La Cucina Del Dottor Zivago

From the introduction, or, "Antipasto Cinematografico"—

Dr. Zhivago is a film where snow and ice of old Russia are heated by four elements: the colors, love, music by Maurice Jarres, and the characters' attempts to nurture body and soul with food and drink.

This is cookery, fotoromanza style: movie stills are followed by summaries of the action, plus recipes—

An Erotic Appetizer Before the Revolution

Komarovski was a friend of Lara's deceased mother. Formally, her legal counsel, but in reality, her lover. Finding the beautiful young Larissa, he takes a step towards her and puts a thin veil over her hair. The hunter awakens in him: the enchanted girl fixed.

What is he thinking? Not one thing, but two: a night of love with an underage girl, erotica preceded by an aphrodisiac dinner.

Starter: Matrjoschka (hard-boiled eggs)
Main course: A broken heart, cooked with vegetables
Dessert: Love Nest

The recipes are quite literal: that main course is cuore di maiale [pig heart] with vegetables!

Nido D'Amore is a complicated confection: remove the contents from 6-8 eggs while leaving the shells whole; clean shells and reserve for garnishing a "nest" made of lemon cream gelatin.

This actually is a translation of a German publication. In case that explains things...

From the inside flap, other titles in the series—


I have to admit it: I do covet that La Dolce Vita cookbook!