Norma
Borelli is a veteran cook, baker, and cookbook author from a family of
accomplished Italian cooks. In her third cookbook, Love What You Eat: 250
Recipes to Tempt Your Taste Buds, tastes from Italy are companions to cleverly
combined flavors from many nations with all of the recipes showcasing the
author's culinary inventiveness and time-tested experience.
The
first chapter is a perfect crash course for kitchen novices, but experienced
cooks can learn a few things too. Here's a taste from the other chapters: Among
the 36 recipes in the Appetizer and Snacks chapter, you’ll find innovative
recipes like Crab Bites and The Pickled Garden. In the Soups, Sauces, and
Marinades chapter, take a look at delicious Caribbean Black Bean Soup and
Tuscan White Bean and Barley Soup. The Salads and Salad Dressings chapter
features Luscious Lime Salad and Confetti Rice Salad. In Seafood, you'll find
21 scrumptious recipes, including Mixed Seafood Cioppino and Baked Trout with a
Crusty Topping. Poultry Pointers is a handy start to the poultry chapter, where
you'll find delicious dishes like Chicken and Sausages with Polenta and Olives
and Chicken Rolls in Mushroom Sauce. Some recipes in the Meats chapter, like
Zesty Pork Pinwheels, require time and close attention. Others, like Lamb Chops
Dijon, are so quick the chops might beat you to the table. In the Vegetables
chapter, you’ll find savory delights like Crispy Roasted Potato Bites and
Asparagus and Mushroom Sauté with Cranberries. You'll also find dishes to
impress at Thanksgiving, like Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole. Vegetarians
have much to choose from with many meatless recipes, like Pasta with Creamy
Basil Sauce, Risotto Like a Chef Made It, and Pumpkin Polenta with Pepitas and
Nuts. For dessert, start with "The Scoop on Pies," then learn how to
make three unusual crusts: Lemony Pie Pastry, Nutty Pie Pastry, and
Shortbread-Macadamia Pie Crust. After that, roll up your sleeves and turn out
the delicacies, like Mile-High Apple Pie, "Roaring Twenties" Lemon
Chiffon Pie, and Strawberries in the Snow Pie. Cake recipes include Triple
Chocolate Whammy Cake and the more nuanced Lemon-Anise Cake. If cheesecake is
what you're looking for, try Baby Cheesecakes and Inimitable Chocolate
Cheesecake. Want something to jazz up plain cake or ice cream? Rum-Raisin Glaze
or Sauce and Amaretto-Raisin Glaze or Sauce can do the trick.
You're
in good hands with Norma Borelli. Each recipe has been tested multiple times
and tweaked to perfection. Preparation times, do-ahead directions, and
alternate cooking methods are given, and Borelli's amusing quips make for a fun
read even when you're not planning to cook. But chances are you won't want to
wait to grab a mixing spoon and discover what kitchen magic you can create.