3.BUT I COULD NEVER GO VEGAN! (The Experiment, 2014, 308 pages, ISBN 978-1-61519-210-6, $23.95 US paper covers) is by Kristy Turner, once a caseophile (and professional fromagier) but now the writer of a vegan food blog. Her subtitle is the engaging "125 recipes that prove you can live without cheese, it's not all rabbit food, and your friends will still come over for dinner". It also takes seven logrollers. Her enticement is through the substitutions for cheese, which of course can be consumed by vegetarians but not by vegans. She calls for making your own BBQ sauce, seitan, ranch dressing, and tofu sour cream. She claims you will never miss with tempeh bacon mac 'n' cheese with pecan parmesan, tofu chevre, or mushroom cheddar grilled cheese sandwich. At brunch, she recommends a caramel apple-stuffed French toast. At dinner there is carrot cashew pate and gnocchi alla vodka. Ice creram includes mango lassi and oatmeal raisin ice cream sandwiches. The book is a good way to move from vegetarianism to veganism. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements.
Audience and level of use: vegans, vegetarians-in-transit.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: see above
The downside to this book: what if I never liked cheese?
The upside to this book: a number of other recipes are also useful
Quality/Price Rating: 86.
4.SALAD LOVE (Appetite by Random House, 2014, 304 pages, ISBN 978-0-449-01676-3, $27 CAN paper covers) is by David Bez. It was co-published in the UK by Quadrille. He was determined to eat more veggies, so he created a blog (Salad Pride) to record one new salad every day using seasonal, healthy foods. The 260 preps here are derived from that blog, The salads are usually some leafy platform, some protein, some toppings, some crunch with nuts and toasts. It can be as simple as mixing and matching, noting that you'll need a base, some veggies/fruits, proteins, toppings, herbs, and dressings. But there are a few different ones, such as using grains for the base, or ribbons of veggies such as carrots and zucchini. He's got 24 nice looking (the book is well-illustrated) dressings, so lots can be accommodated. The salads are arranged by season, starting with summer. Each salad has a photo, the ingredients for layering, and a dressing. Each also has a term such as vegetarian or pescatarian, and in many cases there are alternatives to the salad, such as a vegan option or a raw option. For example, the pinto beans, artichokes and sesame seeds salad is vegan but also presents an omnivore alternative.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: salad lovers, those looking to put more veggies on their plates.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: smoked mackerel, cauliflower and asparagus; chorizo, black quinoa, asparagus and edamame; crabmeat, avocado and marinated peppers; roasted turkey, butternut squash and chickpeas; eggs, asparagus, croutons and pecorino.
The downside to this book: hmm, I wonder which recipes are missing, since there are 365 days in a year.
The upside to this book: all of the options are indexed.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
5.DIY NUT MILKS, NUT BUTTERS & MORE (The Experiment, 2014, 194 pages, ISBN 978-1-61519-230-4, $16.95 US paper covers) is by Melissa King www.mywholefoodlife.com who is a recipe developer and blogger. She's got a good selection of six log rollers for her book which mainly tells you how to make creamy nut milks, butters, and other items. She's arranged it by topics of milks, butters, nut pulps, smoothies, breakfasts, no=bake treats and baked treats, ending with ice creams. Nuts include cashews, almonds, Brazils, hazelnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, peanuts, pecans, macadamias, and walnuts. There's also a resources list. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: millennials, GF and vegan (for the most part, with substitutions).
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: strawberry Brazil nut milk, no-bake brownie bars, salted caramel Brazil nut butter, flourless almond butter blondies, grain-free energy bites, chocolate hazelnut coconut tart.
The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes, there are only about 50 plus.
The upside to this book: good topic and worth exploring.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
6.THE SOUP CLUB COOKBOOK (Clarkson Potter, 2015, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-7704-3462-5, $25 US paper covers) is by Courtney Allison, Tina Carr, Caroline Laskow, and Julie Peacock, who have formed a soup club in order to share food. It's a great idea, and can also be applied to other common, family foods such as sandwiches or pastas. It is a continuing pot luck affair in that, on a rotational basis, families only have to prepare one meal every now and then (dependent on number of members). Most of the preps here make 8 US quarts (8 litres), and the authors provide dozens of tips for quantity cooking or customized tailoring. There are, of course, some guidelines for starting your own club and getting larger equipment. Soups are arranged by type: beans, hearty, chilled, fish, and meat. Other preps here include food for forks and fingers (salads, veggies, breads, snacks) – just to make life more interesting. Preparations have their ingredients listed only in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: beginners, social club joiners, harried families.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cucumber-yogurt soup; Thai fish curry; cauliflower korma; beef mole chili; caldo verde; borscht; leek soup.
The downside to this book: as with any club, one must ensure that everyone does equal work and spends equal money on ingredients.
The upside to this book: if you can boil water, you can make soup.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
7.BOB'S RED MILL EVERYDAY GLUTEN-FREE COOKBOOK (Robert Rose, 2015, 336 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0500-7, $24.95 CAN paper covers) is by Camilla V. Saulsbury, food writer and blogger (powerhungry.com). She has written many other cookbooks for Rose. But I am puzzled as to why the title includes Bob's Red Mill since not one of the products is even mentioned, not even the All Purpose flour mix. You can get these flours through a variety of health food or bulk stores, or by email. But other producers also make millet, amaranth, teff, etc. There is no mention of the book on Bob's website, and he has a remarkably good collection of GF recipes too. So he's not selling the book himself, nor is he directing URL traffic to Robert Rose or Amazon. There's nothing copyrighted by Bob, but there is his trademark on the front and back cover. So it is an endorsement of sorts, that he "approves" of the book, to kick along the sales. That's fine. The book is a collection of 281 whole-grain recipes that are GF, for everyday use. It has been done up in the Rose style of cook notes, tips, double column ingredient quantities for metric and avoirdupois (just follow one or the other) – and use your own flour from whatever producer, for Bob is not directly named. Arrangement is by course (breakfasts, soups, salads, seafood-poultry-meat, breads, and desserts.
Audience and level of use: those seeking whole-grain GF recipes
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: rhubarb vanilla crumble; coconut,pineapple and basmati salad; multi-seed quinoa crackers; Gianduja biscotti; sesame ginger pork with millet slaw; teff date bread.
The downside to this book: why Bob's Red Mill? The products are not even mentioned.
The upside to this book: a good looking collection, sure to satisfy.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
8.FERMENTED FOODS FOR VITALITY & HEALTH (Ryland Peters & Small, 2015, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-607-5, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Dunja Gulin, a chef who runs fermented foods workshops, and is the author of several vegan cookbooks such as The Vegan Pantry. Naturally fermented foods boost the digestive immune system with pro-biotics, and appear in just about every culture (Japan's miso, Korea's kimchi, everybody's sourdough, beer, wine). Pro-biotics increase energy levels, stabilize blood pressure, improve sleeping patterns, and promote healthier skin. Gulin here has 60 ways to make fermented foods part of a normal meal pattern. It is all sorted by course (breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, salads, breads, condiments, drinks), concluding with an international list of sources and resources. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly avoirdupois with some metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: those interested in exploring new food patterns and pro-biotics
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: vegan yogurt; water kefir; probiotic gazpacho; sauerkraut with quinces; sourdough grissini; spicy leek and miso condiment; Scandinavian chanterelle salad; purple sauerkraut with dulse and caraway seeds.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
9.WELL FED, FLAT BROKE (Arsenal Press, 2015, 257 pages, ISBN 978-1-55152-579-2, $24.95 CAN paper covers) is by Emily Wight, who blogs at wellfedflatbroke.com in the continuing saga of balancing a career and parenthood – and eating to stay alive. Here are some imaginative and nutritious meals for those on a budget and perhaps with messy kitchens (students, families, basement dwellers). The 120 preps cover the range from simple to intriguing, from breakfasts through snacks, from apps to desserts, with notes along the way for pantry stocking, picky eaters, and select kitchen equipment. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly avoirdupois with some metric measurements too, but there is no table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: millennials?
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: rapini and sausage with white beans; rigatoni with chickpeas and tomatoes; tomato chicken curry; mustard fried chicken; roast paprika chicken; buttermilk Dutch baby with bacon-baked apple.
The downside to this book: too many pix of the author and not enough of the food.
The upside to this book: good theme, nice blog.
Quality/Price Rating: 86.
10.OUT OF THE POD (Ryland Peters & Small, 2015, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-611-2, $21.95 US hard covers) is by Vicky Jones, formerly wine and food editor of the UK's House & Garden magazine. Here are 60 preps for simple home cooking involving beans, chickpeas, lentils and other legumes. She's got a primer on buying, storing, soaking, and cooking, plus a summary of nutritional benefits. All the classics are included.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: beginner
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Moors and Christian, cassoulet, paella, pakoras, Moroccan harira soup, dosas, Greek fava dip, falafel.
The downside to this book: too short, but then it fits into the publisher's 160 page book series.
The upside to this book: she very wisely has separate chapters for both "main dishes" and "vegetarian main dishes"
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
11.THE REAL PALEO DIET COOKBOOK (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015, 353 pages, ISBN 978-0-54430-326-3, $35 US hard covers) is by Loren Cordain, Ph.D, generally acknowledged as the originator of the paleo diet; he's written at least four other books on paleo foods. Here arev 250 recipes with 75 full-colour photos. Paleo food is based on whole, unprocessed foods headed by animal proteins, veggies, fruits, nuts, oils and fats. The paleo way has been shown to "ease" digestive diseases, skin conditions, arthritis, and cardiovascular disease. The book is arranged by course – from apps to desserts -- with a breakout for proteins of beef (& bison), pork (& lamb), poultry, fish (&shellfish) and a chapter for breakfast/brunch. There is also, of course, the primer on paleo food and why you need this diet. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: paleo lovers; guy chefs.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: ancho-rubbed lamb chops; Brussels sprouts and apple salad; fruit-stuffed top loin roast with brandy sauce; grilled salmon with artichoke heart salad; Asian beef and veggie stir-fry; curried chicken stew with root veggies; peach-brandy glazed drumsticks.
The downside to this book: book weighs too much for heavy kitchen use.
The upside to this book: delicious recipes, very guy-inspiring.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
12.PLANT-BASED PALEO (Ryland Peters & Small, 2015, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-612-9, $19.95 US hard covers) is by Jenna Zoe, author of Super Healthy Snacks and Treats and founder of Foods to Love website. She's got 60 protein-rich preps here for vegans (seeds, sprouted grains, fruits and veggies). She argues that you can have a paleo diet based on vegan principles since a plant-based diet gives us all that we require, by going back to the source. It is arranged by course, from breakfast to munchies to salads and sides, light lunches, evening feasts, and desserts. It is a great book for vegans or for those already practicing a plant-based diet. Important foods for accent points include chia seeds, hemp, coconut oil, tree nuts, cacao, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, quinoa, and gluten-free flours. She's also got a resources list. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: vegans
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: guacamole; summery noodles with spiced almond butter; fusion noodles with asparagus; cauliflower rice couscous; carob latte; butternut squash fried; Asian kale salad; lemon tahini sauce; chocolate orange pie.
The downside to this book: could be bigger
The upside to this book: useful adjunct to other paleo books.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
13.THE SALAD BOWL (Ryland Peters & Small, 2015, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-601-3 $21.95 US hard covers) is by Nicola Graimes, a UK food writer specializing in vegetarian cookery. These are 75 or so fresh, haelthy and wholesome preps for all seasons. Arrangement is by principal ingredient: meat/poultry, fish/shellfish, dairy, grains, beans/pulses, and fruits/veggies. Her chapters are vividly photographed. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: beginner
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: spiced chicken with white beans and chilli dressing; Vietnamese beef salad; chilli prawns with avocado dressing; warm pearl barley and smoked cheddar; put lentils, grapefruit and feta cheese with harissa dressing.
The downside to this book: a bit short in length.
The upside to this book: good detail and photos.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.
14.THE PERFECT EGG (Ten Speed Press, 2015, 168 pages, ISBN 978-1-60774-625-6, $18.99 US hard covers) is by Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park, both food bloggers at spoonforkbacon.com, creating drinks, recipes, and pictures. Here are more than 70 recipes for egg use, arranged by the topics morning, noon, and night, with specific sections on egg primer basics, snacks, and sweets. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: beginner to intermediate.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: beef empanadas; havarti dill popovers; mini toad-in-a-hole sandwiches; gyeran bbang (Korean); matcha kimi balls (Japan); hot and sour soup.
The downside to this book: I think it needed more recipes.
The upside to this book: a huge variation on the number of egg salad sandwiches and buttermilk pancakes.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.
15.VIRGIN TERRITORY (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015, 338 pages, ISBN 978-1-118-20322-4, $29.99 US hard covers) is by Nancy Harmon Jenkins, author of many books dealing with Mediterranean food and olive oil. She's a frequent contributor to major US food publications and newspaper food pages, and is also a radio and TV commentator. Here she highlights EVOO in about 100 preps, roaming from small dishes to soups, breads, pasta, rice, veggies, seafood, meal, poultry, sauces, and desserts. It's a good book, but even Jenkins seems to need ten log rollers (Hesser, Madison, Nestle, Wolfert, et al)! She does have a hundred page primer with history and cultural material as well as technical stuff on how to buy and how to cook with it. It's also a well-illustrated book with pictures of her own Tuscan olive grove. She's got a list of acceptable all-purpose cooking oils, as well as some more expensive brands. In general, I have found that the best brands of olive oils usually comes from a winery that has made them from olive groves on their own property. But you may differ...Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use:
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: seafood tagine; quince and ginger olive oil cake; roasted squash soup with cumin; roasted red peppers with anchovies; pasta alla checca; broccoli or cauliflower with lemon, capers and black olives.
The downside to this book: I was expecting more recipes, and fewer classics.
The upside to this book: there is a very good bibliography for further reading and other recipes.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
16. LIGHTEN UP, Y'ALL (Ted Speed Press, 2015, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-60774-573-0, $24.99 US hard covers) is by Virginia Willis, author of a series of Y'ALL cookbooks and other southern foods. Even so, she needed five log rollers such as the Lee brothers (counts are one or two?). She was told to lose weight, so she re-developed a lot of her standard fare into "lighter" food, and this is the resulting book. The range is full: nibbles, salads, slaw, veggies, seafood, grains/grits, poultry, meat, soups, stews, biscuits, sweets. It is mainly classics (but no chess pie). And it might help to trim the meat better, in order to get ride of some fat (eg, lamb rack). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Each prep also has nutritional data covering calories, fats, carbs, fiber, and protein.
Audience and level of use: lovers of southern food who must diet.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: buttermilk pie; red beans and greens; Creole dirty rice; turkey meatloaf with mushroom gravy; pulled pork with red pepper; rack of lamb with pecan-mint dipping sauce; yogurt piecrust; lemon-chia seed cake; vegetable corn bread.
The downside to this book: just the classics are covered, which is actually what she wanted to do.
The upside to this book: a good read on the classics re-done.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
----------------------------------------------------
Chimo! www.deantudor.com
