Member Reviews

I originally wanted this cookbook for sentimental reasons, my mother and I would often watch Lidia on PBS . As an Italian-American I enjoy Lidia’s stories and history of Italian culture and family. I this cookbook is like a love story to food and family . The book itself is a great read , however I wish the recipes were easier and more photos for them given .


I just reviewed Lidia's From Our Family Table to Yours by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich; Tanya Bastianich Manuali. #LidiasFromOurFamilyTabletoYours #NetGalley

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This is a beautiful cookbook filled with lots of great recipes. I can't wait to get this in a hardcopy for my collection and start to make some of the recipes!

I received a free E-ARC from Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, Knopf & Netgalley for my honest review.

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Lidia Bastianich is a favorite celebrity chef. Thank you to the publisher and Lidia for the copy. Lidia brings classic Italian dishes to the everyman (and woman's) kitchen. Recipes are easy to follow and pictures make the food look enticing.

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I received a copy of this eBook for an honest review from netGalley.

I loved the pictures and personal stories in this book. I've watched Lidia's PBS shows for years with my Mom and seeing how close her family is was wonderful. There could have been more pictures of the food though. I'm always struggling with what is it supposed to look like when I'm cooking so I like a finished product picture. All in all I would love to own this book for it's many recipes that sound delicious and healthy too.

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LIDIA'S FROM OUR FAMILY TABLE TO YOURS by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali offers "More Than 100 Recipes Made with Love for All Occasions." This latest cookbook from a prolific author will likely appeal to her many fans. However, the recipes do not seem especially healthy. Nutrition information is not provided; quite a bit of frying is recommended, and a fun appetizer like Spicy Crispy Roasted Caulifower still requires an entire sick of butter. Perhaps Lidia's target audience is really an established, confident cook since other recipes are somewhat complicated (see Asparagus with Lemon Sauce) and throughout the authors assume a level of knowledge and sophistication from their readers (did you know that Grana Pandano is similar to Parmigiano Reggiano?).

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Lidia Bastianich's cookbooks are always a joy to read. This one is full of unusual and delicious recipes, punctuated by lovely conversational prose where the author shares family stories and personal experiences. Bastianich fans will scoop this one up, while those cooks interested in true Italian cuisine will certainly benefit from her years of experience on display in this collection of recipes. Recommended!

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A wonderful new book from Lidia Bastianich. If you love Lidia from her PBS shows you will want to add this book to your collection. A heartwarming tribute to her family this book is full of recipes she makes at home. Family photos are included along with a description of the dish and why it is a family favorite.

I can't wait to make eggplant rollatini for my own family.

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When I look at cookbooks, I look at a few things. First, pictures. Are there pictures for all or most of the recipes? Sadly, for this book there are not. It's a bummer. I want to know what the finish dish looks like. We all eat with our eyes first and while Lidia has a great reputation, I miss the pictures.
Next I look at the ingredients themselves. I live in a very rural area where even the more common specialty ingredients are not going to be found. There were very few recipes that I skipped because of this, mostly the lamb and seafood recipes. A few more that contained ingredients that were easily substituted, but I needed a google search to do so. Not a deal breaker, but would be helpful.
I also look at how the steps are written and if there are any helpful notes, or any other blurbs that should be noted. Most of the instructions/step were super easy, and well explained. I do feel a couple things were over looked, such as when cooking with leeks, you often want to toss them into cold water after slicing to remove any excess sand. If you didn't know this about leeks, you might end up with a sandy dish at the end.
I found myself reading most of the intro blurbs for each recipe too, which is something I don't normally do. There was a good mix between personal anecdotes and information for the dish itself such as how to serve it, if it stores or freezes well etc.
The sections are laid at well and make sense. There are a few dependencies, but most occurred in the beginning of the book which I have always liked. There is also a good selection so everyone can find favorites within it's pages. At the end of the day, I do wish there were more pictures, but I would buy it for my library shelves, as well as for my personal collection.

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