Cookbook Review Day

Today I want to talk about some new cookbooks that I recently received.  I have become very particular about the cookbooks that grace my shelves these days, and that is for one reason really, room.  My coobook shelves are literally bursting, I have filled all the shelf space and have now started stacking them on top of the shelves. So when I really want a new cookbook, I really need to think about it and think about whether or not it is worthy of my precious space. I decided that both of these books today are worthy of my space, and I actually got rid of one little used book to make room.

This first one is simply one of the most beautiful cookbooks I have ever seen.  Spain And The World Table is a compilation of Spanish recipes from the most highly respected Spanish chefs. From the Culinary Institute of America, this book takes recipes created by such greats as Jose Andres and Norman Van Aken and presents them in a way which they can be recreated by the home cook.  Martha Rose Shulman, whose work I am very familiar with, provides the writing and commentary all throughout the book.  Yet it’s not just a cookbook. This is also a reference book.  Anything you ever wanted to know about Spanish cuisine is in this book.  After a recipe Mission Figs stuffed with blue cheese is a reference page full of details about Spanish cheeses, after a recipe for Consomme with Saffron, we get a tutorial on saffron and when and where we should use it- and is it worth its hefty price tag?  There are bits about the different regions of Spain, and I have to say, there is a lot of information in this book, but it’s presented in such an accessible way.  The book itself is beautiful enough- with a picture for almost every single recipe, that if I had a coffee table, this would be on it.

The caveat is that I haven’t cooked out of it yet, so I can’t attest to the nature of the specific recipes. However, reading through several of them that caught my eye, they don’t seem particularly difficult or too avant garde to give them a whirl in my home kitchen.  Every once in a while a recipe will mention a lengthy reduction or there is one recipe specifically that uses a foam- where did I put that foam-making device anyway?  But overall, they really seem geared toward the home cook, and give us an opportunity to try at home the dishes that the world is talking about.  Spanish cuisine is hot right now- but there are so few cookbooks devoted to the cuisine that this is a very welcome addition to my world parade of cookbooks.  With recipes like Hazelnut Passion Fruit Ice Cream, Lamb and Roasted Pepper Ragout, Sea Scallops with Green Raisin Salsa, and Mango, Scotch Bonnet, and Sesame Mojo, this is a book I could read through several times over and not get bored with it.  I can’t wait to give some of these recipes a whirl.

The second book I wanted to mention today is more fun and less intensive than the Spanish tome, but an equally wonderful addition to my cookbook collection.  Grilled Pizzas and Piadianas brings the art of grilled pizza back home where it belongs.  It wasn’t that long ago that Andy and I figured out just how to make a grilled pizza in the first place.  A careful ballet of flipping crust and adding toppings at just the right time elevates pizza to a whole new level.  This book shows us exactly what we could be doing to make it easier, as well as gives us a virtual parade of pizza topping ideas.  As an example, The New Orlean pizza has blackened crawfish, Andouille sausage, fontina cheese, and a spicy apricot sauce as it’s toppings.  I would have never thought of those toppings for pizza- but now that I’ve seen it, it sounds and looks amazing. The Moroccan pizza is topped with curried chicken, roasted garlic and kalamata olives, The Millenium is topped with ground lamb, feta and cucumber!  There are dozens of new pizza ideas here, and every turn of the page gives me a new mouth-watering picture, and the desire to make pizza!

Then there’s the piadinas. What exactly is a piadina? Well, it’s like a flatbread sandwich.  It’s sort of like making a pizza dough and then rolling it around toppings like a wrap, and apparently, they are very popular in Italy. These also look amazing!  Piadina Firenze is stuffed with grilled eggplant and peppers, and is one I’ll be trying when the eggplant comes up in the garden. There’s also a special chapter here for my husband, who is always wanting to make a dessert on the grill.  We have an Apple Tart- a pizza crust topped with cinnamon glazed apples and almonds, a Grilled Banana Split, and something called The S’more, a pizza topped with chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows!  There are also tips on throwing the ultimate grilled pizza party as well as suggestions for beverages that accompany some of the pizzas.  I have to say, as much as I love this book, this would have made a fantastic Father’s Day gift for Andy, since he’s always wanting to make grilled pizzas.  We’ll be taking this book for a spin this weekend if the weather cooperates.

Uncategorized - by Erika

119,794 thoughts on “Cookbook Review Day”

  4. Heya! I understand this is sort of off-topic but
    I needed to ask. Does operating a well-established blog like yours
    require a massive amount work? I’m brand new to writing a blog
    however I do write in my diary everyday. I’d like to start a blog so
    I will be able to share my personal experience and feelings online.

    Please let me know if you have any kind of suggestions or tips for brand new aspiring bloggers.
    Appreciate it!

    Here is my web-site; mitolyn reviews

  9. Natural M?unjaro Alternative Recipe

    Natura? Mounja?o Ingredients:

    1 cup of hot green tea (rich in antioxidants and helps speed up the metabolism).

    1 tablespoon of ?rganic apple cider vinegar (helps control appetite and regulate bloo? sugar).

    1 teaspoon turmeric powder (red?ces inflammation and promotes f?t burning).

    1 teaspoon of pure honey (sweetens naturally and provides sust?inable energy).

    1 ?inch of c?yenne ?epper (stimulates metabolism and pr?motes ca?orie burning).

    Natural Mounjaro Direct?ons:

    Prepare the green tea as norm?l and let it cool for about 2 minutes.

    Add the apple cider vinegar, turmeric, honey and cayenne pepper to the green tea.

    Mix w?ll until all the ingredients ar? ?nc?rporated.

    Drink the mi?ture slowly, prefe?ably in the morning or before a m?al.

    Natural Mounjaro ?enefits:

    Green T?a: Contains catech?ns that help burn fat.

    Apple cider vinegar: Helps digestion and regulates insu?in levels.

    Turm?ric: Contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammator? and antioxidant.

    ?oney: Provides energy and combats sugar cravings.
    Cayenne pepper: Increases thermogenesis, helping the body to burn more ?alori?s.

    Here is my site: web page

  10. Just want to say your article is as amazing. The clearness
    in your post is simply nice and i could assume you’re an expert on this subject.
    Well with your permission allow me to grab your
    RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming post.
    Thanks a million and please continue the gratifying
    work.

  30. Bokep
    Hmm it looks like your website ate my first comment (it was super long) so I guess
    I’ll just sum it up what I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog.

    I too am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to the whole thing.

    Do you have any recommendations for newbie blog writers?
    I’d certainly appreciate it.

  32. I’ll constantly suggest Edison’s services due to the fact that they truly appreciate getting things right while supplying top-tier quality workmanship– it’s not a surprise they’re thought about distinctive within this field!!! For extra details check: electrician near me

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *