Nonna Genia

This cookbook is considered by many to be the most authoritative and thorough cookbook of Piedmontese cuisine and will be featured in the upcoming Piedmontese event "Stelle del Piemonte" at the United Nations (May 14-25).
Nonna Genia was first published in 1982 in Alba, the Piedmontese city in the heart of the Langhe, and it was such a success that the original edition of 20,000 copies quickly sold out. It was not published again until we acquired the copyright and republished it in 1999, making Nonna Genia one of the most consistent bestsellers in Italy.
But who was the inspiration behind the recipes of Nonna Genia? Eugenia De Marchi (1864-1950), the owner and gifted cook at the Cannon d’Oro restaurant in Alba who prepared exquisite regional recipes. Her grandson, Luciano De Giacomi, who was founder of the Ordine dei Cavalieri del Tartufo e dei Vini d’Alba [The Order of the Cavaliers of the Truffle and Wines of Alba], put together this collection of recipes, enriching them with his memories of rural life in the Langhe thereby making Nonna Genia far more than a simple cookbook but a document of historical value.
“As an Italian and Piedmontese foodwriter,” says Roberta Corradin, editor of the American edition, “I highly recommend reading this book as it’s not just a book of recipes, there is much more! Try to read them all as historical documents before choosing which one to make. Along with all the recipes that you can still cook today, such as the true vitello tonnato (where no mayonnaise is involved) and the memorable agnolotti al sugo di arrosto and panna cotta, you will find recipes which remain a testament to country life in Piedmont in the first part of the 20th century.”