MBR: The Cookbook Shelf 1/2
Midwest Book Review
David Wishart
Pavilion/Trafalgar Square
N. Pomfret, VT 05053
1862057168 $27.50 www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com
WHISKY CLASSIFIED: CHOOSING SINGLE MALTS BY FLAVOUR isn't just for the
avid whisky pro: it cuts out the jargon and provides an easy survey for
newcomers, too, identifying twelve dimensions to the aroma and taste of
a single malt whiskey and covering the distilleries of Scotland. Each
distillery receives a description, the author'' own tasting notes, and
explanations of taste. A history of production methods rounds out a
fascinating course for any who even casually enjoy whisky.
The Grill of Victory
William Brohaugh
Emmis Books
1700 Madison Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45206
157860267X $16.95 www.emmisbooks.com
In 2005 grilling teams from across the country descended on Virginia in
hopes of winning the first annual 'Smoke on the Mountain' barbecue
championship. Author William Brohaugh was one of the judges, holding
over fifteen years' experience on the barbecue circuit: his GRILL OF
VICTORY explores the methods, materials, and ideas of pro grillers,
offers insights on specific personalities' approaches, and provides a
host of secret tips on great barbecue. The blend of travel, social and
culinary history is exceptional and fun in this highly recommended
pick.
Berries
Roger Yepsen
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Ave., New York NY 10110
0393060314 $24.95 www.wwnorton.com
This isn't just another cookbook nor is it a gardener's guide: BERRIES
is instead a lovely culinary history of usage which focuses on
'neglected' berries which have all but vanished from American tastes,
as well as common berries which were often used as additives to such
unlikely items as Dr. Pepper soda. From native currants to historic
uses and more, BERRIES is a wonderfully different survey offering fine
history and insights on many elusive fruits.
South Wind Through the Kitchen
Elizabeth David
David Godine
Box 450, Jaffrey, NH 03452
1567923097 $18.95 www.godine.com
Elizabeth David died in 1992, but her books changed the world of food
writing, celebrating fresh ingredients and elevating British postwar
cooking. SOUTH WIND THROUGH THE KITCHEN gathers the best of her
writings, so those who already have extensive David books might find
little new here - but the majority of us who don't own her classic
books will find the best of her works neatly under one cover, along
with nearly 200 recipes.
The Little Saigon Cookbook
Ann Le
Globe Pequot Press
Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
0762738316 $15.95 www.amazon.com
Southern California's Little Saigon Restaurant serves as the
inspiration for a cookbook of the same name, providing Vietnamese
specialties geared to home cooks. From Braised Eggplant and Tofu in
Caramel sauce to Traditional Spring Rolls and Whole Salted Fish with
Lemongrass and Chili Paste, THE LITTLE SAIGON COOKBOOK: VIETNAMESE
CUISINE AND CULTURE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S LITTLE SAIGON brings a
piece of Vietnam to American kitchens.
Oxmoor House
Box 2262, Birmingham, AL 35201-2262
www.oxmoorhouse.com
Two kitchen-tested Southern Living recipe collections are top picks for
cooks who like bright color photos paired with fail-safe recipes. Jane
E. Gentry compiles and edits SLOW-COOKER COOKBOOK (0848731069, $24.95),
a collection packing in over 200 tested recipes and eighty color
photos. From bacon-wrapped Peppered Corn on the Cob to Creole Chicken
and Okra and a range of chilis, there's a huge selection here, making
it a pick above competitors. CHRISTMAS WITH SOUTHERN LIVING 2006
(0848731158, $29.95) isn't strictly a cookbook, though recipes are its
core: it combines menus and time-saving holiday plans as well as party
ideas with dishes which lend to entertainment and family gatherings.
Many are fast, easy editor's picks, with chapters handily divided by
type of entertainment: brunch buffet, office party, dinner party, and
the like. Both are winners.
The Flour Pot Cookie Book
Margie and Abbey Greenberg
Running Press
125 S. 22nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19103
0762425954 $14.95 www.runningpress.com
The Flour Pot Cookie Book: Creating Edible Works of Art goes beyond
most cookie cookbooks in advocating taking a standard sugar cookie and
making up new shapes, colors, and more. All skills levels will find
these impressive, eye-catching cookie designs which feature the
authors' own cookie dough and icing recipes - so you're unlikely to
find anything similar elsewhere. From handling fondant to using themes,
THE FLOUR POT COOKIE BOOK is a gorgeous, unique creation.
Christmas Cookies
Better Homes & Gardens
Meredith Publishing
1716 Locust, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023
0695217198 $19.95 www.bhgbooks.com
Over a hundred recipes pair with bright color photos to provide only
the best results from the Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen - but
this book doesn't stop with recipes alone, as most do: it offers up
over fifty ideas for packaging cookies to give as gifts, and includes
complete patterns for four gingerbread houses.
A Real American Breakfast
Cheryl Alters Jamison & Bill Jamison
William Morrow
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022
0060188243 $34.95 www.harpercollins.com
A Real American Breakfast: The Best Meal of the Day, Any Time of the
Day packs in a coast-to-coast feast of nearly three hundred breakfast
recipes, offering up a centerfold of color photos and including
historical notes, old menus, and variations on themes as well as
traditional fare. The mix of innovative dishes such as Spinach Bread
Pudding and Mixed Vegetable Hash and old standards such as Apple
Fritters makes this a lively, fun cookbook.
Big Sky Cooking
Meredith Brokaw & Ellen Wright
Artisan
708 Broadway, New York NY 10003
1579652689 $35.00 www.artisanbooks.com
The authors experienced a frantic Manhattan lifestyle tempered by
visits to Montana until they bought a ranch and become involved in the
food traditions of the area. When passionate cook Ellen Wright
discovered the area's blend of fresh game and ingredients, she joined
them and BIG SKY COOKING WITH REFLECTIONS features a fine blend of
full-page color photos, recipes, and dishes steeped in Montana
ingredients. Sesame-Soy Venison Chops, Elk Pepper Steaks, and Bison
Osso Busco aren't dishes you'll find many other places, either.
Great Dishes from Spain
Janet Mendel
Santana Books
29650 Mijas Pueblo, Malaga, Spain
8489954488 $28.00 www.santanabooks.com www.amazon.com
GREAT DISHES FROM SPAIN makes the perfect introduction to Spanish
cooking, from an easy step-by-step review of how authentic paella
should be prepared to making an unusual Farm-Style Fried Bread Crumbs
or using blood sausage in a Lentil Pot. Add color photos throughout and
you have a Spanish cookbook much more accessible to newcomers than
most.
Lobster Rolls & Blueberry Pie
Rebecca Charles & Deborah DiClementi
Regan Books
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022
006051583X $17.95 www.reganbooks.com
>From chef and owner of New York City's Pearl Oyster Bar Rebecca Charles
comes Lobster Rolls & Blueberry Pie: Three Generations of Recipes and
Stories from Summers on the Coast of Maine. Family history and heritage
permeate a fine gathering of family recipes, from Sugar Snap Peas with
Lemon and Toasted Almonds to Blackberry Nectarine Crisp. The vintage
black and white family photos are lovely embellishments to a blend of
memoir and cookbook.
The Place Setting
Fred W. Sauceman
Mercer University Press
1400 Coleman Ave., Macon, GA 31207
0865549907 $25.00 www.mupress.org
Any interested in the foods of Southern Appalachia will relish THE
PLACE SETTING: TIMELESS TASTES OF THE MOUNTAIN SOUTH, FROM BRIGHT HOPE
TO FROG LEVEL. It's the first of a two-volume set which blends the
author's personal journey in search of the region's culinary traditions
with a memoir of culinary insights: as such, it's appropriately titled
'First Course' and offers up a fine pairing of black and white photos
of people and places to compliment essays on foods unique to the
region. A 'must' for any comprehensive regional American cookery
collection; especially those strong in Southern history and cooking.
The Taste of Country Cooking
Edna Lewis
Alfred A. Knopf
c/o Random House
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
0307265609 $22.95 www.aaknopf.com 1-800-726-0600
Edna Lewis grew up in a small Virginia farming community that had been
settled by free slaves: here she shares some of the home cooking dishes
of her roots, with seasonal celebrations of local fresh ingredients
providing opportunities for dishes such as a Sweet Potato Casserole for
a Sunday revival dinner, making Plum Wine from an abundance of summer
plums, and using fresh-caught quail in Quail in Casserole. The blend of
recipes with local history and color creates an intriguing, fun title
that needs no color photos for embellishment.
The Red Hat Society Cookbook
Sue Ellen Cooper
Rutledge Hill Press
Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
1401602460 $24.99 www.rutledgehillpress.com
Over a thousand recipes follow the credo 'if it's not delicious, we're
not eating it!', and come from the experienced kitchens of the over-50
Red Hat Society ladies. Unlike most cookbooks, desserts begin the
introduction with dishes ranging from a low-fat Lemon Icebox Pie to
Spiced Eggnog Cheesecake and a moist Pink Lady Cake. Soups, breads,
salads and main dishes follow in a celebration of food, easy
preparations, and growing older with culinary taste in mind.
Homemade in a Hurry
Andrew Schloss
Chronicle Books
85 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94105
081184899X $19.95 www.chroniclebooks.com
Over 300 shortcut recipes show how to bring home-cooked meals into the
world of fast, hectic schedules with tips on how to streamline and
improve the parts which take time - such as in a 10-Minute Vegetable
Curry dish which remarks curry usually takes up too much time - but a
jar of curry sauce does most of the work for you, leaving just chopping
veggies and grilling flatbread for the 'homemade' touches. Another
plus: recipes are gathered from culinary traditions around the world,
so there's lots of choice and variety, from Chicken with Candied Pecans
to Couscous Stuffed Peppers.
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