EASY TAGINE; delicious recipes for Moroccan one-pot
cooking (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2012; distr. T. Allen,
240 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-283-1, $19.95 US hard covers)
is mostly by Ghillie Basan, cookery writer specializing in
Middle East cookbooks and articles. Some of the preps here
are from six other writers. It's a timely book, one of the
"Easy" series from this publisher and it fits in the "one-
pot" mode of ease, although there are other recipes here
for traditional or classic accompaniments. Of course,
there's a primer on tagines. Lamb tagine is traditional,
but she also has peps for beef, kefta, sausage, chicken,
duck, vegetable, fish and seafood tagines. That's half the
book. There are also a range of couscous, skewers, roasts,
pan fries, sides, salads, soups, sweets, and drinks. So it
is almost all a Moroccan cookbook. And you can always use a
heavy-based casserole dish instead of a tagine.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in partial
metric and full avoirdupois measurements, but there is no
table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: Middle East food lovers, tagine
owners.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: kefta tagine
with eggs and roasted cumin; oven-baked tagine of red
mullet, tomatoes and lime; tagine of beans, cherry tomatoes
and black olives; chorizo tagine with lentils and
fenugreek; tagine of lamb with veggies and mint; fluffy
pistachio nougat.
The downside to this book: I wanted more tagine recipes, or
variations.
The upside to this book: good looking photographs.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
4. MY COOKING CLASS: Seafood Basics: 86 recipes (Firefly
Books, 2012, [256 pages], ISBN 978-1-55407-941-4 $24.95
Canadian soft covers) is a series of cook books meant for
beginner home cooks or for those who want a refresher on
certain elements or themes. Here Abi Fawcett, a free lance
food stylist, is the author. The preps are presented in
visual sequences, step-by-step. Every piece of equipment is
photographed from above in colour, and every ingredient is
shown in the correct quantity and in the order that it will
be used. The publisher claims that it is as true to reality
as possible. The written part is at the bottom of each
page, listing the ingredients and the sequence. Cooks notes
(variations, techniques, service) are presented. There is a
glossary of terms, a listing of the preps in content order,
and a subject index by type of food. There are no page
numbers, just a recipe number. So a prep such as "moules
mariniere" is number 77 and continues for four pages with
"77" at the top of those four pages. 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, possibly hospitality
students.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: goujons of sole
with aioli; Hake en papillore; Maryland crab cakes; Herb-
crusted cod; risotto nero; beer-battered oysters; pan-fried
herring roes.
The downside to this book: I so enjoyed the pictures that I
actually did not want to cook, but just look at them.
The upside to this book: one of a practical series,
extremely useful.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
5. 150 BEST DONUT RECIPES; fried or baked (Robert Rose,
2012, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0411-6, $24.95 CAN soft
covers) is by George Geary, a former pastry chef for the
Walt Disney Company. Here he has emphasized the range of
donuts – yeast style (raised), cake version, baked donuts,
holiday donuts, and one-biters, along with dozens of
toppings, glazes and fillings. It's all in the Rose format,
with finishing suggestions for each donut and a good
display of ingredients and procedures. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no separate table of
equivalents.
Audience and level of use: donut lovers.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: coffee bites;
pistachio bites; fresh vanilla bean donuts; red Valentine
heart donuts; green tea donuts; Christmas swirl donuts;
lemon crème bars; blueberry donuts
The downside to this book: there are no gluten-free recipes
or even alternate suggestions.
The upside to this book: a good database.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
6. 200 BEST CANNED FISH & SEAFOOD RECIPES, for tuna,
salmon, shrimp, crab, clams, oysters, lobsters, & more.
(Robert Rose, 2012, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0415-4,
$24.95 CAN paper covers) is by Susan Sampson, former food
editor at the Toronto Star. She now blogs at
www.thefarelady.com.
You might need a trip to Costco to get all the cans for
this book, or at least the convenience of getting them all
in one trip. I know that there's an entire row devoted to
different types of canned seafood, and certainly, they are
most affordable at that warehouse store. I'm usually
restricted to sandwiches and salads, but there's lots more
variety here in this book. The top 15 classics include
lobster rolls, salade nicoise, clam chowder, crab dip, tuna
tetrazzini, and spaghetti with white clam sauce. Because
she uses tinned food, there's a lot here that's useful for
budget-minded students or feeding kids quickly or quick
entertaining. Indeed, the emphasis is on fast and quick
with ease. Many preps are also useful for leftover fish
(tacos) or leftover seafood (rolls or salads). This is a
reminder that there are other fish in the sea, such as
mackerel, cod, sardines, sprats, kippers, anchovies, roe,
squid and octopus. Anything you don't want to eat such as
the liquid, bones (which are good for you because of the
calcium) or skin (also good because of omega-3s) can be
used to create fish soup. Preparations have their
ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no separate table of
equivalents.
Audience and level of use: students, kids, quick meal
specialists.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: fish tacos;
pizza with crab and roasted garlic; ham and clam jambalaya;
salmon-spinach-sweet potato frittata; lemon pepper shrimp
pasta; Basque-style shrimp-ham salad; shrimp and shiitake
risotto.
The downside to this book: I think some more emphasis might
have been made on reducing sodium levels.
The upside to this book: there's a god primer on using
canned fish and seafood, as well as a history of such
processing.
Quality/Price Rating: 88.
7. BEAM, STRAIGHT UP; the bold story of the first family of
bourbon (John Wiley & Sons, 2012, 206 pages, ISBN 978-1-
118-37836-6, $22.95 US hard covers) is by Fred Noe, a
great-grandson of Jim Beam. He's the Master Distiller for
the company. Here he is assisted by Jim Kokoris, a novelist
who is also a publicist for the Beams. Fred tells us what
it is like to grow up as a Beam in Bardstown, Kentucky, the
"Bourbon Capitol of the World". It is his story, from
bottling line clerk to global ambassador. It is also a
compelling look at the bourbon industry by a master story
teller. So it serves as a bit of business history too.
There's basic primer data on making bourbon, the American
white oak barrel, and the sweet limestone Kentucky water.
But it is also a short, succinct book, only seven by five
inches in dimensions with large typeface and many archival
photos.
Audience and level of use: business historians, liquor
readers, libraries.
Some interesting or unusual recipes: there are some preps
for cocktails, and some food recipes such as BBQ
drumsticks, bourbon baked beans, pork loins, ribs, and the
like, all using bourbon.
The downside to this book: a bit too short.
The upside to this book: great archival photos.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.
8. LA COCINA MEXICANA; many cultures, one cuisine
(University of California Pr., 2012, 310 pages, ISBN 978-0-
520-26111-2, $39.95 US hard covers) is by Marilyn Tausend,
author of the Beard Award-winning Cocina de la Familia
book, plus others focusing on Mexican food. Here, she
tackles foods from different regions, with the assistance
of Ricardo Muniz Zurita, a Mexican cookbook author and
author of "Diccionario Enciclopedico de Gastronomia
Mexicana", soon to be published in English. Notable log
rollers include Rick Bayless, Alice Waters, and Betty
Fussell – they all attest to the well-researched nature of
Tausend's book. There's a mix of colour photos, in one
section, on people, food and some plated dishes (with page
references to the recipe). The emphasis here, of course, is
on regional food and the European-African influences on a
particular region where colonials and workers settled. Both
home and celebratory food is covered, drawing attention to
cultural variations such as using peccary (a pig-like
Central American mammal) instead of pig in Yucatan's
"cochinita de pibil", "chile poblano" in Mexico City can be
wrapped in puff-paste, and local seafood everywhere is
prepared differently. The foundations of all foods here,
though, are still the range of corn, beans, tomatoes, and
chiles. Areas include Oaxaca, Mayan, Veracruz, Tlaxcala,
Michoacan, Costa Chica, and even some sub-regions (usually
rural vs. urban dishes). There's a primer on Mexican food
with some preps for "edible plates" and salsas/condiments.
This is followed by quick bites, soups, casual meals,
mains, sides, desserts, and drinks. Everything is nicely
sourced for credit, and there is a list of resources and
websites at the end. The index has both Mexican and English
names of dishes. Preparations have their ingredients listed
in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of
metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: Mexican cooks, food scholars,
libraries.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: salsa de tres
chiles (Veracruz); beans with chile-seasoned pork
(Sinaloa); rabbit in red chile sauce (Hidalgo); mole
(Xico); yucca frita (Tabasco and Veracruz).
The downside to this book: No metric equivalencies, which
is a shame from a scholarly publisher.
The upside to this book: good cultural notes.
Quality/Price Rating: 90.
9. THE HAKKA COOKBOOK; Chinese soul food from around the
world (University of California Press, 2012, 293 pages,
ISBN 978-0-520-27328-3, $39.95 US hard covers) is by Linda
Lau Anusasananann, a recipe editor and food writer for
Sunset Magazine – for 34 years. She also was involved with
many of their cookbooks, and was president of the
Association of Chinese Cooking Teachers. It has been
heavily endorsed by other Asiatic cookbook writers (five
are listed on the back, and a sixth wrote the
introduction). Hakka Han come from Central China; there are
now some 80 million of them in Asia, plus others around the
world. It's an older cuisine, being greatly concerned with
texture of preserved meats, roasts, braises and stews. It
is rustic and it is tasty; as North Americans, we can also
call it comfort food. One writer put it: "The skill in
Hakka cuisine lies in the ability to cook meat thoroughly
without hardening it, and to naturally bring out the
flavour (umami taste) of meat." Depending on local
conditions, Hakka cuisine was modified by geography: there
was seafood by the coast, vegetables in poorer times, and
much use was made of offal. Ms. Lau's book is the story of
her rediscovery of her Hakka roots and her learning how to
cook the cuisine. She begins with her grandmother's kitchen
in California, moves to the family home in China, and then
travels through Hong King, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia,
Canada, Peru and more. Over 30 home cooks were involved in
the sharing of diaspora experiences and the 140 recipes,
many reflective of regional variations. There's a
discussion on the Hakka pantry, a bibliography of
resources, and a listing of recipes at the front (and an
index by ingredient at the back). Preparations have their
ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there
are tables of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: Chinese food lovers, libraries.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Hakka classics
include braised chicken stuffed with preserved mustard
greens, pork belly with preserved mustard greens, pounded
tea with sweets, salt-baked chicken, stuffed tofu, taro
abacus beads, and wine chicken.
Quality/Price Rating: 90.
10. THE COMPLETE ARTHRITIS HEALTH, DIET GUIDE & COOKBOOK
(Robert Rose, 2012, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0419-2
$24.95 paper covers) is by Kim Arrey, RD, with Mr. Michael
R. Starr of McGill University, a specialist in arthritis.
First off, I am not qualified to comment on most of this
book – just the recipes. The first part covers symptoms,
causes, diagnoses, and inflammations, including both
rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. There are also
medication, surgery, and lifestyle modifications. The
second half is a guide to foods that help reduce
inflammation. It has 125 or so recipes and menus for a diet
program. The preps come from 20 or so contributors, and are
actually taken from other Robert Rose books (and some may
have been slightly modified). There is certainly enough
choice here (vegetarian, meats, fish, desserts, vegan), as
well as lots of tips and nutrient tables. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: arthritis sufferers.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: crab and smoked
salmon tea sandwiches; maple ginger salmon; curried root
vegetables masala; poached pears with lavender custard.
The downside to this book: there's a lot of medical
material that may appear to be overwhelming. I would have
liked more recipes.
The upside to this book: a good idea for a book.
Quality/Price Rating: 86.
11. THE GUILT-FREE GOURMET; indulgent recipes without
sugar, wheat or dairy (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2012, 144
pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-259-6, $24.95 US hard covers) is by
Jordan and Jessica Bourke, an Irish brother and sister.
He's a chef specializing in nutrition; she's a nutritional
therapist. None of the recipes here use wheat or dairy, or
"processed sugar" (but date syrup and agave syrup is used,
so it is not entirely sugar free). There is also use of
xylitol, a natural sweetener. But stevia, though, is
strangely not mentioned. The book is arranged by mood, so
there is a chapter on brunch, another on comfort food,
another on foods from afar, home baking, sweet treats,
light and fresh, and sharing plates. Preparations have
their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois
measurements, but there is no table of equivalents.
Audience and level of use: those with diet concerns or
those trying to lose weight.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: apple, raisins
and cinnamon muffins; chicken and chorizo withy mashed
squash and romesco; sweet potato hummus; borlotti bean
puree; globe artichoke and fennel; chicken tagine;
chocolate panna cotta.
The downside to this book: not enough recipes.
The upside to this book: excellent photography.
Quality/Price Rating: 85.
12. THE JAM AND MARMALADE BIBLE; a complete guide to
preserving (Skyhorse Publishing, 2012, 240 pages, ISBN 978-
1-61608-606-0, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Jan Hedh, a
Swedish baker who has also written books on Swedish breads
and pastries and an international gelato and ice cream
book. This book was originally published in Swedish, and
this is the North American release in English. It's also an
oversized book that is fairly comprehensive in its coverage
of techniques and the like. The recipes are gathered by
fruit type (just about everything here is sweet), with
chapters on fruit and berries, citric fruits, exotic fruits
(peaches?), vegetables (rhubarb, fennel, pumpkin, tomato,
carrot, beet, sweet potato, etc.), and then some on nuts
such as chestnut or walnuts. There are food-pairing
chapters dealing with some pastries that go that go well
with preserves, and some that are matched with cheeses.
There are also pastes that can be sliced, and preserves
with flowers. Christmas ideas are also presented.
Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric
and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of
metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home canners
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chestnut jam
with rum; coconut marmalade; papaya jam with tequila;
pineapple and orange jam with cointreau; black olive
marmalade with pear and thyme.
The downside to this book: there can be a lot of work
involved by the home cook.
The upside to this book: excellent photography and
instructions.
Quality/Price Rating: 86.
13. MODERN SAUCES; more than 150 recipes for every cook,
every day (Chronicle Books, 2012; distr. Raincoast, 256
pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7838-8, $35 US hard covers) is by
Marha Holmberg, once publisher and editor of "Fine Cooking"
magazine but now food editor of the Oregonian newspaper.
Here she concentrates on sauces for the modern kitchen,
beginning with vinaigrettes and then moving on to herb
sauces, tomato sauces, other veggie sauces, butter sauces,
cream, mayonnaise, hollandaise, gravies, sabayon, custard,
fruit, caramel and chocolate. For each she gives the
essentials, plus volumes expected, and some substitutions
(here called "quick change"). There are also some tips on
storage length so that one can make ahead. It is a useful
reference book for a saucier and a home cook. Preparations
have their ingredients listed in both avoirdupois and
partial metric measurements, but there is no table of
metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: home cooks, sauciers.
Some interesting or unusual facts: a sauce is usually
poured, ladled, dollopped, drizzled or otherwise added to
the ingredients of a dish. To some people, the sauce may be
the whole point.
The downside to this book: more photos are needed
The upside to this book: a good collection.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
