Chef Michael Chairello: The Tra Vigne Cookbook

Chef Michael Chairello

Michael Chiarello

The food at Tra Vigne, the acclaimed restaurant in the heart of California's Napa Valley, is a celebration of well-being, of friends and family, of the earth and its bounty. In with The Tra Vigne Cookbook, chef Michael Chairello draws on his memories of growing up in an Italian family in rural Northern California—his father's homemade wine, his grandmother's home-cured prosciutto, his mother's vegetable garden—to show how he created a distinctive cuisine that is rich with a sense of tradition.

Going behind the scenes at the restaurant, Chiarello shares his joy in bringing good food to the table. As summer turns into autumn and winter into spring, Chiarello's recipes draw upon the natural abundance of the Napa Valley incorporating fresh seasonal ingredients. Here, too, Chiarello shares recipes for Tra Vigne classics such as Crispy Herb Gnocchi with Braised Lamb Shanks and Wild Mushrooms, Fritto Misto with Tomato Vinegar, rich and crumbly Italian holiday cookies, and an unforgettable Chocolate Tiramisu.

Let The Tra Vigne Cookbook bring the many delights of the changing season—and a taste of the good life—to our table.

Michael Chiarello is the acclaimed chef-owner of the California Napa Valley's celebrated restaurant Tra Vigne. He grew up in a family devoted to its Italian heritage of good food. Today, he prides himself on this culinary tradition of cooking with simple, fresh ingredients-and sharing the delicious results. Michael's other restaurants include Caffe Museo in San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art. Named chef of the Year by Food & Wine, he has received numerous honors, among them the Robert Mondavi Culinary Award of Excellence. His previous cookbooks include Flavored Vinegars and the bestselling Flavored Oils, both published by Chronicle Books.

Buy the Book!

The Tra Vigne Cookbook
Seasons in the California Wine Country
By Michael Chiarello
Chronicle Books, November 1999
Hardcover, $35.00
96 pages with color photographs throughout
ISBN: 0-8118-1986-8
Information provided by the publisher.