"What makes Lynne's books so great isn't just the excellent recipes and the wealth of knowledge displayed in them, but the way she immerses the reader in the culture of the land of our forebears. Lynne appears effortless in the way she draws us into her world and the people and places of the Italian peninsula. One can almost taste the terroir in her writing. Both Lynne and I are a couple of Italian kids from Jersey, and it is always great to see one of your own make good."
Lenny Russo, chef/co-owner of the former Heartland Restaurant & Wine Bar in St. Paul
"Julia Child, Craig Claiborne, Diana Kennedy, Lynne Rossetto Kasper. When your name is included in such a rarefied roster of writers, the quality of your work is beyond reproach. For me, the inherent beauty of Lynne's first book, "The Splendid Table," is the tension of being both outsider and insider. Enough of an insider to know where to dig. Enough of an outsider to be curious about the discovery. Wonderful writing, engaging storytelling and exquisite recipes elevate the entire experience. The book continues to inspire, 25 years after being published."
Karl Benson, co-owner of Cooks of Crocus Hill
"Anyone can aspire to convey the richness of culture through its regional fare, but there is only one Lynne Rossetto Kasper who can pull it off with panache. Her "The Splendid Table," the first book to have won book-of-the-year from both the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the James Beard Foundation, influenced my style, as I fashioned and honed my skills in writing about food and culture. Her books are teaching works of art, bringing the story behind the recipe alongside flavors that sing. She is the consummate storyteller."
Raghavan Iyer, author of "The Turmeric Trail," "660 Curries" and "Smashed Mashed Boiled and Baked"
"I have a well-worn copy of "The Splendid Table," and every time I dip into it I feel like I've just opened one of those musical greeting cards — her passion for cooking just pours out. It's completely irrepressible. That book is the rare bird that knits together culinary history and sensory details, on one page detailing the sweet sauces of the Renaissance, the next showing you how to pinch tortellini shut. As a food scholar, she never sounds didactic, and as a home cook, she makes even the most ancient recipe sound perfectly current and completely timeless. I think that her greatest gift is her unstoppable generosity. She can't help but share what she knows; and passes it out the right way: family-style, counter-clockwise."
Amy Thielen, author of "The New Midwestern Table" and host of the Food Network's "Heartland Table"
