The Silver Spoon – Phaidon Press – 2011
‘The Silver Spoon’ was another happy find during one of my favourite pastimes… rummaging around in a good second hand bookshop. Not the kind of bookshop that sells ‘as new’ copies of the latest bestseller. The kind of bookshop that might have undiscovered gems on every shelf. I love nothing more than losing track of time while moving from shelf to shelf in these magical spaces. ?I actually found this specific book in a charity bookshop too so good vibes shone all around when I found this beauty. What follows is ‘The Silver Spoon’ a cook book review
‘The Silver Spoon’ is a renowned Italian cookbook that has become a culinary classic. Originally published in 1950 and revised over time, it is considered Italy’s best selling culinary bible. Originally, a select group of cooking experts was commissioned to collect hundreds of traditional Italian recipes. Their goal was to make them available for the first time to a wider modern audience. In the process, they updated ingredients, quantities and methods to suit contemporary tastes and customs. All this while at the same time preserving the memory of traditional recipes for future generations.
The English edition was first published by Phaidon Press in 2005. It’s a more than comprehensive guide to traditional Italian home cooking, featuring over 2,000 authentic recipes.
They furthermore included modern recipes from some of the world’s most famous Italian chefs. Restaurant menus and speciality dishes result in a cookbook that appeals to the gourmet chef and the amateur enthusiast alike.
Link to this beautiful book here.
‘The Silver Spoon’ is meticulously organised into 11 sections, each covering a different potential course. For example, the section that covers ‘Sauces, Marinades & Flavoured Butters’, dives straight in with an eye watering 85 or so sauce recipes. These range from a fresh mayonnaise, a simple mint sauce or basic pesto all the way through to a black truffle sauce or a soubise (no, I didn’t know what a soubise was either). You will certainly recognise some classic sauces and you’ll be surprised to find sauces you don’t. There are sauces that will trigger a new flavour association in your mind and sauces you will flip on by. Be of no doubt though, there is no shortage of sauces!
Moving onto the ‘Poultry’ chapter you’ll find 100 recipes and this doesn’t even include gamebirds, that’s a separate chapter of course! You’ll find everything from a simple pot roast chicken or a classic duck a l’orange to a tempting guinea fowl in red wine or the extravagant sounding ostrich stew! (No, really)
At the back of this book you’ll find an index by recipe and an index by ingredient. I love this style of index that provides so much flexibility of use. The recipe index is ideal for finding out more about a particular dish you’ve heard of and wish to learn about. The ingredient index is the perfect way to explore that new product or to learn more about how to incorporate a particular flavour at your next dinner party.
I use ‘The Silver Spoon’ in two entirely different ways. Perhaps you have a course in mind, say a gap in a dinner party for which you can’t find the right recipe. Turn to the relevant course and slowly peruse dozens of recipe ideas. Alternatively, if you have an ingredient in mind, head straight to the index at the back and start your journey from there. It’s a particularly great book to use when planning an entire menu as opposed to just a single recipe. The variety of recipes and sheer choice on offer allow you to mix and match flavours and courses until you find a menu balance to suit the occasion.
On top of this, at the start of the book are a couple of particularly useful sections. First, we find an extensive ‘Glossary of Terms’ that are used throughout the book. I think we can all work out what ‘brown in the oven’ means. Did I know the term ‘spatchcock’? Yes, but only because it’s such a fabulous word that has long since lodged in my memory. Was ‘trifolato’ a new term to me, yes along with many others.
Second is a section dedicated to ‘Tools and Equipment’, a walk through guide of every item you might need to complete the recipes within. Fear not though, while this list is certainly informative and interesting, you absolutely don’t need each and every item to dive in and enjoy this book!
Sprinkled all through the book are the culinary staples that Italy is so famous for. How to make fresh pasta, gnocchi, ravioli and pizza. To take the staple to the sublime, explore an array of possibilities with each of these. It truly does give you a foundation for Italian cooking and the techniques you’ll want to learn.
I must say that each recipe gives you only the essential information and the simplest instructions on technique. You may wish to take the ideas you find within this book and expand on your knowledge with ‘how to’ guides on YouTube or social media. This isn’t a book of hacks, it’s a list of recipes and techniques. You’ll need to build your creativity and skills as time goes by.
The writing style of ‘The Silver Spoon’ exudes a sense of timeless elegance and authenticity, reflecting the rich culinary heritage of Italy. The book’s prose is clear, concise, and practical. The book’s atmosphere is one of warmth, celebration, and reverence for the ingredients and techniques that define Italian cuisine. The range of recipes on offer here, transport readers to the heart of Italy. Inviting them to savour the flavours, aromas, and stories that make Italian cooking so special. Overall, the writing style and atmosphere of “The Silver Spoon” make it a delightful read. It’s an immersive culinary experience for readers of all skill levels.
The range and breadth of recipes on show in this book is truly stunning. It’s much more than the story of a single chef or restaurant. This is no less than a culinary tour of Italy. 2000 recipes on more than 1200 pages cannot be anything other than comprehensive. The sheer volume of this book excuses the only two slight negatives for me.
Firstly, I always prefer a picture to go with a recipe. Partly as a serving suggestion but also as a way into the mind of the chef. It’s a confidence thing I suppose but having a picture of the completed dish makes me feel like I’m taking less of a step into the unknown.
Secondly, while the recipes are concise, they sometimes leave you wanting a little more detail on information or technique. As with most cooking, we live and learn with experience but more initial information can reduce this trial and error. With youtube instructionals and people sharing skills on social media there really is no reason you can’t find any extra information you need with very minimal effort.
Neither of these complaints seem fair though. An overarching view of an entire cuisine cannot possibly be all things to all people. The original editors of this book clearly wanted to showcase the variety of food on offer in Italy. In that regard, they achieved undoubted success. Besides, this book is already enormous and I’m not sure a 2500 page book would help any of us in practical terms.
‘The Silver Spoon’ feels important. Its sheer heft conveys the weight of anticipation and knowledge held within. Page after page of sauces, meats, vegetables, ragus, recipes, tradition and technique fill this cook and bibliophile with pure joy. There might be books with more detailed explanations and step by step guides. Possibly, there might be books that better highlight a particular facet of Italian cuisine that you are drawn to. There will not be, though, a book that contains a better overview of the range of recipes from the broad and magnificent culture that is Italian cooking
Buy this book for any one of dozens of reasons but buy this book here.