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Hardcover
Publisher: Artisan
Christopher Hirsheimer
Format: Bargain Price
When two great chefs—buddies and business partners for twenty-odd years—decide to write a cookbook about the simple Italian food they love, you get decades of experience, sage advice, and wonderful recipes. And you also get a few great arguments thrown in along the way, as Pino and Mark debate the right way to make everything from meatballs to pot roast to eggplant parmigiana.
Of course, the issue is not whose recipes are better—Pino and Mark would be first to praise each other's food. And it's not about a right or wrong way. It's about preferences in ingredients, technique, and approach.
Pino, a native of Tuscany cooking in America, is a purist. His food is grounded in tradition. Mark, a New Yorker, loves the Italian-American cooking he grew up with. Each has his favorite recipes (see back cover) and his own way, but they're bonded by a shared philosophy that the simplest food is the best, and a shared desire to please families, friends, and loyal customers with food that makes them happy.
So here are nearly 150 delicious recipes representing the best of Italian and Italian-American cooking from not one master but two, with text that teaches, dialogue that's lively, and photography that's gorgeous. There's no question about who reaps the rewards of their friendly competition—it's the reader, hands down. Whether you make...- Pino's Oven-Braised Lamb and Artichokes with Oven-Roasted New Potatoes and Spring Onions or Mark's Braised Holiday Capon with Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Mark's Chopped Roman Salad or Pino's classic Caesar Salad
- Pino's Mushroom Risotto or Mark's Farro with Button Mushrooms, Cherry Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese
- Mark's Pears in Vin Santo with sweet Polenta or Pino's Neapolitan Cheesecake
...the end result is the same—unpretentious food that is timelessly pleasing. This is home cooking at its very best.
| Customer Reviews: |
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| Boring |
| Customer Rating: 2 out of 5 |
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This book was not what I thought it would be based upon other reviews. Its format is that of online chatting. There is an often page half full with something that looks like this:
Person1 opinions & stories
Person2 opinions & stories
Person3 opinions & stories
Person1...etc. I have had it for two weeks and I haven't gotten the itch to try any of the recipes yet. Don't buy it unless you need another sub-par Italian cook book.
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| Mark's spaghetti and meatballs are out of this world |
| Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 |
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I borrow cookbooks from the library and buy a very select few that really appeal to me. This book is already on my wishlist for my next Amazon order!
Mark's Spaghetti and Meatballs are amazing and were easy for a meatball novice like me. My family raved, and even my picky 4-year-old wanted seconds. I'm recommending the book on the strength of this recipe alone. It was so good that I'm looking forward to trying many more of the rest.
However, beware the meatloaf! I tried Mark's Mom's Meatloaf, and that recipe was written with mistakes. It calls for 2 tablespoons of salt for a meatloaf made with 2 pounds of ground round. I knew that wasn't right. I cut it down to 2 teaspoons, but I really should've cut it to 1. Some of the seasonings look correct and some don't (like the 1/2 cup horseradish). I wish the recipe had been written correctly. I couldn't find an email for the authors or their restaurant or I'd include the right proportions here.
I'd give this book five stars if I'd just tried the meatball recipe. I have to take off a star for the meatloaf recipe that wasn't properly cut down from restaurant size. I hope there aren't any more like that.
(review by Mrs. Scott)
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| Italian is the way to go and of course with two meatballs. |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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Two meatballs is a very delicious cookbook. I have made four or five recipes. My family loved all of them. It is also very nicely illustrated.
I'm going to make the tuscan pot roast the next time I have friends over.
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| my husband and i both love this book! |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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I've made the different pot roast recipes from this, my husband some meatloaf dishes - we both love this cookbook. I look through and find good ideas and inspiration for dinner, my husband enjoys the back and forth commentary on food preperation and tastes. The recipes are clear, all our dishes have turned out delicious - none have been difficult or terrible time consuming.
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| Great book |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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I bought this book a few months ago and I have made 4 or 5 recipes out of it so far. I am very pleased. I have been a fan of Mark for years, ever since I saw him on the martha stewart show, and I have been using his tomato sauce recipe ever since.
Great book, highly recommend it.
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