Out of time or out of date, "Romagnolis' Table" brought "doable" upscale Italian food at a level not before easily possible to US home cooks. All of a sudden, we were moved beyong "Tomato Gravy". I still recall how much I enjoyed my first visit to the little restaurant in Boston.

Readable, fun and a teaching experience, almost anything of Jeff Smith's, no matter his personal pecadillos, still the perfect gifts for young couples interested in learning to cook.