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Books : Twelve: A Tuscan Cookbook
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Rating: 
- Brilliant and true Tuscany
I'm writing this review because I'm so surpised to see the previous one suggesting the recipes don't work and that people who like the book cannot be serious cooks. I've cooked many recipes from this book and have found them to be simple and very successful.It is probably my most used cookbook, and I'm someone who owns a LOT of cookbooks! I should come clean about the fact that I do have the advantage of actually living in Tuscany, but I cannot believe this factor alone determines whether the recipes are successful! What I can say is that the recipes really do reflect Tuscan food and what is in season here. The month by month idea is important, these are recipes that should be cooked when the veg or fruit that are included are at their peak, though in other countries this may not be the same month as here in Tuscany. I find the book a joy to read and inspiring, Tessa Kiros writes very well and her books and desriptions really make you want to cook the recipes. Personally I don't find the recipes convoluted, most fit on one page (I have the hardback edition)Some are very short and simple, a reminder of how good simple food can be if it's fresh, seasonal and high quality-things which are the eseence of eating well in Italy.
Here are some of the recipes I have cooked succesfully from '12', some of them many, many times :spezzatino di cinghiale-wild boar stew-though I use beef as suggested as a subsitute, cipollline in agro-dolce-sweet and sour baby onions, asparagus with poached eggs,strawberry risotto, broad bean and precorino salad, tagliolini with lemon sauce, piselli alla fiorentina-green peas cooked with prosciutto, cherries in syrup, aubergine rolls, panzanella, stuffed zucchini flowers,preserved apriocts, tomato brushetta, gratineed tomatoes, pappa al pomodoro, butter cake with caramelised nectarines, plum cake, peaches in white wine, pannacotta,watermelon sorbet,crostini with pears, gorgonzola and honey,pici alla bascaiola-pasta with procini and tomato sauce, apple cake, fig jam, gratineed mussels,walnut bread, creme caramel,zabaglione. So a beautiful book, a lovely read and one that cooks well too in my experience.
Rating:
- Dreadful
I reviewed this book before and I can't believe the reviews I am reading now. I can only assume that most of these people don't cook! The recipes are convoluted and many of them don't work. If you are a serious cook you can tell just by reading them that she's got it wrong. Don't bother.
Rating:
- 'The author shares her passion for the food of Tuscany in this rich and very personal collection of Italian recipes.'
From the introduction:-
`My aim in writing this book has been to share some of the delights that have been part of my life here. More than an informative guide, it outlines the basic goings-on taking place on stovetops in a place whose culinary fame is steadfastly rooted amongst the hills and within tradition.........Throughout the months of the year you will find the ingredients of Tuscany just as they become available to the Tuscans. In each month there are recipes for all the courses of an Italian meal - though as you will see in `The Italian Meal', even an Italian doesn't eat all the courses all the time......Although it is my belief that with good ingredients anyone can cook a good Tuscan meal, I recognise that not everyone lives in Tuscany and so I have occasionally given alternatives to those harder to find. The rest, I trust you will shift, find, improvise and add to suit your personal space and marketplace.'
415 high quality, shiny pages mainly split over the twelve months of the year, plus a section on `The Store Cupboard', `The Italian Meal', `Wine Notes', `Basics', `How to', along with an introduction, a glossary and a concise index.
Each chapter opens with an endearing description of the relevant month along with a photograph. Each recipe within has its Italian name and English version. Introductory text opens each recipe which is clearly laid out with the ingredients on the left, along with the number of servings and the method on the right.
Vibrant photographs, some black and white, but not that many of the recipes.
A taste of the recipes within:-
Mixed Fish Soup with Tomato
Mixed Meat Stew
Bread with Rosemary and Olive Oil
Roast Rack of Pork
Crepes with Pastry Cream & Praline
Orange Salad
Mashed Potato Cakes
Apricot Jam Tart
Gratinéed Mussels
Pumpkin Ravioli with Butter & Sage
Ricotta Tart
Lasagne
Chargrilled Chicken
Lemon Tart
Vanilla Ice Cream
Minestrone
Chocolate & Vanilla Sponge Pudding
Tuscan Style Tripe
Stuffed Zucchini
Tiramisu
Risotto with Asparagus
Rating: - One of my favourites, even though I'm a Vegetarian!
I have book shelves lined with cookery books, most of which are vegetarian cook books & I love nothing more than to sit with a glass of wine & read recipes! Having absolutely fallen in love with the food of Tuscany whilst on my honeymoon last year I couldn't wait to try cooking something similar myself when I returned home. I picked up this book at Waitrose. Yes there are meat and fish recipes, but there are also many wonderful vegetarian recipes too. I haven't looked back & thanks to this book I would say that 70% of the cooking I now do is Tuscan inspired. I've gone on to try recipes of my own based on combinations I've learnt from Tessa Kiros. I tried out the plum jam and plum cake this weekend and wowed the family with the delicious results. I'd definitely recommend this.
Rating: - SOOO GORGEOUS!
If you are an Italian food lover this book is a must-have. Or even if you are not, it is still simply stunning! I love it and am so pleased that I have discovered Tessa!
Mouth-watering, simplyeand just plain delicious. I just don't know what I did before Tessa.
- Brilliant and true TuscanyI'm writing this review because I'm so surpised to see the previous one suggesting the recipes don't work and that people who like the book cannot be serious cooks. I've cooked many recipes from this book and have found them to be simple and very successful.It is probably my most used cookbook, and I'm someone who owns a LOT of cookbooks! I should come clean about the fact that I do have the advantage of actually living in Tuscany, but I cannot believe this factor alone determines whether the recipes are successful! What I can say is that the recipes really do reflect Tuscan food and what is in season here. The month by month idea is important, these are recipes that should be cooked when the veg or fruit that are included are at their peak, though in other countries this may not be the same month as here in Tuscany. I find the book a joy to read and inspiring, Tessa Kiros writes very well and her books and desriptions really make you want to cook the recipes. Personally I don't find the recipes convoluted, most fit on one page (I have the hardback edition)Some are very short and simple, a reminder of how good simple food can be if it's fresh, seasonal and high quality-things which are the eseence of eating well in Italy.
Here are some of the recipes I have cooked succesfully from '12', some of them many, many times :spezzatino di cinghiale-wild boar stew-though I use beef as suggested as a subsitute, cipollline in agro-dolce-sweet and sour baby onions, asparagus with poached eggs,strawberry risotto, broad bean and precorino salad, tagliolini with lemon sauce, piselli alla fiorentina-green peas cooked with prosciutto, cherries in syrup, aubergine rolls, panzanella, stuffed zucchini flowers,preserved apriocts, tomato brushetta, gratineed tomatoes, pappa al pomodoro, butter cake with caramelised nectarines, plum cake, peaches in white wine, pannacotta,watermelon sorbet,crostini with pears, gorgonzola and honey,pici alla bascaiola-pasta with procini and tomato sauce, apple cake, fig jam, gratineed mussels,walnut bread, creme caramel,zabaglione. So a beautiful book, a lovely read and one that cooks well too in my experience.
Rating:
- DreadfulI reviewed this book before and I can't believe the reviews I am reading now. I can only assume that most of these people don't cook! The recipes are convoluted and many of them don't work. If you are a serious cook you can tell just by reading them that she's got it wrong. Don't bother.
Rating:
- 'The author shares her passion for the food of Tuscany in this rich and very personal collection of Italian recipes.'From the introduction:-
`My aim in writing this book has been to share some of the delights that have been part of my life here. More than an informative guide, it outlines the basic goings-on taking place on stovetops in a place whose culinary fame is steadfastly rooted amongst the hills and within tradition.........Throughout the months of the year you will find the ingredients of Tuscany just as they become available to the Tuscans. In each month there are recipes for all the courses of an Italian meal - though as you will see in `The Italian Meal', even an Italian doesn't eat all the courses all the time......Although it is my belief that with good ingredients anyone can cook a good Tuscan meal, I recognise that not everyone lives in Tuscany and so I have occasionally given alternatives to those harder to find. The rest, I trust you will shift, find, improvise and add to suit your personal space and marketplace.'
415 high quality, shiny pages mainly split over the twelve months of the year, plus a section on `The Store Cupboard', `The Italian Meal', `Wine Notes', `Basics', `How to', along with an introduction, a glossary and a concise index.
Each chapter opens with an endearing description of the relevant month along with a photograph. Each recipe within has its Italian name and English version. Introductory text opens each recipe which is clearly laid out with the ingredients on the left, along with the number of servings and the method on the right.
Vibrant photographs, some black and white, but not that many of the recipes.
A taste of the recipes within:-
Mixed Fish Soup with Tomato
Mixed Meat Stew
Bread with Rosemary and Olive Oil
Roast Rack of Pork
Crepes with Pastry Cream & Praline
Orange Salad
Mashed Potato Cakes
Apricot Jam Tart
Gratinéed Mussels
Pumpkin Ravioli with Butter & Sage
Ricotta Tart
Lasagne
Chargrilled Chicken
Lemon Tart
Vanilla Ice Cream
Minestrone
Chocolate & Vanilla Sponge Pudding
Tuscan Style Tripe
Stuffed Zucchini
Tiramisu
Risotto with Asparagus
Rating:
- One of my favourites, even though I'm a Vegetarian!I have book shelves lined with cookery books, most of which are vegetarian cook books & I love nothing more than to sit with a glass of wine & read recipes! Having absolutely fallen in love with the food of Tuscany whilst on my honeymoon last year I couldn't wait to try cooking something similar myself when I returned home. I picked up this book at Waitrose. Yes there are meat and fish recipes, but there are also many wonderful vegetarian recipes too. I haven't looked back & thanks to this book I would say that 70% of the cooking I now do is Tuscan inspired. I've gone on to try recipes of my own based on combinations I've learnt from Tessa Kiros. I tried out the plum jam and plum cake this weekend and wowed the family with the delicious results. I'd definitely recommend this.
Rating:
- SOOO GORGEOUS!If you are an Italian food lover this book is a must-have. Or even if you are not, it is still simply stunning! I love it and am so pleased that I have discovered Tessa!
Mouth-watering, simplyeand just plain delicious. I just don't know what I did before Tessa.