If you every met Anne Bianchi, you remember here. Suzen and I dined and cooked with her many times and treasured very moment, both here in New York and at her cooking school Toscana Saporita in the province of Lucca. Anne lost a battle with cancer several years ago, but the cooking school continues and, besides the personal memories, Anne left us a half dozen exceptional cookbooks.
Anne, if I remember correctly, was actually born in Italy and spent her childhood bopping between Tuscany and New York. She finished a Ph.D. in psychology intending to be a therapist. She quickly discovered that her passion for food was the best avenue to help people. So there came the cooking school and wine classes and cooking classes in New York City, and, of course, books like From the Tables of Tuscan Women.
Anne put “Tuscan” in the title so people would more readily recognize it. But this is really a book about Lucca and Lucchesian cuisine. There is a city of Lucca and then the larger province with under 700 square miles and perhaps 400,000 people. It’s in the far western edge of Tuscany, and, no, it is not like being in Florence. There are mountains to the north, dotted with thousands of chestnut trees. On the Mediterranean side, called the Tyrrhenian Sea, there are 20 miles of beaches and fishermen supplying everyone’s table. To the east are hills and forests, complete with groves of olive trees. The climate is Mediterranean, the foods diverse, and the culture ancient. Lucca was an Etruscan city before there was a Rome.
Because this was her Italian home, Anne was uniquely qualified to write about the diversity of ingredients, about the imagination of home cooks, and about the very special recipes that represent Lucchesian cuisine.
The local recipes here include:
Fritto Misto di Pesce, an assortment of fish, battered and fried
Cacciucco, soup made entirely of fish and served on thick slices of toasted bread rubbed with garlic
Castagnaccio, sweet cake made from chestnut flour
Brodo con Polpettone, chicken soup with meatloaf
Pollo al Sale, Chicken Encrusted in Salt
Spathetti e Asparagi, Spaghetti and Asparagus
jTagliatelle Gratinate, Fresh Tagliatelle Au Gratin
The first chapter is titled The Essence of Arrogance: Appetizers. There’s Anne’s very forward attitude. She embraced food and these appetizers here are intense announcements of culinary joy, like the Crostini with Stracchino Cheese and Sausage.
Each chapter begins with several pages devoted to Anne's recollections and lessons from interviewing one of the grand dames of Lucchesian cuisine. These are women who have decades of experience they graciously share, both recipes and techniques. One woman must have had very special impact on Anne, for this lady described cooking as artistry. You must imagine yourself to be an artist and to imagine the elegance of the final presentation on the table. Visionary cooking does begin with that practical vision of the table.
There is a very Tuscan chapter devoted just to Mushrooms and Chestnuts. One for Fish, of course. And one for Game, Pork, and Poultry. When Suzi and I were at the cooking school, it was fall. The school is perched on a hill surrounded by mountains that were gold and red. The air smelled of fallen leaves. The air sounded with gunfire as deer and rabbits were being gathered for the table.
I always have loved the last chapter, The Demanding Life of the Saints: Desserts. Anne was always one for completeness in the kitchen. The meal had to start with a storm and end with a triumph of flavors. Tomorrow, I’ll post the Easter Cake from that chapter. It’s a yeasted cake, rich in eggs, port, and raisins.
Anne was a remarkable woman. This book was, and will always remain, remarkable. While it is officially out of print, you can find used copies at Amazon. If you love Italian food, if you want recipes that are authentic down to the last syllable, then this book is one you will treasure.