Reviews
“Brava Elisabeth! I haven’t seen a book this well researched in a long time! Not only is this cookbook about the delicious food of Friuli but it also encompasses the nature of the people, the geography, and the rich history of a great land. My only quandary...Should I book a flight to Friuli right away or run into the kitchen to cook!”
—Joanne Weir, host of public television’s Joanne Weir’s Cooking Class and author of Wine Country Cooking and From Tapas to Meze: Small Plates from the Mediterranean
“This is way more than a cookbook—it is a travel book, a history book, and an homage to one of Italy’s least well-known regions. Elisabeth has collected very workable recipes from home cooks in small villages and from beloved local restaurants. You too can capture the flavors of Friuli at home and add some new, delicious dishes to your Italian culinary repertoire.”
—Joyce Goldstein, author of Italian Slow and Savory and Enoteca: Simple, Delicious Recipes in the Italian Wine Bar Tradition
“It's no culinary secret that Italy is home to some of the world's finest cuisine. It is also widely recognized by professional chefs and Italian housewives that there are fundamental distinctions in the cuisines of the various regions that comprise this nation of dedicated food enthusiasts. That's why Flavors of Friuli: A Culinary Journey through Northeastern Italy by Elisabeth Antoine Crawford (who spent five years researching, traveling, recipe-testing, and photographing this very special and specialized cuisine) is such a joy to browse through and inspiring to prepare memorably authentic dishes with. From Orzotto ai Funghi (Barley with Mushrooms); to Toc de Purcit (Carnian Pork Stew); to Crostata alla Marmellata (Mixed Berry Jam Tart); to Minestra di Bobici (Corn and Bean Soup); to Stinco di Vitello (Braised Veal Shank), Flavors of Friuli truly lives up to its title. Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, Flavors of Friuli showcases the history and communities whose culinary heritages are represented, making it an informative pleasure to simply browse through. Simply stated, if a personal or community library's cookbook acquisition budget is limited, be sure to include adding a copy of Flavors of Friuli to the ethnic and regional cookbook collection - family and patrons alike will truly appreciate it!”
—Midwest Book Review: Small Press Bookwatch, May 2010
“Flavors of Friuli is a gem! It is filled with gorgeous photos of the places and the dishes, eighty traditional recipes, that explore the region’s history and intermingling of cultures that contributed to a fusion of taste delights. You can be a tourist without ever leaving home, visiting food festivals, favorite local restaurants, and local sites. More than 450 photographs grace this tour of its wine country and dramatic Adriatic coastline with cities that include Trieste and Udine. There’s just one word for this cookbook, fabulous!”
—Alan Caruba, Bookviews.com, May 2010
“In Flavors of Friuli, Elisabeth Antoine Crawford not only provides us delicious recipes from various areas of Friuli, but she provides us with a useful lesson of the history of the area and culture as well. The beautiful photography throughout the book complements the text and makes this one of those cookbooks that you will read from cover to cover. I recommend Flavors of Friuli to anyone who is looking for a beautiful cookbook with authentic recipes from Italy.”
—Kam Aures, RebeccasReads.com, May 2010
"Another compelling culinary read, packaged in cookbook clothing, is Flavors of Friuli: A Culinary Journey through Northeastern Italy (Equilibrio, 978-0-9703716-1-4) by Elisabeth Antoine Crawford, a San Francisco writer and former professional dancer. Friuli-Venezia Giulia cuisine boasts a potpourri of influences including Roman, Venetian, Slavic, and Austro-Hungarian, and even hints of the Far East due to its proximity to trade routes. Flavors of Friuli includes 450 photos, eighty recipes, and wonderful side trips to quaint villages, food festivals, restaurants, cheesemakers, and pasticcerias. Wine lovers entranced by Friuli’s food should seek out the region’s clean, fresh, fruity white wines."
—ForeWord Reviews, July/August 2010
"Author Elisabeth Antoine Crawford fell in love with Friuli in northeastern Italy, with its people and their genuine hospitality but especially with its cuisine. She had been drawn to Italy as a child, even before setting foot in the country.
"Then, over the years, she kept returning to Friuli, sampling its food, collecting cookbooks, interviewing chefs and talking to the people. She admits that, given her love of Italy, her friends were surprised that she was so drawn to Friuli, considered to be the most un-Italian part of the country.
"She explains that perhaps it was the fusion of many cultures that appealed to her most, with a mixture of Venetian, Austro-Hungarian and Slavic influences that helped to create a distinctive culture and cuisine.
"Full of mouthwatering recipes (from buckwheat pasta and pasta filled with chocolate and nuts to bean and sauerkraut soup and Hungarian-style beef stew) and color photographs, Crawford's book also offers portraits of the land and its people, its architecture and its festivals. An interesting detail: Italy's world-famous coffee company, Illy, was founded in 1933 by Hungarian native Francesco Illy, who went to Trieste during as an officer in the Austro-Hungarian army, stayed and opened a cafe."
—Chicago Tribune, July 6, 2010
"Little did I know when I picked up Elisabeth Antoine Crawford’s Flavors of Friuli that I’d be taking a mini-vacation in the middle of my summer break. Crawford’s beautifully photographed book is more than just a guide to cooking in the tradition of northeastern Italy. It’s a history and travel guide for the region. Divided into sections in line with the three main areas of this so-called “un-Italian” portion of Italy, the book offers a wide variety of recipes including hearty meats, delicate fishes, simple gnocchi and indulgent desserts. Each is inspired by the Austrian, Slavic, or Italian influences that make the region unique.
"The author’s passion for this special place comes through even in the recipes themselves. Crawford takes instructions from chefs and books she discovered in her travels, sometimes needing to guess measurements and proportions along the way. Her diligence and time in preparing for the book have paid off as her directions are manageable for most home-cooks. The minimal ingredients allow the delicious flavors to stand on their own.
"I tried a few of the recipes myself, beginning with the Insalata di Pere a Montasio (Pear and Montasio Salad). I was surprised to discover that the ingredients did not call for vinegar, but upon my first bite, I sensed that the outstanding flavors of this salad are in the arugula, pear, walnuts and cheese, not in the dressing. I also enjoyed the Liptauer (Austrian Style Cheese Spread), a tangy dip that took very little time to prepare and would make a delicious appetizer for company. A simple mix of gorgonzola and ricotta lightly flavored with mustard, capers, chives and parsley, the spread did not last long on our table.
"Another reason that home-cooks will find Flavors of Friuli so enjoyable is Crawford’s frequent recommendations for additions and substitutions to her recipes. She acknowledges that some ingredients, especially the cheeses unique to the region, may be difficult to find in the United States. Therefore, she offers alternatives that are more readily available. In the Cavucin (Butternut Squash Purée), I was able to use pumpkins from my garden in place of butternut squash and ricotta salata in place of ricotta affumatica. The simple instructions will make most cooks feel comfortable improvising and experimenting.
"At the end of the book, Crawford offers suggestions of restaurants, festivals, producers, museums and other sights for the prospective traveler. However, I look forward to even more evenings this summer at home at my own Friuli table.
—Kerri Schuster, Small Press Reviews, August 15 2010
“In Flavors of Friuli: A Culinary Journey through Northeastern Italy (Equilibrio 2010), Elisabeth Antoine Crawford has compiled 80 of this little region’s traditional recipes including Montasio Cheese Crisps, Cinnamon-Laced Ravioli, and Plum-Filled Gnocchi. Hidden from the tourist mobs in Italy’s northeast corner, Friuli-Venezia Giulia boasts one of the country’s most distinctive regional cuisines. With influences from Austria, Hungary, and Slovenia, the Friulian people cleverly merge humble, local ingredients with exotic spices, resulting in a cuisine that never ceases to delight the palate. With inspiring photography, the book is divided into chapters that take you through the Carnia Mountains in northern Friuli, the hills and plains in central Friuli, and the Adriatic Coast in southern Friuli. Each regional section includes recipes from antipasti to dessert and narrative that guides you through the notable features of the area. If you’re a fan of Friuli, Crawford’s book lets you bring it home and cook it up.”
—Tastes of Italia Magazine, August 2010
“Elisabeth Antoine Crawford, an Athens, Ga., native, recounts her journey through a unique corner of Italy in Flavors of Friuli: A Culinary Journey through Northeastern Italy (Equilibrio, released 2010). Not just another spaghetti book, this colorful travel guide-meets-cookbook delves into Friuli’s traditional dishes like cinnamon-laced ravioli and Montasio cheese crisps. Its 450 photographs explore three of the region’s areas and their respective villages, including their mouthwatering food festivals and local restaurants.”
—Flavors Magazine, Winter 2010
“Flavors of Friuli, Elisabeth Antoine Crawford, Equilibrio - Friuli, the northeast section of Italy, a land diverse in history, food and ethnicity, is influenced by multiple countries and distinct regions. Friuli is home to a southern coastline, rich in seafood, mountains to the north and hills and plains in its central region. Little known to many, this region of Italy has much to boast about including, its prosciutto and frico. By chance, the author stumbled upon this region while on a business trip and fell in love with the people and their cuisine, which is influenced by Austrian, Slavic and Venetian cultures. She has found a way capture the essence of Friuli through photos, recipes and a delightful account of its history. While I anticipated reading an Italian cookbook, I was happily surprised to be given so much more, from the author. Please do not get me wrong, some of the book's recipes, which are separated by region, are outstanding, such as Pasta Filled with Dried Fruit and Ricotta, Duck Breasts with Berry Sauce, and Crepes with Apricot Jam. Whether you are interested in exploring a part of Italy off the beaten path or simply wish to find some out of the ordinary Italian recipes, this book is well worth discovering.”
—Eric Hoffer Award judges, theUSreview.com