Twelve: A Tuscan Cook Book
by Tessa Kiros
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Book Summary Information
Author: Tessa KirosEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2010-01-01
ISBN: 1552857328
Number of pages: 416
Publisher: Whitecap Books Ltd.
Book Reviews of Twelve: A Tuscan Cook Book
Book Review: Terrific Tuscan cook book
Summary: 5 Stars
The book begins with the author's statement that (Page 8): "This book is about ingredients and what I have seen people do with them, and even though all the dishes in the book are not Tuscan in origin they are all eaten here." Since ingredients are fresh on a seasonal basis, this book provides recipes by month of the year (hence, the title "Twelve" for the 12 months of the year). Tessa Kiros goes on to note her reason for creating this cookbook (Page 9): "My aim in writing this book has been to share some of the delights that have been part of my life here."
The volume begins with some basics--what should be in the cupboard (from olive oil to dried herbs), some notes on wine. Then, to the heart of the matter, the month-by-month enumeration of recipes. Let's take a look at a handful of these to illustrate what is available in this book.
January: Scottiglia (Mixed meat stew). A stew made up of several meats (lamb, veal, pork,) sautéed with onions, carrot, celery, and garlic, simmered in tomatoes, seasoned with a variety of herbs (e.g., sage, bay leaves), and so on. Sounds like a delicious stew! And just right for a cold January day.
February: Arista (Roast rack of pork). Create some herbed olive oil, season the pork lightly and rub in the oil; wrap the pork with unsmoked pancetta (belly bacon); scatter vegetables around the meat dish, and proceed from there step by step. Again, it sounds mouth watering to me.
March: Crostini con asparagi (Crostini with asparagus). Simple ingredients--asparagus, eggs, milk, parmesan cheese, country-style white bread, and a wee bit of butter. Boil asparagus until tender. Mix together eggs and milk and cook; then add cheese and chopped asparagus served over toasted bread (although the instructions seem to be a little unclear to me here).
And so on, month by month. The book closes with some useful discussion of creating components for dishes (such as making fresh preserves and fresh egg pasta) and a glossary of ingredients and techniques.
All in all, a neat cookbook to play with if you are interested in Tuscan cuisine.
Summary of Twelve: A Tuscan Cook Book
A 12-month journey through the tastes of Tuscany.
In this exquisitely photographed book, Tessa Kiros uses each month of the year as a device to explore and record recipes in seasonal cooking with fine ingredients. Her personal observations throughout reveal the nuances of the Italian meal.
"The Store Cupboard" has tips on filling the pantry with the right ingredients. The "Basics" section provides preparation instructions and recipes that Tuscan home cooks learned from their parents and grandparents. Substitutions for harder-to-find ingredients are offered along with encouraging tips on improvising to suit any taste. Wine notes and a glossary round out the book.
Here are examples of the fabulous recipes:
- Risotto alla Toscana (Tuscan risotto)
- Spezzatino di cinghiale (wild boar stew)
- Zuccotto (chocolate and vanilla sponge pudding)
- Melanzane alla parmigiana (baked eggplant with tomato, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese)
- Stracotto di manzo (beef braised in red wine)
Twelve is a sensitive, personal exploration of one of the world's most popular culinary traditions by an author who lovingly shares her discoveries with the home cook.
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