In Her Kitchen by Gabriele Calimberti (Cookbook Review)

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

In a gorgeous keepsake volume based on the slideshow that captured the world’s attention, Gabriele Galimberti’s beautiful portraits of grandmothers from all over the world with their signature dishes stunningly illustrates the international language of food and family.

On the eve of a photography trip around the world, Gabriele Galimberti sat down to dinner with his grandmother Marisa. As she had done so many times before, she prepared his favorite ravioli—a gesture of love and an expression of the traditions by which he had come to know her as a child. The care with which she prepared this meal, and the evident pride she took in her dish, led Gabriele to seek out grandmothers and their signature dishes in the sixty countries he visited. The kitchens he photographed illustrate both the diversity of world cuisine and the universal nature of a dish served up with generosity and love. At each woman’s table, Gabriele became a curious and hungry grandson, exploring new ingredients and gathering stories. These vibrant and intimate profiles and photographs pay homage to grandmothers and their cooking everywhere. From a Swedish housewife and her homemade lox and vegetables to a Zambian villager and her Roasted Spiced Chicken, this collection features a global palate: included are hand-stuffed empanadas from Argentina, twice-fried pork and vegetables from China, slow-roasted ratatouille from France, and a decadent toffee trifle from the United States. Taken together or bite by bite, In Her Kitchen taps into our collective affection for these cherished family members and the ways they return that affection.

In Her Kitchen is an evocative, loving portrait of the power of food and family, no matter where in the world you sit down for dinner.

My thoughts- 

This is an absolutely stunning book. In Her Kitchen is not the type of book you store away on your bookshelf, but a lovely book begging to be seen whether it be on display on your kitchen counter or a beautiful addition to your coffee table. My 7 year old daughter and I love to cook together and we love to dream of where we can travel together someday, dream of all the wonderful places we can explore. We had a great time going through this book and seeing all of the beautiful pictures of tantalizing dishes from all over the world. This book is more than just a cookbook though. We also loved reading the personal stories of these grandmothers telling a little bit about their family and their signature dish. For my family, this is a wonderful way to bring the other cultures of the world to our home to satisfy our wanderlust (to an extent) and foodie nature. There are several recipes my little blossoming chef (the previously mentioned 7 year old) and I already have  marked to try and you know there are some good ones in there because no one meals taste better than grandmothers! I recommend this book to anyone who likes to explore culinary fare from other parts of the world or to people who just enjoy looking at beautiful books!