Cucina Povera
Pamela Sheldon Johns
(Andrews McMeel Publishing, Hardcover, 9781449402389, September 2011, 192pp.)
The Short of It:
This book includes super yummy, affordable comfort food. Perfect for those on a budget.
The Rest of It:
I am such a foodie. I read cookbooks like they are magazines and drool over all of the luscious photos. I was devastated (not an exaggeration) when I was forced to go gluten-free back in May. I love bread and pasta and when I learned that I’d have to skip those two items I just about fainted and then I realized that food is what you make of it. My life did not end at not having pasta and bread. I’ve found alternatives and although this cookbook is not a gluten-free one, I was able to adapt many of the recipes to satisfy the foodie in me and the photos are gorgeous!
The philosophy behind this book is not to waste anything that is edible. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tossed out a bunch of broccoli that turned brown at the bottom of the produce drawer, or that entire loaf of bread that went moldy because I insisted on buying the kind without preservatives and then promptly forgot to keep it in the fridge. This book helps use up all that stuff and includes recipes for appetizers, soups, main & side dishes and dessert!
All of the recipes are simple and easy and don’t require any special gadgets or unusual ingredients. Many of the items you’ll find in your pantry. The photo above is Bread Salad, which I was able to throw together (using gluten-free bread) without having to buy anything!
Johns spent over 20 years collecting these recipes on her visits to Tuscany. I read this book in e-book form but now I want the actual book because it’s just so lovely.
Source: An e-copy was provided by the publisher via Net Galley.
Disclosure: This post contains IndieBound affiliate links.
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