REVIEW - Cooking Italian With The Cake Boss

Cooking Italian with the Cake Boss: Family Favorites as Only Buddy Can Serve Them Up

Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Free Press (November 6, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1451674309
ISBN-13: 978-1451674309
Cover price $30.00

ABOUT COOKING ITALIAN WITH THE CAKE BOSS

Wondering what to cook for your famiglia tonight?

Let Buddy Valastro, author of the New York Times bestsellers, CAKE BOSS and BAKING WITH THE CAKE BOSS, give you a taste of what he cooks up for his family and friends—beyond the bakery.

COOKING ITALIAN WITH THE CAKE BOSS: Family Favorites as Only Buddy Can Serve Them Up (Free Press; November 6, 2012; $30.00) introduces 100 of Buddy’s delicious, essential Italian-American recipes—from his grandmother’s secret dishes to his personal specialties he makes for his own children—with signature touches that make everyday meals into memorable family events. Buddy says, “Food is love, and my favorite family moments involve meals just like the ones I’m sharing here.”

Valastro—a.k.a. the Cake Boss—is the internationally popular star of the hit TLC series Cake Boss and Next Great Baker and the owner of Carlo’s Bake Shop in Hoboken, NJ. As he did for his first two books, he’ll be taking the show on the road this holiday season with a “Homemade for the Holidays Tour.” Beginning on November 23, Buddy will travel to 20 new cities (see attached), where he’ll be doing media, daytime book signings, and evening shows.

COOKING ITALIAN WITH THE CAKE BOSS will allow anyone to become the boss of their own kitchen this winter—even novice cooks will be able to whip up a tasty and complete meal, from appetizers like stuffed artichokes to satisfying, signature entrees like Grandma Madeline’s Sausage Lasagna or a classic potato gnocchi, family-style. And of course there will be Buddy’s famous “Sunday Gravy” recipe that he’s justifiably proud of (aka tomato sauce) and some brand-new desserts, including an easy chocolate mousse—perfect for bringing to holiday parties.

With tips passed down through generations to make Italian favorites even more delicious, along with clear techniques and step-by-step color photos, COOKING ITALIAN WITH THE CAKE BOSS shows that this Cake Boss knows how to bring families together through food. And as he’s working with you on these delicious recipes, he’s telling more stories about himself and his clan’s memorable moments in the kitchen, making you feel like part of the famiglia.

About the Author

Buddy Valastro, owner of Carlo’s Bake Shop in Hoboken, New Jersey is the author of the New York Times bestsellers, Cake Boss and Baking with the Cake Boss, and star of the hit TLC series, Cake Boss and Next Great Baker. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and four children. Learn more at: http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/cake-boss

MY THOUGHTS

I received a copy of Cooking Italian With The Cake Boss.

Chapters include:

Appetizers, finger Foods, and Snacks
Salads
Brweads, Pizzas, and Sandwiches
Soups
Pasta and Risotto
Main Courses
Sides
Buddy Basics
Desserts

I really like that the table of contents contains an index of each recipe in each chapter.The recipes are all written with great detail and are very easy to understand. They include prep and cooking time. Being familiar with the visual nature of Buddy’s cakes, I was surprised to find that this cookbook doesn’t contain as many pictures as I expected. The pictures that are in it are great, but a good many of the recipes don’t have a picture. I find pictures help me pick what I’m going to make (if they look like they might be good), plus they help me know that what I made turned out something along the lines of what it was supposed to look like. Recipes I’m really looking forward to checking out include Pasta e Fagioli, Tortellini Soup, Potato Gnocchi,Auntie Anna’s Manicotti, Mozzarella and Sausage Stuffed Chicken, Sausage Stuffed Turlkey Rollatini, Apple Snacking Cake, and Nina’s Ricotta Cheesecake. This cookbook would be great for those that enjoy Italian cooking.

MORE INFO

COOKING ITALIAN WITH THE CAKE BOSS – BUDDY’S 2012 HOMEMADE FOR THE HOLIDAY TOUR:

Friday, November 23, 2012 – Lowell, MA

Noon – 1 PM signing at Lowell Follett Bookstore
7:30pm show at Lowell Memorial Auditorium

Saturday, November 24 – Springfield, MA

Noon – 1 PM signing at Barnes & Noble (Holyoke)
7:30 PM show at Symphony Hall

Sunday, November 25 – Torrington, CT

1 – 2 PM signing at Hickory Stick Bookshop
7:30 PM show at Warner Theatre

Monday, November 26 – Red Bank, NJ

Noon – 1 PM signing at Books & Greetings
7:30 PM show at Count Basie Theatre

Tuesday, November 27 – Philadelphia, PA

Noon – 1 PM signing at Reading Terminal Market
7:30 PM show at Kimmel Center, Verizon Hall

Wednesday, November 28 – Pittsburgh, PA

Noon – 1 PM signing at Market District
7:30 PM show at Benedum Center

Thursday, November 29 – Reading, PA

Noon – 1PM signing at Walmart
7:30 PM show at Sovereign Performing Arts Center

Friday, November 30 – Schenectady, NY

Noon – 1 PM signing at Open Door Bookstore
8:00 PM show at Proctors

Saturday, December 1 – Providence, RI

Noon – 1 PM signing at BJ’s
7:30 PM show at Providence Performing Arts Center

Sunday, December 2 – Baltimore, MD

Noon – 1 PM signing at The Ivy Bookshop
7:00 PM show at Lyric Opera House

Tuesday, December 4 – Columbus, OH

Noon – 1 PM signing at Kingsdale Market District
7:30 PM show at Palace Theatre

Wednesday, December 5 – Indianapolis, IN

Noon – 1 PM signing at Meijer (Carmel Drive)
7:30 PM show at Murat Theatre at Old National Centre

Thursday, December 6 – Milwaukee, WI

Noon – 1 PM signing at Riverside Theatre (lobby)
7:30 PM show at Riverside Theatre

Friday, December 7 – Waukegan, IL

1 -2 PM signing at Sullivan Community Center
With Lake Forest Bookstore
7:30 PM show at Genesee Theatre

Saturday, December 8 – Akron, OH

Noon – 1 PM signing at Barnes & Noble (Medina Road)
7:30 PM show at Akron Civic Theatre

Sunday, December 9 – Salem, VA

1 – 2 PM signing at Kroger (Valley Gateway Blvd.)
7:00 PM show at Salem Civic Center

Tuesday, December 11 – Atlanta, GA

Noon – 1 PM signing at Fox Tale Book Shoppe
7:30 PM show at Cobb Energy Center

Wednesday, December 12 – Charlotte, NC

Noon – 1 PM signing at Barnes & Noble (Pineville)
7:30 PM show at Ovens Auditorium

Thursday, December 13 – Richmond, VA

Noon-1 PM signing at Fountain Bookstore
7:30 PM show at Landmark Theater

Friday, December 14 – Wilkes-Barre, PA

Noon – 1 PM signing at B&N College Bookstore,
Wilkes-Kings Innovation Center
8:00 PM show at F.M. Kirby Center for the Arts

Saturday, December 15 – Syracuse, NY

1-2 PM signing at Wegman’s (W. Genesee St.)
7:30 PM show at The Oncenter

The product(s) featured in this review was provided free of cost to me for the sole purpose of product testing and review. This post has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. Please note that the opinions reflected in this post have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.