I see that, according to January's Good Food magazine, Giorgio is going to be starring in a new BBC2 series in the Spring. Maybe it's to coincide with the release of his book.
Can't wait as I think his recipes are wonderful!

Jill, I am a fan, I know Maria is also,I think Karen is as well. He is one cool guy, I just wish that book was available now, I taped the last series, I think he is going to be one of the most popular chefs in the future, simple recipes, his passion for food comes across like all the top chefs, He has one problem for me in that he is not a dessert chef also, he said he does not have the patience, he does not like to wait, fancy an Italian saying that, yet the ones he has made are brilliant, I now make my own cannoli wafers now, thanks to Giorgio, he inspired me with the recipe he made. Something to look forward to anyway Jill.

Hi Ralph, Glad to hear that you are a Giorgio fan. I have to agree with you about his pudding problem, I also wish he would do more as the ones I have seen look wonderful. Unfortunately, I haven't seen all of his previous series, I kept missing the odd episode, so I'm really looking forward to the new one.

I really love Italian food and I'm just starting to buy cook books by specific Italian cooks, rather than just the general ones that I have bought in the past (best Italian recipes, that sort of thing). My husband bought me Antonio Carluccio's Favourite Italian Recipes from Marks and Spencer, but I was wondering are there any good books that you would recommend as I notice from previous postings on the site about Gino that you mention lots of favourite Italian chefs. I like watching Antonio when he's on GFL and also saw Valentina Harris at the Good Food Show and thought she was very good as well. Thanks a lot.

Happy Christmas.

Jill.

Jill, I also have Aldo Zilli's "Foolproof Italian", my wife Debbie bought it so that she could continually drop hints for me to make Pannacotta, and there is a recipe for Semifreddo which is to die for. Another one I have and love is about 5 years old it is "Lorenza's pasta" she is a great cook, she has a cookery school in Tuscany, this book will go down as a classic I am sure, it is in my opinion one of the best books on pasta, £14 or less. A third one with general Italian cooking recipes is "The complete book of Italian Cooking" paragon press, the recipes are taken from several old and traditional Italian recipe books, over 250 pages, you should pick it up at about £15 or less. I have several from Italy written in Italian, and I also have many individual recipes that Italians themselves gave me on our travels around italy, I wish I could publish them oneday. I could go on and on, but hopefully that will help a little, they are all highly recommended.

Hi Ralph, Thanks for taking the time to reply to me. I'm going to have a look on Amazon for your recommendations. Hopefully one day you'll get your wish and see your recipes in print. It'd be very interesting to see them.

With 2 recommendations it looks like the Aldo Zilli book is definitely one to buy.

Jill, if you can treat yourself to Lorenzo's book as well, It really is good, history and lots of extra info, it makes a good read which is often hard to say about a cookery book.

Ralph, I've taken your advice and just had a look at Lorenza's book on Amazon. The review sounded just the sort of thing that I'm looking for so it's been put into my shopping basket which is getting rather full! The River Cafe Italian Kitchen was also mentioned on another post so that's gone in there as well, together with Antonio Carluccio's Invitation To Italian Cooking and Nigel Slater's Real Food. Aldo Zilli's was already in there, so I'm building up quite a nice collection. I've got some money off coupons for Waterstone's as well so I'll have a look there and see where I can get the best deal. Thanks again for all your brilliant advice.

Hi Jill, let us know which ones you opted for, that is quite a collection you have earmarked, great choice all of them.

Trudi, that's another one thats just gone into the shopping basket!

Ralph, I'll probably end up getting them all over the next few months!
No doubt my husband will be pleased, as everytime one or the other of us buys a book then the other one buys one as well (does that make sense?). Not very good for the wallet though!!!!!

I think I'll probably go for Lorenza's and Nigel Slater's first or then again maybe Antonio's and Aldo's or then again maybe ..............

Jill, another good source is amazon market place, I have bought many second hand ones, you get a chance to know what condition they are in, the postage is £2.75 no matter what size book, you can sometimes see books priced at 50p, its worth checking out now and again.

Thanks Ralph and Trudi I'll bear that in mind.