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53 of 55 found the following review helpful:
There's the Sopranos, and then there's the Goodfellas Jan 08, 2003
By Brian Connors
Don't dis the Sopranos book -- just don't say it's the same thing as this. The Sopranos Family Cookbook is marketing with good recipes, whereas Henry Hill's masterpiece here is as much a retelling of his biography as it is an excellent Sicilian-American cookbook with a heavy emphasis on making do when you can't get what you need.I think the recipe that sums this book up best is the Oven Penitentiary Sauce, a concoction that Henry and his prison buddies cooked up for those days when the guards have taken all your pots and pans away and all you've got is the steam table pans and the prison bakery. The whole book is like that -- real food, salvaged when something goes wrong. Lots of Italian, but a few surprises from other parts of the country (particularly the South), reflecting Henry's travels in Witness Protection. Substitutions are a big deal too -- from the pork-for-veal scam Hill learned as a kid working in a pizzeria all the way up. Hill's message to cooks: you can always find a way to make it work. At my bookstore we sold a couple of hundred copies of the Sopranos book over the Holidays, and that was pretty cool. But I had two standard recommendations to go along with that -- Italian Classics from Cooks Illustrated and this one. Of all three (and I say buy them all), fuhgeddaboutit, this is the best -- it's very autobiographical, and will leave you very, very hungry at the end.
28 of 28 found the following review helpful:
One of my 3 favorite cookbooks Feb 27, 2003
By AverageIowaGuy
This is one of the 3 cookbooks that have changed what I eat and the way I cook. Henry Hill has some excellent classic recipes and adds his own little twists to each recipe. Having lived away from major cities myself for some time, I especially could relate to his struggles to find the right ingredients. His mob stories are amusing too. I read the book cover to cover because it is kind of in a story form. Hill will tell a few stories about a particular place he lived and then give recipes for the food he ate there. I highly recommend this cookbook. It is a must have.
23 of 23 found the following review helpful:
Thanks, Henry Sep 14, 2002
When the rumors began flying about this book I laughed. What! Now this guy is doing a cookbook! I was intrigued. I received the book today,read it from cover to cover and made garbanzo bean salad and grilled eggplant,hey, pretty damn good! I plan a trip to the grocery store tomorrow for ingredients of fresh herbs a few spices and such to try out more recipes, will surprise the husband....."men love variety".
This book flows naturally, the stories introducing the recipes,the rules,tips and advice all flow very well. It's an easy and entertaining read. Definitely will play around with these recipes for a long time. There are recipes for the beginner to the more serious and experienced house chef.
Henry Hill is a great storyteller,honest and sincere,this quality really shines in this book. Forget the wiseguy and goodfella aspects of Henry Hill for a second, read between the lines and you'll find that he shares a part of himself that is really close to his heart, his love of cooking, the recipes and what it all means to him. I'm sure many can relate. I recommend this cookbook, not as a novelty but as a real collection of authentic Italian recipes,in addition to some old all American favorites. It's impressive.
16 of 17 found the following review helpful:
The Wiseguy Cookbook Jan 15, 2003
By Julie Jones
When you grow up with an Italian mom who cooks dishes that nobody else has ever heard of you wonder if you are the only person that has tasted such amazing dishes. Well I don't wonder anymore. The recipes are wonderful. I grew up cooking most of the dishes written about in this book and must say Henry's recipes taste just like "mom's" - in fact just a bit better.... I think this book is extremely well written not only for the "advanced" cook but also for the "novice" cook as I bought a copy for my son and he now uses it to prepare dinner for his family. If you want to cook real "Italian" food - this is your book.
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
Such a deal! Sep 28, 2002
This is two books in one! Wonderful, amusing, and exciting stories of Henry Hill's life accompanied by mouth-watering recipies. The text is very well written; the recipes clear. The different indexes of recipes are a great idea and very helpful. I've glimpsed someone else's copy and can't wait for my own to arrive! I highly recommend this book.
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