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Monday, January 27, 2020

FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW

3.THE CBD KITCHEN (RylandPeters & Small, 2019, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-112-0 $19.95 hardbound) is by Leah Vanderveldt, a food writer and recipe developer in the wellness arena. She's also been certified in culinary nutrition. CBD oil (cannabidiol) has great anti-inflammatory properties, and is derived from hemp. It can alleviate anxiety, headache, and arthritis, but it is NOT psychoactive. Her 50 preps concentrate on  smoothies, teas and coffees, snacks and desserts, with light savoury meals also being useful. Mocktails and cocktails complete the food picture, but there is also CBD skin care and a coconut oil moisturizer. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: those who need or want to use CBD.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: in the AM, try match latte, chai latte, mango & ginger smoothie, green strawberry smoothie, super-powered yogurt bowl, and snacking granola clusters.
The downside to this book: not to be confused with "edibles".
The upside to this book: there is a CBD schedule for morning, noon and night, with suggested dishes and page references.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 
 
 
4.FOOD ON FIRE; create bold dishes with 65 recipes to cook outdoors (Dog 'n' Bone, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-911026-88-4, $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Marcus Bawdon. Editor of UK BBQ Mag and social media channels such as "CountryWoodSmoke". Most BBQ authors are not British. And here Bawdon goes after a global thrust with local flavours and artisanal techniques such as searing directly onto the coals, rotisserie, wood-fired ovens, cast-iron grilling, campfires, smoke, and the like. As the late Anthony Bourdain said, "Barbecue may not be the road to world peace, but it's a start". The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart for the American avoirdupois volume measurements.
Audience and level of use: intermediate BBQ cooks and chefs.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: scallops on a silver-birch log; firepit lamb chops; cast-iron peaches; glazed chicken, bacon, and avocado skewers; stuffed porchetta; brisket pot roast; wood-fired eggplant.
The downside to this book: I wished that there were more recipes.
The upside to this book: a good idea, fulfills a need.
Quality/Price Rating: 89
 
 
 
 
5.SMOKEHOUSE HANDBOOK; comprehensive techniques & specialty recipes for smoking meat, fish & vegetables (Story Publishing, 2019, 189 pages, ISBN 978-1-63586-011-5, $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Jake Levin, a butcher who produces cured meats at Jacuterie in New York. Logrollers do include Ruth Reichl. The book covers a wide range of topics, from the basics of smoking (rubs, brines, cures) through choosing a smoker, the recipes themselves (divided into hot-smoke and cold-smoke), and ending with building your own smoker, including a tri-purpose smokehouse. There's a resources page with a bibliography for further reading. The book could have been improved if it also used both metric and avoirdupois completely in the recipes, but  at least it also had a metric conversion chart.
Audience and level of use:  BBQ lovers and the woodsy guys.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts:
The downside to this book: I think more than 36 recipes would have been useful.
The upside to this book: Excellent introduction and handbook to the varieties of smoking.
Quality/Price Rating: 90.
 
 
 
6.THE CAMPFIRE COOKBOOK; 80 imaginative recipes for cooking outdoors (DK Books, 2019,
160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-8396-6, $17.99 USD paperbound) is by Viola Lex and Nico Stanitzok, who had previously published the book in German in 2018. This is the first North American edition. This is total al fresco eating, ranging from the basics, the classics, and some contemporary spinoffs. Good writing and lots of technique photos. Each prep has checklists to make that you have everything before you actually start. Of course there is grilled fish, plus goulashes and orange-chocolate cakes. The theme is "vacation" and keeping it local with purchased foods. Prep times are given, which is really crucial with a campfire or firepit. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart.
Audience and level of use: vacationers
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cheese and vegetable gnocchi; paella; stuffed flatbreads; mussels in white wine; pannini with ricotta and prosciutto; strawberry sandwich.
The downside to this book: needed more metric measurements since it did not have a conversion chart.
The upside to this book: good single purpose book.
Quality/Price Rating: 87.
 
 
 
 
7.JUST PEACHY (Gibbs Smith, 2019, 168 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-5126-0, $21.99 USD hardbound) is by Belinda Smith-Sullivan, a food writer concentrating on Southern US food (she lives in South Carolina). Here it is sweet and savoury peach preps from South Carolina. Prominent logrollers include Nathalie Dupreee and Sandra Gutierrez. Primer material includes a brief history of peaches, the varietals, canning and freezing. The preps range from breads, breakfasts to apps, soups and salads, mains, pies and other desserts – plus beverages. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: peach lovers
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: berbere flat iron steak with honey-grilled peaches; peach and sweet potato casserole; spinach-peach salad with Stilton cheese and walnuts; peach guacamole; brie-peach beggar's purse; blueberry-peach slump (grunt); blackened cod tacos with peach salsa.
Quality/Price Rating: 89.
 
Chimo! www.deantudor.com

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