Posts Tagged ‘recipes’
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
Pros: Versatile and delicious!
Cons: None
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review book (published 2009) courtesy of Chronicle Books.
I just looove breakfast foods. They’re so versatile and delicious, and they certainly don’t have to be restricted to breakfast-time! I was highly enthusiastic about checking out the Stonewall Kitchen Breakfast
cookbook, and it didn’t disappoint in the least.
I think my favorite aspect of this cookbook is that it doesn’t try to be an exhaustive catalog of a zillion omelets, pancakes, etc. There are already plenty of cookbooks that do that. Instead, it gives one or two of each main type of thing, with plenty of hints and tips for variations, customizing to your own tastes, etc. It’s more of a book of alterable patterns than it is a book of specific recipes, and for cooks who enjoy experimenting, that’s as good as gold.
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Tags: breakfast, cookbook reviews, Cookbooks, Jim Stott, Jonathan King, Kathy Gunst, recipes, Stonewall Kitchens
Posted in Food Type-Focused | Permalink | No Comments »
Monday, December 7th, 2009
Pros: Hilarious, incredibly useful, and soooooooooo delicious
Cons: NONE
Rating: 6 out of 5
Review book (published 2009) courtesy of Chronicle Books.
Actual quotes uttered during the testing of this cookbook by me, my husband, and friends:
“Is it legal for cakes to taste this good?”
“She’s a natural storyteller.”
“We don’t have to stop making cakes from this book just because you’re ready to review it, do we?”
(With pen in hand) “What’s the name of that cookbook?”
I’ve been reviewing books since roughly 1998. In that time, I’ve reviewed almost 200 cookbooks. I can say without a doubt—and I noticed this well before I started getting any review copies from them—that overall, Chronicle puts out the best cookbooks. Don’t get me wrong; cookbooks from other publishers can, individually, be equally as good. But for the most consistent high quality and production value, I look to Chronicle. I’ve only once, I think, been “meh” about one of their cookbooks, and I’ve never given really low marks to any of them. That’s a surprising track record.
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Tags: All Cakes Considered, All Things Considered, cake lady, cakes, Cookbooks, cooking, dessert, Melissa Gray, recipes
Posted in Baking, Desserts and Sweets | Permalink | 6 Comments »
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Pros: Wow. Delightful, hard-working recipes that showcase the best of chocolate.
Cons: Sugar, calories, fat, calories…
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review copy courtesy of The Taunton Press.
Hi, my name is Heather, and I’m addicted to chocolate. I prefer dark to milk, although the new “deep milk” is good, and I’m picky about my whites (most brands taste chalky, but that’s why I stay stocked up on Green & Black’s). I love trying out new and wacky flavor combos like bacon-chocolate, or chocolate with almonds and sea salt (Vosges makes an awesome bar of the latter); or good old-fashioned pairings like chocolate and coconut. Above all, I like to cook with it. My husband and I always keep a few bars around to break up and whisk into a hot mixture of milk and half-and-half, maybe with a dash of liqueur, for hot chocolate, but it’s fun to go wild sometimes instead. And believe me, if you want to go wild with chocolate, this cookbook put together by the editors of Fine Cooking magazine, Absolutely Chocolate: Irresistible Excuses to Indulge
, is perfect.
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Tags: Chocolate, Cookbooks, cooking, desserts, Fine Cooking, recipes, sweets
Posted in Chocolate, Desserts and Sweets | Permalink | 3 Comments »
Monday, October 19th, 2009
Pros: Delightful range of wonderful recipes; incredible feast of tips and tricks
Cons: None that we could find
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review copy courtesy of The Taunton Press.
Thanksgiving dinner is a tradition for my husband and I. Normally we don’t worry that much about holidays, but when we lived in Boston it was fun to collect up those friends who couldn’t make it home for “turkey day” and feed them at our apartment. We tended to bring together about 5-10 people and made waaay too much food, but that was kind of the point. Now we might not have the huge numbers of people to feed, but we still enjoy finding creative ways to enjoy turkey and the trimmings. Only this year, we’re trying out the latest book to cross our field of vision a bit early, so you’ll be able to pick it up in time for your own feasting if you like the sound of it. It’s a great sacrifice, dear readers, but we’re prepared to make it—for your sakes.
I’m totally failing at sounding serious, aren’t I? Ah well, I never did have a good poker face! Read on for the details of our pre-Thanksgiving experiment with How to Cook a Turkey: And All the Other Trimmings
from the editors & contributors of Fine Cooking.
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Tags: Cookbooks, cooking, Fine Cooking magazine, recipes, Thanksgiving, trimmings, turkey
Posted in Special Occasion | Permalink | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Pros: Extremely useful for beginner or non-ambitious cupcake decorators!
Cons: Has a narrow purpose
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review book (published 2009) courtesy of Chronicle Books.
Also posted on Epinions.com.
I love cake. I ADORE cupcakes, which are small, portable, easy-to-indulge-in tidbits of cake. They’re more fun if you decorate them a bit, make them a little snazzy, but it’s hard to find a good middle ground. There’s a ton of cake-making equipment out there, but maybe you just want a simple swirled icing, nothing too fancy, and you don’t want to spend much money to do it. There are books by the dozens teaching you how to make elaborate icing flowers, but maybe like me you just don’t have that kind of artistic talent—or hands that steady! (Let’s face it—anything fancy I try to make is going to eventually turn up on Cake Wrecks.) Or perhaps you do want to get into decorating on a larger scale, but you want to start small, keep things simple until you get the hang of the basics.
In any of these cases, Elinor Klivans’s Cupcake Kit: Recipes, Liners, and Decorating Tools for Making the Best Cupcakes!
just might be the answer to your prayers!
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Tags: cake decorating, Cookbooks, cooking, cupcakes, Elinor Klivans, food, recipes
Posted in Baking, Desserts and Sweets, Food Type-Focused | Permalink | 4 Comments »
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
Pros: Wow. Umm, and did I say, wow?
Cons: None
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review book (published 2009) courtesy of Chronicle Books.
Also posted on Epinions.com.
I’ve always enjoyed pestos & tapenades, but I never went out of my way to have them. I never would have placed them among my favorite foods, that’s for certain. Now, after using Stacey Printz’s Pestos, Tapenades, and Spreads: 40 Simple Recipes for Delicious Toppings, Sauces & Dips
, I’ll be making and eating them far more often!
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Tags: appetizers, Cookbooks, dips, pesto, recipes, sauces, spreads, Stacey Printa, tapas, tapenade
Posted in Food Type-Focused | Permalink | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
Pros: Delicious results! Wide variety of recipes
Cons: Not quite what “Every Day” makes me think of; be sure you don’t mind hunting down a few ingredients
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review book (published 2009) courtesy of Chronicle Books.
Also posted on Epinions.com.
When I read a book title like Corinne Trang’s Noodles Every Day, I tend to picture quick, simple recipes intended for working families. I don’t think that’s too far off from the assumption most cookbook buyers in the USA will make, so you should know first of all that most of these recipes are a little complex for a tired person just home from work. On the other hand, they also aren’t horribly complex. As long as you know that ahead of time, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed by a mismatch of expectations.
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Tags: Asian, Cookbooks, cooking, Corinne Trang, noodles, recipes
Posted in Food Type-Focused, Regional | Permalink | No Comments »
Friday, July 17th, 2009
Pros: Delicious!! Versatility of card deck format
Cons: Small mistakes; clumsiness of card deck format
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review book (published 2009) courtesy of Chronicle Books.
Also posted on Epinions.com.
I find card deck-format cookbooks to be both a positive and a negative. It’s great to be able to pluck a single card from the deck and stand it on the kitchen counter to work with—particularly when compared with a soft-bound book prone to closing. On the other hand, you have to consistently remember to put the cards back in their case, preferably in order, or the whole thing becomes chaos and you risk losing cards. Ultimately I expect this is one of those personal preference things that some cooks will love and others won’t.
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Tags: Cookbooks, dessert, ice cream, Lou Seibert Pappas, recipes
Posted in Desserts and Sweets, Food Type-Focused | Permalink | 2 Comments »
Thursday, July 9th, 2009
Pros: Fascinating information and delicious recipes!
Cons: More ingredient listings would be nice
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review book (published 2009) courtesy of Chronicle Books.
Also posted on Epinions.com.
When I lived in Boston over my college years I was introduced to the concept of tapas at a local tapas restaurant, and instantly fell in love with them. According to Wikipedia:
Tapas (IPA: [ˈtapˌas]) is the name of a wide variety of appetizers in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as puntillitas, which are battered, fried baby squid).
In North America and the United Kingdom, tapas have evolved into an entire cuisine. In these countries, patrons of tapas restaurants can order many different tapas and combine them to make a full meal.
The serving of tapas is designed to encourage conversation because people are not so focused upon eating an entire meal that is set before them. Also, in some countries it is customary for diners to stand and move about while eating tapas.
In Joyce Goldstein’s book, Tapas: Sensational Small Plates from Spain, she explains the origin of tapas as snacks meant to accompany wine, and the manner in which they evolved into el tapeo, or “essentially the Spanish version of the English pub crawl.” Instead of a formal dinner, people wander from bar to bar enjoying small plates of food along with their drinks.
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Tags: Cookbooks, cooking, recipes, Spain, tapas
Posted in Food Type-Focused, Regional | Permalink | No Comments »
Monday, June 29th, 2009
Pros: Simple, delicious, hilarious
Cons: …
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review book (published 2009) courtesy of Chronicle Books.
Also posted on Epinions.com.
Ahh, guacamole. Is there another food that is as decadent and yet healthful at the same time? Avocados have a rich taste and creamy texture. Sure they’re fatty, but they’re exploding with healthful nutrients. Nowadays you won’t just find avocados in food—you’ll find them in shampoos and skin treatments. They’re buttery and flavorful, and when you mash them with a little lime juice and salt, and serve with tortilla chips, they’re divine. But maybe you’ve already discovered that there’s more to guacamole than that. Some chefs add chopped tomato. Others add diced chilies. Perhaps you’ve experienced one of the more “out there” guacs with fresh herbs, mashed fruit, or a variety of veggies in it. While there are purists who run in horror from such concoctions, Nathan Myers encourages you to explore your options in Guac Off!
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Tags: avocados, cookbook, guacamole, Nathan Myers, recipes
Posted in Food Type-Focused, Ingredient-Focused | Permalink | No Comments »
