Weekend Cooking: The Tucci Table by Stanley Tucci and Felicity Blunt

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I don't know about you, but my usual reaction to a celebrity cookbook is to run the other way. I want to tell the actor, newscaster, author, athlete to just stick with what she knows best and leave the cooking to the experts.

Stanley Tucci, however, is one of the exceptions. He has a true passion and talent for cooking. I loved his television wine show, Vine Talk, and his first cookbook, The Tucci Cookbook, received rave reviews. Plus, he played Julia Child's husband, Paul, in the movie Julie and Julia. Who could resist?

When I received an eGalley of The Tucci Table last fall, I couldn't wait to dig in, and over the winter, I cooked many dishes from this book. The Tucci Table is one of those sources I've been turning to often because the dishes are not at all difficult to put together and are so well suited to everyday life.

The recipes in Stanley Tucci's new cookbook--written with his wife, Felicity Blunt--are more than just family friendly. They are, in fact, the recipes the Tuccis actually make for their family and friends. I love knowing that a cookbook is a compilation of honest-to-God tried and true recipes.

The flavors are universal, and the ingredients are familiar and easy to obtain. The suggested equipment and pantry items are so basic that I bet you already have them all. Thus the recipes are grounded and appealing. Nothing is Hollywood fancy, although I wouldn't hesitate to serve any of the dishes to guests.

You'll find recipes as simple as celery salad and as complicated as, um, well, nothing is really complicated (except I rarely make my own noodles). I love the soup recipes (the tomato soup is awesome), the snacks (easy sausage rolls, anyone?), and especially the pasta dishes. The steak with herbs, pork chops with mustard, and chicken wings are all fabulous--perfect for winter by the fire or in summer on the deck.

Most of the recipes are accompanied by absolutely gorgeous photos, and each one is introduced with a personal story. The tips are from the Tucci family and reflect real-life kitchen experience (such as Tucci's method for washing leeks), which means they are truly useful.

After cooking from Stanely Tucci's The Tucci Table, I can wholeheartedly recommend this cookbook. Experienced cooks will find new favorite go-to recipes, many perfect for weekday dinners. Younger cooks will be able wow their friends and family with a whole new set of easy, fresh, and delicious meals. Buy or borrow without hesitation.

If you like Ina Garten's cookbooks, you'll like Stanley Tucci's. I'm also recommending The Tucci Table as an awesome gift for recent college graduates or for those settling into their first house or apartment.

Note on the photos and lack of recipe: The photos were scanned from the The Tucci Table and used here in the context of a review. All rights remain with the original copyright holder. Because I have a galley of the book, I'm hesitant to share a recipe, although I've had 100 percent success. For a video see the Simon & Schuster website and for a pasta recipe, check out the ABC website.

Published by Simon & Schuster / Gallery Books, 2014
ISBN-13: 9781476738567
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)