Michele Scicolone

Vive La France! ...and French cooking tips!

I confess I have always been doubtful about slow cookers. I know people swear by them. But I’m a cook who loves to be in the kitchen stirring, tasting, adding this and that.
Certainly my experience of other’s Slow Cooking has been Mac ‘n Cheese, tough Chicken in some sort of Sauce, or beef gone wrong. Some good some bad all less than stellar!
In light of this, when the words ‘slow cooker’ surface, all I can think of is those horrific show more experiences, shudder and turn back to my trusty pots n’ pans.
But now! There is Slowing Cooking--a la gourmet stylet. Vive La France! (or in this case the French Cooks!)
My mouth watered as I read through The French Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone and I am almost convinced that this method will be for me. I say almost because I have to purchase the cooker. My slow cooker (that I used once and then it went the way of the Hard Rubbish Collection) had been bought at a garage sale and was nowhere near as swish and user friendly as those to be found in the chapter entitled Choosing a Slow Cooker.
The chapters are well laid out; explanations are great and recipes accessible. The lamb recipes, particularly Lamb Shanks are appealing (I am so…ooo a lamb lover). The other red meat recipes seem excellent also.
Had I had this book ages ago my household would have run differently and the children may have eaten before 8pm. Now they all eat at 6pm so at least the grandkids aren’t starving or learning to snack or going to bed on full stomachs like they did.
This is a great book for those of us scared stiff by ‘The Slow Cooker’…Slow cooking with verve, panache and style. What more can one ask for.
A Netgalley ARC show less

I know, I know. You’d think I would associate Crock-Pots with Italian cooking, but I never have — despite Osso Bucco and Bolognese Sauce being naturals for the slow cooker.

I’ve used my pressure cooker for Italian cooking more than I have my slow cooker, but author Michele Scicolone outlines how to even cook pasta, farro and risotto in the slow cooker! Sorry, Michelle, I’m sticking with my pressure cooker for beans, which don’t have to be softened before going into an Instant Pot, show more but I’m a true believer now when it comes to most of the rest. Grazie, Signora. show less

The recipes look wonderful to me. They mostly use ingredients I often have in my pantry anyway, or that I know I can afford. They seem adaptable, and in fact the author often suggests substitutions. The dishes seem satisfying and wholesome, and more healthful than many related books. More pictures would be more helpful.

The only problem is that I can't rate it without trying at least one recipe (imo) and my home library doesn't have a copy, and my mother doesn't want me in her kitchen for show more these kinds of dishes. So, I will be buying a used copy (somewhere; half.com is closing!). I hope to remember to come back and rate the book 4 stars. show less

The Italian Slow Cooker cookbook, by Michele Sciolone, is my latest library checkout and what a hit it’s been.

You can recreate traditional Italian dishes, soups and desserts in a crock pot – perfect for anyone with a busy schedule. Michele Sciolone is the author of many cookbooks, a cooking instructor and an Italian culinary tour guide.

The recipes in this book are intended for slow cookers with a 5 to 7 quart capacity. If you are a household of two, as we are about to be, the extras show more may be frozen for a quick dish later on.

We tried Chicken and Orzo Soup as well as Mushroom Soup with Marsala . The chciken soup was my favorite so far. The orzo cooked in the slow cooker was incredibly tender and fluffed up. It was like having tiny dumplings…must be the lengthy (and low heat) cooking process from using a slow cooker. You’ll be amazed if you cook orzo this way – promise!

For the recipes and photos please see my blog:

http://tinaculbertson.blogspot.com/2011/01/italian-slow-cooker-cookbook.html show less