Never Trust a Skinny Italian Chef

Despite its whimsical title, this eclectic and ambitious collection is all about serious cooking. Bottura, chef/owner of Osteria Francescana, challenges the culinary traditions of Emilia-Romagna, where the Michelin-starred restaurant is located. Trained by such culinary giants as Alain Ducasse and Ferran Adrià, Bottura is willing to update, revise, or even redo a dish completely to bring the best of the past into the future. Comprising glorious full-color photos of everything from ingredients and finished plates to people and everyday Italian life, the book emphasizes beauty, both in the simple and in the elaborate. Recipes are relegated to a mere 23 pages at the back, and while they’re certainly within a skilled home cook’s capabilities, most are complex concoctions that many will happily leave to the professionals. Quirky dishes such as a deconstructed mortadella sandwich made with mortadella foam; bread, butter, and anchovies; and a compression of pasta and beans make this a fun collection to peruse, but one unlikely to inspire home cooks. Professionals, however, will relish the opportunity for guided experimentation with Italian classics. (Oct.)