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| 1984860488
| 9781984860484
| 1984860488
| 4.23
| 61
| unknown
| May 09, 2023
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it was amazing
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Ever since Aaron Franklin rose to fame as the barbecue maestro of Texas brisket, his food has been the gold standard. He’s already given us cookbooks
Ever since Aaron Franklin rose to fame as the barbecue maestro of Texas brisket, his food has been the gold standard. He’s already given us cookbooks that feature barbecue and steaks. Now he’s taking us out back, to teach us all how to cook and smoke on our backyard grills or even firepits in a way that will elevate a weekday dinner or a special occasion. Franklin spends a good half of this book talking about fire, starting with the fire that destroyed his restaurant in 2017 and how they rebuilt just in time to take on a cooking through a pandemic. But mostly he talks about the fire in your backyard that you can use to make an amazing dinner. He goes through different types of smokers and grills, from expensive models to a handmade firepit you built yourself. He talks about types of woods and how they burn, about smoke, and about how to keep a fire burning so you can manage the heat for you cook. He also brings his list of important equipment, like knives, salt and pepper, rags and towels, and a chair and cold drinks in an ice chest. Then he finally gets to the recipes. He starts with some flavor, by way of a series of rubs, sauces, and some fermented sides for some contrast (think pickles or sauerkraut). Then it’s on to the mains. Pork Shoulder, Cote de Boeuf (basically, French for a bone-in ribeye), or the Grilled, Smoked Whole Branzino. There is a recipe for oysters, Smoked Chicken, Grilled Mushrooms, Fire-Kissed Brussels Sprouts, Coal-Roasted Veggies (like, nestling eggplant or squash into the hot coals). There are even some suggestions for crafting an amazing salad, to add some fresh greens to the meal. But that’s not all, because then Aaron Franklin brings the thing that has make him such an icon. His Ultimate Brisket recipe, refined by the years of smoking since he first shared that recipe in his first cookbook. But there’s also ribs, Smoked Duck, and a Thanksgiving Turkey. I was so excited to see that Franklin and his coauthor Jordan Mackay had a new book coming out. And the fact that it’s written for backyard cooks was just the perfect sauce for the brisket. I live in a part of the country that is also known for barbecue, so I love to read a good barbecue cookbook. I thought this one was especially informative (although I will admit to brushing away a tear or two while reading about the fire that destroyed Franklin Barbecue). Anyone wanting to raise their open-fire cooking will find everything here they need to become an expert. However, there is a lot of granular information about fire and smoke and wood, so anyone looking more for recipes than techniques may prefer a different cookbook. But if you (or someone you need to buy a gift for) wants a masterclass in cooking over a fire, then learn from master brisket-maker Aaron Franklin through the pages of Franklin Smoke. You and everyone you feed will be so happy that you did. I’ve received a free copy of Franklin Smoke from Ten Speed Press in exchange for a free and unbiased review, with many thanks. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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not set
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May 11, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 1984859927
| 9781984859921
| 1984859927
| 3.82
| 90
| unknown
| Aug 30, 2022
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really liked it
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Odette Williams had to postpone a trip to Italy because of the pandemic. So instead, she spent her lockdown time teaching herself how to make pasta at
Odette Williams had to postpone a trip to Italy because of the pandemic. So instead, she spent her lockdown time teaching herself how to make pasta at home. A long-time lover of Italian food, she realized that she had made it to the age of 40 without once making pasta herself. She set about to change that. And then she chose to teach us all how we can make homemade pasta too, even on a weeknight. To me, Simple Pasta feels like it’s been written in two parts. The first part is all about the homemade pasta—the techniques, the recipes, the shapes, and the simple sauces and crunchy toppings that home cooks can use to make new dishes, to develop new skills, to open up new possibilities. Then the second half of the book is seasonal recipes for those new pastas you’ve learned to make alongside ideas for appetizers, salads, mains, sides, cocktails, and desserts. The first part of the book is the isolation of lockdown; the second is the enjoyment of reconnecting with family and friends. As the subtitle says, “Pasta made easy. Life made better.” So Williams starts with her pasta recipes, and she makes them pretty accessible to a beginner. She only has three basic pasta recipes—egg, gnocchi, and semolina. The egg dough is a lighter, more delicate pasta that works well rolled into sheets and then cut into lengths like fettucine or pappardelle. The semolina dough is good for shapes like farfalle (bowties) or orecchiette, and it works well with heavier, meatier sauces. There are recipes for a ricotta and a potato gnocchi, so you can make a lighter one for warmer months and a starchier one for colder nights. These pages have lots of photos to go with the detailed instructions, so beginner and intermediate pasta makers can see the process, from the dough coming together to rolling it out and shaping and filling it. But despite all of the intricate instruction of the hand-crafted pasta, Williams throws no shade to those who aren’t interested. If you want to use dried pasta, there is no shame. If you use jarred sauce, she’s okay with that. But if you want to make your own, she includes recipes for several tomato-based sauces, from quick ones you can throw together to Nonna’s Homemade Passata, which you can can and use as a base for your heartier sauces all winter long. There are also a selection of pestos with herbs, nuts, cheese, and even one with Tuscan kale. The she talks about cooked, flavored bread crumbs that will add a layer of flavor and texture to your pasta dish and includes her ultimate garlic bread recipe. If that were the entire cookbook, that would be enough to keep pasta cooks busy for weeks with new skills to test and dishes to serve. But then Williams offers a collection of recipes for each season which read like a party menu. Some of these recipes are for the pastas you just learned, like summer’s Lobster Ravioli or winter’s Creamy Wild Mushroom & Potato Gnocchi or spring’s Artichoke, Pea & French Feta Farfalle. But there are other dishes to round that out. So with autumn’s Garganelli with Vodka Sauce, there are also recipes for a Marinated Peppers, Gruyere & Hazelnut Dip for a starter, Sanpelligrino 75, a citrusy cocktail with Prosecco, an arugula salad, Superior Schnitzel, Midnight Fettucine with Seared Scallops, “Yum, You’re Lovely” Classic Bolognese Lasagna, and a Sesame & Honey Panna Cotta to finish. Reading these seasonal recipes feels like seeing a menu for an amazing dinner party that I would love to attend. There is a lot to love about Simple Pasta, but it does feel a little disjointed at times. The first part, teaching fresh pasta neophytes to whip up a fresh egg dough for a Tuesday night dinner is encouraging and instructive. The second half feels more aspirational, creating feasts of Italian food that include lots of the fresh pasta along with beautiful dishes that may pair well with the pasta or may overshadow the pasta. I do understand the journey that Williams is taking us on in this book, but I can see how some readers could be thrown by the transition and be put off the cookbook for that. I hope not, because this book is genuinely lovely, with lots of gorgeous photography, delicious dishes that feel like small celebrations, warmth and understanding in the directions, and the hospitality that Italian food evokes. I’ve received a free copy of Simple Pasta from Ten Speed Press in exchange for a free and unbiased review, with many thanks. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 22, 2022
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Aug 31, 2022
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Aug 31, 2022
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Hardcover
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| 1984859560
| 9781984859563
| B098PW1VQN
| 4.14
| 63
| unknown
| Apr 12, 2022
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it was amazing
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Kevin Bludso comes from a storied family. And he’s got the stories. His mother was a Black Panther. His father was a police officer in L.A. is honorar
Kevin Bludso comes from a storied family. And he’s got the stories. His mother was a Black Panther. His father was a police officer in L.A. is honorary grandmother in Texas ran a speakeasy (with other backrooms that made her money in various ways). Bludso was a corrections officer himself before he became a chef. He grew up in Compton, and while his parents worked hard to keep him out of danger, not everyone in the family got the same consideration. But it was those summers in Texas that taught Bludso everything he needed to know about barbecue. Winnie Mae Fields, who he called Granny, woke him up early every morning to cook. He learned how to make a mean brisket, but he also learned the power of hard work. And when he got to college and needed some extra money, he did what he knew. He started cooking chicken dinners and making himself some cash. After college, Bludso went to work in the corrections department, but he was restless. He was unhappy. It wasn’t until he went into cooking as a full-time (150 hours a week or so) chef, smoking meats and pairing that with comfort food sides that he found where his heart truly was. Because his first restaurant was in Compton, not a place known for its barbecue restaurants, there were some early slow years. But he kept putting out good food, and people started taking note. He started getting some love on the review apps, but when legendary critic Jonathan Gold gave Bludso’s food a rave review, the lines stretched out down the block for his food. From there it was media gone crazy, and reporters were lining up to interview Bludso on their radio shows and newspaper articles, their magazine profiles and their television shows. And as more and more people came in to try the food, Bludso expanded his restaurant empire, spreading his food love far and wide. Now, he’s going a step further and opening his recipes up to us all, while entertaining us with stories of his family. Bludso’s BBQ Cookbook can teach you how to chose a smoker and how to get the best out of it, but it also teaches the importance of standing up for what and who you believe in. He gives readers recipes for rubs and sauces that will elevate your flavors, but he also gives his rules for success, which include giving back and giving credit where credit is due. The cookbook has a lot of recipes for smoking everything from brisket to lamb, ribs to chicken, sausage to seafood, but there are also recipes for sides, breakfasts, and desserts. The truth of Kevin Bludso’s legacy is his exceptional barbecue recipes. If you want to learn how to do it right, even if you only have a grill, you can use this cookbook to find out how (chapter: OG BBQ). If you want to learn how to cook soul food, then you can learn that here too (chapter: Soul Food Sundays) . But if you want to learn to cook from the heart, like you were taught by a legacy of great chefs, then you are at the right place for that too. If you want to cook fish like someone who grew up on a lake, or if you want to add the perfect sides to your smoked chicken, or if you want to learn to bake Mom’s Strawberry Cake that screams summer, then you can find all that too. But most of all, you will find in the pages of this book Kevin Bludso’s heart and soul, rubbed with black pepper and garlic salt and more than a little heat, smoked to perfection, and served up for anyone who is hungry for more than just food. I come from a part of the country known for its barbecue, north of Texas and East of California, so I love to read a barbecue cookbook. I love to learn more about technique and about the blending of heat and sweet, of rubs and sauces, that create unique flavor combinations. And Bludso’s BBQ Cookbook certainly has that. But I was so moved by the family stories, I can’t wait to try some of the other recipes here. The Smothered Chicken and Gravy, Sunday Short Ribs, Down-Home Mac and Cheese, and Thelma’s Cheesecake all sound amazing. But there is a recipe for Bacon and Sausage Gravy with Biscuits that his granny used to make that I can’t think about without my mouth watering. It just sounds like it’s probably one of the most delicious iterations of biscuits and gravy, and I can’t wait to make a special Sunday breakfast with it because that is the kind of recipe that is so infused with love (and bacon) that it can’t help but make the meal special. That’s the kind of cookbook this is. I received a free copy of Bludso’s BBQ Cookbook from Ten Speed Press in exchange for a free and unbiased review, with many thanks. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 13, 2022
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Apr 18, 2022
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Apr 18, 2022
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Kindle Edition
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| 1984857002
| 9781984857002
| 1984857002
| 4.49
| 131
| unknown
| Oct 26, 2021
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it was amazing
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If you’ve ever thought about taking a 6-month trip to Italy to learn about pasta, starting at the top of the boot and slowly making your way down to t
If you’ve ever thought about taking a 6-month trip to Italy to learn about pasta, starting at the top of the boot and slowly making your way down to the toe (and who hasn’t?!), but you can’t do that because your life’s circumstances have not been that generous, then simply buy this book. If you read it from beginning to end, cooking and eating your way through more often than not, then you will have just received a master class education in making, cooking, and coming really close to perfecting pasta. Chef Missy Robbins has a couple of restaurants in Brooklyn, where she shares her soulful pasta dishes with her guests. She’s cooked in restaurants throughout the States and in Italy, and with her cookbooks, she shares her love of food with anyone interested. Pasta is a compendium of pasta shapes and styles, regional favorites and classic recipes that belong everywhere. But mostly it’s a love story about the possibilities of a dough that consists of only flour and eggs, or even flour and water. Robbins starts us off with the basics—which flours she prefers, her essential equipment, and how to bring the ingredients together into a great dough. She is someone who believes in getting her hands dirty, talking about how the dough should feel, making working the dough sound like a form of meditation, a nod of gratitude towards the gods of pasta and a dream of what is to come for the family’s meal. You can go with her Egg Dough or Semolina Dough, or try something a little more adventurous like the Green Dough, Espresso Dough, Chickpea Dough, or Cocoa Dough. From there, the decisions get more difficult—go with a hand-cut pasta, like a Pappardelle or a Tagliatelle? Or something hand shaped, like a Gnudi or Orecchiette? Or filled, as in a Cannelloni (one of my favorites) or Mezzalune? Or are you up for trying an extruded pasta, like Bucatini or Ziti? And from there, it only gets harder, as you try to decide between the Simple Red Sauce, 30-Clove Sauce, Diavola Sauce? Choose the Penne alla Vodka, the Spaghetti Vongole, or a Lasagna? But those are only the American classics. Because after that, Robbins takes us on a tour of Italy’s regional dishes. You can head North to enjoy the Trofie al Pesto Genovese (Pasta with Pine Nut Pesto) or the Tortellini in Brodo (Pork-Filled Pasta in Broth). You can go to Central Italy to try the Pici at Ragu d’Anatra (Pasta with Duck Ragu) or Gnudi alla Florentina (Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings with Brown Butter and Sage). Or head South for the Spaghetti al Ricci de Mare (Pasta with Sea Urchin). Or you can try one of the 30+ modern classics that aren’t so easy to place. They’re a little bit Italy, a little New York, and belong in any kitchen dedicated to brining the best out of simple flavors. From the Fettuccine with Spicy Lamb Sausage and Tomato Passata to the Potato and Crème Fraiche-Filled Ravioli with Garlic and Rosemary, from Pappardelle with Porcini and Veal Bolognese to the Espresso Tagliolini with Smoked Ricotta and Chiles, these recipes offer home chefs ideas for sophisticated meals to impress friends and family or just to savor with a good bottle of wine. But more than these recipes or the 40-some different shapes of pasta that Robbins presents here, there is a soul to Pasta that focuses on the gift that is modern pasta. It sustains us, physically and emotionally. It excites our palettes and ignites our imagination. And it grounds us, crafting a homemade meal for those we love the most. Robbins brings all of this, along with her mastery of technique, to this beautiful cookbook. When I first saw this cookbook, I was surprised and a little intimidated by its size. At 400 pages, it’s not exactly a quick read or a book that’s easily transported to the kitchen, to the sofa, to the store. It’s a formidable volume of pasta expertise. But as I read it, I realized that it’s so much more than that. It’s an honest, humble look at how pasta feeds our souls, from making the well in the flour to cooking it (she says to salt the water “until you’re uncomfortable”—who says that?), from learning how to marry the pasta and the sauce to plating it in a way that’s beautiful and heart-melting. It’s clear that she is in love with pasta, and she shares that love with us page after page. If you have anyone in your life who also loves pasta in a deep, abiding way, you will do them a disservice if you don’t share Pasta with them. A copy of Pasta was provided by Ten Speed Press for a free and unbiased review, with many thanks. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 16, 2021
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Nov 2021
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Nov 01, 2021
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
![Bavel: Modern Recipes Inspired by the Middle East [A Cookbook]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598831353l/54804336._SX50_.jpg)
| 0399580921
| 9780399580925
| 0399580921
| 4.07
| 90
| unknown
| May 25, 2021
|
really liked it
|
Bavel is a popular L.A. restaurant specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine. Husband and wife chef-owners Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis have returned
Bavel is a popular L.A. restaurant specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine. Husband and wife chef-owners Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis have returned to the flavors of their childhoods in Bavel, both the restaurant and the cookbook. As adults they fell in love with Italian cooking, so their first restaurant (and cookbook, also written with co-author Lesley Suter) were Bestia, modern Italian dishes where sophisticated dishes are built from the complex flavors of using simple ingredients well. But Menashe couldn’t help but find himself thinking about the dishes he grew up on in Israel. On his days off, he would cook the Middle Eastern dishes he ate after shopping in the markets with his father. The fresh spices and herbs permeated his senses, and he would devour his favorite falafel or shawarma after. Gergis’ father is from Egypt, so she too understood these flavors and also wanted to return to the dishes of her family. It took a few years to find the location and finalize the recipes, but they made it happen. And L.A. diners loved it. I am a fan of cooking competitions, and I have seen chef after chef with Middle Eastern experience get rave reviews of their dishes. They seemed to have some sort of secret to their cooking, and I could never understand it until Menashe explained it to me while talking about his beloved culinary heritage. He talked about Italian food, and how easy it is to add some umami (a savory bonus flavor that can add a big dollop of deliciousness) with some cheese or prosciutto. But the climate of the Middle East doesn’t offer such easy flavor bombs, so cooks have to develop layers of flavor while they’re cooking, starting with dried spices and herbs, and then adding fresh spices, and lastly adding fresh herbs. It’s that kind of mastery of spices that makes Middle Eastern chefs the magicians that they are, and that’s what makes their food so interesting. It’s that sort of spice mastery that these chefs offer up in Bavel, starting with the spices to include in your pantry and moving on to how to roast them, grind them, and mix up your own spice blends. They then move on to the sauces and stocks that will add so much to your dishes and then to pickles and ferments that will add the acid that will make the spices sing. Then there are the dips and spreads, with no less than 4 recipes for Hummus, before moving on to Vegetables, Breakfasts, Seafood, Meats, Family Recipes, and even Drinks and Desserts. These are chefs who believe in making things themselves as much as possible. They have recipes for their own Za’atars and Ras el Hanout, Vegetable Stock or Turmeric-Chicken Stock, Preserved Meyer Lemon, Tahini and Yogurt, and breads like Pitas and Laffa. Because of their dedication to all these hand-crafted components, some of their recipes seem complicated. But knowing that they are just trying to find the most flavorful representation of the food of their heritage makes the Shakshuka or the Lamb Neck Shawarma or the Beef Cheek Tagine worth it. The authors of Bavel are quick to say that they are not interested in the politics of the area. They do not favor the cuisine of any one country. They want to cook with the flavors of the entire Middle East, focusing only on the best ingredients, recipes, and spices that all the countries have to offer. It’s just about the food they grew up on, taking those recipes and making them flavorful, making them modern, and sharing them with others. I was so impressed with Bavel. It’s filled with gorgeous photography, both of the food and of the places it represents. The recipes are sophisticated, and it’s basically a primer on Middle Eastern seasoning. I learned more about Middle Eastern cuisine just by reading it than I have with any other cookbook, so if you know someone wanting to learn how to use spices to maximize flavors, then Bavel is the place to go for that. If you want to learn Middle Eastern cooking or just want to cook like your favorite L.A. restaurant, then this cookbook is a must. A copy of Bavel was provided by Ten Speed Press for an unbiased review, with many thanks. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 18, 2021
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May 31, 2021
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May 31, 2021
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Hardcover
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![At Home in the Kitchen: Simple Recipes from a Chef's Night Off [A Cookbook]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1606936747l/56141471._SX50_.jpg)
| 1984858505
| 9781984858504
| 1984858505
| 3.75
| 61
| unknown
| Mar 23, 2021
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really liked it
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David Kinch knows his way around a professional kitchen. His restaurant Manresa won an impressive three Michelin stars. He was featured on PBS’s Mind
David Kinch knows his way around a professional kitchen. His restaurant Manresa won an impressive three Michelin stars. He was featured on PBS’s Mind of a Chef, and he’s won a James Beard award. This man knows great food. But he puts all that aside on the weekends. If you work in a restaurant, your weekend is Monday and Tuesday, and it’s on Tuesday nights that Kinch invites family and friends over to share in a homemade meal in his home. Called the Pink Palace, Kinch’s home is filled with art and books and a half-completed jigsaw puzzle and music. Lots and lots of music. Although in many ways, At Home in the Kitchen is a cookbook filled with recipes that have specific measurements for each ingredient and cooking times and temperatures, Kinch emphasizes that one of the best tools you can bring into the kitchen is simply your attention. These dishes aren’t overly fussy, just simple ingredients cooked well. But only you can say when the potatoes are cooked to perfection in your oven. You’re the one in charge of how caramelized your onions get. And as any home cook knows, you have to pay attention to the butter in the pan, because once it’s gone past brown to burnt, you have to start over. Each of these recipes also comes with a musical suggestion. So if you’re planning to prepare a bunch of small plates to set out for the guests as they arrive and pick out something to drink, you can keep in mind that the Roasted Red Pepper & Onion Salad with Mozzarella and Basil pairs well with Gene Pitney’s “A Town without Pity.” Or the Smoky Eggplant “Caviar” goes well with Patti Smith’s “Soul Kitchen.” Kinch’s Salmon Rillettes pairs with Patsy Cline’s “Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray,” and Ike & Tina Turner’s “I Love What You Do to Me” is perfect for the Savory Strawberry Biscuits. There are recipes for salads and soups, pastas and rice. And what relaxed California cookbook would be complete without a chapter of All-Day Eggs and 2 A.M. Dinners? Because sometimes you need a SAvory & Sweet Omelet Souffle (“There’s a Light” by Shirley Ann Lee or a slice of Toasted Baguette with Dark Chocolate, Olive Oil & Sea Salt (The Rolling Stones, “Worried about You”). Sprinkled liberally throughout the recipes are tips for perfecting techniques to help you make the most of your ingredients. There are asides on how to shuck oysters, how to poach eggs, how to make gnocchi. If there is something you need to know to help you cook with confidence and extra flavor, Kinch has included it. But when you ask him about his favorite recipe to make for guests, his answer comes quickly: Roast Chicken. Personally, it’s my favorite too, but before this I didn’t realize how well it paired with “Listen Here” by Eddie Harris. As you flip through At Home in the Kitchen, the recipes seem to go on and on. Fish and seafood, meats and vegetables, and of course, desserts and drinks. There is a Day-After Meyer Lemon Tart (“Hanging on the Telephone” by Blondie), a Negroni, Three Ways (“Prodigal Son” by the Rolling Stones), and even A Nice Cup of Coffee (“Teenage Kicks” by The Undertones) to round out the day spent with those you love most. The book is cowritten by Devin Fuller, who has cooked her way up the ranks at Manresa and has spent many a Tuesday at the Pink Palace. She was the one who made Kinch quantify his recipes, trying to make them as precise and repeatable as possible. I have never met either of these chefs, but I would not be surprised to find out that she was the one who worked to bring these Tuesday night family meals to life in these pages. I really loved flipping through the pages of At Home in the Kitchen. It’s obviously a cookbook—there are lots and lots of recipes and cooking techniques. But it also feels a little like you just get to hang out with cool people, watching a professionally trained chef make magic in the kitchen while he offers up tips about how to upgrade your usual grilled cheese sandwich or what kind of wine to cook with or how to build a cheese course. Honestly, I wish I could spend a Tuesday sitting in a quiet corner of Kinch’s Pink Palace, watching the cooking and the eating and the laughing, letting the music roll over me, just soaking it all in, maybe working on that jigsaw puzzle in between bites. It sounds enchanting. For now, reading this cookbook and trying out some of the recipes is the closest I can come. Especially since I know if I pull out a jigsaw puzzle, my cat will try to eat the pieces. A copy of At Home in the Kitchen was provided by Ten Speed Press for an unbiased review, with many thanks. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 16, 2021
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Mar 31, 2021
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Mar 31, 2021
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Hardcover
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| 1984858475
| 9781984858474
| 1984858475
| 4.06
| 615
| unknown
| Mar 16, 2021
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it was amazing
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Some people cook like they’re reading complicated music. Each note needs to be played exactly as written, no exceptions. The recipes are followed to t
Some people cook like they’re reading complicated music. Each note needs to be played exactly as written, no exceptions. The recipes are followed to the letter, each ingredient measured carefully and added per the instructions, no room for personal tastes or substitutions. Other people walk into a kitchen, see what ingredients are there, and can come up with a dish on the fly. They can improvise like a great jazz musician, adding a little of this and a little of that, testing and tasting until the dish is just what they want. I am definitely in the former category. Every once in a while, I’ll try to experiment. But it never tastes as good as when I follow a recipe. That makes weeknight cooking challenging, because I need time and space to plan out a meal. And most nights when I come home from work, I don’t have the time or energy to pull that off. Enter Sam Sifton, the founding editor of New York Times Cooking, and his new collection of No-Recipe Recipes. For six years, he’s been sending these recipes out to Times Cooking newsletter subscribers every Wednesday, and now he’s collected the best ones into one small cookbook. So that cooks like me can learn the art of cooking without a recipe. These no-recipe recipes still have a list of ingredients, but there are no measurements. There are no fussy vegetable cuts, no intricate directions. There are good ingredients, simple instructions, and a relaxed attitude that allows you to let the tension roll away from your shoulders, to riff, to use the flavors you love and let go of all the restrictions. Whether you’re looking for a breakfast idea you can use for dinner (Savory French Toast with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil) or a filling lunch (Speedy Fish Chowder, or maybe the Ham and Brie Sandwich), you will find lots of ideas here. Maybe you need ways to add more fresh vegetables to the table (Corn Salad with Tomato and Arugula, or Roasted Sweet Potato Salad, or the Asparagus and Boursin Tart, made quick and easy with frozen puff pastry). Need some simple pasta or rice meals for a quick weeknight dinner? Try the Pasta with Sausage and Sage or the Ham and Cheese Pasta Shells with a Handful of Peas. You can mix up the Rice and Beans with Extras and serve it over rice, or you can clean out the leftover bits with the Instant Ramen, Back-of-the-Fridge Style. Craving seafood? Try the Salt and Pepper Shrimp, Miso-Glazed Scallops, or Teriyaki Salmon with Mixed Greens. Prefer a bird? There’s a Rotisserie Chicken Salad, Buffalo Chicken Dip, or Spiced Duck Breasts with Roasted Eggplant and Rice. Need still more options? How about Seared Lamb Chops with Lemon and Butter-Braised Potatoes, Smothered Pork Chops, Hasselback Kielbasa, Chorizo Nachos, Meatball Salad, or Sloppy Joes? A lot of these recipes come with tips and modifications to help you personalize them or find shortcuts for making them easier and more flavorful. Add to those your own ideas, inspiration, favorite flavors, and whatever might be hiding in your refrigerator, freezer, or pantry, and you have endless ideas for meals, snacks, and desserts for you, your family, and your friends. Almost any cookbook can teach you how to cook by number. But if you want to up your cooking game and learn to cook without a recipe, then The New York Times Cooking No-Recipe Recipes will help you learn to cook as improvisation, following flavors and making fast foods you can feel really good about. As I said, I’m a longtime recipe reader, but I’ve been wanting to branch out and learn to come home after work in the evening and improvise a delicious dinner that we’ll want over and over. I’m looking forward to digging in with this book and learning to turn a fridge full of real ingredients into a meal that will feed body and soul. At any rate, I know that the Pizza without a Crust will always be a big hit. A copy of The New York Times Cooking No-Recipe Recipes was provided by Ten Speed Press for an unbiased review, with many thanks. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 13, 2021
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Mar 19, 2021
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Mar 22, 2021
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Paperback
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| 0399581758
| 9780399581755
| 0399581758
| 4.36
| 2,091
| Sep 03, 2020
| Oct 13, 2020
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really liked it
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I feel bad for vegetarians. I think they need a superhero. For those of us who eat meat, there are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of cookbooks out th
I feel bad for vegetarians. I think they need a superhero. For those of us who eat meat, there are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of cookbooks out there just for chicken. Since we need to come up with new and interesting dishes for dinner every night, cookbook authors offer up every conceivable option for meat they can come up with—roasted, fried, braised, sauteed, grilled, and so on. Imagine that many cookbooks out there for kale, or for cauliflower. They just don’t exist yet. Well, put a cape on Yotam Ottolenghi, because he is a superhero for vegetarian and vegan cooks. He is doing everything he can think of to add interest and flavor to vegetables. His cookbooks are a love letter to the taste and texture of vegetables, and his latest, Flavor, is his strongest missive to date. In Flavor, Ottolenghi, along with his test kitchen chefs Ixta Belfrage and Tara Wigley, focus on 3 Ps: process, pairing, and produce. Add in his homemade condiments (aka his secret weapons: flavor bombs), and you can find vegetable recipes for main dishes, sides, and even desserts for the most vegetable-averse out there. We start with process, meaning a way of cooking a vegetable that brings out the most flavor. For this, he focuses on four processes: charring, browning, infusing, and aging. Charring bumps up the taste of dishes like Calvin’s Grilled Peaches and Runner Beans, Herb and Charred Eggplant Soup, and Slow-Cooked Charred Green Beans. Whereas browning adds depth and color to the Hasselback Beets with Lime Leaf Butter, Celery Root Steaks with Cafe de Paris Sauce, Curried Carrot Mash with Brown Butter, and Lime and Coconut Potato Gratin. Garlic-infused olive oil adds extra flavor to the White Bean Mash with Garlic Aioli. The Pappa al Pomodoro with Lime and Mustard Seeds gets its unique taste from an olive oil infused with chilis, curry leaves, and mustard seeds. And the Black Beans with Coconut, Chile, and Lime are also infused with garlic to add an extra burst of savory satisfaction. An aged miso butter adds a level of depth to the Rutabaga Gnocchi with Miso Butter, miso and wine add the complexity of aged flavors to The Ultimate Roasting-Pan Ragu, and parmesan adds a new level to the Spring Vegetables in Parmesan Broth with Charred Lemon Sauce. Pairings of ingredients can also add depth of taste, from adding sweetness to the Butternut, Orange and Sage Galette to adding acidity to Rainbow Chard with Tomatoes and Green Olives. Adding fat can add flavor to Kimchi and Gruyere Rice Patties, and chili heat can add pungency to the Spicy Berbere Ratatouille with Coconut Sauce. Produce shows the way to bring out the best in your vegetables, by adding the umami of mushrooms, the magic of onions and garlic, the texture of nuts and seeds, and the sugar in fruit and alcohol. The Spicy Mushroom Lasagne, Dirty Rice, Radish and Cucumber Salad with Chipotle Peanuts, or Tangerine and Ancho Chile Flan can demonstrate this with ease. Yotam Ottolenghi has long been known as the chef who can make vegetables sing. Flavor takes that melody he started in Plenty, the harmony he added in Plenty More, and added orchestration to his dishes in Flavor. That being said, I would not suggest these recipes for beginning cooks. These dishes are elevated and elegant, the equivalent of meals from a four-star restaurant, and the ingredients he uses as his go-tos are hard to find on the shelves of many local American grocery stores. These are intermediate to expert dishes, with the refinements that come from many years of cooking. But there is nothing wrong with getting the cookbook to read and aspire to, trying one of the simpler recipes to add a dramatic flair to a holiday dinner or dinner party, and then working up to the more complicated recipes. And those who are looking to elevate their vegetarian or vegan cooking will definitely find new ideas that can expand their cooking horizons and inspire new levels of taste and texture. The gorgeous photos used liberally throughout the entire book will entice and encourage all readers to try new recipes for their meat-free nights or side dishes. A copy of Flavor was provided by Ten Speed Press for an unbiased review, with many thanks. ...more |
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1
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Oct 12, 2020
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Oct 26, 2020
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Oct 26, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 0593157591
| 9780593157596
| 0593157591
| 4.32
| 520
| unknown
| May 05, 2020
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it was amazing
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Back when I was in my 20s, I decided to give up dairy. I figured I’d last a week or so and then collapse into a pile of ice cream, a failure. But you
Back when I was in my 20s, I decided to give up dairy. I figured I’d last a week or so and then collapse into a pile of ice cream, a failure. But you know, it turned out I was okay not having ice cream. I was okay not drinking milk. It was not getting to have cheese that broke me. I decided that dairy-free was not the life for me. (To be fair, that was more than a few years ago, and non-dairy cheeses have come a long way in since then.) So when I was gifted this book, That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life, I was immediately all in. I love a cheese plate, but I’ll be the first to admit that there is very little art in my game. I can slice cheese and put it on a board with some crackers, and that’s usually when I call it done. I have a feeling I won’t be satisfied with that anymore, especially since I know that there could be a salami river there. Author Marissa Mullen has spent years making cheese plates, eating them, photographing them, posting them on social media, teaching others how to make them, and sharing them with family and friends. And she has come up with a foolproof way to cheese by numbers, making it easy to create the perfect cheese plate. You just follow her simple six-step formula, and you can make your own perfect cheese tray. Or you can try one of the dozens she’s already perfected and just fill them in according to her directions. There’s That Back to Basic Plate that’s for beginners or That Cheese Party Plate, perfect for any gathering. A plate for lovers of goat cheese, French cheese, even a non-dairy cheese plate. And all that is just in the first chapter. You haven’t even gotten to the salami river yet. Using Mullen’s paint by cheese method, you start with cheese, then meat, produce, crunch, dip, and garnish. And the cheese plates in this book take you through that step by step. First you learn a cheese plate that is about the cheese, then you move on to adding meat (the river). Next comes the produce, and on through the entire method. These plates give you so many options for picnics, for tailgating, for the different seasons, for meat lovers, for brunch, for dessert, for any group or gathering you can think of. In addition to all the information you could ever need about cheese or cheese plates (not really—learning everything about cheese could take a lifetime, but this certainly gives you everything you need to get started), Mullen includes a handful of helpful recipes to up your game even more when you’re ready, like the Buffalo Mozzarella with Roasted Tomatoes and Balsamic Glaze, Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon with Goat Cheese and Basil, That Quick Pickle, and Dark Chocolate-Covered Strawberries. I am thrilled that That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life is a thing in the world that really exists. I know that I will use this as a resource often, for holidays and dinner parties and even for those nights that I don’t want to cook. Forget the spa days and pedicures, cheese is my new self-care! I received a free copy of That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life from The Dial Press in exchange for a free and unbiased review, with many thanks. ...more |
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1
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May 08, 2020
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May 12, 2020
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May 12, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 1984858335
| 9781984858337
| 1984858335
| 4.57
| 220
| unknown
| Nov 05, 2019
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it was amazing
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Yotam Ottolenghi is a European icon of cooking, particularly of vegetarian cooking. His restaurants, his cookbooks, his television shows are known for
Yotam Ottolenghi is a European icon of cooking, particularly of vegetarian cooking. His restaurants, his cookbooks, his television shows are known for his use of flavor, texture, and vibrancy to bring his dishes to life. I think Americans are less familiar with his work, and that’s why Essential Ottolenghi is the perfect way to get to know him. Essential Ottolenghi is a two-volume set of his cookbooks, Plenty More and Ottolenghi Simple, in paperback versions of their beautifully uncluttered original UK covers. These are two of his most inventive cookbooks, and as the box says, they are truly essential. Plenty More is the continuation of his second cookbook, Plenty. Both are iconic masterpieces of a vegetarian kitchen, and while Plenty elevated him to a worldwide food celebrity, Ottolenghi wrote Plenty More at a time in his career when he’d had the opportunity to do a lot more traveling and a lot more tasting, meaning that the recipes that he was creating when he wrote this had more flavor, more depth, and more beauty. As he grew deeper as a chef, as he’d had more time to experiment, his recipes could only get better, and those of us who read and cook from Plenty More get all the benefits of that experience. After a short introduction, where you get to meet Chef Ottolenghi and discover his point of view, the chapters are laid out in a progression that takes you through 12 different ways to prepare vegetables: tossed, steamed, blanched, simmered, braised, grilled, roasted, fried, mashed, cracked, baked, and sweetened. Filled with gorgeous photos and tempting combinations, you can be introduced to recipes like Tomato and Pomegranate Salad (tossed), Rice Salad with Nuts and Sour Cherries (steamed), Candy Beets with Lentils and Yuzu (simmered), Pea and Mint Croquettes (fried), and Eggplant Cheesecake (cracked). And there is so much more! And then, if you’re looking for something more than vegetables, try Simple. In this incredibly clever cookbook, Ottolenghi studied the way people really cook and adjusted his recipes accordingly. Maybe you like to just grab things out of your pantry and start cooking, or you want to put something on to braise for hours while you do other things. Maybe you don’t like a lot of ingredients or like to keep the freezer stocked. No matter how you like to cook, Simple has recipes for you. The chapters are divided into dishes or meals: Brunch; Raw Veg; Cooked Veg; Rice, Grains, and Pulses; Noodles and Pasta; Meat; Seafood; and Dessert. But the beauty of this cookbook lies in the code he’s used throughout to mark each recipe. They are all given one to six letters: S for short on time, I for 10 ingredients or less, M for make ahead, P for pantry, L for lazy, and E for easier than you think. Get it? He wrote these recipes so that they could be SIMPLE for home cooks. You just have to decide what kind of cook you want to be and pick a recipe that sounds good and fits your parameters. Looking for a make-ahead brunch item that doesn’t take too many ingredients? Try the Zucchini and Ciabatta Frittata (it’s also just fun to say). Need a pasta dish that you can pull from your pantry and not have to bother too much? You can go with the Fettuccine with Spiced Cherry Tomato Sauce. Short on time? Tackle the Lamb and Feta Meatballs or Seeded Chicken Schnitzel. Looking for a seafood dish that’s easier than you think? There’s the Bridget Jones’s Pan-Fried Salmon with Pine Nut Salsa (as a book nerd, I love the story behind this one!). Need a make-ahead dessert to help clean out your pantry? That Mint and Pistachio Chocolate Fridge Cake is calling your name. Essential Ottolenghi is a beautiful introduction to the universe of Yotam Ottolenghi. It offers you some of the best of his fundamental vegetable recipes along with a chance to cook simply and cleanly with the flair and finesse of a world-class chef. For me, the only thing that could make this boxed set better is the addition of his dessert book Sweet. Other than that, it’s pretty perfect. Gorgeous, varied, honest, flavorful, and with recipes for cooks of all skill level, Essential Ottolenghi is ideal for those who love the chef, those who want to get to know him, or as a gift for your favorite home cook. I’ve received a free copy of Essential Ottolenghi from Ten Speed Press in exchange for a free and unbiased review. ...more |
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Apr 26, 2020
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May 04, 2020
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May 04, 2020
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Paperback
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![The Outdoor Kitchen: Live-Fire Cooking from the Grill [a Cookbook]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1576629173l/51110382._SX50_SY75_.jpg)
| 0399582371
| 9780399582370
| 0399582371
| 3.92
| 24
| unknown
| Mar 24, 2020
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it was amazing
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Eric Werner knows how to cook over fire. He’s been doing it since he was a kid. His father was outdoorsy, so they would grill meats outdoors whenever
Eric Werner knows how to cook over fire. He’s been doing it since he was a kid. His father was outdoorsy, so they would grill meats outdoors whenever possible. Dinner at roadside grills, fresh fish, caught by ice fishing, grilled right there over the ice for them to eat. His school cooked meals over an open fire, so he learned to feed students before heading off to culinary school. Although he didn’t finish, he still went on to work in several impressive professional kitchens, where he just kept learning. But when it was time for him to open his own restaurant, he went back to what had always inspired him—cooking over open fire. And now he wants to inspire us to cook over an open fire too in The Outdoor Kitchen. Werner has a lot of strong ideas about what works best as a grill. His years of experience have taught him what works best to keep the fire going at the temperature that’s best to cook over. He understands how the flow of air affects the flames, how to draw the best flavors of the meats and vegetables, how to work the subtleties of the grill to create rich dishes with an intricate balance of smoke and sweetness. And now he is sharing everything he’s learned with us, starting with his design for the perfect grill and following up with 80 recipes that anyone can use to master the flavor that open-fire cooking can bring. In order to make Werner’s grill, you’ll need an ironworker, but in an age of artisans, that shouldn’t be too hard to find. And then you can create your own outdoor kitchen to master live-fire cooking yourself. (Wait, don’t stop reading yet. If you don’t want to have your own grill created from scratch, Werner offers ideas for hacking the grill you already have. It’s the cooking that’s more important than the grill.) Of course there are recipes for meats and fish. But there are also vegetables and sides, desserts, and even some cocktails that can be constructed using these open-fire cooking techniques. You know there is are steaks (Filet Mignon with Herb Butter, New York Strip with Poblano Worcestershire Sauce, Rib Eye for One with Caramelized Onions).. And chicken (Butterflied Chicken with Toasted Mustard Seed Oil, Chicken Legs with Onion and Smoked Date Jam). And pork (Hartwood Spiced Spareribs, Cast-Iron Pork Chops with Honey Vinegar). But there are also recipes for lamb, duck, quail, for chicken stock, for soup. Salmon with Almond-Tarragon Salsa Verde. Jerk-Smoked Shrimp on a Stick. Quick Sauerkraut, Cauliflower Steaks with Beer-Raisin Glaze, Grilled Corn, Sweet Potato Pancakes with Grilled Applesauce. Burnt Strawberry Ice Cream. Concord Grape Cheesecake. Smoked Chocolate Mousse. (I just need to say that one again. Smoked! Chocolate! Mousse!) Smoky 211 Margarita. Bloody Mary. Burnt Blood Orange and Bourbon Cocktail. The Outdoor Kitchen is a beautiful cookbook. The photography is stunning, picture after picture of beautifully charred foods, vegetables and meats from the breath-taking Whole Fried Fish to the gorgeous eggplant for the Eggplant Dip with Smoked Dates to the mouth-watering Porterhouse Steak with Butcher’s Salt. And if you want to know what kind of cookbook this is, there is a bookmark you can use to mark your place, made of leather. Okay, so it’s probably man-made leather, but to add that beautiful finishing touch to a cookbook makes you understand that this is not just a book filled with recipes. It’s a work of art. I’ve received a free copy of The Outdoor Kitchen from Ten Speed Press in exchange for a free and unbiased review. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 17, 2020
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Mar 24, 2020
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Mar 24, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 1400069920
| 9781400069927
| 1400069920
| 3.93
| 506
| Feb 18, 2020
| Feb 18, 2020
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it was amazing
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The crazier the world gets, the more we depend on our phones, the more we crave basic human connection. And what better way to connect with family and
The crazier the world gets, the more we depend on our phones, the more we crave basic human connection. And what better way to connect with family and friends than over a delicious dinner? Sam Sifton gets that. As the Food Editor for The New York Times, he understands both the hectic schedule of daily life and that inner drive for fellowship with others. And he’s come up with some ideas that can help us all, starting with chicken. Really, he starts his new cookbook, See You on Sunday, with a bunch of good information about how to plan and create a weekly supper that will feed and sustain the soul as well as the body. He talks the practical advice of picking wine, setting the table, even warming the plates—all the details that help provide the hospitality without formality. But then he moves on to the best part—the food. There is a big chapter on chicken. Why is that? Because it’s one of our favorite foods here in America, and it’s relatively inexpensive. A couple of roast chickens can go in the oven with just some simple seasoning, and an hour or so later, you have a hearty dinner. Or maybe you don’t want to do just another roast chicken. Then try the recipe for Chicken Adobo, Chicken Milanese, Chicken Paprika, Chicken Provencal, Chicken Shawarma, or Oven-Roasted Buffalo Chicken Wings. From there the ideas go to Big Meats. Pulled pork, ribs, pork chops, ham, roast beef, brisket, steaks, lamb. Then he talks Big Pots, like Chili, Gumbo, Beef Stew, Beef Stroganoff, and Mapo Ragu.. There are recipes for pastas, beans, rice, seafood, vegetables. There are a few words about salads, tips about serving breads, ideas for desserts. And because Sifton understands us, there is an entire chapter on Taco Night, and another just on pizza. The most important thing about these recipes is that they meet us where we are. He’s not trying to get us to create a whole different lifestyle. He doesn’t want us to throw formal dinner parties (or if we do, to make those separate from these Sunday suppers). He wants us to create meals that nourish our relationships and our spirits as well as our bodies. He gives us thoughtful options for keeping our grocery bill low or for stepping out of our comfort zone and trying something new. He doesn’t care about the Instagram-worthiness of the food. He just wants it to taste good, and for those gathered to enjoy themselves. See You on Sunday is a big cookbook with lots of gorgeous photos. But they’re not the glossy, magazine styled (overly styled) pages that you might expect from an Important Cookbook. The photos make the food craveable but realistic, honest, pure. This book is written from the perspective of a friend who you asked for advice on what to serve for dinner. He just has a bigger idea of what your dinner should be, and he wants you to jump on board and get excited about the idea too. And you know what? For me, I think it worked. I love this idea, and while I’m not sure we can pull off this kind of meal every week, we can certainly try to do it more often. Especially with all these lovely recipes to try out! I’ve received a free copy of See You on Sunday from Random House in exchange for a free and unbiased review. ...more |
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2
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Feb 10, 2020
not set
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Feb 18, 2020
not set
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Feb 18, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 1984856650
| 9781984856654
| 1984856650
| 3.47
| 53
| unknown
| Feb 18, 2020
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it was amazing
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Jami Curl is a self-admitted baking obsessive. When she worked as a professional, she made sure that every recipe was followed exactly. Everything the
Jami Curl is a self-admitted baking obsessive. When she worked as a professional, she made sure that every recipe was followed exactly. Everything they served had to be perfect. It all had to be hand-crafted. Every sprinkle had to be in place. And while I admire bakers like that, I am just not that person. But it’s okay, because even Jami Curl has come around to understanding what it’s like to be a busy home baker. In fact, she’s simplified the processes even more than anyone else I know. Baking Gold is the collection of her easy recipes and new, laid-back attitude for dozens of tasty treats. She starts with just a handful of doughs and batters, and uses those basic building blocks to create cookies, tarts, cakes, brownies, and bars with ease. For example, she shares her recipe for Butter Dough. And then follows with 7 different recipes you can create with it, from Everyday Holiday Cookies to Citrus-Vanilla Cream Dots to Jam Jambles to Maple-Pecan Not-Pie Bars. The Brown Sugar-Oat Dough can lead you to bake Goodie Snacktime Bars (with dried cherries, white chocolate, and toffee bits), Nutty Chocolate Oaties, or Apple-Citrus Crisp. Her Overnight Dough can inspire you to make her Caramel Sticky Buns, Gooey Cinnamon Swirls, Chocolate-Almond-Honey Butter Poufs (which look amazing!!), or Coconut Jam Tarts (or honestly, any kind of tarts you want; she includes several ideas for sweet and for savory here, if you need some inspiration to jump start your own creativity). But let me stop here for a minute and talk about these doughs, particularly the overnight dough. Anyone who has contemplated making homemade cinnamon rolls knows that it takes a lot of work. It’s a finicky dough, and it has to rise, and there are just a lot of steps that makes it seem like just eating cereal may be a better option. But the Overnight Dough in Baking Gold looks genuinely easy, especially if you have a stand mixer. You just add the ingredients, most of which an average baker has on hand, and let it rest overnight. There will be some proofing the next day, but the way that Curl has written these recipes, each step is simple, with just a handful of ingredients, but ending with a truly delicious treat. But these doughs are not enough. There are also 2 batters, Chocolate Sour-Cream Batter and Vanilla-Sour Cream Batter, so you can create any of the ten cake recipes she’s provided (Marshmallow-Cocoa Cake! Vanilla Celebration Cake! Cinnamon Crumble Cake!), or use add-ins and your own creativity to come up with your own. And still there is more! The Magic Mix is a quick mix of flour, salt, and baking soda, and can be used as a shortcut for cookies and brownies of all kinds, from Pretzel-Toffee-Chocolate-Cherry Cookies to Peanut Butter Brownies, Ginger-Molasses Cookies with Orange Zest to Malted Milk-White Chocolate Brownies. She even thinks to include ideas for a Brownie Party or Sprinkles Party and ways to give some of these treats away. The recipes are freezable, giftable, and absolutely delectable. So here’s where we are: 6 basic techniques, over 75 recipes, and a cookbook full of color, flavor, and lots of fun. Anyone who is nervous about home baking, or who needs a schedule-friendly recipe collection, can get excited about the magic that is Baking Gold. I know I’m excited! I’ve received a free copy of Baking Gold from Ten Speed Press in exchange for a free and unbiased review. ...more |
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1
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Feb 12, 2020
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Feb 18, 2020
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Feb 18, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 1607749254
| 9781607749257
| 1607749254
| 4.15
| 72
| unknown
| Oct 22, 2019
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it was amazing
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Texas chef David Norman knows a thing or two about bread. From his time in Sweden as an exchange student in high school to a semester in Germany while
Texas chef David Norman knows a thing or two about bread. From his time in Sweden as an exchange student in high school to a semester in Germany while getting his degree in the language to his time working in a series of bakeries across the United States, Norman learned an enviable number of lessons about the texture of bread and how breads are baked, served, and eaten. And now we are fortunate enough to have him share his experiences with us in his Bread on the Table. As the owner of Austin’s Easy Tiger Bake Shop and Beer Garden, Norman clearly knows a thing or two about fermentation. Although he originally started baking bread thanks to James Beard’s Beard on Bread simply so that he could find something other than that tasteless American white bread to eat, his techniques have evolved and been refined through his years of baking professionally and personally. Now he offers us a selection of bread recipes from around the world, with simpler recipes for beginning bread bakers and more complex approaches for those who want a challenge. In a truly unique manner of telling the story, Norman takes us around the world to sample breads and dishes that are eaten with them. Starting with the loaf that is the touchstone for so many, the simple French Country Bread, Norman begins with the basics and builds from there to add rye bread and sourdough and a Pullman bread (a classic sandwich bread) and moves on to bring in more foods of the French table to consume with the breads. There are recipes for La Charbonee de Boulanger, a hearty stew that could have been made in the “dying heat of the baker’s oven,” Oysters with Mignonette, and (one of my favorites) Croque Monsieur. From there it is off to Scandinavia, where we get to sample more rye breads, Swedish crispbread, and a Swedish “Wort” Bread. These get paired with Gravlax, a Christmas ham, Cultured Butter, and Christmas Kale. Then to Germany, where we learn about more yet rye breads as well as a whole wheat bread with flaxseeds, White Breakfast Rolls, and Easy Tiger Pretzels. He pairs these with Chef Drew’s Easy Tiger Beer Cheese and Wurstsalat, a Biergarten Sausage Salad. Then it’s off to Italy for a saltless Tuscan bread, Ciabatta, and Panini Press Bread, which he uses for Italian sandwiches, Crostini Tuscani (Tuscan Chicken Liver Toasts), and Cinghiale alla Cacciatora. The last stop in our culinary journey is Norman’s home in Central Texas, or as Norman puts it, “Baking Bread in a Tortilla Town.” This chapter includes recipes for White Pan Bread, Smoked Flour Fougasse, Mexican sourdough rolls, and Flour Tortillas. These he makes into Breakfast Tacos, Migas, and Torta Ahogada (a sandwich from Guadalajara). I hope I don’t sound disrespectful describing these recipes, especially the “yet more rye breads,” because that is the last thing I want. The truth is this book is so beautiful and filled with so many luscious recipes that I wish I could quit my job to stay home and bake bread full time. I am almost overwhelmed with the beauty and depth of these recipes. It would take months for me to even begin to learn what this cookbook has to offer. Bread on the Table is the sum of Norman’s experience in baking and eating bread, and it shows. It is a book to return to often for ideas and inspiration for the kinds of bread that turn a meal into a feast and a place into a home. Thanks for the free book, @tenspeedpress! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 15, 2019
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Oct 22, 2019
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Oct 22, 2019
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Hardcover
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![Simple Cake: All You Need to Keep Your Friends and Family in Cake [A Baking Book]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554145628l/40640817._SX50_.jpg)
| 0399581421
| 9780399581427
| 0399581421
| 4.24
| 368
| Mar 2019
| Mar 12, 2019
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it was amazing
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There are those who bake big, beautiful cakes, with lots of layers and exorbitant amounts of buttercream frosting covered in fondant and glamorous dec
There are those who bake big, beautiful cakes, with lots of layers and exorbitant amounts of buttercream frosting covered in fondant and glamorous decorations. I admire those people. I read their cookbooks. But I don’t make those cakes. I am busy and impatient, and I have no idea who all would eat those giant cakes. However, I do love cake. So when I saw Simple Cake, I thought, “This is perfect for me!” It has just a few recipes with lots of variations and topping ideas for small, charming, easy, non-fussy cakes. And the ones I tried are so delicious! I made the Back to School Cake, which is the Chocolately Chocolate Cake made in a 13”x9“ cake pan and sprinkled with powdered sugar. It is so moist and, well, chocolatey! This may be my new go-to recipe for chocolate cake. Then I tried the Lovely Lemon Yogurt Cake with the Citrus Glaze in a 9” pan, aka A Cake for the Working Week. I added the optional poppy seeds because lemon and poppy seed is one of my all-time favorite flavor combinations. It’s super moist too, and it was truly simple to put together. Simple Cake by Odette Williams is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a cookbook with simple cake recipes that will keep you and your family and friends very happy. Even though there are really only 10 basic cake recipes, the options and toppings mean those 10 cakes can be combined into a multitude of delicious desserts for every day and special occasions. This cookbook is perfect for beginners or for experienced bakers, like me, who struggle to find the time to make my own cake. I love Simple Cake! I highly recommend it, and I can’t wait to try more of these recipes (Very Vanilla Cake, I’m looking at you!). Thank you, Ten Speed Press, for the free book. I am so excited to be a part of your Ambassador Program for this book! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 27, 2019
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Apr 2019
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Mar 27, 2019
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Hardcover
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