Giada's Family Dinners
by Giada De Laurentiis
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Book Reviews of Giada's Family Dinners
Book Review: Good recipes, terrible text
Summary: 3 Stars
You'd think after the debacle of the Gourmet Cookbook's illegible pale yellow print, (in later editions changed to a more legible orange), cookbook editors would pay more attention to readability.
But here are Giada's easy to make, tasty recipes, presented on glossy paper of various colors, often several shades on the same page, and printed in a variety of pastel tints. Even the introduction is printed in pale gray! You have to turn the page this way and that to avoid the glare and take your time reading the faint colored print. I just want to read the recipes and make my choice! I don't have time for deciphering.
I'm sure this glossy paper cost extra, and was used for all the lovely photos, but it impedes use of the book! I returned this book to the store, and bought the Bon Appetit Cookbook, which has MANY more recipes, is printed on white paper with bold recipe titles and easy to use black print.
The publishers have done Giada a disservice. I'll get her recipes off the Food Network web site and print them myself.
Book Review: Practical, yet fun
Summary: 5 Stars
Although the recipes are more ambitious and developed than in De Laurentiis's first book, Everyday Italian, this book still showcases Giada's genius for offering straightforward, appetizing recipes geared to family dinners. The menus are of medium difficulty, which means they require only moderate cooking ability and require a minimum of fuss to prepare, which is great. Using them, you can put together very nice family-style meals, which also work for company. (But for formal entertaining, you might look more toward the books by Marcela Hazen, ie, Classic Italian Cooking). Recipes encompass sandwiches such as the traditional Italian Muffuletta, soups like Escarole and Bean and, and one-pot dinners like Giada's Chicken Vesuvio and Veal Stew with Cipollini Onions. There are also recipes for holiday favorites, including Easter Pie, Turkey and Ciabatta Stuffing with Chestnuts and Pancetta, and Panettone Bread Pudding with Amaretto Sauce. This book is practical, yet fun, and I have enjoyed using it.
Book Review: Great Italian recipes!
Summary: 5 Stars
I own all three of Giada's cookbooks [the latest being Everyday Pasta] and they are all winners in my opinion. This book contains great Italian recipes that would make wonderful family dinners, entertaining, or just to freeze and keep for future use. The recipes as always are presented in an easy to read manner, are not that difficult to make, and I love the beautiful pictures of the dishes scattered throughout the book. Seeing pictures of Giada and her family in the book only adds to the wholesome image, and really inspires me to cook delectable Italian dishes for my own family. After trying out some of her recipes on my husband, he has been so impressed by the results that he now watches her cooking show on the Food Network with me! I would definitely recommend this cookbook for those out there who would like to try out Italian cooking [I'd start with her first book, Everyday Italian, before moving on to this]. Each of her cookbooks offers a unique cooking experience, even for beginners like me:)Book Review: More amazing recipes from Giada!
Summary: 5 Stars
I absolutely love Giada's food; the dishes are absolutely wonderful, with inventive combinations (who knew mustard, mascarpone and marsala would work together in a chicken pasta dish!) I love the concept of the book even more; to me, there is nothing better than serving good food to family and friends. Gathering at the table is truly a bonding experience that seems to be a disappearing trend in our society today. I would definitely buy this book and start traditions in your own family and groups of friends and enjoy life over good food, good wine, and good company; you will most assuredly get inspired by this book.
Oh, and by the way, if you are a stuffy, pompous arse (i.e. Marold's review), please understand this isn't about high-brow, stuffy uber-gourmet food that have to remain exactly true to their national roots (wherever they're from). In fact, don't even bother commenting on the book - no one is ever going to invite you to a family dinner ANYWAY!
Book Review: Easy and Impressive
Summary: 5 Stars
The recipes included in Giada's second book are all easy to make and definetly crowd pleasers. All the recipes are easily modified to accomodate smaller numbers though, I normally only cook for my husband and myself. The thing that I love about Giada's cookbooks is that there aren't long lists of ingredients for every different recipes. The majority of the recipes can be made with groceries that you have around your house. I love that even on such basic ingredients, I can whip out a fancy dinner that sounds exciting, tastes amazing, and makes my husband feel like I am a chef! Honestly, a ton of the recipes can be made in under 15 minutes, and the VAST majority of the recipes require under 30 minutes of hands-on time. Sure, it may have to be in the oven or wherever cooking longer than that but it isn't like any of her food is a lot of work. Her recipes are easy to follow, very detailed, and consistently turn out fabulous results.