Stanley Tucci is famed for his down to earth cooking style, and...(apparently) his very sexy forearms.
Reviewed by Michelle.
I am not blessed with natural cookery skills. I have the genetics, my mother is an outstanding cook and I've heard my Nana was known for the lightest and fluffiest sponge cake north of the Bombay Hills. Meanwhile I get easily distracted by recipes - skipping forward too quickly and applying more heat too readily. Let's just say, patience is not my strongest virtue.
So Taste was not an obvious reading choice for me. But you know what? I've made TWO of Stanley's recipes already! (Spagetti con aglio e olio is a firm new fave.) And...I absolutely adored his memoir.
Stanley Tucci is best known for his incredible acting and directing career, but he's also an accomplished cook and a thoughtful son, parent and husband. Taste explores his childhood and the ups and downs of life - he's no stranger to hardship, illness and grief and has a self deprecating writing style that Kiwi readers will appreciate.
Scattered with recipes throughout, this book is also highly topical as it explores cooking and eating during lockdown. It's so comforting to know the rich and famous also struggle with deciding what to cook for the family night after night...
Whether you're an accomplished or hesitant cook, I think this book will win you over either way. It'd make a great gift for the person who cooks the most in your family, or for the one who you wish would step into the kitchen a little more often. Presented beautifully and peppered with showbiz anecdotes that'll delight and keep you hanging, Taste is a super enjoyable read that'll get your tummy rumbling in anticipation.
Taste
Stanley Tucci
Published 2021, Penguin Random House
$45