Fiamma: The Essence of Contemporary Italian Cooking

`Fiamma' by American restauranteur of Italian cuisine, Michael White, assisted by Joanna Pruess, with desserts by Elizabeth Katz is another in the recent trend of books which market themselves as manuals on `contemporary Italian cooking' when they are actually nothing more than good restaurant cookbooks. Another recent entry into this category is Scott Conant's `New Italian Cooking', which impressed me when I reviewed it, in spite of the pretentious title and aspirations.Conant and White seem to have much in common, especially as they distinguish themselves from `Mister Italian chef in New York', the redoubtable Mario Batali. While Mario's genetic credentials run to true `Italian-American' traditions, Conant and White both seem to pride themselves on having virtually no Italian blood. We have ample evidence that this is no barrier to cooking great Italian food and even creating great Italian styled dishes. The Brits, Rogers and Gray and wunderkind, Jamie Oliver have been serving up first rate Italian dishes for years now, and both London's River Café and Oliver's `15' seem to be thriving on this diet.Conant and White are also predominantly rooted in the Northern Italian cuisine, but both distinguish themselves from Mario by focusing on distinctly Italian ingredients. This really sort of runs contrary to their claim to modernity, as Mario seems to have the right idea when he applies the Italian food ethic to local American ingredients. But, all three manage to create totally marvelous dishes.A glance at White's Table of Contents reveals a style about as Italian as you can get and still be publishing an American book. All primary chapter and recipe titles are in Italian, with all having an English translation just below. A quick glance at recipe titles shows White being almost 100% true to the classic Italian larder and market. In one recipe, White says `I like to marry old dishes with contemporary ingredients.' Well, his ingredients in this dish (not including herbs and spices) are truffle oil, balsamic vinegar, baby artichokes, sea scallops, and frisee. Now which of these ingredients is `contemporary'? I will grant that combining `carciofi alla giudia' with scallops and frisee may be new, but these are certainly not new ingredients. The author makes something of the fact that the pumpkin is a `new world' vegetable that only arrived in Italy in the 16th century. I guess that in a country where a 900-year-old church may be considered `young', this is new, but then the great orange gourd got there at the same time as the tomato, and no one is calling the tomato a `new' Italian ingredient. `The Silver Spoon', the Italian `Joy of Cooking' has 16 recipes for pumpkin listed in its index. There are also several dishes done `in the style of ...' one Italian region or another. Where is the `Contemporary' in this book?I confess I'm having just a bit of fun at Chef White's expense. I really like almost all the recipes in this book, and I have no doubt that most of the recipes in the book are White's own creation, as much as Conant's recipes and Rogers and Gray's recipes are their own takes on Italian ingredients and techniques. I am also pleased that publisher Wiley didn't put a premium price tag on the book, as they did with the somewhat pretentious `Working the Plate' from Christopher Styler.Comparing books from both Conant and White to Batali's flagship restaurant book `The Babbo Cookbook', I find both Conant and White's recipes to tend to the simpler, with much more uncommon with Rogers and Gray than with `Molto Mario'.I also think White brings just a bit of unusual insight to Italian cooking. His sidebars have offered some notions I have not seen before, but they are not earth shaking. If you want major insights into Italian culinary technique, see Marcella Hazan's `Marcella Says...'.As I swing between assigning four or five stars, I look at the dessert chapter done by Ms. Katz, and decide that this contribution tips the balance to five stars. The recipes are true to Italian Dolci simplicity, but have an extra Franco-American panache that makes them more interesting than poached pears and Parmesan. I also give extra credit for the quality of the photographs, except for the fact that many times they seem to end up one page too far on.This will do what all good restaurant cookbooks should do; provide good, new, not too expensive recipes with a story. In this case, the story is that an American mid-westerner goes to Italy and does good in the Italian kitchen.

A great cookbook that has more than the typical Italian recipes that I grew up with. If you want some variety and innovative ideas I recommend this book. Great illustrations also.

VERY GOOD COOKING BOOK . NOR FOR BEGINERS.

I bought this as a gift, but my wife liked it so much I had to buy here a copy too.

wonderful book in very good condition Michael white is a great chef it is filled with fine recioes

I bought this book for my chef brother a few years ago after dining at the Fiamma in Las Vegas. Great to finally get myself a copy.

Love the name❗️

I ordered this for a friend who really wanted it. She said that she is disappointed in it because it is not for the average household. A lot of the ingredients are not easily found unless you live in Italy. She is a fabulous cook and not afraid to spend time in the kitchen. But she does not cook octopus very often. Unless you really want to cook the unusual, stay away from this book.But the book was used and in excellent condition.