The Spiaggia Cookbook: Eleganza Italiana in Cucina

by Tony Mantuano and Cathy Mantuano

Book Overview

Elegance meets culinary tradition at Spiaggia, Chicago's premier Italian restaurant, where Chef Tony Mantuano and restauranteur Larry Levy have been astounding celebrities, foodies, and renowned chefs and winemakers for more than two decades. For the first time they share the secrets behind their award-winning Italian cuisine. From antipasti to primi courses such as Crescenza Cheese-filled Ravioletto with Parmesan Truffle Butter, to secondi main courses...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0811845117
• ISBN13: 9780811845113
• Release Date: November 2004
• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Length: 191 Pages
• Weight: 2.83 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 9.3" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

I rocked the dinner with this cookbook

If I get one keeper recipe from a cookbook I think I'm doing well. I love to cook and usually make a recipe the first time according to the directions and then vary it in the future. I made the filet mignon with braised oxtails and purple potato puree and served a basic green salad with the Spiaggia dressing. Yes it took me a couple of days to make the veal stock and the braised oxtails, but final cooking time and plating up went really fast. I kept the potatoes and oxtails warm in the oven while I finished the steaks. Sauce was also kept warm on the cooktop. I had never used caul fat before and will be using it more in the future (it's super cheap) and it melts and disappears when cooked. If I were looking to cut costs, I would have used Yellow Yukons and broccoli not broccoli rabe. The other keeper was the dressing. It has truffle oil, sherry vinegar, browned butter, and balsamic vineger along with olive oil..... what could be wrong with those mixed together... although I though it could be a train wreck!! I had a standby on hand. I'm making Tuscan Bean and Spelt Soup next! I would love to visit the restaurant in Chicago, but for now I'll be tasting it at home....

Another Pretty Italian Restaurant Cookbook. Too Expensive

`The Spiaggia Cookbook' by Tony and Cathy Mantuano is a Chicago Italian restaurant cookbook that aspires to be more than a souvenir of one's visit to the restaurant. The challenge to the reviewer is against what standard do we measure this book. The two which come to mind are Chicago's `Tru' by Rick Tramonto and `the Babbo Cookbook' by premier New York Italian chef / restaurateur Mario Batali. For starters, the Spiaggia book begins with Foreword by Chicago real estate and restaurant developer, Larry Levy who touts the Mantuanos for filling Levy's prime real estate at the head of Chicago's Golden Mile in a big new building with a classy restaurant which brings to life the Italian cuisine on the shores of Lake Michigan. This is only fitting, as `spiaggia' means `shore' in Italian. Mr. Levy celebrates the number of culinary celebrities that have dined at Spiaggia and found it good. Tony Mantuano follows with an introduction that recounts the year he and his wife spent in Italy staging at several restorantes and trattoria in preparation for the opening of Spaggia. The Intro also sings the usual hymns to fresh ingredients and authentic Italian dishes. I confess this kind of literary glad-handing never really impresses me except that it sets the stage for what the author is attempting to do with their book. Let me get the comparison to `Tru' out of the way quickly by saying that I would never recommend the `Tru' cookbook to anyone looking for a collection of handy recipes, as it is high end French technique with a huge dollop of Charlie Trotter / Thomas Keller innovation thrown in. In fact, I rate Tramonto's communicating his techniques superior to fellow Chicago chef Trotter. The Mantuanos, on the other hand do stay true to classic Italian techniques, if not necessarily Italian dishes. Therefore, for a lower price, `Tru' gives more high faluttin' technique for the buck, if that is what you want. `The Spiaggia Cookbook' and Batali's `The Babbo Cookbook' are exactly the same list price; however, Mario gives us 300 pages of recipes from the beginning of the antipasto chapter to the end of the Dolci chapter. The Mantuanos give us 150 pages for the same price. With regard to how `Italian' the recipes may be, I find it very odd to find recipes in `The Spiaggia Cookbook' calling for Japanese Kobe beef, Russian sevruga caviar, and French foie gras. In contrast, Mario strictly follows his philosophy of giving us recipes exactly as done in his restaurant, with true Italian ingredients, and, ingredients which are practically local to New York such as fiddlehead ferns from New England and New Orleans shrimp. `The Spiaggia Cookbook' makes much fuss over their Italian wines and local wines based on Italian grapes, yet the book gives us nothing on matching wines to the dishes. Mario also gives us no wine pairings, but then he doesn't run on about it in his book. Both books are organized according to the traditional courses in the Italian meal. These are antipast

Beautiful Book / New Ideas for Italian Cooking

This book has absolutely gorgeous photography and has simply delicious recipes. Great source guide for hard to find product.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BOOK!!!

I was given this book as a gift for the holidays. I was immediately impressed with the photos, which made my mouth water. Chef Mantuano recipes make me want to eat at Spiaggia more often. This book will make a terrific gift or a perfect way to treat yourself if you enjoy food.