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Ingredienti: Marcella's Guide to the Market
From the inimitable woman who popularized Italian cuisine in America, Marcella Hazan’s simple and elegant manual on how to shop for the best ingredients and prepare the most delicious meals is a must-have for every home cook.
When Marcella Hazan died in 2013, the world mourned the passing of the “Godmother of Italian cooking.” But her legacy lives on, through her cookbooks and recipes, and in the handwritten notebooks filled with her thoughts on how to select the best ingredients—Ingredienti. Her husband and longtime collaborator Victor has translated and transcribed these vignettes on how to buy and what to do with the fresh produce used in Italian cooking, the elements of an essential pantry, and salumi.
Before you know how to cook, you must know how to shop. From Artichokes to Zucchini, Anchovies to Ziti, Ingredienti offers succinct and compelling advice on how to choose vegetables, pasta, olive oil, Parmigiano Reggiano, prosciutto, and all of the key elements of Marcella’s classic meals. Organic isn’t necessarily best, boxed pasta can be better than fresh. Marcella’s authoritative wisdom and surprising tips will change the way you cook. Her clear, practical guidance in acquiring the components of good cooking is helpful wherever you choose to shop—in supermarkets, farmers’ markets, specialty food stores, or online.
Based on sixty years of almost daily visits to the market to choose the ingredients of that day’s meal, Ingredienti is a life’s work, distilled—an expression of Marcella’s judgments, advice, and suggestions. Uncomplicated and precise, this volume will be essential to home cooks eager to produce meals in the same delicious style Marcella was the first to introduce to America.
When Marcella Hazan died in 2013, the world mourned the passing of the “Godmother of Italian cooking.” But her legacy lives on, through her cookbooks and recipes, and in the handwritten notebooks filled with her thoughts on how to select the best ingredients—Ingredienti. Her husband and longtime collaborator Victor has translated and transcribed these vignettes on how to buy and what to do with the fresh produce used in Italian cooking, the elements of an essential pantry, and salumi.
Before you know how to cook, you must know how to shop. From Artichokes to Zucchini, Anchovies to Ziti, Ingredienti offers succinct and compelling advice on how to choose vegetables, pasta, olive oil, Parmigiano Reggiano, prosciutto, and all of the key elements of Marcella’s classic meals. Organic isn’t necessarily best, boxed pasta can be better than fresh. Marcella’s authoritative wisdom and surprising tips will change the way you cook. Her clear, practical guidance in acquiring the components of good cooking is helpful wherever you choose to shop—in supermarkets, farmers’ markets, specialty food stores, or online.
Based on sixty years of almost daily visits to the market to choose the ingredients of that day’s meal, Ingredienti is a life’s work, distilled—an expression of Marcella’s judgments, advice, and suggestions. Uncomplicated and precise, this volume will be essential to home cooks eager to produce meals in the same delicious style Marcella was the first to introduce to America.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published July 12, 2016
129 people are currently reading
906 people want to read
About the author
Marcella Hazan
50 books101 followersBorn in 1924 in Italy, she later moved in New York where she founded a cooking school specialized in traditional Italian cooking. She published her first cooking book, The Classic Italian Cook Book, in 1973.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
November 4, 2016
This was a quick read over the course of 2 evenings. I found it interesting. The description of mostly vegetable offerings was interesting. There were some good tips especially for storage, some familiar, some new. While there were no actual recipes she often described her favorite methods of preparation, often very simple, in terms that many cooks could replicate from.
The downside for me was that many of the items are only available imported, via online purchase and were very expensive. Even Hazan noted that some items have gone from peasant food to very expensive. She also has a somewhat rigid views about what is acceptable but her focus is Italian cooking and she was in her late 80's when this was written.
To my knowledge she is both a master and a purist of Italian cuisine but may not have delved too much into any regional American cooking.
I have a limited food budget and I like to eat well. I also believe in supporting a less energy wasting food system. Think of the fuel costs of food items travelling from thousands of miles away. This applies just as much to inferior as to excellent quality items.While it's fun to read about no way can I spend $200 on a bottle of balsamic or a fresh white truffle.
I do believe in buying the best quality as I can afford and as much as possible buy foods grown reasonably near me. Not a complete purist, I can and do stretch my budget to buy real Parmesan Reggiano when on sale (it keeps as well as she describes it). I can buy many of the beautiful fresh produce offerings in my area.
Taking some of the information here and applying to my local situation makes the book more useful.
The downside for me was that many of the items are only available imported, via online purchase and were very expensive. Even Hazan noted that some items have gone from peasant food to very expensive. She also has a somewhat rigid views about what is acceptable but her focus is Italian cooking and she was in her late 80's when this was written.
To my knowledge she is both a master and a purist of Italian cuisine but may not have delved too much into any regional American cooking.
I have a limited food budget and I like to eat well. I also believe in supporting a less energy wasting food system. Think of the fuel costs of food items travelling from thousands of miles away. This applies just as much to inferior as to excellent quality items.While it's fun to read about no way can I spend $200 on a bottle of balsamic or a fresh white truffle.
I do believe in buying the best quality as I can afford and as much as possible buy foods grown reasonably near me. Not a complete purist, I can and do stretch my budget to buy real Parmesan Reggiano when on sale (it keeps as well as she describes it). I can buy many of the beautiful fresh produce offerings in my area.
Taking some of the information here and applying to my local situation makes the book more useful.
July 8, 2016
This book is a treasure trove for cooks who love Italian ingredients and preparations. I felt like Marcella Hazan was my 'nonna' walking me through her own pantry late in life, passing along to me her vast knowledge of ingredients by identifying each piece of vegetable, cheese, or slice of prosciutto, and telling me about its history, origin, and flavor. She shares her preferences freely and humorously at times ("No balsamic!" she proclaims, especially when talking about salad dressing). She later redeems balsamic by describing good, aged balsamic and how to use it "with a dropper" (a single drop on a piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano is heaven, she says). I especially enjoyed the sections she shares on salts and how to use them, truffles (the various kinds, harvest methods, and seasons), olive oil, and vinegar (she swears by a good, well-made red wine vinegar for most uses). Brava to Marcella Hazan for writing this before she passed and to her husband, Victor, for translating it and bringing it to life!
July 5, 2016
Although Marcella died, I truly wanted her to live forever. My wish will not come true, but her husband's publication of her last book will temper my grief.
Ingredienti feels like a work of love. Her husband is dedicated to remaining true to Marcella's voice, her direct approach to allowing the ingredients to speak clearly for themselves.The maxim, "less is more," becomes increasingly inspirational with each page turned.
Although this is not a cookbook, it does include descriptions of meals created with the ingredients. No exact measurements, just an organic orientation to creating simple meals with the ingredients.
Marcella and her husband guide the reader through the market, train the eye as to what represents the highest quality. At times, the reader is guided to internet sources. She combines the old world with the new.
This is a book that deserves a place of respect, along with her Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.
August 9, 2017
This is a cute little book that is great as a kitchen reference. It contains helpful information about many different ingredients (mostly vegetables), from understanding varieties and selecting the best quality to storing optimally and preparing traditionally.
May 18, 2020
On potatoes - ‘The most ethereal confection that you can produce with potatoes is Italy’s gnocchi. The only ingredients that go with gnocchi are potatoes and flour. It takes patience to learn to combine the flour and mashed boiled potato into a dough that can be turned by hand into heavenly gnocchi dumplings. Many cooks, probably most cooks, add eggs to the dough to make it firmer and easier to handle. We call that method alla parigina(Paris-style), and it isn’t a compliment.’
From tips on buying fresh produce (apparently grocers peel away the aging outer red cabbage leaves; revealing the pale inner leaves to make them look fresher; so buy the darkest cabbages for the fresher ones), to the most respectful way of treating ingredients (gently slice them, braise in butter, some are never to be boiled), Marcella Hazan dispenses all that she knows generously and with much wit in this little book. Every short chapter comes with a delicate illustration and is dedicated to one ingredient, be it carrots, butter, salumi, or even bread crumbs.
With a foreword by her husband Victor Hazan, who completed the book after Marcella’s untimely passing in 2013, Ingredienti is an unassuming and lovely tribute to ingredients, the kitchen, and their sixty-year marriage.
Came here for recipes, ended up with a love story told through potatoes.
From tips on buying fresh produce (apparently grocers peel away the aging outer red cabbage leaves; revealing the pale inner leaves to make them look fresher; so buy the darkest cabbages for the fresher ones), to the most respectful way of treating ingredients (gently slice them, braise in butter, some are never to be boiled), Marcella Hazan dispenses all that she knows generously and with much wit in this little book. Every short chapter comes with a delicate illustration and is dedicated to one ingredient, be it carrots, butter, salumi, or even bread crumbs.
With a foreword by her husband Victor Hazan, who completed the book after Marcella’s untimely passing in 2013, Ingredienti is an unassuming and lovely tribute to ingredients, the kitchen, and their sixty-year marriage.
Came here for recipes, ended up with a love story told through potatoes.
Read
May 1, 2024I should not listen to audiobooks when the author is italian. or should I? i would give a -3 stars to the reading of this book, with EVERY word mispronounced, poorly accented, dwarfed and ridicule. For a book like this, it is a shame and one easily avoided. this is poor casting.
If one gets beyond that, there is good information and ideas, Marcella was certainly a cooking maven with lots of hands-on knowledge. She was passionate about italian food, and fairly well informed - if a bit stubburn and old fashioned, as many foods are today well imported and credibly available - one doesn't have to be so suspicious of supermarket olive oils, and small grocers are more likely to have old stock only.
It is worth noting that, while the book is not a recipes book, Marcella provides a wealth of ideas on how to use ingredients in a seasonal, simple and tasty way.
Her point of view is vehemently regional, with a strong penchant for Venetian and Emilian food regions, almost ignoring many of the others. On occasion I disagree with her approach, but in many other cases I enjoyed FINALLY having someone spelling out the right situation - like when she explain the fresh vs. dry pasta.
If one gets beyond that, there is good information and ideas, Marcella was certainly a cooking maven with lots of hands-on knowledge. She was passionate about italian food, and fairly well informed - if a bit stubburn and old fashioned, as many foods are today well imported and credibly available - one doesn't have to be so suspicious of supermarket olive oils, and small grocers are more likely to have old stock only.
It is worth noting that, while the book is not a recipes book, Marcella provides a wealth of ideas on how to use ingredients in a seasonal, simple and tasty way.
Her point of view is vehemently regional, with a strong penchant for Venetian and Emilian food regions, almost ignoring many of the others. On occasion I disagree with her approach, but in many other cases I enjoyed FINALLY having someone spelling out the right situation - like when she explain the fresh vs. dry pasta.
November 30, 2017
A must have for anyone who wants to know how to shop for veggies and meats! I was very touched by the forward written by the authors husband
March 17, 2025
This is the perfect place to start if you are wanting to up your cooking game! She goes through all the most basic ingredients and shows simple ways to dress simple vegetables for a powerful flavor. Classic Italian cooking at its finest. I’ll probably buy this book for reference.
July 30, 2016
I received this book as an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This slim volume is so easily readable that I devoured it in less than 12 hours - a few hours waiting in the airport for my flight, a few hours on the plane, and then less than an hour to finish it. It took me a few hours of thinking to figure out what made it so easy to read: it was the friendly voice of the author. Even though Victor Hazan translated, compiled and edited his wife's many journals on the subject of ingredients, her own down to earth voice shone through. It was like listening to an Italian grandmother impart her innermost culinary secrets.
The book is basically divided into three sections: produce, the essential pantry, salumi. Across those three sections, it covers the breadth of ingredients that you would expect to find in Italian cuisine, including tomatoes, pasta, rice, herbs, spices, and Italian cured meats. Within each section, the material is arranged alphabetically by ingredient name. These chapters can include the origin, history and ancient use of the ingredient, the modern use of the ingredient, how the ingredient is grown or made, what to look for when buying the ingredient, how to clean the ingredient, how to cook with the ingredient, and how to store the ingredient. When included, recipes were given to highlight the versatility or simplicity of an ingredient. Recipes were given in a breezy paragraph format: take a little of this, add a little of that, cook it like this, serve it like that.
I recommended this book to my father, whose mother was born in Sicily, because the overarching philosophy of the book aligns with his culinary philosophy. Choose the best ingredients and cook simply to let the ingredients shine. The advice and themes that were familiar to me in the book resonated with me because I had heard them from him since I was old enough to "sous chef" for him in the kitchen as he cooked for large family holidays.
I bought this book for a thirty-something single girlfriend of mine who wants to learn more about cooking good healthy foods for herself. I felt it would offer the perfect balance to The Vegetable Butcher: How to Select, Prep, Slice, Dice, and Masterfully Cook Vegetables from Artichokes to Zucchini by Cara Mangini, which is heavily laden with instructional photographs of how to prep a universe of vegetables and offers one or two fairly complex recipes for each vegetable. The produce section of Ingredienti: Marcella's Guide to the Market boils down the selection, preparation and cooking of vegetables to only the most necessary basics. It will provide her with a good place to start, and the ability to confidently look at The Vegetable Butcher if she needs more details.
Overall, I am extremely grateful for having read this book. I look forward to the opportunity to try a few of the recipes offered within, although I have yet to do so. When I do, I will update this review.
This slim volume is so easily readable that I devoured it in less than 12 hours - a few hours waiting in the airport for my flight, a few hours on the plane, and then less than an hour to finish it. It took me a few hours of thinking to figure out what made it so easy to read: it was the friendly voice of the author. Even though Victor Hazan translated, compiled and edited his wife's many journals on the subject of ingredients, her own down to earth voice shone through. It was like listening to an Italian grandmother impart her innermost culinary secrets.
The book is basically divided into three sections: produce, the essential pantry, salumi. Across those three sections, it covers the breadth of ingredients that you would expect to find in Italian cuisine, including tomatoes, pasta, rice, herbs, spices, and Italian cured meats. Within each section, the material is arranged alphabetically by ingredient name. These chapters can include the origin, history and ancient use of the ingredient, the modern use of the ingredient, how the ingredient is grown or made, what to look for when buying the ingredient, how to clean the ingredient, how to cook with the ingredient, and how to store the ingredient. When included, recipes were given to highlight the versatility or simplicity of an ingredient. Recipes were given in a breezy paragraph format: take a little of this, add a little of that, cook it like this, serve it like that.
I recommended this book to my father, whose mother was born in Sicily, because the overarching philosophy of the book aligns with his culinary philosophy. Choose the best ingredients and cook simply to let the ingredients shine. The advice and themes that were familiar to me in the book resonated with me because I had heard them from him since I was old enough to "sous chef" for him in the kitchen as he cooked for large family holidays.
I bought this book for a thirty-something single girlfriend of mine who wants to learn more about cooking good healthy foods for herself. I felt it would offer the perfect balance to The Vegetable Butcher: How to Select, Prep, Slice, Dice, and Masterfully Cook Vegetables from Artichokes to Zucchini by Cara Mangini, which is heavily laden with instructional photographs of how to prep a universe of vegetables and offers one or two fairly complex recipes for each vegetable. The produce section of Ingredienti: Marcella's Guide to the Market boils down the selection, preparation and cooking of vegetables to only the most necessary basics. It will provide her with a good place to start, and the ability to confidently look at The Vegetable Butcher if she needs more details.
Overall, I am extremely grateful for having read this book. I look forward to the opportunity to try a few of the recipes offered within, although I have yet to do so. When I do, I will update this review.
May 14, 2017
All the good ingredients of cooking described and revealed by the master of Italian home cooking. Well, not all--she covers vegetables, pasta, olive oil, spices and a few meats used for seasoning, but not cuts of meat or fish. Her husband says in the introduction that she omitted meats and fish because you really shouldn't buy them on your own--you needed the expert assistance of a butcher or fishmonger. Which makes sense, even though I don't have that luxury and would have appreciated her advice. But I'll take her advice on almost everything else.
Her suggestion for cooking carrots, for example, sounds like a definite to-try.
Slice into thin rounds and braise them very slowly in butter, in a skillet, adding just enough water to keep them cooking without stirring. Quit when they become wrinkled and colored a deep brown.
Sounds interesting, doesn't it? I'll probably go back to oven-roasting with a little salt and olive oil, but I'll try hers first.
Don't be misled to thinking this is a cookbook--it isn't. It's all about the ingredients: choosing, storing, preparing, and appreciating them. It seems a tiny book, but it's packed with information. There are about four pages devoted to Pamegiana-Romano and that's one of the longer sections.
I read the book through from beginning to end, but it would make a wonderful gift to a young person just moving out on their own. If they went to the market and bought a beautiful, red bell pepper, they could then consult Marcella--
Remove the skin by charring it over a charcoal flame.... When it is charred on all sides, close it up in a plastic bag. Let it steam awhile inside the bag, and when it is cool enough to hold, take it out and pull off the skin. It will come away easily in shreds. Split open the pepper, remove the white pith and seeds, and cut it lengthwise into broad fillet. Lay these flat on a plate, sprinkle with salt, and cover with olive oil. It is the simplest and most delectable thing you can do with a vegetable.
That's her advice--I like it. Simplicity, and flavor. It's how to cook and it's how to eat. Maybe even how to live.
Her suggestion for cooking carrots, for example, sounds like a definite to-try.
Slice into thin rounds and braise them very slowly in butter, in a skillet, adding just enough water to keep them cooking without stirring. Quit when they become wrinkled and colored a deep brown.
Sounds interesting, doesn't it? I'll probably go back to oven-roasting with a little salt and olive oil, but I'll try hers first.
Don't be misled to thinking this is a cookbook--it isn't. It's all about the ingredients: choosing, storing, preparing, and appreciating them. It seems a tiny book, but it's packed with information. There are about four pages devoted to Pamegiana-Romano and that's one of the longer sections.
I read the book through from beginning to end, but it would make a wonderful gift to a young person just moving out on their own. If they went to the market and bought a beautiful, red bell pepper, they could then consult Marcella--
Remove the skin by charring it over a charcoal flame.... When it is charred on all sides, close it up in a plastic bag. Let it steam awhile inside the bag, and when it is cool enough to hold, take it out and pull off the skin. It will come away easily in shreds. Split open the pepper, remove the white pith and seeds, and cut it lengthwise into broad fillet. Lay these flat on a plate, sprinkle with salt, and cover with olive oil. It is the simplest and most delectable thing you can do with a vegetable.
That's her advice--I like it. Simplicity, and flavor. It's how to cook and it's how to eat. Maybe even how to live.
August 16, 2016
INGREDIENTI is not a book you’ll read once and put aside to never touch again. It’s one you’ll come back to time and time again. It’s jammed paced with helpful information about common and not-so-common food items we purchase and consume daily.
Narrated by Elizabeth Wiley, the helpful instructions flow effortlessly. Wiley’s vocals enhance and her accent brings the advice to life. Her voice is smooth and comforting like the foods she describes.
This is a fascinating story about various foods, the best ways to prepare them and the best ways to store them. Through the rich descriptions, listeners/readers can almost smell the tantalizing aromas fill the air from the freshly prepared dishes. There are no step-by-step recipes to follow, only discussions on how things can be prepared and what they are good paired with. This is not a recipe book, but a book to help you purchase and preserve food to get the most out of it.
Listeners/readers will never look at grocery shopping quite the same after spending a few hours with Marcella’s instructions. Don’t be surprised if you even find yourself rearranging your refrigerator after listening/reading this delightful book.
This instruction guide with an Italian flare is a must-have for every kitchen.
FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.
Narrated by Elizabeth Wiley, the helpful instructions flow effortlessly. Wiley’s vocals enhance and her accent brings the advice to life. Her voice is smooth and comforting like the foods she describes.
This is a fascinating story about various foods, the best ways to prepare them and the best ways to store them. Through the rich descriptions, listeners/readers can almost smell the tantalizing aromas fill the air from the freshly prepared dishes. There are no step-by-step recipes to follow, only discussions on how things can be prepared and what they are good paired with. This is not a recipe book, but a book to help you purchase and preserve food to get the most out of it.
Listeners/readers will never look at grocery shopping quite the same after spending a few hours with Marcella’s instructions. Don’t be surprised if you even find yourself rearranging your refrigerator after listening/reading this delightful book.
This instruction guide with an Italian flare is a must-have for every kitchen.
FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.
September 8, 2016
Ingredienti is a beautiful, little book that will look great in anyone's kitchen cookbook collection. It's not a cookbook per se, but it is filled Marcella Hazan's tried-and-true wisdom on selecting the best ingredients for Italian cooking (but could also apply to most cooking in general). Just to list only a few of the many, many ingredients that are in the book: asparagus, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, pasta, zucchini, spinach, arugula, rhubarb, potatoes... The list goes on. When Marcella passed away in 2013, her husband, Victor Hazan, gathered her writing and notes and translated her work, for what would then become Ingredienti. The writing is very easy to read and so approachable. I really enjoyed the formatting and how each ingredient is a little vignette for that food item. If you enjoy cooking, or know someone that does, this book would not dissapoint.
*Please note: I received this book from a Goodreads First Reads giveaway and am providing my unbiased review to show my appreciation for Goodreads, the publisher, and author(s)*
*Please note: I received this book from a Goodreads First Reads giveaway and am providing my unbiased review to show my appreciation for Goodreads, the publisher, and author(s)*
August 26, 2017
This little book is a treasure. It is full of information for the aspiring cook up to and including a master chef. Well written and edited, it covers Marcella Hazan's thoughts and ideas on numerous foodstuffs, the raw ingredients that all food must start with. The simplicity of the preparations she concocts are a wonder and shows us all, that good food does not need a multitude of ingredients. Of course, some of the ingredients are only available in Italy, especially the hams, but to read a description of a bite to eat by Hazan will send any cook to their computer to search the internet for a key component of one of her wonderful "recipes". And the true indicator of a five star book... I am buying a copy of "Ingreienti" to sit next to my copy of "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking". A great read.
April 6, 2016
Ingredienti: Marcella's Guide to the Market is an elegantly written cooking source as the book does not provide recipes in the typical sense. The book does provide kitchen wisdom on how to select ingredients such as produce, condiments or pork. You will also read about the different classifications, types and history of each featured ingredient.
Some of the ingredients detailed in her book include:
Garlic
Truffles
Tomatoes
Swiss Chard
Peppers
Peas
Potatoes
Radishes
Asparagus
Beans
Risotto Rice
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Red Wine Vinegar
Butter
Pancetta
Lardo
If you wish to learn how to select the best ingredients for cooking, I'd highly recommend purchasing Ingredienti.
Review written after downloading a galley from Edelweiss.
Some of the ingredients detailed in her book include:
Garlic
Truffles
Tomatoes
Swiss Chard
Peppers
Peas
Potatoes
Radishes
Asparagus
Beans
Risotto Rice
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Red Wine Vinegar
Butter
Pancetta
Lardo
If you wish to learn how to select the best ingredients for cooking, I'd highly recommend purchasing Ingredienti.
Review written after downloading a galley from Edelweiss.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2017
I loved this book. And it made me hungry for truly outstanding food. Ingredienti: Marcella’s Guide to the Market by Marcella Hazan, Victor Hazan, beautifully narrated by Elizabeth Wiley whose Italian is musical and draws the listener in to want to find the nearest Italian market and go shopping, or better yet, hop a flight to Italy and eat. Explore real food, the market, the cooking, the culture. Wonderfully delicious book. It reads rather topical, with a strong emphasis on the various vegetables, but it truly gives an outstanding how to cook them remarkably. I never had a home economics class, and never got to learn cooking from my mama, so this is a great fill-in for those things. Great for public libraries, and lovers of all things food.
June 1, 2025
This was such an interesting and relaxing book to read, especially having learned more about Marcella, that her husband finished the book because she had died while writing it, and her knowledge and love of cooking. The simple illustrations add to the charm of the book and allow Marcella’s insight on each ingredient to shine.
November 7, 2016
I'm not really sure what category this book belong in; its not a memoir, its not a cookbook, its not advice, its not travelogue. At the same time, it is all of those things. Its fairly easy to read, and something instructive as well. I really enjoyed it.
January 31, 2017
Reads like a high school home economic textbook, dry and boring. No recipes, few cooking methods. Or like a detailed catalogue of food itemd. Impossible to hold my attention to "read": more like a scan. I thought that a book by such a revered chef would be more.
Want to read
July 18, 2016LA Times, 7/16/16
August 8, 2016
Felt like I was sitting at my grandma's table learning all of her wisdom. Wonderful!
October 7, 2016
This is exactly what it says , a book of ingredients. It is Marcella Hazzan's last book, and it is a really good reference guide to have.
October 13, 2016
A wonderful treasure a guide to picking the best ingredients from Marcellas handwritten notes a book to treasure from her personal notes,,
November 17, 2016
A great little resource for selecting quality Italian ingredients.
December 28, 2016
Crystal clear reference for the various components of a well stocked larder.
May 23, 2017
Narrated in this audiobook by Wiley, this wonderful book discusses Italian ingredients and the many ways each one can be prepared for cooking. A unique and delightful book.
September 6, 2017
Simple and straight forward, like an unforgettable, delicious meal.
January 10, 2019
Just learning about how pasta extruded through bronze dies has a sauce thirsty texture has changed my world! I have found some bronze die pasta from Gragnano, and will be on the search for Martelli of Tuscany, Coco of Abruzzo, Cavalieri of Apulia, Faella near Naples, and Molina del Ponte in Sicily.
When buying bay leaves avoid California bay laurel as it can have a medicinal scent, instead get imported Mediterranean laurel plant.
When buying bay leaves avoid California bay laurel as it can have a medicinal scent, instead get imported Mediterranean laurel plant.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2020
I would not recommend the audible version of this book ( how I read it). And don’t borrow this book from the library (another mistake I made). Because, you are really going to want to highlight! And make lists! And look for certain types of ingredienti at your local specialty stores! or when you travel (especially the types of cheese and prosciutto)! Sadly many of those ingredienti that I want to try aren’t available where I live in the Midwest, it may be time to travel to Italy.
Read
August 4, 2022I mostly enjoyed working my way through Marcella’s insights on various ingredienti. However, the condescending tone of the audiobook version’s narrator made it unbearable at times. I forged through because I wanted to learn, but you’re much better off to keep as a physical reference book. There are lots of simple takeaways for new cooks, a few gems for seasoned ones or those new to Italian cooking.
October 3, 2022
If you’ve ever gone to the market with a grandmother asking what a ripe tomato should feel like or what something simple like potatoes are supposed to feel like. Sure you can buy so much produce all year round, but that doesn’t mean it’ll taste good. This is like a field guide for the grocery store or market with tips on how to prepare food for Italian recipes. I love Marcella Hazan books and this is a must have for the shelf of serious cooks or chefs.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews