My fiance loves to cook. For her bridal shower later this month and was hoping to give her an Italian cookbook as a hint to the whereabouts of our honeymoon (it's been a surprise so far - I've just told her what type of clothes she will need). I wanted to give our maid of honor the cookbook all wrapped up to give to her at the end of the shower as she was leaving. But since I'm not much of a cook, I need some advice on what is a good cookbook for Italian food. We're not big seafood lovers, so no need for seafood books. Thanks for the help.

I would suggest something by Marcella Hazen. She is Italian, but lives part of the year in the US; she is one of the most famous cooks of Italy; her recipes are fantastic, and her cookbooks are also!

I bought a "Beautiful Italy" cookbook from the sale table at our local Barnes & Noble just before Christmas. It was about $13 reduced from lots more. There is also a "Beautiful Tuscany" and other themed books in the same series. They are huge...with fabulous photographs of both the food and the regions. The recipes are also good (we've used a couple), and there's everything from starters to desserts.

I agree with the Marcella Hazan suggestion. I got her " Marcella's Cucina" for Christmas and it's very good.

How about Lidia Bastinich? She owns restaurants in NYC and has a show on cable..and lots of cook books.Lidias Italian-American Kitchen, La Cucina de Lidia~

I would also recommend a "Beautiful Italy" or "Beautiful Tuscany" cookbook. They are really coffee-table books with recipes, but the pictures are fabulous, and it will make her even more excited about your destination.

Hi Tom, I agree that Beautiful Italy is a good book, the author Lorenza de' Medici, as far as I know used to give cooking lessons in Italy. <BR>Recipes having been carefully chosen for simple , yet delicious food.

What a thoughtful sweetie you are, Tom!

I highly recommend Chianti Family Cooking by Giovanna Ruffino (of the wine family). Great pictures, simple, wonderful Tuscan recipes. We generally don't cook, but we have had great success with this one. It's out of print in the US, but barnesandnoble.com still has them.

When I think of Italian cooking I think of Hazan. I recommend her book "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking". This is an updated combo of her classics "The Classic Italian Cookbook" and "More Classic Italian Cooking".

For recipes I vote for the Lydia Bastianich cookbooks. <BR>For beauty, the "Beautiful Tuscany" book.<BR>If she is truly an avid cook,you might want to see if there is a one-day cooking course available in one of the Italian cities you will be visiting--a certificate for that could be great as well, and it won't take too much time from your honeymoon.

All of those mentioned are good, but Lydia's (earlier) book might be the best one for someone who's new to Italian cooking. It covers the basics -- how to make sauce, homemade pasta, simple desserts, etc. <BR><BR>That is, if you really expect someone to cook.

Thanks for the suggestions. Looks like I'll be heading to Barnes and Noble to pick up Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking and Beautiful Italy. I'll give her Beautiful Italy for the shower and save the Essentials for when we get back from our honeymoon.

Any suggestions for a good low cal Italian cook book? I'm really trying to hold true to my New Year resolutions, but all of this talk about Italian food is making me hungry!

I found good low cal recipes in some of my Italian Vegetarian cookbooks.<BR>Less fat,meat,and more veggies used in or as sauces..also good anitpasti salads.Last year for Christmas,friends gave us (my husband is a great cook)the Rao's Cookbook,for any New Yorkers you will know the restaurant..if you can't get in to the restaurant, you can cook it yourself!Now I must go cook dinner-

We have Lidia's Italian Kitchen, The Italian Essentials (fabulous)& Mario Batelli(sp?). They are all very good and we cook from them several times a week.

This is a bit of a tangent, but if you are ever looking for a French cookbook as a gift, I highly recommend "Monet's Table."<BR><BR>It combines beautiful photos of Giverney with classic French country recipes.

I have Hazan's book too, I've met her son at his restaurant in NJ. (I am not under the impression her history as listed is correct)<BR><BR>But I find her book to be comprehensive, but on the bland side. Almost too straight and narrow down the expected recipe line.<BR><BR>For something that really goes to the roots of traditional but simple cooking try Nika Hazelton's Regional Italian Cooking. Regional specialties that are at the heart of trafitional specialties, some with the versions the way they originally were, not the way we've come to accept them later.

Marcella Hazen now lives in Fl. and I sometimes wonder how she is faring with our lack of beautiful ingredients!Her book essentials and all her subsequent books are the total library of what anyone would need. But beautiful italy, Beautiful Tuscany and anything by G. Bugialli are wonderful additions. Mark Strausman's The campagna table is another favorite!

Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking is my favorite cookbook!