What I liked about this cookbook is that every recipe is illustrated with excellent, mouthwatering color photos. Also, Battilana includes a short introduction to each recipe where she shares why she makes it, how she developed it, who inspired it, or some other personal tidbit that makes the book warm and personable.

I wanted to read this book after reading several positive reviews. I liked the idea of a collection of "go-to" recipes and looked forward to seeing what this author/chef/food writer included in her repertoire. Turns out most of the recipes are not ones I would make, but there are about five that look outstanding and I would definitely try those. ( )