Tales of Risotto: 50 Recipes: Culinary Adventures from Villa d'Este

IN NORTHERN ITALY, AT A HOTEL RESORT NAMED THE BEST HOTEL/SPA IN EUROPE BY Travel & Leisure magazine in 2006, culinary legend Luciano Parolari has earned his reputation over the last 35 years as the king of the region’s most delicious pasta specialty: risotto. His talents have been applauded by guests at the renowned Grand Hotel Villa d’Este dining room, and everyone—from Paul McCartney to Sharon Stone to Mikhail Gorchev to Yves St. Laurent, and even to "Brangelina"—agrees that Parolari’s cuisine is simply unrivaled in its excellence. In Tales of RisottoParolari and his co-author, renowned Villa d’Este Public Relations Director Jean Govoni Salvadore, reveal the recipes that motivate guests to return again and again. In over fifty original recipes, Parolari teaches amateur chefs to prepare the low-calorie and nutritious meals of northern Italy in their own kitchens. The dishes emphasize a healthy and balanced lifestyle--calling for light ingredients like olive oil, fresh vegetables and fish fillets--which can be adjusted for nearly any special dietary needs or restrictions. This luscious volume serves as a versatile and comprehensive guide to the most popular dish of northern Italy. The book begins with a basic lesson on the perfect technique for preparing risotto, and continues with a wide range of recipes appropriate for every occasion, like Risotto with Spring Vegetables for Tuesday night family dinner, and with Pumpkin Blossoms and White Truffles for elegant entertaining. But these chapters hold more than just recipes. They feature personal stories about guests’ favorite dishes, and full-color photographs of the breathtaking Lake Como scenery. Tales of Risotto is about more than food; it captures the full experience of one of the most enchanting resorts in the world. The warm recollections from Villa d’Este visitors infuse these pages with lively charm; readers will learn which dishes have inspired birthday traditions, celebrity favorites, and have become the most popular menu choices. Tales of Risotto paints a colorful history of the hotel, the region, its visitors and, most important, Parolari and his legendary risottos. Parolari and Salvadore have captured the essence of the Italian residence they call home, and they make it easy for anyone to make its legendary charm and cuisine every reader’s own.