Simply stated, Italian cuisine is regionally diverse, ranges from the simple to the sophisticated, and is popular world-wide. "Trattoria Grappolo: Simple Recipes For Traditional Italian Cuisine" is a superb collection of illustrated recipes compiled by master of Italian cuisine Leonardo Curti (Executive chef and co-proprietor of the Trattoria Grappolo bistro in Santa Ynez, California), with the assistance of professional writer, photographer, and restauranteur James O. Fraioli. The 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes comprising "Trattoria Grappolo" are paired with wines from more than seventy-five participating wineries. The result is a superb blending of Italian food and wine culinary traditions. From Fiori di Zucca Ripieni (Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms); Coppette di Pesce alla San Pietro (Tropical Seafood Salad); and Pizza Prosciutto Crudo e Carciofi (Pizza with Prosciutto and artichoke); to Penne con Funghi Salsiccia (Penne Pasta with Mushrooms and Sausage); Petto di Pollo alla Salvia (Sauteed Chicken with Milk, Sage and Garlic); and Crostata di Mele con Gelato di Vaniglia (Warm Caramelized Apple Tart with Vanilla Gelato), "Trattoria Grappolo" is a welcome and prestigious addition to any personal, professional, or community library cookbook collection.

I loved this book. It is beautiful and the recipes were so great. It was pretty easy and very good. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves good food.

This cookbook is so beautiful. I love when cookbooks allow me to see the dish before I cook it. These photos are really inspirational. I have already cooked 3 of the recipes and I have most of the book tagged to cook for upcoming meals. The book sits nicely in my cookbook stand and makes an attractive addition to my kitchen. A really beautiful book, you won't be disappointed.

I visited Santa Ynez Valley very often but wasn't able to do it the last 10 years. So, I mist the oppurtunity to visit the Trattoria. But I promised to myself to do in the future. For now I enjoy the Cookbook. Is the best of ALL my Italian Cookbooks. I love the Photos. A lot of it (I don't like Cookbooks with few or no Photos because I have to SEE how it looks). Photos are from done Dishes or People, the Restraunt, Wines etc.. I love to cook but sometimes I have times I don't like to do it. But after I read the Book I had to make a List for Ingridients and can't wait to start. You got it all: Appetizer, Pasta, Fish, Poultry, Meat and Desserts. When you see the Photos the Food looks like you need to be a Chef to cook it but when you read the "how to do it", it's easy to understand and to do it. No exotic Ingridients. If you cook Italian Food you will have the stuff in your Pantry. The Book is a great Gift for People who like to cook or for yourself.