The Babbo Cookbook

This recent cookbook by Mario Batali presents the recipes done at his flagship restaurant, Babbo, with a few borrowed from the seafood restaurant, Esca. The book appears to be as good or better a representation of the food at its namesake restaurant than most I have read. It is thereby, the best possible consolation for those of us who have tried repeatedly and failed to attain a reservation at Babbo at a reasonable time for an American to eat dinner.Unlike Mario's earlier two books, there is no attempt in this book or at his restaurant to be wholly true to original Italian recipes, but only because Mario is true to the very Italian doctrine of buying what is the best at local markets. He, for example, makes great use of Pennsylvania grown shittake mushrooms, even though they are unknown in Italian cuisine.The chapters follow the course of a typical Italian meal, including:Aperitivi (before dinner drinks)AntiPastiPastaMare (seafood)ContorniTerra e Bosco (Domestic and Foraged Meats)Pre-Desserts and CheeseDolci (Sweet desserts)Digestivi (after dinner drinks)The book ends with short chapters on `Tools of the Trade', Babbo's Tasting Menus, and Sources. As one of the two tasting menus show, pasta is one of the main stars at Babbo. The pasta chapter is the longest and includes some of the most interesting dishes. Being very fond of lamb, I was especially attracted to the recipe for mint tagliatelle wherein lamb shoulder is cooked into an olive flavored ragu used to dress a fresh tagliatelle made with dough including a mint puree. From his Food Network show, `Molto Mario', I am already convinced of the flavorfulness of the lamb shoulder. Here, Mario gives the perfect excuse to use it.If one accepts the challenge of making fresh pasta and are not put off by the occasionally exotic ingredient such as guanciale (pork jowls), calf's tongue, and beef cheeks; most of the recipes are fairly simple for the experienced amateur chef. If you wish to make your own stocks, the chicken stock recipe is straightforward and relatively similar to one found in `The Best Recipe' from Cooks Illustrated. There is little of the hyperfussiness you may find from Jeremiah Tower or Thomas Keller. As Mario states in his introduction, this is not a result of `dumbing down' the recipes for the home cook, it is simply the way things are done at Babbo. There is, however, a devotion to high quality ingredients. One of the drawbacks of this dedication is that Babbo has access to some cured meat only because they make the products themselves. While this is a bit unfair to the rest of us, there is still plenty here which we should have no problem assembling from a good farmers market of a good megamart.I generally am not impressed by the culinary photography in most cookbooks. It seems that there are only two ways to do it right. One approach is to do none or limit them exclusively to hand models demonstrating techniques. The second approach is to give us a picture of every single dish. Mario takes the latter option and the photographer, Christopher Hirsheimer deserves the credit he receives on the title page along with Mario. All photos are in color, in focus, and appetizing.While the book is primarily about the recipes, Mario does throw salt in our wounds from failed attempts at making reservations by describing some of the supporting features which make Babbo the success it is. Wine, for example is an important part of dining at Babbo. Mario's partner Joe Bastianish is an important expert on Italian wines and Babbo is billed as both a Ristorante and Enoteca, a wine bar, so the attention to details of serving wine are very serious. However, Mario did not include wine pairings for these dishes, and I do not miss them.My perceptions may be clouded by my admiration for Mario as a teacher of regional Italian cooking, but one of the most rewarding aspects of this book is the way in which Mario communicates the sense of Italian hospitality he strives for at Babbo. The sense of `gemutlichkeit' (sorry, I don't know the Italian take on this Austrian notion) is palpable as you read the recipes and stories behind the food at Babbo.A delightful restaurant cookbook and a must for Mario fans.

I love all of the books I recently purchased, Mario was one of the best and one of my favorite chefs to watch when I got home from my classes and still after I graduated college I remember I was still watching Mario B. So happy I have finally own not 1 not 2 but 3 of his books now bc I purchased all of them through amazon

I've never been to Mario's restaurant. Im a restauranteur and i bought it to share with my chefs for reference. The Cookbook predominately focus of italian food, but with an inspiring combination of using freshest ingredients and playing around with flavours such as infused vinaigrette and oil, and voila you get a restaurant standard recipes that your guests will go ooo and aahs over. I'm already flipping my pages to what they proclaimed as his signature dish mint love letters with spicy lamb sausage and beef cheek ravioli , turns out to be an easy adaptable recipes, other recipes that im gonna peg down for this weekend include cool roasted shiitake with barbecued onions and basil oil, steamed gulf shrimp and mahogany clams in a green chile-basil broth, dry-rubbed skirt steak and did i mentioned that the book is filled with comfort food eye candy worthy pictures?All in all, for those adventurous homecook who likes to step out of comfort zones without being too complicated, this book is for you.

Great book of recipesAnd received from far away in a heart beatThank you

Love Mario Batali, love the recipes that I've tried so far. Some of the recipes are a little labor intensive so may not be the cookbook for someone who is just learning how to cook. If you have the time and the skill level, you may want to give this cookbook a try. Mario is fabulous on Iron Chef America (older episodes) and on 'The Chew', and he really does know how to cook - which was enough incentive for me to get the book and give some of the recipes a try. But, again, may not be for the cook who is just starting out.

For years I have watched him on the Food Channel and I have tried a few of his recipes from the show. He makes wonderful dishes. This was my first purchase of one of his cookbooks. I really enjoyed the way the book was laid out. Easy to read recipes, clear and concise directions, and lovely pictures to view. I am amazed at the variety of ingredients that he uses in his dishes. Its not that they are typically hard to find or anything, I simply didn't realize the variety of food in Italian cooking. Now if you are simply looking for pasta and sauces this isn't the book for you. This book does cover pasta, some delightful desserts, but there is a large variety in meats that this book uses. Like variety ? Then this cookbook is for you if you want to cook something a bit out of the ordinary.

If you like watching Mario on his TV programs, you'll be dissapointed in some aspects of this book. The cuisine is as presented in his restaurant, where he has staff to do all kinds of additional prep for him. Consequently, the dishes are way overwrought for the home kitchen. Braised short ribs? Great! With roasted beets and roasted radishes? Why? And by the way, the recommended plating is still all that vertical, "Let's see how high we can pile THIS stuff up," kind of thing. And a lot of the book is frank promotion for Babbo and his ideas on how to run a restaurant. But nevertheless, it's fun stuff to read and, if you ignore the absurd sides, there's good stuff to be made.

Unable to obtain a reservation at the restaurant, I settled for the next best thing - Mario Batali's cookbook. I have not been disappointed. In fact, I am even more determined to experience the cuisine firsthand! Just reading the recipes provides vicarious enjoyment. The Pork Chop Milanese is delicious, but the Barbecued Skirt Steak is incredible. The accompanying recipe for Salsa Verde is worth the price of the cookbook. The recipes are easy to follow and prepare, and the ingredients seem, for the most part, easy to locate. (Sources are given for the more exotic ones.) These are creative and innovative recipes made accessible to the home cook.

NOT your grandmothers cookbook! Some of the best recipes I've ever found. I find myself skipping some of the steps to make them less complicated, but all I've tried have been outstanding, even with the shortcuts.

Some truly awesome recipes.A valuable resource if you like Italian food from a repugnant chef.

Ah, Babbo...this cookbook has given me a lot of great recipes in my repertoire. It's to the point and fairly easy to follow, and it's like you can smell the recipes as you read them...or maybe that's just me and my love for the Italian kitchen. ;)

Great recipes

Bought this after it was reviewed on The Shopping Bags (two thumbs up from Khristina and Anna). One of Mario's better books.