Originally published in 1999, "The Tra Vigne Cookbook" celebrated the acclaimed restaurant of the same name located in the heart of California's Napa Valley. With up and coming chef, Michael Chiarello at the helm, the food was a delicious convergence of well-being, friends, family, the earth, and it's bounty. This glorious volume includes personal stories, detailed descriptions of how to make the food and how to choose ingredients, and a real sense of Chiarello's personal philosophy of life as it relates to cooking and feeding those you love. The book is divided into three sections. First there are the four seasonal sections, which feature several "star ingredients" and simple recipes using them. Second, Chiarello shares some of his signature recipes adapted from the Tra Vigne kitchen. Finally, there is a "Pantry" section, which advises on essential items to have in the kitchen and recipes for stocks, sauces, pasta doughs, and other staples used throughout the book.