Venezia: Food and Dreams

Some books evoke a strong response in us, others transport us like time travel machines. We can almost feel the cobbled streets or smell the sea. The dark winding alleys and strange yet gorgeous leaning buildings. Kiros does it again* with her part memoir, part travel porn. She invites us back to Venice before the floods, before COVID19. THE VENICE.. with winding, narrow streets, canals and bridges. There are recipes for Cicchetti and a photo of a tiny dog in a traveling dress, both archetypical scenes in Venezia. Who among us does not want to see gondoliers with their gondolas like prim scythe cutting silently through canals? Will he duck or just lean to avoid that small bridge? Ah.. he is a leaner, is body slants and he rests against his pole, gliding through . Could you almost SEE that? Would a lovely Risotto di Verdure punctuate that memory And? (Go to page 166) ...And the heavy,, carved doors and the long, skinny Italian shoes 👞..eccentric dressing and the elegant hand waving. Venice can be of any century and of every century, look at the people hurrying by in Medieval dress...with a BRIEFCASE? Italy is a land marked by Great age and a seemingly easy way of wearing terrible beauty and loss.. The most ugly meals are beautiful and composed, here. Rotted planks and crumbling buildings which would have been ruins in other parts of the world seem like necessary decay as if even in that, there is beauty. Kiros gives us recipes not normally seen in cookbooks. The kind an insider whispers..they know where to get the best bussolai, then bread bangles you can chew like pale teething rings (page 027) what about gnocchi with Shrimp? She juxtaposed a pristine bowl with humble food against a backdrop of decadent Murano millefiori glass... do you remember that Venice once kept glass makers imprisoned on the small island and to leave without permission meant death? So Intent were the Italians to keep their world renown glass a secret. (Pg 117). Read any page and you will stay there for a minute. Perhaps lost in memory or if you have never been, in yearning. This is the real deal. Many of the photos bring an almost visceral since of deja vu...turn the pages and come to Venice. See? We are almost there and look..Tessa has left us a beautiful bit of velvet ribbon to mark our place. Almost 300 pages to eat, and get lost in. *if you can find them and love to read cookbooks or know someone who does. Then collect all the books by Tessa Kiros.

If you have never visited Venice -- lovely Venezia -- you will long to go. If you have been, you will want to return. The photographs and travel memoir capture this unique city wonderfully. Its colors, quirks, the silvery blue sea -- evoked in words and images here. I like especially the evocations of daily life as well as carnival extravaganza. But above all, the food. I have so far made three of the 105 recipes: spaghetti alla busara (spaghetti with scampi and tomatoes); risotto di zucca (risotto with winter squash and pancetta); and, twice, risotto con la verza (risotto with sausage and cabbage). Every dish was a huge success -- the directions are easy to follow and the dish looks exactly as described. I liked especially the simplicity of the dishes -- these are true Italian fare dependent on fresh ingredients. Also, the inclusion of an old-fashioned attached velvet ribbon to mark one's place was enchanting. Sometimes books like this feature such obscure ingredients that they become more coffee table curiosities than actual usable cookbooks. Not this one: even though I live in the middle of the country, I have had not problem finding the needed ingredients. Since Venice is a coastal town, the majority of the recipes focus on seafood which might, for those who do not like seafood, make the book a bad fit. But other than this possible small issue, I highly recommend this book. I intend to buy several more copies for holidays gifts this year. Although many reviewers of this book appear to argue that it is too beautiful to use, I have to disagree. Who says a cookbook cannot be beautiful? Plastic cookbook holders work wonderfully well to conserve a book like this and the recipes are simple, easy and very worthwhile.

The book is beautifully laid out with elegant pages, formal recipies and artifully depicted pictures. You will love the list of favorites and the not -so-often made dishes that typically get pushed aside because they are to much work to make, but when you want to make that statement, it' will be at your fingertips.

This book has the varity of recipies that you'll enjoy trying not only on yourself but your friends and yes even your relatives, nice to even go through once in a while.

I love this book! It exceeded all my expectations. It is visually stunning & has a lot of great recipes! In addition, it reminds me of my trips to Italy & that is priceless! BRAVO!

The book is a marvelous culinary and art book.It's a combination of typical recipes with splendid photos of the city.These photos are from famous places and specialities of La Serenissima - as the Murano's crystals- and also of little details.The composition of each food's plate is an art masterpiece.The text,as a diary,is charming and poetical that only a Venice's lover can write I recommend this book for all that like Italian cuisine and value beautiful photography.

easy to prepare and understand, her recipes share he soul of Italian Cooking. Molto Bene Tessa Kiros. You understand the everyday fare if Italy.

nice book, not as many recipes as I thought it would be, but a great book to keep on display.

What a beautiful book! Felt I was back in Venice. Can't wait to try the recipes! Thank you 😊

Mouthwatering reviews of the food in Venice. Recipes are relatively simple, but the ingredients are the key. Worth every penny.

Some books evoke a strong response in us, others transport us like time travel machines. We can almost feel the cobbled streets or smell the sea. The dark winding alleys and strange yet gorgeous leaning buildings. Kiros does it again* with her part memoir, part travel porn. She invites us back to Venice before the floods, before COVID19. THE VENICE.. with winding, narrow streets, canals and bridges. There are recipes for Cicchetti and a photo of a tiny dog in a traveling dress, both archetypical scenes in Venezia. Who among us does not want to see gondoliers with their gondolas like prim scythe cutting silently through canals? Will he duck or just lean to avoid that small bridge? Ah.. he is a leaner, is body slants and he rests against his pole, gliding through . Could you almost SEE that? Would a lovely Risotto di Verdure punctuate that memory And? (Go to page 166) ...And the heavy,, carved doors and the long, skinny Italian shoes 👞..eccentric dressing and the elegant hand waving. Venice can be of any century and of every century, look at the people hurrying by in Medieval dress...with a BRIEFCASE? Italy is a land marked by Great age and a seemingly easy way of wearing terrible beauty and loss.. The most ugly meals are beautiful and composed, here. Rotted planks and crumbling buildings which would have been ruins in other parts of the world seem like necessary decay as if even in that, there is beauty. Kiros gives us recipes not normally seen in cookbooks. The kind an insider whispers..they know where to get the best bussolai, then bread bangles you can chew like pale teething rings (page 027) what about gnocchi with Shrimp? She juxtaposed a pristine bowl with humble food against a backdrop of decadent Murano millefiori glass... do you remember that Venice once kept glass makers imprisoned on the small island and to leave without permission meant death? So Intent were the Italians to keep their world renown glass a secret. (Pg 117). Read any page and you will stay there for a minute. Perhaps lost in memory or if you have never been, in yearning. This is the real deal. Many of the photos bring an almost visceral since of deja vu...turn the pages and come to Venice. See? We are almost there and look..Tessa has left us a beautiful bit of velvet ribbon to mark our place. Almost 300 pages to eat, and get lost in. *if you can find them and love to read cookbooks or know someone who does. Then collect all the books by Tessa Kiros.

If you have never visited Venice -- lovely Venezia -- you will long to go. If you have been, you will want to return. The photographs and travel memoir capture this unique city wonderfully. Its colors, quirks, the silvery blue sea -- evoked in words and images here. I like especially the evocations of daily life as well as carnival extravaganza. But above all, the food. I have so far made three of the 105 recipes: spaghetti alla busara (spaghetti with scampi and tomatoes); risotto di zucca (risotto with winter squash and pancetta); and, twice, risotto con la verza (risotto with sausage and cabbage). Every dish was a huge success -- the directions are easy to follow and the dish looks exactly as described. I liked especially the simplicity of the dishes -- these are true Italian fare dependent on fresh ingredients. Also, the inclusion of an old-fashioned attached velvet ribbon to mark one's place was enchanting. Sometimes books like this feature such obscure ingredients that they become more coffee table curiosities than actual usable cookbooks. Not this one: even though I live in the middle of the country, I have had not problem finding the needed ingredients. Since Venice is a coastal town, the majority of the recipes focus on seafood which might, for those who do not like seafood, make the book a bad fit. But other than this possible small issue, I highly recommend this book. I intend to buy several more copies for holidays gifts this year. Although many reviewers of this book appear to argue that it is too beautiful to use, I have to disagree. Who says a cookbook cannot be beautiful? Plastic cookbook holders work wonderfully well to conserve a book like this and the recipes are simple, easy and very worthwhile.

The book is beautifully laid out with elegant pages, formal recipies and artifully depicted pictures. You will love the list of favorites and the not -so-often made dishes that typically get pushed aside because they are to much work to make, but when you want to make that statement, it' will be at your fingertips.

This book has the varity of recipies that you'll enjoy trying not only on yourself but your friends and yes even your relatives, nice to even go through once in a while.

I love this book! It exceeded all my expectations. It is visually stunning & has a lot of great recipes! In addition, it reminds me of my trips to Italy & that is priceless! BRAVO!

The book is a marvelous culinary and art book.It's a combination of typical recipes with splendid photos of the city.These photos are from famous places and specialities of La Serenissima - as the Murano's crystals- and also of little details.The composition of each food's plate is an art masterpiece.The text,as a diary,is charming and poetical that only a Venice's lover can write I recommend this book for all that like Italian cuisine and value beautiful photography.

easy to prepare and understand, her recipes share he soul of Italian Cooking. Molto Bene Tessa Kiros. You understand the everyday fare if Italy.

nice book, not as many recipes as I thought it would be, but a great book to keep on display.

What a beautiful book! Felt I was back in Venice. Can't wait to try the recipes! Thank you 😊

Mouthwatering reviews of the food in Venice. Recipes are relatively simple, but the ingredients are the key. Worth every penny.

Author Tessa Kiros is a very creative writer and this book is put together in a way that I especially appreciate. It is one of the most beautiful books that I own, complete with a lovely cover and black velvet page saver. The photos inside are charming and recipes delicious. It would make a scrumptious gift for someone!

If you are missing Venezia, even if you don't love to cook it's food (though I sure do), get this just to look at the pictures to feel heartsick for the place... Very well written cookbook that gives the feel for the ingredients and how they should come along as the recipes progress...

This is a stunning book with wonderful photographs and Venetian recipes-a lovely combination! For lovers of Venice and the delightful dishes from that region, you will be pleased...not a hardcore recipe only book..

wonderful book filled with authentic receipts from Italy. Me and the wife absolutely love cooking from this book, highly recommend it if you look Italian food (p.s. Olive Garden is not real Italian food!!!)

beautiful book with great recipes

Stunning! That is the word that comes to mind to perfectly describe this book. A gorgeous cover, delectable recipes and fascinating history, this book is a love affair with Venice. The book starts with a letter, rules for eating in Venice, and then we dive into the recipes. She starts with Essentials–those recipes that she considers a must have to cook Venetian food. From Polenta (both the fast and the slow method) to Bussolai (Bread Bangles), Mostarda di Frutta (Quince Mustard) and a few drinks. I don’t drink, so half of that section I skipped completely. From Essentials she moves on to Cicchetti (Small Bites), Antipasti, Zuppa/Pasta/Gnocchi, Risotto, Secondi, Contorni (Sides) and Dolci (Sweets). There is definitely something for everyone! You can find everything from Intruglio, a delightful appetizer consisting of different olives, sun dried tomatoes, cheeses, oil and herbs to the quintessential classics such as Fritto Misto di Pesce, Bollito di Carne, Spaghetti Nero di Seppie (Spaghetti with Squid Ink) and Tiramisu. My husband is very careful with his diet, and I was looking for a new way to cook the ever present chicken breasts so I tried Pollo con Pomodoro in Tecia–Chicken in Tomato. I substituted chicken breasts for a cut up chicken, but it was a definite hit. It made a nice change and the flavors were lovely. If you like seafood, you’ll love this book!! Many of the recipes include some sort of seafood, and are an absolute delight. The desserts are classic Italian and to die for! Venice is calling your name! Take a tour of the fascinating place and cook some delectable Venetian food for supper. You won’t regret it! I received a copy of this book from Murdoch Books through IPG for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m an unabashed fan of Tessa Kiros’ cookbooks all of which are within easy reach in my library. If you haven’t discovered her, then you must and to assist you with an initial choice I decided I would share her glorious cookbook Venezia – food & dreams (published by Murdoch Books, 2008). If you have ever been to Venice and taken the time to wander the streets you will understand when Tessa writes that you cannot really tell anyone about Venice – you must go and see it for yourself. She opens her cookbook with an evocative letter about the beauty and uniqueness of Venice then tantalizes with a hint of the food that will follow – risottos, pasta, seafood and simple dressings. To gain an insight into this book, read this letter before you savour the book. The book is divided into eight main chapters covering essential recipes (including a Bellini & Rossini), Cicchetti (small bites), Antipasti (a favourite chapter of mine), Zuppa/pasta/gnocchi, Risotto, Secondi, Contorni (sides), and Dolci (sweet things). Her risotto recipes are to die for – I especially love her Risi e bisi (Doge’s risotto), while her Castraure in Padella (Tiny whole artichokes) makes my mouth water even now. The look of the book is as sumptuous as her recipes, with its gold edging and extraordinary photography by Manos Chatzikonstantis. Do yourself an enormous favor and buy a copy today – in fact buy two, and give one away to a dear friend. Every time I pick this cookbook up I smile, why, well perhaps it is best summed up in her words…. “Venice is like when you hear a piece of music that scoops down into your soul, or notice a real tear getting ready to drop down from the eye of an unlucky child. One of those rare moments when you grasp the magnificence of this world. Yes, Venice is one of those moments.” This is Venice in your hands – indulge and enjoy!!!

I'd previously reviewed Tess Kiros's

Tessa Kiros's Venezia is without a doubt one of the most gorgeous cook/coffe table books to come out. Everything about it spells quality, from the beautiful dust jacket to the heavy lace-patterned end papers to the gold leaf pages and velvet ribbon marker to keep one's place. But there's much, much more: wonderful photos of Venice, its foods and people and a commentary about both the city and the recipes. The recipes are laid out in groupings of Essential Recipes (think Polenta), Cicchetti (small bites, similar, as others have noted, to Spanish Tapas), Antipasti, Zuppa/Pasta/Gnocchi, Risotto, Secondi (the entree), Contorni (side dishes), and Dolci (dessert) with a two-page explanation of Eating in Venice. Essential Recipes includes the ubiquitous Polenta, offering both a quick and a traditional method, a quince mustard, bread bangles and popular drinks. I tried the Spritz and found the Campari amount given a bit too much quinine flavor for my taste. The Prosecco-laced Rossini should be more to my liking. The traditional trimmed white bread Italian sandwiches (Tramezzini) with their mounded stuffings of ham, artichokes and slatherings of mayonnaise look ever so inviting in the Cicchetti section, however, the Mozzarella in Carrozza-fried mozzarella toasts- will be next on my list of recipes to try. These are sandwich bread slices dipped in an egg and milk mixture, then in bread crumbs. When assembled with a ham and mozzarella filling and topped with bechamel sauce, they are breaded and fried in hot oil. Yum! As one would expect in a seafaring locale, seafood plays an important role in Venetian cuisine. I found myself both fascinated and repelled by some of the ingredients. I consider myself an adventurous cook, but baby octopus, squid, snails and squid ink spaghetti are not top of the list items in my repertoire of culinary delicacies. Also, many of these ingredients may be difficult to find for most Americans not living on the coast. Still, the pictures are superb. I only wish they were identified as some would wish to see these sights on travels to Venice. Kiros is a delightful author, mingling her personal journey and memoir of Venice with typical Venetian recipes. The sides and sweets are quite wonderful with specialties of roast winter squash with porcini mushrooms, an outstanding pepperonata platter and sauteed baby artichokes with garlic, lemon and parsley. Zabaione, Creme di Mascarpone, Amaretti Tart are a few of the desserts to savor. This is a beautiful book, more for the coffee table than the kitchen. It would make a lovely gift, especially for someone familiar with, or longing to travel to, Venice. However, as a cookbook, I feel the unusual ingredients do not lend themselves to American kitchens as well as Kiros's previous book, Falling Cloudberries, which I also reviewed.

Oh my, there it is, page 219, "Uccelli con polenta" (Birds with polenta.) Visions of the outdoor market in Verona came flooding back: "Why do they have all these tiny birds in cages?" I stupidly asked. Which is the reason I deducted one star from this review: There are just too many recipes for ingredients that we don't use in the States, i.e., small birds, baby octopus, let alone "tiny" baby octopus, or many kinds of delicious fish species that most of us can't get, especially when one is a thousand miles away from the nearest ocean. But aren't those wonderfully mouth-watering photographs of fresh sardines and anchovies? So following are my usual three tested recipes. I chose pretty simple things, but will certainly tackle more, especially the risottos, a dish that I associate with my one and only trip to Venice. The Mozzarella in carrozza, (p. 45,) was a huge disappointment. How can anything that looks so gorgeous be so - what's the word for "blah" in Italian? I used fresh, delicious tasting mozzarella, good bread, the béchamel and dipping mixture was standard (but for two sandwiches, I don't think you need two eggs), so maybe it was my slice of American ham. Maybe. I highly recommend the Zucca e funghi al forno, roast winter squash with mushrooms, (p.248). Oh, would I love to have access to the recommended 14 ounces of fresh porcini, the best mushroom in the world, but I'm not a millionaire. I used cremini, and they were quite good. I would also recommend a dark orange-fleshed squash: butternut or acorn. I had bought a darling looking little squash that was next to impossible to peel, a pale yellow flesh, and really not terribly good, but the finished dish was delicious in spite of the inferior squash. Lastly, is the recipe for La peperonata, roasted bell peppers, (p.251). It is much more complex than the peperonata I have made in the past and well worth the miniscule extra effort. One observation, the photo on page 250 shows caper berries. The recipe calls for "capers," which is what I used. I personally prefer capers, but that explains the "handful" called for. The last criticism I have is one mentioned by several other reviewers: the lack of captions on the photos. But what glorious photos!!!!

Venice! Venezia! Mio cuore (my heart!) The name conjures up a by-gone era of grand dames and gentlemen scholars parading the squares and exchanging respectfully heated arguments. All in the name of love for the City of Light! Short review: Beautifully photographed and respectful tale of a most elegant city of both maritime and theatrical history. But be aware that this book leans towards the more esoteric aspect of Venice in it's description and recipes. Do not expect a generic Italian-Venetian cookbook per se but rather a printed tour of this most glamorous city, which just happens to have recipes in accompaniment. Long review: Tessa Kiros is not just a writer who happened upon the subject of Venice. She was born to the profession of travel and culinary traditions and Venice is this current port-of-call, for which we are most grateful. The fact that her husband is Italian has lent a more soulful passion to this work, as they currently reside in Tuscany. But now I must confess that being of Venetian descent and having traveled to Venice, I am putting extra effort into being objective. But I find the same sighs and smiles in others who have known this great city, and we have had a rather difficult time of finding fault. The book itself is quite the effort of luxury with the gilded parameters of its heavy pages and the exquisite pairing of photography and dining. It appears that nothing was spared in making the presentation of the book as elegant as the information within its covers. As an aside, any book that comes with a velvet ribbon, or any ribbon actually, to mark your page, makes me happy. It's speaks of a kind of welcome into its pages; as if it wants you to remember to mark where you're at so as to not miss anything along the way. The photography is just splendid and generous; it actually makes this book more of a coffee table read as opposed to just placing this on your book shelf. Tessa begins her love of the city with a letter; a introduction which she seems to be writing to a friend (yourself perhaps?) and extolling the virtues of her experience in this European city. Her introduction is a mini-chapter of sorts followed with a brief description of the pattern of how meals are served in Italy in general, but with gusto in Venice specifically. Also to note is that there is a large variety of fish dishes that are typically indigenious to such seaside cities. CHAPTER ONE: Begins with Essential Recipes, that is, the basics to Venetian cooking such as Polenta, Bussolai (breadsticks of sorts), Mostarda di frutta (a marmalade), Spritz, Bellini, Rossini, and Pomegranate (light aperitifs). CHAPTER TWO: Begins with Cicchetti (small bites of food) such as Tramezzi (Italian finger sandwiches), Mozzarella in Carrozza (fried mozzarella between toasted bread and bechamel sauce), Sarde in Saor (sour sardines in onions), Scampi in Saor (sour scampi in onions), Moscardini Bolliti (little baby octopus), Polpo con Patate (octopus with potatoes), Baccala Mantecato (whipped baccala; a cod fish), Polpette de Carne (meatballs), Polpette di Tonno (fish balls), Sarde Fritte (fried sardines), Sarde in Forno (roasted sardines), Acciughe di Luisa (Luisa's anchovies; her sister-in-law who is half Venetian and half Tuscan), Acciughe di Andrea (Andrea's anchovies), Intruglio (Sergia's brew; a delicious combination of olive, oil, sundried tomatoes, cheeses, and herbs). CHAPTER THREE: The Antipasti!! La Saltata di Vongole e Cozze in Bianco (clams and mussels), La Saltata di Vongole Alla Marinara (clams and tomatoes), Capesante al Forno (Scallops), Moscardini al Pomodoro (baby octopus in tomato), Schie con Polenta (mini shrimp), Branzino Marinato (marinated bass), Granseola in Bella Vista (spider crab), Carpaccio di Pesce Con Pepe Rosa (fish carpaccio with pink peppercorns), Carpaccio di Carne (meat carpaccio). CHAPTER FOUR: Soup, Pasta, and Gnocchi! The aroma of Pasta e Fagioli (pasta with beans; excellent soup especially in the winter time!), Zuppa di Piselli Spezzati (split pea soup), Zuppa di Pesce (fish soup), Bigoli in Salsa (pasta with anchovies and onions), Gnocchi con Scampi (scampi and gnocchi), Gnocchi di Zucca (winter squash gnocchi), Spaghetti con Castraure e Gamberi (spaghetti with artichokes and shrimp), Linguine al Granchio (crab linguini), Spaghetti con Vongole e Calamari (spaghetti with clams and calamari), Pasticcio de Pesce (monkfish and bavette lasagne), Lasagne di Pesce (seafood lasagne), Lasagne di Radicchio (radicchio lasagne), Spaghetti alla Busara (spaghetti with tomato and scampi), Spaghetti Al Ragu di Pesce (spaghetti with fish), Spaghetti Al Nero di Seppie (spaghetti with squid ink; BLACK spaghetti made from the actual squid ink; it's an incredible work of art and presentation!). CHAPTER FIVE: Risotto (rice dishes). Risotto di Vongole (rice and clams), Risotto di Radicchio (radicchio risotto; a bitter purple leafy lettuce), Risotto de Pesce (fish risotto), Risotto di Asparagi e Scampi (asparagus and scampi risotto; it makes a lovely visual presentation), Risotto di Verdure (veggie risotto), Risi e Bisi (rice and peas), Riso e Patate (rice and potatoes), Risotto Con Le Seccole (meat and risotto), Risotto di Zucca (winter squash risotto), Risotto Al Latte (milk risotto), Risotto Con La Verza (risotto and cabbage). CHAPTER SIX: Secondi. Fritto Misto di Pesce (mixed fried fish), Grigliata Mista di Pesce (mixed grilled fish), Coda di Rospo Al Pomodoro (monkfish with tomatoes), Fegato alla Veneziana (liver and onions; absolutely excellent!), Baccala all Vincentina (cod baked in milk), Osso Buco con Riso e Piselli (osso buco with rice and peas), Brasato con Amarone di Valpolicella (braised beef with amarone), Seppie in Nero Con Polenta (squid stewed with ink), Rombo con Patate e Funghi al Forno (fish with potatoes and mushrooms), San Pietro In Padella Con Carciofi (fish fillets with artichokes), Anguilla al Forno (roasted eel), Anguilla in Umido (eel with tomato), Calamari con Salsa Tonnata (calamari with tuna mayonnaise; but not your typical thinking of Hellmans mayo), Luganega e Polenta (sausages and polenta), Faraona Arrosto Con La Salsa Peverda (roasted guinea fowl with peverada), Pollo Con Pomodoro in Tecia (chicken in tomatoes), Uccelli Con Polenta (birds with polenta), Anatra in Padella Con Acciughe e Capperi (duck with anchovies and capers), Maiale al Latte (pork in milk) Musetto Con Fagiolo Piccanti (Venetian sausage with beans), Pasta in Brodo (pasta in broth), Bollito di Carne (mixed boiled meats), Salsa Piccante di Peperone e Acciughe (red bell pepper and achovy sauce), Melanzane Sotto Olio e Aceto (eggplant in oil and vinegar). CHAPTER SEVEN: Contorni (veggies). Castraure in Padella (little whole artihokes), Fondi di Carciofo (artichoke bottoms), Radicchio Con Acciughe (radicchio with anchovies), Radicchio Al Limone (radicchio in lemon),Zucca e Funghi Al Forno (roast winter squash and mushrooms), La Peperonata (sweet bell peppers); Asparagi Selvatici di Lidia (wild asparagus), La Verza Soffogata (stuffed cabbage). CHAPTER EIGHT: Dolci (woo-hoo!). Tiramisu, Tiramisu di Sergia (Sergia's tiramisu), Crema di Marscapone (marscapone cream), Zaletti (polenta cookies), Baicoli (crisp cookies), Torta di Amaretti (amaretti tart), Gelato Al Limone (lemon ice cream), Sgroppino (lemon chill; a thick lemon drink), Sbriciolona (crumb cake), Mele Cotte Con Amaretto (cooked apples with amaretti cookies), Gelato di Amaretto (amaretto ice cream), zabaione (eggs and marsala), Gelato di Zabione (zabaglione ice cream), Bussola (those "S" cookies), Focaccia Veneziana (Venetian focaccia). INDEX If I may once again extoll the visual joy of this book, then I will feel that I've gotten to the true appreciation you will have once having acquired this. The presentations of the dishes are exquisite. You will notice Murano glass in many of the photos, of which the island which manufactures it, is not more than a taxi boat ride away from Venice; a lovely way to spend an afternoon should you be visiting Venice. You will find "Venezia" a gastronomic and sauntering delight of Venetian life. Saluti a tutti!

I look at this beautiful book as part coffee table book/part cook book. I feel as if I want to discuss the visual aspects of this book even more than the food aspect. The images have a bit of a 1950s retro quality - like looking into the past even though you are acutely aware that these images represent the modern age. It makes sense as I wouldn't ever call Venice a modern city - more of an iconic city not to be altered in any way - a city in which time has not changed it. Many of the images in this volume are panoramic - spanning the width of two pages. They depict life in Venice from architecture to Carnival to street life to fashion, Gondoliers, Venetian glass and on and on. Quite fantastic. I only wish there would have been a location or caption of some sort added to each of the non-food images as it would have added to the overall value of the book. Sadly, the editors overlooked that. Nevertheless, the incredible photographer of these gorgeous images is Manos Chatzikonstantis. The images make this book what it is so I also wish the author would have shared the cover credit with the photographer. Sadly, that did not happen either. Hopefully, people who buy this book will take a moment to find that information in the small print either on the inside title page or the copyright page and take note of it. But, I cannot skip over the recipe portion because those, too, are fantastic. The book is divided into sections consisting of Essential Recipes (items like Polenta, bread bangles etc..), Cicchetti (small bites - my favorite is the Tramezzini or Italian sandwiches), Antipasti (mostly seafood), Zuppa/Pasta/Gnocchi, Risotto, Secondi (a lot more seafood plus vegetable dishes as well as some pastas and meats) (the most intriguing of this section is a recipe for Baccala alla vicentina or Baccala baked in milk - probably the first recipe I will try from this book), Contorni (vegetable dishes) and finally, Dolci (sweets). The last section on sweets was the most standard of the volume containing items you could find in other Italian cook books (Tiramisu, lemon ice cream, Zabaione, S cookies etc...) but the previous sections have a number of surprises. Some of the recipes seemed a little advanced for me (not gifted in kitchen arts though I can usually follow along) but real foodies who actually know what they're doing will appreciate the challenge. Nice volume. Would make a lovely gift.

Venezia: Food & Dreams is a love letter to Venice. Reading it and cooking from it is a bit like looking at a Caravaggio painting. The dreamlike colors of the photos, the lovely setting of Venice, the simple yet forthright recipes. This book is written, photographed and designed in a dreamlike fashion; one that is so often associated with Venice. Tessa Kiros knows her subject well. In addition to the wonderful recipes, Kiros sprinkles in her thoughts, and comments; her experiences in the city in the form of poetic moments. Many of the photos are of the city itself and its citizens, or of the colorful buildings, or of Carnival; not only of food and recipes. This book is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I have come across in a long time. And the food and recipes, as I came to find out, are as delicious as the book is beautiful. Kiros divides the book into sections that mirror an Italian menu: Antipasti, Zuppa/Pasta/Gnocchi, Risotto, Secondi, Contorni, and Dolci -- with additional sections on Essential Recipes and Cicchetti, small bites unique to Venice. As she unfolds the sections she weaves in her thoughts and comments about Venice, about a dish, a little history, or a moment in time. In one she describes trying to stand up in a gondola like the Venetians do; feet apart to steady yourself so you won't fall down. She mentions that a sure sign of a tourist is one who sits versus stands. Standing up allows more people to ride. I loved reading this. I laughed when I saw in the front of the book in the Essential Recipes section that the first entry is Polenta with recipes for both 'fast' (using instant) and 'slow' preparations. I like that it's the first thing you see and that she offers both ways of cooking the dish. It's a nice starting point. From there it's a slow, leisurely roller coaster ride through an Italian menu via the dishes of Venice. As Venice is known for its seafood many of the recipes have fish and seafood in them. Sardines, scampi, octopus, baccala, anchovies, clams, scallops, branzino, crab, calamari, appear in every other recipe. Dishes like Spaghetti al Nero de Seppie, (Spagehtti with Squid Ink) to a simple, ubiquitous Mista de Pesce (Mixed Grilled Fish). Other interludes involve her trying to get the locals to divulge their recipes; she writes that while Venetians offer up directions at the drop of a cappello, getting them to give up secrets to their cooking is not so easy. Over a recent weekend I cooked several recipes from the book: Polpette di carne (Meatballs), Bigoili in salsa (Healthy pasta with anchovies & onions), Brasato con amarone di valpolicella (Braised beef with amarone), Radicchio al limone (Radicchio in lemon), Fast Polenta. I can say that they all worked beautifully and were huge hits with my dinner guests. At one meal we ate the braised beef, the raddichio and the polenta: the oohs and ahhs didn't stop until the last morsel was consumed. It was truly, restaurant outings included, the best thing I've made and eaten in a very long time. I chose the beef dish as I wanted to buy meat from a new local butcher McCall's Meat & Fish Co. located in the Loz Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. The piece of chuck that butcher Nathan McCall sold me was perfection. Combined with the amazing recipe it was an incredible thing! A dish I will make again, and again, and one I highly recommend. And it couldn't have been easier to prepare. The radicchio (sautéed in olive oil, salt and pepper then simmered in lemon juice for ten minutes) was a beautiful combination of bitter plant, tart lemon juice, olive oil and saltiness: so simple yet so satisfying. The next night for Sunday dinner I made the meatballs and the pasta. The pasta dish was wonderful; a slight hint of the sea due to the anchovies, the cooked-down-to-sweetness onions a perfect compliment. This dish would be great for a light meal, add a green salad = perfetto! The meatball dish was the only one I had any trouble with but I think it may have had more to do with operator error than a flaw in the recipe. For some reason (my guesses: too much oil, not hot enough, meatballs not cold enough, pan too crowded, ratio of beef to potato wrong) I couldn't get the meatballs to stay together when I cooked them. I would have liked the recipe to offer a tad more guidance during the cooking process. That's my only critique. We still ate them, they were still very good. I love this book. There are so many recipes I still want to try. Dishes I've eaten on my travels in Italy, or at restaurants here in the U.S. but have never made at home. I've never made anything with squid ink, I'd like to try Maiale al latte (Pork in milk) because I've heard of it before and it intrigues me, and I've never made a salt cod preparation at home either. So one day soon, back in the kitchen with Venezia: Food & Dreams, and more Venetian cooking, eating and dreaming. Buon appetito!

Tessa Kiros' book will interest those who like to cook as well as those who have fallen in love with the city of Venice. The photography is spectacular, and it really makes me want to catch the next plane for the city of canals! Without question, it was created by someone who knows Venice intimately, and who is completely in love with the enchanting city. Chapters are arranged into categories (Essential recipes, small bites, antipasti, zuppa/pasta/gnocchi, risotto, secondi, sides, and sweet things. I have tried a number of the recipes, and they have all turned out wonderfully. Some new favorites are the drink recipes, which are quick and easy to prepare, and quite addictive! For me, this book would be worth the price if for only the Risotto di verdure (vegetable risotto) recipe, which is fantastic, and really easy to make. The recipes are very plainly written, and I like how Ms. Kiros uses italics for special emphasis, as if she is at your side walking you through, step by step. The book is lovely enough to be placed on your coffee table. Again, this book is for all lovers of Venice and its unique cuisine. I am a collector of cookbooks, and this one ranks as a definite favorite!

If you having more than a passing interest in Venice and its food, then you will love this book. This is truly a coffee table treasure. While it has numerous recipes, I can't quite see this book on the kitchen counter. The first thing you notice is the weight of the book. The paper is high gloss, extra thick. The edge of the pages are gold foil. There is a black velvet book marker. The book uses gold type print with lush and romantic treatment of the headings. There are stunning photographs of the food, the city and the culture of Venice. If you appreciate excellent visual presentations, you will really love this book. This is more than a recipe book. It is more like a personal travel dairy. There are wonderful little side notes about restaurants and the city. There are plenty of recipes but this is not what you would call typical Italian. The recipes are not for novice cooks. There is a predominance of seafood recipes, since this makes up a substantial portion of the diet there. If you are looking for a taste of Venice, beautifully, artistically done in a very loving manner, you should love this book.

Just like the city of Venice itself, this book is like a little gem that reveals its charms and often hidden beauty as you keep wandering through. A superbly produced book to start with - great binding, heavy, high quality paper, superb print quality and stunning photography, the author manages the challenging task of putting together a cook book that is a like a discovery journal and coffee table book at the same time. Do not let the fanciful typesetting and the story-telling fool you: the recipes are rock solid, well-researched and produce the results you are promised. many recipes contain excellent hints that speak to special aspects of the preparation or the ingredients. The selection of recipes is balanced and will add a repertoire to your Italian cooking that comprises the best of what the Venice region has to offer. Loosely organized by drinks, small dishes, appetizers, different main courses or secondi and finally pastries and desserts, the book allows you to assemble a Venetian feast to your own gusto with ease. Use this book as an inspiration before you travel to Venice as you will discover many insider shopping and dining tips as you walk through the pages.

Glowing and bronzed, the book whispers from the shelf: open me. I am caught. It's alluringly rich with memories and recipes, the food seductively photographed. I come away from the first read of Venezia: Food and Dreams enchanted. You see, I have been to Venice, and this cannot be the same city I visited. I recognize it from the photos, but the food, the food!, so lush and local and homey and ancient. That's not what I ate. Yet it's exactly what I looked for when I traveled there, what I expected to find by scouring dead-end alley restaurants and tiny nook cafes for family fare. And the last day of my trip, just before the hours of rushing to the train station on crowded water taxis after carting unwheeled luggage over a thousand bridges, I found exactly the ingredients this sort of food is made of -- fat chunks of parmesan, firm-tart olives, wedges of herb-flecked focaccia, handfuls of squid, and baskets of tomatoes, plums, apricots. If only I could've followed the food directly to the restaurants that cooked like this, the trip would have been heaven on a plate. Organized by traditional Italian courses, Kiros empowers readers to create a full menu using whatever ingredients are freshest. As a vegetarian with limited fish intake, I was pleased to find so many things to make, at least one from every category. Mozzarella in carrozza, one of my favorite Italian appetizers, are droolingly photographed in their deep-fried glory, a dripping sandwich of mozzarella smashed between savory, egg-battered bread. An array of risottos, polentas, soups, and fried fish dishes had me salivating. Gnocchi di zucca, winter squash gnocchi, is a toast to fall with nutmeg and sage, though shaping takes a few tries to perfect. Almonds shine as the center of the sbriciolona, or crumbler cake, a divine addition to any casual dinner party as it perfectly finishes any meal without too much fuss. Though I'm not certain it's possible to replicate the flavors of some recipes, including Kiros' intruglio, an appetizer specific to Sergia's restaurant, without access to the produce and cheeses of Venice, I'm willing to give it a go. I imagine it will taste better if I close my eyes and remember dipping my fingers into the plastic bag of olives from the cheese mongers, following each with a fat bite of focaccia padded with fresh mozzarella. It's simple yet exquisite, one of my standout meals, and this feels like Kiros wrote Venezia about it.

Having just discovered Tessa Kiros in the last year or so, I was excited to dive into her newly released Venezia: Food & Dreams. And, in a way, I wasn't disappointed. This volume evokes, through beautifully moody pictures, recipes, and prose writing, a strong sense of place. Yet this place created was one of dreams, a vision, not a "real" place. After a lovely afternoon immersed in this vision, I emerged to consider how much I would actually use this book in the kitchen and I would have to agree with many other reviewers that it won't be that often. Many of the ingredients listed would be expensive or hard to come by, and most of the recipes aren't exactly practical for dinner on a wednesday night with two school aged children. This book reads more like a cultural journey, and less like a cookbook that will be stained with olive oil. If you are interested learning the authentic food of a region, or love cookbooks to read (not cook from), then I think this book will satisfy. If you are looking to cook italian food for your family, I think there are better choices out there.

Oh, this is a beautiful book. It's heavy, sizeable, gilt-edged, lavishly bound, and gorgeously illustrated. It even has a velvet ribbon sewn into it as a bookmark. It's beyond gorgeous, one of the most physically beautiful cookbooks I've ever seen. I've got an Italian friend who saw this book and just swooned over it. But it's more than a mere cookbook--it's a travelogue and a wistful photo essay of the writer's version of Venice. I don't think this book is intended to be actually used as a kitchen guide; I'd die before I took this thing into my very small kitchen and propped it open on a counter to cook from. But for just curling up in an easy chair with purring cats on my lap and just whiling away an afternoon poring over photos of Venice and its amazing sights? Perfect. The "letters" the author sprinkles throughout the loosely-organized food chapters reveal a different side of Venice than I think most people see. Venetians do not come out of it looking 100% innocent or saintly, but it's a blast to see anyway. The photos of the folks in Renaissance costumes are stupendous, and the Carnival shots are really gorgeous, the sort of stuff you look at for a long time to get as many details as you can. The actual recipes are fairly standard; there are some for polenta and some for Prosecco cocktails and some for breads. As you might expect, there are a lot of recipes for seafood. The actual food in the otherwise-gorgeous shots aren't actually terribly appetizing-looking; most look kind of dreary to me, but the other photos more than make up for that lack. This is first and foremost a travelogue, not a book that is meant to be used in the kitchen--a sort of Trapper Keeper of "stuff Venetians with money eat", an idea which itself harkens to the Renaissance (I don't recall ever hearing about a Renaissance "cookbook" found with food stains on the pages). That said, if you love Venice, you'll love this book, and if you have friends who love Venice, they'll love this as a gift.

I enjoy reading cookbooks. And this cookbook is beautifully presented- it has gold edges, and a ribbon for a bookmark! The photos of the food are fantastic, and the photos of the city of Venice are even better! It really makes me want to go to Venice to see the city, and try the fabulous food. Then I would return home and make the recipes. Or perhaps I should start my vacation of Venice in my armchair with this book and end it in the kitchen given today's economy. The recipes are mouthwatering, and many feature fresh seafood, including eel. I will likely make several of the risotto recipes, especially the Vegetable Risotto. The book is arranged in a logical Italian manner: Eating in Venice, Essential recipes, Cicchetti (small bites), Antipasti, Zuppa/Pasta/Gnocchi, Risotto, Secondi, Contorni (sides), and Dolci (sweets). This would be a perfect Christmas or Holiday gift for any cook!

Like her other cook/travel/memoir books, "Venezia" contains Tessa Kiros' impressions of Venice. The amazingly gorgeous color photographs on nearly every page bring the city and its oddities alive, as do her written memories of her time there (I especially enjoyed her reminiscences about trying to coax authentic Venetian recipes out of the trattoria owners). There are quite a few recipes in the book, divided into sections as though you were ordering off an Italian menu. The recipes consist of Venetian variations of traditional Italian dishes and quite a few specialty dishes which are unique to Venice. Unfortunately (for me), many of the appetizer, pasta, and main course recipes contain seafood (as Venice is so closely tied with the sea) which I do not cook; therefore they held no interest. However, I found many other recipes interesting, especially most of the desserts (3 or 4 versions of tiramisu! and lots of amaretti used). However, overall, I found this book to be somewhat less compelling than her others...less descriptive, less compelling reading (I kept wanting her to tell more of the story...it was like I was only getting teasers): it is more of an appetizer, whereas her other cookbooks seem like full meals. The photography is still amazing, however, and cookbook does have a good number of unusual recipes.

If you have some serious foodies on your holiday gift list, you'll want to buy "Venezia". The pictures are stunning enough for this to serve as a coffee-table book, and the recipes are equally impressive, while not being too difficult to make. Take Granseola in bella vista (spider crab)... it's a simply stunning crab salad that's both simple and spectacular. Tessa Kiros has done an amazing job with this cookbook. There are also interesting notes and musings to entertain, along with seriously tempting photographs of both food and the cities in Italy. Be prepared for loads of seafood recipes. Rarre among cookbooks, this is one you might just want to curl up with on the sofa and page through. Well designed, and carefully bound, there's even a ribbon attached to the spine to save your place. Truly, this is not a cookbook that will be relegated to a bookshelf. Bravissimo!

For anyone who is Catholic, you know that we have entered Lent, one of the holiest times for Catholics. I have never been to Italy during Lent. Images of Mardi Gras, gorgeous Italian masks, beautiful Italians walking through the streets of Venice come to mind. Venice is one of the world's more beautiful cities. With it's Byzanitne architecture, long canal and gondolas it is unlike any other city. Tessa Kiros's Venezia is a tribute to the city. Tessa Kiros' latest book, Venezia, will no doubt have turned up in many food lovers' kitchens. I am fond of all of Kiro's cookbooks. Her books are more an adventure in food and photography than a selection of memories. The book is a work of art with it's gold gilt-edged pages and stunning photographs. The book has a beautiful black page marker. This is a little thing, but one that makes the book all the more a collectibe piece of art. The recipes have a strong emphasis on seafood. There are other classics such as tiramisu and risotta. For anyone who has ever been to Venice, the book will bring home fond memories of the city. I must confess that I gave my book away. A friend of mine has a winery. His home is one that I could only dream of. His living room with a large oversized fireplace, overlooks the vinyard. A cookbook as beautiful as this one deserves a home that conjures up memories of Italian wine, figs and dishes of antipasta.

The first thing I want to say about this book is that it is BEAUTIFUL. In terms of attractiveness. The pictures and the way she designed the book are EXTREMELY attractive. I loved the gold edges and the beautiful black velvet book marker, but the recipes inside the book are a little difficult to connect to. Only because a lot of the ingredients are not very common here. Some of the ingredients you can substitute for more common ingredients, but not sure if the recipes would turn out very good. The vegetable recipes seem pretty good, but I felt like this book was more for reading, and not really cooking. It wasn't a book that I could look through and pick out a recipe and say "I really want to try that". So I don't know if I will use any of the recipes besides the vegetable ones. The fact that the instructions are in italic, makes it look a little complicated. She uses strange terms to explain how look to cook things as well. This is definitely not a book I would pass down to my daughter, because I know she would take one look at it and toss it aside and ask for something that is a little more simple for her. Other then that, it is a book I will put on my shelf and when I'm looking for something eccentric, I will reference this book.

Tessa Kiros married an Italian and they live in Tuscany and through Venezia: Food and Dreams she gives us a hands on tour of Venice though its local cuisine and beautiful architecture. She walks us through the culinary traditions of Venice with all kinds of helpful information, like how to make polenta both the slow and the fast ways. There are recipes for appetizers, pastas, sweets, and many variations of risotto, full of meats, seafood, veggies and squashes (which my husband made and it was excellent!), alongside advice like how to maintain your balance while standing in a gondola. Venezia: Food and Dreams is packed full of gorgeous photos of both the scrumptious foods of Venice, as well as the people and places that I would love to see in person!

This book reminded me of a diary when it arrived at my home with all of it's pages trimmed in gold. Once I opened it up and poured over the beautiful pages it was more similar to a lovenote than a diary. You feel like you are in Venice as you read the author's intricately detailed descriptions of the food and the stories behind it. I love that even the most complicated recipe in the book maybe has ten ingredients in it, with most of the recipes beneath five ingredients total. The food is made with simple and whole ingredients and yields amazing results! Every recipe I have tried has turned out deliciously and whomever I serve it to can't believe how simple it is. I am so glad to have this book in my cookbook collection, it transports me on a wonderful vacation to Venice whenever I need to relax.

This book is a collection of classic Venetian recipes and food traditions. Kiros, who has authored a number of other cookbooks, turns her attention in this book to one of her favorite culinary passions, regional Italian food. She presents this book as a sort of diary of a visit to Venice, with short descriptions of dishes she enjoyed and cooks she chatted with, and numerous photos documenting both the places and the meals. The book includes chapters for essential recipes, cicchetti (small bites), antipasti, soups/pasta/gnocchi, risotto, secondi, side dishes, and sweets. The recipes are straightforward, with an emphasis on seafood and shellfish. With its enticing photographs and short narratives, the book is meant to be savored for reading as much as for cooking from.

Venezia: Food and Dreams. While Venezia contains a number of uniquely delicious recipes, it cannot be called cookbook but perhaps more appropriately referred to as a work of art. It is among the most beautiful books I've seen with a flower and food decorating the cover which is so inviting it also comes with a black velvet ribbon bookmark. The dedication page reads, "For Venice - may you stand strong and beautiful forever." The full-color,page filled photographs by Manos Charzikonstantis are spectacular. I absolutely love this beautiful work of art! The pages are beautiful works and this is a book to treasure as well as dream about. Now I want to go to Venice!

Also owning

This is an excellent coffee table book. The photographs and overall presentation of the book is excellent. However, the majority of the book is seafood recipes. I am not a seafood fan therefore I was disappointed. If fish balls, monkfish lasagna, squid ink spaghetti, squid stew with ink are up your ally, this is the book for you. However, I was able to make something called Bussola cookies, and they were one of the best cookies I have ever had. Very mild and rich and super easy to make. There are a few other dessert recipes that I would love to try as well, such as the crumbler cake and the amaretti tart.

As noted in most other reviews for Venezia: Food and Dreams, this could make a splendid coffee table book that may not necessarily ever see the interior of a kitchen. But are the gold trimmed pages, gold text, silken bookmark, and pictures of costumed Venetians from the Carnevale di Venezia hallmarks of a "work of art" or just a bit of pretentious fluff? I'm not really sure. As for its second purpose as an Venetian cookbook, I have not had the pleasure of traveling to Venice and have to accept the authenticity of the recipes presented, but a disappointing percentage of the included dishes either use ingredients that may be difficult to find in typical American markets (fresh anchovies, guinea fowl) and/or may not appeal to American tastes (squid stewed with ink, eel fillets, beef tongue). Now I don't mean to blame the author for the lack of variety in American supermarkets or the lack of curiosity of the typical American palate, but perhaps the author should have included reasonable substitutes for some of these ingredients. And when I have to search the internet to determine exactly what the author means by "peperoncino" (and I'm still not exactly sure what it is) then perhaps a better index or a glossary is in order. But as I continue to peruse this book I do appreciate how the prominence of seafood makes this a good complement to the typical "Italian" dishes thought of by most people. In all Food and Dreams is not the best guidebook for Italian cooking, but does present an interesting regional variation, and if you desire, serve as a colorful book for one's table as well.

Tessa Kiros has produced a visually stunning tribute to Venetian cooking. The recipes look enticing, heavy on seafood with many recipies for such exotic items as octopus and sardines. The amazing photography not only includes the food, but also scenes from Venice. The book is much larger than I expected, heavy with high gloss pictures throughout. In fact, therein lies my dilemma--does this book belong in the kitchen where it may be stained, or on the coffee table with books on photography and art? I'm not sure, but I'm not sure it really matters. It is a pleasure to read and hold.

The writing, the pictures, the FOOD! Venice is always thought of in terms of its beautiful construction and its unique transportation system, but the food is something that isn't showcased and this book does it beautifully. While not a HEAVY DUTY cookbook, it provides a milieu of the city and its people, and gives you an excellent working knowledge of the most special dishes of that culture. If you or a friend/someone you love is a big fan of Italian food; this is the book to give them to show them something new!

This is a beautifully done book. It feels and looks expensive. The pages are gilt-edged, a cloth bookmark is attached, and the photos are lavishly produced. The recipes lean heavily toward seafood and desserts. Still, I think everyone could find some recipes that sound intriguing. There are many, many full color photographs of the dishes as well as shots of Venice. Overall, it's quite impressive. I also own Tessa Kiros' Falling Cloudberries. This is an excellent companion to that book.

This book captures that magic of walking around Venice and turning a corner and all of a sudden your at St Marks. IN a word: Wow. If you've never been, you're in for a treat and this book is great as an introduction or for me, as a souvenir. I think it's onew of the most beautiful, particular places on earth and clearly, the author agrees! The recipes are solid and simple and the photos are gorgeous.

After living in Venice for a year this is exactly what I was looking for, a book detailing of the local dishes and specialties that I had forgotten about, or names I never knew in the first place. The dishes and recipes are exactly those that are offered in Venice and the wider region. Admittedly they are probably too difficult for me to reproduce and the ingredients are often unavailable in many parts of the world. However the author has kept true to the recipes and not tried to alter them to meet a wider market for a Venetian-style cookbook. Therefore those seeking an Italian cookbook are better served elsewhere. The presentation is sensational and as other reviewers have mentioned it makes a great coffee table book. If you want to make authentic Venetian dishes this is the book for you but for many of us it is just a chance to reflect and remember memories of that fantastic place.

I loved this book. It has some great truly italian recipes (the vegetables risotto is simply amazing), aligned with some great information about Italy/Venice. Con: The book could've been better indexed. Sometimes it's hard to find recipes that you want Pro: Not only are the recipes great (and not that difficult to make), but it gives you a glimpse of venetian lifestyle!!

This is a beautiful book, the pictures of venezia invite you to travel to that beautiful place and the recipes look delicious, this book is elegant is not like other recipe books. You will love it.

This is a wonderfully beautiful book that has wonderful tidbits of personal stories and amazing recipes. This could easily be a "coffee table" book. I leave mine out on my living table and guests pick it up to read. The recipes are tasty and authentic

Any book with gold edging, a black velvet ribbon bookmark, and arty photos of Venice has to be good. Add recipes in which some of the words are left exotically foreign, the way the author lets you know she actually met some real live Venetians, and gives helpful hints on how to look like a stupid tourist pretending to be a local rather than just a stupid tourist, and this book offers hours of amusement for us all. In Kiros' own word; lovely.

Best venetian cookbook I've seen

This is a visually beautiful book that I enjoy looking at just to see the photos that take me back to venice and make me daydream and salivate! I have to say that despite many many lovely recipes I have only made a few as the ones I want to eat (right now!) tend to have too many ingredients that I don't typically have lying around my house. However an organised or more stocked up cook would be much more able to just pick it up and make things without a special shopping trip. I would highly recommend to anyone who a) loves beautiful cook books b) is happy to spend time to read and follow recipes for things they may not usually make c) is happy to source ingredients that may not be readily available. I would not recommend to anyone who a) counts how many recipes they use from a book and works it out as a percentage and is unhappy if it's less than 10% b) those who don't like cook book pages to be wasted on 'photos' c) those who live millions of miles from shops/ingredients I've given it 5 stars as I think that it is beautiful, the recipes I have done are delicious and I'm sure the others would be too if I was organised enough to get round to them! Enjoy!

I had intended to give this book as a gift, but it seems to be out of print, so I ordered this one believing its condition would be good. It wasn't torn, but definitely well used. The content of the book is beautiful. I have a copy of my own. I was disappointed that I couldn't give this one as intended and a bit annoyed to have wasted my money.

This book operates on two levels. If you've been lucky enough to have been to Venice and sample it's glorious food it is a reminder of wonderful meals in a romantic and historical setting. If you haven't, it opens a window into a world that belongs to Casanova, The Doge, smoky mists on the Lagoon, right up to the evenings consuming Tramezzini and Belini in Harrys Bar with Ernest Hemmingway. The recepies are simple, yet delicious and the explainations of the origins of the various dishes make a good read in themselves.

I bought this book from Amazon - having been guided from the positive reviews on the site. I have to say this is the most beautiful book and I am delighted with it. It was bought for my daughter in law's 30th birthday and she is thrilled with it and made a recipe from it within 18 hours of receiving it. They went to Venice for their honeymoon this year and fell in love with the place and so the photos were a real hit. Beautifully bound - i can't recommend it enough.

Perfect for dreaming of Venice, its scenery and food. Despite some reviews, I loved the way the book was presented as it added to the glamour and I have to say I am not usually easily seduced!

Another mouth watering and visually inspirational cookbook from Tessa Kiros, love the recipes and the attention to detail gone into designing this creative masterpiece. You could just flick through and it makes your imagination run wild 😍

I have and have given this entire series of books to my pals over the tears- always choosing the hard backs somehow they form the most beautiful collection you could imagine beginning with apples for jam- the photography is so special and the narrative engaging. Fabulous series...

Love this book. Excellent stories and photographs and recipes. Super fast delivery service from supplier. Highly recommend and use again.

Simply beautiful. The presentation of the book encourages you to open and read it, the words flow in an easy style with sumptuous descriptions evoking the city of Venice in all its glory. Particularly its food of course; but food in Venice is not just about filling stomachs, it is an experience to remember. Anyone who has been to Venice should have this book as their souvenir; those who haven't been might use it as a "taster" for a visit to be planned.

A seductive account of cooking perfection. A high quality publication full of great writing, I shall purchase more by this cook who brings the area to life with her vibrant prose, great photographic mood choices and again a very tactile book.

As promised.

This is a beautifully illustrated book with lots of interesting information and wonderful tasty recipes. Tessa's books take you out of your normal day to day cooking routine and then give you lots of new ideas and inspiration to try different menus from around Europe.

Enjoying this book

Venezia: Food and Dreams

Wonderful book.

A fabulous cookery book, it was exactly what I was hoping for, beautiful photos and lovely recipes. Can't wait to try the recipes but will enjoy just browsing through it as it is so beautiful.

Classy product with classic recipes that enable a taste of true Venetian food to be re-created at home. OK, you cannot bring back the canal charm but the aromas and the subtleties of the Venetian diner can be yours. A stylish and sumptuous experience!

A delight to own, just for the photographs alone.

What a beautiful book. I already owned it but bought this copy for a friend's birthday, she was over the moon with it.

beautiful Book, with very lovely Venetian pictures, inexpensive in perfect condition: high recommended Seller - thanks

A beautiful glossy cook book which I personally love flicking through with some stunning photographs

What a beautiful cookbook. Even if you never cook from it it is wonderful to look through the pictures and read the preable to each recipe. I love it. The recipes are mostly simple to follow.

Stunning photo's, beautifully laid out book, and yummy food as well.

Arrived in excellent condition

I bought this as a gift for my friend after we had been to Venice on a trip...I was very tempted to keep it!

handsome

so beautiful, but pale print.

Very attractive book which is very readable. A pleasure to use. Good recipes too. I am very pleased with this. What more can I say?

A work of art

I was born and grew up in Venice and absolutely fell in love with the book. Our family have been in Scotland for many years now but when I took it to my dad's we had to go out shopping immediately in search for polenta and fresh fish. The book is absolutely splendid to look at, the author shows immense knowledge of Venice and its food writing lovingly and passionately about it. The recipes we tried were very authentic and delicious. Everytime I look at this book I feel very nostalgic and am in awe of its beautiful pictures and the food it represents.