[Sca-cooks] Cookbooks for Beginners

[Barbara Benson]

> I completely forgot about Italy (as usual, sorry). > - Doc
> The Neapolitan Recipe Collection: Cuoco Napoletano

> This book is fantastic.  It includes the original
> text, and English translation, and Scully's notes on
> each recipe.  The organization of the book is a bit
> unweildy, but it's still well worth the price.

If I were going for a manuscript as opposed to an overview this is not
the book I would purchase. For the cost I, personally, do not think it
is worth it. Instead I would get
The Art of Cooking
Maestro Martino
# ISBN-10: 0520232712

Selling on Amazon for $22.76 and available used from $16.50.

While The Neapolitan was a great new source when it came out, now I
would only recommend it for a completest. It is a copy some unknown
number of times derived from Martino, and most of the recipes that are
in the Neapolitan are in Martino. I even believe that in the back
portion of AOC there are excerpts from the manuscripts that the
Neapolitan was based on where the copies deviate substantially from
the original.

It is slightly confusing to me figuring out which is based on which so
I might be wrong about it being the very same manuscript; but there
definitely are two later copies of the manuscript represented in AOC -
so you actually get 3 manuscripts for the price of one.

I am working on a project that highlights the differences and
similarities found when comparing the original Martion, the Riva del
Guarda Manuscript, the Neapolitan Manuscript and then Platina.

But I think that might be getting out of "Beginner" range. ;)

--
Serena da Riva
(who has a mild Italian bias)