Bologna Mia: Memories from the Kitchen of Italy

By Loretta Paganini

Loretta Paganini had the good fortune to be raised in Bologna, the kitchen of Italy, by two generations of Italian chefs.In Bologna Mia, she has gathered together over ninety of her family's treasured recipes, each one evoking vivid memories of the kitchens she spent time in during her childhood.Each of these recipes comes with a story.Paganini shares with us her paternal grandmother's famed pasta recipes (Paganini believes it was her magical tortelloni that helped her to charm her husband), the wisdom of her maternal grandmother's delicate hands, and the recipes for her mother's Cordon Bleu award-winning specialty pastries, tortes and appetizers......The Bolognese are known for having a knack for taking simple ingredients and combining them to create uniquely flavorful dishes.In Bologna Mia, Paganini captures the exciting flavor of the Bolognese culture, the incredible flavor of its dishes, as well as the passion her family feels for food.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312262086
• ISBN13: 9780312262082
• Release Date: October 2000
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books / St. Martin's Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.8" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

Excellent

I had visited the Emilia Romagno in Italy. The food in that region, around Bologna, is noted as the best in the country and the world. I bought some cook books while in Italy but wanted a few more. This book is excellent. The Bolognese sauce used for Lasagna has become a favorite, as has the vanilla gelato recipe. A number of other recipes in the book are delicious as well. I have yet to try anything I did not like. And, based on having been there, the recipes are very authentic and recreate the taste and feel of the Emilia Romagno.

The Best

Mama Leone"s cookbook from years ago is one that I treasure and use often. However, I received this recently as a gift and I find that I carry it with me just to read! The background information is so very interesting. I have tried a few of the receipes and intend to try many more. The Osso Buco is excellent and easily understandable for someone who is not as experienced. Try the Veal Scaloppine with Prosciutto on page 165 and the Bolognese Focaccia on page 17. This is a wonderful gift for someones who likes to cook or is interested in starting. I like the way the ingredients(easily found in a grocery store) are all on the side. It makes it easy when checking your supplies. Now I just have to get a passport and go to Bologna!

My one and only cookbook!

Being young and on the go a lot, I find myself having no time to prepare tasteful and nutritional meals. With this cookbook, I am able to make Italian dishes in no time! This cookbook has provided me with plenty of cooking tips to use in the kitchen and has also given me a taste of Italy along the way.

The best Italian cookbook

If you are serching for the perfect Italian cookbook this is it. I often travel to Italy and have enjoyed the food there. I'm always searching for cookbooks that will help me to recreate the wonderful tastes that I crave for when I'm back home. I own many cookbooks, but I enjoyed reading the wonderful stories in Bologna Mia and found the recipes so easy to prepare and so delicious.

Great Recipes, Great Stories, Great Gift!!!!!

Loretta's cookbook is incredible. Not only is it filled with lucious italian recipies from soup to pasta to desserts, it is filled with stories of Loretta's childhood. These stories show how food was an integral part of this chef's life. The writing is simple yet elegant (just like the recipes)! I would highly recommend this book as a gift for the hard to buy for in your circle of family and friends. Especially for your grandmother since Loretta was rasied by both her grandmothers, and the stories she includes about them are touching. This is a must have for any collection!