Authored by Mary Risley, who began her culinary career teaching cooking from her San Francisco flat in 1973, The Tante Marie’s Cooking School Cookbook is the result of her 30 years of experience since.

Hailing from an era when Julia Child reigned on TV, cooking demonstrations were given by cooks such as Marcella Hazan and Richard Olney at local Williams-Sonoma stores, Jacques Pepin taught cooking in Palo Alto, and James Beard gave classes at the Stanford Court Hotel, Risley refers to her culinary roots as a time when, “We were all falling in love with cooking. We were coming out of an era when “gourmet cooking” included casseroles made with cream of mushroom soup; we were moving into an era of beef Wellington and Grand Marnier souffle.”

In addition to teaching cooking classes from her home, Risley advanced her career by taking a short course at Le Cordon Bleu in London, giving demonstrations at stores such as Design Research and Williams-Sonoma, and making appearances on local morning television shows. But it wasn’t until 1979, after a mishap left her with a broken leg, that Risley raised enough capital to begin Tante Marie’s Cooking School on a residential block between Telegraph Hill and Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.

In the years since, Mary Risley has taken other short courses at the London Cordon Bleu, La Varenne in Paris, and studied alongside Madeleine Kamman and Lorenza de Medici. And after guiding thousands of students through the art of French cooking at her Tante Marie’s Cooking School, Risley penned The Tante Marie’s Cooking School Cookbook in 2003, thus allowing passionate cooks everywhere to learn and cook their way through her delightful culinary experiences, knowledge, and recipes.

FYI - The name, Tante Marie, was taken from an old French cookbook. It translates literally as “Aunt Mary’s.”

Although I had come across The Tante Marie’s Cooking School Cookbook on my many visits to Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and the local public library, it wasn’t until a chance encounter at an out-of-the-way antique shop that I had the opportunity to pick up this fabulous cookbook and really look at it. Sometimes the culinary fates guide you in mysterious ways.

Struck by the fact that such a relatively new book would be shelved amongst a plethora of dusty, tattered volumes, I picked up the book and began reading. I was immediately struck by the number of delicious and approachable recipes, and within minutes became smitten. Marked at $10 and on sale at 40% off, I took my find to the counter, paid, and skedaddled before someone realized they had mistakenly put their beloved cookbook on sale. After all, it was in brand-new condition.

Once at home, I poured over this cookbook. Recipe after recipe (over 250 of them to be exact), hearkened me to the kitchen: Asparagus-Fontina Pizza with Truffle Oil; Mussels Ravigote; Pear, Gorgonzola, and Walnut Salad; Seafood Risotto; Chicken Olney; Herbed Rack of Lamb; Vegetables Printanier; Cappuccino Brulee; Raspberry Vacherin; and Walnut Bread. I was in love.

While you won’t find flashy, mouthwatering, full-color photos in The Tante Marie’s Cooking School Cookbook, there is such attention to detail, so many tips and notations, you won’t miss this oversight: think quality and value over bling.

With each recipe having been thoroughly tested in the Tante Marie Cooking School kitchens, passionate home cooks can rest assured, each recipe is a winner. There simply are no duds in this book.

Whether you are establishing your cookbook collection, struggling to downsize, or hesitant to add another book to your ever-growing collection, this cookbook deserves a spot on your shelf, as well as in your heart. It is perfect for passionate cooks of all backgrounds, but especially those longing to polish their skills and expand their culinary horizons, Tante Marie-style.

Still aren’t convinced? Let’s try one of The Tante Marie’s Cooking School Cookbook recipes on for size, Roasted Eggplant Soup with Tomato.

This soup is phenomenal and has converted me from an eggplant taker-or-leaver to a definite taker and requester of seconds. You are going to love this soup . . .

(recipe from The Tante Marie’s Cooking School Cookbook, by Mary Risley)

What you’ll need:

• 2 large eggplants, about 1 pound each
• 2 medium-size onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
• Coarse salt
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin seed (plus more to taste)
• 1/2 cup gray (not French) lentils
• 3 to 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons minced, fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup heavy cream (for garnish)
• 2 red, ripe tomatoes, diced (for garnish)

Assembly

Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise and place them (cut side down) on a lightly oiled roasting pan. Bake in a 400 degree F oven until completely soft, approximately 20 minutes.

When eggplants are cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skin. Squeeze the eggplants to release as much water as possible, removing excess seeds as necessary. Chop the eggplants coarsely, and set aside.

To make the soup, cook the onions with 1/2 teaspoon salt in the olive oil in a medium stockpot over medium-high heat. Continue cooking and stirring until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Stir in the cumin and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in the chopped eggplant, lentils, and stock. Simmer until the lentils are soft, about 15 minutes.

When lentils are soft, puree the soup with an immersion blender. Add more water as necessary to make the soup a pourable consistency. Add half of the cilantro, the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly whip the heavy cream in a small bowl with whisk or hand mixer until it just holds its shape when lifted.

Serve the soup in warm bowls, and garnish with a dollop of the whipped cream, the diced tomatoes, and remaining cilantro.

Serves approximately 4-6.

It feels good to get that out.

My cookbook collection ranges from encyclopedic “how-to” volumes to tiny specialty cookbooks and a variety of self-published fund-raising editions. I love them all, but truth be told, the 1999 edition of The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook is one of my all-time favorites. Even after nine years of ownership, this cookbook packs a culinary punch and can hold its own against all rivals.

Packed with 496 pages of valuable information, mouthwatering recipes, and photos lovely enough to hang on your wall, my favorite aspect of this book is its step-by-step tutorials (some with photos or illustrations) on a range of subjects from making homemade pasta to trussing a turkey.

Full of sophisticated yet realistic recipes that any enthusiastic cook can prepare, each page is culinary gift. And if the recipes aren’t enough to lure you in, the information this book contains is.

An ideal gift for new cooks, newlyweds, birthdays, or housewarmings, The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook is chock-full of information even the most seasoned home cooks could embrace. Need to figure out what ingredients and equipment deserve a coveted spot in your kitchen? No problem, this book has you covered. Desperate to distinguish between lemon balm and lemon verbena, and how to use each one? The section entitled “Herb Dictionary” has all the information you need. Need to make a bouquet garni? Yep, that’s in here too. And let’s not forget the fabulous chapter on home entertaining.

Since no review would be complete without sampling the goods, we’re going to try one of the cookie recipes out for size. Made with the unusual and tasty combination of chocolate-covered coffee beans and toffee bars, this cookie can satisfy chocoholics and coffee lovers alike.

Ready for a bite?

Coffee Toffee Bars

(recipe courtesy The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook, 1999)

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 tablespoon Kahlua or strongly brewed coffee (I used strong coffee steeped in my French press)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (may I suggest an equal mixture of black walnuts and pecans)
• 1 cup chocolate-covered coffee beans, chopped
• 1 cup coarsely chopped English toffee-flavored candy bars (Heath bars do the job nicely)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F for baking.

Beat 3/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add brown sugar, beating well. Add egg yolk, beat well. Add flour and salt, stirring until just blended. Press dough into a lightly greased 13×9-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Set aside.

Combine sweetened condensed milk and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium-sized heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in Kahlua or strongly brewed coffee. Pour mixture over prepared crust. Sprinkle with walnuts (or preferred nut mixture).

Bake again at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle warm bars with chopped chocolate-covered coffee beans and toffee bars. Gently press mixture into uncut bars (caution, the bars will be hot).

Allow to cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cover and chill until chocolate is firm. Let stand 5-10 minutes at room temperature before cutting into bars.

Yield: approximately 4 dozen.

Already the author of three well-received cookbooks (Everyday Italian, Giada’s Family Dinners, and Everyday Pasta), De Laurentiis has a much anticipated 4th book coming out entitled Giada’s Kitchen (to be released October 2008), all published by Random House/Clarkson Potter. While I’m eagerly anticipating October’s release, one of my favorite cookbooks from this charismatic host remains De Laurentiis’s first, Everyday Italian.

While some dyed-in-the-wool culinarians have proclaimed De Laurentiis’s first book mediocre when compared to the collective works of Lidia Bastianich, Marcella & Giuliano Hazan, and even fellow celebrity chef Mario Batali (who also appears on the Food Network), I appreciate the fact that Everyday Italian (the cookbook) mimics the feel of the Food Network program by the same name.

Following the premier of her television show by approximately 2 years (Food Network’s Everyday Italian premiered in 2003, the cookbook was released in 2005), De Laurentiis’s Everyday Italian excels at presenting a fresh, easy, and simplified approach to creating delicious Italian meals with “a minimum of fuss and a maximum of flavor.”

Featuring 256 pages directed at home cooks and accompanied by full-color photographs of mouthwatering food, as well as appealing black-and-white photos of De Laurentiis herself, Everyday Italian holds timeless appeal for a variety of cooks from novice to gourmet.

Whether you are striving to whip up a first-class marinara, create crowd-pleasing antipasti (appetizers), serve stunning entrees, contorni (sides), or dolci (sweets) that are sure to make your family and friends request seconds, Everyday Italian provides more than 100 tantalizing recipes geared toward beginning to intermediate Italian cooks.

With the emphasis on creating great-tasting food in a flash, Everyday Italian takes an unpretentious, refreshing and realistic approach to Italian food that will inspire culinary confidence in the kitchen. No other recipe exemplifies this more than De Laurentiis’s take on Ziti with Asparagus, Smoked Mozzarella, and Prosciutto.

One of the most ridiculously easy yet best-tasting pasta dishes I have ever served, De Laurentiis’s Ziti with Asparagus, Smoked Mozzarella and Prosciutto is what fabulous, modern Italian cooking is all about – allowing each ingredient to shine while creating a single, outstanding dish.

This recipe is quick, uncomplicated, and insanely delicious, and requires no additional sauce. In our home, it has become known as “Giada pasta.” Call it what you like, but simply stated, it is a must try and a perfect introduction to this delightful cookbook.

Ziti with Asparagus, Smoked Mozzarella, and Prosciutto

(from Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis)

Reviewer’s Note - Since so few ingredients are used in this recipe, it’s worth it to buy the highest quality mozzarella and prosciutto you can afford. This is an instance where taste matters, as it will make a difference in the flavor of your finished dish.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the asparagus and cook the two together until the pasta is tender yet firm to the bite and the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain the pasta and asparagus, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the pasta, asparagus, 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, the 1 cup of reserved cooking liquid and toss to coat. Remove the skillet from heat. Add the mozzarella, prosciutto, and basil, and toss to combine. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the pasta to shallow bowls and serve.

This recipe will produce approximately 4 first-course servings.

Cover photo of Everyday Italian from the Food Network Store