Even if kitchen fatigue has taken over momentarily, these cookbooks will bring a smile to any mom’s face on Mother’s Day. More than a recipe box, our picks include history lessons, family tales, dreamy photos, and mouthwatering dishes all meant to convey what the Italian table represents: food is love. Plus, celebrity chef, mother of two, and author Lidia Bastianich shares her favorite cookbook.
For the mom whose trip to Italy is postponed:
A Blissful Feast - Culinary Adventures in Italy’s Piedmont, Maremma and Le Marche
By: Teresa Lust
Publisher: Pegasus Books
Teresa Lust’s food journey begins where her ancestors reside in Northern Italy, the tiny town of Rocca Canavese, 20 miles northwest of Torino. An unforgettable experience making gnocchi with her mother’s cousin led this professional chef to immerse herself in the cuisine of three regions by learning Italian in offbeat towns like Maremma in Southern Tuscany. Sharing bits of culture and history along with portraits of the home cooks, bakers, and others serving as her guides, Lust weaves more than 35 recipes into her charming story of transformation from chef to cook while discovering the intimate relationship between food, family and friends.
Food of the Italian South - Recipes for Classic, Disappearing and Lost Dishes
By: Katie Parla
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Inspired by her great-grandparents who immigrated to the U.S. from Spinoso, a rural town in Southern Italy, Katie Parla offers a culinary adventure through the region that boasts rugged seashores, sleepy villages, and vast mountain landscapes. Included are historical tidbits and fun facts such as why copper and terra cotta pots a bride brought to her marriage represented her worth. Recipes for cocktails and rustic dishes like carrati pasta done two ways for winter and summer seasons, Spezzatino all’ Uva (pork cooked with grapes); and Mulignana C’A’ Ciucculata (eggplant smothered in chocolate) are an invitation to bring the Amalfi Coast, Basilicata, and Puglia into your home.
For the mom exploring a plant-based diet:
Vegetariano - 400 Regional Italian Recipes
By: Slow Food Editore
Publisher: Rizzoli New York
A vegetable wonderland exists throughout Italy’s diverse regions from the Alps, to the boot, to the islands. For decades, Italian home cooks have been working wonders creating simple, delicious meals using Mother Nature’s seasonal gifts. With over 400 ways to add vegetables into your family’s diet, these recipes, divided into 13 sections, include Risotto Carmasciano Pere e Mosto (risotto with pears and carmasciano cheese), Sformatino di porri con fonduta (leek flan with fonduta sauce), Pizza vegana (vegan pizza) and unique desserts like Crostata del diavolo (hot pepper and orange tart).
For the trendy mom:
Big Mamma Cucina Popolare - Contemporary Italian Recipes
By: Chefs of Big Mamma
Publisher: Phaidon
“Turn up the love! Turn up the heat!” is the mindset behind the young chefs—average age is 24-- of Big Mamma Italian restaurant group based in the UK and France. The 130 recipes featured focus on simple techniques using clever twists on traditional dishes, including some that are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian. The result is new, exciting, modern versions of old-school favorites such as Sfoglia Lasagna and Pizza Nera con Cozze (black pizza with mussels). Snoop Dogg Pasta (tagliolini with broccoli rabe and anchovy cream) and an Italian-style brunch add to the contemporary fun.
For the mom seeking expert advice, Lidia Bastianich’s pick:
La Terra Fortunata - The Splendid Food and Wine of Friuli Venezia-Giulia
By: Fred Plotkin
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
No other culinary region uses more fruit and spices, has a broader range of seafood and meats, and produces top-notch white and red wines quite like this area. Located between Venice and Vienna, dishes like tagliolini tossed with poppy seeds and the region’s incomparable prosciutto di San Daniele; and sea scallops with almond sauce, are among Italy’s most sophisticated and original. Included are more than 160 recipes plus an indispensable wine list.
“I love La Terra Fortunata: The Splendid Food and Wine of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia by Fred Plotkin. This book has great recipes and wonderful history that goes along with it.” -Lidia Bastianich