Book Description
Make it Italian . . . But how to achieve the genuine Italian flavor that we Americans love so much?
According to Nancy Verde Barr, author of the incomparable We Called It Macaroni, the secret lies in knowing one’s ingredients and how to cook with them; it is a birthright that is passed down through generations of Italian families. She learned by watching her grandmother, Nonna, and now, in this wonderfully instructive and warmhearted book, she translates that hands-on experience into a primer of techniques and tastes that will become our Nonna in the kitchen.
First she introduces us to the Italian cupboard -- essential ingredients that give Italian dishes their distinctive flavors. Then, for each category of food, she gives us a Primary Recipe, detailing the right cooking techniques, timing, seasoning, and finishing touches to achieve the perfect balance of taste and texture. Countless variations follow, enabling us to put into practice all we have learned.
For example, once we have mastered Penne and Marinara Sauce, we can confidently whip up Linguine with Tuna and Pea Sauce or Rigatoni with Eggplant Sauce or Ziti with Sausage and Peppers.
The perfect formula for making Veal Scaloppine with Lemon and Parsley invites us to use pork, chicken, or turkey, or to try rolled, stuffed, and breaded versions.
Fresh fish and seafoods are roasted, sautéed, steamed, or braised according to what is the best for each species. The detailed instructions for Roasted Whole Red Snapper can be applied to small stuffed sardines; the formula for Sautéed Tuna Steaks with Prosciutto and Tomatoes works beautifully for Sautéed Monkfish Medallions with Pancetta and Cream.
The same principle applies to vegetables, the glory of the Italian table. The right cooking techniques bring out the best in each seasonal offering, from Roasted Green Beans to Smothered Broccoli Rabe.
The desserts she gives us are her own favorites, homey and simple to make -- light Semolina Pudding, “cooked creams” like the classic Panna Cotta, tender sponge cake (and its reincarnation in her version of Tiramisù), some fruit delights, and the formula for crisp biscotti.
There are charts throughout to guide us in creating our own recipes out of the lessons we have learned.
For Nancy Verde Barr, Italian cooking is musical and diverse, and recipes should be inspirations, not inflexible instructions. Now, with the tools she has given us, we can confidently reproduce that genuine Italian flavor.
Customer Reviews:
The very best!.......2007-03-31
This is an incredible cookbook. I have been using it for the past 3 years and have yet to make anything out of it that wasn't fantastic. If you study this book, you will be able to make your own meals like an Italian chef. This book is just not a collection of recipes, but teaches you how to become a great cook. Nancy Barr is an awesome teacher and has written the only Italian cookbook you will need.
Mama Mia!.......2004-03-04
More than a cookbook, no chef should be without it! A thorough exploration of Italian cooking. Highly readable format makes this cookbook a must.
Clear our your shelves because this is THE book!.......2004-01-15
This book is just fantastic - from start to finish! It takes you through the building of a recipe from buying the ingredients to the techniques involved to prepare. Each section, Soup, Pasta, Meat, etc. gives you recipes that build on each other and then ends with suggestions on how to swing out on your own. When reading the book you feel as though Nancy is standing in your kitchen - her voice is clear and eloquent.
A few weeks ago, my father asked me how to make Bolognese sauce. I gave him Nancy's book and told him to read her recipe (that is wildly easy and delicious). I explained the arrangement of the book and he went to work reading the chapter on pasta. After that he was hooked! He made a shopping list to stock his pantry and couldn't wait to get started. He said it was as though he'd been to an Italian cooking class.
Make It Italian has become my standard wedding shower, birthday - anything present.
Not to be forgotten is Nancy's "We Called It Macaroni." I have used it a thousand times. Her sundried tomatoes and mascarpone appetizer is requested by dinner guests and when it's my turn to bring an hors d'oeuvre.
THE Book to Have for Italian Cooking.......2003-06-02
Why is it THE book to have? The important aspects of Italian cooking -- which can be applied to all cooking -- are explained here, in conciseness and clarity. Why you should purchase certain items; how you should cook them and why; when to use one ingredient over another and why. Why should you cook the soffrito for pasta & bean soup slowly, over medium-low heat, for 20 minutes? Why should you remove tomato seeds from your whole tomatoes if you're cooking them for more than 30 minutes? Why should you try to find genuine Italian import stores that stock the "good" stuff? The answers are in there.
I prefer to bake more than cook (my sweet tooth in action), but I like -- and can do -- both. I'm just slow in the kitchen; my husband's a better sous chef than I am. But, having an Italian grandmother and living in an area with pronounced Italian-American heritage, when I saw this book I had to get it. And after making a batch of the marinara sauce with generic crushed tomatoes, I knew I had a winner! Now I'm dying to try it out with a can of San Marzano tomatoes!
As the other reviews have stated, she explains what you need, and why you need it. Even if you doubt or don't understand either, have faith! It will work out well. I can't emphasize enough the value of quality ingredients when you cook simply, as she does in this book! Throw out your grated-cheese-in-a-can and get some *real* parmesan and a grater!
The pasta & bean soup in the "soups" section is a little lighter than some of you may be used to, but you can always add the fresh cheese of your choice. And definitely take the time to make your own stock for recipes. She may say she'll used canned stock, but after making and using my own, I'll be less likely to use canned ever again.
So far, the cooking has been simple, however, there is preparation to be done (such as making stock beforehand, or soaking & cooking beans for the soup above). But if you plan ahead, it becomes so much easier.
I am by no means an accomplished cook in the kitchen, but this book -- and the results I've got from it so far -- have given me courage to keep trying!
Did I mention the biscotti at the very end of the book? Yum yum yum - I had to make the chocolate almond variation on the anise biscotti. Incredibly enough, I got (as she said) exactly 60 biscotti from the recipe. :-)
BUENO! A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS.......2003-01-19
Sausage and Peppers. Smother Green Beans. Rigatoni with Eggplant Sauce. Great Italian food has never been Greek to us --- or to Nancy Verde Barr, whose culinary skills and talents have been put down on paper. Her cookbook, with easy-to-follow recipes and insightful asides, is a must-have addition to any kitchen, alongside the garlic, anchovies and prosciutto and pancetta.. Pizzerias will never be numero uno on your menu again!
Average customer rating:
- Mishmash of the obvious, outdated advice, and some good tips
- Promises more than it delivers
- Not very useful.
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The Rummager's Handbook: Finding, Buying, Cleaning, Fixing, Using, & Selling Secondhand Treasures
R. S. McClurg
Manufacturer: Storey Publishing, LLC
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Similar Items:
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How to Make $20,000 a Year in Antiques and Collectibles Without Leaving Your Job
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Price It Yourself! The Definitive, Down-to-earth Guide to Appraising Antiques and Collectibles in your Home, at Auctions, Estate Sales, Shops, and Yard Sales
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Antiques on the Cheap: A Savvy Dealer's Tips: Buying, Restoring, Selling
ASIN: 0882668943 |
Amazon.com
To the tightwad's favorite poem, "Use it up/Wear it out/Make it do/Or do without," may be added, not so poetically, "Buy it cheap/Scrub it up/Make it work/And sell it for a profit." This is the motto of The Rummager's Handbook, a fascinating little book with tips for smart and thrifty rummage-sale addicts.
Book Description
Antiquing as a fun and potentially profitable pastime has never been more popular, and this book offers hundreds of tips and ideas for finding sales and auctions, bargaining, determining value, and taking it home.
Customer Reviews:
Mishmash of the obvious, outdated advice, and some good tips.......2002-11-26
Most of this book is common sense (e.g. "Refuse to pay high prices for dirty, faulty, trashy junk that a seller is promoting as antique or collectible" -- well, duh!). Unless you're brand-spanking-new to garage sales or secondhand shopping, you probably already know most of what's in this book. And I thought the whole section on how to organize your secondhand treasures was a bit weird -- don't tell me how to decorate my house, thank you! Also, since this book was published in 1995 (pre-eBay), the "Selling your treasures" section is now worthless as eBay has completely revolutionized not only the selling process but also folks' newfound realization of the worth of their junk. Some useful tips throughout (the cleaning solutions section was good), but overall, not a book worth buying.
Promises more than it delivers.......2001-07-13
Oh, dear. This book is like a poorly run rummage sale or overpriced thrift store -- dig around and you might find a gem or two, but overall it isn't worth the effort.
It might be good for people who have never dared to set food in a thrift store or garage sale, but for anyone with a modicum of thrifting experience (and who else is going to be reading this?), the information is far too general and obvious.
In trying to be fair, the author can't make up his mind whether, for example, you should or should not buy treasures (and they're always "treasures") you don't need, giving arguments for and against in different sections. What can you do with a guy who thinks you should definitely buy wire hangers ("It's always good to have extra hangers on hand and, sometimes, plastic-coated hangers just won't work") and yarn ("Consider buying a box of bargain yarn to have on hand for friends who knit or crochet while they are recovering from an illness") but doesn't understand vinyl ("Quantities of records are disappearing from secondhand marketplaces, but I'm not sure who is buying them. Antiques dealers don't seem interested,") and insists, "Every household should have a Cabbage Patch doll ... Keep the dolls in mind as gift ideas."
However, if you want reinforcement to help recruit a friend who has never thrifted, this is a friendly and folksy book that does make it seem fun, and the author certainly speaks from experience ... oh, never mind, go straight to Al Hoff's info-packed, fun, and campy book "Thrift Score: The Stuff, the Method, the Madness!" instead.
Not very useful........1999-07-18
The information covered is not really very practical for someone interested in collectibles or semi-antiques. Options such as checking trash was not what I was looking for.
Book Description
Woodworkers don’t live by power tools alone! With a focus on traditional and modern hand tools, acclaimed craftsman David Charlesworth presents an indispensable guide for all levels and abilities. Lively writing and more than 300 photographs show how to select and use equipment such as chisels, planes and peen hammers to make high-quality furniture. Covering everything from plans for making a spokeshave adjustor to age-old dovetailing techniques and ways to keep tools in top shape, this is the ideal workshop accessory. There’s also instruction on finishing techniques, and lots of inspiration and encouragement.
Customer Reviews:
A good book, but not as good as the first two.......2007-07-12
I am a big fan of David's and I must confess that I was a little disappointed in this book. I also own the first two, and the material there seems much more common and useful. This book includes material such as making a metal plane from a kit. The company that offered the kit is no longer in business, so the material is somewhat less relevant. There is an article on making a spokeshave adjuster for the Boggs shave. In my opinion, this is a solution looking for a problem. A small tap with a hammer like with any wood plane is a simple adjuster for the spokeshave. I just didn't find much of the material useful overall.
I guess I would much rather see more material on furniture techniques such as drawer fitting, veneering, dovetailing, and hardware fitting. But I guess this would be a different titled book!
Another Outstanding Treatise from David Charlesworth.......2007-01-20
I eagerly anticipated the arrival of David Charlesworth's third volume, and was not disappointed. It is, in my opinion, even better that his first two excellent books on the "art" of fine woodworking. He explains in clearly understandable detail the use of "cutting edge" (no pun intended), state- of-the-art tools by Lie-Nielsen. David's books are a necessity in any workshop intent on exhibiting fine workmanship in its products. As an avid woodworker, I look forward to future volumes from David Charlesworth. I have Charlesworth DVD's which are instrumental in maintaining, sharpening and properly using Lie-Nielsen planes. No shop should be without these "learning tools". Keep up the great work, David.
Book Description
Before the machine age, all woodworking and carpentry was done with hand tools, and an amazing variety of tools evolved for a wide range of tasks. Many of these tools are as elegant as they are ingenious, and Classic Hand Tools celebrates their great heritage in words and pictures.
Book Description
“A good book for beginners, but it also contains a lot of valuable and interesting information for the seasoned classic-tool user....A good addition to your library.”—Fine Woodworking. “Dunbar...shows how to purchase, restore, and use a variety of antique tools, including several types of planes.”—Library Journal.
Customer Reviews:
Best of it's kind.......2001-01-21
After searching for books in this subject, I was very pleased to finally find a book that went into the depth of not only restoring, but plane and other tool usage. This book was intended for the antique tool collector who chooses to use their tools not place them on a display shelf and accept them "as is." If you are looking for old tools needing repair for many more years of use, then this is the book for you. Michael Dunbar has done an excellent job putting his knowledge on paper for the reader's benefit.
THE Manual for refurbishing tools.......2001-01-19
Dunbar's book is one of the best when it comes to repairing just about any antique tool. He patiently and thoroughly describes how to repair most any hand tools you'll come across. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to learn how to restore antique hand tools. It should be noted that Dunbar now uses a different method to sharpen plane and chisel irons, etc. However, this is widely available in magazines. Highly recommended.
Ideal for experts or beginners alike........1998-10-29
I only recieved this book this morning, I began reading and can now thouroughly recommend this book to anyone who, for example has ever seen Norm Abram at work and thought 'Hey that's not fair. He's got $10,000 worth of power tools at least' Well this has to be the guide for those who wish to find, restore, and use old tools. I grew up with quality handtools around me and can tell this guy knows what he's talking about. The majority of this book is dedicated to planes - but I never realised just how many kinds there are! A must for anyone you know who heads for the 'rusty tool box' at flea markets and yard sales. I'd love to know what you think about this book too. Happy reading!
Book Description
Two classic, collectible volumes are now available in a slipcase set. Both practical and beautiful, Classic Hand Tools reveals the rich variety and history of hand tools through vivid color photographs. It provides in-depth information on how to integrate their use into modern woodworking. The Handplane Book evokes the romance of an earlier era when planes performed countless woodworking tasks, from preparing stock to shaping moldings. This is a complete guide to one of the best-known and most collectible hand tools.
Customer Reviews:
great introduction.......2007-06-08
For the woodworker looking to expand his/her knowledge of planes, how they work, the history, good planes vs bad, how to tune and restore them, this is the book. Lots of illustrations, well written...would highly recommend
Average customer rating:
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His Hands, His Tools, His Sex, His Dress: Lesbian Writers on Their Fathers
Manufacturer: Haworth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1560232110 |
Customer Reviews:
A beautiful book........2001-04-30
This anthology, containing both new and well-known lesbian writers, is just wonderful--beautifully written and moving. Lesbian readers will find a lot to relate to here, but really this collection is for any female who has grown up to be a different type of woman than her father expected. Highly reommended--and would make a great gift! Contributors include Jewelle Gomez, Tristan Taormino, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Gretchen Legler, and Holly Hughes, among others.
Customer Reviews:
simple for reference or beginners.......2007-10-10
I borrowed this book through interlibrary loan because I'm working in a woodshop for historic interpretation, and I needed to know what I was doing. This book reminds me of the DK Eyewitness books in that it simply explains a tool and shows you with various line drawings and also photographs. Not a lot of explanation for each tool, but a good quick reference. The tools in the book are not necessarily period pieces, but they are derived from period tools. I think this is a good beginner reference book, of course because of the price (less than 10 bucks), and especially because it shows things well in the photographs.
Book Description
Three woodworking favorites in a collector's slipcase, this special trade paper collection of The Workshop Book, The Workbench Book, and The Toolbox Book is a cornerstone in any woodworker's library.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent inspirational set.......2006-12-20
Excellent inspirational set, but keep in mind it is several paperback books placed in a hard cardboard sleeve.
Books:
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- More Bear Cookin': Bigger And Better
- North American Meat Processors Beef Notebook Guide, (5 pack) ,
- Off the Hook: Reflections and Recipes from an Old Salt
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- Pattern Book for the 2004 Wilton Yearbook - Cake Decorating
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