The Sopranos Family Cookbook: As Compiled by Artie Bucco

This book is great, and not just because it has anything to do with one of the greatest tv shows ever, the Sopranos. This cookbook has excellent recipies! If you live in NY/NJ then you will recognize almost all of the dishes as the staples of any neighborhood italian restaurant. If you don't live here, this is a great way to bring the taste of NY/NJ Italian cooking home to your neck of the woods! I've already made the Chicken Francais (lemon chicken) and it came out excellent. My husband is Italian and this is one of his favorite dishes that when I've tried to make it before, it never came out quite right. This came out perfect and he loved it, as did the rest of my family. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone, whether or not you are a Sopranos fan (and who isn't?!).

When you heard about the Sopranos Family Cookbook did you think it was just a gimmick -- that the recipes were either too difficult or not real recipes for real Italian cooking? FUHGEDDABOUDIT!

Or did you think it would be merely a recipe book with little or nothing of interest to Sopranos fans, a boring book of recipes? GEDOUDDAHEAYH!!!

The Sopranos Family Cookbook is a great concept -- such a masterful idea that you almost wonder why they didn't think of it before (actually they did, but only this year moved to "merchandising".). It's a WONDERFUL stand-alone cook-book, that includes some recipes that are simple enough for someone like me who feels like Wolfgang Puck after pouring reheated Ragu on pasta. There are BOTH simple and ornate authentic Italian recipes galore, carefully spelled out -- even instructions on the BEST way to cut garlic (it gives you the three ways, depending on the strength of the taste you want and tells you to avoid garlic presses and garlic powder which is "mayonnaiser behavior.").Tony's chef friend, Artie Bucco, who supposedly compiled the book, also gives various tips on things such as choosing olive oil and wines.

Photo-illustrated "interviews" with key cast characters deliciously season this book and they'll be a (non-homicidal) scream for Sopranos fans. In other words, you truly get TWO BOOKS in and one and can buy (or with great confidence GIFT) this book as a functional cookbook (for a beginner cook or an experienced cook) or as another one of the quickly emerging great books on what some call TV's greatest show (the other GREAT new book is David Chase's book of Sopranos scripts from the first three seasons, also available on Amazon.com).

It's impossible to list all my favorite recipes here, but JUST a few include: Marinara Sauce, Bistecca Piaaziola, Giambotta (vegetable stew), Janice Soprano's Vegetarian Baked Ziti, Standing Rib Roast (the one I want to perfect), Baked Ziti with little meatballs, Baked Chicken with Potatotes, Lemon and Oregano, Baked Chicken Cacciatore, home-de Ah Beetz (pizza), Ceasar Salad, my parent's favorite Spaghetti Puttanesca...and many more.

Sopranos fans (and cooks who want to also enjoy READING a cook book) will love the interviews with Sopranos characters. My favorite is with Tony's imported-from-Italy henchman Furio Giunta who says he doesn't like the food in America: "First, you use too much sauce on your spaghetti. Very bad. Too soupy. Can't taste the pasta, the semolina...They you do something really stupid. You drink cappuccino after dinner!"

And then there is Janice Soprano; "I grew up in a typical Italian-American family of that era and milieu...I was in charge of setting the table, given the artistic touch that I, alone among my siblings, possess...My mother Livia Pollio Soprano was a typical stay-at-home-mom..."

Just remember: one day you may be in your kitchen, nearly whacked by culinary disaster, pondering a too-difficult or too-simplistic cookbook, echoing the same exact words as Tony Soprano in the final scene of the episode Pine Barrens: "Why does everything have to be so hard? I'm not sayin' I'm perfect, but I do the right...thing for my family. Doesn't that count for anything?"

If your family hates your meal it won't. The Sopranos Family Cookbook makes it easy, authentic...and FUN. Trust me...or else...

Allen Rucker has captured the Sopranos perfectly and the recipes are delicious. You can really imagine each character in the book talking to Arite Bucco or writing their own section. Tony's tips for controlling the heat on the grill are hilarious! And Bobby Bacala's thoughts on dessert are equally funny.

But on top of this being a great book for any Sopranos fan, it is a great Italian cookbook on its own. I cook Italian food all the time and I've already tested many of the recipes...and they are great!

Whether a Sopranos fan or a lover of Italian food, this book is a must for you!

As a Director of Catering I collect a lot of cookbooks. In fact if you like this review you might want to check out my listmania list I have several on cookbooks.
Now to my review. This book, in my opinion, is Beautifully put together. Recipes are easy to read with items that are accesible at most grocery stores. The stories throughout the books and little articles that in reference to the series was a excellent idea. This book had so many different little added extras that it was hard for me to remember that this was a fictional family they were speaking of LOL. I especially like the page of top 10 Famous Food scenes in Mob movies it was interesting. The book has recipes from Appetizers to Desserts. No Fuss to a little Elaborate. Pictures are nice and I had the feeling, after reading this book, that I could do many of these recipes even if I wasn't a Director of Catering.

I highly recommend this book for anyone that enjoys Italian Food or the Series, in fact I had an idea to do a Gift Basket for Christmas with the DVD's (from the series), this Cookbook, a Sinatra CD and a bottle of Ruffino Chiante what a perfect evening.

If you find that you like this style of cookbook, ethnic or because it tells a story along with the recipes also check
Van Gogh's Table (the artist life story is throughout the book), and Soul Food: Recipes & Reflections from African-American Churches by Joyce White

Respectfully Reviewed

I absolutely love this book. I bought it this afternoon and read it by this evening. I love it for the following reasons: 1. The recipes are authentic & outstanding. I learned to cook in a Culinary Institute internship kitchen, and I know good when I see/taste it. Having spent lots of time in old country Southern Italian families, I know what's real. Take for instance, "spaghetti sauce". This book differentiates between simple Marinara, and "Sunday Gravy". You learn about Sunday Gravy from little old ladies in black who live to cook for the familia. And... how many non Italians know how to choose a wine like "Lacrima Christi"??? 2. The interviews and conversations, by the letter of the Law are fictitious... but so well done that they fulfil the spirit of the intended conversations. I'll attest to that from years of experience in the Italian-American world and as a retired homicide detective. From my present vocation as a Priest, I'll give this comment: "Nonne dulce est familiam totam in unem locum cogere"? (Isn't it great to have the whole family together?)

My advice: BUY THIS BOOK !!!
Fr. Bob Haux