executing these complex recipes might be better left to professional chefs, however.
August 17, 2012
Enticing and earthy. The author takes us into the kitchens and personalities of various women she cooks with on a fascinating journey through Italy. An interesting read for cooking enthusiasts and fans of the Slow Food movement.
January 19, 2014
The recipes are simple and easy to follow. Theroux's description of her time in Italy has inspired me to learn as much Italian as I can while in Italy so I can find some grandmothers of my own to cook, chat, laugh, and cry with.
February 13, 2011
I liked reading the stories and found a few recipes that I want to try. There were some recipes that seemed kind of outdated (how many people make rabbit now?)
September 5, 2011
Can't help but fall in love with these beautiful old women--their delicious food, their personal histories, their amazing contribution to California cuisine and our interest in healthy eating.
December 8, 2011
This is a great cookbook for reading. Yes, I choose cookbooks for what they tell about the food, the recipe and the country.
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February 22, 2012I saw this on a friend's table, such a pretty cookbook, can't wait to get started on some of the recipes.
June 29, 2012
I really enjoyed reading this book. It's nice to read things that give you a real feel for a place and people. There are several recipes I'm going to try too.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews