Cooking with Nonna: A Year of Italian Holidays

I liked this cookbook quite a lot. It's very family oriented and the stories throughout it were lovely to read. There was also a number of recipes I've never come across before.that I would certainly like to attempt as they sounded both delicious and easy to make. However, that's not to say more advanced cooks won't find anything in here to challenge and stretch their culinary skills to the limit.

Perfect for anyone wanting to try something different for next family occasion.

This was a ARC in exchange for a honest review. With thanks to Netgalley and Race Point Publishing.

I'm Italian and was curious to see how Italian cooking can be as seen by a nonna.
It was interesting and I liked to read the stories as well as looking at the different recipes.
They can be slightly different but there are some brilliant ideas I'd like to try.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC

I liked the format of the book. Having it arranged by holiday , and interspersed with family stories was great. There were definitely a bunch of recipes that caught my eye, especially for the sweets! My only complaint is that I would have liked more pictures of the food!

I really liked this book. It is really well put together. The combination of family, love and food is wonderful. It was great to find out about a lot of traditional dishes I had not heard of before. I am looking forward to trying some of the recipes in this book. I really like the idea of citrus turkey so that might be the first on my list.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I liked this cookbook, as it contained a lot of recipes I did not know yet and definitely want to try. Besides that, you can never go wrong with recipes grandmothers use as they have a lot if experience. I liked the general layout and the descriptions were easy to understand but I missed more pictures of all that great italian holiday food.

You have no idea how excited I am to have this cookbook!  I normally review healthy vegan or plant-based cookbooks and this is not that.  But I am Italian and I could relate so well to Rosella Rago's intro, getting all the family together, the tablecloths didn't have to match, you could eat on paper plates, all that mattered was that the family was together and the family ate the family recipes.

I do eat healthy, but I still make my family's marinara and we have that for dinner several times a month.  The one big reason why I don't think I will ever be 100% vegan: I will not give up The Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve.  I may only eat fish a few times during the year so that my body can digest it on Christmas Eve, but I want to be the Nonna one day and have my grandchildren come to my house for the family recipes of scungilli salad and baccala, because that is how I keep my Nonna alive.  One bite of those foods and it's like she's sitting next to me again!  (I've been known to break down in tears at the smell of certain Italian food cooking because the good memories of a time long gone come rushing back).

I was THRILLED to find vegan recipes like Savory Scallion Pie, Genovese-Style Focaccia with Onions, Fritters with Black Olives and Escarole Pie.

The Lamb and Potatoes recipe looks identical to what my Nonna used to make.  I won't eat lamb, but I also wouldn't be surprised if my husband made this one Sunday.

And if you have ever wanted the best Easter dish ever - there is a recipe for Pizza Rustica in here (some call it Pizza Chiena "stuffed pizza) but our family, and Rosella Rago's family, always called it Pizza Rustica.

The photo of the Soft Easter Bread brought back so many memories!

The Thanksgiving stuffing sounds just like my Nonna's with rice and sausage and ground beef.  

And Cardoons!  I had forgotten all about cardoons and my family also went to Arthur Avenue to get those and my Nonna used a similar recipe!

I actually got tears in my eyes about the Egg Drop Chicken Soup--my Nonna used to make it for me all year.  She thought I needed more protein and it was nourishing.

I have a new list of recipes to try and am looking forward to surprising my mother with some different cookies this Christmas!!

Interesting book - lots of receipes I'd never heard of, but would now like to try! I like how the receipes have been split by holiday rather than the usual 'courses'. The photos are a nice touch too

Cooking with Nonna: The Holiday Cookbook by Rossella Rago
A Collection of over 100 Holiday Recipes from Italian Grandmothers

Some of the recipes used for the main holidays of the year are listed along with a few of those for some of the Saints’ Days and other celebrations. I was interested in seeing new-to-me recipes that tantalized my taste buds and had me wanting to try them out in the future. I have seen raisins in savory dishes in some other countries’ cuisines but had not thought of adding them to Italian dishes. I was curious about the double crusted savory pies and would like to try a few in the future. Add in comments and reminiscences from a variety of Nonnas, tips with some of the recipes and interesting photos and you have a delightful book to read and refer to during the holidays or any time of the year. I do not have Italian blood BUT would love to try some of the recipes in this book and serve them to my friends at some point in the near future.

Looking through the index I realized that if I were to want to find say a list of salads or a specific vegetable and all of the recipes it would be found in it would be difficult to do so. The index lists the recipes by name but not by ingredient. Another interesting aside is that there are not as many fresh vegetable dishes (salads) as there are cooked, layered, baked or fried ones. There are many bread and sweet recipes and perhaps that has to do with the topic of holidays more than anything else. I am interested in what the first book out by this author might have and may see if I can find it in the future.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I try any of the recipes in this book? I believe I would
Which recipes intrigued me most? Perhaps the double crust savory pies

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group-Race Point Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

If anyone still wonders why Italians are world-renowned chefs, this cookbook will answer your questions. The 100 recipes read like food porn: luscious desserts, rich pastas, hearty meat and fish dishes. The beautiful photography ably illustrates how truly delicious the offerings truly can be. SO mesmerizing. Don't read if you are hungry- you will run for the kitchen!!

This book has made me hungry. Every page is full of homely Italian recipes many which remind me of my travels in Italy.
I loved the little interludes of stories from
Nonna’s about their family and traditions.
This book screams family and love and that’s how I felt about every recipe in there and I’m already planning to try out the butternut squash lasagne very soon.

Cooking with Nonna: The Holiday Cookbook has holiday recipes that range from Christmas to New Year's Day along with a section for Saint Days and Celebrations. Throughout the cookbook you will find plenty of color photos, and stories telling about the cooks and their recipes. You will also learn about how the holidays are celebrated thanks to the explanations given with the recipes.. This is a friendly, folksy cookbook that will warm your soul and happily fill your tummy.

Some of the recipes you'll find include:

Cream Puffs with Chocolate Sauce
Tuna Pie with Tomatoes and Parsley
Soft Easter Bread
Italian Christmas Bread
Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake with Limoncella Cream
Champagne and Strawberry Mimosa Cake
Sweet Coal (a candy that looks like coal and served during Epiphany)
Saint Joeseph's Day Minestrone
Seven Fishes Seafood Salad

Recommend.

Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.

This is a beautiful and loving tribute to traditional holiday Italian cooking. Interspersed with wonderful, classic and traditional Italian recipes from all over Italy are personal stories and family pictures. The recipes are provided by Italian grandmothers, of course, because really, does ANYONE know how to cook better than your grandmother? Above each recipe, the book tells you which grandmother provided that recipe (for example, Nonna Rosa Carmelo's Savory Scallion Pie), which I thought was a really lovely touch. There are beautiful full color pictures of many of the recipes. The book follows the course of the year, going from Holiday to Holiday, featuring recipes that might be served at New Year's Eve and Day festivities through Christmas Day, and then ending with a variety of recipes for various Saints' Days. The author is Rossella Rago, host of web TV series Cooking with Nonna. There is a wide variety of recipes here, they are well written, and the instructions are detailed and clear. Each holiday includes recipes for several different courses, from several different Nonnas, from different parts of Italy. The book is a feast for the heart and the eyes. As with many traditional Italian recipes, many of these dishes are complex and time consuming, but if you are looking to learn to make those traditional favorites, or to bring more traditional Italian dishes to your family, who better to learn from than grandma? There is no nutritional information provided for the recipes, and there are not pictures for each recipe, but otherwise, this is an excellent book.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Netgalley and Quarto Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Italian recipes fit for each holiday SIGN ME UP! Who doesn't love an authentic Italian meal shared from Italian Grandmothers?!?! I enjoyed how this cookbook grouped each recipe for a certain holiday to inspire you to add an Italian flare to your holiday meal. Some of my favorites are from Easter & practically all the Italian cookies!

I only wish that there were more pictures to go with the recipes. Great cookbook with delish recipes that don't call for a ton of ingredients and look very elaborate to host during the holidays!

Really liked this second addition to the Cooking with Nonna series by Rossella Rago. Fascinating dishes that seem unique but delicious. I love the regionality and the use of different Nonnas and their beloved dishes. Such a fun addition for any cook that loves to create Italian dishes!

This is a nice cookbook filled with lots of recipes that look like real Italian food. There is a wide variety of recipes that cover everything from appetizers and main courses to desserts and cookies. Some of the recipes that really stood out to me were pasta e fagioli soup, Sicilian pizza, Italian bundt cake, and soft lemon cookies with limoncello glaze. Lots of pictures are included and the directions look easy to follow. If you enjoy Italian cooking I think you will really enjoy this holiday cookbook.

I love the layout of this book, it is full of recipes I can't wait to try and I hope that when I recreate them they look and taste as good as they do in print. Each occasion has a set of perfect recipes so you'll be spoilt for choice. I love the pictures and little stories from other Nonna's as they give the book more of a personal touch. A must for anyone who loves Italian dishes.

This is a great tool for anyone interested in Italian cooking. This book contains many vibrant pictures and personal stories and touches. It's also nicely separated by holiday. I love that soft Easter Bread with it's color Easter eggs that made an appearance here. The Butternut Squash Lasagna sounded amazing as well. I'll be making the Sicilian Potato Pie. Seems like a great fall dish. Some cookbooks can be intimidating with great pictures but lacking in ease. This one is relatable and doable.

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I love Nonna's cookbooks. Nonna is back in the kitchen with Rossella Rago and other Italian Grandmothers creating this wonderful book of Italian recipes from every region in Italy. Being Italian, myself, I find it hard to find a good authentic Italian Cookbook and Nonna knows how to do it right.

This is a wonderful and fun collection of Italian holiday recipes including New Years, Valentines Day, Carnevale, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Little Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Saints Days recipes.

Recipes from Sicilian Pizza, Spaghetti in Wine sauce, Cream puffs with chocolate sauce, Oven fried chickpeas, Stuffed Zucchini, Baccala Pie, soft Easter bread, Lemon Drop Cookies, Genovese-Style Focaccia with onions and Pumpkin Tiramisu. Authentic Italian recipes that will have everyone begging for more.

It seems like every year that I go to holiday events that someone else brings the same potluck item, so I was looking for a cookbook with unique recipes to try this year. This cookbook has some amazing looking things that I cannot wait to make!

Nobody cooks better than a grandma. This is a great Italian family cookbook. Recipes are divided into holidays many of them Italian holidays. There are special family memories and stories to go with the recipes. I can't wait to try the Battered cauliflower and baby artichokes. This is an interesting twist to some classic vegetables. Now I don't think I will be trying the Octopus salad though.


I love this quote from the book. " Food in an Italian family not only feeds your family, but it also feeds your soul and your heart." That is what I think of when I think of Italian food.

Beautifully put together book. I loved the short write ups from the different contributors. The layout and photos are very helpful. The recipes steal the show! I saw some old recipes I haven't had since childhood....oh the memories they brought back! This year pumpkin tiramisu will be on my Thanksgiving table as well as Sicilian Potatoes for Christmas. Will purchase this one!

Another gorgeous cookbook by Rosella Rago, filled with delicious recipes, stories by her nonnas, and lots of color photos of her wonderful food!
This book is focused on holiday food and recipes from her family traditions and as in her previous cookbook, all of the recipes are well explained and many are accompanied with colored photographs.
My family is from the same part of Italy as Rosella’s family, so for me., many of the foods were reminiscent from holidays past. I can’t wait to try many of them! This cookbook will be a nice addition to the library collection to go with her first book.

Who more can you trust to provide traditional Italian meals other than Nonnas? I was so happy to review this book because there's (horrible, I know) a side to me that doesn't completely trust some 'traditional' cookbooks, but this one is great. The recipes are easy to follow, very well laid out and of course -- tasty!.

This book is a great Italian recipe book, with the interesting story of the different Nonnas interviewed in the book. It is greatly organized by time of the year, which changes from usual cookbooks.

Great Italian family holiday cookbook. I enjoyed reading all 150 recipes and have picked out half a dozen to try. I was happy to see pictures along with most of the recipes. Cookbook reminds me of the two years I lived in Rome.

This is the book for if you didn't get your Italian grandmother's recipes, or if you didn't have an Italian grandmother and wish you did! Filled with lots of mouthwatering photos and recipes organized by holidays (from the major ones through some Saints days), I am inspired to try some of these great Italian dishes. Lots of traditional things, cookies and baked goods, and special items.
I received a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review after downloading.

Is November too early to be in the Christmas spirit and cooking Christmas recipes? No, no it is not. This is a recipe book crammed with cosy recipes to make you want to light a fire and cook up a roast! Maybe finished with a cheeky limoncello, because why not. I especially loved how it was focused on family recipes and traditions.

Eloquent without any sense of superiority, Cooking with Nonna will be a pleasure to those of us who have not had the privilege of an Italian grandmother, and a warm cozy to those of us that have. Seemingly authentic (your reviewer is of Dutch, English, and Scottish descent) but not so complicated that it will scare away beginners. The ingredients are realistic, and the stories from the nonnas are touching.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as a vegan I swapped out and made substitutes on various recepies but overall some great ideas as basics to work with.

When you visit Nonna make sure you have a healthy appetite because she cooks meals that fill your body and soul. I will definitely be trying one or two of these recipes for a harvest meal or Sunday dinner. I mean tell me how can you not want to try Amaretto Pumpkin Pie or Pumpkin Risotto. there are so many yummy Italian recipes it's hard to choose just a few. This would make a great gift for chefs as the holidays are fast approaching and if they make any in November or December then there are Easter and New Year recipes as well.

This book definitely lives up to its title! It's a Holiday Treasure Trove of Italian Holiday Cooking and baking! While not every recipe has a picture, this has more than enough to keep even the pickest abreast of what the recipes should look like! This has all the Italian favorites you would expect in an Italian cookbook and a must have in my kitchen! I loved the book, and see myself using this for all the holidays! (and in between). This would make a great gift this Holiday Season, for your favorite cook!
"I voluntarily reviewed this book for an honest review"

This is a lovely Italian cookery book that provides traditional nonna recipes for a variety of different holidays throughout the year. Originally I thought this would just be a book on Christmas dishes being a 'holiday' book but it is much more.

The book is split into ten sections: New Years Eve & Day, Valentine's Day, Carnevale, Good Friday, Easter Day, Little Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Saints Days & Celebrations. Some of the days are obvious and don't require explaining, however I could not see any explanations for either Carnevale or Little Easter, though it was provided for the Saints Days. It's interesting to see what is eaten at different times of the year, such as lots of fish dishes on Christmas eve.

There is a variety of recipes throughout: starters, mains, desserts, biscuits and cakes. Recipes are in imperial and metric measurements and only some of the recipes include colour photography. Each recipe comes with the explanation of why a nonna uses that recipe on that day.

With Christmas coming up, I'd certainly be interesting in making the panettone from this book.

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

I thought this recipe book was inspiring, enjoyable, educational and fun. Offering a wide range of delicious recipes that cover things from the basics to much more elaborate dishes. The recipes are divided not by chapters but by Holidays. So if you are looking for inspiration for a complete menu, the book will provide it for you. Or it is easy to just find a single dish to tempt your palate. The pictures are beautiful, the stories charming and the tips helpful. This is a truly delightful recipe book that should appeal to everyone.

Ich will auch so eine Nonna haben! Schöne Einführung, eine reiche Auswahl an Rezepten (classics and more) und Fotos, bei deren Anblick einem das Wasser im Munde zusammen läuft. Ich habe bislang drei Rezepte nachgekocht , sehr empfehlenswert -> Einfach beschrieben und sehr lecker.

I love holiday recipes from any culture. I have been collecting recipe books for over 40 years but did not have one like this. There are many delicious recipes and many that are designed to become family traditions. Each holiday has it's own section with recipes ranging from easy to expert. The pictures and instructions are designed to make results achievable and predictable. I've made 10-15 of these recipes already with plans to work my way completely through the book. It would make an excellent gift for anyone who fancies themselves an Italian cook.

Cooking with Nonna: A Year of Italian Holidays is a new volume of Italian holiday recipes from Rosella Rago and her family and friends. This is a follow up book to her general Cooking With Nonna family recipe book (reviewed by me last year).

Released 6th Nov 2018 on Quarto's RacePoint imprint, it's 264 pages and available in hardcover and ebook formats.

I loved the warm and inviting writing style along with the photos and personal stories. It's certainly a functional cookbook with lots of authentic recipes made with basic, easily sourced (or made) ingredients. I think where this book shines though is in the personal stories and family photos.

The recipes are arranged around the holiday calendar. It starts with New Year's Eve and moves through the year to Christmas. There is also a chapter full of dishes associated with different Saints' days throughout the year.

Of the over 100 included recipes, there are a number for kitchen ingredients, pickles, and serving suggestions which are worth the cost of the book. We have made several batches of the gardiniera (mixed pickled vegetables) and they're a firm family favorite now.

There are a huge number of sweet cakes, cookies, and candy (including sweets which look like coal, for naughty family members at Christmas).

Wonderful collection of special recipes. The instructions are complete and well-written. The recipes are made with easily sourced ingredients. The finished dishes are well photographed and appealing.

Superlative cookbook.

Five stars.

This is a great cookbook. It was about Italian food, which is my favorite! So I was excited to read it. The beginning of the book talked about the stories and memories that made this book come to be. I love that stuff! It only made me want to go over the recipes even more. Which was great, too. The recipes were easy to read and to follow. The pictures were gorgeous and really made you want to make and eat those recipes. I tried a couple of the recipes and was able to follow the recipes just fine. Nothing confusing., This is a great book. I highly recommend it.

Thank netgally, the author for an Advanced Copy of this book. I really enjoyed this book. It's well worth reading

A fabulous book from the beginning to the end. Not only are the recipes wonderful, but the stories that are shared are a very nice addition as well. The beginning of the book with the pickled vegetables was always on our table but we always bought it, now with a recipe I will try to make it myself. Some of the recipes I already make some of the food from this book because of my family being Italian, but it is always interesting in seeing the different recipes plus new ones. Here in this book they take you through every holiday including some of the saint days as well. I really liked the recipes for cannoli cookies, waffles cookies and cucciddati, (fig cookies). Also, there minestrone soup had more ingredients than the one my family made. There was also a recipe for sweet coal January 6, which really does look like coal. I thought that was very fascinating and had never seen that before. You get everything from pasta to fish and even a roast and turkey recipes, along with many desserts. The pictures were very good, and overall this was a very good cookbook. Worth for anyone to purchase it.

This cookbook is great with fantastic recipes from the variety to being well written to great detail. The recipes are great to use all year for all sorts of celebrations and the memories shared throughout make it an extra special cookbook.

I love authentic Italian food and this book has plenty. I liked reading the accompanying stories and can’t wait to try the recipes. Feels like a cook book that’s been passed down the generations.

Loved looking through this delightful holiday cookbook with a plethora of tasty dishes that are truly Italian! Different nonnas have offered their finest holiday fare and there are the pictures to prove it. I loved how each dish had an explanation of what region it is from. From the traditional favorites to things I"ve never tried, "Cooking with Nonna: The Holiday Cookbook" by Rossella Rago is a treat for the whole family.

I love Nonna's books! They take me back to visiting my own special "Nonna" in Italy. If I cannot be there in person, this is the next best thing.
Once again, the author has compiled a intriguing list of recipes to try, this time with a holiday-related theme. Easy to understand and follow.
I'll be spending many pleasurable evenings preparing several of these, and then sitting down with the family to enjoy eating them!

Cooking with Nonna: The Holiday Cookbook by Rosella Rago and Adriana Trigiani has 150 Italian holiday recipes. This cookbook has a good mix of recipes divided by holidays. My favorites from the book were the dessert recipes. The "bones of the dead" cookies were my favorite by far. The grandmother or nonna profiles sprinkled throughout were interesting to read. This would be a nice cookbook for Italian cooking fans.

This is a themed book I can get behind. My favorite cookbooks have a story for each recipe that I want to be part of. Not being Italian or religious, I didn't know there are recipes for specific dates like Good Friday. These Nonnas are improving staples I already know and love (baked clams, almond spice cookies with chocolate) and are introducing me to entirely new dishes like butternut squash lasagna. Neapolitan ricotta and semolina cake is supposed to be made the day before Ash Wednesday (who knew?) and is on my list to try in the spring. I'm thinking Nonna Romana Sciddurlo's pastry cream will be my go-to.

Cooking with Nonna is a holiday cookbook of 130 classic Italian recipes from the author's grandmother. She covers 10 holiday seasons. This is way more than spaghetti and lasagna, although those recipes are included.. This cookbook is REAL Italian cooking that you've probably only had at grandma's house. Desserts and sweets are a highlight. This cookbook is perfect for those who love to cook and those who are old Italians at heart. Give this cookbook to your own nonna, who's probably forgotten many of these lovely recipes.

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

It’s so much fun to cook and bake for holidays, and while most focus on their own family traditions, it’s nice to add a few more when we learn that others have great traditions, too. Italians are known for their close families with their special holiday traditions and fabulous food. Cooking with Nonna: A Year of Italian Holidays: 130 Classic Holiday Recipes from Italian Grandmothers by Rosella Rago, is an excellent cookbook with delightful stories from Italian grandmothers, and most importantly mouthwatering recipes. While modern grandmothers aren’t always good cooks, Rago has chosen grandmothers that fit the stereotype of a proper grandmother with a long list of family dishes.

The book includes beautiful photographs of most of the recipes, which makes it tempting to make almost everything. The recipes are easy to follow, and many are easy to prepare. Holiday dishes are often a little more difficult and time-consuming than everyday recipes, but Rago has made it seem easy to prepare great holiday recipes with minimum kitchen time. There are recipes for beautiful and delicious Christmas cookies, several Easter breads, Christmas Eve seafood dishes, breads such as Foccacia (fabulous), Thanksgiving desserts and side dishes, and mouthwatering pasta dishes. There is something for everyone here, and this is a cookbook that will be used over and over again.

Favorite recipes include Neapolitan Spaghetti Pie, Pumpkin Tiramisu, Ricotta and Meat-Filled Manicotti (we loved this), Saint Joseph Bread Rolls, Eggs in Purgatory with Polenta, and a unique Stuffed Zucchini.

If you want a cookbook full of great recipes to prepare for holidays throughout the year, Cooking with Nonna: A Year of Italian Holidays is definitely the one. It’s well-written, the recipes are easy to follow, and there is something to choose from that will appeal to everyone. Highly recommended.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Great looking recipes, but they are quite ingredient-heavy. I would recommend this book for intermediate or confident cooks, because there look to be fantastic recipes in here...but they are beyond my skill level!

The forward to this book was really sweet. The author included interviews with the different Nonnas whose recipes were showcased.

There were many recipes.

I enjoyed finding out about different family traditions and enjoyed reading it

A great little cookery book, full of authentic family recipes and easy to recreate. I had fun doing so.