Old World Italian: Recipes and Secrets from Our Travels in Italy

by Mimi Thorisson

Mimi explores the beautiful coasts and countrysides of Italy in this lavishly photographed cookbook featuring simple, authentic recipes inspired by the country's devoted producers and rich food heritage.

Through her gorgeous cookbooks A Kitchen in France and French Country Cooking, a generation of readers fell in love with Mimi Thorisson, her lively family, and their band of smooth fox terriers. In their newest cookbook, the Thorissons put a pause on their lives in the idyllic French countryside to start a new adventure in Italy and satisfy their endless curiosity and passion for the magic of Italian cooking.

Old World Italian captures their journey and the culinary treasures they discovered. From Tuscany to Umbria to Naples and more, Mimi dives into Italy's diverse regional cuisines and shares 100 recipes for authentic, classic dishes, enriched by conversations with devoted local food experts who share their time-worn techniques and stories. You'll luxuriously indulge in dishes culled from across the country, such as plump agnolotti bathed in sage and butter from the north, the tomato-rich ragus and pastas of the southwest, and the multi-faceted, seafood-laden cuisine of Sicily. The mysteries of Italian food culture will unravel as you learn to execute a perfect Neapolitan-style pizza at home or make the most sublime, yet elemental cacio e pepe.

Full of local color, history, and culture, plus evocative, sumptuous photography shot by husband Oddur Thorisson, Old World Italian transports you to a seat at the family's table in Italy, where you may never want to leave.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Italy, Italian Literature, Cuisine

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2020

Reviews

[Aasinathena · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the beginning of the book one paragraph stuck in my mind.....

"Have you ever read music?" an old man in Rome asked me. "It's very boring.You can't really read music,you must hear it. Food is the same. You must see it,smell it,eat it. A recipe is no good if nobody cooks from it"

I think I will cook everything from this magical book.
Mimi's new cookbook is an excellent blend of story, techniques, and recipes that is worth the read even if you don't cook any of the dishes. The book unravels just like an Italian menu starting from Aperitivi & Antipasti(drinks and starters),Primi(pasta),Secondi(meat & seafood),Contorni(vegetables) and Dolci(desserts).

But in between these sections the book is filled with beautiful time transferring travel stories that will dare you to drop all other bucket list destinations and choose one destination:ITALY.

But you are not done yet ! You will have to battle with which region I should visit first(LOL). Mimi writes about starting from how she moved to Italy from France.

Then she ventures to regional Italy: Piemonte(Turin) where she lives and next is Abruzzo(largest city being Pescara) and its slow food movements and their finest Saffron which the outside world don't have access to.
Then comes glorious Liguria of acclaimed focaccia and legendary pesto cooked from Ligurian Basil where she says, they grow in abundance on the towering mountains(my mouth waters as I write this !!!).
Next is equally famous Emilia-Romagna. She draws the line clear:the BEST FOOD PLACE TO EAT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD IS BOLOGNA !!!!! I want to run to Bologna !!!!
Serene Campania(its what I felt while reading this part) of bright red tomato sauces,ocean breeze and exciting pizzas vows you after Emilia-Romagna. It's a whole other world where people rejoices them selves with the vast coastline and fresh ever so aromatic food.
Waters and culture of Veneto comes next which already has marveled humans for centuries and Mimi does the same. Their way with polenta,various risottos, and iconic seafood pastas and world dominant spritz.
Along comes Lombardia with Italian fashion capital of Milano. But its food is also not second to fashion. Risotto alla Milanese is legendary and food is obsesed with the color of gold.
Umbria walks in next with its great repertoire of cured meats with bench mark Salumi. This region reigns with another commodity:black truffles. Umbria is said to be self preserved and self sufficient.
Boisterous Lazio(where Rome is) is the next region where Mimi explains they embrace tradition and ravioli rather than modernization.
Detached yet ever influencing Sicily is the last region Mimi explains about. Its vast fresh produce feeds almost every corner of Italy. Sicilian tomatoes are a sign of prestige. She raves about almond granita and this gives me more reasons to shut myself with Italian regional food.

Need more food coma while reading this? Then you should definitely buy the book and I can't wait to do so. The book is overflowing with Zucchini blossoms and even we are on the edge of Autumn in US I have strong feelings to call nearby farms to grab some to cook with. The persuasions form this book is strong and I just cant wait to cook from this book.
Bravo!!!

This unbiased review was published in exchange for the free copy I received from Clarkson Potter Publishers. Thank you so much.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may not find myself bent over the stove referring back to any of the recipes, but you can bet that I'll curl up by the fire and immerse myself in an armchair vacation to any of the parts of Italy that are featured in this lovely book.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mimi Thorisson is a cook. She and her family lived in Paris and then the French countryside in order to learn the food and the culture, to experience it deliberately, to suck the marrow from life, if you don’t mind my throwing a little Thoreau into a cookbook review. Then they moved to Italy and started all over again. So while they left most of their worldly possessions back in France, they brought with them to Italy that determination to learn about the cuisine from the natives, from those who grew up and learned to cook in Italy, from the generations before them.

Old World Italian is a beautiful cookbook. I could talk about the delicious recipes that come from all the different regions of the country. I could talk about the breath-taking photos that her husband takes—the shots of the food that make you want to lick the page, the loving pictures of his wife and their family (their kids are adorable, with that hint of maturity you see in kids raised in Europe), the atmospheric photos that bring the small family restaurants and shops to life with their poignant and complex simplicity.

This cookbook certainly has all that. Recipes for a simple Tomato Jam you can serve on ricotta (or a dozen other places), a Basic Egg Pasta you can use in Tortellini in Brodo, or you can use a dried pasta with the Ragu Genovese (not really from Genova) or the Ragu Bolognese (not really from Bologna) or the Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca. You can make the Bone Marrow Risotto (she calls it the “rock ‘n’ roll” of risottos) or the Polpette Di Sophia Loren (Meatballs in Cream Sauce, based on a recipe from Sophia Loren’s cookbook that Thorisson found while she was spending time in Iceland).

You can make the Branzino Al Sale, Roast Pork with Balsamic Vinegar and Red Wine, or Brasato Al Barolo. And the desserts! Vanilla Chestnut Cream Madeleines, Torte Tenerina (Traditional Chocolate Cake, Zabaione, Panna Cotta, Torte Di Ricotta (Ricotta Cheesecake), Pizzelle, or Lemon Meringue Cake, just to name a few.

Old World Italian has essays on the best Italian coffee and what makes a family restaurant so special and comforting (you know, the ones who know you as soon as you come in, and who will save you a slice of your favorite dessert if they notice that it’s going fast). It has brief introductions to the different areas of Italy, to the woman who teaches children how to make pasta (and worked with Thorisson as her pasta coach), to the chefs and the winemakers and the restauranteurs who make their time in Italy so magical.

And that’s what I love most about this cookbook. Sure, it has recipes. Sure, it has beautiful photography. But mostly, it has a deep and abiding love for Italy and her surprises. Old World Italian is a love letter to those who share their Italian hospitality with others. It is a trip through the back streets of the cities and the open fields in the countryside, from the markets filled with fresh produce to the cafes, from the tables filled with food to the hearts and souls of the Italian citizens. Mimi Thorisson has opened it all to us through these pages, and it’s a trip worth making over and over.

The one thing I kept coming back to in this book is that I wish it had been arranged by region. She talks often about the different regions of the country and what makes each unique. I would have loved to see the recipes divided that way instead of being grouped into courses, or even just to see a typical meal for each region. But I can tell by reading this that Thorisson put a lot of thought into the recipes she included and how she moves us through the book—and through the country—so it’s hard to be very upset about this.

Overall, Old World Italian is a beautiful journey through the foods, the culture, and the regions of Italy. You can use it as a cookbook, as a tour guide, as an introduction to the country, as a gorgeous gift book, or as an inexpensive way to feel like you just took a trip to Italy without having to leave home.

I received a free copy of Old World Italian from Clarkson Potter, with many thanks, for a free and unbiased review.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely gorgeous. From the extraordinary pictures of Italy to the delicious pictures of the recipes, the quality of this book is amazing. This book is a definite keeper. I enjoyed the prose about their travels through Italy and the accompanying recipes are definitely ones to try at home. I highly recommend the Broccoli Pasta. Enjoy this book!

I've received a free copy from Clarkson Potter in exchange for a free and unbiased review.

[Kaitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cookbook? As a literary delight? Absolutely. I read this cookbook front to back. It is full of beautiful vignettes and essays. I can’t wait to make something from it…. Most of the recipes are dog-earred.

[Reading Fool · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed reading Mimi Thorisson's blog, Manger, for a long time and was looking forward to the publication of this book. Her previous cookbooks are favorites of mine - they are lovely for their recipes as well as their photos. Old World Italian is equally lovely. It is filled with stories of Thorisson's travels with her family, accompanied by the wonderful photography of Mimi's husband, Oddur Thorisson. I have tried a few recipes: Spaghetti alla Puttanesca, Chickpea Soup with Maltagliati Pasta, and Pistachio and Lemon Pound Cake. Oh, the pound cake! It was fantastic. This cake will be a welcome holiday gift for friends. The recipes I tried were all doable and accessible, and were thoroughly enjoyed by my family. This cookbook is a keeper!
I've received a free copy from Clarkson Potter in exchange for a free and unbiased review.

[My Tam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have been anticipating this release! Such gorgeous narrative and recipes reminding me of all the regional cuisines in Italy - take me back to puntarella alla Romana season in Campo de Fiori! Cannot wait to cook every single one of these recipes 😋

[Nostro · Rating 1 out of 5]

Already have all the Mimi Thorisson French books that are excellent. This one is a huge disappointment. Expected far more traditional recipes that reflect the real Italy.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I made: the roasted pepper salad, pizza w/ tom, anchovies & lard, Sophia Loren's meatballs, eggplant parmigiana. This gorgeous Eur-Asian former model turned cookbook author has created a gorgeous ode to Italian food. She's defintely truly enamoured by the culture of La Dolce Vita and its sublime food. I enjoyed this as an Italophile myself. Only certain regions of Italy are featured, being the ones where the author has spent time. What a charmed life to be able to live in such a beatuiful country! Che Fortunata lei!

[Melinda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted a cookbook with recipes from Italy. I wish there had been a map in the book so you knew which region she was talking about. I wish the lovely stunning pictures had been of steps taken to make the recipe on the previous page. I wish there were more recipes and fewer pictures of people standing in the street eating something.

An odd book. Lovely on your coffee table. Not great for recipes.

[Krissty Logan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a beautifully photographed book, but I found it disappointing. A little over stylized and too perfect. I like cook books that are real. Real food, real people. This felt like it was trying a little too hard.

[Shipshapeeatworthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have an incredibly soft spot for Mimi Thorisson because when I began to write in earnest about food over 7 years ago, I started out on Tumblr by trying recipes and writing short notes on the results. In one note, I wrote about baking canelés using Thorisson's recipe and a carefully sourced canelé pan. I was so proud of myself! I baked outside my comfort zone and made something delicious. Thorisson's blog, Manger, was a favourite because I vicariously experienced the Médoc region of France through her recipes, writing, and through her husband, Oddur Thorisson's, beautiful photography. I enjoyed vicarious travel way before the Pandemic made it an actual thing! And it was last year when we were all sequestered at home that I found a copy of Thorisson's latest book, Old World Italian, in my mailbox. Thorisson was off on a new adventure -- leaving Médoc behind, as Torino, Italy beckoned. After writing two cookbooks (A Kitchen in France and French Country Cooking) at her beloved French farmhouse, her third book would focus on regional Italian cooking. The Thorisson family moved to Italy because, as she says in the introduction, "Italy was calling us"(8) and the resulting cookbook is full of recipes, photographs, and best of all stories. So, while I stayed quiet and cozy in my Maritime home, I did what we all did, travelled vicariously, enjoying the best of Italy through Thorisson's recipes.

The beginning of the book prepares the reader for the recipes -- how the family got from Bordeaux to Torino, a little primer on regional Italian cooking, and the joys of eating Italian. From there, the recipes are organized into 5 different chapters: Aperitivi & Antipasti (Drinks & Starters), Primi (Pasta), Secondi (Meat & Seafood), Contorni (Vegetables), and Dolci (Desserts). With the 100 or so recipes in the book, Thorisson aims to show that, in her mind, Italian cooking is all about the recipes and meals you lovingly make for your family. What I appreciate about the recipes is how to take fresh, beautiful ingredients and make something delicious. No complicated techniques or advance cooking skills needed. The crucial ingredient in all the recipes is love.

Over the last year there were times I got sick of seeing my own kitchen but, I knew I still needed to cook meals for my family. And it was at times like this I looked for easy recipes that used minimal ingredients. The recipe for Broccoli Pasta is one such recipe -- broccoli blended into a creamy pasta sauce. What really brings out the flavour of the broccoli are the fried onions, heavy cream, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. It all works well together, and the resulting pasta dish is rich and comforting. I also like the idea of taking this hearty, tough cruciferous vegetable and do something with it other than roast it. Here, broccoli takes centre stage instead of being relegated to a side dish. My husband and daughter really enjoy this recipe when I make it.

One of my favourite recipes from the book is the Torta di Ricotta (Ricotta Cheesecake). Why I even tried this recipe in the first place is a mystery to me because the only other time I tried baking a ricotta cheesecake, I ended up not really liking it. In my mind, I thought it was going to be smoother, but the cake had the texture of ricotta -- a bit grainy. But the difference between that ricotta cake and Thorisson's version is that her version uses all-purpose flour. The resulting cake is more cakey than creamy but because you whip the egg whites to fold into the batter, the cake ends up being light and airy. Not overly sweet, I not only serve it with a dusting of powdered sugar as Thorisson suggests, but with a bit of lemon zest and some seasonal fruit. My family favours summer berries but sliced, macerated stone fruit is quite lovely as well. I've found the leftover cake stores well and makes a great weekend breakfast treat with coffee.

And while we're moving out of the vicarious travel phase back into actually being able to travel, I continue to enjoy experiencing the world through other people's kitchens. Throughout the pages of Old World Italian, Mimi Thorisson offers wonderful recipes along with stories and photos centered around her family's big move from France to Italy. Elegant and interesting, Thorisson offers a very personal look at what regional Italian cooking means to her by sharing recipes based on her time spent traveling throughout Italy.

Please note that this is an excerpt of a review posted to www.shipshapeeatworthy.wordpress.com

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Appetite by Random House for providing me with a free, review copy of this book. I did not receive monetary compensation for my post, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[AccentoReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nine months ago we were among the first in line to preorder Mimi Thorisson’s highly anticipated cookbook ‘Old World Italian’ and now that it’s finally available in bookstores, we didn’t waste any time immersing ourselves into its dreamy pages as soon as we got a hold of it.

If you aren’t already familiar with Mimi Thorisson’s work, head on over to Manger, a blog filled with recipes reminiscent of her French and Chinese upbringing, as well as day-to-day recipes for her family in the French countryside.

When you buy Thorisson’s cookbooks, you buy a glimpse into her life through a culinary lens, all documented beautifully through the gaze of her husband Oddur Thorisson, an Icelandic photographer. Family, friends, beautiful landscapes, refined home decor and occasionally one or two dogs – last time we checked she owned fourteen of them – are the backdrops to her scrumptious food.

Her first two cookbooks, ‘A Kitchen in France’ and ‘French Country Cooking’, were meant to chronicle the family’s seasonal meals and life in Médoc, but with this latest cookbook, Thorisson’s recipes have now become small landmarks in her family’s life.

With her recent move to Torino, these Italian recipes represent a new phase, with the beginning of new memories and the appreciation for new traditions, as well as an acknowledgement of the love she has for Italy that started almost a decade ago.

‘Old World Italian’ is a visual experience. Thorisson brought her classic and timeless allure to Italy and it absolutely translates on every page. She remained true to original Italian recipes and yet still made them her own…dare I say even made them look a little French, maybe? Nothing wrong with that, given that we’re experiencing Italian food through her, therefor everything still feels authentic.

Per Italian cuisine, the recipes in this book are fairly easy to make and the ingredients are accessible, but these simple dishes are elevated through the elegance and class that distinguish the author. This may be personal and real for Mimi Thorisson, but her everyday culinary experience seems like a fairy tale to many; she gives an insider’s view of the privileged circles she attends and shares first class recipes we wouldn’t have the pleasure of trying first hand otherwise; how else could we try the Risotto alla Milanese or the Zabaione dessert of Antica Trattoria della Pesa in Milano, if it weren’t through this book? Then there’s the recipe of a Florentine princess and a Hungarian count, and the recipe of the Vergnanos, the oldest coffee-roasting family in Italy. All so chic.

But then again it’s not just about the ambience, with antique paintings, noble properties or experienced waiters with white jackets and black bow ties, it’s also about learning more about the less known Italian recipes that are deeply rooted in regional traditions and culture. The usual suspects in Italian cuisine like eggplant parmigiana, spaghetti alla carbonara and tortellini in brodo are all here, but it’s the bagna cauda recipe (anchovy and garlic dip), the Sardinian ragù or Genovese ragù (instead of the popular Bolognese ragù), the vitello tonnato (veal with tuna sauce) and the bone marrow risotto recipe that help you understand how varied Italian culture is. Once again, Mimi Thorisson did not disappoint the expectations.

[Ekaterina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, I get it. It's a cookbook. What is there to review? Are cookbooks even worth reading, beyond the recipe ingredients?

For me, it entirely depends on who wrote them.

Mimi + Oddur Thorisson are the culinary world power couple. After reading any of their cookbooks (I say "their" because all the photos are made by Oddur, as well his writing contributions), I just want to move to Europe, buy an old manor, raise veggies and open a restaurant where I'd serve pasta and steaks. I want - no, I NEED to know how they juggle raising multiple (I lost count) kids, hosting cooking workshops, publishing books, maintaining a restaurant, and moving countries every so often.

Oh, yeah, the cookbook. I loved it as much (if not more) than her previous "French Country Cooking". It's definitely like one of those collection editions anybody would be proud to have in their kitchen. Even if you never bother to cook anything beyond sunny side up eggs and coffee, "Old World Italian" is just a joy to look at and to hold. The photos are exquisite. The writing is charming. The stories are fascinating. Oh, and the recipes? Absolutely delicious.

100/100 recommend.

[Sirena Bebee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't imagine myself making many of the recipes in this book. But the vivid details and photos about Italy rate this cookbook higher than expected. I find the imagery beautiful; it transports me to Italy.
This would make an amazing gift for anyone who wants to visit Italy, who wants to get to their Italian roots through imagery and cooking, or who wants to simply explore a different culture.
I would like to disclose the fact I've received a free copy of this book from Clarkson Potter in exchange for a free and unbiased review. I would not have picked this book up on my own, but it has opened my eyes to a different culture and way of cooking. I appreciate the chance to experience that.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if you never prepare a meal from this book, you need to have it! Perfect for the coffee table or beside the bed. The author is French with a background in French cooking. Her husband is Icelandic and the photographer for this book. They share 8 children, numerous dogs and a love of Italy and Italian cooking from each distinctive area of the country. Surprisingly to me, most of the recipes are simple in number of ingredients, preparation skill and timing. The photography will blow you away. Including family, prepared recipes as served, landscapes and cultural scenes. Mimi details her experience in each of the regions from which she prepares meals.

[Runette Louw · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not what I had hoped for. On the plus side I am enjoying the writing and the photography. The recipes have errors, for example on page 98 'Scarpetta' the first step is to switch the oven on, but there is no mention of where to use the oven, it seems as if there is a whole piece of the text missing. The typography could have been more classic and considered in keeping with the theme. Somehow it does not look elegant using italic caps with that specific font. Did not enjoy the numbered steps and text over the images. This sounds harsh but these are little things that if done well makes a good book great.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Food is truly the fabric of life, the pleasure and passion. A humble necessity and the highest honor."

A beautiful quote from the first chapter in the book and a great start to an amazing cookbook!
This book is full of wonderful recipes from Italy and they make you hungry just reading them. I have tagged so many to try over the coming year and I can't wait to taste them!
Each chapter is accompanied by beautiful and descriptive text written by the author or her husband, which sets the stage for each of the recipes that follow.
The photographs are truly beautiful and I want to go back to Italy!!!!!!
Amazing book by Mimi Thorisson, I will be looking for her other cookbooks!

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is definitely a cook book, but it is also part travelogue and splendid photography, as you would expect from an Instagram/Blogger who is married to a photographer. I expected the photos to be incredible, and they are. I have made several recipes and they are well written and delicious. I was also intrigued to try many things I had never heard of before, and maybe some day I will if I can find the ingredients. I did think the writing was a little “chummy” for me. Maybe that is also an Instagram kind of thing, but it doesn’t seem fitting to me since I am not her chum.

[Nicole Modugno · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the wake of gut issues and having to cut gluten, starches & sugars out of my diet—ultimately separating me from being able to share old traditional pizza and pasta meals with my native Italian husband—this book has helped remind me that there is so much more to Italian cuisine than just pasta and pizza. It has reignited my desire to embellish in Italian recipes again and provide a source of comfort food for my husband away from his homeland. ❤️ Thank you Mimi!! I look forward to your next book in November.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much more than just a cookbook, although it is that, and an excellent one filled with authentic Italian recipes from various regions of Italy. It is also an inspiring journal filled with interesting stories about a family that follows their hearts, and stomachs, to where they feel they can live most authentically. Inspiring.

[Lisa]

Library book, which I didn't get to quickly enough so, I did not make any recipes out of it. However the photography is stunning and the writing is excellent as well. I enjoyed hearing Mimi's descriptions of each region in Italy and the specialties that she decided to include in this book.
I hope to check it out in the future and make some of the recipes which look divine.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm definitely looking forward to making some of these recipes this fall and through what sounds like a long winter. Stocked up on some good Italian pastas from Eataly and my neighborhood deli so I am good to go. Will try some next year with tomatoes from my garden, but for now I can grow some spices and probably some winter onions.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a person who loves travel in Italy, Italian food and cooking, this book was a treat from beginning to end. Lovely essays on Italy and the people who love the country and its food are interspersed with gorgeous photos of the countryside and food along with mouth-watering recipes that are not too challenging. During the COVID pandemic, this is as close as I am going to get to Italy.

[Kate Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Polpette di Sophia Loren was surprisingly bad. Very nice photos, but it’s a bit hard to follow the recipes, and they’re all weirdly organized. Hard to find what you’re actually seeking. Better as a travel diary book with some recipes you’d pin on Pinterest and never make. Aspirational-self sort of book, not practical or realistic use.

[Reader]

I love the narration, images, and sigh-worthy life — a great escape! I hope she writes an all-vegetarian book someday. Should also mention there is a lot of butter, egg, sugar, and flour in these recipes.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may never get to Italy but I feel like I have been there after reading her cookbooks. Beautiful photos, recipes that just reading - make your mouth water and the feeling that you are conversing with a friend about their stay in Italy. Now I want all her books!

[Rachel Schultz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate the photography technically and graphic design but I can’t recall a book where I so strongly disliked the author. So so Italian recipes that felt like an influencer grift with some aesthetic maturity. Also there is immodest dress. November cookbook club selection

[Amanda Karsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the people photos, they have a lot of character and a lot look very serious and stern, A few new recipes that turned out nicely.

[Cindi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t realize it was basically a cookbook, but I did enjoy reading her comments.