3. 1000 RECIPES FOR SIMPLE FAMILY FOOD (Firefly, 2010, 400 pages, ISBN
978-1-55407-733-5, $29.95 CAD, hard covers) has been edited by Eleanor
Maxfield. It's a book packager's opus, from Octopus Publishing in the
U.K. And as such, it is pretty basic. If you count the spin-off
recipes, then you'll get 1000. Otherwise, it is one recipe to a page
plus photo. For example, under Budget Meals, there is jerk chicken
wings. The spin-off, in a lighter (and thus harder to read) typeface is
here jerk lamb kebabs. For the duck breast with a plum and mango salsa,
there is an apricot and lime salsa. These are variations. The
arrangement follows style, such as simple snacks, midweek meals, family
faves, one pot, vegetarian, kids, baked items, and desserts. There is
something here for everyone, but it is all basic at an affordable
price. Many dishes can be created in 30-minutes or so, and everything
is easy to follow, although the typeface could have been a bit larger.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: general home cooks, beginners.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: eggplant, tomato and feta
rolls; lima bean and bacon soup; goat's cheese and tomato tarts; feta
cheese and pepper tarts; sesame greens with black bean sauce; Mexican
pie; creamy blue cheese pasta; chocolate soufflés.
The downside to this book: the lighter typeface for the spin-off
recipes.
The upside to this book: a nice basic collection.
Quality/Price Rating: 81.
978-1-55407-733-5, $29.95 CAD, hard covers) has been edited by Eleanor
Maxfield. It's a book packager's opus, from Octopus Publishing in the
U.K. And as such, it is pretty basic. If you count the spin-off
recipes, then you'll get 1000. Otherwise, it is one recipe to a page
plus photo. For example, under Budget Meals, there is jerk chicken
wings. The spin-off, in a lighter (and thus harder to read) typeface is
here jerk lamb kebabs. For the duck breast with a plum and mango salsa,
there is an apricot and lime salsa. These are variations. The
arrangement follows style, such as simple snacks, midweek meals, family
faves, one pot, vegetarian, kids, baked items, and desserts. There is
something here for everyone, but it is all basic at an affordable
price. Many dishes can be created in 30-minutes or so, and everything
is easy to follow, although the typeface could have been a bit larger.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: general home cooks, beginners.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: eggplant, tomato and feta
rolls; lima bean and bacon soup; goat's cheese and tomato tarts; feta
cheese and pepper tarts; sesame greens with black bean sauce; Mexican
pie; creamy blue cheese pasta; chocolate soufflés.
The downside to this book: the lighter typeface for the spin-off
recipes.
The upside to this book: a nice basic collection.
Quality/Price Rating: 81.
4. WHOLESOME KITCHEN; delicious recipes with beans, lentils, grains and
other natural foods (Ryland, Peters, and Small, 2010, 160 pages,
$24.95US hard covers) is by Ross Dobson, an Australian chef, caterer,
and food writer with several cookbooks to his credit from Ryland Peters
& Small. These are mainly preps for pulses and grains, sorted by course
(appetizers, soups, salads, side, main dishes, and baking). The thrust
is ethnic, the excitement is spicy. All the recipes are useful,
especially for vegetarians. Preparations have their ingredients listed
in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of
equivalents.
Audience and level of use: beginners.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: ful medames; Moroccan fava
bean and cumin dip; Mexican taco salad with pinot beans and avocado;
chickpea and fresh spinach curry; chocolate and aduki bean paste phyllo
fingers; homemade semolina crumpets.
The downside to this book: there's shading on the pages with the
recipes, and thus some of them are hard to read.
The upside to this book: a useful bean cookbook.
Quality/Price Rating: 82.
other natural foods (Ryland, Peters, and Small, 2010, 160 pages,
$24.95US hard covers) is by Ross Dobson, an Australian chef, caterer,
and food writer with several cookbooks to his credit from Ryland Peters
& Small. These are mainly preps for pulses and grains, sorted by course
(appetizers, soups, salads, side, main dishes, and baking). The thrust
is ethnic, the excitement is spicy. All the recipes are useful,
especially for vegetarians. Preparations have their ingredients listed
in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of
equivalents.
Audience and level of use: beginners.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: ful medames; Moroccan fava
bean and cumin dip; Mexican taco salad with pinot beans and avocado;
chickpea and fresh spinach curry; chocolate and aduki bean paste phyllo
fingers; homemade semolina crumpets.
The downside to this book: there's shading on the pages with the
recipes, and thus some of them are hard to read.
The upside to this book: a useful bean cookbook.
Quality/Price Rating: 82.
5. THE DIABETES COOKBOOK (DK, 2010, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-5139-8,
$25 US hard covers) is from the editorial team at DK Books, along with
editorial consultant Amy Campbell, MS, RD, LDN, CDE. Who has written
other books about food and diabetes. There are 220 sensible recipes
here, with nutritional analysis for each. Preps have an indication of
service, preparation time, cooking time and freezing time. Much space
is also devoted to daily meal planning. Useful websites are noted, such
as for the DASH diet, the food pyramid, the glycemic index. Recipes are
sorted by meals – breakfasts, snacks, lunches, simple dinners
(vegetarian, fish, meat, poultry), sides, and desserts. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois
measurements, but there are no tables of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: diabetics, beginner cooks, even those
looking for a healthy lifestyle.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: curried salmon kebabs;
spiced bulgar wheat with feta and salsa; yellow split peas with peppers
and pea shoots; Spanish eggs; pan fried shrimp; eggplant and zucchini
tagine with couscous; pork tenderloin stuffed with chiles and tomatoes.
The downside to this book: the typeface seems a bit light even for the
thin font.
The upside to this book: good database of preps.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.
6. MICROGREENS; how to grow nature's own superfood (Firefly, 2010, 107
pages, ISBN 978-1-55407-769-4, $19.95 Canadian paper covers) is by
Fionna Hill, a gardener-floral designer who also writes books and
magazine articles. It's a wonder that this is one of the first books
about microgreens, the tiny seedlings of herbs and veggies, since they
have been on cooks' radar for over five years. Anyway, the volume
definition is that they are larger than sprouts but smaller than baby
salad greens. They are useful to grow in a limited amount of space such
as an apartment balcony or a window sill. Most varieties are ready in a
week, and they contain a large amount of nutritional material. Hill
gives us data on 20 popular varieties (arugula, beet, kale, peas,
broccoli, basil, et al), as well as a dozen recipes. Flavours range
from mild to hot, nutty or spicy, but microgreens are also
interchangeable to some extent. A recipe may call for only as handful
of microgreens: what they are will be up to what you grow.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of equivalents. There's
a glossary and some international websites, but nothing specific to
Canada.
Audience and level of use: adventurous cooks
Some interesting or unusual facts: "Flavours change as the plant grows.
As the leaves open, they begin to manufacture energy from light. That
gives them a change in flavour. The most intense flavour comes when
that first leaf opens."
The downside to this book: a bit short at only 107 pages, large type.
More could have been said.
The upside to this book: a useful single-product book.
Quality/Price Rating: 86.
7. PERFECT ONE-DISH DINNERS; all you need for easy get-togethers
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010, 266 pages, ISBN 978-0-547-19595-7 $32
US hard covers) is by Pam Anderson, former executive editor for Cook's
Illustrated and a prolific cookbook author (The Perfect Recipe series),
winning an IACP Award for best cookbook. Her book is neatly divided
into stews, casseroles, roasting pans, and summer salads with grilled
platters. It is a nice concept, and gets away from just a slow-cooker
or a casserole. These then are easy make-aheads, suitable for potlucks
or for entertaining with unique dishes. There are some menu suggestions
for quick apps, sides and desserts, plus a dinner drink or wine.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements,
but there is no metric table of equivalents. Some dishes use prepared
foods.
Audience and level of use: harried home cooks.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: one- pot penne with turkey-
feta meatballs; grilled antipasto platter; roast chicken with sausage
and vegetable stuffing; chicken potpie with green apples and cheddar
biscuits.
The downside to this book: tough competition with other one-pot books
out there in these tough times.
The upside to this book: good layout and enthusiasm.
Quality/Price Rating: 84.
8. PRESERVE IT! (DK Books, 2010, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-6208-0, $25
US hard covers) has been edited by Lynda Brown, with Carolyn Humphries
and Heather Whinney. Recipes come from a variety of sources, including
the Soil Association. This is another "times are tough" book, joining a
parade of preservation books this year. DK does it up with a certain
commercial slickness that I enjoyable to read and see. They always have
great visuals in the photography. The main theme here is using surplus
foods: fruit, vegetables, meats, fish, dairy. There are the usual step-
by-step fully illustrated instructions. The book covers jams, syrups,
sausages, cheese, butters, ciders and wines – all in 180 recipes and
with over 600 photos. The arrangement is by type of preservation,
beginning with natural storage. This is followed by drying, freezing,
sweet preserves, savoury preserves, bottled and canned foods,
preserving in oil, salting and curing charcuterie, smoking, and
brewing/vinting wines and beers and ciders. At the beginning of the
book, there is a heavy emphasis on equipment and on safety.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home cooks.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: beet wine; pea pod wine;
cranberry jelly; green bean and zucchini chutney; mushrooms in oil;
wet-cured ham; salted turkey.
The downside to this book: nothing really.
The upside to this book: covers more than it says it does.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
9. FAST BREADS; 50 recipes for easy, delicious bread (Chronicle Books,
2010, 144 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6570-8, $19.95 US paper covers) is by
Elinor Klivans, a magazine food writer who also has written cookbooks
on aspects of baking. Here she covers breads, buns and biscuits, both
sweet and savoury. It's arranged by topic, so there is a nice chapter
on quick breads (no yeast), corn breads, and another on refrigerator
breads, as well as bread dishes or bread toppings. The yeasted breads
use the popular quick-rise no-knead technique. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric
table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home cooks.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: savoury lemon-leek loaf;
cinnamon-caramel pinwheels; multigrain crusty bread; Gruyere and black
pepper gougeres; Sally Lunn bread.
The downside to this book: I wish there were more recipes, say 75.
The upside to this book: a nice collection of classic preps.
Quality/Price Rating: 84.
2010, 144 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6570-8, $19.95 US paper covers) is by
Elinor Klivans, a magazine food writer who also has written cookbooks
on aspects of baking. Here she covers breads, buns and biscuits, both
sweet and savoury. It's arranged by topic, so there is a nice chapter
on quick breads (no yeast), corn breads, and another on refrigerator
breads, as well as bread dishes or bread toppings. The yeasted breads
use the popular quick-rise no-knead technique. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric
table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home cooks.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: savoury lemon-leek loaf;
cinnamon-caramel pinwheels; multigrain crusty bread; Gruyere and black
pepper gougeres; Sally Lunn bread.
The downside to this book: I wish there were more recipes, say 75.
The upside to this book: a nice collection of classic preps.
Quality/Price Rating: 84.
10. PARTY VEGAN; fabulous fun food for every occasion (John Wiley &
Sons, 2010, 278 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-47223-1, $17.95 US paper covers)
is by Robin Robertson, author of Vegan Planet and 1000 Vegan Recipes.
She writes regularly for magazines on all aspects of vegans. Here she
promotes some 25 or so menus with animal-free recipes for all
occasions, from holiday meals and birthday parties to a tapas table or
Mother's Day brunch. The 140 dishes are extremely useful for parties of
any kind; each has an indication of whether it is a "make ahead" or
"Quick & easy". Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents.
There is also a separate listing of recipes by course, with an
indication of their status as a make ahead or as a quick prep.
Audience and level of use: vegans and vegetarians.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: two-potato shepherd's pie;
fava bean hummus; olive-and-caper stuffed cherry tomatoes; collard and
red bean fritters; baked enchiladas with mole poblano; quinoa-stuffed
Portobello mushrooms with wine-braised shallots.
The downside to this book: the purple ink can be fatiguing.
The upside to this book: you can still be a party animal who doesn't
serve animals at parties.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
Sons, 2010, 278 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-47223-1, $17.95 US paper covers)
is by Robin Robertson, author of Vegan Planet and 1000 Vegan Recipes.
She writes regularly for magazines on all aspects of vegans. Here she
promotes some 25 or so menus with animal-free recipes for all
occasions, from holiday meals and birthday parties to a tapas table or
Mother's Day brunch. The 140 dishes are extremely useful for parties of
any kind; each has an indication of whether it is a "make ahead" or
"Quick & easy". Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents.
There is also a separate listing of recipes by course, with an
indication of their status as a make ahead or as a quick prep.
Audience and level of use: vegans and vegetarians.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: two-potato shepherd's pie;
fava bean hummus; olive-and-caper stuffed cherry tomatoes; collard and
red bean fritters; baked enchiladas with mole poblano; quinoa-stuffed
Portobello mushrooms with wine-braised shallots.
The downside to this book: the purple ink can be fatiguing.
The upside to this book: you can still be a party animal who doesn't
serve animals at parties.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
11. SUPERFOODS; the healthiest foods on the planet (Firefly, 2010, 256
pages, ISBN 978-1-55407-684-0, m$24.95 Canadian paper covers) is by
registered dietitian Tonia Reinhard, who has authored other books
dealing with vitamins and nutrition. Here, she devotes a page to each
of some 200 superfoods. The definition of such is "nutrient-dense", one
that provides a high level of nutrients in a reasonable number of
calories (that is, more bang for the buck). There have been a number of
such books over the past two years; indeed, it has even reached down to
"Superfoods for Dummies". This one is arranged by food type:
vegetables, mushrooms, legumes, fruits, nuts and oils, herbs and
spices, grains, meats, dairy food, and beverages. She gives data on new
research between each food and health, and how effective that food is.
For each, she has details on nutritional content, seasonal variations,
curative value, combinations that enhance their efficacy and those to
avoid, how to maximize the beneficial effects of each, prep advice, and
culinary tips. But no recipes. There are lots here such as an
explanation of anti-oxidants, omegas, free radicals, enzymes, and
minerals. Certainly, you'd want to begin eating these foods before many
others.
Audience and level of use: for the nutritionally alert
Some interesting or unusual facts:
The downside to this book: just the latest in a stream of similar
books, and it may be superseded at some point.
The upside to this book: there are nutritional tables and a glossary.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.
12. INTENSELY CHOCOLATE; 100 scrumptious recipes for true chocolate
lovers (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 218 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-55101-1,
$27.95 US hard covers) is by Carole Bloom, a pastry chef and author of
ten other cookbooks on desserts (including "Chocolate Lover's Cookbook
for Dummies"). Chocolate is on a roll again--I'm surprised the price
hasn't climbed--and this is the latest book. For some people, you
cannot have too many chocolate books. This is a basic set of 100 preps,
covering cakes and cupcakes, brownies, muffins, tarts, cookies,
custards and puddings, mousses, truffles, candies, and frozen desserts.
There is a glossary of terms, a list of US sources for ingredients and
equipment, and even a table of weight and measure equivalents (all the
preps use avoirdupois). She itemizes the different percentage values of
cacao components, noting that recipes have to be adapted if you use,
say, a 85% chocolate in a prep calling for, say, 62%. Or vice versa.
There are lots of cook's notes and cooking instructions.
Audience and level of use: chocolate lovers, culinary students.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bittersweet chocolate
caramel swirl brownies; bittersweet chocolate tart with candied orange
peel and almonds; cocoa gingersnaps; milk chocolate chunk-pecan
biscotti; white chocolate crème caramel; hot malted milk chocolate.
The downside to this book: there is heavy competition amongst chocolate
books at this level.
The upside to this book: good photos.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
lovers (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 218 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-55101-1,
$27.95 US hard covers) is by Carole Bloom, a pastry chef and author of
ten other cookbooks on desserts (including "Chocolate Lover's Cookbook
for Dummies"). Chocolate is on a roll again--I'm surprised the price
hasn't climbed--and this is the latest book. For some people, you
cannot have too many chocolate books. This is a basic set of 100 preps,
covering cakes and cupcakes, brownies, muffins, tarts, cookies,
custards and puddings, mousses, truffles, candies, and frozen desserts.
There is a glossary of terms, a list of US sources for ingredients and
equipment, and even a table of weight and measure equivalents (all the
preps use avoirdupois). She itemizes the different percentage values of
cacao components, noting that recipes have to be adapted if you use,
say, a 85% chocolate in a prep calling for, say, 62%. Or vice versa.
There are lots of cook's notes and cooking instructions.
Audience and level of use: chocolate lovers, culinary students.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bittersweet chocolate
caramel swirl brownies; bittersweet chocolate tart with candied orange
peel and almonds; cocoa gingersnaps; milk chocolate chunk-pecan
biscotti; white chocolate crème caramel; hot malted milk chocolate.
The downside to this book: there is heavy competition amongst chocolate
books at this level.
The upside to this book: good photos.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
13. FALLING OFF THE BONE (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 254 pages, ISBN 978-
0-470-46713-8, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Jean Anderson, author of
more than 20 cookbooks (The Doubleday Cookbook, The Family Circle
Cookbook). She's been a six-time best cookbook award winner (Beard,
IACP, and others), founding member of Les Dames d'Escoffier and other
groups, and has been a powerhouse in the field of cookery in North
America. Impressive credentials -- so why then the log rolling from
Sara Moulton, Paula Wolfert, and James Villas? This is a basic meat
book collection of stews, soups, pies, ribs and bones, and the like,
for beef, veal (shortest chapter), lamb and pork. The emphasis, of
course, is on the cheaper cuts, both to save costs and to make more
flavourful food. The only connection is that there must be meat
"falling off the bone". For each she describes the best way to cook
each cut, along with a nutritional profile and advice on shopping,
storage and freezing tips. For beef and veal, there is brisket, chuck,
flank, oxtail, rump and shanks. For lamb there is breast, neck,
riblets, shanks and shoulders. And for pork, there is fresh ham, pig's
feet, and spareribs. At the back there are web resources for learning
more and buying off-cuts that supermarkets do not have. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is
no metric table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home cooks
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Finnish layered pork and
apple loaf; lamb neck slices in dill and lemon sauce; Lancashire hot
pot; Andalusian shepherd's stew; Lithuanian veal and cabbage pie;
Norwegian skipper's stew; stufatino; jade soup with pork and veal
dumpling balls.
The downside to this book: I was hoping for more exciting lamb recipes,
but most of the preps deal with Mediterranean-style lamb stews made
from the shoulder. Lamb necks used in stews seem to be UK in origin.
The upside to this book: a nice book for meat eaters.
Quality/Price Rating: 86.
0-470-46713-8, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Jean Anderson, author of
more than 20 cookbooks (The Doubleday Cookbook, The Family Circle
Cookbook). She's been a six-time best cookbook award winner (Beard,
IACP, and others), founding member of Les Dames d'Escoffier and other
groups, and has been a powerhouse in the field of cookery in North
America. Impressive credentials -- so why then the log rolling from
Sara Moulton, Paula Wolfert, and James Villas? This is a basic meat
book collection of stews, soups, pies, ribs and bones, and the like,
for beef, veal (shortest chapter), lamb and pork. The emphasis, of
course, is on the cheaper cuts, both to save costs and to make more
flavourful food. The only connection is that there must be meat
"falling off the bone". For each she describes the best way to cook
each cut, along with a nutritional profile and advice on shopping,
storage and freezing tips. For beef and veal, there is brisket, chuck,
flank, oxtail, rump and shanks. For lamb there is breast, neck,
riblets, shanks and shoulders. And for pork, there is fresh ham, pig's
feet, and spareribs. At the back there are web resources for learning
more and buying off-cuts that supermarkets do not have. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is
no metric table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home cooks
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Finnish layered pork and
apple loaf; lamb neck slices in dill and lemon sauce; Lancashire hot
pot; Andalusian shepherd's stew; Lithuanian veal and cabbage pie;
Norwegian skipper's stew; stufatino; jade soup with pork and veal
dumpling balls.
The downside to this book: I was hoping for more exciting lamb recipes,
but most of the preps deal with Mediterranean-style lamb stews made
from the shoulder. Lamb necks used in stews seem to be UK in origin.
The upside to this book: a nice book for meat eaters.
Quality/Price Rating: 86.
14. 7-DAY MENU PLANNER FOR DUMMIES (Wiley Publishing, 2010, 342 pages,
ISBN 978-0-470-87857-6, $19.99 US paper covers) is by Susan Nicholson,
RD/LD (registered and licensed dietitian). She has been writing a
syndicated newspaper column ("7-Day Menu Planner") since 1995, and her
book is based on that series. It manages to combine a number of
features that are trending in cookbooks these days: quick and easy
under 30 minutes, nutrition with low-fat and low-sugar, small budget,
seasonal, menus, and family meals. The book covers 52 weeks, beginning
with January. So if you buy the book in December, remember to start
with the appropriate week, such as week 48 or 49. Otherwise, you will
lose the seasonality. There's lots of primer type material on cooking
and nutrition, balance, and creating menus. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metric
tables of equivalents. Each recipe is laid out one to a page, good type
face and leading, with an indication of prep times, cook times, yields,
and nutritional analysis. The menus are categorized, so that every week
you can get something that matches "family", "heat and eat", "budget",
"kids", "express", "meatless" and "easy entertaining". And of course,
you don't have to follow the scheme, nor the seasonality. In effect,
this is a book of some 364 menus, a boon to the harried home cook for
the dinner meal. Breakfasts and lunches are on your own.
Audience and level of use: home cooks.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: week six provides a Mexicali
Round steak, rice, grapefruit salad, corn tortillas, flan, steak
tortillas, salsa, chopped lettuce and tomato salad, tropical fruits,
fettuccine, garlic breads, lettuce wedge, kiwifruit, sloppy joes, baked
chips, stuffed celery sticks, black bean soup, brown rice, banana
pudding, green salad, bow-tie pasta, winter squash and walnuts, spinach
salad, peaches, baked scallops, angel hair pasta, snow peas, Bibb
lettuce, sourdough bread, fruit tarts.
The downside to this book: the preps are basic, and can involve some
short cuts and prepared purchases.
The upside to this book: while I may not cook from this book's recipes,
I intend to use it for ideas and assessment, perhaps taking comparable
recipes from elsewhere.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
15. BON APPETIT DESSERTS (Andrews McMeel, 2010; distr. Simon &
Schuster, 689 pages, ISBN 978-0-7407-9352-3, $40 US hard covers) is by
Barbara Fairchild (editor-in-chief of Bon Appetit) and her staff, with
contribution from a wide-ranging collection of contributors (some from
Europe, others from the Caribbean). It's a basic book, with all of the
classics – totaling some 600 recipes, most from the magazine but also a
few that have not been published before. And it is an important book.
Yet it still has logrolling, such as by Molly Wizenberg and David
Lebovitz – logrolling has now become standard. If a book doesn't have
any, then the book may not be worthwhile – at least that's how the
thinking goes in marketing divisions. The range here is complete:
cakes, cheesecakes, pies and pastries, custards and puddings, fruit
desserts, frozen desserts, cookies, and candy. In addition to basic
primer material on equipment, pantry, and techniques, there is a
breakdown by degree of difficulty. Each prep gets rated: one "whisk" is
the easiest, four "whisks" are for the expert baker. So at the back of
the book there is a listing of preps by degree of difficulty, with each
prep being given a page reference and falling within one of the
categories such as cakes or cookies. The recipes are nicely laid out,
one or two to a page, with judicious use of bold face to indicate
important items (ingredients, quantities made, etc.). There's also a
list of online and mail-order sources (all US). Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metric
tables of equivalents. There's an index, of course, and it is quite
detailed, and presented in a larger font; this is a boon for tired
eyes.
Audience and level of use: home cooks or even small restaurants
attempting their own desserts, cooking schools.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Valentine cake; baklava
cheesecake; chocolate truffle croquembouche; profiteroles with caramel
sauce; frozen white chocolate and hazelnut dacquoise; tiered almond
cake; chocolate, orange, and macadamia buche de noel.
The downside to this book: given that there are few photos – only 50
for the plated product -- (this is the first Bon Appetit cookbook with
full-colour throughout, even though most of that colour is just
different ink for text), there is no need for every single page to be
clay-coated heavy. The book weighs an astounding 6.25 pounds and is
thus maddening to use. The gutters do not spread, so photocopying
recipes for in-kitchen use can be a trial.
The upside to this book: it needed to be done, especially since there
are others in the Bon Appetit series.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
Schuster, 689 pages, ISBN 978-0-7407-9352-3, $40 US hard covers) is by
Barbara Fairchild (editor-in-chief of Bon Appetit) and her staff, with
contribution from a wide-ranging collection of contributors (some from
Europe, others from the Caribbean). It's a basic book, with all of the
classics – totaling some 600 recipes, most from the magazine but also a
few that have not been published before. And it is an important book.
Yet it still has logrolling, such as by Molly Wizenberg and David
Lebovitz – logrolling has now become standard. If a book doesn't have
any, then the book may not be worthwhile – at least that's how the
thinking goes in marketing divisions. The range here is complete:
cakes, cheesecakes, pies and pastries, custards and puddings, fruit
desserts, frozen desserts, cookies, and candy. In addition to basic
primer material on equipment, pantry, and techniques, there is a
breakdown by degree of difficulty. Each prep gets rated: one "whisk" is
the easiest, four "whisks" are for the expert baker. So at the back of
the book there is a listing of preps by degree of difficulty, with each
prep being given a page reference and falling within one of the
categories such as cakes or cookies. The recipes are nicely laid out,
one or two to a page, with judicious use of bold face to indicate
important items (ingredients, quantities made, etc.). There's also a
list of online and mail-order sources (all US). Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metric
tables of equivalents. There's an index, of course, and it is quite
detailed, and presented in a larger font; this is a boon for tired
eyes.
Audience and level of use: home cooks or even small restaurants
attempting their own desserts, cooking schools.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Valentine cake; baklava
cheesecake; chocolate truffle croquembouche; profiteroles with caramel
sauce; frozen white chocolate and hazelnut dacquoise; tiered almond
cake; chocolate, orange, and macadamia buche de noel.
The downside to this book: given that there are few photos – only 50
for the plated product -- (this is the first Bon Appetit cookbook with
full-colour throughout, even though most of that colour is just
different ink for text), there is no need for every single page to be
clay-coated heavy. The book weighs an astounding 6.25 pounds and is
thus maddening to use. The gutters do not spread, so photocopying
recipes for in-kitchen use can be a trial.
The upside to this book: it needed to be done, especially since there
are others in the Bon Appetit series.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
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