June 2004
A cookbook isn't a cookbook without
photographs… isn't it? Well, I have always stood by
this statement, but after my latest research I am not so sure.
This month I reviewed a bundle of photo free titles that offered
inspiration and more without a bead of sweat rolling from
the brow of a stubbly food photographer. Here are the best
ones…
The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating
By:
Fergus Henderson
List Price: $19.95
Amazon Price: $13.97
You Save: $5.98
A certified "foodie" classic. In Nose to Tail Fergus Henderson
-- whose London restaurant, St. John, is a world-renowned
destination for people who love to eat "on the wild side"
-- presents the recipes that have marked him out as one of
the most innovative, yet traditional, chefs. Here are recipes
that hark back to a strong rural tradition of delicious thrift,
and that literally represent Henderson's motto, "Nose to Tail
Eating" -- be they Pig's Trotter Stuffed with Potato, Rabbit
Wrapped in Fennel and Bacon, or his signature dish of Roast
Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad. For those of a less carnivorous
bent, there are also splendid dishes such as Deviled Crab;
Smoked Haddock, Mustard, and Saffron; Green Beans, Shallots,
Garlic, and Anchovies; and to keep the sweetest tooth happy,
there are gloriously satisfying puddings, notably the St.
John Eccles Cakes, and a very nearly perfect Chocolate Ice
Cream.
Summary
A bargain. A one of a kind book. And a great source for finding
out how to cook some strange bits and bobs…
Buy It On Line!
The Cheese Board: Collective Works:
Bread, Pastry, Cheese, Pizza
By:
The Cheese Board Collective
List Price: $21.95
Amazon Price: $15.37
You Save: $6.58
When a tiny cheese shop opened in Berkeley, California, in
1967, there was little hint of what the store-and the neighborhood-would
grow into over the next 30 years. The Cheese Board became
a collective a few years later and Chez Panisse opened across
the street, giving birth to one of the country's most vibrant
food neighborhoods, the epicenter of California's culinary
revolution. Equal parts bakery, cheese store, pizzeria, and
gathering place, the Cheese Board is a patchwork of the local
community, where a passion for good food runs deep. The Cheese
Board presents over 100 recipes for the store's classic breads,
pastries, and pizzas, along with a history of the collective
and an extensive cheese primer.
Summary
A good read, solid recipes and well worth buying at only fifteen
bucks.
Buy It On Line!
Cooking by Hand
Paul
Bertolli
List Price: $40.00
Amazon Price: $28.00
You Save: $12.00
Staying in the Bay area, Paul Bertolli offers perhaps one
of the most inspirational cookooks That I can remember reading.
From "Twelve Ways of Looking at Tomatoes" to Italian salumi
in "The Whole Hog," Bertolli explores his favorite foods with
the vividness of a natural writer and the instincts of a superlative
chef. Scattered throughout are more than 140 recipes remarkable
for their clarity, simplicity, and seductive appeal, from
Salad of Bitter Greens, Walnuts, Tesa, and Parmigiano and
Chilled Shellfish with Salsa Verde to Short Ribs Agrodolce
and Tagliolini Pasta with Crab. Unforgettable desserts, such
as Semifreddo of Peaches and Mascarpone and Hazelnut Meringata
with Chocolate and Espresso Sauce, round out a collection
that's destined to become required reading for any food lover.
Summary
One of the best food books (with or without pictures) that
I have got my hands on in a good while…
Buy It On Line!
The Taste Makers: How New World
Foods Came To Old World Kitchens
Vicki
Oppenheime
$21.95
"The Taste Makers: How New World Foods Came To Old World Kitchens"
is 95-year-old Vicki Oppenheime's second food history book.
Within its pages Vicki reveals that foods we think of as being
European, Asiatic or African were actually brought over from
the New World. These strange new cuisines caused culinary,
cultural and even religious conflicts.
Oppenheime's narrative is peppered throughout with delightful
recipes (nearly 100) that her credo of "fresh, fast and simple".
Summary
An interesting educational read for the most seasoned cook
or new cook…
Buy It On Line!
Potsticker Chronicles: America's
Favorite Chinese Recipes
By:
Stuart Chang Berman
List Price: $27.50
Amazon Price: $18.70
You Save: $8.80
A well written, witty book that offers an insight into the
author Stuart Chang Berman's life-long experiences in Chinese
restaurant kitchens. This memoir/cookbook comes with over
160 recipes that highlight more than the mere Potsticker.
Summary
Fun and tasty…
Buy It On Line!