The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani

THE VIEW FROM LAKE COMO by Adriana Trigiani is a coming-of-age story from a favorite author about Italian American families, culture, and expectations. Trigiani introduces readers to Giuseppina Capodimonte Baratta (called Jess), a recently divorced thirty-something who has moved back in with her parents in Lake Como, New Jersey and handles household chores (e.g., the big Sunday dinner) somewhat resentfully. Jess was not able to go away to college and has worked for her childless Uncle Louie as a designer at his marble and stone importing company. She is finally allowing herself to dream a bit, especially about the trip to Italy that Louie has promised. A premature death thwarts those plans, but Jess perseveres and challenges herself to find independence and forgiveness. Amongst the advice for her: “When adapting to a new environment, be kind to yourself. Making friends and acclimating is a process. Seek comfort and familiarity but set a goal to talk to someone you don't know every day. You will be empowered to form bonds and make friends.” Romance, family history, and a visit to the original Lake Como await. THE VIEW FROM LAKE COMO received starred reviews from Booklist (“this may be her best yet”) and Library Journal (“a captivating and memorable read”). Be sure to also look for Trigiani’s debut novel Big Stone Gap (published 25 years ago), Big Cherry Holler, Milk Glass Moon or one of over a dozen other titles she has written.

Have Fun Cooking

101 LASAGNAS & OTHER LAYERED CASSEROLES by Julia Rutland is exactly what the title promises with suggestions for layered casseroles divided into meat, poultry, vegetarian, seafood and dessert categories. I am especially intrigued by recipes like Winter Squash (a superfood) Marinara & Ricotta Lasagna or Spinach & Artichoke Lasagna or even Roasted Fall Veggies and Turkey Lasagna.  Seems like the perfect “hunker down and enjoy” meal options! The book itself contains some beautiful pictures, but they are often of ingredients and not of the dishes themselves. Then again, how to differentiate images of lasagnas? That is a potential flaw of this cookbook, too: even though readers are guaranteed to find a recipe using favorite ingredients, is 101 lasagna recipes too much for one cookbook? Nutritional information is not provided.

1000 MEDITERRANEAN MEALS by Valentina Harris is a cook book I would definitely recommend, especially as it contains “Every Recipe You Need for the Healthiest Way to Eat.”  Harris and the editors at Chartwell Books have compiled a sumptuous set of recipes. They are certainly a feast for the eyes as every recipe (ranging from appetizers, through soups, salads, breads, and several kinds of main entrees, to desserts and fruits) is accompanied by a gorgeous photo.  I won’t list all of the recipes I plan to try, but some include Sun-dried Tomato and Olive Sticks, Calzones, Marinara Pizza, and Polenta Pan Pizza with Roasted Vegetables.  One of the nicest features of this book is that most recipes have a boxed section on each page which suggestions easy variations (e.g., using potatoes instead of mushrooms, changing the protein, or adapting the spices) which offer a great bonus in versatility and variety. The recipes themselves have a very clean, uncluttered presentation with generally 3 or 4 main steps and often a dozen ingredients or less. All that’s missing is the nutritional information, but there is much here to enjoy (Crab Cakes, Grilled Swordfish … OK, I said I wouldn’t list all the ones I want to try).