A guilty purchase
I had to go to Doncaster to the bank - they closed our local branch - and also to shop for birthday presents for our son's partner. So of course I toured the bookshops, and especially Readings bargain table, where I found this at a bargain price - I can't quite remember how much but a much better price than elsewhere anyway.
I feel particularly guilty about this one, because really how many more Italian cookbooks do I need? I already have Jamie's earlier one for starters, not to mention Elizabeth David, Claudia Roden, The Silver Spoon and others as well. But I bought it anyway, and, amazingly, it does have a few different things in it.
There are one or two that I really feel I must try some time soon - the two below being my top two choices I think. On the left Cacio e pepe and on the right Veggie al forno.
The recipes are not online and besides they both deserve a post of their own, but I think they demonstrate the kinds of things you will find in this book. On the left is a classic, ridiculously simple, Italian dish which he hasn't really messed with at all, and on the right, is an invention of his own that combines Italian ingredients with an Italian vibe. I thought the Veggie al forno was perfect for the next time I have to feed vegetarians, so it was interesting to see that he had tweeted a picture of it, only to get a response from a vegan - "Dairy & eggs. No thank you!!!." Honestly how unnecessary and belligerent. (I really must do vegans). It's not presented in the book as a vegan recipe so why get so aggressive? This particular recipe is also typical of the presentation of some of perhaps the more important recipes in the book, in that the two pages before show the step by step process (click on each picture and you will see the whole thing):
Italian food is obviously Jamie Oliver's first love when it come to cuisines other than his own - maybe more than his own in fact. He has already written one book on the food of Italy, and every one of his books has a few Italian recipes. In this book he seems to be simultaneously saying that the Italians are very dedicated foodies and cook wonderful food according to strict rules, but that at the same time the traditions are disappearing and not only the traditions but also some of the ingredients. Somewhere in there he said that he thought that British supermarkets were better than the Italian ones! Surely not. Anyway this book is in large part an effort to preserve the traditions of the nonnas and mammas of Italy - and several of them are featured within its pages - from a baroness to poor fisherwomen.
"I've also noticed a shift in Italian food culture. The time-honoured traditions and recipes of the true matriarchs of the kitchen, the nonnas and mammas who are the beating heart of the Italian home, are at risk of being lost. The incredible heritage that has been passed down from generation to generation is dying out as time passes, lives get busier and technology makes it easier to cut corners."
It is interesting is it not that this could be so? Time and time again he says that this nonna or that nonna was keen that her recipe be passed on to future generations for fear of it being lost. And you find the same mantra in countless cookbooks. And yet this is the era of the celebrity chef, of endless TV cook programs, of a huge cookbook publishing industry. Words such as authentic, artisan, traditional, home and comfort abound everywhere in food advertising, in magazines such as the Coles Magazine and on supermarket shelves. Surely the traditions are not dying? At least not out in the world of restaurants and cafés, and the world of prepackaged and takeaway. Maybe some people do not cook any more, but I suspect that these are the people who will patronise the local ethnic restaurants. Me I'm optimistic. Particularly about Italian food - it seems to be the one that is most universal. As I said before - you can get pizza anywhere on the planet - good pizza too.
The other thing about this book was the almost love affair with his friend Gennaro Contaldo who accompanied him on his travels. He is mentioned over and over again, and to be fair, so are his family, but his overwhelming love for Gennaro - his long-time mentor is, at times somewhat overwhelming.
It might be a somewhat guilty purchase - I really didn't need it, but I do look forward to plunging into it soon. And here he is with friend Gennaro and one of the nonnas. It's amazing really that somebody can still come up with something new on Italian food.
