Sophia Loren and her cookbooks

Sophia Loren is, without exaggeration, the most famous Italian actress. She is beautiful, charming and incredibly talented, which is confirmed by many film awards, including two Oscars. But Lauren has more than just acting talent. This woman is known for her sharp mind and many of her phrases have become catchphrases known throughout the world. And Sophia Loren, like a true Italian, is an excellent cook. And she even published two cookbooks, which we want to talk about.

Sophia Loren's first cookbook was published back in 1971. It was reprinted many times in Italy and other European countries. Unfortunately, our readers were able to get acquainted with it only in 2014, when it was first translated into Russian. We published it under the intriguing title “Cooking with Sophia Loren: Secrets of Italian Cuisine.”

They say that Lauren prepared her brainchild for publication while pregnant. Despite this, she did not do herself any favors and tirelessly revised and edited page after page. Particular emphasis in the actress’s first book is given to her native Neapolitan cuisine. Later, Sophia Loren said in an interview that she included in the collection many recipes that she loved since childhood.

The book contains many recipes for meat and vegetable dishes. Of course, spaghetti and its sauces are not forgotten. This is the national Italian dish, which she treats with particular reverence. In an August 11, 1961 Life magazine article, Sophia Loren said:

The book became a bestseller among fans of the actress. The fact that the publication was generously illustrated with photographs of Sophia Loren also played a big role. Many of the photographs have not been published before and are taken from her personal archive. In these photos she was captured at home preparing dishes.

In 1999, the actress published her second book, Sophia Loren: Memoirs and Recipes. It was somewhat different in theme from the first. It was a mixture of autobiography and recipe book. The famous Italian alternated descriptions of dishes with interesting facts from her fascinating star life.

Did you know that Italian women have special secrets that allow them to eat pasta regularly and not gain weight?