The lush homeland of balsamic vinegar, Prosciutto di Parma, tortellini, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, this is a region venerated by Italy's food cognoscenti. "Ask an Italian where to take only one meal in Italy, and, after recommending his mother's house, he will more than likely send you to EmiliaRomagna,"writes Kasper.A cuisine at once voluptuous and refined, the dishes of Emilia-Romagna's kitchen are literally irresistible. just listen to the names"Little" Spring Soup from the 17th Century, His Eminence's Baked Penne, Modena Crumbling Cake. Then imagine sitting down to a dish of Hot Caramelized Pears with Prosciutto, a Risotto of Red Wine with Fresh Rosemary or a Pie of Polenta and Country RagúThe first American book to present the food of this singular northern region, The Splendid Table is an Italian cookbook for the nineties. It will take you from Parma, Bologna, Modena, Ravenna, and Ferrara to tiny villages in the foothills of the Apennines, from Renaissance banquet halls to the simplest of farmhouses, offering history, folklore, and substantive cooking tips along the way.Among the things you will find are:A 56-recipe pasta chapter including many never before seen in America. From fast and easy dishes such as Linguine with Braised Garlic and Balsamic Vinegar to a lasagne of chicken, pine nuts, and currants.A veal Parmigiano like no other-Pan-Fried Veal Chops with Tomato Marsala Sauce, the whole finished with curls of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.An array of meatless or almost meatless recipes. Grilled vegetables with maccheroni; acountry dish of braised lentils with ribbons of pappardelle and crisp nubbins of pancetta; Tortellini of Artichokes and Mascarpone; or Fresh Tuna Adriatic Style.Straight out of the Renaissance but perfect for today, a sumptuous tortellini pie, ideal for important dinners and holidays.A salad of tart greens, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and Prosciutto di Parma with a warm garlic and balsamic dressing and many other antipasto dishes.Over thirty dessert recipes including Chestnut Ricotta Cheesecake and Torta Barozzi, a mysterious chocolate cake made at only one pastry shop in the entire region."A Guide to Ingredients" that shares the secrets of how to select, use, and store the very best balsamic vinegars, olive oils, porcini mushrooms, Prosciutto di Parma, mortadella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, coppa, fresh herbs, and much more.Encounters with Lucrezia Borgia, Gioachino Rossini, Napoleon's Empress Marie Louise, Giuseppe Verdi, Arturo Toscanini, Carlo Bergonzi, Renata Tebaldi, and Luciano Pavarotti, all characters in the epic of Emilia-Romagna.The Splendid Table is the Italian cookbook America has been waiting for a book firing our passion for Italian food while responding to our health concerns. It not only reveals Italy's best-kept culinary secret, the great cuisine of Emilia-Romagna, it is at the same time one of the most important teaching books of our era. Know it will become a good friend, well thumbed and lovingly stained over years of good cooking and good reading.24 pages of finished dishes in full color. 200 recipes with wine and menu suggestions.

     New York is pierogi, pasta fagiole, and chicken soup: Avgolemono, Brazilian Canja, Kreplach, Soo Chow, and Ajiaco. New York is Sylvia's Ribs, plus Edna Lewis's Greens and Mrs. Kornick's Polish Corn Bread. And the New York Cookbook is all of this, and much, much more. Collected from all five boroughs by New York Times food writer Molly O'Neill, here are over 500 recipes--and over 700 photographs--that celebrate one thing: a passion for food and eating. Deborah Markow's Braised Lamb Shanks and Mrs. Urscilla O'Connor's Codfish Puffs. Four-star chef Andre Soltner's Roast Chicken and Vernon Jordan's Jerk Style Jamaican Chicken. Robert Motherwell's Brandade de Morue and the Abyssinian Baptist Church's Long-Cooked Green Beans. Plus Katharine Hepburn's Brownies, Lisa's Mexican Flan, and Sally Darr's Golden Delicious Tart. Includes shopping guides, cooking tips, and walking tours.Winner of a 1992 IACP/Julia Child Cookbook Award. Winner of the 1992 James Beard Food and Beverage Book Award. A percentage of the royalties goes to Citymeals-on-Wheels.

    "What to Cook When You Think There's Nothing in the House to Eat" puts your pantry to work, showing you how pasta, beans, canned tuna, eggs, and cheese can form the basis of nutritious, tasty, and easy meals. There are tips on selecting, purchasing, and storing ingredients, along with recipes that feature each ingredient. A box of spaghetti, for example, "lasts longer than most marriages." Add olive oil, garlic, and a pinch of hot pepper, and you've got a meal -- Spaghetti Aglio Olio -- that anyone would applaud. This is not fancy food. It's everyday fare for those with even the most basic cooking skills.

    Finally -- a combined index for the Best of Bridge Series

    In this completely revised and expanded edition of a culinary classic, pastry chef and teacher Carole Bloom shows intrepid bakers how to turn their visions of sugarplums into home-baked perfection. Bloom begins with an illuminating discussion of candymaking essentials, from ingredients to tools to techniques, and then shares more than 180 exquisitely detailed recipes for truffles, caramels, nut brittles, fudge, and more. If you haven't dared to try candymaking or have been frustrated by attempts in the past, get out the baking sheets and gift boxes—it's time to prepare, devour, and share batches of blissful, homemade treats like Mocha Truffles, Hazelnut Chocolate Kisses, Vanilla Cream Caramels, Butter Peanut Brittle, and Maple Pecan Fudge. Bloom's clear, concise instructions will help beginners master even the trickiest techniques, like tempering chocolate and making caramel, and her many recipe variations will inspire experienced candymakers to experiment with new flavor combinations. With TRUFFLES, CANDIES, AND CONFECTIONS at your side, starting a candymaking tradition will be as rewarding as it is delectable.“If you have a passion for chocolate, caramel, toffee, or truffles, Carole Bloom's collection of luscious two-bite confections will inspire you to create the sweet magic of a candy shop in your own kitchen.” —Flo Braker, author of The Simple Art of Perfect Baking and Sweet Miniatures“Smooth or chunky? Creamy or chewy? Chocolate or vanilla? Fruit or nut-filled? Such sweet choices will surely keep you up at night, luring you into the kitchen to melt and dip your way into candy bliss, then back into bed with a stash of sumptuous sweets.” —Lisa Yockelson, baking journalist and author of Baking by Flavor“This is the book that every chocolate-lover should have within reach at all times! From classic chocolate-dipped caramels and nutty brittles, to truffles with the most exquisite flavors imaginable, Carole's classic book is without a doubt one of the most comprehensive and delectable books on chocolate ever.” —David Lebovitz, author of The Great Book of Chocolate“A first-rate book for making wonderful candy at home. This almost forgotten pleasure is made available to anyone with the careful, clear guidance in these well-tested recipes.” —Marion Cunningham, author of The Fannie Farmer Cookbook“Carole Bloom has done meticulous research, writing, and recipe testing for this irresistible book. It's rare to find a teacher so committed to seeing her students succeed.” —Robert Steinberg, co-founder of Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, Inc.“It's not just Bloom's background that makes this book so good; she has the rare ability to clearly explain technical procedures and write a recipe that's easy to follow.” —Los Angeles Times