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Category: Gourmet

Review: The Entrees by Gail Monaghan

[ 12 ] May 21, 2011

Reviewed by Jen Kulman

The Entrees is a very sophisticated cookbook. It’s quite a bit more upscale than my cooking, but I couldn’t bear to give it a poor review just because it’s over my culinary head. In the foreword, it is referred to as a “magnificent tome” which struck me as the perfect description. The Entrees is a collection of recipes from legendary chefs and restaurants, when food was served with a flourish, and calorie count was not a concern. To borrow a phrase from the book: this is the essences of old time gastronomy. These are definitely dishes that take a bit of planning and time, but would yield impressive results and certainly be worth your efforts.

Although I will probably not make many dishes from The Entrees, I still admire the book as a whole. It is well thought out and beautifully put together. Gail Monaghan carefully selected dishes that made her feel as though she was stepping back in time. Her criteria were threefold: the dish had to be delicious, contain no wildly expensive ingredients, and could be made in a home kitchen. The 75 selected recipes are organized by these chapters: Fish and Shellfish; Chicken, Duck, Guinea Hen, Pheasant, Turkey, and Rabbit; Beef, Veal, Lamb, and Pork; and Omelettes, Main Course Salads, Pasta and Polenta.

The dishes here are elegant and old school. Coulibiac of Salmon Colette is described as a Russian pie filled with fish, vegetables, rice and hard-boiled eggs, with the pastry crust carefully shaped and designed to resemble a whole fish. Braised Rabbit is a spiced stew that, given a chance, could convert you to love rabbit as more than just a fuzzy yard-dweller. There are less exotic dishes as well, including Beef Wellington, Steak Diane, and Chicken Tetazzini.

I adore Gail’s introduction to each recipe, and as a result, this is a bit like a cross between cooking instructions and a history lesson. These are fascinating, personal glimpses into history, like Diamond Jim’s Brady’s obsession with obtaining the Sole Marguery recipe, or Julia Child’s practical tips on preparing Navarin of Lamb. The Entrees is the cookbook that can keep you entertained for hours, and significantly raise your level of cooking. If you enjoy creating culinary masterpieces, this is most certainly the right cookbook for you.

Rating: 4/5

Jen lives in Michigan with her husband and six year old son. She writes reviews of children’s books on her blog, FIRR-Kids and loves filling her own shelves with cookbooks.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Rizzoli Publications. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Sarabeth’s Bakery by Sarabeth Levine

[ 7 ] April 14, 2011

Reviewed by Jen Kulman

Swoon. That’s how you’ll feel holding Sarabeth’s Bakery in your hands. My gosh, there isn’t one aspect of this book that isn’t stunning. The size (lovely ten inch square pages) and heft (four pounds) of the book alone whisper that this one is special. Reading the introduction is like beginning a novel you just know will be riveting, after only digesting the first two paragraphs. The photographs are nothing short of perfection, and the directions are incredibly detailed. But the very best of all, in my opinion, is the writing that prefaces each chapter and accompanies the recipes. Yes, the secrets to some of the most amazing baked goods and techniques are being passed from her hands to ours, but the writing feels as though it is straight from her heart.

My first choice was Apple Cinnamon Loaf, a yeast based dough studded with cinnamon and fresh apples. The dough was made quickly in my stand mixer, stretched into a large rectangle and spread with a mixture of sweetened, chopped apples before being rolled up into a log – quite like making cinnamon buns. This recipe (and many others) calls for an interesting rise method – place the dough on a baking sheet inside a regular kitchen trash bag. Insert a glass of hot water, closing the bag tightly, but catching enough air inside the bag so that the dough won’t touch the plastic as it rises. This method was new to me, but it worked beautifully.

The recipe steps are clear cut and wonderful. After I rolled up my dough, it states to cut the log into one inch slices, then further into one inch squares. Sarabeth writes “It will look like quite a mess, but you’re doing the right thing.” Those are exactly the sort of directions I treasure in a cookbook, that much needed assurance that I’m not mucking it up. She was right, it was a mess raw, but once baked, the loaves were beautiful, a twisted design of fluffy bread interspersed with a sweet, spicy apple mix. Two loaves of goodness with only a half stick of butter and 3 tablespoons of sugar. It was a bit of kitchen magic, I tell you!

Truly, Sarabeth’s Bakery is an absolute gem! It is impossible to list all the recipes that I wanted to try, but I do know the Chocolate Chubbies, her signature Pumpkin Muffins, and Margaret’s Espresso Cake will be made here before month’s end. Please consider treating yourself or a baker friend to this – you won’t be sorry. If I were forced to choose only a handful of cookbooks to keep, this would most definitely make the cut. Sarabeth has produced a stunning book that will help you shine in your own kitchen.

Rating: 5/5

Check out the Sarabeth’s Kitchen website for some sample recipes

Jen lives in Michigan with her husband and six year old son. She writes reviews of children’s books on her blog, FIRR-Kids and loves filling her own shelves with cookbooks.

Review and giveaway copies are provided free of any obligation by Rizzoli Publications. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Your Time to Cook by Robert L. Blakeslee

[ 6 ] April 3, 2011

Reviewed by Jen Kulman

I’m sure I’m not the only one who is perpetually on the lookout for a great bridal shower gift. As much as I appreciate a good registry, it’s always nice to wrap up a little something the couple is not expecting. Cookbooks are one of my favorites – they can be paired with any number of registry items and still appear to be a cohesive gift.

Your Time to Cook is an excellent choice for beginners because the author provides instructions intended for cooks who are starting from scratch and does not assume the users have any prior kitchen knowledge. Inexperienced cooks may sometimes be put off by cookbooks that don’t give enough explanation – no fear of that here! The author specifically states he intended this to be useful for “people who are clueless in the kitchen.”

Before we wade into the recipes, there is a wonderful section in the front titled “Getting Started” that delves into the basics. Get the skinny on kitchen appliances and gadgets, plus find out which pots, pans, knives and baking equipment are essential for success. This section is pretty large because it covers a lot of the information a cook should learn before slipping on the potholders. Cooking terms and techniques are discussed, there’s an tutorial on how to stock a pantry, and some really great entertaining menus are provided.

All the recipes follow a particular format: list of ingredients, tiny illustrations of the utensils you will need, and the best part – a photo accompanying each step of the recipe. How great is that? For people who are unsure of themselves in the kitchen, I really think this is the best help of all – visual cues for assurance. For example, Baked Brie en Croute shows the brie round placed on the puff pasty, how to fold the pastry neatly around the cheese, the bundle brushed with egg, and then the finished product. The photos make it extremely easy to follow and the thorough directions are practically a guarantee for success.

Just about every type of recipe is offered here, from pancakes and waffles all the way to a whole roasted chicken. Plenty of instruction, tons of photos for guidance, handy tips, and useful guides all make Your Time to Cook a terrific choice for anyone who needs a bit of help getting started in the kitchen.

Rating: 4.5/5

Check out yourtimetocook.com for some sample recipes

Jen lives in Michigan with her husband and six year old son. She writes reviews of children’s books on her blog, FIRR-Kids and loves filling her own shelves with cookbooks.

Review and giveaway copies are provided free of any obligation by Square One Publishers. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: The Earthbound Cook by Myra Goodman

[ 4 ] December 19, 2010

Reviewed by Nina L.

The Earthbound Cook book is a wonderful collection of tasty, nutritious recipes and eco-friendly kitchen ideas. Brought together by Myra Goodman, co-founder of Earthbound Farms, the country’s largest producer of organic produce, this book contains 250 recipes from starters to sides, meat dishes to breads, salads to deserts, and many more.

Besides the recipes, Goodman also poses questions to enhance the reader’s knowledge of the green kitchen. What does USDA Organic Certification means? How can we better understand Eco-Labels for Meat? What are the benefits of choosing organic dairy products? Should we use the microwave or the stove to heat leftovers? Through her simplified explanations, Goodman shows how little changes made in the kitchen can truly impact the world around us.

Great idea aside, the test of any good recipe book is the recipes. These range from simple to complex. The Butternut, White Bean and Chard Soup is a hearty bit of comfort on a cold fall day. One of my current favorites is the Oatmeal, Carrot and Apple Breakfast Squares; I made this recipe for the office and no one would believe that it was a breakfast food and nutritious. The squares went quick! This book has allowed me to learn new uses for less than ordinary fruits and vegetables in combination. The Italian Sausage with Fennel and Grapes is a wonderful amalgamation of flavors and is very satisfying during the cold autumnal months.

[amazonify]0761156348[/amazonify]In her introduction, Myra Goodman explains her intentions for The Earthbound Cook: it is a cookbook with 250 recipes, it is a reference guide of cooking tips, and it is an informative introduction to mindful cooking choices. The essays on eco-friendly options are succinct and instructive without being preachy. Often, Goodman plays devil’s advocate to her own ideas as she ponders the benefits and detriments of such topics as frozen versus canned vegetables and fruits when the fresh varieties are out of season. However, the true value of a cookbook is in its recipes, and The Earthbound Cookbook is sure to please in its variety, nutrition, simplicity, and deliciousness.

Nina Longfield is a writer living in Oregon’s fertile wine country. When she is not reading or writing in her spare time, Nina enjoys hiking in the hills surrounding her cabin.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Workman Publishing. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Gift Idea: Wilton Cookie Exchange

[ 4 ] December 17, 2010

Reviewed by Alice L.

Wilton Cookie Exchange arrived just in time since I had my first cookie exchange with my mothers’ group last week. There were four people participating so I had to make forty-eight cookies (a dozen for each family, including my own).

Cookie Exchange is not your ordinary baking book. It does have some delicious and easy to follow cookie and baked goods recipes, but the majority of the book is aimed at the more “serious” baker who likes to decorate her creations. I wish I had the book earlier when I was preparing for my daughter’s birthday party! I spent way too long standing in Wilton isles trying to figure out which design I wanted and what size of pastry bag tip I needed.

Cookie Exchange contains so many different ways to decorate Christmas tree cookies, gingerbread man cookies, and many others. It also gives details on how to make a festive cookie exchange party, including tips on invitations, stacking cookies and presentation.

The beginning of the book provides basic explanations on how to make and decorate your cookies – everything from mixing and rolling the cookie dough to detailed tutorials on decorating techniques. Once you read through the instructions and tips, the pictures of cookies in their galleries become less intimidating. While the intent of the book is to prepare one for participating in a Christmas cookie exchange, this cookbook also provides lots of detailed instructions on decorating cookies which do not necessarily have to be Christmas themed.

Wilton Cookie Exchange by Wilton is not a cookbook for someone who is looking for simple baking recipes, rather, it is a cookbook for someone who has a desire to learn to decorate cookies that are going to make statement.

Alice is a former city girl who now resides in an Ohio suburb with her husband (and college sweetheart) Justin and their busy toddler, Amelia. She is a stay-home-mom and when she is not chasing her daughter, she enjoys cooking, reading, and little bit of retail-therapy.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Wilton Enterprises. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Family Comfort Favorites by Kim Warren

[ 4 ] December 12, 2010

Reviewed by Alice L.

When Family Comfort Favorites by Kim Warren arrived in my mailbox, I could not help but notice how appropriate the cover of the cookbook appeared for its title. The author is smiling wide against an earthy-colored kitchen background – it screamed homemade comfort food to me immediately.

With the holiday season rapidly approaching, I was eager to investigate what this cookbook had to offer and it turned out that the inside matched the title just as much as the outside. There is nothing “dolled up” or fancy about the recipes, and instead the focus is on delicious comfort foods. At the end of the cookbook, Kim Warren placed a collage of her family photos, including some old black and white photos. To me, an old picture of a grandparent when they were young is the epitome of family comfort.

The first thing I noticed when I started going through the recipes in Family Comfort Favorites was how big the print was. I have pretty good eyesight (with the help of my contact lenses), but there were so many times that I wished the print were larger when I was in the kitchen making food.  When you are mixing in ingredients while trying to follow the steps of a recipe, the small font can quickly become very frustrating.

Family Comfort Favorites not only offers a huge picture of what the finished dish is supposed to look like, but it also provides small step-by-step pictures so that the reader can easily follow the recipes.  In addition, Kim Warren’s recipes use simple ingredients (the kind that you normally have in your pantry), and her steps are short and simple as well.

I made Garlic Herb Bread from Family Comfort Favorites to go with a pasta dish and it was absolutely delicious. I will never buy the store-boxed frozen garlic bread again.  Family Comfort Favorites by Kim Warren is the perfect cookbook if you are looking for recipes to make on a week night – something simple, easy, and tasty.

Visit Cooking with Kim website for some sample recipes!

Alice is a former city girl who now resides in an Ohio suburb with her husband (and college sweetheart) Justin and their busy toddler, Amelia. She is a stay-home-mom and when she is not chasing her daughter, she enjoys cooking, reading, and little bit of retail-therapy.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Arnica Publishing. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook by Phyllis Pellman Good

[ 3 ] December 8, 2010

Reviewed by Jen K.

The holidays are truly one of the best times to put your slow cooker to use. Typically, the oven is tied up, the stove top is crowded with pots and you still have side dishes to get on the table. What could be better than a hard working, easy to use slow cooker? There’s just the little matter of what dishes can be successfully made in there. Enter Phyllis Pellman Good, that author of the entire Fix-It and Forget-It series, which has ranked among the top ten best-selling cookbooks for over seven years.

This holiday addition to the cookbook line includes 600 easy to prepare recipes pulled from the files of generous cooks across the country. On the whole, I think these recipes are pretty basic – you will not be stumped by exotic ingredients or stymied by multi-step preparations. I would refer to this cookbook as “down home cooking” as the recipes rely on fresh or frozen vegetables, common cuts of meat, and readily available spices and seasonings. Creamed soups put in an appearance in a fair number of recipes and there is a [amazonify]1561487015[/amazonify]lack of emphasis on low-fat or reduced calorie dishes. For the holidays, just let go and embrace your inner meatball! You’ll find flavorful soups and stews, cheesy appetizers, chicken casseroles, barbecue sauced meats and creamy potato dishes.

The recipes are lined up in neat columns, with approximately three per page. A festive mood is created with the recipe titles in holly berry red and a miniature green crock pot icon steaming sweetly over each title. There are not photos of any of the finished dishes, but there are “Ideas for Meaningful Holidays” and “Happy Hosting Tips” scattered throughout. It’s a fun, sweet cookbook that will save you time and space in the kitchen. Just like the title advertises, fix it and forget it!

Check out our review of Fix It and Forget It Kids Cookbook!

Jen lives in Michigan with her husband and six year old son. She writes reviews of children’s books on her blog, FIRR-Kids and loves filling her shelves with cookbooks.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Goodman Media International. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: The Primal Blueprint Cookbook by Mark Sisson with Jennifer Meier

[ 10 ] November 29, 2010

Reviewed by Jen K.

Technically, The Primal Blueprint Cookbook is classified as a diet cookbook, but really it is intended as a guide to changing the way you eat for life. The Primal Blueprint Cookbook plan focuses on eschewing modern foods and eating the way our ancestors did – as simply as possible. When humans were foragers, they relied on meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. By returning to this primary way of living off the land, your body will naturally receive and benefit from the nutrients and vitamins it requires. Intentionally absent are grains and sugars, and dairy products are limited. A healthy body has no need for the overly processed foods that society has come to rely on due to their convenient nature.

Primal cooking relies on a abundance of fresh vegetable and nourishing fats. Bread and cereal may be off limits, but will it matter when bacon, marinated roast beef, chicken dishes, eggs and seafood are approved? Some of the recipes are off the beaten path, but seem really incredibly interesting. Egg white crepes are used instead of corn tortillas for a pan of enchiladas, Summer Squash Noodles are served as a substitute for pasta, and Mashed Parsnips take the place of traditional mashed potatoes. Some of the recipes are less mainstream, which is pretty much the entire Offal chapter, but there are plenty of others to choose from if you aren’t feeling that adventurous.

I’m impressed with how many flour-free baked goods are presented here, which I never would have thought possible. You can still bake up Pumpkin Nut Muffins, Coconut Pancakes, and Nut Butter Bars. Don’t feel that desserts are a thing of the past, as Chocolate Truffles, Walnut Meal Brownies and Coconut Milk Ice Cream are [amazonify]0982207727[/amazonify]all on the menu. I particularly like the chapter titled Marinades, Sauce and Dressings – the secret weapons that make inexpensive meats come alive and vegetables sing with flavor. I have never considered making my own mayonnaise, but this photo makes me want to give it a shot.

Mark Sisson presents a compelling argument, but I’m not entirely sold on the idea that a steady diet of meats are one of the healthiest choices we can make for our bodies. If you do subscribe to his theory, The Primal Blueprint is a fabulous cookbook to have in your arsenal. A wide collection of recipes are presented, full page photos of each dish, plus succinct directions and explanations. There’s even a bit of humor thrown in along the way. In all, a fascinating, innovative cookbook.

Jen lives in Michigan with her husband and six year old son. She writes reviews of children’s books on her blog, FIRR-Kids and loves filling her shelves with cookbooks.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Dunn Pellier Media. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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