La mia cucina toscana: a Tuscan cooks in America

In this muddled book, restaurateur Luongo (Simply Tuscan) takes the simple, unadorned food of Tuscany and other parts of Italy and makes it complex for no discernible reason. The concept is good: Luongo has now cooked in New York City for two decades, and he sets out to illustrate how his native Tuscan dishes have mutated under those circumstances. Almost every recipe is accompanied by two headers, titled "Il Classico" and "La Mia Versione," which explain its origins. But most of these explanations are based on an idea rather than taste-such as a recipe for Tuscan-Style Porcini Mushrooms in which Luongo explains that the cooking method used is one that would normally be applied to a fettina, a cheap cut of meat-leaving the reader to wonder how taste and idea interact. Some of the recipes have no Tuscan roots at all, like a Tuna and Beet Carpaccio with Gorgonzola Cheese based on the famous beef carpaccio served at Harry's Bar in Venice, or an Eggplant-Chocolate Mousse that evolved from an ancient Neapolitan eggplant dessert. Dishes that adhere most closely to the originals, such as a Baked Sea Bream on a Bed of Potatoes and Pecorino (which, Luongo admits, breaks the cardinal Italian rule of no-cheese-with-fish), are the safest bets, while out-on-a-limb combinations such as Watermelon and Fresh Fava Bean Salad feel as if they use strangeness as an attention-getting gambit. (Oct.) Forecast: Luongo's Simply Tuscan has sold more than 53,000 copies, and this is a visually appealing if pricey effort, but its recipes will test the theory that simply slapping the word "Tuscan" on any cookbook translates into sales. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Luongo's first book was A Tuscan in the Kitchen, and he says this one might instead have been called A Tuscan in New York. Chef and owner of many New York City restaurants since the early 1980s, including Le Madri and Coco Pazzo, he most recently opened Centolire. There, he and executive chef Marta Pulini serve lusty, flavorful dishes such as Polenta with Pork Sausage and Truffle Sauce, and Seafood Stew with Eggplant and Tomatoes-Luongo's personal take on traditional Tuscan fare. For each of these recipes, he describes "Il Classico" and then "La Mia Versione," explaining how he has updated or otherwise revitalized the dish, perhaps incorporating an "American" ingredient like soft-shell crabs in a beloved Italian preparation. Luongo has a warm, engaging style, and full-page color photographs add to the book's appeal. For most collections. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Luongo's first book was A Tuscan in the Kitchen, and he says this one might instead have been called A Tuscan in New York. Chef and owner of many New York City restaurants since the early 1980s, including Le Madri and Coco Pazzo, he most recently opened Centolire. There, he and executive chef Marta Pulini serve lusty, flavorful dishes such as Polenta with Pork Sausage and Truffle Sauce, and Seafood Stew with Eggplant and Tomatoes-Luongo's personal take on traditional Tuscan fare. For each of these recipes, he describes "Il Classico" and then "La Mia Versione," explaining how he has updated or otherwise revitalized the dish, perhaps incorporating an "American" ingredient like soft-shell crabs in a beloved Italian preparation. Luongo has a warm, engaging style, and full-page color photographs add to the book's appeal. For most collections. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

In this muddled book, restaurateur Luongo (Simply Tuscan) takes the simple, unadorned food of Tuscany and other parts of Italy and makes it complex for no discernible reason. The concept is good: Luongo has now cooked in New York City for two decades, and he sets out to illustrate how his native Tuscan dishes have mutated under those circumstances. Almost every recipe is accompanied by two headers, titled "Il Classico" and "La Mia Versione," which explain its origins. But most of these explanations are based on an idea rather than taste-such as a recipe for Tuscan-Style Porcini Mushrooms in which Luongo explains that the cooking method used is one that would normally be applied to a fettina, a cheap cut of meat-leaving the reader to wonder how taste and idea interact. Some of the recipes have no Tuscan roots at all, like a Tuna and Beet Carpaccio with Gorgonzola Cheese based on the famous beef carpaccio served at Harry's Bar in Venice, or an Eggplant-Chocolate Mousse that evolved from an ancient Neapolitan eggplant dessert. Dishes that adhere most closely to the originals, such as a Baked Sea Bream on a Bed of Potatoes and Pecorino (which, Luongo admits, breaks the cardinal Italian rule of no-cheese-with-fish), are the safest bets, while out-on-a-limb combinations such as Watermelon and Fresh Fava Bean Salad feel as if they use strangeness as an attention-getting gambit. (Oct.) Forecast: Luongo's Simply Tuscan has sold more than 53,000 copies, and this is a visually appealing if pricey effort, but its recipes will test the theory that simply slapping the word "Tuscan" on any cookbook translates into sales. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.