In the age of the internet, (where, I admit, I love to "google" a few ingredients that are in my pantry and see what recipes come up), why do we need so many cookbooks?
This is a question I ask myself when I review new books to add to the Lanpher Library's collection each month. In the case of cook books, it pays to be selective.
However, when I read the review for In Her Kitchen: Stories and Recipies From Grandmas Around the World, by Gabriele Galimberti, I was intrigued. My Grandmothers are/were excellent cooks and bakers. What, I wondered, wisdom and delights would this book hold?
I ordered it and this morning I opened the box with this treasure inside.
Author, Gabriele Galimberti, a photographer from Italy, was about to embark on a photography trip around the world. He sat down to enjoy dinner with his grandmother on the eve before he left, to eat his favorite meal that she had so lovingly made for him: ravioli. She was not worried about the dangers he might face on a two year assignment, her concern was that he would not be well fed on his journey. He recognized the concern as a gesture of love, pride and joy in cooking for her loved ones.
As he assured his Nonna that there were Grandmothers all over the world who feed their families with love, he decided he would find them as he traveled and send the pictures to his Nonna to prove it. And so this book came to being....
Almost 60 Grandmothers from almost as many countries are photographed standing in their kitchen, or cooking area, with the ingredients for their dish lined out in front of them. The other side of the double page spread is a photo of the completed dish. Turn the page and you will read a short bio. of each woman with information about their recipe, and then, of course, the recipe.
The simplicity of this book, the beauty and diversity of the photos and the incredible variety of food, makes this one to read, explore, and sample the dishes that are important to families around the world. Shared with love, joy and pride.
And, it is dedicated to the author's Nonna, who is the very first Grandmother featured, with her recipe for Swiss Chard and Ricotta Ravioli with Meat Sauce, of course!