Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Taste & Technique


Taste & Technique is a wonderful resource for home cooks and passionate foodies.  Like many home cooks, Naomi Pomeroy is an accomplished chef without formal culinary training and like me, she hails from humble beginnings.  She was seven when she made her first souffle, and learned at a young age how to respect all ingredients, and that even our imperfections can taste good.

This book is also a tome, but you won't want to use it as a doorstop.  She starts with her goes-with-almost-everything sauces like parsley sauce verte, walnut-parsley pistou, hazelnut romesco.   The photos are gorgeous and will, no doubt, elevate your plating.  The recipes vary in the amount of time required, but none are difficult.

Pomeroy said she cooked her way through The Elements of Taste, The Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter, and learned a lot from The New Making of a Cook (confit), Chez Panisse Vegetables (how to shop for vegetables) and Pastries from the La Brea Bakery (pate sucree).   We can benefit from her experience, dedication and hard work by cooking through Taste & Technique.

Unfortunately, the paper is cheap and doesn't always lay flat even when the book is closed.  This book is for any home chef looking to elevate his or her cooking.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Friday, September 16, 2016

Much to Celebrate in Celebrations


Hallelujah!  There is much to celebrate in Danielle Walker's cookbook Against All Grain, Celebrations.   Celebrations are a time for joy and gatherings of friends and family, but they can stressful too, because almost all celebrations involve food and traditions.  Some of these foods are terribly fattening, and we tell ourselves, relax, we're here to give thanks.

At the same time, some of these foods are just not good for us, and we need to celebrate our health too.  With Danielle Walker's new book, you can celebrate life and health at the same time.  No compromises.  Mashed cauliflower with garlic instead of mashed potatoes.  The apple parsnips soup shooters sounds like a delicious and refreshing way to greet the new year.  The recipes are easy, the plating artistic, and the photographs lovely.

Walker explains what pantry staples to stock, how to store, and what they are best used for.  For example, cashew flour imparts a neutral flavor and fluffy texture for baked goods.  The grind of the almond flour greatly affects the texture of your baked goods.  Almond meal makes a good bread crumb substitute.  You can benefit greatly from her research and experience.  Next time you have guests that are paleo or gluten-free, no need to panic.  Celebrations is also a valuable resource for anyone yearning to be healthier without sacrificing deliciousness.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.





Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Victuals



Victuals is a wonderful cookbook and travelogue.   Ronni Lundy takes you on a journey into Applachia, and shares her tasty discoveries.   Every recipe has at least one story, and Ronni went in search of those stories and recipes.  The photographs are stunning, and we learn a lot about the history of the south, the memory of place, the evolution of food.  This cookbook offers so much that I suggest reading it in sections, but cooking by what's in season and by appetite.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.