Jamie Oliver, "naked" no more and now a big-time celebrity chef, loves Italy, Italians and Italian food. And Jamie's Italy, his sixth cookbook, is his ode to Italia, with more than 120 recipes, presented with his signature enthusiasm, chatty style and idiosyncratic instructions (a "glug" of olive oil, a "swig" of vinegar, "get the heat going full whack") and spiced with his verbal snapshots of the places he went and the people he met. The recipes are truly intriguing—Jamie's come up with terrific takes on classics like panzanella, minestrone and chicken cacciatora, but it's the spaghetti with shrimp and arugula, fresh tuna meatballs, Tuscan beef stew with lots of garlic and black pepper, and simple Baked Mushrooms in a Bag that make this a true Jamie triumph. Copyright 2006 BookPage Reviews.

Oliver, a.k.a. The Naked Chef, got his start at London's River Caf, known for its contemporary Italian cuisine, but he's only recently been able to travel extensively in Italy. His new book is his enthusiastic, personal introduction to the “real” Italy, and he presents more than 100 recipes, many of them inspired by people he met on his journeyâ€"from gamekeepers and winemakers to caf owners and home cooks. Most of the recipes are for casual, rustic dishes: The Best Shrimp and Parsley Frittata, Nonna Giusy's Fish with Couscous, Fried Crispy Polenta with Rosemary and Salt. Some of Oliver's “discoveries” about Italian cooking will not be new to anyone familiar with other good books available on Italian regional cuisine, from Carol Field's In Nonna's Kitchen to Mario Batali's Molto Italiano , but Oliver's exuberant style and mouthwatering recipes have won him many fans. For most collections.

Oliver, television's Naked Chef , may have been born in Southend-on-Sea, but he turns out to have an Italian soul in this collection of recipes from all over the Boot. As an outsider, Oliver has great reverence for the traditions of Italy, and he offers some surprisingly deep insight about how a lack of choice and a massive working-class population have kept those traditions alive. This is no sugar-coated fairy tale, however: Oliver doesn't hesitate to get down-and-dirty, as in a description of Palermo street food served by hand from a "chain-smoking, dirty-looking bloke," and he cogently explains why he insisted on including a "graphic and gruesome" photo of a slaughtered sheep. Indeed, Oliver enthusiastically encourages British and American readers to familiarize themselves with foods less common in their home countries such as rabbit. Nonna Giusy's Fish with Couscous reflects the African influences of Sicily, and Altamura Pea Soup with fresh peas and broken spaghetti perfectly represents the Italian genius for making something out of almost-nothing. Desserts include a simple Pear Sorbet with grappa. Candid photos such as one of Oliver's mentor's father, a 96-year-old who cooks for himself every day reinforce the personal feel of this collection, and the impression that Oliver has a deep affinity for Italian food, no matter his British roots. (Nov.)