The Babbo Cookbook
May 16, 2011 by admin
Filed under Italian food books
Thе Babbo Cookbook
Sοmе οf thе mοѕt inspired (аnd acclaimed) Italian food іn thе country іѕ served аt Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca, Mario Batali’s flagship restaurant іn thе heart οf Nеw York City’s Greenwich Village. Diners іn thіѕ converted town house hаνе come tο expect innovative flavors аnd artful presentations thаt mаkе thе mοѕt οf seasonal, local, аnd artisanal ingredients—аll wіth a sensibility thаt іѕ distinctly Italian. Now home cooks саn re-сrеаtе thеѕе showstopping dishes, јυѕt аѕ thеу аrе served a
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great chef, awful book,
My wife and I are huge fans of Mario Batali. We used to live in NY and ate regularly at his restaurants: mostly Lupa, Babbo for special occasions, and Esca when we were stuck in the theatre district. I love many of the dishes featured in this book (for example the “2 Minute Calamari, Sicilian Lifeguard Style,” or his Bolognese sauce).
We’re also both experienced cooks and avid cookbook readers, and neither of us like this cookbook. It’s a beautifully produced book, and does contain a large number of recipes corresponding to famous dishes from Babbbo. Unfortunately, many of the recipes in this book have serious errors and don’t work. Some recipes omit steps, others include incorrect descriptions of proportions, and others are vague about cooking techniques. For example, the recipe for the 2 minute calamari lists “1 cup couscous” as an ingredient, without telling you if it’s supposed to be raw or cooked. (By trial and error, I figured out that it was cooked.) Or, there was the Bigeye Tuna recipe that asked you to prepare a half dozen ingredients, and doesn’t tell you what to do with them. (For example, it tells you to sautee mushrooms, then doesn’t tell you what to do with them. It also tells you to make parsley oil, then doesn’t tell you what to do with it. We guessed that we should use it as a garnish.) Or take the Bolognese recipe, which produces a watery, smoky mess that tastes nothing like the sauce served in the restaurant.
Much as we wanted to like this book, we didn’t like it, and can’t recommend it. If you want to learn how to cook Italian food, try some of Marcella Hazan’s books. If you want to eat Mario Batali’s food, go to his restaurants. If you want to learn how to make the dishes served in his restaurants, wait for a better book.
(Despite our experience with this book, we bought Mario’s new book “Molto Italiano : 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home.” I’m happy to say that this book is much, much better. This book shares a lot of recipes with the Babbo book, but so far it appears that all the directions are complete, and the recipes work correctly.)
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|Nicely done…,
The Babbo cookbook is nicely done, not in a class of it’s own…but solid nonetheless. These recipes rely overwhelmingly on the quality of each and every ingredient in each dish and if unwilling to hunt for (and invest in) this caliber of ingredient, best look elsewhere. The pictures are superb and the sprinkling of culinary philosophy is good. I would purchase the book again just for the veal shank recipe!
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|More than a cookbook,
Mario Batali’s Babbo Cookbook is no mere cookbook. While delivering the recipes that have been developed and presented at his Village restuarant, it’s through Mario’s brief pre-chapter and pre-recipe writings where he lovingly conveys his passion for Italian food and cooking. His core passion is for fresh ingredients in simple (unlike the French) yet tasty preparations. He cannot stress enough how important it is to have relationships with the local baker, butcher, fishmongerer, grocer, etc. to insure the delivery of the best quality ingredients. He stresses the use of ingredients that are in-season to maximize the taste and appeal to the senses. His passion extends to the presentation and delivery of food. Simple suggestions in the cookbook include priming the wine glass before serving fine wines.
This book is a superb addition to any cook’s collection.
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