Cover Image: Big Love Cooking

Big Love Cooking

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Beautiful photos and the recipes can actually look like the photos. Interesting recipes that are easy to follow. The recipes I try red turned out great.

Was this review helpful?

There aren't many cookbooks written that are truly "readable" but I felt like I was having a conversation with the author as I perused his recipes. His conversational tone draws you into his past and, in particular, his wonderful relationship with his "mom-mom," "grand-mom," other family members and important chefs. The anecdotal comments set the tone and offer advice before shopping and prepping each recipe which gives me, a take-out expert, the courage to attempt to cook. The photographs are simple and clear as are the directions and his choices. I would consider the collection to be comfort food with a twist which should appeal to both the newbie and experienced chef.

Was this review helpful?

A lovely looking book - every recipe is well set out and easy to follow.The photographs of the food are enticing, and whilst I am not familiar with the restaurant, it did not stop me enjoying the book.

Was this review helpful?

Well this is a fun book! Since the pandemic, I've only had 4 meals that I didn't cook myself. I've been looking to expand my repertoire and Big Love Cooking came at the right moment. I'm looking forward to making some of these dishes at home. YUM.

Was this review helpful?

I found the recipes to be very clear and concise. I enjoyed the pictures. The stories made you feel like you were sitting around the family table. I only wish it had more recipes! I received an ARC from NetGalley and Chronicle Books for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I love the personal detail that this cookbook has- it makes me feel like I got to know the chef's family! He shares tips and background that makes thumbing through the recipe book so special to look at. I found several recipes that I look forward to trying. The photographs are stunning and the food pictures look delicious. Big Love Cooking- I love this recipe book!

Was this review helpful?

A beautiful cookbook that celebrates preparing and sharing food with family and friends. It's a dream right now, during COVID-19, to be able to do that, but it's nice to think about the future.

Was this review helpful?

Between the mouth-watering pictures, delightful recipes, and colorful anecdotes, Big Love Cooking is the perfect cozy cookbook. I can’t wait to try out some of the recipes, including the Baked Ricotta Crespelle, Campanaro Family Lasagna, and the Little Owl Gravy Meatball Sliders.

Was this review helpful?

This is a wonderful, Italian Cookbook from Joey Campanaro of the Little Owl Restaurant in NYC. It's filled with Love, Stories, and wonderful, must try Italian Recipes! I loved the stories, recipes, and the way this was written. This is one of those treasures that come along once in a while. Scoop it up! You won't regret it!

Was this review helpful?

Beautiful illustrations, the recipes are nicely organized and easy to follow. Did I mention the pictures are mouth watering and will make you hungry?

During this pandemic, I have been cooking more at home. My family and I love fine sinning so this has been an adjustment for us. We went from dinning out an average of twice a week to none at all, for safety measures.

I love how warm and inviting this cookbook is.i will be purchasing a physical copy as I have followed a few of the recipes and my family has really enjoyed them.

I highly recommend this book!

Was this review helpful?

Beautiful book, the instructions are very detailed and the pictures are mouth-watering, although it should have included a few more in my opinion. Bonus points for including the measures in standard units too. My only "but" is that most of these recipes require way too much effort for everyday cooking, but if you're looking to impress your family and friends with a delicious meal, then this is the book to go to.

Was this review helpful?

With Big Love Cooking from the Little Owl Restaurant, you have all the tips you need to prepare old school Italian feasts. It’s all here, succulent meatball sliders with homemade rolls, meaty Sunday gravies, fresh pasta, gorgeous lasagna, bright soups and salads, with a smattering of desserts for those unwilling to leave the table. Sparkling with handsome photos, hints galore, and delightful family stories. The author adds suggestions for personalizing your own meals from his recipes. A wonderful look into the home of a Philadelphia Italian family cooking foods from the old country as adapted to the new one.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review, "Big Love Cooking" by Joey Campanaro. As the title suggests, it is easy to see that there is A LOT of love that went into making this cookbook. There are pictures for just about every recipe. The recipes are detailed but easy to understand.. The food looks absolutely exquisite. There is truly something here for everyone to enjoy. You feel like family when reading this cookbook. It feels like being initiated into a secret club of delicious recipes. I highly recommend this to everyone!

Was this review helpful?

Excellent cookbook from one of America's top chefs. Campanaro shares his own recipe secrets and family memories associated with them. The experience of this cookbook is like you are being invited to his family's table. The illustrations are gorgeous and absolutely appetite-inducing. Campanaro also shares pantry how-tos including brands, types of ingredients (which salts to keep on hand for example), and the where and how of fresh herbs. He even details how to use the herbs properly I will be using this book to create my next grocery list and for planning my next herb garden! Delicious recipes, readers will want to try every single one.

Yes, you can find all kinds of recipes on Pinterest. But the cookbook is not dead and this is a perfect example of why. You can't learn cooking from Pinterest the way you can from this book. Highly recommend.

I was given an advance reader copy of this title on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Big Love Cooking by Joey Campanaro is an amazing cookbook by the owner of Little Owl Restaurant in New York City. I am hoping that this restaurant has survived these trying times because the next time I am in NYC visiting our grandson I am definitely making a reservation.

The book provides 75 Italian recipes that were passed down through his family and tweaked with his own flair. Definitely tons of comfort food which is awesome for this Italian. Most generational Italian cooks have tons of memories and stories that go with certain dishes. Well Joey does not disappoint. I love the way he phonetically says certain ingredients and dishes. (Schka-role) The stories resonate family and food.

Each recipe is created with a great deal of thought and experience. The photos are absolutely gorgeous. I wish there was one for every recipe.

I look forward to making these recipes and using this book. While there is time involved with each recipe (some might balk at that) I feel that “love” food is worth the time and effort. I can’t say enough about this cookbook. It is definitely something you should add to your cookbook collection. Absolutely five star recommendation. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next. Well done!

I would like to thank Joey Campanaro, Chronicle Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This cookbook is an interesting mix of recipes. Some complicated, more for special occasions, and some for much simpler. Most of them look delicious.

My one thought when reviewing any book, movie, what have you, is who is the audience for this book. In this case it seems to be patrons of the restaurant. I'm not sure there are enough to make this cookbook sell. It does look like it would be a delicious addition for people who love Italian food and want to branch out.

Was this review helpful?

A beautifully illustrated cookbook. The stories that accompany the recipes sounded just like my grandma. I loved the intro and the entire book. I recommend for a fun read and wonderful family style recipes.

Was this review helpful?

Make way kitchen cookbook shelf.............this one is going to have its own place of honor on it!! I loved this cookbook......the stories behind the food...the choices made to cook the best of everything...made me want to take a trip to Greenwich Village just to eat at Little Owl!! Being of Italian-American heritage myself, I totally understood the love and joy of cooking found in this book. The recipes SOUND mouth-watering...I can't imagine how good they must taste! The pictures throughout the cookbook are feasts for the eyes! I especially loved the section "Sunday Supper" and then "Homemades". My advice is to read not just the recipes...but the stories, the forward and the afterword to truly understand Joey Campanaro and how much love he puts into his restaurant, cooking and family. I received an ARC of this cookbook from NetGalley and Chronicle Books in return for an honest review, which this has been. #NetGalley #BookLoveCookbook

Was this review helpful?

I'd never heard of Little Owl restaurant, but having read this recipe book, if I was ever in the area it'd be at the top of my list.

Described as comfort food recipes, there are a mix of recipes in terms of effort and time management. It has some tips for things that I already cook - for example their recipe for cheeseburgers is identical to what I make except for the addition of The Harrison Spice Mix (read the book to find out what that is, I'm not spoiling it for them but I will say I would NEVER have thought of adding this mix to burgers!), which I'll definitely be trying. I made the Old-school sweet potatoes (I never would have thought of cooking sweet potatoes in ginger ale!) and they were absolutely divine. Some of the more simple recipes, such as the Little Owl Crispy Chicken, aren't so much a recipe as a guide to how to cook it best, which I really liked - I gained some useful tips and things that I can apply to food in my kitchen.

But I'd say most of the recipes seem like a large amount of effort and may be comforting to eat, but a lot of work to make, something I'd definitely save for a special occasion or entertaining rather than family meals. I really want to try the Pork Chops with Parmesan Butter Beans, but I've never seen a Pork Chop recipe with 23 ingredients before! In a restaurant you will naturally be cooking large quantities of dishes and have all your ingredients. For people at home, it can be a bit fiddly to prepare just one meal that requires just a little bit of lots of things.

I was pleased to see that recipes were measured in grams and ml as well as my most hated measurement, the cup. There are a reasonable amount of photos; but not every recipe has a photo and I would have loved to see every meal pictured. Unfortunately there are no calculations for nutrition or calories, meaning anyone who is tracking dietary requirements will need to calculate this themselves.

The 75 recipes all seem pretty unique and special to me, so this is a great book to have on your shelf when you want to pull off some amazing Italian and Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Each recipe is clearly crafted with a great deal of thought and experience. Despite the complexity being generally higher than I expected, I look forward to making these recipes and using this book. In fact, I have plans to use it for our upcoming wedding anniversary!

Was this review helpful?

I love a good cook book. This book is written by Joey Campanaro, the owner of Little Owl Restaurant in New York City. This cookbook is great because of the history and stories behind the restaurant the author worked at and the recipes themselves. The recipes sound delicious and many seem doable for an amateur chef, although many seem time consuming and not friendly to picky kids. I'd classify the cuisine as Mediterranean and Italian-American. The writing is well done, easy to follow, and the pictures are amazing! Would definitely be up for a visit to Little Owl if I'm ever in New York to try some of the recipes from a real chef!

Recipes that sound good to me:
Spinach, Avocado, and Strawberry Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing
Spicy Mexican Style Roasted Corn
Baked Eggplant Parmesan
Gnocchi with Goat Cheese and Ratatouille
Birthday Rum Cake

Was this review helpful?