After the bestseller of Never Trust an Italian Chef in 2014 and Bread is Gold in 2017, world-famous chef Massimo Bottura writes again. He does it in collaboration with his wife and partner Lara Gilmore: Slow Food, Fast Cars: Casa Maria Luigia – Stories and Recipes. Published by Phaidon publishing house.
Maria Luigia House It is an idyllic 2019th century guest house. It is located in the picturesque countryside of the Emilia-Romagna region, birthplace of Parmigiano Reggiano, Ferrari and Maserati. And just a short drive from Bottura's famous restaurant, Osteria Francescana, in Modena. Opened by Bottura and Gilmore in XNUMX, the historic property was transformed into an immersive, contemporary experience offering not only exquisite food, but also cutting-edge art and design objects, magnificent interiors, and an impressive collection of automobiles and motorcycles. In Slow Food, Fast Cars, Bottura and Gilmore invite readers to experience the authentic food, unique design and exceptional hospitality of “Casa ML.”
With contributions from chef Jessica Rosval, Massimo Bottura's book presents a collection of 85 recipes from this special guesthouse. For the first time, readers will discover the accessible homemade recipes of the Emilia-Romagna region. All from the hand of its most famous resident chefs. Frittatas and focaccia, tarts and pastries, jams and preserves, drinks and liqueurs, as well as a selection of fish, meat and vegetable dishes presented together with information about their origins and regional ingredients.
“Casa Maria Luigia is a home and a hotel,” explains Gilmore. “A place to live, stay for a while and not just passing through. It is a place for reflection, for books, for music and art, for gardens and good food. A place to rest without feeling strange, a place to come and go as you please. It is our own version of the Hotel California. It is imaginary and real, a place to fill with our stories and recipes, and those that are yet to be written.”
Recipes and moments by Massimo Bottura
The book celebrates and shares key recipes from the gastronomic moments that take place at Casa ML. One example is the Sunday lunch menu Tòla Dòlza (“Take it easy”), which is cooked in outdoor wood-fired ovens and includes dishes of smoked beef short rib and roasted ricotta. The legendary Casa ML breakfast is modeled after Bottura's Christmas Day morning. It does so with a menu that includes hearty Emilian flavors and plenty of freshly baked pastries and breads like focaccia, gnocco fritto, and erbazzone. There are also roasted fruits and vegetables, as well as savory and sweet combinations, such as the “From Modena to Mirandola” dish, which combines cotechino with sbrisolona and a delicious spoonful of zabaglione.
Bottura, Gilmore and Rosval share stories of life at Casa ML. From the lush Mediterranean gardens to the music room with its 7.000 vinyl records or the barn that houses Bottura's car collection. The texts address a multitude of topics, from why Enzo Ferrari preferred his cars for personal use to be gray instead of red to the importance of appreciating the slow passage of time in aged ingredients like balsamic vinegar.
