# Spectacular: The Opera Cooks (cookbook authored by our favorite opera stars)



## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Wow, folks, I'm really pleased with this purchase. I got it in the mail today. "The Opera Cooks" is a cookbook sold exclusively by the Met Opera Shop, with recipes authored by 64 major opera stars.

Of course I zoomed directly to page 70 for Anna Netrebko's recipe of Russian Red Beet Soup (rather interesting recipe), complete with her handwriting, her signature (equal to my autograph of her, hehe), and pictures of her chopping up the vegetables, cooking, and all, plus some funny quotes:

Q - Things you'd never eat?
A - I would even eat men, if they were well prepared (laughs).

Q - When you have munchies you eat...
A - Nothing is safe from me.

Q - Your motto:
A - The diet starts tomorrow!

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There are recipes from most of our favorites, making it possible to invite friends, pick a DVD, and cook dinner with appetizer, main dish, dessert, all from recipes authored by the singers themselves. Great fun!

The book is full of funny pictures, recipes come with matching wine suggestions, and run the gamut from simple and easy soups and salads to very elaborate seafood, etc.

Yes, ladies, El Guapo, Simon Keenlyside, Joseph Calleja, J-Flo, and other hunks do contribute.

And yes, gents, other than Anna, we also have lovely Danielle de Niese, Renée Fleming, Natalie Dessay, Diana Damrau, Joyce Di Donato, Nino Machaidze, and other beauties.

It cost me some $53 with shipping (for non-Met members it would be $5 more).

Met Opera Shop page with the book


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

A $50+ cookbook? Combined with the fact that I'm a vegetarian, makes it extremely unlikely that I'll purchase it. Out of curiosity, what is Ms. Dessay's dish?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Natalie Dessay: Cake d'amour (fruit cake). Oh, and the book does include vegetarian dishes, a fair number of them, actually.

Yes, it's a bit expensive but it's not just a regular-sized cookbook, it's more like a small coffee table kind of cookbook, full of color pics and nice quotes. It's worth it, in my opinion. I'll really cherish this book and will cook from it for opera soirées among friends.

My wife and I once cooked a menu entirely based on Verdi, with his favorite wine, a risotto called Risotto Giuseppe Verdi, etc.

It was great fun, and we had it when we showed a blu-ray of La Traviata to four friends.

Now I can organize a variety of such soirées. 

There are some incredible Russian recipes for a good Eugene Onegin soirée, some great Italian dishes, all sorts of stuff. Roberto Alagna opens the book with a recipe for a champagne-based cocktail.

El Guapo is doing a homemade tagliatelle with pumpkin. Ramón Vargas seafood dish called Colonne di Pompei is impressive.

Renée Fleming's dessert looks delicious.

A bargain, in my opinion. Besides, we help the Metropolitan Opera organization by purchasing it.


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## FragendeFrau (May 30, 2011)

I bought this back when it came out in English (and the Met was having that sale for Guild members, so mine was a bit cheaper). I'd seen it over on Intermezzo's blog. it came out in German last year. (Warning: she says there are a few mistakes in the recipes, so don't be afraid to change things if they seem wrong to you--Alma, sounds like you are an experienced cook so I'm sure you will!)

I think it's fun and I love reading the recipes in the original languages (when I can). Bryn Terfel's is in Welsh! I've had many a discussion with a friend trying to figure out how in the world JK's tagliatelle with pumpkin sauce could possibly have any flavor at all--I guess the only answer is to make it. Here's a link to Intermezzo's posting:

(from the German version)


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Nice, FraFra. But of course this recipe has flavor. You know, Parmesan cheese has strong flavor, pumpkin is delicious with pasta... I think it may be good. I'll cook it one of these days and report back.

I'm not that experienced. There are two cuisines that I can do well - Italian and Japanese. Sometimes I try something different, often with inefficient (time consuming, messy) technique but good final results (yummy).
My wife on the other hand is a fabulous cook. She is good enough to create her own recipes.
She doesn't really have a lot of time for cooking, but when she does, whoa!

Oh, yes, and I should add, the Met Opera Shop is the exclusive US vendor for the English version of this book - but of course, abroad it should be possible to get it from other sources.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Hm, we have so many people from different countries and cultures here that a TalkClassical cookbook might be a fun idea. Wonder if there'd be any interest in such a thing.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

FragendeFrau said:


> II've had many a discussion with a friend trying to figure out how in the world JK's tagliatelle with pumpkin sauce could possibly have any flavor at all--I guess the only answer is to make it. Here's a link to Intermezzo's posting:


It'll all depend also on the type of pumpkin you use - you'd want to avoid those big watery ones and go for the little concentrated sweet type, called buttercup in NZ. Once you've got the rosemary and Parmesan it should be good.


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## ooopera (Jul 27, 2011)




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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> "The Opera Cooks" is a cookbook sold exclusively by the Met Opera Shop..


It was on sale in the ROH shop but I thought it was overpriced for what it was. May wait for the price to come down.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

rgz said:


> Hm, we have so many people from different countries and cultures here that a TalkClassical cookbook might be a fun idea. Wonder if there'd be any interest in such a thing.


My mother was a gourmet cook . . . but I'm afraid my culinary endeavors are likely to send someone to the hospital emergency room.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

sospiro said:


> It was on sale in the ROH shop but I thought it was overpriced for what it was. May wait for the price to come down.


Yes, I corrected my statement by adding (post #5) that the Met is the exclusive vendor only for the US territory.


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

I pulled from my bookshelf a copy of "The Bel Canto Cook Book" written by Peter Gravina who was a New York City Radio Host. Published in 1964 it has an introduction by Francis Robinson who was Assistant Manager of the Met. It sold for the extravagant price of $4.50. Along with some excellent photos and short bios of the Opera Stars of the day it has the favorite recipes of fifty of the great names in Opera. Among my favorites, the ones I have made most often is Fruited Ham with Cognac from Cesare Siepi and two from Jerome Hines: Trenette con Pesto and Bocconcino di Camogli. Have to stick with the Basses you know.


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Borscht Borscht Borscht

Seems like that is all any Russian is interested in having after having been away from the homeland too long...my Ukrainian friend introduced me to it years ago and then my Lithuanian family. That, along with meat and potatoes with heavy sour cream make for the basis of the entire diet pretty much...but it's really good stuff!


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## CountessAdele (Aug 25, 2011)

I've been meaning to splurge a little, as a reward to myself for acing my math test, I think I know what I getting now!


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## Grosse Fugue (Mar 3, 2010)

I just got and it is a very fun book. Plus recipes from the Met's Wotan and Brunnheilde


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