Bettina got a new grill for her birthday. She's been asking for one for a while, ever since the old grill's legs began popping off the kettle every time it was moved. She also received a trio of grilling books; her instinctive favorite being Mario Batali's new Italian Grill.

No wonder. Really, just think about it for a second: the intention of Italian cooking is to highlight the flavors of the main ingredient -- with "nuance and minimal interference". The recipes in this book are perfect for weekday meals and casual entertaining. There are so many recipes we want to try that we've chosen this as our newest Cook the Book Club pick.

Recipe: Corn as Italians Would Eat It