OP: Marcella Cucina

Marcella Hazan (1924–2013), cooking teacher and author of half a dozen cookbooks, was raised in Italy but settled in the United States where she established a long and influential career. She was a powerful personality with strong opinions, leaving little guessing as to where she stood in regard to people, ingredients, or techniques. Her stern admonishments, however, are part of the charm and success of her books.

Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking (1992)—a combination of her first two books, Classic Italian Cooking (1973) and More Classic Italian Cooking (1978)—is truly the essential Italian cookbook, showing no signs of being bettered by a successor. Her years of teaching American students the art of Italian cooking shows in her careful instructions. 

In Marcella Cucina (1997), her distinct voice and pithy directives continue the journey toward a deeper understanding of the subtle perfections of Italian food. From a simple leek and chickpea stew to Apulian-style roasted lamb, every recipe comes with an “ahead-of-time note,” suggesting how the dish might be prepared in advance to save time later. Fans of Hazan’s earlier work will find plenty of new material here, and those missing photographs in Essentials will be pleased to see their addition in full color.

This is a first printing signed to Karen and Mark in Near Fine condition with a Near Fine jacket.