Food Made Fast: PASTA (Williams Sonoma)
by Julia Della Croce, Chuck Williams (Editor)

Designed for the busy home cook, Food Made Fast is the latest collectible series from Williams-Sonoma. Using a straightforward approach to everyday cooking, Food Made Fast is about delicious food, simply prepared, with easy-to-follow recipes and tips. Each book emphasizes keeping a well-stocked pantry, planning ahead, and using fresh ingredients as the keys to cooking delicious meals with a minimum of time and effort. Dedicated to a single subjectfrom Soup to Pasta to Weeknighteach volume makes it simple to plan, cook, and enjoy great-tasting food throughout the week. The recipes are both simple and inspired, making quick cooking a truly satisfying experience.

Available at Amazon.com and Williams-Sonoma

ROMA: Authenic Recipes from in and Around the Eternal City
Photographs by Paolo Destefanis

The culinary journey that begun with Umbria and Veneto has arrived in the eternal city of Rome and its surrounding region of Latium. In Roma, Julia della Croce ventures from coast to countryside to reveal over 60 cherished recipes passed from generation to generation in this region rich with culinary tradition. While the area surrounding Rome exhibits both the traditions of the Greeks and the culinary refinements of the Etruscans, each of the five Latium provinces has maintained its own culinary character. From the fresh seafood in coastal Latina; to the rustic aged meats and sturdy cooking of Rieti; to the simple, seasonal dishes of Viterbo known for its aromatic olive oils; to the handmade pastas and rich, savory meat sauces of the landlocked Frosinone; and finally to the lusty cooking of Rome itself, this collection beautifully captures the authentic tastes of this region's legendary food. Della Croce also lists her favorite places to stay, gun and historical local festivals, and where to find authentic regional Italian cooking and wine classes for those planning a Roman adventure.

VENETO: Authenic Recipes from Venice and
the Italian Northeast
photographs by Paolo Destefanis

Winner of the 2004 Gourmand World Cookbook Award for
"Best Italian Cookbook published in America"

Most everyone is familiar with the enchanting city of Venice, but the Veneto region of Italy also lays claim to rich deltas of rice, olive groves and vineyards, fertile flatlands, and one of the most dramatic mountainscapes anywhere in the world. Naturally, this would create a wealth of cherished culinary traditions. The authentic Veneto kitchen merges its ancient heritage with humble ingredients, producing one of the most fascinating cuisines in Italy. Julia della Croce shares the origins of over 60 recipes as she takes the reader on a glorious visual and culinary tour of the Veneto. Belluno's pillow-shaped pasta stuffed with beets and sprinkled with poppyseeds reveals Austrian influences, while a meal of roasted turkey topped with pomegranate sauce is a sure indicator that it's time to celebrate the fall harvest. Handy lists of charming places to stay, local festivals and cooking classes, plus evocative photos of the food and countryside will inspire anyone to plan their next vacation to the Veneto. Until then, this beloved region is as close as the kitchen.

UMBRIA: Regional Recipes from
the Heartland of Italy
photographs by John A. Rizzo

With food like Fried Chicken Marinated in Sage, Rosemary, and Garlic, and some of Italy's most gorgeous countryside, it's little wonder Umbria is becoming such a popular tourist destination. Home to beautiful hill towns such as Deruta, Perugia, and Assisi, plus a culinary history that dates back to the Etruscans (Italy's oldest and perhaps most fascinating civilization), Umbria rejoices in hearty dishes rooted in vegetables, legumes, grains, and farm-raised meats and redolent of herbs and bold sauces. Acclaimed cookbook author Julia della Croce takes us on a stunning visual and gastronomic tour with recipes for dishes such as Penci with Sausage, Lemon, and Nutmeg Sauce and Lorella Puccetti's Lentils with Seafood, which perfectly illustrate Umbria's simple, everyday style of cooking. Her 56 recipes are spiced with photographs of the food, the countryside, the markets, and the people, with local lore and insider tips on the best Umbria has to offer. An invitation to the heartland of Italy, Umbria is a gourmet feast for the eyes and the palate.

PASTA CLASSICA
"A loving, knowledgeable, rare sort of food book" - John Thorne, The Washington Post

"...elegant and lavishly illustrated... comprehensive and reliable... History, manufacture and customs are described... the recipes are clear and effective." - Florence Fabricant, The New York Times

".... an extraordinary example of bookmaking... della Croce makes serious study of her subject matter, then presents it in a readable way... Less experienced cooks will appreciate the clarity and detail of the recipes." - Post Intelligencer, Seattle, WA

* Distinguished as one of the ten best cookbooks of the year by The New York Times

THE VEGETARIAN TABLE
"... a beautiful book for coffee table or kitchen bookshelf, a cookbook that springs from the love of great vegetables." - Dorothea Brooke, Eating Well

" [her] sensible approach translates into authentic recipes that deliver superb results. Without exception, every recipe I tested was delicious, and the directions were easy to follow and execute." - Jack Bishop, Cook's Illustrated

* nominated for James Beard Award, 1995
* translated into French language edition, 2001

ANTIPASTI
"... an inspiration for entertaining" - Candy Sagon, Washington Post

"All the recipes are light, refreshing, and extremely uncomplicated. That's the joy of grazing foor: quick to make, quick to eat." - Anthony Dias, WCBS Food Spot

"The luxurious photography of Antipasti makes it a visual feast too." Food & Wine

CLASSIC ITALIAN
"Your guide to recipes from every region of Italy" - Mc Calls

* published worldwide; translated into 13 languages
* winner of the prestigious Diplome D'Honneur of France

ULTIMATE PASTA
"With Julia della Corce's passion for knowledge of pasta informing every page, Ultimate Pasta is a master class in cooking memorable pasta dishes" - The Good Cook

"Written in the spontaneous style that internationally-acclaimed author Julia della Croce is famous for, El libro de la pasta (The Book of Pasta) is an exponent of classic and contemporary cookery" - The International Cookbook Review

"This book is for every pasta lover.... it will make your mouth water. A visual delight, the book raises pasta to an art form." - Metropolitan Woman

* published worldwide; translated into 13 languages
* reissued in popular paperback edition, 2000

POMODORO
"Salse di Pomodoro makes quick work of sauces" - Las Vegas Sun

"A small but sturdy collection. ...a wonderful lesson in how a little variation in the process or a handful of strategic additions can retune a fairly minimalist tomato-garlic-olive oil formula. ... as pretty a gift as you could ask for." - Gourmet