The Talisman Italian Cookbook: Italy's bestselling cookbook adapted for American kitchens

by Ada Boni, Matilde La Rosa (Translator)

Il Talismano is and has been for over 50 years the one great standard Italian cookbook. It is to Italians what Joy of Cooking is to Americans. Containing in simple and clear form the best recipes for all the foods that we associate with Italian cuisine, it covers all the regional variations of Italian cooking: Milanese, Bolognese, Venetian, Neapolitan, Sicilian, Veronese, and Florentine.

Appetizers range from the simply elegant, like Cantaloupe and Prosciutto and Artichoke Hearts in Olive Oil, to the sublime, like Tunnied Veal and Crostini of Mozzarella and Anchovies. Soups include Stracciatella, Fish Brodetto Rimini Style, and Tuscan Minestrone.

No part of Italy is very far from the sea, a fact reflected in the variety and quality of Italian seafood preparations: Flounder with Black Butter Sauce, Lobster alla Diavolo, Mullet in Piquant Sauce, Scungilli Marinara, and Shrimp Buongusto. For the landlocked there are recipes for Beefsteak alia Pizzaiola, Ossobuco, Saltimbocca, Scaloppine al Marsala, Loin of Pork with Milk, Chicken Cacciatora, Chicken Livers with Sage, Wild Duck with Lentils, and Rabbit in Egg Sauce.

Pasta is perhaps Italy's greatest contribution to world cuisine, and The Talisman contains dozens of authentic recipes like Homemade Ravioli, Green Lasagna Modena Style, and Spaghetti Marinara. There are recipes for Polenta, the Italian cornmeal preparation, as well as rice dishes and pizza.

Finally, Italian desserts are explored in full: Almond Macaroons, Pine Nut Cookies, Ricotta Pie, Zeppole, and Zuppa Inglese. There is also a glossary (complete with pronunciation guide) to Italian cooking terms.

For the American edition of The Talisman, all weights, measurements, instructions, and ingredients have been adapted to American usage. The result is a collection of recipes that are as easy to prepare as they are delicious to eat.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Italy, Reference, Nonfiction, Italian Literature

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1929

About the author

She was born Ada Giaquinto in 1891 and died in 1973. She was an Italian cook and the author of 'Il talismano della felicità', one of the fundamental books of Italian recipes and probably the first addressed to housewives (and married women in general).

Reviews

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook came in the mail Thursday and I had to stop everything else to read it, and try a few recipes too. This is wonderful. I have never heard of the crown cookbook series, but I am going to try to get them all. (Promo on back of book: Crown Classic Cookbook series features a collection of the world's best-loved foreign cookbooks adapted for the American kitchen.

Most of the recipes in the cookbook are under 10 ingredients. I made the pine nut cookies Saturday. They were wonderful. Also the White Spaghetti Sauce yesterday; it has no dairy in it.

I'm off to see if I can find more Crown Classics.

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Italian cookbook that is very traditional. . . . The introduction by Mario Pei highlights this: "It may be emphasized that this is an Italian, not an Italo-American cookbook. The recipes here listed describe dishes which are regularly eaten throughout the length and breadth of the Italian peninsula rather than dishes which are the specialty of a single Italian region, or those which have grown up in Italian communities in America." The end result, Pei observes, is that "a large number of these dishes will be almost totally unfamiliar to the American reader."

The book is divided into many sections, starting with antipasto, going through soups, egg dishes, cheese, and so on through macaroni, spaghetti, rice, to pizza, and finishing with desserts and beverages. All in all, the cookbook covers a lot of territory.

Many of the recipes will not be so simple to manage, if one wants to put something together quickly. Other reviews have mentioned this in one way or another.

However, there are some good recipes in this cookbook, traditional as they might be, that promise a nice taste treat. Among these are Beefsteak Hunter Style, Ragout of Beef with Tomato Sauce, Pork Chops in Tomato Sauce, Pork Chops Modena Style, Macaroni with Ricotta, and so on. Again, some recipes call for an awful lot of up front work that many readers won't be interested in. But there are also many others that can be done quite handily.

A good book to add to one's cooking library.

[R J Royer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cook book and I have a love/hate relationship. I love the recipes and they put me into a diabetic coma. I really enjoyed the the parts on how to grind great coffees and different blends as well as the baking.

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the years I have come to know this cookbook as the traditional Italian rough equivalent to The Joy of Cooking. My dad was born of immigrant Italian parents and while he learned much about cooking at the heels of his mother he relied on and regularly consulted this cookbook. Both my parents were great cooks but Dad prided himself on making Sunday night family dinner and gathering the relatives around the table. No one will ever replicate his cooking but the well-worn pages are ones I will surely turn to as I use this book. The edition I now own is his original published in 1950. It’s a treasure for that reason alone and will also continue to be a resource for me. Thanks Dad. 🙏🏼

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a very old edition of this book and I love it for sentimental reasons - it was the first gift my husband gave me when we were first dating (some 50 years ago). His mother was Italian and she had an even older edition. It kind of became my introduction to authentic Italian cooking and the kind of food he grew up with.

[Letizia Mattiacci · Rating 5 out of 5]

The bible of Italian cooking, a must have!

[Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very excited to stumble across this in my local used bookstore since I'd read so much about it on line, and because one of my very favorite cookbooks is Italian Regional Cooking by the same author. I was lucky enough to find an old (and very worn) hardcover copy, as I've heard that the later copies made for Ronzoni were dumbed down for the American consumer. I've never seen one to compare, so I can't say whether or not that's true. Regardless, the recipes are numerous and clear, I still prefer my Italian Regional Cooking as my go-to book for things Italian.

[Mirrordance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non è la mia versione che è stata rilegata o forse ha solo perso la sopracopertina.... In ogni caso è quella che regalò la ricamatrice a mia mamma quando si è sposata. Ovviamente è destinato a me......
:-)

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd read that it was considered a classic, and it certainly is a period piece. The best thing about it is a forward written for the 1950 edition. I doubt I'll use any of the recipes, but it's interesting to think of a time when Italian restaurants in the US were thought of as 'exotic'.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not your Mother's cookbook. It could be your Grandmother's or Great Grandmother's. Lots of interesting recipes, but totally lacking in illustrations, photos or detailed instructions. If your cooking skills are not fully developed, you will have difficulty with the recipes as the narrative is sparse and assumes significant prior knowledge/experience. Be prepared to have an old dictionary or Google handy as many of the ingredients will not be known by most readers. If you want an authentic Italian cookbook that hearkens back 80 years or more, this is for you. I have been through numerous Italian cookbooks, but many of these recipes are totally new to me.

[b · Rating 4 out of 5]

A worthy reference volume though for sure.