First published 2025
Christopher Kimball and his Milk Street team traveled across Italy from Lombardia to Calabria, from Sardinia to Sicily, collecting authentic recipes directly from local cooks. Their research reveals that genuine Italian cooking differs dramatically from common assumptions. Italian cooks discard garlic cloves after using them, avoid stirring polenta, create large yet tender meatballs, and never constantly stir risotto. The book presents 175 recipes that challenge preconceptions about Italian cuisine. Readers discover the cream-free fettuccine Alfredo, the torta Barozzi that has attracted customers to a Modena pastry shop for nearly 140 years, and unexpected ingredients like fermented chili paste. Kimball documents both beloved classics and lesser-known regional specialties. The collection includes fundamental techniques for sauces and homemade pastas, plus guidance for stocking an Italian pantry. Each recipe comes with stories about the people, places, and ingredients behind the dishes, providing context for these culinary traditions.
Genres: biography, travel, cultural-heritage, cooking, cookbooks, food-and-drink
Vibes: authentic, cultural, educational, exploratory, intimate, practical
Tropes: cultural-immersion, expert-guidance, myth-busting, regional-storytelling
Setting: Italy, Lombardia, Calabria, Sardinia, Sicily, Modena
416 pages · Hardcover · Voracious