I am not a fan of cookbooks, actually I strongly dislike them. The authors often include recipes that are too long, too cumbersome, completely unrealistic for 'normal' people.. and with a list of ingredients that would put to shame a Michelin restaurant..

Stanley Tucci is an EMMY and GOLDEN GLOBE-winning actor. Since his career began nearly 30 years ago he has appeared in more than 50 films including THE LOVELY BONES, THE HUNGER GAMES and THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, and has been a regular fixture on Broadway. He has directed and produced films, most notably BIG NIGHT in 1996. He currently presents US TV programme VINE TALK where he invites celebrities to engage in compelling conversations about wine. Find out more about VINE TALK at: http://www.vinetalk.com Tucci has always loved to cook, and follows his successful 2012 The Tucci Cookbook with a new cookbook, The Tucci Table, filled with recipes from himself, his family and even some famous friends, written with his wife Felicity Blunt, sister of actress Emily Blunt. Ingredients: celery; carrots; onions; pancetta; ground beef; red wine; thyme; canned tomatoes; milk; long pasta of your choice; Parmigiano Reggiano cheeseFood can bind and govern a family and no one knows this more than Hollywood actor and respected foodie, Stanley Tucci. Throughout his childhood, cooking was a familial venture evoking a wealth of memories and traditions. The recipes are carefully written so that they can be followed easily. But more than the food, there is a strong and powerful sense of family throughout. Stanley Tucci is an accomplished actor, he is also an accomplished chef; so the writing of a cook book is not so far out of the realm of what should be expected. Ingredients: ground lamb; onions; tomatoes; ground cinnamon; long grain rice; grape leaves; lemons; Greek yogurt

Who knew Stanley Tucci was a culinary adventurer and alchemist. I started out with his show, Searching for Italy and his narration, the cinematography, his ancestral journey and the people he chose to interview reignited a love for romanticism of Italy and the Roman expeditions into flavor and experimentation.Some cookbooks are visually inspiring but don't deliver on the recipe front and are cool in tone; others are like a glimpse into someone's life - warm and inviting, with recipes that make you want to join the family party. The new book by American actor Stanley Tucci (of Devil Wears Prada, Hunger Games and, more recently, TV series Fortitude fame) and his wife Felicity Blunt falls into the latter category. It makes you want to draw up a chair at their kitchen table, be part of their family, dive in and eat the food. (Karen Barnes Delicious) I’ve been steadily reading food books and cookbooks for the last several years as our family culture and appetites grow and my passion for feeding these people well grows to match. Tucci formatted the book so that the directions come first, then the ingredients, which may confuse some people. This is a book for confident cooks, more casual cooks who like to go more by instinct than exact measurements. (See glug of olive oil, above)