...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A
paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also
give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a
postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new
layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to
present it as more informative text while keeping the focus
tight. Here are some recent "re-editions"...
16. OFF-PREMISE CATERING MANAGEMENT. 3rd ed. (Wiley, 2013, 550
pages, ISBN 978-0-470-88971-8, $70 US hard covers) is by Chris
Thomas, a food and drink writer for more than 30 years and now a
consultant, and by Bill Hansen, who owns his own catering firm.
This is a practical guide, first published in 1995 by Bill
Hansen. Thomas has taken over and extensively reviews the off-
premise caterer's job – including menu planning, pricing, food
and beverage service, equipment, packing, delivery, and set-ups.
Also: legal implications, financial considerations, human
resources, marketing, and health/safety regulations. This new
edition, last revised in 2005, has stuff on sustainable
("green") practices, current food trends, recent equipment,
website developments, and social media marketing. There's a
brand new chapter on beverage service that includes material on
off-premise bar setups (always a sticky point here in Ontario),
new cocktails and their ingredients, and guidance on selecting
the right beers and wines for events. Along the way there are
forms, schedules, and checklists of value, illustrative of
actual circumstances in the field. There is also an Instructor's
Manual available. Of course, it is a text book, so each chapter
ends with a useful summary and some questions for discussion.
Quality/price rating: 88.
17. BREAD. 2d ed. (Wiley, 2013, 478 pages, ISBN 978-1-118-13271-
5, $45 US hard covers) is by Jeffrey Hamelman, bakery director
of the King Arthur Flour Company and a Certified Master Baker.
He was captain of Baking Team USA, and the first edition of this
book won a Beard Award. This second edition includes 140 step-
by-step recipes for a range of breads; 40 of them are new to
this edition. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both
metric and avoirdupois measurements, and there are also tables
of metric equivalents. There's a glossary and a bibliography,
and as well, there are specialized sections in the appendix for
developing and perpetuating a sourdough culture, additives,
baker's percentages (scaling), computing batch coat, and sample
proofing skeds.
He opens with a primer on baking and hand mixing, and then moves
on to types of breads: yeasted pre-ferments, levains,
sourdoughs, and regular dough. There are also chapters on
braiding techniques and decorative/display projects.
Unfortunately, there is nothing on gluten-free breads – which is
now a coming food trend. Quality/price rating: 87.
18. GLUTEN-FREE COOKING FOR DUMMIES. 2d ed. (John
Wiley & Sons, 2013, 362 pages, ISBN 978-1-118-39644-
5, $19.99 US soft covers) is by Danna Korn and Connie
Sarros, both authors of gluten-free cookbooks. The
first edition was originally published in 2008, and
of course much has happened in the gluten-free world
since then, In fact, it is now a highly respected
growth industry. The book is a practical guide, with
basics of what is and what is not gluten-free, how to
set up a pantry and kitchen, the various flours
available, about 165quick recipes, comfort foods, and
cooking gluten-free with the kids. And of course,
there are Rich Tennant's wonderful drawings. There's
a quick list of some ten top comfort foods such as
mac and cheese, clam chowder, puddings, veggie soups,
potato salad, meatloaf, and more. Prep times, cooking
times, and yields are clearly indicated. For this new
edition, there are additional recipes from Cindy
Kleck, RD, LD, who is also a cookbook author. These
preps are a bit more easy than the 20 or so harder
ones in the first edition. There is also anew chapter
on meal planning, ethnic foods. It is more a book now
on the gluten-free lifestyle. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but
there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price
rating: 87.
19. LAROUSSE ON PASTRY (John Wiley & Sons, 2012, 448 pages, ISBN
978-1-118-20882-3, $45 US hard covers) is the English
translation of the 2009 French edition, which was published to
great acclaim. Here are 200 recipes (each with a photo or more)
for "everyone, from beginner to expert". It has coverage from
chocolate, fruit, cookies, summer sweets, and small snacks – in
chapter order. All-time favourites include gateau basque,
montpensier, kugelhopf, far Breton, crème brulee, sabayon, and
blancmange. There are also 30 "cooking classes" (illustrated
techniques) for such toughies as lining tartlet molds, blind
baking, short crust pastry, and the jam cooking method. At the
back of the book, there is an excellent pastry glossary plus two
recipe indexes by ingredient and by name. The book should get
you through about 95% of all your pastry needs. A great gift
idea, too. Preparations have their ingredients listed in
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric
equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89.
20. TASSAJARA COOKBOOK; lunches, picnics & appetizers (Gibbs
Smith,
2007; distr. Raincoast, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-3183-5,
$24.99 US paper covers) is by Karla Oliveira, a nutritionist and
professional chef (over 25 years) with a lot of credits. This is
the paperback reprint edition. The Tassajara Zen Mountain Center
(Buddhist monastery in California's Ventana Wilderness) is
famous for its healthy vegetarian cuisine, including its bag
lunches. This book contains many recipes for savoury breads,
pates, sandwich fillings, granolas, salads, chutneys and
relishes, sauces and marinades, and baked goods and sweets such
as cookies (vegan and dairy). It is fabulous fare for appetizers
and small plates, as well as lunches for vegans and vegetarians.
You can even use the recipes and ideas to prepare school lunches
for your kids; it'll be a lot healthier than the high-fructose
corn syrup stuff in prepared foods. There's a concluding chapter
on prepping the food, such as the composition of a sandwich with
all of its accoutrements (such as condiments, pickles,
cheese/butter/eggs, vegetables, fruit), what to put spreads on
to, lunch bag ideas for carrying the food, and metric conversion
charts. Try some basil-lime-pumpkin seed pesto, or roasted
eggplant compote, or almond pate, tempeh salad, couscous salad,
and cappuccino coins. Quality/Price Rating: 90.
21. FALLING OFF THE BONE (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 2013, 254
pages, ISBN 978-1-118-39354-3, $19.99 US soft 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. It was originally published in 2010, and this the 2013
straight paperback reprint. 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
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.
Some interesting recipes include 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. 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. Quality/Price Rating: 86.
22. TECHNIQUES OF HEALTHY COOKING. 4th edition. (John Wiley &
Sons,
2013, 560 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-63543-8, $75 US hard covers) is
from
the Culinary Institute of America. It was first issued as a
manual in
1990, and it has evolved somewhat into something bigger. The
third edition was in 2008. It presents
the dietary guidelines (restrictions, nutrients, labeling), with
details for healthier choices on menus. The CIA discuses
ingredient
options and serving sizes. The book develops recipes for menus;
there
are 500 preps here, many showing how to cook with less of
everything
(less fat, salt, sugar, alcohol, and – dare I say it – less
food). The
150 colour photos illustrate techniques and plated final dishes,
as
well as ingredients and equipment. Servings are for 10-15
people, and the
ingredients are in both avoirdupois and metric weights and
measures.
The appendix covers recipe analyses. The resources guide details
readings (but just about all of the books are from the last
century), tables and a glossary. There are two separate indexes
for
subject matter and for recipes. Quality/Price rating: 90.
23. NUTRITION FOR FOODSERVICE AND CULINARY PROFESSIONALS. 8th
ed. (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 2014 [sic] 454 pages, ISBN 978-1-
118-42973-0, $95 US hard covers) is by Karen Eich Drummond (R.D.
and restaurant book author) and Lisa M. Brefere (executive chef-
consultant and career book author). It was last out in 2010, and
has been revised and extended since that date to include the
"2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans" and material from
choosemyplate.gov. But somebody does need to look at the
copyright date: 2014? I think not. This is a basic reference
guide for restaurants and chefs, and includes current data on
dietary guidelines and how to evaluate menus and recipes. As a
textbook, there are summaries and questions for discussion. It
is almost a self-help book for the operators of any dining
establishment. Newish topics include information about organics,
sustainability, farm-to-table movements, gluten-free dietary
needs, allergy diets, and dining programs for multi-generational
family dinners. Kitchen preps are essential if food products are
to retain their nutritional values. New material here includes a
recasting of older recipes into healthier profiles, creating
food management programs, special culinary foci for each food
group, and more visual impact (photos, colour, charts, etc.). At
the end, there are quizzes and a glossary. An extremely useful
book.
Quality/price rating: 89.
24. CANADIAN LIVING: the affordable feasts collection; budget-
friendly family meals. (Transcontinental Books, 2013; distr.
Random House Canada, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-9877474-3-3, $26.95
CAN paper covers) is by the Canadian Living Test Kitchen team,
headed up by Annabelle Waugh. The preps include their favourite
budget-friendly ingredients, such as ground meats, with advice
on how to avoid kitchen waste and save money. Ground meats are
mostly beef, but there is also lamb (for stuffed eggplants) and
pork, although in the end, they are often interchangeable. The
five chapters include red meat, white meat (poultry and pork),
eggs and beans and tofu (meatless proteins), grains of pasta and
noodles and rice, and concludes with hearty veggies. Overall,
most of the dishes are one-pot or casseroles. Nutritional data
is given for each dish. Preparations have their ingredients
listed in mainly avoirdupois measurements with some metric
equivalents, but there is no overall table of equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 86.
25. SWEDISH DESSERTS; 80 traditional recipes (Skyhorse
Publishing, 2010, 2012, 124 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-637-4,
$17.95 US hard covers) was originally published in 2010 in
Sweden. Its author, Cecilia Vikbladh was a food editor who now
runs Cecilia's Kitchen in southern Sweden. These preps come from
her place, and include a wealth of traditions such as Kransekake
(almond cake with icing), saffron buns, the impressive jam
stars, and ginger thins. The 80 preps here cover a range of
holidays, including Christmas, cookies, winter pies,
cheesecakes, muffins, breads and buns, and a gingerbread house.
It's a charming little book with natural photography.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and
avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Quality/price rating: 85.
26. CHEESE OBSESSION (Weldon Owen, 2010, 2012, 224 pages, ISBN
978-1-61628-498-5, $24.95 US soft covers) is by Georgeanne
Brennan, who once was a cheesemaker in Provence and has since
written many cookbooks. It was originally published in hard
covers in 2010 as "Williams-Sonoma Cheese". The paperback
reissue has been re-designed. Here are 100 recipes for cooking
with cheese, principally "European" cheeses. There are ways here
to cook all types of cheese for every course (creamy, oozy,
nutty, firm). The classics include macaroni and cheese, fondues,
and enchiladas. There is also fried pecorino (hard sheep cheese)
with fruity salsa, squash salad with a runny Teleme, roast
chicken stuffed with gruyere, and plum tarts covered with chevre
and ginger. There are also descriptions of about 150 cheeses,
including some artisanal cheese from the US, which may limit its
Canadian applications. Nevertheless, there are universal notes
on pairing cheeses with wine and/or beer, and putting together a
cheese platter. Preparations have their ingredients listed in
mostly avoirdupois and some metric measurements, but there is no
table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89.
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