In her quintessential Italian cookbook, Henderson (Small Parties) does a great job guiding readers through the process of making an Italian meal from beginning to end. This is Henderson's fourth cookbook, and it is one of her most personal volumes yet. Family photos and stories are sprinkled across the pages; stories of traveling to Jones Beach and making sauces in her grandmother's Brooklyn basement fill the cookbook, making it all the more endearing. Henderson explains to readers why the Italian meal is structured the way it is. From a caramel-apple Dutch baby for breakfast to Grandma Rose's rice pudding for dessert, Henderson adeptly covering all the courses anyone could ever want in a meal. The recipes tend to be a bit meat-heavy, but they could be made vegetarian in many cases. Standout recipes include Sicilian swordfish with an agrodolce sweet-and-sour sauce, pappardelle with eggplant-lamb ragu, and Sicilian-style stuffed artichokes. VERDICT Home cooks looking for a great meal will not be let down by Henderson's book. It's a well-rounded collection of recipes that will make readers wish they had their own Italian family to cook with.

– Nicole Marconi, Library Journal