Tag Archives: cookbook

Book Review: Peppers of the Americas, by Maricel E. Presilla

Peppers of the AmericasWhile not the pepper encyclopedia I was hoping for, I still found Maricel E. Presilla’s Peppers of the Americas to be informative and helpful. For those with the same hopes I had for the book, Presilla explains that this book is “not an encyclopedic catalog, but a highly subjective record of my own garden and kitchen encounters with these remarkable plants” (p.vii). Keep that in mind when considering whether or not to pick this one up.

The first eighty pages or so are full of dense text on history and archaeology related to peppers. There are then about 115 pages of peppers with pictures accompanied by Presilla’s subjective (see above), yet helpful notes—these pages are periodically peppered with pertinent prose on past and present particulars. About twenty-five pages of dried peppers written in similar fashion, seven pages of very general pepper gardening and tending, and 100 pages of working with peppers (vinegars, powders, recipes, etc.) conclude the book’s content.

I really like peppers, especially hot ones, and have grown and sold them in the past; so, I’ll probably find this book a bit more interesting than those who are looking for something more specific and complete. There were a tremendous number of varieties I’d not yet heard of, including a few I’m going to need to track down and try, and I appreciated Presilla sharing her experiences with them (taste, cooking, etc.). I certainly look forward to trying some of the sauces and ground spice mixes, but what I appreciate most are the properties and attributes of the fresh and dried pepper varieties.

 

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: The Dumpling Galaxy Cookbook, by Helen You

Four Views on HellThe Dumpling Galaxy Cookbook by Helen You is your new cookbook for Chinese dumplings made easy. With easy, step-by-step instructions, You (pronounced “yō”) guides readers through the basics of forming, shaping, and the three cooking methods of boiling, steaming, and panfrying. Full of traditional and innovative recipes (I can’t wait to try the pork and pu’er tea dumplings), You encourages the reader not only to follow her recipes, but to experiment and try new things, offering plenty of helpful tips for pairing ingredients and cooking methods, as well as tips for avoid dumplings that are too wet, too dry, and too chewy.

Surviving the hardships of China’s Cultural Revolution, You began making dumplings as a way to stay connected to her hometown. Fast-forward years later, she now has an innovative dumpling restaurant with a menu that boasts over one hundred items. Though we may not be able to visit the restaurant, You gives us the steps, tips, and encouragement to experience her passion right in our own homes.

This is a great little book for all current and future dumpling fanatics!

 

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: Soframiz: Vibrant Middle Eastern Recipes from Sofra Bakery & Cafe, by Ana Sortun & Maura Kilpatrick

SoframizMy wife lived in Syria and traveled in neighboring nations during her graduate work with a focus in Middle East studies. She really misses the food of that region, so I knew I needed to pick up Soframiz: Vibrant Middle East Recipes from Sofra Bakery and Cafe by Ana Sortun and Maura Kilpatrick. After flipping threw it, she concluded that it was heavy on the sweet side and didn’t really highlight the staples of the region. While I can’t speak to the authenticity, it is a book from a US café and two white American women who admittedly present nontraditional recipes inspired by the Middle East. Much of what makes these recipes Middle Eastern must be purchased. It appears that the authors do not provide recipes for basics because they don’t even make them, which is why they provide sources (brands and websites) they recommend. All this makes me wonder why one would need this cookbook for any reason other than attempting to replicate something one tried at their café. I found only four recipes I’ll use from this book (Monk Salad, Pita Bread, Yufka Dough, and Za’atar Bread), all of which are rather basic and easily manipulated to preference.

 

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, 15th Anniversary Edition: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread, by Peter Reinhart

The Bread Baker's Apprentice, 15th Anniversary EditionThose who know me well know that I love grains. A lot. Rice, pasta, and bread are staples in the Durough home, and we don’t necessarily need anything else with them. So, I actually got a little giddy when I saw Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, 15th Anniversary Edition: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread was being published (my wife can affirm), and I’m pretty sure I immediately said a quick prayer that there would still be at least one review copy remaining by the time I was able to get it. Sure enough, two were available and I snagged it as fast as I could.

Honestly, given that Reinhart has published several bread books since this one was first published in 2001, I assumed this 15th anniversary edition would be much more than a virtual reprint. I don’t much care for Reinhart’s writing and storytelling, but am appreciative of the details and information specific to bread making. This is certainly beautiful with both helpful and appetizing full-color photographs, but I did expect more in the way of formulas (the term used in lieu of “recipes” because they are quite literally treated as scalable formulas for both home and large scale bakery use). Perhaps the author doesn’t consider them proper breads, but an entire category is missing that, I believe, should be included in any thorough bread book: unleavened. Again, with a book as great and popular as it is, I assumed there would be more additions to this edition. I’d also like to have seen an appendix that included all the helpful charts and such found throughout the book, which are otherwise not quickly found.

Just two years after The Bread Baker’s Apprentice was first published, Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Bread Bible came out in 2003. That massive tome is a must-have bread book, useful for both homes and bakeries. It doesn’t have glossy photos, but the sketches are just as good and helpful. Since Reinhart’s update isn’t much of an update, I’d still go with The Bread Bible. That does not, however, mean the book at hand is undeserving of praise—it is, but at twice the price I’m not sure it’s worth it.

 

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: All Under Heaven: Recipes from the 35 Cuisines of China, by Carolyn Phillips

All Under HeavenAll Under Heaven: Recipes from the 35 Cuisines of China by Carolyn Phillips is the most comprehensive cookbook of Chinese cuisine I’ve ever seen, and I’ve looked through many in both the US and China. There are certainly others that go into greater detail on a specific type of cuisine (e.g., I have one just for dumplings), but this is the first that covers such a broad range of local cuisines with such depth and intentionality. If you only have one Chinese cookbook, this is indeed the one to have.

Phillips divides the cuisines into five regions with several subcategories:

  1. The North & Manchurian Northeast
    1. Shandong
    2. Beijing
    3. Tianjin
    4. Hebei
    5. The Northeast
  2. The Yangtze River & Its Environs
    1. Huai Yang
    2. Jiangsu
    3. Shangjai
    4. Zhejiang
    5. Northern Fujian
    6. Anhui
    7. Henan
    8. Jiangxi
  3. The Coastal Southeast
    1. The Kakka
    2. Chaozhou
    3. Southern Fujian
    4. Taiwan
    5. Taiwan’s Military Families
    6. Hainan
    7. Guangdon and Southern Guangxi
    8. Pearl River Delta
    9. Macau
    10. Hong Kong
  4. The Central Highlands
    1. Sichuan
    2. Hunan
    3. Yunnan
    4. Guizhou
    5. Northern Guangxi
  5. The Arid Lands
    1. Shaanxi
    2. Shanxi
    3. Gansu
    4. The Northwest
    5. Inner Mongolia
    6. Tibet

Each section begins with a couple pages about the region and a short paragraph or two on each subcategory, followed by a plethora of recipes organized by appetizers & small plates, soups, entrées, side dishes, starches & street food, sweets, and beverages. Therefore, the recipes are not organized according to subcategories, though each recipe is labeled accordingly. Over 300 recipes are provided, and I can personally vouch for the authenticity of many. This is a rather large tome (514 pages and 8.3 x 1.9 x 10.2 inches!), and there are, of course, decisions to be made as to the inclusion and exclusion of certain regional dishes. Given the wide variety found herein, including both simple and complex, as well as the aforementioned street food, it is obvious that this is not merely a set of recipes of fine Chinese restaurants. So, I am not quite sure why Phillips would leave out something as nationally recognized as Yangzhou fried rice or the Tibetan dietary staple of barley with yak milk, but the recipes that are provided are indeed authentic to their regions. Perhaps “fried rice is fried rice is fried rice” to some, so a simpler recipe found in the book would perceivably suffice, and it is not likely that many will find yak milk at their local grocers nor online; thus the recipes may have been chosen based on both authenticity and accessibility, for which I have no complaints. Again, it is a treasure as is!

The last 120 pages (The Fundamentals) include basic recipes and techniques for things found throughout the book, especially for those who wish to make rather than purchase certain ingredients and/or specific preparations thereof. A glossary and buying guide is organized alphabetically according it English name or transliteration with both their Chinese character and pinyin translations—both helpful and important when shopping in ethnic stores, as one should! Finally, included are recommended menus for each region according to mealtime and number of people served.

The book itself is beautifully and simply designed with black and red text (very Chinese) and hand-sketched pictures indicative of traditional art and cookbooks—none of the gorgeous photography of cookbooks I normally review, but beautiful all the same. Those who can read Chinese may find an intentional comedic moment or two therein.

I highly recommend this book to those looking for a wide variety of China’s distinct and authentic cuisines, as well as those who only eat at Chinese-American fast food restaurants and don’t know what they’re missing by buying cookbooks that cater to those tastes! I imagine this will quickly become a staple work in culinary endeavors.

 

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: The Elements of Pizza: Unlocking the Secrets to World-Class Pies at Home, by Ken Forkish

Elements of PizzaThough is was just published last month, Ken Forkish’s The Elements of Pizza: Unlocking the Secrets to World-Class Pies at Home is the homemade pizza cookbook I’ve always wanted. Educational on a number of fronts, I feel more competent having only read it, and I hope my practical skills increase in equal measure or more! The photographs of methods are easy to follow, and those of pizzas are inspiring and mouthwatering. Good stuff here!

 

Chapter 1 takes the reader on a journey through the history and methods of pizza making from Italy to the United States. (He even includes the unique pizza of Old Forge, PA—shout out to my in-laws!)

Chapter 2 provides a brief description of how different styles are made and a number of distinctive features to look for. This is especially helpful for someone wondering what kind of pizza to try (or bake!) next.

Chapter 3 gives the reader considerations in achieving any desired pizza crust, pointing out important ratios between moisture, heat, and time, climate differences, and fermentation processes, among many other details.

Chapter 4 discusses specific types of ingredients (e.g., flours, cheeses, and fresh vs. canned tomatoes and their myriad varieties and forms) and equipment used, including some pros and cons of some types (e.g., metal vs. wooden).

Chapter 5 takes 3’s considerations and provides step-by-step instructions in making one’s first pizza using the “water, salt, yeast, flour” method (order of incorporation).

Chapter 6 is full of amazing, detailed dough recipes for both the patient and impatient baker (but be patient and plan ahead!).

Chapter 7 takes those dough recipes and moves into complete pizza recipes. Among sauce recipes and ingredient suggestions for taking one’s own path, there are many tried and true traditional recipes (like my longtime favorite pepperoni, mushroom, and onion, pp.189–191), including some you may have never seen (the mortadella and pistachio needs to get in my belly!).

The book concludes with a couple pages of volume, weight, length, and temperature conversion charts for us ignorant folk.

 

If you want to get into making pizza at home, this would be a good place to start!

 

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: The Whole Coconut Cookbook: Vibrant Dairy-free, Gluten-free Recipes Featuring Nature’s Most Versatile Ingredient, by Nathalie Fraise

The Whole Coconut CookbookI know there are those of you out there who don’t care for coconut (flavor or texture), and even those who just like it as an occasional flavor addition. However, there are those of us who love coconut; and if you love coconut, then you really love coconut. You know, Thai tea is one of your favorite drinks, coconut cream pie is one of your favorite desserts, and shredded coconut is equally appropriate on steak as it is on cake. So, when we see Nathalie Fraise’s The Whole Coconut Cookbook: Vibrant Dairy-free, Gluten-free Recipes Featuring Nature’s Most Versatile Ingredient, we’re likely having a myriad of responses, some more visceral than others! But this is not a coconut-lovers-only cookbook! The coconut is quite versatile, and not all parts and byproducts (aminos, butter, cream, flour, meat, milk, nectar, oil, sugar, vinegar, and water) have the same strength in taste—some have no “coconut flavor” at all! So, this is for everyone who is looking for variety and/or healthier alternatives to some traditional ingredients, especially those who have particular allergies or aversions.

Included are recipes for breakfast, main courses, salads and sides, snacks, drinks, and desserts, as well as homemade versions of some most byproducts listed above. Many recipes swap grain flours for nut and coconut flours and milk for coconut milk, which yield different consistencies and require alterations to traditional recipes as noted. However, not all recipes are dairy- and gluten-free (e.g., risotto, coconut rice, and kefir), but those of us who are not as concerned with these aversions will be thankful for their inclusion.

Most recipes are not going to be “new” or particularly surprising—they may simply swap ingredients for coconut-based alternatives. Others will bring welcomed “coconutty” goodness to your table. A couple of the more surprising dishes for me were the coconut risotto and coconut creamed corn (what?!), which will quickly be added to me repertoire.

The book itself is actually a relatively small hardback with fewer recipes than expected, but it’s still well designed. The beautiful photography by Erin Scott (love the textured wood backgrounds!) is too few—most recipes have no picture, but not all recipes obviously feature coconut in their appearance, which may have been a factor. Personally, I’d like to have seen some smaller photographs included for several recipes in order to have more of them—all photographs take up a whole page.

All things considered, I think this may be a helpful addition to many kitchen collections.

 

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: The Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook: Artisanal Baking From Around the World, by Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez

The Hot Bread Kitchen CookbookJessamyn Waldman Rodriguez is the founder and CEO of Hot Bread Kitchen, originally established in New York City to help immigrant women get established, learn a trade, and prepare them to move on into their own businesses and/or culinary endeavors. The Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook: Artisanal Baking From Around the World is a culminating work of all these bakers, including bread recipes from their respective cultures of origin, as well as other recipes that often go alongside the bread recipes (e.g., hummus for pita, carnitas for tortillas, iced Vietnamese coffee with bahn mi, etc.). Unleavened breads to stuffed pastries; this is a treasure chest of recipes from around the world unlike any other bread book I’ve found thus far.

For those interested in more about the story and bakers of Hot Bread Kitchen, there are spotlights on individuals who have provided specific recipes and significant contributions to the company, which lends a much appreciated authenticity to the book and brings the reader into HBK’s story and mission.

What I appreciate most in the book’s organization are the references to other recipes and their respective locations therein. For example, many recipes call for a pâte fermentée to begin the fermentation process, for which there is a recipe in the book to which all other relevant recipes point. The same goes for many recipes that build on the foundation of a particular type of dough. Rather than unnecessarily replicating the recipe over and over or requiring the reader to search for it in an index, all are referenced. This also applies to relevant tips and means of procuring some hard to find ingredients. Basically, there’s an embedded map to keep the reader from getting lost.

The biggest drawback I found, which isn’t necessarily that bad if the text can be reasonably followed, is found in sequential photographs intended to demonstrate some method. They are virtually unhelpful due to a step missing, poorly organized, or simply ill captured in a way that would make sense to someone who doesn’t regularly work with these steps (which would be anyone for whom they are provided). The most obvious of these examples is that of braided challah bread, where there are several photos demonstrating how to fold two lengths of dough over one another from an “x” shape immediately to a fully braided and tucked shape. There’s definitely something missing there.

Overall, I think it’s a wonderful book that will definitely benefit those who want a culturally eclectic collection of bread recipes rather than one particular type or one that uses one particular flour base.

 

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: The Chili Cookbook, by Robb Walsh, photos by Eva Kolenko

The Chili CookbookChili, chilli, chile… What is it, from where did it come, and how do I make it? What do Mexicans, Spaniards, Greeks, Hungarians, Austrians, Americans, and others the world over have in common? Robb Walsh answers these questions and more in The Chili Cookbook. Just in time to begin experimenting with different recipes for the chili cook-off among my wife’s colleagues, I found this book to be enlightening and inspiring. But it’s the cultural connections made therein that really intrigued me. It shouldn’t be that surprising to find similar dishes on opposite ends of the world when using some of the same ingredients, but it’s still pretty cool when you think about some of them (is goulash chili?!). And the ways immigrants have shaped food culture in the United States… It never ceases to amaze me how many Americans fail to appreciate how non-American “American food” really is! (Who knew that “Texas hot dogs, Texas hots, or Texas Wieners” were created by a Greek dude in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and aren’t Texan at all?!)

Along with what are typically considered both traditional and modern chili recipes, Walsh includes many recipes from around the world that may or may not be chili in the eyes of the reader, but deserve inclusion nonetheless. There are also a number of necessities for the chili aficionado: tortillas, roasting tips, spice mixes, sauces, et al. The only downside I’ve found with this book is it leaving me wanting more of the beautiful photography it already contains by Eva Kolenko (there are photographs of only select recipes). Granted, many of these are going to look the same (but with great difference in texture and flavor!), it’d still be nice to see the final product of each.

This is a beautiful cookbook that I’m glad to have in my growing collection.

 

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: Tacos: Recipes and Provocations, by Alex Stupak and Jordana Rothman

TacosIn the famous words of George Tekei, “Oh, my!” Tacos: Recipes and Provocations is not your mother’s cookbook. This racy, mouthwatering, intriguing collaborative journey through food and culture by Alex Stupak and Jordana Rothamn is what I want all my future food books to imitate. Yes, simple recipe books have their place on my shelves, but none of them make me want to prepare and eat the fruit of their bullet points as does this delectable literature and makes-me-want-to-eat-the-page photography. More, please?

For those hoping for a book of Mexican dishes, we are reminded that “[Tacos] is not a sweeping study of Mexican culinary traditions. It is only about tacos—a reference point most of us share, a familiar food that we can use to explore unfamiliar flavors and challenging ideas” (15). Of course, there are things one needs to know in the making of a taco, which is why there are sections on ingredients, sauces, and the all-important tortilla. High end pastry chef turned taco aficionado Alex Stupak explains, “I’ve had three defining moments as a cook: the first time I got to touch a black truffle; the first time I made a stable foam; and the first time I tasted a freshly made tortilla at La Parrilla” (10). This reminds me of my time living in Belize and eating freshly made, white corn tortillas with caldo (soup). Until you’ve had one of these perfect tortillas, you’ll simply never understand. This is not Taco Bell. This is good.

If you want to dive head first into tacos, or if you want to want to like tacos, this book will do it for you. Seriously, I think I’m making tortillas tonight.

 

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.