Deprecated: Function WP_Dependencies->add_data() was called with an argument that is deprecated since version 6.9.0! IE conditional comments are ignored by all supported browsers. in /home1/tummytre/public_html/blog/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131

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.

397,615 thoughts on “Cookbook Review Day

  1. This paragraph offers clear idea designed for the new people of blogging,
    that genuinely how to do blogging and site-building.

  2. Hi! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a group of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community in the same niche.
    Your blog provided us valuable information to work
    on. You have done a marvellous job!

  3. Heya i am for the first time here. I came across
    this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out
    much. I hope to give somethiing back and aid others like you aided me.

    ???? ??????

  4. If they’re not up for it or if they’re unsure, that’s their right and you should respect their choice. ???? ????Try not to pressure them or make them feel guilty about their decision.

  5. Looking for a private Instagram viewer? while many online tools
    claim to allow you see private Instagram profiles, most are scams, phishing attempts, or malware
    traps. Instagrams strict privacy policies create it nearly
    impossible to entry private accounts without the users approval.

    then again of risking your security once unreliable third-party apps, the by yourself real
    artifice to view a private profile is by sending a follow demand
    and waiting for approval. Always prioritize online safety and avoid services that covenant unauthorized accessthey
    often violate Instagrams terms and could compromise
    your account. For legal viewing, engage behind users directly or examine public content responsibly.

  6. An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a coworker who has been doing a little homework on this.
    And he actually ordered me dinner because I found it for him…
    lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!!

    But yeah, thanks for spending time to talk about this issue here on your blog.

  7. I every time used to study article in news papers but now as I am
    a user of internet so from now I am using
    net for posts, thanks to web.

  8. I am 17 and still a virgin. I’ve just completed high school,????? and as much as I’ve been in situations where it could easily have happened, I have never ever allowed it to.

  9. Every weekend i used to visit this site, for the reason that
    i want enjoyment, since this this website conations actually good funny information too.

  10. I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here.
    The sketch is attractive, your authored subject matter stylish.

    nonetheless, you command get bought an impatience
    over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell
    unquestionably come further formerly again since exactly the same nearly
    very often inside case you shield this increase.

  11. It’s a common language, a sigh from the soul, the feeling that you have?? ?? so much to say you can’t get the words out fast enough. Are naked people my people? Oh god.

Comments are closed.