Bocca: Cookbook

by Jacob Kenedy

Authentic Italian recipes from the celebrated restaurant Bocca di Lupo.Italy is a land of appetite, where life is embraced with passion, and food prepared with generosity and joy. But the cuisine is hard to define, as each region has its own rich culinary traditions - and so deep is the belief of locals that their food is the best, that often Italy's finest dishes are unknown from one place to the next.Jacob Kenedy, a self-avowed culinary magpie, travelled the length and breadth of the country over the course of a year, gathering up his favourite recipes - many of them obscure, some bizarre, all utterly delicious. Like the menu at Bocca di Lupo, Jacob's award-winning London restaurant, this book is a thrilling, exotic journey through the true flavours of the hearty risotti of the north, the exquisite shellfish of the Veneto, the earthy sausages of Bologna, the fried street food of Rome, the baroque desserts of Naples and the Arab-influenced sweets of Sicily. The recipes in Bocca are a revelation, a portal to a side of Italy that is gritty, glamorous, seedy and mysterious. Be warned, this is a cookbook with teeth.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, Italy

782 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 6, 2011

About the author

Born in London in 1980 to an artistic family (his mother is the renowned artist, Haidee Becker, father a cellist, David Kenedy), he was educated at Westminster School and then St John’s, Cambridge. In the second year of his degree he read History and Philosophy of Science, and in his third Disease, Society and Sexuality – a study of the relationship between man, medicine and disease. In the long Oxbridge holidays he worked in the Moro kitchens, or consulted on the Moro cookbooks. Despite his academic background, his love for food is primarily emotional rather than intellectual. His parents and grandparents are keen cooks, and his earliest memories are of food. His cuisine, and his understanding of gastronomy in general, is passionate and informed.



Jacob trained both at Moro (London, under Sam & Sam Clark), and at Boulevard (San Francisco, with Nancy Oakes). He has consulted closely on all the cookbooks published so far by either restaurant, and considers himself incredibly privileged to have worked in their kitchens. He helped Oliver Rowe to open Konstam in Kings Cross before starting a venture of his own.



In 2008 he opened Bocca di Lupo with his partner, Victor Hugo. The restaurant has achieved outstanding reviews and continues to become ever busier – every week feels like the best week ever, until bettered by the following. The restaurant turns away more customers than it is able to accommodate, and seems to be making the vast majority of guests very happy indeed whilst dining at its tables.

Reviews

[Dray · Rating 3 out of 5]

This cookbook gets high marks for being very original with unique flavor combinations I have not seen elsewhere. I marked it down a bit because there is little for the vegetarian here. The recipes are also on the complicated multistage side, which is Ok but probably outside the reach of many (they are pros after all!). I very much liked that all components had their own recipe attention. Another restaurant to visit if possible, they obviously love food.

[Mabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong italian pride, variety of recipes from all over italy along with a few anecdotes and historical stories. Wish there were a few more pictures to see what the dishes look like but enjoyable.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some really delicious sounding recipes in here but rather up-himself style of writing, some of the chapter introductions sounded more like poetic philosophising on the meaning of baking etc than anything else.... I fully enjoy the wonder, magic and peace of cooking but talking about it in those terms just made me snort! (I guessed that he'd studied philosophy before looking at his profile on goodreads...) However, some really really delicious recipes that I will certainly be trying out, including a beef and peppercorn stew and a neapolitan easter tart/cake that's made with ricotta and winter grains, yum yum!

[Vuk Trifkovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's basically the 'Moro' approach (where Kenedy used to work anyway), perfectly transposed to Italy. And it works so well - great recipes, looking beyond cliche, passionately and expertly explained...

[Emily D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much tripe and offal.