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Italian-Themed Books and Cookbooks: Appetito Gift Guide

Appetito recommends these books from our contributors for the Italian food & drink enthusiasts on your list.

3:19 PM EST on December 13, 2023

Book covers

We love to celebrate cookbooks and cocktail books at Appetito. Some of other favorites can be found here. For the 2023 holiday season, we wanted to recommend books published (mostly) recently by our contributors that will surely please the Italian food & drink enthusiast on your list (and hopefully earn you some homemade Italian fare and cocktails as a result):

The Olive Oil Enthusiast by Skyler Mapes and Giuseppe Morisani

The Olive Oil Enthusiast by Skyler Mapes and Giuseppe Morisani. Illustration by Maria Jesus Contreras.

Cooking with Nonna: Sunday Dinners with La Famiglia by Rossella Rago

Cooking with Nonna: Sunday Dinners with La Famiglia by Rossella Rago.

Italy Cocktails by Paul Feinstein

Italy Cocktails by Paul Feinstein.

The newest book on this list, just released, comes from Paul Feinstein, who spent years collecting 100-plus recipes that define the burgeoning world of Italian cocktails.

Food of the Italian Islands by Katie Parla

Food of the Italian Islands by Katie Parla.

The Delmonico's Way: Sublime Entertaining & Legendary Recipes from the Restaurant That Made New York by Max Tucci

The Delmonico's Way: Sublime Entertaining & Legendary Recipes from the Restaurant That Made New York by Max Tucci.

Italy by Ingredient by Viola Buitoni

Italy by Ingredient will be published by Rizzoli USA in September 2023.

Pasta et Al by Alec Morris

Pasta et Al by Alec Morris.

The Food of Sicily by Fabrizia Lanza

The Food of Sicily, a book by Fabrizia Lanza

Cucina Povera by Giulia Scarpaleggia

Cucina Povera by Giulia Scarpaleggia (Artisan Books).

The Story of Pasta by Steven Guarnaccia

The Story of Pasta, by Steven Guarnaccia, is a new book tracing the stories of 35 pasta shapes, with illustrations by the author.

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When Lentils Are an Invitation into the Lives of Strangers

A reflection on how a bag of lentils from a food bank created a bond among strangers in the shared kitchen of an AirBnb.

October 9, 2026

Pasta School with Lowcountry Bella: Sunday Sauce — Not Gravy! 

A family recipe brings tomatoes, red wine and fresh basil together for a slow-simmered pasta sauce.

October 9, 2026

Pasta Wednesday with Spaghetti Roots, Week 1: Spicy Vodka Sauce

Joanna Moeller kicks off her weekly October pasta celebration with a spicy vodka sauce recipe that if perfect for autumn.

October 8, 2026

The Italian Passata Tradition Preserving Summer Tomatoes

Families keep an annual preserving ritual alive across continents.

October 8, 2026

Via Carota Craft Cocktails Launches Bottled, Sparkling Cosmo

The sparkling drink is available to purchase across the country at retailers such as Total Wine, Trader Joe’s and Stew Leonard’s, among others.

October 8, 2026

A Weekend in Piacenza with Molino Dallagiovanna

Local dishes and a harvest celebration offer a taste of Italy’s wheat traditions.

October 7, 2026