AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR NOVEMBER 2011 ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2011 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. TEA; history, terroirs, varieties (Firefly Books, 2011, 270 pages, ISBN 978-1-55407-937-7, $24.95 CAD paper covers) is a heavily illustrated compendium on non-herbal tea, rich in anti-oxidants and with proven medical benefits. It was originally published in French in Quebec in 2009, and here is translated into English. The four writers of this book own The Camellia Sinensis Tea House in Montreal and work as tasters, traveling the world looking for teas. Jonathan Racine who works for the Tea House did the editorial work. Topics include a primer on tea, varieties, processing, cultivars, making-serving-tasting tea, tea ceremonies, and tea in cooking (with 15 recipes by Quebecois chefs). Reference material includes a bibliography, scientific tables for the biochemical properties of 35 teas, and a directory of teas. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Throughout the book, there are profiles of tea growers. Audience and level of use: travelers, tea lovers, food reference book collectors. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: The source of all non-herbal teas is the plant Camellia sinensis, which is processed three different ways to produce the major classes (black, green, oolong, white, yellow, Pu er, scented and smoked. Terroir imparts unique character to a tea. The downside to this book: nothing, really – it is a very comprehensive book. The upside to this book: great pictures and layout. Quality/Price Rating: 92. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. FLAVOURS OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND; a culinary journey (Whitecap, 2010, 260 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-009-9, $39.95 CAD soft covers) is by the culinary team of Jeff McCourt, Allan Williams, and Austin Clement, all chefs associated with either the Culinary Institute of Canada or the PEI Association of Chefs and Cooks (or even both). It is a tribute to the food of PEI, and won the major Gold award at the Cuisine Canada Culinary Book Awards 2011 in the English Canadian Culinary Culture category. Recipes come from all over the island, and photography is by James Ingram. Chapters are arranged by ingredient. Clement, for example, takes on clams, beef, pork, potatoes and cheese, while the others handle mussels, oysters, lobsters, tuna, apples, blueberries, cranberries, and mushrooms. There is even a chapter on wine and spirits; Rossignol Winery is well-known for its fruit wines. Each chapter tells you what and when to buy or how to forage. You can recreate a typical PEI meal at home. The book is oversized, which makes it terrific for leading and spaces. The large fonts are easy on the eyes, and the paperback make it easy for a table layout. Usually, though, with a posh “coffee table” type book like this, I make photocopies of the recipes I’d be trying out. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: armchair travelers, PEI Canadian cuisine lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: haddock seafood chowder; grilled halibut with summer salsa; ham rapure; herb and potato-crusted oysters; hearty braised pork; maple and cider-glazed braised pork belly. The downside to this book: it is such a lovely book, I wish it could have been done up as a hard case-bound book. The upside to this book: Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. RUHLMAN’S TWENTY; 20 techniques, 100 recipes, a cook’s manifesto (Chronicle Books, 2011, 368 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7643-8, $40 US hard covers) is by Michael Ruhlman, who has been associated with Thomas Keller (French Laundry) as a co-author of many food books. Indeed, there is also advanced log rolling here with such as Keller, Alton Brown (Iron Chef), and Dorie Greenspan. Not that there is anything wrong with that; the original subtitle was “the ideas and techniques that will make you a better cook”. It is also festooned with over 250 photographs, mainly for techniques to illustrate the twenty topics. The book is arranged by technique, and includes salt, water, onion, acid, egg, butter, dough, batter, sugar, sauce, braise, poach, grill, fry, etc. There are no surprises here which make the book good for a basic drill beginner. But there is also an amazing amount of depth, which makes the book useful for intermediate learners. Ruhlman explains the hows and whys of each technique and then gives recipes to illustrate his points. All courses are covered, from soups to desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric (mostly) and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. There’s a primer on equipment and planning, as well as sources for more information or products. You could also check www.ruhlman.com for kinds of additional material and for updates. Audience and level of use: intermediate cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: fish tacos with guacamole; grilled spring veggies; grilled pear salad; braised lamb shanks with lemon confit; cold snap pea soup; Dutch oven bread; savory bread pudding; pastrami short ribs. The downside to this book: I just wish it wasn’t so heavy, almost 4 pounds of clay-based paper. The upside to this book: there is a handy ribbon book marker. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 4. THE INTOLERANT GOURMET; glorious food without gluten & lactose (Artisan, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-579765-1, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Barbara Kafka, an award-winning cookbook author and free-lance writer who was a recipient of the James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. She has a collection of some 300 preps here, with sections on breakfast, hors d’oeuvre, apps, pastas, risottos, soups, salads – right through to desserts. Quinoa gets enough space for 10 recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those who need to be free of gluten and lactose. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: although they are unrelated genetically, lactose intolerance and gluten intolerance often occur in the same person. They can vary in evidencing their presence or intensity over time, but they do not disappear. Gluten intolerance has increased ten fold over the past decade; 60% of the North American population cannot fully digest dairy. The downside to this book: the closing chapter on starches might have been more useful at the front of the book. The upside to this book: there’s a good section on polenta. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 5. COOK WITHOUT A BOOK; meatless meals (Rodale, 2011, 276 pages, ISBN 978-1-60529-176-5, $32.50 US hard covers) is by Pam Anderson, a bestselling author of a half-dozen award winning (or nominated) cookbooks, including “How to Cook Without a Book”, one of my faves. Here she tackles vegetarian and vegan foods in about 250 basic meal templates, styled as her earlier book. She opens with breakfast foods (she has a liberal definition for the first meal of the day): oats, grits, wraps, pizzas, potatoes and eggs, chipped veggies on toast, pancakes, and sweet scones and bran muffins. This is the first quarters of the book. Then begins, “fun food the rest of the day”, with chapters on salads, soups, stews, sandwiches, afternoon eggs and potatoes, and some quick idea on fast food (Italian, Asian, Mexican). But of course, her use of cheese and eggs does limit its usefulness for vegans. In fact, if there is an overarching philosophy here, it is that we should all eat less meat, and here are some nifty preps for us. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: vegetarians, and to a lesser extent, vegans. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: a master formula for skillet potatoes and eggs (which also calls for varying amounts of feta or goat cheese, or swiss and cheddar, plus accompanying spices and herbs for variations); savoury scones with variations on cheeses and flavourings; grain and legume salads which are dairy-free. The downside to this book: there may not be enough here to interest vegans, yet the book’s PR info on the dust jacket is directed to vegans. The upside to this book: variety is supposed to be the spice of life, and it certainly is with food. She advocates being a part-time vegan or vegetarian if you do not want the commitment. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 6. POULET; more than 50 remarkable meals that exalt the honest chicken (Chronicle Books, 2011, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-8116-7969-9, $27.50 US hard covers) is by Cree LeFavour, cookbook author (The Steak Book, 2008). Overall, there are 150 preps here for the 50 meals, which are categorized by flavour profiles or regions. First up is the American chicken meal, followed by the “Bistro” chicken (mostly French, mainly European), Latin chicken, East Asian, South Asian, and Africa (including the Middle East). It is an interesting concept, and it works. Each meal, such as the Sorrel Chicken Troisgros, serves 4, and usually calls for a 1 to 2 kilo chicken, the appropriate seasoning, and some veggie or salad or bread accompaniment (no dessert). Here, the veggie is pea puree. This chicken prep has been adapted from Troisgros’ signature salmon plate. Many recipes in the book only call for thighs, which are actually the most flavourful part of the chicken. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. All the classics appear to be here, including Sengalese chicken, saffron chicken, chicken in parchment, and chicken pot pie. She even has some wine, cocktail and beer suggestions. Audience and level of use: home cooks looking for a routine but with different ingredients. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: roadside chicken tacos; chankonabe; grilled thighs with BBQ; chicken-fennel meatballs; truffled roast chicken; chicken-vegetable kadhi. The downside to this book: I could not find a prep for chicken cacciatore. Was this an oversight? The upside to this book: a chicken for every week of the year, with a turkey at Thanksgiving and Christmas? Quality/Price Rating: 87. 7. THE BIG HANDOUT (Rodale, 2011, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-60961-113-2, $24.99 US hard covers) is by Thomas M. Kostigen, a co-author of The Green Book. The subtitle says it all: “how government subsidies and corporate welfare corrupt the world we live in and wreak havoc on our food bills.” He tries to give us an expose of how subsidies pervert our North American way of living, making us fatter, poorer and unhealthy. There are a couple of references to Canada (none to the European Union) which show us in a more favourable light, but just barely. And of course it is all about Big Ag and protectionism. There’s a lot here to digest, but none of it is new. Government subsidies seem to have been around forever (think sugar and corn lobbies). Currently, the most heavily subsidized commodities are cotton, wheat, corn, soy, and oil: over $200 billion per year. We end us spending good money for bad business practices. He ends the book with chapters suggesting what we can do to make change, and what the world would look like without subsidies. At the back, there’s a sources list and an index. Audience and level of use: conspiracy theory readers, those with low blood pressure. Some interesting or unusual facts: subsidies are government grants to private businesses if it is advantageous to the public. Subsidies enable businesses to actually charge MORE than a free market system, and can create goods that aren’t even produced for sale (kept off the market). It is all artificial pricing. The downside to this book: he doesn’t cover the EU, where the situations can be even worse. The upside to this book: good writing style that convinces. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 8. THE GOLDEN-BRISTLED BOAR; last ferocious beast of the forest (University of Virginia Press, 2011; distr. by Scholarly Book Services, 183 pages, ISBN 978-0-8139-3103-6, $22.95 US hard covers) is by Jeffrey Greene, an award-winning poet who has written books about living in Burgundy and the Bamberger Texas restoration project. Here, he returns to Burgundy. He bought a place in northern Burgundy that was one of the most densely populated boar areas in Europe. Following the gift of a side of boar from a neighbor and meeting a boar-hunting party, he began to collect information about boars. Boars seem to have no natural enemies, except for man. They are regarded as pests in many cultures, and throughout history have been thusly portrayed. They cause over 14,000 car accidents a year in France alone. I used to know a chef in Menton who loved hunting boars but always dreaded having to carry one down a mountainous ravine. Greene delves into boar lore, and travels to Sardinia, Corsica, Tuscany, and the US South in pursuit of stories. He interviews museum curators, scientists, hunters, chefs, chateau owners, and others. He’s even got some wide-ranging recipes such as roast loin, jabali (Spanish adobo), Inoshishi botan nabe hot pot, Wildschweinschnitzel from German immigrants in Texas, Cinghiale (Italian boar ragu), and Burgundian sanglier. These preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Unfortunately for us in Ontario, all wild boar sold here is farmed, so the flavour has been muted. Audience and level of use: wild animal lovers, culinary historians. Some interesting or unusual facts: In England, indigenous boars were rendered extinct in the thirteenth century, but many escapees from boar-breeding farms have brought them back. Natural England, an advisory board, recognizes the boar as indigenous and wishes to manage the population. The downside to this book: there is the occasional illustration, but the book could use more. The upside to this book: a good, solid, single ingredient/product book Quality/Price Rating: 89. 9. CRAZY ABOUT CAKES; more than 150 delectable recipes for every occasion (Sterling, 2011, 370 pages, ISBN 978-1-4027-6914-6, $17.95 US paper covers) is by Krystina Castella, who has also written a whole crazy series: “Crazy About Cupcakes”, “Crazy About Cookies” – and now “Cakes”. It is a useful book if you like to bake AND decorate. Many people do. There is something every occasion here (birthdays, brunches, holidays, weddings, and the like), plus everyday cakes. There are also some modern interpretations of classics that contain less fat, fewer calories, and more natural ingredients. There are also some savoury cakes and some fusion cakes too. She has plenty of variations too. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those who like to bake and decorate. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: peanut sesame raspberry roll; banana agave cakes; chocolate fried twinkies; cream-filled cupcakes; chocolate chip cranberry roll; butterscotch and sea salt bundts; meringue layers with marshmallow filling; jalapeno cake with molasses. The downside to this book: volume measures are used, but I prefer scaling by weight. It is more exact. The upside to this book: good looking photos of decorations. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 10. THE BONNE FEMME COOK BOOK; simple, splendid food that French women cook every day (Harvard Common Press, 2011, 420 pages, ISBN 978-1- 55832-749-8, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Wini Moranville, who writes a monthly wine column and reviews restaurants in and around Des Moines, IA. She’s also a free lance writer. Log rolling comes from Dorie Greenspan and Amanda Hesser. Here she deconstructs French cooking for North American kitchens by presenting what she has learned after twenty years of summering in France. It’s the bonne femme housewife style, which she extols at www.chezbonnefemme.com. This current book is a collection of some 250 preps, done up in the French family style of dining (a style, I might add, that seems to be disappearing). Her book ranges from appetizers (amuse-bouches of hard sausages, olives, nuts and cheese) and cocktails to salads, soups, the concept of saute and deglaze (a meal in 30 minutes or less), braises-stews-roasts, casseroles and pasta, side dishes, savouries, eggs and cheese, and desserts. Still, she mentions that she cannot recall ever being served home-baked desserts in French homes. “That’s not to say that French women don’t bake, it’s just that they don’t have to.” – there are many pastry shops in France. She uses three cheeses in cooking: goat, sheep, and French Gruyere (Comte); the latter tastes better than Swiss Gruyere. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois volume measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: the harried North American home cook Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: In her book, she mostly offers the kinds of desserts that French women would bake at home: crêpes, upside-down cakes, a pear tart tatin, a fruit crumble, crème brulee, clafouti, Alsatian apple tart, and chocolate pound cake. Vermouth-Braised Chicken with Black Olives and Prosciutto; Moroccan- Spiced Chicken Braise Ce Soir; Poulet Bijoutière (chicken–braised with garlic, wine, pomegranate juice and a touch of currant jelly); Choucroute Garnie; Normandy Pork Chops; Tuna Steaks Braised with Tomatoes, Olives, and Fennel. The downside to this book: call me a snob, but I’d still like to read French recipe titles in addition to English language ones. The upside to this book: a good idea for a book – fast food French style. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 11. ECO-INNOVATORS; sustainability in Atlantic Canada (Nimbus Publishing, 2011, 199 pages, ISBN 978-1-55109-863-0, $22.95 CAD paper covers) is by Chris Benjamin, currently the “Sustainable City” columnist for The Coast, a Halifax newspaper. He is also an awards- nominated novelist. Here he profiles some of Atlantic Canada’s innovative sustainability leaders: entrepreneurs, educators, activists, farmers, and fishermen – about three dozen in all. As Benjamin says, each person featured in this book has a different idea about what it means to be green. But they all have respect for natural resources and they all want to work communally. Chapters are by themes, with recycling, reusing, choosing a home, using household cleaners, lawns, transportation, and the work place. For us in the food and wine area, there are interesting profiles on green gourmets choosing sustainable foods, such as David and Edith Ling of Fair Acres Farms, Richard Wetmore of Speerville Flour Mill, Sean Gallagher of Terroir-Local Source Catering, Steve Law and Evelyn Jones of Sunroot Farm, and Chris Hudson of Off the Hook fishery. There’s a bibliography for further reading, but no index. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 12. WHOLE BEAST BUTCHERY; the complete visual guide to beef, lamb, and pork (Chronicle Books, 2011, 239 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-0059-3, $40 US hard covers) is by Ryan Farr, chef and butcher. He and his wife founded 4505 Meats in San Francisco in 2009, an artisanal meat company, where he also teaches butchery and charcuterie. Birgit Binns assisted him; she’s an author or co-author of about two dozen cookbooks. As we all know, meat has been back for some time, but it takes awhile for publishers to get manuscripts/ideas and then produce a book – about two years. This is a basic nose-to-tail book, with all the basics in techniques and more than 500 photos. It’s a bones and muscle book, with lots of white fat in each picture. There’s a primer on tools and techniques, meat storage and handling, plus some 14 master recipes scaled from 2 to 20 people. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: home cooks who want DIY butchery, and others who want to know about the process. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: beef tongue pastrami; onion- braised beef neck; merguez sausage; charred scallion pork sausage; pork jowl and clams; pork belly and garbanzo soup. The downside to this book: the beef section is admirable, but I’m not so sure how to tackle a cow in my house. Maybe veal. Lamb and pigs can be done at home. The upside to this book: good reference material. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 13. THE GOOD HOUSEKEEPING TEST KITCHEN COOKBOOK; essential recipes for every home cook (Hearst Books, 2011, 690 pages, ISBN 978-1-58816-905-1, $29.95 US ring binder) has been coordinated by Susan Westmoreland from the Test Kitchen. The group performs 1700 taste tests every year, from preps that have been triple-tested to make sure the recipe works. This is GH’s first ring-binder book. Fourteen chapters include breakfast, brunch, stews, soups, meats, pasta, casseroles, meatless, salads, and desserts, 375 recipes in all. There are tips and advice, photos, techniques, and nutritional analyses. Preps are coded with icons for lo-cal, heart-healthy, 30-minute meals, make aheads, or slow-cooker recipes. There are even smartphone tags that link to 35 GH cooking videos on the web. Audience and level of use: general home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the turkey with roasted apples and pan gravy recipe has a link to a video for “Best Do-Ahead Gravy”, as well as an explanation of wild turkey, thawing instructions, and shopping tips. The downside to this book: the ring binder is useful for detaching the recipe from the book, but there may be a pilferage problem in stores and libraries. The upside to this book: there’s other material here, such as setting a table, food and wine matches, an entertaining guide, ingredient substitutions, freezer guidelines, and handy charts. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 14. A TASTE BOF THE MARITIMES; local, seasonal recipes the whole year round (Nimbus Publishing, 2011, 150 pages, ISBN 978-1-55109-869-2, $22.95 CAD soft covers) is by Elizabeth Bailey, a food and gardening writer with a passion for the Maritimes. She says that over 90 percent of food eaten in the Maritimes today is imported. But there are many local foods in supermarkets, farmers markets, CSAs, co-ops, and natural food stores. And of course, they are seasonally available. Most of the preps can be used anywhere in North America, although fiddleheads, Dragon’s Breath cheese, and various seafood might be limited. The arrangement is by season, with two chapters for summer (early and late), about 20 for each. Interspersed are profiles of Speerville Flour Mill, Galloping Cows Fine Foods, Fox Hill Cheese House, Canadian Organic Maple Company, and several others. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: Maritime food lovers, seasonal food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: scape and ginger bisque; fiddleheads and bacon; inside-out Dragon burgers; heritage bean chili; late summer rum and fruit salad. The downside to this book: while a nifty basic book, it covers a larger range than merely local Maritime foods. The upside to this book: the profiles illuminate the foods of the Maritimes. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 15. HANDHELD PIES; dozens of pint-size sweets & savories (Chronicle Books, 2011, 143 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-0214-6, $19.95 US hardbound) is by Sarah Billingsley, a cookbook editor, and Rachel Wharton, a Beard Award-winning food writer and editor. These are all small treats, eaten with one hand, often also called “two biters” – a tart that can be consumed in two bites, and perfect (for the most part) at cocktail parties or other social, walkabout events. Or, take some to lunch. There are about 40 preps here, plus variations, arranged by format, such as free-form pies, structured pies, and jar pies. At the end there is a section on pie crusts, which are referred to in the recipe (cream, cheese crust, butter crust, chocolate crumb, lard crust, and more. There is also a run down on the more common fruit fillings. Many chapters have the occasional profile on pie businesses, such as The Original Fried Pie Shop. It’s a great idea, and the only thing lacking is the use of any gluten-free adaptations. It isn’t even mentioned, although they have almost a page on using locally milled grains. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. The weight measurements are scaled in the metric, but not in the avoirdupois. Audience and level of use: home cooks who entertain. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bacon, egg and cheese breakfast pie; orange marmalade-mascarpone pop tarts; mozzarella, tomato and prosciutto pie; chicken chile relleno pie. The downside to this book: the lack of gluten-free crusts. The upside to this book: a nifty idea. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 16. RUSTIC ITALIAN; simple, authentic recipes for everyday cooking (Weldon Owen, 2011, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-61628-165-6, $29.95 US hard covers) is from Williams-Sonoma, authored by Domenica Marchetti, a food writer specializing in casual Italian fare. This is her fourth such cookbook. She’s got about 100 simple preps, arranged by course from antipasti, to soups and salads through to dolci. There’s also a short wine guide, a guide to salumi and cheeses, and an inventory of Italian pantry staples. It’s a classy book with first rate photography. But while the recipe titles are in both Italian and English, only the English titles are indexed, which is annoying. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Recipes all come with Italian wine suggestions. Audience and level of use: Italian food lovers, basic home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: roasted delicate squash with sage; tomato tart with goat cheese; cavatelli with zucchini blossoms; Tuscan-style steak with crispy potatoes; spicy sauteed kale and chickpeas; ricotta and bittersweet chocolate crostata. The downside to this book: there are many other books with the classics. The upside to this book: the photos are very appealing. Quality/Price Rating: 85. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 17. CAKE COUTURE; modern sugar-craft for the stylish baker (Firefly, 2011, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-55407-949-0, $19.95 CAD paper covers) is by Annie Dam, who owns and operates “Cake Couture” cake boutique in Edmonton. It is also published by Quintet Publishing in the UK. She’s written about decorative techniques for publications, and has appeared on Breakfast TV and other place. Here she has written a book about the art of decorating, principally wedding cakes, celebrations and cupcakes. It’s Spanish- and French-influenced (Dam herself comes from Vietnam). The basics are covered in a primer, with over 120 pages devoted to decorating techniques (with photos). In addition, she also covers transporting, displaying and storing. There’s a thumbnail index to such decorations as violet scrolls, cube, black and white ribbons, ribbon roses, ruffled brooch, mardi gras and 14 more. Each recipe has a similar layout. For example, to make a “lustrous peacock”, she outlines tools required (over 30), materials (16), and a timeline beginning one week ahead. There are 17 photos showing techniques and assembling requirements. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 18. THE ROSIE’S BAKERY ALL-BUTTER, CREAM-FILLED, SUGAR-PACKED BAKING BOOK (Workman Publishing, 2011, 418 pages, ISBN 978-0-7611-5407-5, $15.95 US paper covers) is by Judy Rosenberg, owner of the Rosie’s Bakery chain in Boston. It was first announced under a different title, with about 300 recipes. Here, that total has dropped to 250. She had written two other baking books (one got an IACP Award) which together sold over 310,000 copies – and this current book combines the “best” of those two books and then adds 40 new ones to the package. The larger arrangement is by category (cakes, cookies, bars, pies and fruit desserts) with smaller groupings for such as layer cakes, bundts, tubes, loaves, rolled cakes, cheesecakes, and cupcakes for the “cakes”. Try truffle soufflé, banana rum bread pudding, peaches and cream custard, stovetop rice pudding, lemon cream cheese squares. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois volume (not weight) measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. You may not need this book if you already have the other two. Quality/price rating: 87. 19. BACK TO BAKING; 200 timeless recipes to bake, share, and enjoy (Whitecap, 2011, 330 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-063-1, $40 CAD hard covers) is by Anna Olson, host of many food shows on Food Network Canada. This is her seventh book with Whitecap, and they honoured her by publishing it in hard covers! It’s a basic book, of course, which she says provides fundamental formulas and guidelines. There is also a higher level of sophistication here for some more complicated preps. So it is a book for both the novice and the adventuresome: muffins, coffee cakes, sticky buns, pies, tarts, cookies, bars, custards, cakes. There’s a whole chapter on gluten-free desserts, with about three dozen preps, plus other chapters on dairy-free desserts, egg-free desserts, and low-fat and/or low-sugar desserts. Try the gluten-free honey almond shortbread, or the pistachio snowball cookies, or the whole wheat carrot sticky buns, or the complicated Hungarian dobos torte. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. And all the ingredients have volumes, and are not scaled. Quality/price rating: 89. * THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 20. PRAIRIE HOME COOKING; 400 recipes that celebrate the bountiful harvests, creative cooks, and comforting foods of the American heartland (Harvard Common Press, 1999, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 434 pages, ISBN 978-1-55832-145-8, $16.95 US paper covers) is by Judith M. Fertig, who has written extensively about the agriculture and local culinary traditions of the US midwest. It was originally published in 1999 as part of the America Cooks series, and this is a straight reprint (the bibliography has not been updated, which is a shame). It is a worthy collection of preps, with bits of lore accompanying each recipe, and it had been nominated for several awards. It’s arranged in two columns, covering courses from apps to desserts, with extra chapters on breads and breakfasts. Try dilly beer grilled brats, roasted Italian sausage with peppers and potatoes, pan-fried chicken with gravy, and the twice-baked morel-stuffed potatoes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 21. BAKING BY FLAVOUR (John Wiley & Sons, 2002, 2011, 567 pages, ISBN 978-1-118-16967-4, $24.99 US paper covers) is by Lisa Yockelson, a cookbook author and journalist. It was originally published in 2002 and subsequently won an IACP Award. This is the paperback reprint, complete with a ten-year old bibliography. Nevertheless, the return of this book to print is still an occasion. She deals with flavour principles, emphasizing the judicious and selective use of such as coconut, peanuts, rum, ginger, blueberry, banana, almonds, etc. – about 19 in all. There is a chapter for each. For example, under caramel, there is caramel chip cake, butterscotch oatmeal cookies, butterscotch pecan bars, caramel basting sauce, and turtle squares. Volume measurements are used, and as well, preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 22. TEXAS HOME COOKING; 400 terrific and comforting recipes full of big, bright flavors and loads of down-home goodness (Harvard Common Press, 1993, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 584 pages, ISBN 978-1-55832-059-8, $18.95 US paper covers) is by Cheryl and Bill Jamison who have written two James Beard Book Award winners. It was originally published in 1993, and here it is back as a straight reissued reprint. Sadly, the bibliography has not been brought up to date, and there’s mostly a 20 year gap between the list and now. However, as part of the America Cooks series, the two-columned book covers all the basics of Texas BBQ, Tex-Mex food, chili, beans and football food. Hearty food indeed. It’s arranged by ingredient, with separate chapters on steak, poultry, game, fish, seafood, breakfasts, desserts, and sides. Try South Texas venison stew, sweet-sour kraut salad, popeye noodles, onion bread pudding, hot kohl, and sausage upside-down cornbread. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 23. MAGICAL MEALS MADE EASY (Gibbs Smith, 2011, 328 pages, ISBN 978-1- 4236-2363-2, $24.99 US hard covers) is a hard bound reprint of four “101 Ways With” cookbooks, written by Stephanie Ashcraft, Donna Kelly, and Toni Patrick who collectively have written dozens of these kinds of books. So this reprint covers 101 Ways With Canned Soup, 101 Ways with Mac ‘n’ Cheese, and Meatballs, and Canned Biscuits. So there are 404 preps here, emphasizing the quick and convenient meals for harried families. You’ll find pork chops and potatoes, slow-cooked potatoes and sausage, macaroni cake, Christmas stew, cheesy triangles, and Caesar meatball kabobs. But only four recipes using Velveeta cheese. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. There’s an all-inclusive index as a bonus. Quality/price index: 80. 24. NEW ENGLAND HOME COOKING; 350 recipes from town and country, land and sea, hearth and home (Harvard Common Press, 1999, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 652 pages, ISBN 978-1-55832-757-3, $18.95 US paper covers) is by Brooke Dojny, a Beard Award-winning food writer who lives in Maine. She’s authored over a dozen cookbooks, many dealing with New England. It was originally published in 1999 as The New England Cookbook, and here it is back as a straight reissued reprint. Sadly, the bibliography has not been brought up to date, and there’s mostly a 10 year gap between the list and now. However, as part of the America Cooks series, it does celebrate the regional cooking of Down East and the rest of New England. The range (and the arrangement) is from soups to desserts, with chapters on breads and preserves. True Yankee classics include North End clams casino, Wellfleet oysters on the half-shell, Maine- style molasses baked yellow-eyes, New England Cobb salad, Shaker whipped winter squash with Cape Cod cranberries, and Beach House blueberry cobbler. There are also lots of fish and game preps, as well as cider and cheese. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 25. THE APPLE A DAY COOKBOOK (Nimbus Publishing, 1993, 2011, 219 pages, ISBN 978-1-55109-858-6, $16.95 CAD soft covers) is by Janet Reeves, a cookbook author. It was originally published in 1993. There’s no evidence of what’s new, but the layout has changed with a re-setting of the type. It’s been 18 years since the book was published, but apples are a pretty stable commodity, and there was no bibliography or statistical table to update. Recipes are timeless, sourced from all over the world, with many from PEI, Reeves’ home (she says that there are 20 varieties of apples in PEI). The wide range includes all courses. Mains include pork dishes (a natural affinity for apples), plus some apple preps with chicken, curried steak, and an apple-scallop bake. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents, possibly left from the 1993 edition. With one or two recipes on a page, there should be close to 365 preps here. The index is arranged by food category (e.g., muffins) that is bolded. Quality/price rating: 89. 26. KNEADLESSLY SIMPLE; fabulous, fuss-free, no-knead breads (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 2011, 210 pages, ISBN 978-1-118-16943-8, $19.99 US paper covers) is by Nancy Baggett, a food writer known principally for her dessert cookbooks (one was a Beard winner). It was originally published in 2009, and this is a straight reprint at a $5 reduction. Here she riffs off of Jim Lahey’s successful no-knead slow-rise French bread recipe as captured by Mark Bittman (October, 2006, New York Times) by extending the concept to all kinds of yeast breads. Lahey’s was not the first, but it seemed to be the most popular as evidenced by its spread through the Internet. Baggett has made changes, such as using ice water and refrigeration to slow down the biga. The 75 recipes here are a boon to harried cooks and bakers everywhere. The secret to good bread making, whether you knead or not, is simply a long, slow rise. You’ll only need one bowl, one spoon, some simple steps to follow, and minimal cleanup. What you will get is artisanal bread that is thick, crusty, with moderately sized holes in the crumb. Her details and instructions are precise, with a range of rising times to suit your own schedule. And of course, she has a troubleshooting section. It is worth the effort to read about how to convert your favourite old bread recipe into the newer mode, for then you can convert most anything. There is a 32 page section on “easiest ever yeast breads”, followed by specific chapters on American favourites, Old World classics, multi-grain and gluten-free breads, and sweet breads. She believes that the best yeast for the slow rise is bread machine yeast because it does not need to be re-hydrated; don’t use cake or compressed yeast. The basic technique takes nine steps, and is explained on pages 1 to 3. Each prep here usually has variations: cheddar bread; farmhouse potato bread with dill and olives; English muffin loaves; crusty yeasted cornbread; challah. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. The emphasis in the book is on “knowing the rules before breaking them”, which I wholeheartedly agree with, but may rub some people the wrong way in these permissive times. Quality/Price Rating: 89. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR OCTOBER 2011 ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2011 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. UNQUENCHABLE; a tipsy quest for the world’s best bargain wines (Doubleday Canada, 2011, 357 pages, ISBN 978-0-385-66848-4, $29.95 CAD hard covers) is by ubiquitous Natalie MacLean, author of the award- winning bestseller “Red, White and Drunk All Over” and a colleague of mine within the Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada. There’s some log rolling from Kermit Lynch and Francis Mayes. It’s an honest book, seeking honest answers to the best wines in the world at bargain prices. She’s traveled around Niagara, Germany, Australia, Italy, South Africa, Argentina, Portugal and France (eight regions in all) in search of values. In each, she visited 30 to 40 wineries, and tasted a range of wine in all of them. But as she’s said countless times over, the best wine depends on what you are eating, with whom, and what the occasion is. A lot of the book is tied into her website. You can go to www.nataliemaclean.com and do wine-picking with her top-value choices (which include tasting notes, scores, bottle shots, and food matches). There are also website addresses, contact information, pictures, recipes for the dishes she recommends, landscape photos, discussion points for book clubs, and the like. This is good integration with the convergence of static print and electronic websites. So: to cheat a bit, I’ll list her recommendations for Australia – choose from Wolf Blass, Penfolds and Henschke. From Argentina – choose from Catena, Norton, and Zuccardi. You cannot go wrong with any of their wines priced around $15 and up. All of her wine writing is sensible and conversational, so I’m still not sure why the quest has to be “tipsy” or why the illustration on the dust jacket has to be as it is. Audience and level of use: wine drinkers and wine readers, those looking for bargain wines. Some interesting or unusual facts: Most people believe that they can taste the difference between a wine priced at $5 and one at $50….It gets trickier when the difference is between $15 and $30…Rich, layered experiences hold our attention.” The downside to this book: call me old-fashioned, but as I said in my review of Red White and Drunk All Over, I just don’t like the idea of linking wine writing with overindulging. It makes light of a serious subject, for we wine writers all expectorate when tasting. But then, those feelings are just me. I may be wrong. The upside to this book: I like the lists at the end of each chapter, the field notes. Hey, and I just bought some clothes at Guy’s Frenchys in August! Quality/Price Rating: 90. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. APPLE; a global history (Reaktion Books, 2011, 132 pages, ISBN 978- 1-86189-848-7, $17 US hard covers) is by Erika Janik, a freelance writer and producer at Wisconsin Public Radio. BREAD; a global history (Reaktion Books, 2011, 160 pages, ISBN 978- 1-86189-854-8, $18 US hard covers) is by William Rubel, a freelance food historian. CHAMPAGNE; a global history (Reaktion Books, 2011, 136 pages, ISBN 978- 1-86189-857-9, $17 US hard covers) is by Becky Sue Epstein, a journalist writing about food, wine and travel. OLIVE; a global history (Reaktion Books, 2011, 124 pages, ISBN 978-1- 86189-868-5, $17 US hard covers) is by Fabrizia Lanza, a food scholar and owner of a Sicilian cooking school. These books are all part of the Edible Series; they now number some 20 books in a uniform format. Edible is a great series, offering fingernail profiles and engaging memoirs of foods. You don’t need to collect them all: if you hate olives (as does a friend of mine), then just avoid that book. They’ve all got some traditional history, cultural history, food history, and some travel/geography notes. Each volume has a selection of recipes (with both metric and avoirdupois measurements), end notes, bibliography, and a listing of websites and associations. There are also terrific full-colour photos and an index. “Apple” is everywhere in food lore and history, and Janik includes the development of cider in her account. While there are thousands of varieties (and many which are now lost), just 20 types make up 90 per cent of all the apples eaten in the world. “Bread” is 160 pages, but it was announced at 224. I don’t know what was left out, but it appears that one-quarter of it was left on the editor’s desk. It should have been a longer book since bread is a basic, essential food product, a staple of both the rich and the poor. It has been around since before agriculture, may be 25,000 years ago. But not covered is the rise of gluten-free flours. “Champagne” of course emphasizes the wines of one French region, but it does go to pains to distinguish between sparkling wines and Champagnes. Most of the book deals with history and celebratory customs. Reference material here also includes non-Champagne sparklers. “Olive” is a comprehensive book about the Mediterranean, where the olive grove pervades culture, history and food. There are also short sections on the olive outside this region and on the Mediterranean diet. Audience and level of use: culinary historians, food lovers. Some interesting or unusual facts: Apples came from the mountains of Kazakhstan. Sparkling wines have an affinity with monks. Olive paste is a very early use of olives as food. The downside to this book: as with any profile, occasionally one may wish for more detail about certain points. The upside to this book: good, nifty self-contained books. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. MAKE THE BREAD, BUY THE BUTTER (Free Press, 2011; distr. Simon and Schuster, 296 pages, ISBN 978-1-4516-0587-7, $27.99 US hard covers) is by Jennifer Reese, a former book critic for Entertainment Weekly and now teaches cooking classes. She deals with the issues of food processing, natural foods, and agricultural processing – all important topics. She makes the case that you don’t have to make everything from scratch, but you do need to be careful about what you buy. You should be able to make your own pancakes, chocolate cake, guacamole, eggs benedict, hummus, cured meats, braised beef, and bagels. It is always cheaper, you spend less money, to make your own. You could also, with a bit more time, make your own pasta, chocolates, graham crackers, applesauce, mayonnaise, tortillas, and roasted chicken. But it pays (at least in time) to buy baguettes, sashimi, burritos, English muffins, and other items. Read the book to find out why. Certainly, you’ll need to make your own croissants! Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Each of the 120 recipes gets a slight cost-benefit analysis. Audience and level of use: home cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: everyday bread; rye bread; yogurt; croissants; duck egg ravioli; orange-apricot preserve. The downside to this book: with just a little more effort and appreciation from the home front, home cooks could be making more recipes than Reese proposes. The upside to this book: nice idea. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 4. HOW TO MAKE BREAD; step-by-step recipes for yeasted breads, sourdoughs, soda breads and pastries (Ryland, Peters & Paul, 2011, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-140-7, $27.95 US hard covers) is by Emmanuel Hadjiandreou, who learned his craft in a German bakery and then went to work for Gordon Ramsay. He’s an award-winner, currently teaching bread- making in the UK. It’s a typical technique book, outlining more than 60 varieties of artisanal bread. Wheat-free and gluten-free preps are also included in their own chapter. Recipes scaled, for weight: preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. The photos are stunning – all breads look so natural and rustic, chewable. Audience and level of use: breadmakers looking for new breads. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: wholegrain fruit soda bread; multi-grain seeded bread; ciabatta; pecan raisin bread; tsoureki; Armenian flatbreads; polenta sourdough. The downside to this book: not only is the typeface for the index small, but the print is on grey-brown paper stock, making it exceedingly difficult to read. The upside to this book: there’s a gluten-free bread prep with two variations and a gluten-free corn bread. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 5. SEE MIX DRINK; a refreshingly simple guide to crafting the world’s most popular cocktails (Little, Brown and Company, 2011, 232 pages, ISBN 978-0-316-17671-2, $14.99 US hard covers) is by Brian D. Murphy, a designer and banker. It’s an introductory look, with large illustrations and drawings. For example, the Negroni has a layered glass with vermouth, Campari and gin colours and signs. There is a calorie counter (189) to go along with proportions. There’s a short history on the name, plus a photo of the finished drink. It is really quite simple, and works well, especially if you cannot read (or have had too much to drink). At two pages for every drink, there’s only enough room for the basic 100 classics. Audience and level of use: those who only want to learn the basics. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the index has a sort by name and by calories per drink. The lowest is Black Velvet at 96, the highest is Long Island Iced Tea at 446 calories. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 6. 365 WAYS TO COOK (Firefly, 2011, 255 pages, ISBN 978-1-55407-916-2, $19.95 CAD soft covers) is by Eleanor Maxfield, who also was the general editor for “1000 Recipes for Simple Family Food”. Here she turns her attention to dinners, with delicious foods that can be customized. As the books says, choose a basic ingredient and follow symbols throughout to find a recipe that works for you. Some of the symbols indicate budget, stuff that kids like, entertaining friends at dinner, weight loss, inspiration, leftovers for lunch the next day, time saving, spicing up, and others – about 10 in all. The seven chapters cover poultry, meat, fish, vegetables, pizza and noodles, rice and grains, and desserts. There is an illustrated table of contents to make it easy to select a dish. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: home cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: there is a basic lemongrass shrimp skewers, followed by a spiced up noodles with shrimp and bok choy, followed by a time saving shrimp and zucchini linguine, a budget shrimp and pea risotto, a kids special of shrimp and mango kebabs, a left over soup with shrimp, shrimp and coconut rice for entertaining, and more. The downside to this book: I wish there were more preps because… The upside to this book: …this is a pretty good idea for a book. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 7. HOME CANNING AND PRESERVING; putting up small batch jams, jellies, pickles, chutneys, relishes and more (SkyHorse Publishing, 2011, 202 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-355-7, $19.95 US spiral bound book) is by Janet Cooper, who has taught home canning. It’s a basic book for making preserves all year round. The emphasis is on “small batch”, which is a bit more labour intensive but produces more variety. There are over 100 preps here. She also has a number of herb and spice blends, plus honeys and tea blends. Certainly, there is something here for everybody. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: home canners Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: fig jam, six-fruit chutney, green tomato relish, fruited mincemeat. The downside to this book: spiral-bound, which while useful is also subject to vandalism in libraries and book stores. The upside to this book: the spiral-binding makes the book lie flat. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 8. CULINARY CAREERS FOR DUMMIES (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 368 pages, ISBN 978-1-118-07774-0, $22.99 US paper covers) is by the team of Michele Thomas (International Culinary Institute), Annette Tomaei (food and wine consultant), and Tracey Vasil Biscontini (head of Northeast Editing Inc.). It’s another in the career sub-series of the Dummy guides. Its cast is American, but there is a fair bit of similarity between the two countries so far as the hospitality trade goes, with some variances in legislation and regulation. Preliminary pages work on the differences between culinary schools and on-the-job training; the better schools offer apprenticeships, as most do in Canada. There are sections on working environments: hotels, restaurants, resorts, spas, catering firms. There is also the specialized approach (poissonnier, pastry chefs, personal chefs, recipe developers, scientists, sommeliers) and non-cooking careers such as PR work and marketing. Audience and level of use: career changers, new students in the hospitality trade. The downside to this book: needs more attention to Canada. The upside to this book: top ten reasons to work in the culinary industry, and top ten tips on gaining employment. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 9. COOKIES at Home with the Culinary Institute of America (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 218 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-41227-5, $34.99 US hard covers) is by Todd Knaster, who developed all the recipes in this book for the CIA. It’s one of the new series for the CIA: some “at home” books for the home chef which are not as detailed or as large in quantities as for professional kitchens. So there is primer data on basic baking equipment, ingredients, methods, décor and packaging. This is followed by specific chapters on drop cookies, bars, rolled and sliced cookies, molded and shaped cookies, piped, twice-baked, and savoury cookies. There’s a glossary and a resources list, and a template for a gingerbread house. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Good pictures for techniques. Audience and level of use: home bakers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: black and white cookies; milk chocolate – peanut butter s’mores bars; hamantaschen; French macaroons; Italian taralles; butterscotch cookies. The downside to this book: no gluten-free preps. The upside to this book: good looking photos. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 10. THE FARMER’S COOKBOOK; a back to basics guide to making cheese, curing meat, preserving produce, baking bread, fermenting, and more (SkyHorse Publishing, 2011, 445 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-9, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Marie W. Lawrence, a third generation Vermonter with strong New England roots. Her book is about farmhouse cooking, showing how the urban settler can do his own food instead of buying it processed. There have been several similar books of late, and I can only applaud them all. If you cannot grow it, try a local farmer’s market to get fresh food. This current book is organized by month to correspond with a farmer’s calendar in New England, and it covers the gamut of food choices and availability. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. There are two pages of “weights and measures” but these are all insularly American – we need some metric help for sales of the book outside of the USA. A substitutions chart here is very useful. Audience and level of use: home cooks who need help beyond store processing. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: roast duck with autumn berry sauce; veggie tempura; sopapillas with strawberry apple dipping sauce; Scandinavian mushroom turnovers; Vermont cheddar onion bread. The downside to this book: while the food is hearty and substantial, it would have been useful to have some spicy food now and again. Herbs and black pepper are widely used, but not international spices. The upside to this book: there’s a recipe index by month in addition to a general recipe index. Quality/Price Rating: ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 12. TRULY MEXICAN (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 264 pages, ISBN 978-0-470- 49955-9, $35 US hard covers) is by Roberto Santibanez, a well-known Mexican chef-owner of many restaurants. He was culinary director of Rosa Mexicano restaurants, and of Fonda San Miguel. Currently, he runs a consultant firm, Truly Mexican. Here, in this book, he is assisted by J.J. Goode, with Shelley Wiseman as the recipe developer. He is concentrating on salsas, guacamoles, adobos, moles and pipanes. All these sauces and their types can be applied to most foods; hence, you can some up with a great Mexican meal by profiling the sauce. At the end, there is a small section on foods to round out the meal, such as some bean preps, Mexican white or red or green rice, mushrooms and zucchini. Try pasilla and apple mole, lamb shanks braised in parchment, adobo ribs, seafood guacamole, or grilled adobo-marinated skirt steak. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 13. DOS CAMINOS MEXICAN STREET FOOD; 120 authentic recipes to make at home (SkyHorse Publishing, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 282 pages, ISBN 978- 1-61608-279-6, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Ivy Stark, chef at New York’s Dos Caminos. Joanna Pruess is the focusing food writer. There is also some log rolling on the back cover. Street food needs sauces, so Stark opens with a chapter on 12 of them. This is followed by some breakfast food, such as egg dishes, pancakes, biscuits and the like. Vegetables and fruits include street salads as well as pickled red cabbage. There is an assortment of fish, shellfish, beef, pork, and game. Desserts and beverages are also included. This is much more than just street food; it can be family or peasant food as well. Still, preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 14.SPILLING THE BEANS; cooking and baking with beans and grains everyday (Whitecap, 2011, 268 pages, ISBN 9789-1-77050-041-9, $29.95 CAD paper covers) is by Julie Van Rosendaal, a CBC radio host and co- host of TV’s “It’s Just Food”. As well, she edits “Parents Canada” magazine, and runs a food blog dinnerwithjulie.com. Her co-author is Sue Duncan. The book is about beans, legumes, and whole grains, emphasizing their low-fat, high-protein, cholesterol-free, and high- fibre nature. They begin with “Beans for Breakfast” (such as buttermilk waffles with bean puree), apps, salads, sandwiches, soups and stews, one pots, pasta, sides, and desserts (pumpkin chocolate chip loaf cake). It’s not a meatless book, which means that there is room for a lamb shank or two as well as sliders. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 15. FRESH; new vegetarian and vegan recipes from Fresh restaurants (Wiley Publications, 2011, 198 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-67796-4, $29.95 CAD soft covers) is by Jennifer Houston and Ruth Tal, co-owners of Fresh restaurants. Here are 200 preps, most drawn from three previous books (Refresh in 2007, Fresh at Home in 2004, and Juice for Life in 2000) with new material added and updated thoughts on nutrition. The 2007 book was vegan; the current book is both vegetarian and vegan. Most of the preps are off their menus, so there is some familiarity here for their fans and regulars. There are apps, soups, salads, sandwiches and wraps, some entrees (mainly rice bowls), sauces and dressings, sweets, juices, smoothies and the like (about 50 pages for these drinks). The recipes here are what are currently being served at the restaurant; hence, the mushroom pizza is gone (it used to be one of my faves and the fave of my server). Typical dishes include a detox cocktail, grounding greens bowl, kale and oyster mushroom salad, and Portobello pesto sandwich. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 16. PAULA DEEN’S SOUTHERN COOKING BIBLE; the classic guide to delicious dishes, with more than 300 recipes (Simon & Schuster, 2011, 455 pages, ISBN 978-1-4165-6407-2, $29.99 US hard covers) is a very convenient book. It encapsulates all the basic and classic southern US food lore, and makes it easy to prep at any home in North America. Deen, a best- selling cookbook author, Food Network personality, caterer and restaurant owner, magazine publisher (Cooking with Paula Deen), is the one to summarize such US cooking. Here she is assisted by Melissa Clark, a magazine food writer who has also written about three dozen cookbooks. You can call the book a summation. The Low Country of the Carolinas gets prominence, but there’s also room for Cajun, lots of corn, Afro-American foods: biscuits and gravy, she-crab soup, jambalaya, chicken with drop dumplings. And you can’t get more southern than boiled dressing. Arrangement is by course, from apps to sweets. Tips and advice abound. 80% of the 325 recipes are new to this book. There are some illustrations of techniques. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 17. EVERYDAY EXOTIC; the cookbook (Whitecap, 2011, 184 pages, ISBN 978- 1-77050-064-8, $29.95 CAD soft covers) is by Roger Mooking and Allan Magee. It is named after the Food Network TV show of the same title. The preps are collected from the show’s 52 episodes, about one per show. The secret, of course, is to punch up the herbs and spices (not the heat). So the lamb burgers have five spices, as does the mayo. The meatloaf has coriander, and the pesto has cilantro. The mac and cheese has curry. Even the macaroons had added pistachios. The show is interesting and it works with the multiplicity of fusion flavours. Just make sure that you have a good pantry and the spices/herbs are fresh. Arrangement of the book is by ingredient and/or course. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 18. THE BEEKMAN 1802 HEIRLOOM COOKBOOK (Sterling Epicure, 2011, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4027-8709-6, $25 US hard covers) is by Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, founders of Beekman 1802, a major lifestyle brand in the US. They’ve written books about early farm life and have appeared on Planet Green TV and other places. Here, they are assisted by Sandy Gluck, a cookbook author and also host of a Sirius Satellite food show. From their historic farm in upper New York state, the authors do their natural goat milk soaps and Blaak cheese. The book has been collated from preps of their farm, family, and friends. It is not necessarily about 1802 food. It is tied into the seasons, and there is room for your own recipes via blank note space for personal annotation. There are also many variations. It’s pretty simple but nouirish food, such as winter vegetable soup, mini ham and cheese biscuits, sweet potato pie, spinach salad, stewed green beans, and the like. But there are too many gratuitous pictures of the boys and the farm. This space could have been devoted to more preps. There are about 100 recipes plus variations. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 82, 19. SALSAS OF THE WORLD (Gibbs Smith, 2011, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236- 2208-6, $19.99 US paper covers) is by celebrity chef Mark Miller of the Coyote Café in Santa Fe. He’s also written nine other cookbooks which have soled about one million copies. Here he is assisted by Robert Quintana, a food consultant-caterer also living in Santa Fe. These are sauces from a dozen countries, including (of course) Mexico. There are 100 recipes here, ranging from quick to challenging, mild to hot, and plain to smoky. It’s all arranged by type, from easy to classic chili, tropical, smoky, fresh salsas, hot, fruity salsa, and sour. Every single one is delicious, beginning with artichoke fennel provencal right through to the salsa de bruja. China, France, Peru, Morocco, Italy – they all have some action here. Heat levels are indicated. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 20. CAKE LADIES; celebrating a Southern tradition (Lark, 2011, 143 pages, ISBN 978-1-60059-789-3, $19.95 US paper) is by Jodi Rhoden, who owns Short Sweet Cakes bakery, is a cookbook author, and is a member of The Southern Foodways Alliance. Here she has a project similar to “Where Women Cook Celebrate”, reviewed below. She’s written profiles of some 17 diverse southern US women, delving into their cake food lives. Every town has some kind of a cake lady, a go-to person for community celebration. There are 21 recipes too, such as a ten-layer chocolate cake, a lemon cheese layer cake or applesauce spice cake. There are even vegan red velvet cupcakes and a dirty cake. There are a lot of tips, stories and kitchen wisdom here. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 21. HOME COOKING WITH JEAN-GEORGES (Clarkson Potter, 2011, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-71795-5, $40 US hard covers) is the fourth book by Jean- Georges Vongerichten; he’s the chef-owner of dozens of restaurants in 14 cities around the world. He’s assisted by Genevieve Ko, a cookbook author and senior food editor at Good Housekeeping. This is French- style cooking with Asian accents. There are 100 preps here, all fully plated and photographed. This is the stuff he cooks at home. Even so, it needs a pantry for basic items. The arrangement is by course (apps, salad, lunch, brunch, desserts) and by major ingredient (fish, poultry, meat, sides). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Try candied paprika pecans, quinoa with spinach and goat cheese, sausage and kale pizza, pork chops with cherry mustard, braised endive with ham and gruyere, or honeyed pear clafoutis tart. Quality/price rating: 88. 22. ROBIN TAKES 5 (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2011; distr. Simon & Schuster, 402 pages, ISBN 978-1-4494-0845-9, $29.99 US soft covers) is by Robin Miller, author of nine cookbooks and host of “Quick Fox Meals” on the Food Network and blogger for the FN. There’s some good log rolling endorsements. The “5” comes as part of every prep: each recipe has 5 ingredients of less, 500 calories or less per serving, good for 5 nights a week at 5PM for early family dining. Oh, yes, there are also 500 recipes here. This is top-notch family dining for the harried home cook, arranged by course or main ingredient. So for chicken, there is a separate chapter sub-divided into regional styles. You can have chicken southwest US, Asian, French, Italian, Mediterranean, tropical, or basic American, even with eight turkey recipes (tenderloin or breast or burgers). There’s also nutritional data for each serving. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. * THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 23. THE SOTHEBY’S WINE ENCYCLOPEDIA; the classic reference to the wines of the world, 5th edition rev. (DK, 2011, 736 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566- 8684-0, $50 US hard covers) is by prolific wine writer Tom Stevenson. The first edition was in 1988, and Stevenson has done a remarkable job in chronicling the changes over the years. The last edition was in 2007, with the same US price, but only 664 pages. Here there are 72 more pages, needed for entirely new content such as the ABC of Grape Varieties and A Chronology of Wine. Also inn this new edition, he has reworked all the maps, with major changes to Greece, Romania, Israel, South Africa, North Africa and Asia. He also claims that the new Italian and United States’ maps have every single DOC and AVA listed. Other updating deal with wine producers, new appellations, and recent vintage assessments. His book is arranged geographically, covering all the wine-growing areas, history and reputation. There are new useful photos. There are sections on all the factors affecting taste and quality. Stevenson authors many profiles of important producers, giving assessments of individual wines. He also has a section on enjoying wines, including wine tasting; wine and food, star ratings, taste charts to profile flavours, flaws in wines, and vintage charts back to 1976 in general, with earlier mentions for key years. He even has some detail about regional oak varieties with illustrated close-ups of the grain. The book concludes with a glossary (Micropedia) and an extensive index. Many changes are devoted to New World wines (California, New Zealand, Australia, India, Asia). Stevenson gives detailed coverage of the whole world and 6000 wineries are recommended; he is also a good writer. Canada gets six pages, covering 25 Ontario wineries and 23 in BC, plus Nova Scotia and Quebec, with up-to-date notes. There is an “author’s choice” section which lists the best wines, with a lengthy description and aging ability. With over 1000 photos and maps (plus scores of Top Ten lists), it’s hard to get more comprehensive, fresh and up-to-date than this book right now. Quality/Price Rating: 92. 24. THE RESTAURANT; from concept to operation. Sixth edition. (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 557 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-62643-6, $82.59 US hard covers) is by John R. Walker, a hospitality professor at the University of South Florida. This book has always been a one-stop guide to the resto biz, and is well-read in hospitality schools. New to this edition is greater emphasis on business leadership and management, sustainability, business plans and the independent operator, cultural history of eating out in America, purchasing meat, cocktails, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages, and the influences of Native Peoples and African American food on the industry. Although heavily pitched to the US scene, there is enough of value here to us in Canada. Quality/price rating: 89. 25. ARTISAN BREADS; practical recipes and detailed instructions for baking the world’s finest loaves (Skyhorse Publishing, 2004, 2011, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-487-5, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Jan Hedh, a Swedish bread maker. The book was originally published in 2004 in Swedish, and here it has been translated and released into North America. He’s got 110 recipes that are internationally based, and are quite suitable for home cooking. There are lots of primer-type information and photos of techniques and finished breads. There’s nothing gluten-free here, and most of the preps are European influenced. There are sandwich breads, sweet breads, dark breads, savoury bread, brioches, Christmas breads, and the like. Preparations have their ingredients listed in only avoirdupois volume measurements, with no scaling, and there is no table of metric equivalents. A concession to the American market? Quality/price rating: 82. 26. THE COMPASSIONATE COOK; or, “Please don’t eat the animals!” a vegan cookbook (Grand Central Publishing, 1993, 2011, 24 pages, ISBN 978-0- 446-39492-5, $13.99 US paper covers) is by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Ingrid Newkirk, president of PETA. It was originally published in July 1993, and here it has been reprinted in 2011. It’s a guide to low-fat, cholesterol-free and animal-friendly eating, with over 225 basic vegetarian/vegan dishes covering all courses and meal patterns. There are the usual substitution tips, listing of healthy ingredients, and some advice on how to eat out. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Well-worth an affordable look. Quality/price rating: 85. 27. THE BOOK OF YIELDS; accuracy in food costing and purchasing. Eighth edition. (John Wiley, 2012, 298 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-19749-3, $37.50 US spiral comb) is available separately from the hard cover book done by Francis Lynch. I had reviewed the book previously as: “a basic work for students and chefs, and it comes with a workbook. It tells you what you need to know for how much food to buy”. It is a collection of accurate food measurements for over 1,350 or so raw food ingredients (200 new foods since the 2008 edition). Measurements are given in weight-to-volume equivalents, trim yields, and cooking yields. Part One of the contents covers herbs and spices, produce, starchy foods, baking, fats and oils, dairy, beverages, meats, seafood, and poultry. Part Two is the workbook of costing sheets and conversion tables. Here, recipe cost and yield are most important. Spreadsheets, though, should be able to handle all of this. There’s also a new chapter on standard portion sizes to assist in menu planning, recipe development and costing. For the most part, only US measurements are given, so you will need to convert to metric or imperial. That is why a spreadsheet works better than paper and pen. But there are conversion charts inside the book. Quality-to-Price Ratio: 90. 28. FOOD AND BEVERAGE COST CONTROL. 5th ed. (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 544 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-25138-6, $97.95 CAD hard covers) last came out in 2008. The authors are academics and consultants Lea Dopson and David Hayes. We all know that there are razor-thin profits in the food hospitality industry. Such outlets embrace all types of restaurants, bars, sports complexes, grocery stores, room service, country clubs, banquet halls, etc. This book emphasizes the need for control, in order to maximize profits and minimize shrinkage. Its contents cover managing as a Food and Beverage Manager (basic accounting, forecasting, predicting sales), the cost of food, storage, and inventory – with plenty of forms to view. More chapters cover the cost of beverages, labour, and “administration”. Another part of the book deals with pricing, analyzing charts, and verifying data. There is information on security, such as dishonest employees, false invoices, scams, skips, and the like. For example, chapter four is on beverage control (45 pages). This is mainly booze control for all of the industry as noted above. There is how to forecast sales of beer, wine (wine by the glass, too), spirits, cocktails and their mixes. All of it applies to standardized drinks and portions, markups, constructing a wine list, storage and inventory, and to the ubiquitous forms. Forms are available for finding how to compare the costs of beverages. I’m not sure how much of the record keeping applies to Canada, since there are provincial regulations on what has to be recorded for government inspectors and revenue filing. Anyway, the appendices have all of the useful formulae. As a textbook for the hospitality schools, it fulfills its functions: there are questions and answers for students to discuss and then to apply. Each chapter has lists of key terms and concepts, plus selected tests for you to try out. Additional readings are also suggested. New to this edition are sections on sustainability and environmental responsibility, and more on international foodservice operations. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 29. EASY PARTY FOOD; simply delicious recipes for your perfect party (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2011, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-162-9, $19.95 US hard covers) has over 100 recipes taken from the publishers’ books of cookery authors Fiona Beckett, Susannah Blake, Maxine Clark, Ross Dobson, Lydia France, Fran Warde, Jennifer Joyce, and others. Everything is easy to prepare, and broken down into categories such as “light bites and dips”, tartlets and toasts, canapes, sticks and skewers, breads and crackers, buffet dishes, sweet treats, and drinks (which include crowd faves such as mulled wine, sangria, mulled cider, and punches). It’s one of two dozen books in the “Easy” series. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 30. WHERE WOMEN COOK CELEBRATE! Extraordinary women & their signature recipes (Lark, 2011, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-60059-898-2, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Jo Packham, editor of “Where Women Cook” magazine. The book profiles 28 women who share their passion for cooking and entertaining, and there are about 50 preps. Most of the women are food bloggers and/or authors/writers for magazines or newspapers. Here they all write about festivities or large dinners. There’s food for every course, such as caramelized onion and gruyere tart, lemon pepper tea biscuits, pumpkin donuts, or carrot orange soup. There’s a biography for each and some text on how and why they did the celebration, plus most of the recipes. The rest of the recipes may be found at the magazine’s website www.wherewomencook.com; much of the material here had been published in the magazine. Preparations have their ingredients listed avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 31. SOUP; a kosher collection (Whitecap, 2004, 2011, 210 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-062-4, $24.95 CAD paper covers) is by Pam Reiss, who joined the family business in Winnipeg (Desserts Plus, a kosher catering company). There’s 150 kosher soup preps here, and for the 2011 revision she has added 20 new soups, full-colour photos, and nutritional information for every recipe. There’s a full-range here, from Passover to parve, dairy, fish, meat, fruit and dessert soups. As one reviewer of the first edition said, everything here is both creative and easy. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 32. EASY COCKTAILS; over 200 classic and contemporary recipes (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2011, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-164-3, $19.95 US hard covers) has enough preps to get your home bar started. Most of the recipes come from Ben Reed, but Louise Pickford and Tonia George also contribute. There’s the basic primer on home bars, followed by separate chapters on martinis, sparkling cocktails, smashes, sours, manhattans, rum-based, highballs, shooters, and creamy cocktails. There’s even a short chapter on hangovers and mocktails. It’s one of two dozen books in the “Easy” series. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 33. PURCHASING; selection and procurement for the hospitality industry. Eighth edition. (John Wiley, 2012, 688 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-29046-0, $111.65 US hard covers) is by Andrew Hale Feinstein and John Stefanelli, both academics teaching in American hospitality programs. It was last published in 2008. It is a basic book, used as a text, and on the desks of current Food and Beverage Managers. New to this edition are the latest thoughts on green practices, sustainability, socially responsible suppliers, buying locally, new technology, new products, novel approaches to procurement, and new techniques for costing. There are interviews which show the daily lives of workers doing typical purchase decisions. There are exercises for students and practitioners alike. Bibliographic references include websites and newer periodical articles. Key words and concepts have been increased and revised. And there are scores of new illustrations and photos. Quality/price rating: 91. 34. THE CALIFORNIA SEAFOOD COOKBOOK; a cook’s guide to the fish and shellfish of California, the Pacific coast and beyond (Skyhorse Publishing, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-344-1, $24.95 hard cover) is by the team of Isaac Cronin (a PR director), Paul Johnson (owner of a fish company and chef), and Jay Harlow. All three are also cookbook authors. It was first published in 1983, and sold over 125,000 copies. It’s encyclopedic in scope, covering some 75 species with about two recipes apiece on average (150 in all). About half of the species are also in the Atlantic and Gulf waters, and each recipe suggests alternative fish and shellfish from other regions, so it is wider in scope than just “California”. The titling was just an unfortunate marketing practice. There’s primer data on cooking methods such as cleaning and shucking oysters, crabs, and the like. and some wine notes. There’s a colour illustration for each fish, and a concluding bibliography. Print size is nicely large for these tired eyes of mine. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 35. COOKING VEGETARIAN; healthy, delicious, and easy vegetarian cuisine (Wiley Publishing, 1998, 2011, 274 pages, ISBN 978-1-118-00762-4, $26.95 soft covers) is by Chef Joseph Forest and Vesanto Melina, a nutritionist who writes books. It was originally published with 40 fewer pages in 1998. It is an easy book to get into. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. There are updated reference charts and guides to food, as well as and all-new book list and added resources. The first 70 pages concern health benefits and cooking techniques. The recipes cover all courses, and include their take on ice cream (Vegan Dasz). Lots of menus and good sense here, although it is actually a vegan book (no fish, eggs, dairy, honey). Quality/price rating: 88. 36. 300 BEST POTATO RECIPES (Robert Rose, 2011, 448 pages, ISBN 978-0- 7788-0278-5, $24.95 CAD soft covers) is by Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh, a well-known Canadian cookbook and food freelance writer, now based in Bayfield, off Georgian Bay. It’s a vastly updated and expanded version of a 2002 book she did for Penguin, which had only 150 recipes for the same price. She’s said the Canadian-originated Yukon Gold potato was the impetus for that book. A member of the belladonna family (tomatoes, sweet peppers, eggplant, tobacco), the potato is a good source for niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, essential minerals, and complex carbohydrates. One 150 gram potato can supply half the RDA of Vitamin C. It is probably everybody's favourite vegetable. Over 400 species of white potatoes are in production (about 4000 have been catalogued). And there are plenty of yellow, red, purple varieties, in all shapes and sizes, all year long. And they are used in every conceivable way: boiling, baking, roasting, steaming, frying, and mashing. The only difference between most potatoes which appear at the market: some are floury (best for baking and mashing) and some are waxy (best for salads). She’s got many sidebars of tips and advice. Her chapters are arranged beginning with "classic" recipes (roast, mash, fried, scalloped), and moving on to appetizers (potato focaccia, potato bread, brandade), French potato galette, oyster pie, potato soup and pesto, salads, grilled, souffles, stews, noodles, and a concluding section on sweet potatoes which is mostly desserts but with some interesting concoctions involving dry mashed white potatoes. But "classic salade nicoise" has no place here: a classic nicoise uses only raw veggies. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 90. 37. THE GOOD COOKIE; over 250 delicious recipes, from simple to sublime (John Wiley & Sons, 2002, 2011, 390 pages, ISBN 978-1-118-16954-4, $22.99 US soft covers) is by Tish Boyle, cookbook author and food editor at Chocolatier and Pastry Art & Design magazines. It was originally published in 2002; here is the paperback reprint. There’s the usual primer on cookie dough and equipment. At the back, there is an updated source list, with websites. Of particular value is the series of “Cookies for Every Occasion”, a listing by categories (unfortunately without any page references, so you will have to look them up yourself). So under the “Coffee Hour” there are almond anise biscotti, almond java rounds, chocolate almond biscotti, chocolate walnut bars, cinnamon dough nut holes, hazelnut biscotti, and toasted almond crunch cookies. Other categories are “for kids”, “picnic fare”, “ship well”, “nuts about nuts”, “holidays”, “over-the-top chocolate” and six more—for a total of thirteen. A good wide-ranging assortment of cookies here. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 38. HOME-GROWN HARVEST; delicious ways to enjoy your seasonal fruit and vegetables (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2011, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975- 149-0, $27.95 US) is a collection of some 150 recipes concentrating on the bounty of any home-grown fruit or veggies that you may have. Recipes come from the stable of the publisher’s cookery writers such as Fiona Beckett, Maxine Clark, Ross Dobson, Tonia George, and 19 others. The arrangement is two or four to ma page, categorized by type: root veggies, bulbs and stems, fruiting veggies, podding veggies, salad greens, squash, mushrooms, tree fruits, and soft fruits. The organization makes it a nice concept. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Try flamiche (leeks), belladonna tart, pea and parma ham crostini, squash and eggplant chutney, or summer crumble. Quality/price rating: 87. 39. BREWED AWAKENING; behind the beers and brewers leading the world’s craft brewing revolution (Sterling Epicures, 2011, 292 pages, ISBN 978- 1-4027-7864-3, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Joshua M. Bernstein, a free lance writer who writes beer articles for Imbibe magazine. Most of this book comes from articles he had written for Imbibe, Others come from his writings for the New York Press. It is loaded with stories about craft beer makers, illustrated with a variety of pubs and labels. There is also a number of different typefaces for the reader to enjoy, plus material on food and beer pairings. He manages to cover super-bitters, cask-conditioning, organic beers, gluten-free beers, high alcohol beers, and the like. He also manages to cover limited production beers, usually in lots of 800 or so bottles which sell out in an hour. There are stories about lost recipes, back-to-the-land beers, and extreme beers. But there is not a lot here on draught beers. Throughout the book there are 150 craft beer reviews. At the back there’s material on craft beer weeks around the US, with three listed for Canada. There is also a glossary and an index. Canada gets a few pages, principally about Dieu du Ciel in Montreal. Quality/price rating: 85. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SEPTEMBER 2011 ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2011 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. AUTHENTIC WINE; toward natural and sustainable winemaking (University of California Press, 2011, 260 pages, ISBN 978-0-520-26563- 9, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Jamie Goode (wine writer for the Sunday Express and owner of www.wineanorak.com) and Sam Harrop, MW, with log rolling by Tim Atkin MW and the eclectic Randall Grahm (Bonny Doon wines). The biggest trend in wines today is the concept of “naturalness” and “sustainability”, plus the use of organic or biodynamic grapes. Other issues involve “green” production such as lighter bottles, screw caps, lower or greener transportation costs, and other factors. The industry (both Old World and New World) is keen on wineries that are locally owned and operated, using grapes from family farms which employ sustainable agriculture to protect the environment. The packaging should be “earth-friendly”, exhibit carbon neutrality, and use solar power wherever possible. All of this is possible at no or modest increase in prices. Goode and Harrop explore all the parameters, including proper terroir and grafted vines, chemical and physical manipulation when necessary, wild yeasts and cultured yeasts, and other matters. There is an interesting chapter on wine faults, and how natural wines can be prey to reduction, oxidation, brett, and volatile acidity. The usual reaction has been to add sulphur, but you cannot do that to natural or organic wines. The authors propose some solutions, but also suggest that more work needs to be done here. The book is illustrated with black and white photos, and some graphs and charts. Some of the material had been previously published as periodical articles. Audience and level of use: wine readers, hospitality programs, winemaker schools, wineries. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: “People have a hunger for the authentic.” The downside to this book: it has a fair number of anecdotal sources, and lacks footnote/bibliography/glossary material. The upside to this book: this is probably the first of many such books. Quality/Price Rating: 91. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. PIG (Reaktion Books, 2011; distr. Univ. of Chicago Press, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-86189-805-0, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Brett Mizelle, an academic in California. His book is one of the amazing “Animal” series published by Reaktion in the UK. Most of the series deal with animals we do not eat, such as Cat, Dog, Giraffe, Parrot and Whale. Domesticated animals have included Cow and Duck, plus farmed animals such as Salmon and Moose. This is the popular culture story of the Pig: dealing with historical and literary items such as Three Little Pigs or Miss Piggy, food rules. Relationship with humans are also covered, breeds, wild boars, and the like. There is separate chapter on meat, including SPAM. And it has been richly illustrated with both colour and black and white historical photos and drawings, older advertisements, and just plain whimsy. There is even detail on the use of pigs as subjects in medical research. At the end, Mizelle has an illustrated timeline of the pig, endnotes, select bibliography, a listing of associations and periodicals, websites, and an index. This is compelling reading. Audience and level of use: those interested in food lore and history. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: “In preparations for the 2007-8 Year of the Pig in China, images of pigs were banned from appearing on state-run Chinese television ‘to avoid conflicts with ethnic minorities’”. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. SMALL SWEET TREATS (Gibbs Smith, 2011, 168 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236- 0694-9, $19.99 US soft covers) is by Marguerite Marceau Henderson, food writer and cookbook author (Small Plates, Small Parties). Apparently, she is specializing in “small” foods! The overriding factor here is the nature of small: cookies, frozen desserts, breakfast goodies, pies, tarts, the cobbler family, cakes, and other baked goods, etc. You’ll need a lot of temptation resistance here, for one bite will lead to another. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: family bakers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chocolate zucchini cake; apricot fool; lemon cream stop fruit-filled crepes; sesame anise bites; strawberry panna cotta with strawberry-basil balsamic compote. The downside to this book: I could use more preps. The upside to this book: but there are some nifty treats here. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 4. THE FINEST WINES OF CALIFORNIA; a regional guide to the best producers and their wines (University of California Pr., 2011, 320 pages, ISBN 978-0-520-26658-2, $34.95 US soft covers) is by Stephen Brook, who has written for Hugh Johnson and has also authored “Wines of California” as a Mitchell Beazley Wine Guide in 2006. The book, co- published with Quarto Group in the UK, is one of an illustrated series created by The World of Fine Wine magazine. These are guides to the classic regions and their producers, vineyards and vintages. As Hugh Johnson, one of the editorial team, would say “These are the wines most worth talking about”. Thus far, the company Fine Wine Editions has looked at Champagne, Tuscany, Rioja, and Bordeaux. The format is pretty straight-forward at this point, with Hugh Johnson giving many of the series’ forewords their lustre. There’s material in about 50 pages or so on history, culture and geography, along with winemaking, grapes, and viticulture. Then comes the biggest section: producers and their wines, sub-arranged by region. The 250 pages here cover Napa, Sonoma and the important regions to the south. Then there is a final 25 pages on wine appreciation, vintages, top-ten tables, glossary, bibliography, and how (and where) to buy California wines. The photography is mainly centered on the producers. Overall, this is an excellent guide to the region. Audience and level of use: the serious wine lover who also loves to read, reference libraries and wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: for whatever reason, Screaming Eagle and The Bryant Family are not included. I’d have thought that “these are the wines most worth talking about”. They’re good albeit overpriced, but that gets people talking about them!! By the same token, Gallo IS included, and “these are the wines most worth talking about”. The downside to this book: California is too diffused to cover in just one book. The upside to this book: there’s a ribbon bookmark. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 5. TART LOVE; sassy, savory, and sweet (Gibbs Smith, 2011, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-1894-1, $24.99 US hard covers) is by Holly Herrick, former restaurant critic for the Charleston SC newspaper. She now writes cookbooks (this is her second). Tarts are open-faced (no double crust) thin pies. She covers savoury tartlets, tarts, pot pies (with the single crust on top), quiches, sweet custards, cream pies, and fruit tarts. She begins with a primer on pastry making: but she doesn’t like lard in her dough, nor does she have any gluten-free alternative. Main course and dessert preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: pie makers, home cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: winesap apple and walnut tart; eggplant and cream cheese tapenade tartlets; salade nicoise tart; panna cotta tart with roasted fresh figs; creamy blue crab and salmon quiche; raspberry crème brulee tartlets; drunken pumpkin-bourbon tart. The downside to this book: no gluten-free pie crust preps. The upside to this book: good large print size Quality/Price Rating: 85. 6 AUTHENTIC NORWEGIAN COOKING (Skyhorse Publishing, 2011, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-217-8, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Astrid Karlsen Scott, who has written many books about Norwegian food and customs. Here she presents an all-purpose book of more than 300 traditional Norwegian recipes. The foods come from every region, and are useful for every occasion. There’s a small culinary history with background for most dishes. As well, there are full colour photos and line drawings. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there are also tables of metric equivalents. The book also includes a sources list, material on parties, napkin folding, spice charts, glossary and pantry of common Norwegian foods. Of course, three are lutefisk, farikal, and rakorret recipes here. Audience and level of use: Scandinavian food lovers, home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: open face sandwich tidbits; gravlaks; baked trout; New Year’s Eve game; stuffed cabbage leaves; yogurt mousse; Daim cake; crisp waffles with cream; Birthday kringle. Smoked eel; mackerel fillets. The downside to this book: she makes it look easier than it is. The upside to this book: there are two indexes, one in English and one in Norwegian. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 7. FRUGAVORE; how to grow organic, buy local, waste nothing, and eat well (Skyhorse Publishing, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 336 pages, ISBN 978- 1-61608-408-0, $16.95 US soft covers) is by Arabella Forge, an Australian nutritionist. She offers us her advice on how to live and eat well using local food. She shows us how to access quality produce from local farmers, use older cooking techniques, create compost for our own garden, stock our pantry well, shop for economic cuts of meat, and use co-ops. She has about b100 recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Specific chapters deal with minimizing waste at home, grassroots movements, making your own food, team efforts, working a vegetable garden, and then chapters on food such as meat, fish, whole grains, and more. WARNING: Most of the indexed recipes are off by two pages, that is, an oatmeal pastry is referred to on page 252, but it should really be page 250. You’ll need to add a note to the index yourself in order to remember this detail. Audience and level of use: concerned home cooks, frugal eaters. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: “Fermented milk products such as yogurt and kefir are traditional staples in all milk-drinking societies…creates healthy lactic-acid bacteria and makes other nutrients in milk easier for the human body to use.” The downside to this book: most of us don’t have all the time required to do this work. I’m retired from a day job but I still cannot keep up with the demands of frugavores. The upside to this book: there are nice preps for homemade condiments, but she does use too much sugar in the ketchup. Quality/Price Rating: 80. 8. QUICK-FIX VEGAN; healthy, homestyle meals in 30 minutes or less (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2011, 212 pages, ISBN 978-1-4494-0785-8, $16.99 US paper covers) is by Robin Robertson, author of Quick-Fix Vegetarian. She’s a major food writer with about two dozen vegetarian and vegan books to her credit, as well as articles in a number of periodicals and newspapers. So here are 150 or so recipes, covering the gamut from apps to desserts. The overriding rule is that they must be prepared in 30 minutes or less. But there are make ahead meals that can be baked at the last minute, again less than 30 minutes. The preps call for an organized pantry and a good setup (mise en place). There are many simple ethnic foods here, especially from those places with a dairy-free culture. Both ends of the Mediterranean, Mexican, Asian, and even Cajun foods are here. As with her other quick-fix book, Robertson gives some basic primer material on how to cook smarter and organize yourself. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are three pages of tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: vegans, vegetarians Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: spicy smoked Portobello tacos; creamy balsamic dressing with tahini; farfalle with sesame cabbage; Moroccan pumpkin hummus; apple pie parfaits; Korean hot pot; Tuscan kale lasagna; zucchini frittata; tzatziki sauce. The downside to this book: gluten-free only comes up with reference to pasta dishes, using purchased versions. The upside to this book: good idea, save a lot of time. Quality/Price Rating: 9. THE VENISON COOKBOOK; venison dishes from fast to fancy (Skyhorse Publishing, 2011, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-456-1, $19.95 US hard covers) is by Kate Fiduccia, who has hunted and cooked venison, plus prepared many game cookbooks. Just about any kind of “venison” (a generic term which also includes moose, elk and caribou as well as deer) is a great low-fat alternative to beef. Unless you shoot it yourself, what you get in Canada comes from a game farm, which is “next best”. Here are 150 preps, ranging from easy to hard, simple to gourmet, fast to complex. Many are adapted from beef preps. There are photos, anecdotes and advice. Arrangement is by course, with apps, mains, breakfast dishes, pies and casseroles, soups and stews, marinades and rubs, and some accompaniments. There’s material on game care tips and butchering. Nutritional information has its own separate pages. And there are US mail order sources; the only source from Canada in BC is for wholesale distributors only. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: extremely useful for hunters and game lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: venison and vegetable kabobs; venison stew with barley; chicken-fried venison; Sicilian venison burgers; venison tamale pie; Salisbury moose steak. The downside to this book: I wish the nutritional data had been with the recipe, saving the extra step of looking it up. The upside to this book: good material on gaming. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 10. THE CHEESEMONGER’S KITCHEN; celebrating cheese in 90 recipes (Chronicle Books, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118- 7766-4, $35 US hard covers) is by Chester Hastings, a cheesemonger at Joan’s on Third in Los Angeles. He’s also a writer and chef. It’s actually more of a cookbook, with 90 preps. It’s not a reference book on cheese, but a cookbook that uses cheeses through the spectrum of apps to desserts, including of course the cheese board. There are some wine pairing notes of a general sort for cow, sheep and goat milk, and then recommendations for each recipe. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: cheese lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Flamiche (Belgian tart with bacon, beer and munster); burrata with asparagus, pine nuts, and golden raisins; taleggio fried in cornmeal and grappa batter; robiola verde; zucchini and goat gouda fritters; handmade garganelli with gorgonzola and walnuts. The downside to this book: it might have been interesting to have beer recommendations as accompaniment as well as wine pairings. The upside to this book: good idea, recipes really knit well together. Quality/Price Rating: 89 11. VEGETARIAN ENTREES THAT WON’T LEAVE YOU HUNGRY (The Experiment, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 244 pages, ISBN 978-1-61519-033-1, $17.95 US soft covers) is by Lukas Volger, a chef who is now a cookbook author (he wrote Veggie Burgers Every Which Way). Here are 70 mains that promise to be “nourishing, flavorful main courses that fill the center of the plate”. It comes with log rolling from Martha Rose Shulman and Deborah Madison. Volger’s mission is to get the cook away from using burgers, pastas, and stir-frees as a constant stream of main dishes at home. So there is good variation here, from hearty salads and soups through dumplings, curries, oven-baked dishes, savoury cakes, eggs, and pizzas and tarts. There is also a primer on vegetarian pantries, emphasizing the need for staples of sauces and condiments (toasted bread crumbs, roasted veggies such as tomatoes and Bells and garlic, caramelized onions, pestos, tapenades, bean dips, peanut sauce, and more). And a short resources list. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Try saag paneer, cashew and cauliflower curry, spiced lentil soup, delicate squash soup, pumpkin risotto, pad Thai (with variations), or vegetarian banh mi. Quality/price rating: 89. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 12. EVERYDAY RAW EXPRESS; recipes in 30 minutes or less (Gibbs Smith, 20ll; distr. Raincoast, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-1891-1, $19.99 US paper covers) is by Matthew Kenney, chef-partner in numerous restaurants, with a Beard nomination. He’s also a TV food personality and a cookbook author (he’s got the “Everyday Raw” series). In this third book, he works on moving the raw food within 30 minutes. Actually, that’s not too hard since the food needs no cooking. He has a variety of smoothies, soups, salads, wraps, rolls, pasta (veggie ribbons) and entrees such as squash blossom tamales, spring vegetable couscous, Portobello steak, vegetable napoleon and wild mushroom lasagna. Desserts include blueberry sherbet, spiced pineapple with rose water and pistachios, and chocolate hemp milk custard which is nut free. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Good large print face, which is a boon to my tired eyes. Quality/price rating: 88. 13. COMPLETE CHINESE COOKBOOK (Firefly Books, 2011, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-55407-943-8, $35 CAD hard covers) is by prolific chef-cookbook author Ken Hom. He’s sold over 2 million cookbooks over the past 30 years, as well as appearing on many TV cooking series. This is a group of 250 or so recipes, co-published in the UK by BBC Books. There’s a primer on ingredients, equipment, techniques, menus, and how to eat Chinese food. The range is from apps through desserts, although Hom does discourse on yin, yang, and yin yang. Overall, it is a basic book, emphasizing that Chinese food is healthy, modestly priced, and quick and easy. So it fits today’s trends. Preps are sourced from all different regions such as Cantonese, Hong Kong, Szechuan, and more. Try curried vegetarian spring rolls, Beijing-braised lamb, cold marinated peanuts, walnut chicken, paper-wrapped chicken, or stir-fried spinach with garlic. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is also a table of equivalents. Good layout, interesting photography, and large typeface. Quality/price rating: 88. 14. DESSERTS FROM THE FAMOUS LOVELESS CAFÉ; simple southern pies, puddings, cakes and cobblers from Nashville’s landmark restaurant (Artisan, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 220 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-434-4, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Alisa Huntsman, pastry chef at the Loveless Café. She’s also written a cook book about triple-layer cakes. Paula Deen provides the inevitable log rolling. The resto has been in business since 1951; it serves some of the best cobblers and pies around. Huntsman was hired in 2004 to enlarge their dessert offerings. Here are more than 100 preps of mostly southern dishes. It all starts with a chapter on blue-ribbon pies, followed by country cakes, crisps, cobblers, shortcakes, coffee cakes, tea cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, bars, and cupcakes. And then concludes with puddings. There’s also a list of US sources, a short bibliography of southern cooking, and lots of photos of the café (plus some memories of the place). It just oozes southern hospitality, but do watch the fat and calories. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 15. CUTIE PIES; 40 sweet, savory and adorable recipes (Andrews, McMeel, 2011; distr. Simon & Schuster, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-4494-0305-8, $16.99 US hard covers) is by Dani Cone, owner of Seattle’s High 5 Pie and Fuel Coffee. Of course, she sells her pies there for takeout. And in this book, there are lots of gluten-free pie dough recipes as a crust option. All of these pies are made from scratch, and they can be used for several shapes including full-sized pies. For example, “cutie pie” is a single-serving baked in a standard muffin pan. “Petit-5s” are even smaller, baked in a mini-muffin pan, “piejars” are baked in a wide-mouth Mason jar, “flipsides” are turnovers, and “piepops” are pie lollipops, meant mostly for entertaining. You can mix and match them: just choose the pie shape you want and the crust you want (there’s all- butter, graham cracker, vegan, and gluten-free). There’s peach-ricotta- honey pies, curry veggies, cran-apple, strawberry-rhubarb-ginger, potato-dill-cheese-veggie, and caramel-pecan. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents spread over four pages. Quality/price rating: 87. 16. TEA WITH BEA (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-143-8, $24.95 US hard covers) is from Bea’s of Bloomsbury, in London UK. Bea Vo is the owner. She’s American, but opened the teashop in 2008. She emphasizes easy to follow recipes which deal with cookies, cakes, tarts and cheesecakes. There’s some general information on making tea and coffee, but the book mainly deal with the pastry elements, such as the ones you’d find on a tier. There are over 70 preps here, such as snicker doodles, lemon verbena semolina cookies, nutty lemon biscotti, almond cherry muffins, poached pear and frangipane tart, or vegan chocolate cake. There are also six ideas for tea parties, with page references (7 to 9 preps each), such as baby shower or Mother’s day. Ingredients are listed as scaled or volume (your choice). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 17. SPAGHETTI SAUCES; authentic Italian recipes (Gibbs Smith, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0688-8, $19.99 US hard covers) is by Biba Caggiano, chef-owner of BIBA Restaurant, TV chef, and award-winning author of eight successful cookbooks on Italian food. Here she goes after sauces which are appropriate for long, stringy pasta. It was at the request of her grandchildren. It’s arranged by main ingredient, such as cheese, pesto, quick tomato, vegetable, seafood, and ragu. The preps are simple and coherent, even teenagers can handle them. Some wine is called for in the cooking (mostly white wine). Anchovies also appear in 11 recipes, but artichokes are in only one. Typical preps include butter, cream, Parmigiano and nutmeg; fresh tomato sauce with ricotta cheese and basil; mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and basil Capri style; spring veggies, smoked ham, and egg sauce; and sautéed mixed mushrooms with parsley and sage. Very useful. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. The index is to ingredients only, and not to names or titles of sauces. Quality/price rating: 89. * THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 18. APPLE PIE; 100 delicious and decidedly different recipes for America’s favorite pie. (Harvard Common Press, 2002, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 250 pages, ISBN 978-1-55832-742-9, $14.95 US paper covers) is by Ken Haedrich, a food and travel writer and the author of at least eight cookbooks. This book, devoted to Apple Pie, was first published in 2002 as “Apple Pie Perfect”. Here, it is in paperback reprint form, with new endorsements and log rolling. And I suppose you could use pears in a pinch. He opens with a primer on types of apples and types of pastries (double crusts, cream cheese, wheat oil, graham cracker, etc.). Then there are pies broken down by seasons, applesauce pies, special occasion pies, cream pies, plus some for kids to work on and some quick and easy. Theirs is something here for everyone, and if you love apples, this is the book for you. Try southern apple pie with pecan syrup, honeyed apple pear pie in a rosemary semolina crust, sugarless apple pie, sour cream supple crumb pie, or apple pie frangipane. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Good layout, large print. Quality/price rating: 89. 19. GREAT CHEFS COOK VEGAN (Gibbs Smith, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-2327-4, $24.99 US paper covers) has been pulled together by Linda Long, who has been a vegan for the past 30 years. She writes on food and nutritional topics. Log rolling comes from Charlie Trotter, which is surprising since he is also one of the contributing chefs. This is a collection of recipes from 25 chefs, who also include Cat Cora (Iron Chef), Daniel Boulud, Marcus Samuelsson, Thomas Keller, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The book is a straight paperback reprint of the 2008 edition. Vegan food, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans, are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are rich in fibre and nutrients. Here, each chef has contributed a menu of three or four courses. The book is arranged by chef’s first name, which is standard in many restos: you have Chef Alex, Chef Floyd, Chef Suzanne, etc. Just about all of these chefs are NOT totally vegan; they also cook meats and dairy. But the conception is useful for selling the book, and the preps are indeed tasty. Each chef gets about 10 pages. There is a pix, a textual description of the chef’s life, and then the recipes. For Chef Anne (Quatrano), we learn that she is at a top Atlanta resto, Baccanalia. She contributes a bruschetta with avocado and tomato, crispy fried okra and chiles, summer vegetable pilaf, and cantaloupe truffle bar. This book can also be used by non-vegans looking for something that is light and delicious. Avoirdupois measurements are listed, but there are also conversion tables. Quality/Price rating: 87. 20. TOMATOES & MOZZARELLA; 100 ways to enjoy this tantalizing twosome all year long (Harvard Common Press, 2006, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-55832-740-5, $14.95 US paper covers) is by Hallie Harron, a professional chef, and Shelley Sikora, co-owner of the Bobby McGee restaurant chain in Phoenix. It’s a paperback reprint of the 2006 book, and it comes with new endorsements. The book is a narrow construction of single ingredient food, here tomatoes and mozzarella. After a primer on tomatoes and mozzarella (including how to make your own mozzarella [you will need some mozzarella curd]}, the arrangement proceeds by course, beginning with breakfast, brunch, finger foods and first clou8rses, salads, soups, sandwiches, tea-times, pasta pomodori, and some mains. There’s savory roasted tomato crumble, corn waffles with mozzarella and summer salsa, grilled bruschetta, fennel salad with mozzarella and tomatoes, tian of eggplant and tomatoes, slow-roasted smoked mozzarella and vegetable casserole, and stuffed porchetta with chunky olive and tomato relish. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 21. THE AMERICAN COCKTAIL; 50 recipes that celebrate the craft of missing drinks from coast to coast (Chronicle Books, 2011, 144 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7799-2, $19.95 US hard covers) is from Imbibe magazine, an award-winning magazine based in Portland, Oregon. These recipes appeared in roughly the same form on their pages. The arrangement is by locale, and includes the South, the Northeast, Midwest, West, and West Coast. These are preps that have some regional meaning, such as Big Bay Storm (Campari and rum) from North Carolina. There are standards such as Tom and Jerry from a Milwaukee bar. Each prep has an explanation for its name, a recipe, a source, a list of equipment, including glass required and garnish. Extremely useful for Americana. Quality/price rating: 90. 22. AROUND THE TABLE; easy menus for cozy entertaining at home (Harvard Common Press, 2003, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 222 pages, ISBN 978-1-55832- 741-2, $18.95 US paper covers) is by Ellen Wright, a writer and interior designer. It’s a paperback reprint of the 2003 book, with fresh log rolling. Menu book are always useful for ideas, even if you are locked in to certain functions. Her book is divided into cold weather menus and warm weather menus, with several on the cusp. There’s one for watching TV, another for a birthday, cooking gifts, New Year’s Eve, Super Bowl (can this be transferred to the Grey Cup?), fireside, last-minute dinners with friends, weekend guests, and many more – two dozen in all. It is also a personal book since menus have stories and memoirs behind them. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 23. THE MODERN BAKER; time-saving techniques for breads, tarts, pies, cakes and cookies (DK Publishing, 2008, 2011, 320 pages, ISBN 978-0- 7566-8914-8, $22.95 US, paper covers) is by Nick Malgieri, an award- winning cookbook author whose recipes have also been widely published in the USA. The book is oversized and overweight, which makes it awkward in the kitchen. There are 150 recipes with about 200 full- colour photos, which is a DK specialty. Most recipes require less than an hour; they are all classic or contemporary, and include the usual of breads, tarts (sweet and savoury), cakes, cookies, biscotti, and puff pastries. Most of the recipes have some sort of variation indicated. And most have avoirdupois volume measurements, with very little scaling indicated. There is a bibliography, but the entire food resources list is US. Try some smoked salmon mill-feuilles; fennel, fig and almond bread; whole wheat currant bread; jalapeno cornbread; pecorino and pepper biscuits; corn pudding tart. But the list of ingredients is in tiny type, hard to read. I had to use an enlargement from my photocopier. Quality/Price Rating: 84. 24. THE ART OF EATING COOKBOOK; essential recipes from the first 25 years (University of California Pr., 2011, 279 pages, ISBN 978-0-520- 27029-9, $39.95 US hard covers) has been compiled by Edward Behr, publisher and chief writer of The Art of Eating, a magazine devoted to fine foods. Notable log rollers include Judy Rodgers (Zuni), Paul Bertolli (once of Chez Panisse), Wolfgang Puck, and three others. It`s a collection of some 150 recipes plus variations, covering the whole range of apps to desserts. Apps include breads, dips and charcuterie. Along the way there are cheese and egg dishes, pasta and polenta, snail and rabbit, as well as the usual meat, poultry, veggies, and salads. Each prep has been meticulously researched and commented upon, and just about all of them come from the magazine. They are mostly traditional dishes, centering on classical French and Italian dishes. Some of the preps come from James MacGuire, a writer-chef now living in Montreal. Each recipe has extensive cooks’ notes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. There’s cervelle de canut, oeufs en meurette, salade frisee, insalata di arance, pesto trapanese, lapin a la Kriek, pigeonneaux aux olives, and cherries in Barolo. Quality/price rating: 89. 25. PIE; 300 tried-and-true recipes for delicious homemade pie (Harvard Common Press, 2004, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 639 pages, ISBN 978-1-55832- 254-7, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Ken Haedrich, a food and travel writer and the author of at least eight cookbooks. This book, devoted to Pie, was first published in 2004. Here, it is in paperback reprint form, with new endorsements and log rolling. His earlier book (see above) on Apple Pie contained 100 apple recipes; this one has 34, but with minimal duplication. There’s an extensive primer on how to do the perfect pie, with plenty of cook’s notes for individual preps. There’s a chapter on summer pies for fruits and berries, another on fall pies with apple, cranberry, pear, pumpkin and others, and a third chapter on nut pies. There’s a section on sweet and rich (custards and chess pies), another on icebox pies and freezer pies, plus one on “personal pies” and turnovers. Something for everybody, with lots of ideas. There are also large typefaces and plenty of leading. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 26. THE ITALIAN COUNTRY TABLE; simple recipes for trattoria classics (Ryland Peters and Small, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1- 84975-157-5, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Maxine Clark, a long-time UK cookbook author for this publisher, She specializes in Italian cuisine, and has written many articles for the UK press. This is a collection of preps from two of her previous books, Trattoria and Flavours of Tuscany. There are some 66 recipes, all sorted by course (apps, soups, pasta, risotto, pizza, etc.). It is all basic and simple an easy enough to do, enlivened by the really good photography by Martin Brigdale. Try Venetian fresh pea and rice soup, white pizza, baked mussels, gnocchi with arugula pesto, or hunter’s style chicken. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric weight and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 27. SOUP (DK Books, 2009, 2011, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-55363-167-5, $19.95 Canadian softcovers) is a book package assembled by four food editors and four recipe testers. This compendium of 200 basic soups preps, from appetizers to hearty and full meals, was originally published in hard back in 2009; this is the 2011 paperback reprint. It has been organized by food ingredient, such as summer vegetables, winter vegetables, legumes and nuts, fish and shellfish, poultry game and meat. Each prep has the usual cook’s notes and advice. There are separate technique and recipe planning chapters – these also have plenty of photos. The planners have pix and page references to recipes for topical soups such as vegetarian, chilled, hearty, healthy, spicy, quick, and “main meals”. Each recipe has a service level, prep and cook times, and storage possibilities. The last chapter has some ten bread recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, and there is no table of equivalents. Try mussels in a ginger and chile brother; red pepper soup; fish soup with fennel; chicory gazpacho; smoked tomato soup; curried broth with peppers. There are nice large print fonts, clear and easy to use layout. Quality/Price Rating: 89. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR AUGUST 2011 ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2011 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. THE FINEST WINES OF RIOJA AND NORTHWEST SPAIN; a regional guide to the best producers and their wines (University of California Pr., 2011, 320 pages, ISBN 978-0-520-26921-7, $34.95 paper covers) is by Jesus Barquin, Luis Gutierrez and Victor de la Serna, all wine writers and Spanish wine experts living in Spain. The book is one of an illustrated series created by The World of Fine Wine magazine. These are guides to the classic regions and their producers, vineyards and vintages. As Hugh Johnson, one of the editorial team, would say “These are the wines most worth talking about”. Thus far, the company Fine Wine Editions has looked at Champagne, Tuscany, California, and Bordeaux. This book is “The World’s Finest Wines, 5” in the series, co-published with Quarto Group in the UK. The format is pretty straight-forward at this point, with Hugh Johnson giving many of the forewords their lustre. There’s material in about 50 pages on history, culture and geography, along with winemaking, grapes, and viticulture. Then comes the biggest section: producers and their wines, sub-arranged by region. The 250 pages here cover Rioja, Navarra, Bierzo, Rias Baixas, and the Basque country. Then there is a final 25 pages on wine appreciation, vintages, top-ten tables, glossary, bibliography, and how (and where) to buy well-matured Riojas. The glossary defines “gran reserva”, but only the modern new term. The older usage, pre-EU, applies to many of the more mature vintages that the authors so strongly exhort. This needed a clearer explanation, for these older wines were in barrel more than the 24 months now specified. It’s a bit misleading. The photography is mainly centred on the producers. Overall, an excellent guide to the region. Audience and level of use: the serious wine lover who also loves to read, reference libraries and wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: best-ever Riojas include Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Blanco 1964, Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Blanco 1946, Torre Muga 1994, Monte Real 1964, and the Marques de Riscal Cuvee Medoc 1945 (the latter is at the top of the list). The downside to this book: I think I may have liked just a book on Rioja without the other regions. The upside to this book: there’s a ribbon bookmark. Quality/Price Rating: 90. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. CUCINA POVERA; Tuscan peasant cooking (Andrews McMeel, 2011; distr. Simon & Schuster, 185 pages, ISBN 978-1-4494-0238-9, $21.99 US hard covers) is by Pamela Sheldon Johns, cooking instructor and author of sixteen cookbooks (many dealing with Italian food). She also hosts culinary workshops throughout Italy. Log rollers include Lorenza de’ Medici and Nancy Harmon Jenkins. This is a “meager and mean” cookbook dealing with life’s hardships around the time of World War II. “We had nothing to eat” was a familiar refrain. Scattered throughout are these memories as Johns dies a great job of presenting both cultural traditions and peasant food preps. Of course, nothing is wasted in this “economia rurale”. The arrangement is by course: appetizers to desserts. All of the classics are here, such as ribollita (vegetable- bread soup), corn polenta, and cantucci (almond biscotti). There’s polenta made with the original chestnut flour, and as well, castgnaccio (chestnut cake). At the end, there’s a page of mail-order and internet resources. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are two pages of tables of metric conversions and equivalents. Audience and level of use: Italian food lovers, Tuscan especially. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: farmyard crostini; fried anchovies; eggs with wild greens; spring vegetable soup; farro soup; braised pork shanks; rabbit and mushrooms; salted cod with greens. The downside to this book: physically, there’s a light beige frame around each page, suggestive of antiquing and aging. The upside to this book: a great introduction to peasant food. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. ARTISANAL GLUTEN-FREE CUPCAKES (The Experiment, 2011; dist. T. Allen, 264 pages, ISBN 978-161519-036-2, $16.95 US paper covers) is by Kelli and Peter Bronski, who have also written Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking. Log rolling is by four leaders in the gluten-free cooking world. Here are 50 recipes, some of which are also dairy-free, egg-free and vegan alternatives (they have a whole series of tips and charts for advice on how to do this). Primer information includes equipment and tools plus techniques, the piping bag, and photographs, along with detailed instructions. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those who need to eat gluten-free products. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting; cookies and cream cupcakes; strawberry cupcakes; French toast cupcakes; dulce de leche cupcakes. The downside to this book: there is nothing spectacular about a picture of a basic cupcake, so all the photos are of fanciful decorations. The upside to this book: good fun in decorating for eye appeal. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 4. QUICK AND EASY VEGAN BAKE SALE; more than 150 delicious sweet and savory vegan treats perfect for sharing (The Experiment, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-61519-026-3, $17.95 US paper covers) is by Carla Kelly, a home cook from British Columbia with a popular blog, The Year of the Vegan. This book is meant for those who want to create a vegan bake sale, so there are plenty of items that will last a bit of time. These are easy to store, to transport, and to share. There’s also a section on wheat-free, nut-free, and soy-free options with references to the needed recipe. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Material is generous: the 150 recipes (plus tips and variations) are spread over double columns, and there are no photos that take up room. Audience and level of use: families and bake sales that need vegan options. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: lemon bars; Earl Grey tea muffins; pecan and date cookies; oatmeal raisin cookies; zebra cakes; black olive and zucchini focaccia. The downside to this book: not enough material on gluten-free flours and usage. The upside to this book: good textual data. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 5. WE SURE CAN! How jams and pickles are reviving the lure and lore of local food (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2011, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-55152-402- 3, $24.95 CAN paper covers) is by Sarah B. Hood, who is a freelance food writer and blogger. Her preserves have won prizes at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and the Culinary Historians of Canada (“Mad About Marmalade”). Here Hood explores the continuing can revolution amongst urban foodies: passionate canners are preserving all manner of fruit and veggies, and combining them with exotic spices and ingredients. There are 100 international preps here, arranged by season. Primer material includes safety tips for home canning, basics of hot water baths, pectin, sugars, pickle jars, choosing and picking over the fruit/veggies for preserving, jar management (stori9ng, displaying, styling, gifting), plus meal and party planning tips, us of the Internet sources, and a huge listing of books and articles to read. There are also many mini-profiles (some with photos) of canners and what they do. Some have contributed prize-winning recipes; these are clearly marked. Preparations have their ingredients listed in occasionally both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: home canners, those who want to become home canners, reference libraries. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pickled shallots with tarragon; star anise plum preserves; easy Victorian-style strawberry jam and raspberry jam; chili sauce; mint jelly; watermelon jelly with Thai sweet basil ribbons; vanilla pear preserves; Persian quince butter. The downside to this book: the book weighs a lot, which makes it heavy to open and deal with. The upside to this book: great reference value, and a superb reading list for those who want more, more and more… Quality/Price Rating: 89. 6. WINE BITES; simple morsels that pair perfectly with wine (Chronicle Books, 2011, 160 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7630-8, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Barbara Scott-Goodman, a cookbook author with Chronicle Books. Here she presents 75 easy but elegant two-biters that pair well with a variety of wines. There’s primer stuff on creating a cheese plate, gathering an antipasti platter, and making pantry staples into appetizers. Arrangement is by type of food: snacks, dips and spreads, cheese, pizza and frittatas, bruschetta and sandwiches, fried bites, seafood, meats, and sweet treats. The typeface is large and generous. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements (with some metric for weights only), but there is no table of metric equivalents. There are some wine notes for each prep. Audience and level of use: those who like to entertain. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: warm citrus and fennel olives; lentil and goat cheese spread; shiitake mushroom tart; chorizo frittata; smoked salmon and lemon crème fraiche finger sandwiches; chicken satay; mini apple-walnut pies. The downside to this book: I would have liked more details on wine notes. Just to say “Merlot” is not enough. The upside to this book: good instructions, with notes. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 7. LOG CABIN GRUB (Log Cabin Grub Cookbooks, 2010; distr. Raincoast, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-2265-9, $9.99 US spiral bound) is by Colleen Sloan who promises over 200 old Pioneer recipes, for your oven or a Dutch oven. She covers wild meats (e.g., rattlesnake, raccoon, beaver, ground hog, et al) and fish, breads, desserts, vegetables, candy, plus the usual assortment of household hints, remedies and cures. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those cooks looking for old-timey food preps, outdoor campers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cattail flapjacks, oatmeal drop cookies, fried woodchuck, apple dressing for birds, sheepherder leftover pie, mincemeat, chili from way back, Indian fry bread. The downside to this book: because the format of the pages is landscape and the book is spiral bound, there is a temptation to stand it up, but in most of my experiences, the book falls down again. The upside to this book: she says “satisfaction guaranteed”. Quality/Price Rating: 83. 8. QUICK-FIX GLUTEN FREE (Andrews McMeel, 2011, 204 pages, ISBN 978-1- 4494-0293-8, $16.99 US soft covers) is by chef Robert Landolphi who had previously authored Gluten Free Everyday Cookbook. When his wife was diagnosed with celiac disease, he dedicated his culinary career to developing GF dishes. Here he has contributed some 150 or so recipes that should take less than 30 minutes to prep (cooking time is extra). There’s a good explanation of the gluten-free pantry (mainly flours) and how doughs, batters, and risings work. There are a lot of non- gluten flours out there, and they can be categorized into bean flours, nut flours and gluten-free grain flours. There’s a list of substitutions and some techniques for adding flavours. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are three pages of tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those who need gluten-free preps or who cook for GF people. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Caesar salad, blueberry and cream cheese French toast strata, walnut-baked stuffed shrimp, broccoli and chicken alfredo, monkey bread. The downside to this book: since this is an “upscale” book, I would have liked to have seen some menus and wine recommendations. The upside to this book: larger typeface and good spacing and layout. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 9. BIG VEGAN; more than 350 recipes no meat/no dairy all delicious (Chronicle Books, 2011; distr. Raincoast) 544 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118- 7467-0, $29.95 US paper covers) is by Robin Asbell, food book writer and cooking teacher specializing in natural foods. Veganism is at a new all-time high, and this book does fill a need for more vegan books. There are a lot of international preps here since many parts of the world are vegan in eating style, not by choice but by poverty. Arrangement is by course: apps to dessert. Other chapters deal with breakfast, breads and sauces. Throughout there are knockoffs of non- vegan foods such as mock duck, mac and “cheese”, and tempeh sausage. I was disappointed that there were no gluten-free baked goods here, particularly since vegan and gluten-free are on a convergence. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. A resources page and a glossary completes the package. Audience and level of use: vegans Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: coconut-mango popsicles; banana-bran pancakes; apple gratin with sweet potatoes, beets and walnuts; chocolate-chip oat cookies; edamame and spring veggies in raspberry vinaigrette; African red lentil-yucca soup. The downside to this book: bulky in its paperback format. You’ll need to be careful spreading the gutters. The upside to this book: layout looks good, with lists of ingredients highlighted. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 10. SUNDAY ROASTS (Chronicle Books, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 180 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7968-2, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Betty Rosbottom, a cookbook author for Chronicle Books. It’s a basic book, with a year’s worth of roasts from pot roasts to turkeys and legs of lamb. Actually, there’s only 50 roasts, divided at ten apiece for beef, pork, lamb and veal, poultry, and seafood. There’s a roasted cod prep, but most of the other seafood are done by skewers or steaks. Additional preps concern a range of sides (potato gratin, sauteed spinach with blue cheese, spring veggies, corn bread, corn, wild rice, et al) and sauces/butters/chutneys. There is also a handy section that lists roasts that need less than 30 minutes in the oven, roasts that need a long time, roasts that can be served at room temperature, holiday roasts, and calorie-reduced roasts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Each prep comes with service numbers, cost range, prep time, and start-to-finish time, plus some suggestions for sides. Audience and level of use: home cooks, families. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pork loin with blue cheese and roasted pears; cumin pork tenderloins with fresh peach salsa; rolled flank steak with corn bread and chorizo stuffing; lamb shanks with dates and olives; tuna steaks with sesame coating; chipotle-rubbed turkey breast with fresh corn salsa. The downside to this book: nothing, really, except more “real” roasts could have been mentioned. The upside to this book: some leftover tips. Quality/Price Rating: 89. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 11. PLUM GORGEOUS; recipes and memories from the orchard (Andrews McMeel, 2011, 178 pages, ISBN 978-1-4494-0240-2, $25 US hard covers) is by Romney Steele, a granddaughter of the founders of Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur and cousin to my former son-in-law. She also opened Café Kevah; this is her second cookbook (My Nepenthe was the first). Here are 60 recipes, all of which deal with fruit. One section covers citrus, another does berries, a third chapter is on stone fruit, while the fourth promotes “fall fruits” (figs, pears, apples, quince, pomegranate, persimmon, grapes). And it is quite a stylish cookbook with excellent photography (perhaps too many shots of non-plated fruit dishes). Try plum soup with basil ice cream, buttermilk panna cotta with apricots, honey-baked figs with lavender, and tomato, grape and ricotta flatbread. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 12. THE SUPPER CLUB; kid-friendly meals the whole family will love (Weldon Owen, 2011; distr. Simon & Schuster, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1- 61628-115-1, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Susie Cover, who runs a prepared food delivery service that specializes in kid-friendly dishes made with local and organically grown ingredients in the New York city area. Here are 100 family-friendly preps, with advice for busy parents on getting dinner to the table. There’s a full range of food here that is designed for picky eaters. She has a week’s worth of dinner menus (with page references), and more menus might have been useful, but it is a start. The emphasis, of course, is on supper, so this is hearty fare. Arrangement is by service: soups and salads, sandwiches, mains, sides, desserts, and basic preps. Try Mediterranean chopped salad, chicken tikka, flank steak with chimichurri sauce, Asian fish cakes, baby candied carrots, lemon mousse. Good, basic classics. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality price/rating: 87. 13. THE CAKEBREAD CELLARS AMERICAN HARVEST COOKBOOK; celebrating wine, food and friends in the Napa Valley (10 Speed Press, 2011; distr. Random House, 203 pages, ISBN 978-1-60774-013-1, $35 US hard covers) is by the Cakebreads and Brian Streeter (Culinary Director at Cakebread Cellars). These three also earlier wrote “The Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Cookbook”. Multiple Beard Award winner Janet Fletcher is the focusing food writer. For the past quarter century, the Cakebreads have been hosting an annual American Harvest Workshop: they invite five up- and-coming chefs and some local farmers to their winery form a weekend of tasting and cooking. The chefs plan and execute two multi-course dinners each evening, using the local produce. This book collates 100 preps and wine pairings over the past 25 years, ranging from apps to desserts. There’s a primer on food and wine matching, and profiles of local artisan farmers. There is also a fair bit of history/memoir about the winery and the people who work there. The recipes are arranged by course, with sub-sections in each for the four seasons. I’m not sure how this all plays out at the winery, since the workshop is always in mid-September, and we would be well-past spring at that point. Nevertheless, there is an engaging “spring herb pesto” and a goat cheese with new potatoes. Try also squash blossom soup with poblanos, pizza with caramelized onions and gorgonzola, or braised chicken with cipolline onions. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Wine recommendations are, of course, from Cakebread Cellars, but there is also some mention of a similar style (e.g., “crisp white” or “medium-bodied red”) as an alternate. An eclectic cookbook. Quality/price rating: 88. 14. KOKKARI; contemporary Greek flavors (Chronicle Books, 2011, pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7574-5, $40 US hard covers) is by Erik Cosselmon who owns the San Francisco restaurant of the same name as the book’s title. Janet Fletcher, his co-author, is a Napa Valley based food writer with many articles and books to her credit. Kokkari has always been amongst the best restaurants in the Bay Area. Cosselmon has produced a taverna cookbook, with all the basic elements of Greek cooking. Plus it has some sharp photography by Sara Remington. Although its Foreword mentions that the authors want the book to be used and “stained with olive oil and splashed with wine”, it should be noted that the book weighs about three pounds, and the splashes will ruin the photography. Nevertheless, a good mission to replicate Greek cooking at home. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 15. THE WHOLE FOODS KOSHER KITCHEN; glorious meals pure and simple (Skyhorse Publishing, 2011, 314 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-292-5, $14.95 US paper covers) is by Levana Kirschenbaum, who was co-owner of Levana Restaurant on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and a pioneer in kosher upscale dining, with Lisa R. Young, an RD cookbook author. Levana has already authored three other cookbooks. Check out www.levanacooks.com. Here, at a bargain US price further reduced by Amazon, are 350 kosher recipes with two special indexes: there’s a gluten-free index and a Passover index, as well as a general index. Abbreviations are also used for the preps, such as GF for gluten-free, GFA for gluten-free adaptable, and P for Passover. She’s also got 22 suggested menus (without page references to the preps, unfortunately) for a Seder, a Latin dinner, an Italian dinner, a budget dinner for a crowd, a dairy- free all-dessert party, and more. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. After the primer on healthy eating, the preps are arranged by course: soups, salads, fish, poultry and meat, veggies, grains, breakfast, breads, desserts. Typical are hot and sweet parsnips, Moroccan lentil soup, vegetarian chopped liver, shakshuka, hummus, braised red cabbage and apples, and barley-lentil-kale pilaf. Quality/price rating: 89. 16. GIRL IN THE KITCHEN; how a Top Chef cooks, thinks, shops, eats and drinks (Chronicle Books, 2011, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7447-2, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Stephanie Izard with focusing food writer Heather Shouse. Izard was named Top Chef in season four of the reality series, and she is now chef/owner of the Chicago restaurant Girl & The Goat. Log rollers include Daniel Boulud. Up till the fourth season, there had been no woman as Top Chef. After her victory, she took some time off to tour other countries collecting material for her new restaurant. Here are 100 preps, with many wine and beer pairings. The arrangement is standard, beginning with starters, moving through soups, salads, pastas, mains, and sides – but no desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. The listing of ingredients is in pastel blue ink, a bitch to photocopy AND to read. Try sautéed shrimp with butternut puree and cider, grilled oysters with horseradish aioli and pancetta, linguine in celery root cream with apples and pancetta, seared halibut with peanut-pork ragu, or braised lamb shanks with curried cauliflower and grape gremolata. There’s also a larger typeface for the index. Apart from too many pix of Izard at the beginning, this is a nifty book. Quality/price rating: 90. * THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 17. TOP 100 PASTA DISHES; easy everyday recipes that children will love (Atria Books, 2011; distr. Simon & Schuster, 142 pages, ISBN 978-1- 4516-0791-8, $18 US hard covers) is by Annabel Karmel. It was previously published in the UK by Ebury Press in 2010. Karmel is a UK child nutrition specialist who has also written more than 20 books on cooking for children and families. Once you go beyond the element of “picky eater”, pasta is a kid’s delight (tasty, easy, quick, economical, and nutritious). Here are some good basic recipes with guidance for older kids to help out in the cooking process. The instructions are simple and clear. There are symbols throughout to show which recipes are suitable for freezing. Other symbols also show prep times, portion controls, and cooking times. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Try vegetarian pasta bake with a crunchy topping, pasta salad with chicken and roasted sweet peppers, or pasta with tomato and pesto sauce. No coverage of gluten-free pasta. Quality/price rating: 86. 18. MIX & MATCH MEALS (DK Books, 2009, 2011, 192 pages, ISBN 978-0- 7566-8236-1, $22 US spiral bound hard covers) is a collection of preps from The Illustrated Quick Cook, published by DK Books in 2009. Here, the publisher deals with menu planning, and the book has been arranged by horizontal sections. The top section is starters, the middle one is mains, and the bottom section is desserts. You can flip these pages back and forth, so you can end up with a menu comprised of, for example, a starter on page 64 (chili beef and bean soup), a main from page 22 (chicken with Belgian endives and bacon), and a dessert from page 34 (marinated prunes and apricots). It all seems to work, although both book stores and libraries need to be cautious about consumers ripping out pages – it is so easy to do. In fact, the family can make a game of it by having each member choose a dish, or (equally fascinating) picking a number from 1 to 187 and letting the dish described on that page be cooked that night as a sort of “pin the tail”. Thousands of combinations are possible. But there are no wine notes amongst the split pages. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 19. THE ULTIMATE STUDENT COOKBOOK (Firefly, 2010, 160 pages, ISBN 978- 1-55407-602-4, $14.95 CAD paper covers) is by Tiffany Goodall, a personality-celebrity chef in the UK (where the book was first published by Quadrille in 2009). This is a nifty book about basics and budget. The author had lived away from home on a limited budget while she was a culinary arts student, so she shows college students how to get by with fresh and healthy food every day. Of course, she had a leg up since she was actually studying cooking. There are 100 preps here, requiring only 20 kitchen items, fewer than 20 on-hand staples, plus regularly available ingredients from the grocery store. There’s some health information, hygiene, storage, and use of leftovers. Substitutions and adaptations are also included. What I really like about the book are the step-by-step photos with captions and balloons that show the prep and presentation of each dish. But on the other hand, some recipes need refiguring: the saltiness of soy sauce will NOT disappear with evaporation, and baking 2 inch potatoes for 1.5 to 2 hours at 400 degrees will get you blackened (not crisp) potatoes. So: what do students like? How about mac and cheese, pizza, roast chicken, fajitas, stir fries, sandwiches? Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/Price rating: 87. 20. LONG NIGHTS AND LOG FIRES (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2009, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-154-4, $19.95 US soft covers) is a book package with most of the Ryland Peters and Small cookbook authors, including Louise Pickford, Fran Warde, Fiona Beckett, and Ross Dobson. I’m not sure whether there are original recipes or just reprints from previously published cookbooks, since the copyright dates are all 2009. Nevertheless, there are more than 200 decent recipes and ideas for dining in a warm and cozy setting. The subtitle says “warming comfort food for family and friends”. The range is from fireplaces, one-pot wonders, roasts, lunches, drinks, and dinners. There is some advice on planning but not much on cleanup. Drinks are heavy, as befits the season. And most of the food is roasted or smoked, adding to the welcomed heat of the house. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. It’s a companion to the earlier 2009 book for the summer, entitled “Lazy Days and Beach Blankets”. A nice book for the cautious beginning entertainer. Try potato and parsnip croquettes; pan-fried tuna steaks with lentils; beef en croute; winter veggie gratin; pork loin roasted with rosemary and garlic; or lamb tagines. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 21. CULINARY MEXICO; authentic recipes and traditions (Gibbs Smith, 2005, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0960-5, $24.95 soft covers) is by Daniel Hoyer, once a sous-chef for Mark Miller’s Coyote Café, and now a restaurant consultant and cooking-school instructor. The book was originally published in 2005; this is a paperback 2011 reprint. At the time of its initial release, I said: “These are recipes from six diverse regions, along with cultural and historical notes. La Frontera (the north) has 13 preps. La Costa Oro (Pacific coast) has 10. El Istmo has 19. La Encrucijada (15), El centro Colonial (12), and Yucatan (18) are the others. Everything is well- spiced. Chef’s notes, US volume measurements, US sources list, and technique photos complete the package. There is good layout, larger type and spacing.” Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Try Baja fish tacos; shrimp tamales; chicken steamed in banana leaves; chile-spiced roast pork leg; cheese pie with pineapples; sieved-black beans. Quality/Price Rating: 86 (book is half the original price). 22. RUSTICA; a return to Spanish home cooking (Chronicle Books, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 368 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-0243-6, $35 US hard covers) is by Frank Camorra, a Spanish chef-owner of MoVida in Melbourne, and Richard Cornish, a food writer. The book was originally published in Australia by Murdoch Books in 2009. The emphasis is on home-style flavours, peasant food, spicy, rustic-rural culinary influences, complete with a lot of photographs about Spain. This is popular food, well-researched. The 120 dishes have their Spanish and English names, and are sourced in cook’s notes. The chapters are self- contained. The first deals with the tapas of Madrid. This is followed by a variety of kitchen gardens. Then there is sherry and fish, ham (jamon), “red” food, food preservation, traditions of Catalan, Basque, and Andalusia, plus a glossary. There’s not much on wine here. There is good layout, larger type and spacing. Charcoal-fired meats win out. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Try almond meringues, pan- fried tuna with paprika, goat hot-pot, salt cod with ratatouille, Galician pastries filled with orujo cream. Quality/price rating: 86. 23. A VINEYARD IN MY GLASS (University of California Pr., 2011, 280 pages, ISBN 978-0-520-27033-6, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Gerald Asher, who has written many books about wine. By profession he was an international wine merchant. He also served as Gourmet magazine’s wine editor for 30 years. Here, he has selected some essays published mainly in Gourmet but some from other sources as well (e.g., The World of Fine Wine magazine). The essays here reflect wine regions: he has 13 for France, 9 for California, and 5 for other European countries. And, believe it or not, there is actually an index! (which rarely happens with anthologies or reprints). His book is definitely terroir-driven as he relates talks with winemakers, wines and the meals he has had, along with growing conditions. And each article is just about perfectly written with his eye for detail. In France, he visits Fronsac, Vouvray, the Cote Chalonnaise, and Muscadet. There is also Soave and Rias Baixas Albarino, and for California, Anderson Valley and Lodi, amongst others. Well-worth a read or as a gift. Quality/price rating: 90. 24. THE INTERNATIONAL COLLECTION; home-cooked meals from around the world (Transcontinental Books, 2011; distr. Random House of Canada, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-9813938-5-8, $27.95 Canadian paper covers) is from the test kitchen of Canadian Living magazine. It is a compilation of favourite ethnic dishes created for the magazine over the years. This selection of preps is based on familiar ingredients, easy substitutes, and home cooking methods. It is meant for family enjoyment. Preps can be halved or doubled in most cases. Menus and side dishes are suggested, but no wine recommendations (although wine is used in 11 recipes). Nutritional data is also provided. The main food influences here come from the Caribbean, South East Asia, Mediterranean countries, and Latin America. Arrangement is from apps to dessert, with mains divided into “everyday” and “entertaining”. Typical preps involve leg of lamb with apricots and pine nuts, stuffed vine leaves, grilled fish with olive oil, cassoulet, tarte tatin, bok choy soup, Tuscan bean soup, empanadas, and more. Preparations have their ingredients listed by weight in both metric and avoirdupois measurements (and by volume in avoirdupois only), but there is no table of metric equivalents. There’s something here for everyone. Quality/price rating: 87. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SUMMER 2011 ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2011 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. UNDERSTANDING WINE TECHNOLOGY; the science of wine explained. 3rd ed. (Wine Appreciation Guild-DBQA Publishing, 2011; distr. McArthur, 307 pages, ISBN 978-1-934259-60-3, $44.95 US paper covers) is by David Bird, MW. Previous editions have been praised by a wide range of wine writers and industry personnel. His book is virtually essential reading for students of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma and Institute of Master of Wine examinations. It was first published in 2000, with a second edition in 2005. Currently, then, it appears to be on a five- year cycle. It is five dollars more retail, but has 50 more pages. Updated sections include HACCP (hazard analysis and control) for wineries, more detail on the making of red, pink, white sweet, sparkling and fortified wines, and new information on histamine, flash détente, maceration, whole bunch and whole berry fermentation. It’s a very clear book written for the non-scientist and wine student. Chapters deal with grapes, vineyards, the must, fermentations, types of wine, wood, filtration, additives, bottling lines, quality assurances, legislation and regulations. There are also expanded chapters on wine faults and wine tasting. A bibliography and glossary complete the package. Lots of photos, diagrams, and tables when and where needed. But there could also have been a discussion on LEED certification for wineries, and more details on organic, biodynamic, and sustainable viticulture. Still, a book for all wine lovers who want to know more about what they are drinking. A must purchase. Quality/price rating: 90. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. MODERNIST CUISINE; the Art and Science of Cooking (The Cooking Lab, 2011, 2438 pages in six volumes, ISBN 978-0-98276100-7, retails for $700 CAD, but is $529 at Amazon.Ca, hardcover) is by Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young, and Maxime Bilet. The latter two are associated with The Fat Duck restaurant (Blumenthal’s place, but see log rolling below) and The Cooking Lab. Myhrvold was with Microsoft but left to become a stagier and then a chef. There’s some heavy log rolling here, principally from Harold McGee who has been over this same territory many times himself, Ferran Adria (ditto for the molecular gastronomy), Tim Zagat, and Heston Blumenthal. Where do begin? Some of the facts: 2438 pages over six volumes, 1.1 million words, 3,216 photographs, 1522 recipes, 72 chefs worldwide who advised, and five years to produce. The US price is $625 retail, and is sold on Amazon for $461.32, with free shipping for the 50 pounds or so of weight in the box. The book is a mixture of physics and biology and cooking processes. Ecco (HarperCollins) published a similar book in 2005 – El Bulli: 1998-2002 -- but it retailed for $490 for only 496 pages plus a CD-ROM. Combine that book with any McGee, and you’ve got virtually the same material, albeit a bit pricey. The six volumes here introduce “parametric” recipes which allow for dozens of variations by changing the ingredients and quantities. The third volume is on meats, seafood and plant matter. The fourth volume concerns thickeners, gels, emulsions, and foams. The fifth has plated dish recipes. And the sixth is a kitchen manual. There are many gadgets which will also need to be acquired if you are to do a lot of these recipes. Audience and level of use: those who are truly interested in cooking, and wish to spend a lot of money on the books. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: There are 300 pages of new recipes for plated dishes, many of them contributed by the log rollers. The downside to this book: it all weighs 21 kilos, and the recipes can be challenging. Also, the special purpose equipment can be expensive for home use, but (of course) written off and used many times in a professional setting. The upside to this book: depth of detail. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. HOMEMADE SODA (Storey Publishing, 2011, 329 pages, ISBN 978-1-60342- 796-8, $18.95 US paper covers) is by Andrew Schloss, author or co- author of 15 cookbooks, and an IACP Cookbook Award winner (The Science of Good Food). It is one of the few unique foodbooks published in 2011: here are 200 recipes for making and using fruit sods and fizzy juices, root beers, colas, herbal waters, shrubs, cream sodas and floats. Everything here is carbonated. Says Schloss, “Making sodas at home is an excellent way to reduce tour consumption of high-fructose corn syrup, and to moderate your sugar intake in general: you brew only what you’ll drink, and you can adjust the sweetness of the brew to your own taste.” There’s a brief history of sparkling waters and concoctions, various timelines for commercial [products, ingredient lists, equipment needed, and storage issues. There are three ways to make soda – mix seltzer water, use a soda siphon, or brew root beers and colas. This is followed by the recipe and a few “soda food” preps, e.g. lemonade shrimp cocktail, sweet heat mahogany chicken wings, cola chili, baked root beer ham, and other foods which strike me as very meaty and very male-appealing. There are also some desserts and a resources page. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: sparkling water fans, summer eaters. Some interesting or unusual recipe: balsamic date soda; ginseng soda; applale (apple cider); vanilla pear sparkler; iced café brulot; chocolate raspberry cream pop. The downside to this book: although not advertised as such, this is really a guy foodbook. The upside to this book: many recipes are adaptable to alcoholic beverages, such as sparkling lemon Campari. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 4. TOMATOLAND; how modern industrial agriculture destroyed our most alluring fruit (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2011; distr. Simon & Schuster, 220 pages, ISBN 978-1-4494-0109-2, $19.99 US hard covers) is by Barry Estabrook, a James Beard Award-winning food investigative journalist who wrote for Eating Well, Gourmet, The Atlantic, and others. Log rollers include Ruth Reichl, Jacques Pepin, and Corby Kummer. Portions of this book have appeared in different form in Gourmet, Gastronomica, Saveur, and the Washington Post. His book grew out of some investigative articles published in those sources (including his Beard Award winning “Politics of the Plate: the price of a tomato” in Gourmet of March 2009), whereby Estabrook looked at human and environmental costs of the $10 billion US fresh tomato industry. For example, fields can be sprayed with 130 different herbicides and pesticides. Tomatoes are picked hard and green and gassed until their skins begin to turn red. While modern plant breeding may have tripled yields, the fruits produced contained a much smaller amount of calcium and vitamin A and C. At the same time, the plants now have three times as much sodium as before. So “Tomatoland” is principally about supermarket tomatoes and how they impact our lives. He begins with the first tomatoes (Peruvian deserts) up through the tomato capital of the US (Immokalee, Florida). He covers labs striving to produce great tomatoes for agribusiness, how hydroponic growers function, and the secrets of organic farming. Audience and level of use: conspiracy lovers; agribusiness antagonists; food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: 90% of US home gardeners grow tomatoes, and his article in Gourmet garnered the most reader response of any of the magazine’s articles in the previous decade. The downside to this book: there are a lot of interviews rather than hard core studies. The upside to this book: there’s an index, end notes and a bibliography for further reading. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 5. THE RIPPLE EFFECT; the fate of freshwater in the twenty-first century (Scribner, 2011; distr. Simon and Schuster, 435 pages, ISBN 978-1-4165-3545-4, $27 US hard covers) is by Alex Prud’homme, an investigative writer for a variety of magazines. His books have been about the ImClone scandal and terrorism/security. He had also collaborated with his great-aunt Julia Child on her “My Life in France”. And there is a connection: Child made a comment about bottled water that stuck with him and sent him on his way to look into the whole matter of freshwater. Here he tackles freshwater (drinking, agriculture). It’s a story about the use and abuse of water. He explores what’s dangerous in our water supply, the security of our supply system (terrorism, natural disasters), and then potential for water wars. Water rights have been a contention for centuries. There were the water wars in Los Angeles, the diversion to the Colorado River, polluted shores and lakes (mostly from sewage being mixed with water), drug disposal and waste in the water supply, acid rain, global climate change, overpopulation, drought, flood, underground pipes and levees, and more. All we need was the Milagro Beanfield war to make it complete. But there are some stories here, mostly American, that involve microcosms (that can add up) – alleged murders in New Jersey, salmon fishermen in Alaska, poisoned wells in Wisconsin, intersex fish in Chesapeake Bay. Audience and level of use: the concerned environmentalist Some interesting or unusual facts: In USA, regulatory approval for a new water pipeline is the key to promoting real estate development. The downside to this book: I wished he had some ideas on how to correct things, The upside to this book: copious end notes. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 6. LOBSTER (Reaktion Books, 2011, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-86189-795-4, $19.95 US soft covers) is by Richard J. King, who teaches in Literature of the Sea at the Maritime Studies Program of Williams College and Mystic Seaport, Connecticut. It is part of the “Animal” series from Reaktion Books in the UK. At the same time, the publisher put out one of the “Edible” series, LOBSTER; a global history (Reaktion Books, 2011, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-86189-794-7, $15.95 US hard covers), which is by Elisabeth Townsend, a Massachusetts-based food and wine writer. “Lobster” had long been thought of as peasant food. Those living by the ocean had to eat it, to the shame and mortification of those poorer students who were forced to eat lobster sandwiches for lunch in the school cafeteria. They were laughed at. Now lobsters are big ticket items, although coast dwellers still remember their penurious beginnings. The Townsend book, which deals with lobster-as-food, is a good account of the social history of global lobster eating. The King book is an equally fascinating coconut of lobster-as-animal. He does have a number of references to lobster-as-food, usually within the context of culture or lobster festivals, but there is only one actual recipe with ingredients and instructions (for lobster stew). There are biological details, economic and environmental status reports, ethic issues revolving around boiling them alive, cultural notes on aphrodisiacs, plus lobsters in the arts. The two books form a useful duo of reads, with little duplication. Audience and level of use: lobster lovers, culinary historians. Some interesting or unusual facts: the American lobster is the best- tasting lobster, and most come from the Maritimes and Maine. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 7. DISHING IT OUT; in search of the restaurant experience (Reaktion Books, 2011; distr. U of Chicago Pr, 285 pages, ISBN 978-1-86189-807-4, $35 US hard covers) is by Robert Applebaum, a lecturer in Renaissance studies who specializes in the relationship of literature, culture and food. He argues that restaurants promote the interests of cultural democracy. He searches for such social values by sampling the fare at Catalonian bistros, Italian-American chophouses, global fast-food joints, and Michelin-starred restos of haute cuisine. Along the way, Applebaum examines cultural history and the origins of the modern restaurant in pre-revolutionary France. He covers writers who do food (Sartre and Dinesen) and food writers (Grimod de la Reyniere and M.F.K. Fisher). He is constantly asking : what is a restaurant? Audience and level of use: foodies, gastronomic historians. Some interesting or unusual facts: a restaurant is a public, commercial eating house offering individualized service. People are both part of a crowd and personally singled out. The downside to this book: while an important contribution to gastronomic history, the book was slow reading at many points. The upside to this book: there are end notes and an extensive bibliography for further readings. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 8. JAMS & JELLIES IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES (Gibbs Smith, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-1871-3, $16.99 US hard covers) is by Pamela Bennett, who has been making and selling jams, etc. for the past 25 years. She also owned Dallas’ Black Sheep Baskets which sold her jams. The emphasis here, of course, is speed: these are small-batch refrigerator jams that will last 3 – 4 weeks in the fridge. The 55 preps can also be turned into meat marinades, sauces, and sundae toppings. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents on the last page. They are listed by category, such as berry jams, fruit preserves, tropical preps, herb and savoury spreads (onion jam, jalapeno jelly, lavender jam, beet jelly), and jellies from juice and wine (ginger jelly, lime jelly, champagne jelly). Quality/price rating: 88. Audience and level of use: home preservers, the harried cook. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Always make jelly on a clear day rather than a cloudy or stormy day – weather affects the appearance. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 9. THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO GRILLING; how to grill just about anything (Skyhorse Publishing, 2011, 250 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-067-9, $14.95 US paper covers) is by Rick Browne, a food writer specializing in BBQ (The Ultimate Guide to Frying, The Big Book of Barbecue Sides). It’s an all-purpose BBQ book, with a healthy dose of macho attitude. It seems like a safe purchase for that male in your life. There’s a section on lamb, which is offered without comments. Yet there are anecdotes and stories for the other meats such as lobster and pork. I understand that Western Kentucky specializes in lamb BBQ, so there is a market for such a book or section. Chapters cover appetizers, beef, fish, shellfish, lamb, pork, poultry, side dishes, sauces, marinades, veggies, game, desserts and rubs. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: the male BBQer, such as my son. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bourbon salmon, grilled lemon-lime tempeh, Thai lamb kebobs, Assyrian grilled leg of lamb with pomegranate sauce. The downside to this book: the typeface is slim, making it hard to read. The upside to this book: another basic book directed to males. Quality/Price Rating: 84. 10. BREAKFAST COMFORTS (Weldon Owen, 2010; distr. Simon & Schuster, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-61628-070-3, $34.95 US hard covers) is by Rick Rodgers, a food writer who has also authored or co-authored at least 10 other books for Williams-Sonoma. This book is one of a large series of books published by Williams-Sonoma. It is a combo book, with preps from Rodgers and others from breakfast-brunch restaurants around the USA. There’s about 16 of these listed. Café Pasqual’s in Santa Fe would be my favourite (hey – I’ve been there). There are pix of some of the places, as well as a short text outlining their history and philosophy. Rodger’s has about 100 recipes of his own plus nostalgic preps from these other restaurants (showcasing regional cuisine). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Just about all the classics are here. Audience and level of use: brunch lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: lemon-ricotta pancakes; banana-chocolate crepes; Philly cheesecake omelet; cream-currant scones; cheese soufflé; pork and sage sausage patties. The downside to this book: the book weighs a lot. The upside to this book: the index is extensive. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 11. FRENCH FRIES (Gibbs Smith, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0744-1, $16.99 US hard covers) is by Zac Williams, a food photographer who has also written “Little Monsters Cookbook”. Unfortunately, the book seems to have been released just at the time that scientific reports were filed alluding to French fries and potato chips being the number one causes of weight gain over 20 years of a person’s life. Nevertheless, if you can tolerate high fat and carbs, this is the book for you. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Williams uses the “two-fry” method, to ensure crispness on the outside and fluffiness on the inside. There are some preps here for oven baking and the like. There are also 25 pages of dips and sauces. While there are two oven recipes indexed, the main prep for oven fries is not indexed. Audience and level of use: those who enjoy French fries Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sweet potato fries, Cajun fries, Philly cheese fries. The downside to this book: there’s not much to say about French fries. The upside to this book: a single-product book. What makes the book are the sauces and technique. Quality/Price Rating: 83. 12. BACKCOUNTRY COOKING; the ultimate guide to planning, preparing, and packing great outdoor meals (Skyhorse Publishing, 2011, 238 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-312-0, $14.95 US paper covers) is by Sierra Adare, a how-to outdoors specialist who writes for Mother Earth News and several newspapers. This is a comprehensive package, which ends with a bibliography for further reading. The original subtitle was announced as “feats for hikers, hoofers, and floaters”, but the current one is more descriptive and accurate. About 100 recipes are scattered throughout, keyed into menu patterns for each day of a trip. For example, Day Nine Menus includes a breakfast of shorts (dehydrated ground beef), coffee, with a Trail Lunch of cheese, assorted crackers, apricots, cashews and M & Ms. Dinner is Tent Stake Turkey and Snow Drifts (dried raisins). All food is prepared in advance and bagged. There are five trips here, with marching orders for all: a 10 day trip, a 7 day, a 5 day, a car-camping for a week, and a river-running for a week. Everything has been organized for the reader, right down to the tiniest detail. There are lists of grocery items you buy beforehand, instructions on how to dehydrate your own food, how to avoid sickness, etc. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: the not-so-experienced hiker. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: re-hydrate food early in the day, in order to prepare for the reconstitution process. Re-hydrated food will cook faster and use less boiled water. The downside to this book: only time will tell if the sturdy binding will indeed t=stand up to multiple usage. The upside to this book: very nicely crafted with lots of notes, tips, and advice. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 13. THE ART OF BREAKFAST; how to bring B & B entertaining home (Down East Books, 2011; distr. Nimbus, 159 pages, ISBN 978-0-89272-940-1, $28.95 hard covers) is by Dana Moos, a former innkeeper who is now a Maine realtor selling B & Bs. Here is a collection of some 100 Maine- inspired preps, suitable for “entertaining” guests or clients. There is a collection of sweet entrees, savoury entrees, baked goods, side dishes, plus the usual sauces-syrups-butters. Some emphasis is given to seasonal and local Maine food products. At the end, there are ideas for guest gifts and eight menus (both sections with page references). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: b & b owners and brunch lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: rum raisin pears; cantaloupe with green tea-infused minted syrup; blueberry apricot cheese crepes; Maine blueberry malted Belgian waffles; fried eggs on wild mushroom hash; cinnamon buns. The downside to this book: some of the preps seem too complicated or involved for a b & b operation. The upside to this book: page references are given for menus and gifts. Quality/Price Rating: 86. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 14. VEGAN FAMILY MEALS; real food for everyone (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2011; distr. Simon & Schuster, 258 pages, ISBN 978-1-4494- 0237-2, $25 US hard covers) is by Ann Gentry who owns Real Food Daily in Los Angeles. She’s written other vegan cookbooks, she’s the executive chef to Vegetarian Times magazine, and she has her own cooking show on the Dish Network. Even so, the publisher thought it best to have some log rolling from Deepak Chopra himself. Her current book adds to the repertoire of vegan cookery by also making it more accessible to regular people who are looking for a healthier lifestyle. Healthwise, a vegan diet reduces mortality. Meatless diets promote lower levels of cholesterol, lower blood pressure, reduced chances of type 2 diabetes and renal disease and dementia. Here are about 100 preps for the whole family to enjoy, for breakfasts, snacks, sandwiches, family-style simple meals, and the like. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Try some non-dairy milkshakes, potato- salad with tarragon-mustard dressing, nishime-style root veggies, South American meatless stew stuffed in a kabocha squash, baked kale chips (crumbly), or edamame and spinach hummus with endive spears. Quality/price rating: 88. 15. MY FATHER’S DAUGHTER; delicious easy recipes celebrating family and togetherness (Grand Central Life & Style, 2011; distr. Hachette, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-446-55731-3, $30 US hard covers) is by noted actress Gwyneth Paltrow, daughter of writer-producer-director Bruce Paltrow, who died in 2002. There’s some log rolling by Mario Batali, who is also a co-author with Gwyneth of “Spain, A Culinary Road Trip”. She’s also host of a PBS series on Spain. The Spanish themes continue as Paltrow was an exchange student, and there are many Spanish recipes in this book among the 150 or so listed. The book is part memoir, so this tome will also appeal to her fans, and doubly so for those who care to cook. It is a tribute to her father who inspired in her a love of cooking. The book is NOT to be dismissed as a celebrity fluff piece (who would expect to find a recipe here for sriracha Thai hot sauce?). It is actually quite good, with reliable family-style preps such as tuna and ginger burgers, white bean soup, fish stew, spaghetti alla vongole, broiled salmon with teriyaki, and others. Each recipe has some memory piece, ingredients are listed in boldface, there’s service numbers, and preparation times. There are icons to represent a make-ahead, a quick prep, a vegetarian dish, a one-pot meal, and a dress-up meal for sophisticated diners. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. The photos of plated dishes look pretty good. There are some notes on vegan recipes and kid-friendly recipes. At the end, there’s a list of “reliable online resources”. Quality/price rating: 89. 16. FEARLESS BAKER; scrumptious cakes, pies, cobblers, cookies and quick breads that you can make to impress your friends and yourself (Little, Brown and Co.,; distr. Hachette, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-316- 07428-5, $29.99 US hard covers) is by Emily Luchetti (executive pastry chef at Farallon and Waterbar in San Francisco, plus a 2004 Beard Award) and Lisa Weiss (food author of several cookbooks). Log rolling comes from Mireille Guiliano (French Women Don’t Get Fat) and David Lebovitz. There’s a full range here, including bars, tarts, fruit, sauces, and breakfast. The colourful illustrations are retro, and they look terrific. The 175 preps all come with overall caveats: read the prep first, measure everything, never improvise the first time, preheat the oven, use a timer. Each prep comes with a chart between the two authors; this replaces the general paragraph on tips and advice. Equipment lists are noted in red; ingredient lists are noted in boldface albeit in smaller typeface size. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Try almond-chocolate chip cookies, blondies, lemon angel food cake, macaroon cake, dried cherry and apricot bread pudding, lemon Prosecco sabayon with raspberry and blackberries, and apple turnovers. There is also a sources list. Quality/price rating: 87. 17. LIVE RAW; raw food recipes for good health and timeless beauty (Skyhorse Publishing, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 226 pages, ISBN 978=1- 61608-274-1, $16.95 US paper covers) is by Mimi Kirk, a television host and writer. There are more than 120 recipes here, and the appeal is wide. Nothing really strange. Her advice and tips include a detoxification program for cleansing, what foods you need to eat every day, and some beauty tips. There’s material on maintaining memory and mobility, the evils of eating animals, and how to stay young at all ages. One major advantage of raw food is that no cooking required: an excellent plan for hot summers or for those short on time. But still, many foods need a dehydrator, sometimes for 10 hours or so at 105-110 degrees (pizza takes 19 hours). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Typical recipes are given for smoothies and juices, breakfast breads and crackers, soups, salads or course, wraps and rolls, veggie side dishes, mains, and sweets. Quality/price rating: 86. 18. THE EAT LOCAL COOKBOOK; seasonal recipes from a Maine farm (Down East Books, 2011; distr. Nimbus, 173 pages, ISBN 978-0-89272-923-4, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Lisa Turner, a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmer in Maine (Laughing Stock Farm, Freeport ME). She’s collected about 125 recipes from state chefs, farmers, and home cooks, fleshed out with a few of her own. Her CSA helps stock many Maine restaurants, and she also has about 80 families enrolled. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. There are no illustrations or photos, but then that keeps the price down. There are two recipe indexes, one by course, and another alphabetically-arranged. The preps are arranged by season and sourced as to provenance. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 19. JENI’S SPLENDID ICE CREAMS AT HOME (Artisan, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 218 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-436-8, $23.95 US hard covers) is by Jeni Britton Bauer, who owns Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams with eight stores in Ohio and nation-wide shipping to other restaurants and stores. There are about 100 recipes here, all arranged by season beginning with Spring. Her primer has the basics on equipment, ingredients, and how her ice cream shop began. There are lists of sources for spices and extracts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. It’s a colourful book, with different inks for the recipes, but the sans serif font (a lot like Century Gothic) is very thin and the listing of ingredients is in small typeface: all of which is hard to read for these older eyes (and I just had them checked, so I am OK). Lots of illustrations, so this must be a book to be more read than used. Her fans and patrons will enjoy it. Try farmers’ market sundae, olive oil ice cream, riesling poached pear sorbet, salty caramel (which apparently sells over 200 gallons a week) or coriander ice cream. Quality/price rating: 81. * THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 20. START YOUR OWN EVENT PLANNING BUSINESS. 3rd edition. (Entrepreneur Press, 2011; distr. McGraw-Hill, 172 pages, ISBN 978-1-599184-159, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Cheryl Kimball. The book is one of a “Start Up” series from the publisher: there are over 60 of these books, including such hospitality related themes as bar and club, bed and breakfast, gift baskets, and restaurants. They are nicely uniform in setup. It was first published in 2004, with the second edition coming along in 2007. This book opens with a survey of the industry, describing what event planning is, marketing, formulating a business plan, research, choosing a name, and the like. There are chapters on hiring, financing, website creation, profiling, and the like. New to this edition is a lot of material on social media (blogs, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter). The invaluable appendix has sections on associations, books, applicable software, experts, magazines, websites, plus names/websites of successful event planners and a glossary. Quality/price rating: 88. 21. AGE GETS BETTER WITH WINE; new science for a healthier, better & longer life. 2nd ed. (Wine Appreciation Guild, 2009; distr. McArthur, 210 pages, ISBN 978-1-934259-24-5, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Richard Baxter, MD, Medical Director for Healthy Aging magazine and an original researcher on resveratrol. As he notes, a lot has happened since the first edition of his book in 2007, and lots more research is on the way: it seems that wine research is a booming industry. Resveratrol (found in red wine) has proven to extend life dramatically in experimental animals. If you are a white wine drinker, then you are SOL. Indeed, the whole class of polyphenols may be effective in preventing Alzeimer’s, heart disease, cancer and the common cold. The big question for most doctors is whether the health benefits of resveratrol can be encapsulated, so people don’t have to drink at all. Baxter explores all these options, beginning with an historical framework of wine and health through the ages. He moves through phenolics, resveratrol, how wine fights cancer and protects the brain. He has all his end notes, glossary, and notes for his blog www.healthandwine.blogspot.com. A well-informed read for the layman. Quality/price rating: 89. 22. COOKING DOWN EAST; favorite Main recipes (Down East Books, 2010; distr. Nimbus, 254 pages, ISBN 978-0-89272913-5, $27.95 US hard covers) is by Marjorie Standish, who wrote the “Cooking Down East” column for the Maine Sunday Telegram for 25 years. Over 100,000 copies have been sold since the first edition in 1969. So I don’t mess around with a classic: here there are 350 preps, many using Maine ingredients (mushrooms, game, lobster, Maine shrimp), with 15 more being added by Melissa Kelly, the Beard Award chef of Primo in Rockland, Maine (that’s the first one: the other two are in Tucson and Orlando). Standish offers helpful tips, as does Kelly (usually with a modern twist such as recommending panko crumbs and butter instead of bread crumbs and margarine). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Kelly’s recipes emphasize seasonal and local ingredients, and include crab cakes, pickled fiddleheads, lobster sauce, saffron-tomato mussels, and chilled Maine shrimp salad. Quality/price rating: 89. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR MAY 2011 ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2011 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. WINE; a cultural history (Reaktion Books, 2010, 2011, 280 pages, ISBN 978-1-86189-790-9, $29 US soft covers) is by John Varriano, a published art history professor, now emeritus from Mount Holyoke College. It is actually a catalogue/guide to the exhibition “Wine and Spirit: Rituals, Remedies, and Revelry” which was organized by Mount Holyoke. The exhibition began in Massachusetts and moved to Rochester New York. This is a celebratory book as told in reproductions of works of art. Wine has a rich history: it has been found everywhere, used in all circumstances from healing to religious ceremonies to dinner parties to drunken bacchanalia. Varriano emphasizes the polarizing effect wine has had on society and culture through the ages in this richly illustrative book. He covers art, literature, science, technology of wine making, and the like, in a witty, informative and informal style. There are about 105 illustrations (88 in colour). As such, it’s more accessible than Younger’s “Gods, Men and Wine” (1966). There are extensive end notes and a long bibliography for further reading. Audience and level of use: the casual art or wine lover, those interested in the cultural history of wine. Quality/Price Rating: 90. * FOOD BOOKS OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. DATES; a global history (Reaktion Books, 2011, 136 pages, ISBN 978- 1-86189-796-1, $15.95 US hard covers) is by Nawal Nasrallah, a researcher and food writer specializing in Middle East cuisine. ICE CREAM; a global history (Reaktion Books, 2011, 176 pages, ISBN 978- 1-86189-792-3, $15.95 US hard covers) is by Laura B. Weiss, a New York City journalist who specializes in lifestyle writing. LOBSTER; a global history (Reaktion Books, 2011, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1- 86189-794-7, $15.95 US hard covers) is by Elisabeth Townsend, a Massachusetts-based food and wine writer. POTATO; a global history (Reaktion Books, 2011, 142 pages, ISBN 978-1- 86189-799-2, $15.95 US hard covers) is by Andrew F. Smith, who teaches culinary history at the New School in NYC. His previous books have been about junk food and “Hamburger”, the latter for this current series, The Edible Series. He’s also the editor of the series which now numbers some 20 books in a uniform format. Edible is a great series, offering fingernail profiles and engaging memoirs of foods. You don’t need to collect them all: if you hate lobsters, then just avoid that book. Each book has a selection of recipes (with both metric and avoirdupois measurements), end notes, bibliography, and a listing of websites and associations. There are also terrific full-colour photos and an index. “Dates” is a straight-forward history, beginning with Mesopotamia and moving forward with the role that the date palm has played in the Middle East economy. A lot of the book has anecdotes, etymology, culture, legends and religious attitudes about dates. “Ice Cream” is the longest book in the series, but it is also the food probably most worked over in the foodbook/cookbook genre. It is good, though, to have some global history of the product before segueing into American territory. Weiss says that ice cream, began in ancient China and ends in modern Tokyo. Italian immigrant ice cream vendors played a big role in North America. “Lobster” has long been peasant food. Those living by the ocean had to eat it, to the shame and mortification of those poorer students who were forced to eat lobster sandwiches for lunch in the school cafeteria. They were laughed at. Now lobsters are big ticket items, although coast dwellers still remember their penurious beginnings. This is a good account of the social history of global lobster eating. “Potato” is a Western Hemisphere product, rising from the Pre-Columbian period in the Andes to its role as a staple today. Of course, there’s a fair bit of material about Ireland and the blight/famine. There’s even a mention of poutine. It’s easy to grow and is a good choice for carbohydrates. Audience and level of use: culinary historians, food lovers. Some interesting or unusual facts: Popular ice cream flavours in Japan include green tea, crab, sea urchin, wasabi, beef tongue, eel, and garlic. The biggest date celebration in the world is the National Date Festival (Indio, California). Indonesians eat their French fries with sate sauce, Belgians with mayonnaise, Bulgarians with grated white cheese, and Vietnamese with sugar and butter. Spiny lobsters adorn an Egyptian temple from the fifteenth century BC. The downside to this book: as with any profile, occasionally one may wish for more detail about certain points. The upside to this book: good, nifty self-contained books. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. MODERN BUFFETS; blueprint for success (John Wiley, 2012 [sic], 208 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-48466-1, $82.95 CAN hard covers) is by Edward G. Leonard, a much-awarded chef who is currently VP of Le Cordon Bleu North America. He is also one of 66 worldwide Certified Master Chefs. In this book, he presents the case for matching flavours and foods with ease of service and visual appeal. Along the way, he delves into history, logistics, and setup. The menu planning includes blueprint drawing for layout. The 92 recipes cover breakfasts (spring rolls, Florentines, waffles), lunches (lobster claws, sandwiches, salads), dinners (baked fishes, pan-seared salmon, tomato tatin, skate wing), finger foods, shooters, a variety of tapas, and desserts. Service is for 6 to 8, and can be multiplied. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. A good book for the professional who can write off the cost of the book. Audience and level of use: restaurants or caterers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: tomato tatin, pan-roasted veal loin, fried veal cheeks, savory bread pudding, sous vide salmon, morel potato cake, potato and lentil salad with roasted duck breast. The downside to this book: a brutal price ($82.95; $66.36 at Amazon.ca) for such a slim book. The upside to this book: some flair. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 4. THE FIRST REAL KITCHEN COOKBOOK; recipes and tips for new cooks (Chronicle Books, 2011, 192 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7810-4, $22.95 US soft covers) is by Megan an Jill Carle, who are not chefs. Megan is a vegetarian, while Jill is an omnivore. It’s a basic book, sure to appeal to young readers and cooks, with a lot of concentration on pasta, rice and grains. There’s a section on vegetables, another on pasta, a third on seafood, followed by chicken beef, pork, and desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginners, college students. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: oven-baked fish and chips, green chile-cheese meatloaf, white bean soup, Dublin coddle. The downside to this book: there are lots of other junior books out there, and this is just the latest. The upside to this book: good tips. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 5. THE GLORIOUS PASTA OF ITALY (Chronicle Books, 2011, 280 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7259-1, $30 US hard covers) is by Dominica Marchetti, a food writer and cooking school instructor who specializes in Italian cookery. She has written two other Italian books for Chronicle, so I guess it is pasta’s turn. There’s log rolling from such as Michael Chiarello and Giuliano Hazan, but I’m still not sure the world needs another pasta book. They’ve been around for decades, especially at the lower price range of Sunset or Betty Crocker. And here, there are very few photos of pasta dishes and some of fresh shapes.. Most would have a red or green sauce, and to see page after page would be disheartening. Nevertheless I love the empty dish frontispiece…There’s the usual primer material and the collection of classic and contemporary preps. These are her fave dishes, but still thirty dollars is a lot of money for a pasta book. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. The arrangement is by course, so there is a chapter on pasta in soup, baked pasta, stuffed pasta, and “showstoppers” (a bit more complicated, and my favourite chapter). Audience and level of use: pasta lovers, those new to Italian cooking. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: duck egg fettuccine with pickled ramps, poached chicken thighs, and pesto; anellini alla pecorara; miller’s wife pasta; spinach codetta with sausage and peas; baked zucchini and mushroom agnolotti with pesto béchamel. And a “Big Night” timballo. The downside to this book: pricey for a pasta book The upside to this book: some unusual preps. Quality/Price Rating: 81. 6. CHAR-BROIL CANADA GRILLS! (Creative Homeowner, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 303 pages, ISBN 978-1-58011-525-4, $26.95 CAN paper covers) is a collection of some 222 recipes for grill work. Of course, they want you to use a Char-Broil (Char-Broil is America’s largest grill brand; it was founded in 1948). I’m not sure what the point is in having it be “Canada Grills” since the publisher and the product are US corporations. In fact, there is virtually the same book is the US called “America Grills!” with the same introduction, recipes, photos, etc. The only variance between the two is the chapter on resources: there are more Canadian web resources in the Canada book than are in the America book. Nevertheless, this is a solid introduction to grill work, with a primer, apps, beef, pork, poultry, lamb, seafood, sides, marinades and rubs. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginners or Char-Broil purchasers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: yogurt-mint chicken; grilled oysters; sliders; cowboy-style beef ribs; lamb kabobs; grilled tuna; stuffed squid with sausage. The downside to this book: with all the photos and magazine weight paper, the book is very heavy. The upside to this book: price is ok, $21 at Amazon.ca Quality/Price Rating: 84. 7. JOHN SCHREINER’S BC COASTAL WINE TOUR GUIDE; the wineries of the Fraser Valley, Vancouver, Vancouver Island, and the Gulf Islands (Whitecap, 2011, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-042, 224 pages, $19.95 CAN paper covers) has been derived from a series of BC wine books by Schreiner. It is a companion to his Okanagan Wine Tour Guide, and thus set up the same way. Here is a listing of some 65 wineries, along with maps on the inside front cover. In common with his Okanagan book, Schreiner gives us the directory-type data of address, phone number, when opened, web site, best times to visit, and the like. There are some small black and white photos of the winery and/or the owners, plus accompanying detail on winery life. He lists the wines and wine styles of each place, and then gives his “picks”. Audience and level of use: winery visitors to BC, armchair travelers. Some interesting facts: “The coastal wineries, being younger than Okanagan wineries, have yet to promote themselves aggressively beyond their local markets” The downside to this book: a bit more restrictive than the Okanagan book. The upside to this book: good details on an emerging Canadian wine region. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 8. QUICK AND EASY MEXICAN COOKING (Chronicle Books, 2011, 168 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7232-4, $22.95 US soft covers) is by Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee, a food writer who has also written “Quick and Easy Korean Cooking”. That book should have more appeal than this current one, for there is a veritable flood of Mexican food books on the market today, many priced well-under this effort. Nevertheless, there are some 80 or so preps here that are straightforward for breakfast, lunch, snacks, grilling, dinner and desserts. There’s a section on salsas, another on salads, a third on soups, and then the mains. There are a few mail order sources and a bibliography for books on the foods and culture of Mexico. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: Mexican food lovers or those looking for “quick and easy” Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: churros, breaded steak, baked tortilla chips, fried squash, lime and chicken soup, Baja-style fish tacos, chicken taquitos. The downside to this book: there’s a lot of competition out there. The upside to this book: there’s a listing of nine menus, all with page references, embracing fancy dinners, BBQ, street food, vegetarian, and kids food. Quality/Price Rating: 82. 9. THE BOOK OF FUNGI; a life-size guide to six hundred species from around the world (University of Chicago Press, 2011, 656 pages, ISBN 978-0-226-72117-0, $55 US hard covers) is by Peter Roberts (former mycologist at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) and Shelley Evans (former conservation officer for the British Mycological Society). Both have published widely and both have been extensively involved with mycological field trips. It is a heavily illustrated book, with about 2000 colour pix. Each of the 600 or so species is colourfully reproduced at its actual size, along with an explanation of its distribution, habitat, association, abundance, growth form, spore colour, and edibility. There are location maps for global distribution. Occasionally, the strange habits of some of these fungi will be noted. Covered, of course, are chanterelles, mushrooms, morels, puffballs, toadstools, and truffles. Audience and level of use: libraries, mycology students. Some interesting or unusual facts: a 1.5 pound white truffle sold for $150,000 at a charity auction in 2009. The downside to this book: with all the pix, this is a very physically heavy book. The upside to this book: great illustrations. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 10. START YOUR OWN FOOD TRUCK BUSINESS (Entrepreneur Press, 2011, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-59918-414-1, $19.95 US paper covers) is a perfect food business niche book. Here you will find just about all you’ll need to know to begin an operation in the US for a cart, a trailer, a kiosk, gourmet truck, mobile catering, and a “bustaurant” (diner on wheels). The book is one of a “Start Up” series from the publisher: there are over 60 of them, including such hospitality related themes as bar and club, bed and breakfast, gift baskets, and restaurants. The book opens with a history of the mobile food business before moving on to the types of customers being catered to. There are business plans to consider. There’s the menu and suppliers to deal with, as well as parking, licenses, work environment, cleaning and personal health, and staffing. At the end, there are notes on how to franchise and how to sell your business. The appendix details food truck resources such as business associations, credit bureaus, small business software, recipe websites, and the like. Audience and level of use: anybody wanting to start a mobile food business, or just the curious. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: there’s a good number of checklists that are really useful. The downside to this book: US-based material. The upside to this book: there is an informative glossary. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 11. A GREEN GUIDE TO TRADITIONAL COUNTRY FOODS; discover traditional ways to cure and smoke, pickle and preserve, make cheese, bake and more (Cico Books, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 192 pages, $24.95 US hard covers) has been assembled by Henrietta Green (no relation to the title); it is one of the “Green Guides” (housekeeping, backyard farm, organic pot crops, fruits) put out by Cico. This is a book about making things from scratch, so be prepared to work. You must love cooking, as I am sure we all do. The six chapters each cover a different theme: there’s dairy (making cheese, yogurt, butter, buttermilk, cream cheese); bakery (making granary bread, sourdough starter, focaccia, piecrust); candy (making chocolate truffles, fudge, marshmallows); pantry (making vinegars, chutneys, jams, syrups); butcher (making sausages, terrine, bresaola, potted ham); and smoking (making salmon, bacon). Along the way there are techniques to learn, such as brining, cold smoking, hot smoking, and sourdoughs. At the end, there are some useful addresses, mainly American, but there are at least nine from Canada and a few more from the UK and France. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those cooks who feel inspired enough to begin cooking from scratch. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: beef in buttermilk; beet, goat cheese, and pine nut salad with Melba toast; wild mushroom and garlic pizza; beet chutney; onion marmalade; chorizo sausages. The downside to this book: there was no room for alternatives such as low-fat or low-sugar or gluten-free preps. The upside to this book: a good inspirational resource tool for cooks who want to move up. Quality/Price Rating: 86. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 12. GRILLING WITH SALMING (HarperCollins, 2011, 136 pages, ISBN 978-1- 44340-487-7, $24.99 CAN paper covers) is by Borje Salming, the first European to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (1996), for his work with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has returned to Sweden, and a few years ago he was persuaded to write a grill and BBQ book for a Swedish publisher. This is the 2011 reprint of that 2010 book. At first, I thought it was “Grilling with Salmon”, which is one of my fave foods. There are, though, two salmon recipes here: kebab skewers and a whole side. It’s is useful book and it should trade in very well with its celebrity name. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. There are quite a few pix of Salming (he is, after all, the celebrity of record here) and some memoir-ish material. Otherwise, it seems to be a pretty standard grill book (see other reviews on this page): grilled corn, bacon-wrapped chicken drumsticks, balsamic- marinated lamb chops with roasted garlic, chorizo-stuffed chicken breast, plus veggies and skewers and marinades. There are four grilled desserts: pineapple, fruit salad, peaches, apples. Quality/price rating: 84. 13. WELL DRESSED; salad dressings (Gibbs Smith, 2011, 96 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-1766-2, $16.99 US hard covers) is by Jeff Keys, owner of Vintage Restaurant in Sun Valley, Idaho. He has also authored a cookbook featuring his restaurant. Here’s a variety of quality salad dressings, some of them complex. He’s arranged them all (about 70) by type: vinaigrettes, claw/creamy dressings, and mix-in dressings. There is even an “international” chapter which are all vinaigrettes such as Asian golden dragon beet vinaigrette, Spanish sherry vinaigrette, chili-lime vinaigrette, and wasabi vinaigrette. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. For the cooking completist and salad lover. Quality/price rating: 88. 14. MIETTE; recipes from San Francisco’s most charming pastry shop (Chronicle Books, 2011, 223 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7504-2 $27.50 US hard covers) is by Meg Ray, chef and owner of Miette. The clever package includes scalloped book pages, which take some getting used to when flipping. Miette only does spectacular cakes, tarts, pastries, candies and creams. There are 100 recipes plus variations here, accompanied by 50 dramatic photos. There’s a sources list (mainly US west coast) and a tools list. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Try coconut mousse cake, bittersweet ganache cake, lemon tea cake, princess cake, and other flights of fancy. A nice book for inspiration, but of course it should be useful for Miette’s fans in the Bay Area. Quality/price rating: 84. 15. SOUTHERN BISCUITS (Gibbs Smith, 2011, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236- 2176-8, $21.99 US hard covers) is by cookbook author and cooking TV host (over 300 shows) Nathalie Dupree. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina, and specializes in southern cooking. Her co-author is fellow cookbook writer and cooking TV producer, Cynthia Graubart. This single ingredient cookbook is a boon to biscuit lovers everywhere. There are “easy” biscuits, traditional biscuits such as beaten biscuits, embellished biscuits, and some dessert biscuits. The flesh out the book, there are some others: cheese straws, blue cornmeal biscuits, sausage pinwheels, pancakes and waffles. But no gluten-free preps. Leftovers are dealt with by breaded tomatoes, biscuit panzanella salads, sausage stuffing, casseroles, etc. There are also 16 preps for sauces, gravies, jams and jellies. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 16. HEALTHY STARTS HERE! 140 recipes that will make you fell great (Whitecap, 2011, 348 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-039-6, $29.95 soft covers) is by Mairlyn Smith, who has been a cooking TV host and celebrity (such as Harrowsmith Country Life TV). She’s authored two other cookbooks. The book should sell well in the Canadian comedy community since Smith is an alumna of Second City. She has log rolling from other comedians (Eastwood, James, McGrath, Mochrie). Indeed, she does write with a comedic style. Anyway, this lifestyle guide focuses on busy families with classic and contemporary takes on healthy food such as grilled garlic shrimp. It is arranged by ingredient, from apples, through beans, berries, greens, nuts, chocolate, and yogurt. There’s also advice on throwing parties and how to give up junk foods. The four menus (with recipes) are one per season, taking advantage of the local foods available. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. The bibliography gives us an opportunity to read about the healthy benefits of foods. Try quinoa tabbouleh, January salad, Asian chicken and watercress soup, chicken-coconut soup, or broccoli with peanut sauce. Quality/price rating: 88. * THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 17. FOOD FROM MANY GREEK KITCHENS (Whitecap Books, 2011, 336 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-060-0, $40 CAN hard covers) is by Tessa Kiros, a chef who has cooked in London, Sydney, Mexico, and Athens. It was originally published in Australia last year by Murdoch Books. Kiros has also authored “Twelve” (Tuscany), “Postcards from Portugal”, and “Venezia”. She’s working her way through Europe, and continues now with Greece. She uses her family and support system to locate preps for fasting, festivals and feast days such as Easter. This is also a bit of a coffee table book, since there are also elegant landscape scenes in addition to plated dishes. There’s vassilopitta (New Year wish cake), yamopilafo (wedding rice, fry breads, tarama balls, red eggs, lentil soup, and many lamb dishes. Culinary traditions and cultures are carefully explained. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. There’s good large typeface for the methodology, but a dramatically smaller typeface for the list of ingredients. Quality/price rating: 84. 18. FAVOURITE RECIPES FROM OLD NEW BRUNSWICK KITCHENS (Nimbus, 1994, 2011, 172 pages, ISBN 978-1-55109-850-0, $15.95 soft covers) is by Mildred and Stuart Trueman. Stuart passed away shortly after the book was first published in 1994; he contributed instructions for old cures and medications. Mildred has updated her book to also include traditional Acadian dishes and classic New Brunswick lumber camp recipes. These are given their own chapter. All courses are covered, from soups and chowders through to desserts, jams and jellies. It is a major contribution to Canadian culinary history, and so it is good to have it back in circulation once again. Try rapee pie, puttins, rabbit stew, chicken fricot, vinegar pie, Miramichi baked beans, and hot biscuits. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 90. 19. PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND TASTES; recipes from PEI’s best restaurants (Nimbus Publishing, 2011, 82 pages, ISBN 1-55109-827-2, $22.95 paper covers) is edited by Andrew Sprague, a free lance food writer living on the Island. This is a cook’s tour through P.E.I., with 28 recipes. It was originally published in 2006; nine recipes are new, as are the restaurants. Both Imperial and metric weights and measures are used for each ingredient listed in the recipe, which is a good thing. There are many photos, but mostly of the tourist-type. Some plated dishes are photographed nicely. PEI lovers will adore this book, as will armchair travelers and tourists. Some interesting or unusual recipes include lobster-stuffed chicken (from the Pilot House), potato pie with maple bacon sauce (PEI Preserve Company Restaurant), savoury meat pie (Clow’s Red and White), bisque mussel (Flex Mussels), and grilled mackerel (Lot 30. But there is still no index (although there is a directory of the restaurants with recipes noted and page numbers), and far too many non- food pictures. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 20. FRENCH CLASSICS MADE EASY (Workman, 2011, 392 pages, ISBN 978-0- 7611-5854-7, $16.95 US paper covers) is by Richard Grausman, a professional cooking teacher. The publisher’s blurb says that this is the book his students have asked him to write. But the question is: when? It was originally published in 1988. “The recipes in this book are my interpretations and updates of French classics....My goal is to provide clear, easy instructions, free of some of the restraints of the classic French kitchen.” Since 1990, the book has been used as a text by many of his students. 250 “classic” recipes have had shortcuts applied, non-crucial steps eliminated, advanced prep work done, and the fat-sugar-salt cut back. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents as well as a discussion on the use of metric weights and measures. The index is bilingual. It’s a useful book, with the typical preps of soufflé, bouillabaisse, cassoulet (light), boeuf bourguignon, soupe de poisson, pate, terrine, and others. Useful as a tried and true book. Quality/price ratio: 86. 21. MY GRILL; outdoor cooking Australian style (Weldon Owen, 2011, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-61628-116-8, $30 US hard covers) is by Peter Evans, a TV chef, restaurateur, and grill expert in Australia. It was originally published in 2009 by Murdoch Books in Australia. This is al fresco dining and entertaining, man-style. Each chapter also includes a variety of cocktails. There are also a lot of camping tips and preps here as well, such as eggs with chorizo or French toast with figs, ricotta pancakes – all morning food. Overall, too, there are a fair number of non-food touristy pictures as well. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. There’s indigenous food, such as grilled hamachi or barramundi, and basic BBQ such as maple syrup and tamarind-glazed pork ribs. Desserts are mainly grilled fruit, which is good for you. Just over 100 recipes. Quality/pri9ce rating: 85. 22. EASY GRILLING; simple recipes for outdoor grills (Ryland Peters and Small, 2011, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-111-7, $19.99 US hard covers) is a collection of 100 recipes from the Ryland stable of cookbook authors, such as Louise Pickford and Ghillie Basan who have the majority of the preps. Other contributors include Fiona Beckett, Maxine Clark, Ross Dobson, Jane Noraika, Elsa Petersen-Schepelern, Fiona Smith, and Lindy Wildsmith. It is one of the “Easy” series, now up to a dozen or so in number and covering a variety of themes. This series is a very useful compilation series, from a variety of sources. There’s the usual primer, the sauces and marinades (plus dips), followed by sections on meats, poultry, fish and seafood, veggies, salads, and sides. Even desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Typical preps include swordfish kabobs, peppered tuna steaks, charred- grilled chicken breast, BBQ spareribs Mexican style, and the like. Quality/price rating: 87. 23. MARK BITTMAN’S KITCHEN EXPRESS; 404 inspired seasonal dishes you can make in 20 minutes or less (Simon & Schuster, 2009, 2011, 233 pages, ISBN 978-1-4165-7567-2, $15 US soft covers) is by the ubiquitous and eponymous Mark Bittman. It was originally to be titled “404 Express”, but I guess they shied away from its Internet connotation, “404 Error”. It was originally published in 2009; this is the 2011 paperback reprint, with no changes except for the cover which dropped the log rolling. He promised 101 quick and easy recipes for each of the four seasons. He’s done cooking shows, and 2 million readers look at his weekly New York Times column (paper and internet versions). In this book, he claims dishes can be ready in 20 minutes or less. There have been many books on the theme of “20-minutes-or-less”, and this one is not any different – just the latest, with the added cachet of Bittman’s name. He had a similar book from 2007, a paperback titled “Mark Bittman’s Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times” which you can still get on Amazon for $13 US ($9.99 US for Kindle). There were 350 recipes in that book, and not all of them were quick (a few demanded unattended times such as baking in the oven). Here he has rearranged some and added many more, laying them out by season. So he can catch the “seasonal” element too. The trick to the timing is to have your mise en place plus be able to multitask. He says, “These recipes were developed for the type of cook who gets the oil hot while chopping an onion, cooks the onion while peeling and chopping the carrot, adds the carrot and goes on to dice the meat, and so on.” This is fast, steady, sequential cooking. You’ll also need a pantry, which he specifies, so you can grab an essential ingredient that will always be in stock. Oh, yes … you’ll need to do regular shopping too. All of these can be mastered. He has a section that lists (with page references) dishes that can double as appetizers, brown-bag lunches, meals and desserts to eat year long, finger food, “easiest of the easiest”, do-aheads and reheatables, and picnic foods. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents (except for oven temperatures) – not even in the reprint. Recipes are given in narrative prose, the way Gourmet magazine used to do them. This forces you to read the whole description before attempting to cook. He has a list of some substitutions and a collection of menus for putting a meal together in some order. Try taco slaw; peanut soup; banderilla pasta; zuppa di pane; mussels in white wine and garlic; or warm milk toast. The downside to this book is that you’ve got to know what you are doing at all times. Menus and categories of dishes for picnics, potlucks, etc. are included. Quality/Price Rating: 89. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR APRIL 2011 ============================================ By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2011 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. SEAFOOD; how to buy, prepare, and cook the best sustainable fish and seafood from around the world (DK Publishing, 2011, 400 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-7554-7, $35 US hard covers) has been edited by C. J. Jackson, now Director of the Billingsgate Seafood Training School in the UK. She’s assembled data, photography and recipes for the most popular species. Here are over 300 classic and contemporary recipes, along with notes and photos of 200 fish and shellfish. There is also a large section on techniques, illustrated by photos. Indeed, there are 600 photos in all in the book. There is also the usual primer material on how to buy and how to store. The recipes include prep and cook times, make ahead ideas, and variations. She opens with the recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. The sub-categories for the recipes are by equipment, such as one pots, pan- fired, deep-fried, baked, roasted, poached, broiled, and courses such as soups and curries. There are even some food-wine pairings, such as anchovies with sherry vinegar or sea bass with Pernod. Then she has a section on techniques (cutting, portioning, sushi techniques, flat fish, round fish, etc.) followed by a gallery of fish with details on their appearance and flavours. Audience and level of use: beginners, although experienced hands could learn some new things. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sesame prawn toasts; crab croustades; salmon in puff pastry; sea bream en papillote; roast hake with remoulade; grilled shrimp satay; shallow-fried red mullet. The downside to this book: the book weighs a lot, heavy to lug about. The upside to this book: The book identifies threatened species of fish and recommends alternatives. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. JEKKA’S HERB COOKBOOK (Firefly, 2011, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-55407- 814-1, $29.95 CAD) is by Jekka McVicar, who sells herbs through her a award winning Jekka’s Herb Farm in the UK. It has been published in the UK by Ebury Press. Here are 250 recipes using her top 50 garden herbs (out of 650 different varieties that she has grown for over 20 years. Although she has published several books on herbs, this is her first cookbook. The value of herbs, of course, is that they enhance flavours. And, of course, there are some medicinal properties as well for many of them. The range covers the popular parsley to the exotic curry leaf. The 50 chapters are arranged alphabetically by common name, and discuss how the herb is grown, its varieties (with botanical features and Latin names) and benefits, growing and harvesting. as well as an average of five preps each. Non-culinary uses are mentioned, and there are suggestions for using the excess harvest. The preps cover all courses and global cuisines. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. There’s more at www.jekkasherbfarm.com. Audience and level of use: cooks and gardeners. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Good King Henry croquettes; lemon balm salsa; beef stew with myrtle and cinnamon; rosemary lamb hotchpotch; asparagus and chervil soup; stevia carrot cake; sea bass with fennel and olives; purslane and flageolet salad; braised red cabbage with winter savory. The downside to this book: some of the colours have a lighter typeface which makes it difficult to read sometimes. The upside to this book: there are botanical and medicinal glossaries at the back. Quality/Price Rating: 89. FARM TOGETHER NOW; a portrait of people, places, and ideas for a new food movement (Chronicle Books, 2010, 192 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6711- 5, $27.50 US hard covers) is by Amy Franceschini and Daniel Tucker. There’s log rolling from five prominent writers in the shrinking global food supply area. And a foreword by Mark Bittman (copyright 2011, while the rest of the book is copyright 2010). Bittman concentrates on why farms matter. There are 20 projects in the book from across the USA. They chose to seek out and interview farmers and groups who are changing the way that the US food system works: philosophies, public policy, history, soil and distribution channels. All interviews reflect various approaches and opposing philosophies: food justice, sustainable agriculture, locavore movement, and the like. There’s the Knopik Family Farm in Nebraska (1000 grazing acres, 400 crop acres; 200 cows) believers in environmental activism, as does Greeno Acres in Wisconsin (producing raw milk from 160 acres). There’s Tryon Life Community Farm (15 adults and 3 children on seven acres), the Angelics Organics Learning Center in Illinois (12 staff, 220 acres), and the Acequiahood of the San Luis People’s Ditch (16 water users, 2100 acres of crops). There’s a glossary of terms (e.g., bioregion, GMOs, co-ops, CSA) and an index. And some wonderful colour photos of the profilees. Audience and level of use: the concerned or committed global food person. Some interesting or unusual facts: “food justice” focuses on the belief that global hunger is not the result of a lack of food but the lack of political will to ensure fair distribution. The downside to this book: lack of a discussion about “organic” and “fair trade”. The upside to this book: this is important reading matter. Quality/Price Rating: 91. 400 BEST SANDWICH RECIPES; from classics & burgers to wraps & condiments (Robert Rose, 2011, 360 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0265-6, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Alison Lewis, a recipe developer and food writer in Alabama. She specializes in healthy, food-friendly recipes that are easy to prepare. THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SANDWICHES; recipes, history and trivia for everything between sliced bread (Quirk Books, 2010, 300 pages, ISBN 978-1-59474-438-9, $18.95 US paper covers) is by Susan Russo, a food writer (NPR) and blogger. Both books are being reviewed here because I got them at the same time. In Lewis’ book, the preps are arranged by format – breakfast and brunch sandwiches, lunch box, classics, grilled cheese, burgers, wraps, international, light and healthy, condiments, and dessert sandwiches. Russo’s book is arranged by title, in true “encyclopedia” fashion. It begins and ends with indexes to ingredients and to sandwiches. It also has more photographs than the Lewis book, despite there being only half as many preps (about 200). Many preps are duplicated, after a fashion, with variations. Russo has a curried chicken salad sandwich on bread (a wide choice), while Lewis has a curried chicken wrap. Russo differs by using carrots and cashews, with some yogurt, while Lewis has chutney, pecans, and cranberries. Most of the rest is in common, and you can certainly wrap Russo up and make Lewis a sandwich. So it is really six of one and half a dozen of another. Other preps have these same similarities. Both authors are American, but Rose is a Canadian publisher, so there is both avoirdupois and metric in the listing of ingredients, while Russo has a table of metric equivalents. Both books have interesting photos, but you can have too many shots of sandwiches, and they all get routine after awhile. There’s a bit more culinary history and trivia in Russo, but there is no denying the quantity in Lewis’s book. If you are looking for materials to place in or around some slices of carbohydrates, then remember that almost any sandwich can be a wrap and vice versa. I like the arrangement of the Lewis book better, for ideas of a certain pattern are grouped together there, such as school lunches. Audience and level of use: anyone who needs a sandwich. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Lewis – grilled apricot blue cheese, quinoa tabbouleh, veggie enchiladas, stuffed pizza burgers. Russo – frittata sandwich, various panini, walleye sandwich, doughnut sandwich. The downside to this book: not as many recipes in the Russo book. The upside to this book: Lewis book has more variations and substitutions. Quality/Price Rating: Lewis – 89; Russo – 83. SALAD AS A MEAL; healthy main-dish salads for every season (William Morrow, 2011, 360 pages, ISBN 978-0-06-123883-3, $34.99 US hard covers) is by Patricia Wells, multiple food award winner (many Beards). This is her twelfth book; she was also restaurant critic for the IHT for a quarter-century. Most of her books show a strong French-influence, and this one is no exception, with veggies from her Provencal garden. Here are 150 recipes, almost 40 apiece for each season. Arrangement, though, is by major ingredient, so there are salads which use grains, eggs, cheese, fish, shellfish, meats, and poultry. She has separate chapters on “classic salads”, appetizers, breads, dressings, and sauces. All the salads are light and healthy, and the photos are nicely framed by her gardens and outdoor settings. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Good layout with sufficient white space and dark type. And of course there are nine recipes with her signature potato food. Audience and level of use: beginner to intermediate levels. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: penne salad with tuna and spicy mustard; Caesar salad with polenta croutons; frisee aux lardons; salade nicoise with grilled tuna; halibut cheeks with polenta and parmesan crust; mussel tartines with chorizo; smoked duck breast with mushrooms and cracklings. The downside to this book: she has a pantry and equipment section, but it is full of items for purchase through her commercial website. The upside to this book: there is an alternate list of Internet food sources that covers the USA. Quality/Price Rating: 89. EVERYDAY FLEXITARIAN; recipes for vegetarians & meat lovers alike (Whitecap, 2011, 276 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-021-1, $29.95 Canadian soft covers) is by Nettie Cronish (multiple vegetarian cookbook author and chair of the Women’s Culinary Network) and Pat Crocker (food writer and vegan cookbook author). “Flexitarian” is the latest jump word for food lovers who eat a little meat with their meals (“pescetarian” is supposed to be the term for vegetarians who eat fish). The idea of cutting back on meat makes sense, particularly since so much of it has been medically-enhanced one way or another. It’s also a valid approach to eating organic meat: one has a meat budget, and if one is to eat less meat, then one should eat better – and more expensive – organic meat. Or vice versa. So what we have here is a tasty vegetarian book that has been tailored for meat. The cook can either integrate or segregate; it is a good beginning. Traditionally arranged from apps to desserts and beverages, the book also has separate sections on pantries, kids and Canadian Organic Food Standards. Unless one has strong feelings against meat, the flexitarian approach will work. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Usually, Cronish gives the vegetarian recipe, and Crocker adds the meat interpretation. Audience and level of use: intermediate cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: shrimp (or tempeh) curry with lime and nut butter; chicken mole; broccoli rabe crepes (with and without Italian sausages; lentil mushroom moussaka (with or without baked salmon); vegetable shepherd’s pie (with or without lamb kabobs); roasted cashew curry with cauliflower and peas (with and without chicken). The downside to this book: it is a very heavy book (weight wise) and seems to make cooking life a bit more complicated that it could be. The upside to this book: a good idea to adapt vegetarian dishes. Quality/Price Rating: 88. SUPER NATURAL EVERY DAY; well-loved recipes from my natural foods kitchen (Ten Speed Press, 2011, 250 pages, ISBN 9788-1-58008-277-8, $23 US paper covers) is by Heidi Swanson, creator of www.101cookbooks.com, food writer and multiple cookbook author. This latest book advances her Super Natural Cooking book (2007). “Natural Cooking” occurs five ways: eat from a colourful plate; use all kinds of whole grains; use organic natural sweeteners; consume healthy oils (mostly organic); and eat phytonutrient-packed ingredients and foods. She has 100 recipes here, plus details for beginning a pantry. These are everyday recipes, very good for work nights during the week. You can see www.101cookbooks.com for more recipes and other techniques. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. It does do an excellent job of concentrating on grains, oils and sweets – which many people forget about. Audience and level of use: those concerned about their food. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: farro soup; rye soda bread; white beans and cabbage; pan-fired mung beans with tempeh; harissa ravioli; stuffed medjool dates; membrillo cake. The downside to this book: there is no mention of stevia The upside to this book: thick, sturdy pages. Quality/Price Rating: 87. EVERYDAY TO ENTERTAINING (Robert Rose, 2011, 384 pages, ISBN 978-0- 7788-0271-6, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Meredith Deeds (US cookbook author and food writer) and Carla Snyder (baker, caterer, cooking school teacher and cookbook author). The premise is to present some 200 recipes that can transform from “casual” to “elegant”. All the preps here come in pairs: there is a basic everyday version (say, macaroni and cheese) and an entertaining version (say, quattro fromaggio baked penne with wild mushroom and pancetta). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. It has been typically arranged from apps to desserts, with a section on the pantry. And it is very colourfully arranged, with contents pages indicating what the casual (highlighted in green tabs) becomes when it is elegant (blue tab highlights). There’s also an alphabetical index at the back should you lose your way. All courses and types of plates are covered. Audience and level of use: beginners who aspire Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: beef kabobs with ras al hanout can also be Middle Eastern beef kabobs with garlic hummus sauce; mustard and garlic-roasted pork loin can be glazed pork loin stuffed with apricots and figs; corn spoonbread can be cheese-chile-cilantro corn spoonbread; sugar snap peas and sesame can be sugar snap peas with carrots-edamame-mint; chocolate mousse can become chocolate mousse- filled profiteroles. The downside to this book: elegant presentations could have been emphasized more – they can add something to “casual” food, even mac and cheese or burgers. The upside to this book: strewn along the way on the recipe pages are tips and technique advice. Quality/Price Rating: 88. THE COMPLETE HOMEBREW BEER BOOK; 200 easy recipes from ales & lagers to extreme beers & international favorites (Robert Rose, 2011, 456 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0268-6, $24.95 US paper covers) is by George Hummel, an award-winning homebrewer and homebrew shop owner in Philadelphia. He has brewed beer with Michael Jackson, the Nodding Head Brewery, and Dogfish Head. Solid credentials…This is a fairly comprehensive book, ranging from can kits to malt extract to actual grain. The level of difficulty or time involved is directly proportional to the amount of processing that has already occurred in the ingredients. I started with a kit, and it was easy as falling off a log. Within a few years, I was working with grains – and found it hard work. But it paid off. Indeed, homebrewed beer is just as good (if not better) than any craft beer. I wish the same was true of homewinemaking. I have not made beer for awhile since it went straight to my gut. But don’t let that discourage you. Hummel talks here about the hops, the malts, the different styles throughout the world, and how to duplicate them all at home. You can have fun for the next decade doing all of these. There is even a section on meads and one on ciders (including cider with brettanomyces for that Norman complexity, and perry), plus recipes for root beer, birch beer, and other sodas. There’s a glossary at the end. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table equivalents. Throughout there are brewer tips and trivia items, which make great reading. Audience and level of use: for homebrewers and a good reference book as well. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: The Pilgrims stopped at Plymouth Rock so that they could homebrew. The downside to this book: I did not see anything in the index about skunkiness. The upside to this book: good collection of recipes. Quality/Price Rating: 88. DUTCH OVEN COOKING (Gibbs-Smith, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-1459-3, $15.99 US spiral bound) is by Terry Lewis, a two-time winner of the World Championship Cook-offs held by the International Dutch Oven Society. He has been cooking and competing in such events for over 20 years. His Dutch Oven is meant to be on a bed of coals; thus, for every recipe, he lists how many hot coals will be needed. This may limit its usage in many places. For example, the omelet requires 31 hot coals, including 9 under the oven and 16 on the top. In general, each coal will raise the temperature about 20 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a basic book, with adaptations for lasagna, pizza, corn bread, baked beans, chicken and rice, and others. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. The basic arrangement is by entry level: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Within each range there are categories for breads, sides, mains and desserts. It all appears to be finger-lickin’ good and authentic. Audience and level of use: Dutch oven users Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: almost 60 recipes, including chicken and cheese chimichangas, maple BBQ ribs with buttered almond rice, and peach-raspberry pie. Quality/Price Rating: 85. BREAD MAKING; a home course (Storey Publishing, 2011, 296 pages, ISBN 978-1-60342-791-3, $16.95 US soft covers) is by Lauren Chatman, an IACP award winner who has written 10 books. Her book deals with core bread- making techniques for the novice. There’s the first section primer on flour types, ingredients, techniques and equipment, knives, mixers and processors. The second section has the recipes, from basics to artisanal. There’s even some material on lower-gluten bread, but not on gluten-free breads. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Recipe ingredients are scaled, of course. Bread machines, instant yeast and kneading techniques are amply covered, and each chapter has a trouble-shooting section. Good bold black typefaces and white space in the layout. Audience and level of use: just about every skill level is used here. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: ciabatta; grilled whole wheat naan; overnight English muffins; rustic flax seed rolls; spelt batardes; The downside to this book: only US websites and resources are quoted at the back. The upside to this book: it is chock full of technique tips and advice. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 300 BEST TACO RECIPES; from tantalizing tacos to authentic tortillas, sauces, cocktails & salsas (Robert Rose, 2011, 384 pages, ISBN 978-0- 7788-0267-9, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Kelley Cleary Coffeen, a New Mexico-based food writer whose specialty is Mexican-style foods and beverages. The publisher promotes this book as a taco a day for all family members. Everything culinary about the American Southwest can be displayed between folds of fried (or baked) tortillas. Her book opens with a review of taco history, the basic sauces and toppings, and the use of flour tortillas. She encourages home cooks to make their own tortillas. Certainly, if you are going to eat a lot of them, it would be worth your while. Most tacos are made with poultry, and she has 80 pages worth of preps here. Beef is next with sixty pages, followed by pork and lamb (40), fish and seafood (35), and vegetarian (55). There are even some Asian, Italian, German and French variations on the taco theme. Food can be prepared in minutes, and if you make them yourselves (with control over them), then you can control levels of fat and salt. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: taco lovers, Mexican food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: tri-tip tacos with fresh roasted green chiles; grilled ranch chicken tacos; roasted garlic, chicken and mushroom tacos; roasted chicken, cheddar and bacon tacos; spicy crab tacos; coconut shrimp tacos with orange salsa; sundae tacos with Mexican chocolate sauce; pecan crunch tacos. The downside to this book: I am not sure why there are cocktail recipes here. The upside to this book: good database collection of tacos at a reasonable price, with metric measurements. Quality/Price Rating: 87. CHICKEN AND EGG; a memoir of suburban homesteading with 125 recipes (Chronicle Books, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118- 7045-0, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Janice Cole, a former chef and restaurant owner who is now a food writer and blogger. Five years ago, she started raising chickens in her suburban backyard. This book is about her exploits (and those of the chickens). She started with three chicks in St. Paul’s, Minnesota. She takes us through the first year of her challenges, beginning with early spring. The preps are also arranged in this fashion, with memoir material strewn about. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: for chicken and egg lovers, and food memoirists. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: smoked wings with cilantro dip; sage frittata with charred tomatoes and curly parmesan; morning eggs on mushroom-bacon hash; Burmese fried rice with eggs; cranberry- pear bread pudding with bourbon sauce; tossed greens with strawberries, avocado and eggs. The downside to this book: I kept wanting it to go on, but to read more, you’ll have to go to http://janicecole.net/blog The upside to this book: good quality writing. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 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Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – -BABYCAKES COVERS THE CLASSICS; gluten-free vegan recipes from donuts to snickerdoodles (Clarkson Potter, 2011, 144 pages, ISBN 978-0-307- 71830-3, $25 US hard covers) is by Erin McKenna, chef and owner of BabyCakes NYC (also in Los Angeles). Despite being featured in “hundreds of print and online media outlets” and being a featured guest on many TV shows (including some food shows), she has log rolling from Mark Bittman and two others. This is her second book, with 50 preps of more of the same favourites – all created without gluten, dairy, eggs or refined sugar. There’s a primer on key ingredients and tools, followed by some rules of substitutions, such as converting gluten-free recipes to spelt recipes, converting vegan sugar-based recipes to agave-sweetened recipes, and substituting for bean flour. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Typical are pancakes, gingerbread pancakes, honey buns, granola, vegetable tart, sugar cookies, and the like. The book is a boon for those who crave gluten-free sweets. Quality/price rating: 89. -YOU CAN TRUST A SKINNY COOK (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-87635-0, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Allison Fishman, food writer and cooking school owner, plus hostess of two TV food shows (“Cook Yourself Thin” and “Home Made Simple”). Here she continues on the themes of real food for real diets. The first step is to cook for yourself: save money and save preservatives. And you have portion control. Among the 140 preps here are dishes for all courses and times of the day, from breakfast to late night snacks. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. For example, there’s breakfast bread pudding with peaches and blueberries. She indicates prep time (30 minutes), total time (2 hours), servings and sizes, along with tips to reduce the calorie count even further, plus nutrition information per serving (listed in metric, while the ingredients are listed in avoirdupois). I had trouble reading the list of ingredients because the typeface was average size but in soft, screened blue ink. It doesn’t photocopy, and is that what the publisher wanted? Major ingredients are highlighted in the index. The layout may need a re-think. Try also seared duck breast with ginger bok choy, pot of mussels, slow cooker pulled pork, Mediterranean tuna salad. Quality/price rating: 84. -NOW EAT THIS! DIET (Grand Central Life & Style, 2011; distr. Hachette, 300 pages, ISBN 978-0-446-58449-4, $22.99 US soft covers) is by Rocco DiSpirito, who previously wrote NOW EAT THIS! last year. He’s a Beard winner who had what was probably the best ever “reality” restaurant show, “The Restaurant” on NBC. This is his seventh book, and most of the recipes in all of his books have some sort of Italian theme. This cookbook is one of the few being published without any log rolling: could it be that nobody wants to roll with Rocco? Here’s the shtick: take some existing foods that North Americans all like to eat, such as brownies or fried chicken, and replicate the recipe with zero bad carbs, zero bad fats, zero sugar, and maximum flavour. He cuts a portion of lemon pepper shrimp from 593 calories to 283 calories. Mushroom lasagna is reduced from 850 calories to 388. The book is in two parts: the first is the diet primer, the second is the recipes. The prep arrangement is by course, from appetizer to dessert. His larder is revealing; these products are the keys to reduction. He calls for a pantry with cauliflower, corn starch, Dijon mustard, egg whites or egg substitutes, fresh squeezed lemons, Greek yoghurt, low-sodium and low- fat chicken broth, non-stick cooking spray, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, reduced-fat blue cheese, salsa, whole wheat panko bread crumbs, whole wheat pasta, and more. Each recipe has a nutritional table, including calories before and calories after the changeover. I am sorry to report that, and needless to say, many items tried did not have the flavours expected – because they had reduced fat and sugars. But others may disagree, and prefer this book. It is worth a try. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 82. -CRISTINA FERRARE’S BIG BOWL OF LOVE (Sterling Epicure, 2011, 302 pages, ISBN 978-1-4027-8644-0, $30 US hard covers) accompanies the Oprah Winfrey Network’s TV food show of the same name. There are 150 preps here, with an emphasis on family food and good use of leftovers. It’s a book for her fans, arranged by course from apps to sweets with ideas for pantry-larder-staple items. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Good layout, with a pix of the finished plate, bold face for the ingredients listing, and a range of sevings normally from 4 to 6. Classic family fare includes roast beef, pan-seared salmon, grilled veggies, roasted chicken wraps, and Tuscan bread soup. Quality/price rating: 85. -JUST GRILL THIS (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-470- 46793-0, $19.95 US soft covers) is by TV chef, Sam the Cooking Guy (Sam Zien, a twelve-time Emmy Award winner). These are basic grill works, simply done, and great for the novice. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. There’s the usual primer on equipment, larder, techniques, rubs and sauces. Preps cover apps, “things not normally grilled” (e.g. grilled baguette French toast, chicken on a beer can, grilled hearts of romaine, sesame grilled meatballs), sandwiches, veggies, meats, burgers and dogs, and grilling inside the house. There a fair amount of sass here, and way too many pictures of Zien himself. But it is a useful book for the beginner. Quality/Price rating: 84. -EVA’S KITCHEN (Clarkson Potter, 2011, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-71933- 1, $29.99 US hard covers) is by Eva Longoria (with Marah Stets), the actress (not the baseball player) who also co-owns two steakhouses with a Latin flair. Despite all this, she still needed six log rollers (Bobby Flay, Mario “Ubiquitous” Batali, Giada de Laurentiis, her resto partner Todd English, and Rick Bayless). The book will sell anyway, based on her name, the use of “cooking with love for family and friends”, and the US Southwest themes. The range is from apps to desserts and drinks. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Try Crock-pot Cuban ropa vieja, parmesan summer squash, chili con carne, and grilled shrimp. And there are plenty of pictures of Eva…Quality/price rating: 83. NORDIC BAKERY COOKBOOK (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-096-7, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Miisa Mink, a partner in the bakery. The Nordic Bakery opened in Soho, London in 2007, and should open in New York City in 2011. The emphasis from the resto is an offering of dark rye bread, cinnamon buns, and coffees. Scandinavian cookery has been touted as wholesome and comforting, with its emphasis on rye flour, oats and barley. So first up, then, is a whole section on breads, followed by savory pastries, cakes, sweet pastries, tarts and cookies. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. The book is further distinguished by the usual high photographic standards of the finished plates. Typical preps include rye bread, gravad lax, rye baguettes, open faced sandwiches of many kinds, carrot and oat rolls, karelian pies from Finland, and anchovy twists. Quality/price rating: 86. SNOG HEALTHY TREATS COOKBOOK (Ryland Peters and Small, 2011, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-080-6, $24.95 US hard covers) is from a healthy food store, Snog Pure Frozen Yogurt, which started in London UK in 2008, and has since spread. The more than 50 recipes here are for foods served at Snog, and embrace frozen yogurts, smoothies, gluten-free baked goods, and raw foods. Snog uses organic no-fat yogurt and agave nectar (low-GI sweetener). They have the basic prep for home use (natural, chocolate, and yummy green tea) followed by the various permutations such as pomegranate and vanilla pod frozen yogurt and apricot cardamom frozen yogurt. The gluten-free section includes brownies, hazelnut cake, avocado cream pie, peach tartlets, and apricot macaroons. For drinks, try orange agua fresca with beet swirl or passion fruit mango kombucha. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Great pictures too. Quality/price rating: 89. MASTERCLASS; make your home cooking easier (Collins, 2011, 224 pages, ISBN 9789-0-00-729472-5, $39.99 Canadian hard covers) is by James Martin who has a success television cooking show in the UK called “Saturday Kitchen”. These are the essential preps for classic dishes: beef bourguignon, chicken curry, shepherd’s pie (with lamb), pistou soup, fish and chips, sponge cake, lemon curd tart, potato gnocchi, leg of lamb steaks, etc. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. This is an engaging, personable book, with some nifty spicing and flavour ideas. With its solid techniques and recipe descriptions, it is useful as a first book for beginning cooks who wish to “master” the classics. Quality/price rating: 86. * THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... CUISINE AND CULTURE; a history of food and people. 3rd edition(John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 436 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-40371-5, $40 US paper covers) is by Linda Civitello, M.A (History) who teaches food history. This is the third edition (the second was in 2008); the first won a 2003 Gourmand World Cookbook Award. The basic theme is how history shapes our current diet. The scope is universal, from pre-history to modern times, the grand sweep being a good overview. For the most part, each chapter is an anecdotal survey of a time period and/or region. Later, closer to our new millennium, the focus becomes Western, and then in the 20th century, it is mostly North American. This is a useful textbook for culinary arts courses, to give some sense of history to the preparation of food. Accompanying the narration are some historical drawings and reproductions. There are plenty of sidebars for historical tidbits, as well as pronunciation guides to French and Italian words. The appendix has a cookbook chronology, from Apicius (1st century AD) through La Varenne, Beeton, Escoffier, Davidson), plus notes on why these books are important. There are sample menus and historical recipes, and the writing style is lively. The book concludes with an extensive bibliography, footnotes, and index. New to this edition (25 more pages) are materials on Norwegian, Ethiopian, Canadian and Mayan foods. Detail has been expanded for Japanese, Ancient Greek and Roman, and regional Indian and African customs. Foods and food media coverage of modern times have been updated. And the price has increased by a US nickel. Quality/Price rating: 90. RISOTTO; delicious recipes for Italy’s classic rice dish (Ryland Peters & Small, 2011; distr. T.Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-097-4, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Maxine Clark, a cooking teacher and writer who specializes in Italian food. She has also written other such books for Ryland in the past. It was originally published in 2005, as “Risotto with vegetables, seafood, meat and more”. Beginning with the basics (white risotto step-by-step, broths), she continues with sections on food by ingredients: there is a vegetarian section, but of course risottos deal mostly with cheese, egg, poultry, meats, and seafood. There are 50 recipes here, including a few desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. And there is a listing of useful UK and US websites for mail orders. Good for home cooks, or for those who only want the basics. Try fennel and black olive risotto, pesto risotto, chicken liver risotto, or beetroot risotto. Each recipe is illustrated with a lush presentation photo. Quality/Price Ratio: 87. FOOD FOR FAMILY & FRIENDS; simply delicious recipes for stylish entertaining at home (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2011, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-123-0, $27.95 US hard covers) has about 130 recipes plus a wealth of ideas for home entertaining. The text and preps come from six Ryland writers in the stable: mostly Ross Dobson (75 preps), Tonia George and Fiona Beckett (about 20 recipes apiece). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. There’s material in “setting the scene”, how to prepare and serve drinks and wine, how to feed a crowd and be effortless, plus brunch dishes, nibbles and small plates, desserts and cheeses. Good advice, nicely laid out, excellent photography, and good leading. Try some smoked trout fatoush, mushroom risotto, truffled egg linguine, tomato-bell pepper-mozzarella tart, or white chocolate pots. Quality/Price rating: 86. -MARTHA STEWART’S NEW PIES AND TARTS (Clarkson Potter, 2011, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-40509-8, $24.99 US paper covers) is from the editors of Martha Stewart Living. It was first published in 1995, so this is its major revision after 16 years. There are 150 preps here for classic and modern faves. Some are savoury and some are sweet, some are complex and some are simple, some are family-oriented while others are useful for entertaining. The book was an instant “classic” in 1995, and remains so today, with its chapters on the classic pies (pecan, tare tatin, apple, lemon meringue), the free-form (pear tart, red-wine poached prune tart, apple butter hand pies), sleek (sour cherry clafoutis), dreamy (banana cream, key lime), rustic (rhubarb crumble), layered (chocolate pear tart), dainty, artful, holiday, and savoury (14 winners here). And of course there is a section on the basics. Excellent photography, layout and instructions. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. But I do love a book with French leaves. Quality/price rating: 89. -EASY SMOOTHIES & JUICES; simply delicious recipes for goodness in a glass (Ryland Peters & Small, 2011, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-109-4, $19.95 US hard covers) is a publisher’s book package written by eight food writers, although something like 45% came from Elsa Petersen- Schepelern and 45% from Louise Pickford. The 150 preps are arranged in loose order, such as fruit smoothies, juices and coolers, dairy shakes, veggie juice, and a section on “fruit with a kick” which uses alcohol. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. The photography is first- rate, but I do think that they went overboard with it: these are just drinks, not complicated dishes for presentation. Nevertheless, a useful collection for summertime: roasted peaches & cream, watermelon gin, cider apple slushie, peach and strawberry sangria, almond lassi, and chai vanilla milkshake. Quality/price rating: 85. -BUNGALOW KITCHENS (Gibbs-Smith, 2000, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0753-3, $19.99 US paper covers) was written by Jane Powell for publication in 2000. It is a great book for those interested in the history of American kitchens. Bungalow here means mainly Arts and Crafts movement homes. Powell has also written splendidly on Bungalow Bathrooms, Bungalow: Details (Interior and Exterior), Arts & Crafts Home, and Linoleum. The bibliography stops at 1999, but the 11 page resources list has many websites listed (so presumably it is more up-to-date). This section has names and addresses for appliance, flooring, windows, ventilation, walls, lighting, hardware, plus museums and restoration consultants. The photographs (by Linda Svendsen) are stunning: many remind me of my own bungalow upbringing. A good book for the culinary history buff. Quality/price rating: 92. -CANADIAN LIVING BEST RECIPES EVER; fresh, fun and tasty tested-till- perfect recipes from the hit show. (Transcontinental Books, 2011; distr. Random House Canada, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-9813938-4-1, $25.95 US paper covers) is from the CBC TV show “Best Recipes Ever”. Host Kary Osmond presents three daily recipes from the database files of Canadian Living magazine. This book gathers up some of the best 300 or so preps from the first two seasons of the show. They’ve been grouped together by category, but most are meant to be quick and easy and low budget cookery. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. The book opens with “beat the clock” fast prepared food, followed by “meat- lover” mains, international cuisine, some lighter fare, some party fare, eggs and brunch, and then some family food. For example, roasted salmon with prosciutto has its ingredients in bold-face, with explicit instructions, a nutritional analysis, and some tips on technique or substituting. I think that I would also like prep and cooking times to be indicated. Certainly, there is enough room on the page for these. Not every dish has a photo, and sometimes there are two preps on a page. This is worth your consideration as a goof-proof quick and easy cookbook for the harried. Quality/price rating: 88. AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR MARCH 2011 ============================================ By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2011 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. WHAT’S A WINE LOVER TO DO? (Artisan, 2010; distr. T. Allen, 372 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-370-5, $17.95 US paper covers) is by Wes Marshall, wine columnist for many newspapers and magazines in the US. He also authored and produced “The Wine Roads of Texas” for a publisher and PBS. It’s another primer in Artisan’s “What to do?” series, a sort- of upscale dummy guide or self-help series. It is billed as an illustrated guide with 334 essential oenophile pointers and tips. It’s a classy inexpensive introduction, with colour pix, presented in Q and A style with plenty of lists. So there is the ground work of wine regions, wine grapes, wine types, wine and food matching, wine tasting, wine shopping (for US), and so forth. He also tackles how to find Cabernet bargains, how to “talk chardonnay”, speak with a sommelier, predict the taste of a wine from the label, and other matters including how to wash glasses. There’s even a section on vegan wines. Audience and level of use: beginner Some interesting or unusual facts: He has a table of wine defects for returning wines (corked, cooked, oxidized, volatile acidity, brett, and sulphur, although the latter can disperse when poured). The downside to this book: do we need another wine primer, even if it is classy? The upside to this book: it doesn’t use the word “demystify”, preferring to use “mystify”. Quality/Price Rating: 89. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. FIFTY PLANTS THAT CHANGED THE COURSE OF HISTORY (Firefly, 2010, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-55407-798-4, $29.95 Canadian hard covers) is by Bill Laws, social historian and book author. It is a very useful guide to the basic fifty plants that humans had cultivated from the beginning of agriculture. For each, there is a description of the plant, the botanical name, its native range, and its primary function (e.g., edible or medicinal or commercial or all of these). There is also a lot of cultural and social history for each plant: Laws explains why it is in the Top Fifty (many plants get two pages here; corn gets six pages). This text is complemented by botanical drawings, paintings and photographs, and quotes from deep thinkers. The common food plants are here (rice, wheat, corn, sugarcane, wine grapes) as well as tea, cotton, rubber and tobacco. Not so common are pineapple (greenhouses and conservatories), coconut (coir fibre, margarine, cream, coagulant), eucalyptus (diuretics, mouthwash, vitamins, honey), white mulberry (silk), and English oak (dyes, leather tanning, charcoal, casks, ships). There’s a bibliography for further reading, although there are no citations to materials dealing with the Columbus Exchange. Audience and level of use: the historically curious, foodies, reference libraries, school of hospitality and cooking. Some interesting or unusual facts: These are just the top 50 of the quarter million or so plants which inhabit the earth. The downside to this book: I’m not sure I’d use the phrase “changed the course”. Sure, these plants are important, but “change the course”? This statement needs more enlightenment. The upside to this book: well-priced, and it comes with a ribbon bookmark. Quality/Price Rating: 89. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. BEER; a genuine collection of cans (Chronicle Books, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7541-7, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Dan Becker and Lance Wilson. There are 480 beer cans here, all with photos and short commentaries. They range from the earliest Budweiser and Coors up through Pabst Big Cat Malt Liquor and St. Pauli Girl. The cans come from collector Josh Russo; they are pictured alphabetically by brand. The range is 80 years and 30 countries. Some from the 1930s have rust spots, but no matter. You can still see the label. The older cans had necks so the drinker could suck the beer back as if from a bottle. My fave kinds for the cheap beers are listed under “Generic”: the no-name house brands for Price Chopper in the 1970s, or “Beer” by Falstaff in the 1980s, and the lovely “Beer” from Pearl Brewing in Texas (on the label its says, “Flavor and smoothness are comparable to other beers. Advertising and packaging costs have been minimized.”). My favourite US beer was the no-name “Near Beer”, lager about 2.5% ABV, regularly selling at $1 a six-pack in the 1980s. In the heat, you could drink it all day long with only a buzz. Audience and level of use: beer can collectors. The downside to this book: a little sparse on details on the history of beer cans in general. The upside to this book: nice photos. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 4. ITALIAN COOKING AT HOME, with the Culinary Institute of America (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 328 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-18258-1, $34.95US hard covers) has been written by Gianni Scappin, Alberto Vanoli, and Steven Kolpan. All three teach at the CIA. Kolpan was responsible for the wine notes. Every region is covered here in this book which straddles – comfortably – Italian restos and home cooking. Both the classics and regional specialties are here, such as tiramisu, erbazzone (pancetta and Swiss chard), or pizzoccheri (buckwheat pasta and cabbage) from Valtellina. After general notes on Italian food and wine, it is arranged by type of dish or ingredient. There’s spuntini (little bites), conserve (preserves), crudi (raw), brodi (broths), minestre (soups), pasta (both fresh and dry), gnocchi, risi (rice), pesci (fish), carni (meats, only 30 pages), dolci (sweets). Most cheese and wine notes are covered in the preliminary pages, but each dish gets a set of wine notes from Kolpan (who has written many wines books). Preparations have their ingredients listed only in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. At this price level (it is currently on Amazon at $20.16US), and with the definitive-type recipes from the CIA, it becomes a pretty nifty book, with explicit and relatively easy-to-follow instructions. Try maccu (fava been soup), ravioli di ricotta, sardine in casseruola, or pollo al diavolo. Quality/price rating: 89. 5. MODERN BATCH COOKERY (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 436 pages, ISBN 978- 0-470-29048-4, $65 US hard covers) is by Victor Gielisse and Ron DeSantis, both of the Culinary Institute of America. It serves a need for elegant, refined volume cooking at food service operations such as restaurants, hotels, or catering firms. There’s a lot of fusion- international cuisine food here as well as nutritious-healthy food. Just about everything is for fifty portions, and the home cook can certainly take advantage of the book if he or she does a lot of entertaining. Many items can be frozen or prepared in advance. Certainly, the average restaurant can probably count on selling most of 50 portions of a dish if it is labeled “special of the day”. Contents include cooking techniques, stocks and sauces, preps for breakfast and brunch, salads and sandwiches, entrees, side dishes, and desserts. There is also a separate chapter for reception foods. There’s also primer material on creating a variety of flavours, labour intensity and strategies, and costing. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric avoirdupois measurements, but there are no tables of equivalents. A dish such as chicken and shrimp gumbo, very popular these days, calls for a half pound of andouille sausage, one pound of chicken breasts, but 2 and a half pounds of shrimp. The trick would be to make sure that each of 50 people gets some dices of sausage, chicken, and shrimp. Also, the prep calls for both okra and file powder, a distinct “no – no” in Cajun country (traditionally, you use one or the other, but not both). Considering that it is for 50 people, the photo of the plated product seems overly generous – 9.5 litres total in the recipe, divided by 50 means 190 grams, just less than 7 ounces each. Better is the baby spinach, avocado and grapefruit salad. There are a lot of sauce recipes here, good for flavouring. The book ends with a glossary and a series of nutritional analyses for each dish (why couldn’t this be added to each prep in the main book?). Caveats aside, it is useful for cooking for large crowds. Over 200 recipes, many with photos. Quality/price rating: 86. 6. AROUND MY FRENCH TABLE; more than 300 recipes from my home to yours (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010, 530 pages, ISBN 978-0-618-87553-5, $40 US hard covers) is by Dorie Greenspan, a food writer, cookbook author, and winner of a Beard (for “Baking: from my home to yours”). In spite of these creds, the publisher still has four powerful log rollers on the back cover – Ina “Barefoot Contessa” Garten, Patricia Wells, David Lebovitz, and Adam Gopnik. The book’s about a new generation of French cooks and cookery, specifically women. The cuisine has been re- invented and re-interpreted by Greenspan for our faster North American lifestyle (there’s a simple and easy roast chicken dinner for “lazy people”). She’s also got some memoirish-type stories. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Most prep titles are in English only; this alone would get rid of a lot of pretensions. There’s a list of websites as sources, but it seems most items (including this book at $31.31 Canadian, with free shipping) can be bought at www.amazon.com. It’s all a fresh look for the uncomplicated lifestyle. Audience and level of use: French-inspired cooks and chefs. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: salmon rilettes; tartine de viande des grisons; pissaladiere; provencal olive fougasse; socca; gougeres; leek and potato soup, smooth or chunky, hot or cold; couscous salad; basque potato tortilla; chicken liver gateaux; crab-avocado ravioli. The downside to this book: Ironic claims -- The publisher says, “a book that does for a new generation what Mastering the Art of French Cooking did for its time”. Houghton Mifflin is famous for passing up Julia’s book when it was first offered in 1961. NOW it wants to trade in on Julia’s success with another publisher. Also, “hors d’oeuvre” should never be plural. The upside to this book: I like the attempt, but there is a “tough sell” feel about the book. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 7. FIRE IT UP; more than 400 recipes for grilling everything (Chronicle Books, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 416 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6505-0, $24.95 US soft covers) is by cookbook authors and food writers, Andrew Schloss and David Joachim. There’s the usual primer-type material on equipment and methods and techniques, plus how to build flavour into anything grilled. The book is arranged by ingredient: beef, veal, pork, lamb, game, poultry, fish and seafood, veggies, fruit, and other foodstuffs. At the beginning of each section, there’s a meat chart plus advice on how to handle that particular animal (with tips and techniques). There’s a sources list with websites and phone numbers, all American. There’s a separate index to techniques, such as filleting a monkfish tail or spatchcocking a chicken or making lamb steaks. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: BBQ fanatics. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: T-Bone of veal au poivre; pig candy; grilled coriander chicken with margarita butter; sage-brined roast turkey; alder-planked Pacific salmon fillet; grilled oysters; grilled coleslaw. The downside to this book: considering the white space available, I think there could have been a larger font size – it looks just a tad small to me, certainly no larger than the index font! The upside to this book: a good database of preps and meat charts, perhaps not as spicy as Raichlen’s book (see below). Quality/Price Rating: 87. 8. HOME HERBAL; cook, brew and blend your own herbs (DK Publishing, 2011, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-7183-9, $22.95 US soft covers) is a book package produced by the publisher on the theme of making your own health-enhancing herbal remedies with preps developed by professional herbalists plus over 70 recipes for herbal teas, tinctures, smoothies, salads and soups. Most of the material has been assembled by Neal’s Yard Remedies of the UK, but there is also a credit given to Christy Lusiak as an “Americanizer” to make the book more North American. It is in directory format, with 100 key medicinal herbs: what each herb can treat, how to grow it, how to harvest it, and how to apply it (with detailed dosage advice). There are photographic demos for making creams, bath soaks, toners, balms, face masks, soaps, and other concoctions in a kitchen. There’s a primer on herb basics, a glossary, and some useful websites for North America. This is a nice package, with good photos and indexing, with cross-references. Quality/price rating: 88. 9. DIETICIANS OF CANADA COOK! (Robert Rose, 2011, 384 pages, ISBN 978- 0-7788-0261-7, $29.95 CAN paper covers) is by Mary Sue Waisman, RD, cookbook author, and the Dieticians of Canada. Here are 275 recipes that celebrate food from field to table. It is based on SLOFE principles (seasonal, local, organic, fast, and easy) wherever possible, and it is out just in time for Nutrition March 2011, celebrating healthy eating. The book opens with a lot of information about Canadian food and types of food preps designed to retain nutrition. There’s also a nutrient analysis for each recipe. All courses (breakfast, lunch, brunch, snacks, dinner) are covered, and the book is primarily arranged by major ingredient of poultry, beef, pork, lamb, game, fish and seafood, along with veggies, breads, desserts, soups and salads. In common with all Robert Rose books, preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Recipes have been contributed and all are attributed to the developer, usually an RD. Audience and level of use: beginning cooks, families. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Asian chicken soup bowl; bulgur salad with broccoli and radishes; scrambled egg pizza; veggie bow tie pasta; mushroom and cheese risotto; pasta e fagioli; quinoa- stuffed peppers; BBQ tarragon mustard turkey; orange nut bread; gluten- free potato kugel. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 10. THE KITCHEN GARDEN COOKBOOK (DK Publishing, 2011, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-7188-4, $22.95 US soft covers) has been put together by Caroline Bretherton, described as “editor-in-chief”. I’m not sure what this means. I assume that the preps come from a wide variety of sources. There are 200 seasonal recipes here, about 50 for each season. The book is arranged from spring through winter, and within each, there are sections dealing with specific ingredients. In spring, there are asparagus, peas, fava beans, Swiss chard, spinach, rhubarb and others. Each is given several pages. At the beginning of each, there is a sidebar with “when to pick”, “use fresh”, “how to preserve” and “freezing options”. The preps are detailed as to service (normally for 4), prep time, and cooking time. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. There are photos of the main ingredient plus plated finished products. Good strong typeface and well-indexed. Techniques for preserving are explained, and include drying veggies, making cold pickles, storing under soil, freezing fruit, making chutney: about 20 in all. All courses are covered, from soups to desserts. Audience and level of use: home cooks, reference tool usage. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: curried parsnip and apple soup; rosemary jelly; caramelized pork with pecans and apricots; Belgian endive gazpacho; French cabbage soup; roasted celery and Stilton soup; piccalilli. The downside to this book: I’m not sure about the provenance of these recipes. The upside to this book: gorgeous DK photographs. Quality/Price Rating: 87. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 11. PUTTING UP MORE; a guide to canning jams, relishes, chutneys, pickles, sauces and salsas. (Gibbs Smith, 2011, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1- 4236-0739-7, $19.99 US paper covers) is by Stephen Palmer Dowdney, previously owner of Rockland Plantation Products which specialized in small batch processing in South Carolina. He claims his recipes for the company taste exactly like the best of a grandmother’s home put-up stores. He had previously authored “Putting Up” (2008) which concentrated mainly on Southern food. Here, in the new book, the scope has widened to include the rest of the US and beyond. Here are 68 recipes from which you can certainly save a lot of money, at least half the cost of buying commercially canned food. The book is also part memoir, with anecdotes and stories. The preps are arranged by type (as indicated in the subtitle above). In addition, there are resources listed for buying canning supplies. And a long list (with explanations) of safety precautions on home canning. I avoid the whole issue by storing my canned foods in the fridge (if jams) and in the freezer (if raw or low-acid). But then that’s me. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: home canners. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Ethiopian/Eritrean berbere sauce; Jamaican jerk rub; balsamic vinegar tomato salsa; achar; mango chutney; eggplant chutney; sweet-onion jam. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 12. EXPRESS HOUSEKEEPING (DK Publishing, 2011, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0- 7566-7177-8, $15.95 US soft covers) is by Anna Shepard. It’s a basic guide to quickly cleaning up in housekeeping chores. For the home cook, the kitchen section is particularly useful. For the small dining establishment, the whole book is extremely useful since many small place do their own linens and must cope with kiddie spills and other stains. Plus, of course, cleaning floors and furniture. Topics include speed cleaning, doing dishes, clothes and laundry, removing stains, coping with children and pets, and decluttering. Here are the expert tips, tricks, and time-saving strategies that would allow you to maximize your time, speed and efficiency. The overriding strategy is twofold: clean a little at a time, and clean often. It is such a pain to have to clean it all at once. Here are excellent tips and advice for that small business restaurant. Quality/price rating: 89. 13. GLUTTON FOR PLEASURE; signature recipes, epic stories, and surreal etiquette (Whitecap Books, 2010, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-015-0, $29.95 CAN hard covers) is by the talented and irrepressible Bob Blumer (Food Network’s “Surreal Gourmet” and “Glutton for Punishment”). He’s been doing this for nine seasons, and this is his fifth cookbook. Most of the material has been drawn from previous books and magazine articles, although all of them have been recast or reworked or re- titled. There is even a prep he did for the back of a Starbucks coffee carton. These are the signature recipes (many lollipops) and epic stories of a master craftsman. His basic belief is in common ingredients with fresh herbs and spices. But to all of this he adds his own sense of quirkiness, delving into wine pairing, pantry stocking, music accompaniment – all based on 20 years of travel and experience. Typical is the lamb cupcake, made with cooked lamb shank meat and mashed potatoes coloured with beet. Since I had a lot of ground lamb on hand, I used that instead and also used sweet potato, avoiding the need for colouring. I saved a lot of time and steps, but never asked permission from Blumer. I have my own quirks. Every food prep has a Blumer photograph of the final plating (food styled by Blumer himself), and the artwork too has been created by Blumer. As he says, no food was harmed by the process, and he ate it after finishing the detail work. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 90. 14. PLANET BARBECUE! (Workman Publishing, 2010; distr. by T. Allen, 638 pages, ISBN 978-0-7611-4801-2, $22.95US paper covers) is by Steve Raichlen, who has written a lot of books about food as well as being host of BBQ television cooking shows on PBS. His grilling books have sold over 4 million copies (say the publishers). And here is a lot of value from this engaging chef-author. 309 recipes from 60 countries, plus techniques, tips and comparable photos—all for about $6.40 Canadian plus shipping (used copy through Amazon marketplace), or $18 Canadian new at Amazon. From Malaysia there are ginger-turmeric prawns, roasted fish from Spain, grilled crostini from Tuscany, spit-roasted pineapple caramelized with spiced sugar from Brazil, spicy grilled pork from Korea, piri-piri chicken wings, jerk chicken, harissa lamb chops, and Keith Allen’s North Carolina pork shoulder for pulled pork sandwiches. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Good dark bold print for the listing of ingredients. Quality/price rating: 90. 15. MILK & COOKIES (Chronicle Books, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 176 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7254-6, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Tina Casaceli, chef-owner of Milk & Cookies Bakery in Greenwich Village. Judie Choate is the focusing food writer. The bakery specializes in, well, sweet cookies. Some of the preps are derived from Casaceli’s extended family, but all of them evoke childhood memories of sweet smells and sugar tastes. Here she tells a bit about the business and her life in cooking, and then goes on to describe how to make lots of cookies at home. There are 80 recipes here, most built around one of five easy bases (vanilla, double chocolate, oatmeal, peanut butter, and sugar). There are also the classics: snickerdoodles, s’mores, gingersnaps, ice- cream sandwiches, brownies, bars, and biscotti. Her section on “family favorites” is definitely Italian with ciambelli, pinulata, viscotti, biscotti, and others. As a true baker, preparations have their ingredients listed in both weight and volume (albeit avoirdupois measurements). But there is a metric table of equivalents. A nicely organized book, well-put together, with good spacing in the index. And the cookies leap off the photographed page. Quality/price rating: 89. 16. BAL’S QUICK & HEALTHY INDIAN (Whitecap, 2011, 198 pages, ISBN 978- 1-77050-023-5, $29.95 CAD paper covers) is by Bal Arneson, author of “Everyday Indian” (2009). Since then she’s been the host of Spice Goddess, a TV series on the Food Network, and a cooking school teacher. This book is a continuation of her first one, once again concentrating on quick and healthy food. All the preps here should be ready in 25 minutes, according to the author. That presupposes, of course, that all the ingredients are to hand. Global cooking demands a diverse larder/pantry to be maintained. And she has a primer on Indian spicing and how to make your own fresh spice blends. The basis of her cooking is Punjabi. Grape seed oil is the oil of choice. Flaxseed oil in salads, ginger, and turmeric all have health benefits. There are cooks notes, backgrounders, and tips. There are seven menus, ranging from everyday to fancy entertaining, and all dishes listed have page references to the recipes. The typeface is large, just right for the kitchen. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Some of the photos are more pretty than useful. Quality/Price Rating: 86. * THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 17. BEST SUMMER WEEKENDS COOKBOOK (Cottage Life Books, 2004, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-9696922-4-9, $39.95 CAN hard covers) is by Jane Rodmell, who had a food column for Cottage Life. Currently, she’s the proprietor of All the Best Fine Foods. This edition combines the best of her earlier “Summer Weekend Cookbook” and “More Summer Weekends Cookbook”, but with 75 new recipes. All of this totals about 300 preps designed for entertaining at a cottage. The range is complete, from apps to BBQ, salads, make-aheads, light snacks, brunches, and sweets. Each prep includes variations and substitutions and some quick tricks; all variations are indexed, which is a boon. So actually, it can be a weekend cookbook for city use as well, or for making dishes in the city for transport to the cottage. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. There are some good notes on larder/pantry maintenance, but I also wish there had been some menus listed. Quality/price rating: 86. 18. THE NEWLYWEDS’ VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2011, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-849975-115-5, $27.95 US hard covers) is a house production using recipes credited to their stable of cookbook authors: Ross Dobson (40 preps), Fiona Beckett, Maxine Clark, Tonia George, and many others. Subtitled by an enthusiastic publisher as “every recipe you’ll ever need for your life together”. There is a credit list with the recipe titles, but no page references. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. It seems to be a good basic book for new cooks (the original The Newlyweds’ Cookbook sold 70,000 copies) who want to get more veggies into their lives. Basics are covered, as well as pantry stocking. There are 117 recipes, sorted as to brunch, quick meals, special occasions, family gatherings, and easy entertaining. Plus, of course, appetizers and snacks, desserts, baking, and drinks. Well worth a look for morning muffins, cinnamon porridge, peach, mozzarella and frisee salad, Spanish-style panzanella, feta and chick pea parcels, pumpkin and gorgonzola risotto, and rose petal tart. Quality/price rating: 88. 19. THE LAURA SECORD CANADIAN COOK BOOK (Whitecap, 2011, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-55285-260-6, $16.95 CAN paperback) is a perennially useful cookbook now in it second printing. It was prepared by the Canadian Home Economics Association and vended by McClelland & Stewart through Laura Secord stores in 1966 as a sort-of Centennial Project. Since then over 200,000 copies have been sold. It was one of the first books to rely on a “Canadian cuisine” with preps for tourtiere (including a chicken one from Gaspe), fricandeau (veal and pork meatloaf), glazed back bacon, shoofly pie, and sugar pie from Quebec. The recipes are presented “as is” in 1966, consistent with existing ingredients and techniques and equipment. No microwaves or food processors here. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. A great, reliable book, value priced for over 300 recipes. Menus are for regions (East Coast, BC, Quebec, etc.) and Canadian holidays (e.g., “Dominion Day”). Quality/price rating: 89. 20. LOCAVORE; from farmers’ fields to rooftop gardens – how Canadians are changing the way we eat (Harper Perennial, 2010, 241 pages, ISBN 978-1-55468-419-9, $17.99 CAD paper covers) is by Sarah Elton, food commentator for CBNC Radio and a free-lance writer for other publications. It is a 2011 paperback reprint of the successful 2010 best seller. She follows along Margaret Webb’s previous journey through various farms (Apples to Oysters, 2008) by also expanding to what is happening in the cities. But I am surprised that Webb’s book is not cited in an otherwise very decent and relevant bibliography. Elton has stories from most of the provinces, including farm life in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. This is followed by urban patterns in British Columbia, cheese in Quebec, and urban homesteading in Toronto. Well-worth catching if you don’t already have it. Quality/price rating: 89. 21. ESQUIRE – EAT LIKE A MAN; the only cookbook a man will ever need (Chronicle Books, 2011, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7741-1, $30 US hard covers) is based on Esquire’s food coverage over the years. There is material from chefs Mario Batali, Daniel Boulud, David Chang, Tom Colicchio, Thomas Keller, Michael Symon, Michael White, Scott Conant – and more (including several women chefs). They are all listed and sourced as to restaurant and recipe. There’s a listing of preps by skill level, in order of difficulty, from Banana bread French toast through porchetta and bourbon salmon (all easy) to beef stew with ale and truffled mac and cheese (reasonable). There are only six preps that would be rated difficult or worth the effort: Sunday gravy (really? It is just a stew), Coca-Cola brined fried chicken (you’ve got to be kidding), red beans and rice grits, seafood hot pot, bone-in top loin, grits with fried farm eggs and ham scraps. Some asparagus and spinach appear to be the only veggies. If you ate like this all the time, you’d die – guaranteed. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. In fact, to reinforce the doubt I have that men had ever heard of metric stuff, there is a table of “common conversions”, such as 2 pints = 1 quart. Not for the faint of heart (it is enough to terrify any vegan), but exceedingly useful for the carnivore in the family. Quality/price rating: 85. 21. THE BAR & BEVERAGE BOOK. Fifth Edition. (John Wiley & Sons, 2012 [sic], 722 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-24845-4, $82.95 Canadian hard covers) is by Costas Katsigris, now Director Emeritus of the Food and Hospitality Service Program at El Centro Community College in Dallas. His co-author is Chris Thomas, a professional food and wine writer. It began life in 1983 with Katsigris, and was last revised in 2007. The publisher summary says that the book explains how to manage the beverage option of a restaurant, bar, hotel, and country club. There’s a chapter on the history of the beverage industry (mostly American), an appreciation of wines-beers-spirits. Information on equipping, staffing managing and marketing a bar, and how to purchase. New to this edition are updated changes to US regulations on service of alcohol, sanitation guidelines, labour laws, and how to be more profitable. New trends are also covered. There are summaries, discussion points, and terms used by the trade in each chapter. Canada gets mentioned only with Canadian whisky and Canadian beer. “Canadian whiskey” [with an “e”] is mentioned at one point in the glossary. Useful for all schools of hospitality, libraries, and working establishments in the US. Quality/price rating: 87. 23. THE NEW FOOD PROCESSOR BIBLE. Rev. and updated 4th edition. 30th anniversary edition. (Whitecap, 2011, 552 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-028- 0, $29.95 CAD soft covers) is by Norene Gilletz, IACP member and food writer-consultant-teacher. She first published this book in 1979/80 as “The Pleasures of Your Processor”, later re-titled as “The Pleasures of Your Food Processor”. I think all of those recipes are here, plus 65 new ones. And of course, since there are many brands of food processors in the market, it does not matter which one you use in order to employ these recipes. There are now over 600 recipes here, plus the useful practical tips, a quick reference “Smart Chart” and nutritional analysis with every recipe. There are low-carb and low-fat options and gluten-free baking. The baby-food section is new. Even a slow cooker is involved. Still, I am not sure why the publisher felt that there should have been major log rolling from five writers, a cookbook store owner, and a marketing director. Because Gilletz is a leading author of kosher cookbooks in Canada, there is a section on Passover recipes. There are also no pork or related seafood preps. Two recipes a page makes it a little crowded, and some preps carry over to the verso side of the leaf. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements (with some metric added for the weights), but there are metric table of equivalents on p.44-46. Tabs are used to locate relevant sections. Food processors, like any piece of kitchen equipment, are not the final answer to all the prep work. But they do go a long way to making life easier. Quality/price rating: 85. 24. BEAT THIS! COOKBOOK (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011; distr. T. Allen, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-547-43700-2, $14.95 US paper covers) is by Ann Hodgman. It was last published as a 208 page paperback in 1999. A mention on NPR stirred a response by the publisher to reissue the book with 50 more preps. This is that book. Here are 150 recipes that Hodgman guarantees to be better than anyone else's. Recipes include: Apple Crisp, Baking Powder Biscuits, Beef Stew, Blueberry Muffins, Caramels, Chicken Salad, Clam Chowder, Deviled Eggs, Fudge, Fried Mushrooms, Gingersnaps, Guacamole, Lemon Squares, Lime Sorbet, Molasses Cookies, Onion Soup, Pesto Torta, Plum Pudding, Potato Salad, Shrimp Salad, Spaghetti Sauce, Sugar Cookies, Tomato Soup, and White-Chocolate Raspberry Tart. It is all presented with a sense of humour. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. There is a concluding chapter on leftovers. I did get tired of the red print on white background, but that may be just me. Quality/Price rating: 89. 25. HOW BAD ARE BANANAS? The carbon footprint of everything (Greystone Books, 2011, 232 pages, ISBN 978-1-55365-831-3, $19.95 CAD paper covers) is by Mike Berners-Lee, founder of Small World Consulting, a company specializing in climate change. His research has included the development of leading footprint tools based on environmental input- output analysis and life-cycle analysis. It was originally published in the UK in 2010 as a paperback, but at 304 pages. So perhaps some arcane material was excised? Anyway, it is a lifestyle-green guide, especially useful for vegans. It is also a demanding book about climate change, with references to choices to be made in order to reduce carbon footprints. He believes that everything can be costed out in carbon credits and debits, even the big things like the Iraqi war or volcanic eruptions. The small things, also here, include a glass of beer or wine, ironing, even email. According to his studies, a plastic bag has the smallest carbon footprint of anything listed. A kilo of cheese uses about 12 kilos of CO2 emission; a leg of lamb emits about 17 kilos of CO2 for each kilo of lamb. Most of these values are for local items, as in the UK. If we were to import British cheese to Canada, the CO2 emission would climb for the transport. There are lots of graphs and charts and scientific reasoning here. Well worth a read. Quality/price rating: 89. 26. SAVEUR -- THE NEW COMFORT FOOD; home cooking from around the world (Chronicle Books, 2011; distr. Raincoast, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118- 7801-2 $35 US hard covers) comes from the pages of Saveur magazine. There are a lot of familiar dishes here, although some ethnic foods may not be everyone’s idea of “comfort food”. Saveur is a top-down magazine, emphasizing the origins of a dish with great photography and extraordinary writing by culinary authors. After a string of books on international themes, this one (edited by James Oseland, editor-in- chief of the magazine) promotes solid home cooking as the building blocks of great meals. Here are more than 100 classic home-style dishes, ranging from a lot of American (Texas BBQ, New Orleans shrimp, southern catfish) to some exotic (Thai hot and sour soup, Tuscan kale soup, Italian meatballs). There’s also a lot of Mexican food here, reflecting the US southwest. All the recipes are richly illustrated. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 27. PLENTY; vibrant vegetable recipes from London’s Ottolenghi (Chronicle Books, 2011, ISBN 978-1-4521-0124-8, $35 US hard covers) is by Yotam Ottolenghi, co-owner of four eponymous “haute-couture to-go food shops” in London UK. He also writes a weekly vegetarian column for The Guardian newspaper. Here, he has 120 recipes from that column. Organized by ingredient, from roots to fruit, the material is nicely framed by the photography. The book was originally published in 2010 by Ebury Press; this is its North American debut. Onions have their own separate section, with leeks, garlic, and onions together. There’s mushrooms, squashes, peppers, brassicas, eggplant, tomato, leaves (raw and cooked), green beans, pulses, grains, pasta-polenta-couscous, and then fruit with cheese. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2011 ======================================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2011 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. HOME WINEMAKING FOR DUMMIES (John Wiley & Sons, 201ll, 364 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-67895-4, $19.99 US paper covers) is by Tim Patterson, who writes for the industry trade, Wines & Vines. He has won many Gold medals in amateur winemaking competitions in California. I must say that I was very surprised that this is the first such book in the Dummies series. The lack of a book has got to be a factor derived from the availability of cheap plonk. In England and Canada, where wine prices are dear, such books have been around for forty or more years. Is it a sign of austerity in the US that many people now want to start making their own wine? Anyway, all the basics are covered. I’ve been making wine at home since 1981, using mainly concentrates. Here, the book delves more into using fresh grapes, which requires more operations and steps. Indeed, you can use this book to start your own small scale winery. It’s very comprehensive, covering equipment, sorting, crushing, pressing, yeast, aging, blending, finishing, racking, bottling, plus the trouble-shooting advice. There may be sections here that one will never use, such as sparkling wine, dessert or fortified wines, even rose. No matter how hard I tried in the past, I could never make more than plonk white wine. After awhile I gave up, and just did reds because they were always more complex. So I would use this book for the red wines alone. There are the usual Dummy lists and appendices, covering conversion charts, glossaries, and resources. Audience and level of use: budding home winemakers; hospitality school programs. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: you’ll need sanitary conditions and lots of testing to ensure that everything is going smoothly. This includes proper labeling The downside to this book: nothing really. The upside to this book: good cartoons and a discussion on sulphur. Quality/Price Rating: 90. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. THE ART OF CHARCUTERIE (John Wiley and Sons, 2011, 388 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-19741-7, $65 US hard covers) is by the Culinary Institute of America and John Kowalski, a professor at the CIA. Charcuterie has moved out from its rare artisanal practices to the mainstream. It is one of the hottest new items in North American restaurants, and, of course, the CIA with its more than 40,000 alumni wants to be there with it. So here is the book, covering pates, terrines, cured meats, and sausages. Kowalski and his team detail ingredients, equipment, sanitation, techniques and processes (brining, curing, smoking et al). There’s a separate chapter on spices, herbs and seasonings. And there’s also an interesting section on preservatives and how to substitute, plus alternative ways to preserve that are virtually chemical-free. There’s a concluding chapter with preps and ideas for complementary condiments such as a variety of cold sauces, gelatins, oils, relish, chutney, pickles, and compote: orange marmalade and jalapeno sauce; fresh plum and horseradish coulis; cinnamon-rum applesauce; Cajun-style lime and mustard-seed dressing; pickled lady apples. The layout is first-rate, with larger typefaces (especially good in the index). Photos are informative. There are charts Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there are also tables of equivalents. Audience and level of use: home cooks, restaurant chefs, schools of hospitality libraries. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: dry-rub barbecued bacon; dry-cured pancetta; beef jerky; campagne forcemeat; chicken galantine; tete pressee; buffalo wing-style sausages; weisswurst; duck sausage. The downside to this book: it lacks excitement and a “wow” factor since it is a text. The upside to this book: quantities are reasonable; you should make at least 11 pounds of sausages at one go just to be efficient. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS THE ULTIMATE APPETIZERS BOOK (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 480 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-63414-1, $19.95 US soft covers) is a bargain of a book, with 450 quick and easy nibble and drinks, along with the usual party-planning advice. It’s all done in typical BH&G fashion, playing to the harried homemaker. Chapters cover dips, meatballs and sliders, wings, seafood, pastries, cheeses, breads, stuffed morsels, one and two-biters, small bowls, veggies, crunchies, and desserts. Plus drinks, of course. There’s a wealth of information here, plus a minimal amount of bought processed ingredients such as pita chips, puff pastry, BBQ sauce, at al. Many items can be expanded into most of a meal, say for four people, or family time. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. There is also a listing of emergency substitutions. Audience and level of use: homemakers, Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: leek and olive tart with brie; California sushi rolls; nutty pork sliders; pepperoni biscotti; Jamaican jerk chicken wings; beer and cheddar fondue. The downside to this book: just speculative – will the binding hold up? The book is squat and heavy. The upside to this book: useful, especially if you don’t want to buy or use pre-made canapés from a supermarket. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 4. THE CITY COOK; big city, small kitchen, limitless ingredients, no time (Simon & Schuster, 2010, 277 pages, ISBN 978-1-4391-7199-8, $20 US hard covers) is by Kaye McDonough who launched thecitycook.com in 2007. This is a practical guide to fitting in cooking with a busy life and a small kitchen (e.g., condo or apartment). There’s also log rolling by Barbara Kafka and Molly O’Neill. Her first point is, of course, to stop ordering takeout. And use SLOFE principles (seasonal, local, organic, fast, and easy). There’s lots of advice here, and the book does read like a primer for beginners. (She says you’ll only need three different knives). As well, you’ll need a commitment to food. She goes on to sort out the various greengrocers, farmers, butchers, wine merchants, cheese mongers, fishmongers, bakers, spice merchants, Community-Supported Agriculture, urban gardeners, farmer market organizers, and many more. There’s also planning for pantry and larder, with advice on what needs to be on the shelf, on the counter, in the fridge, and in the freezer. This is from what you cook. There’s a listing of larger urban markets in the USA, web merchants, other helpful web sites such as Slow Food, Seafood Watch, USDA, and Sustainable Table. The ninety reparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metric tables of equivalents. Large typeface helps a lot. Audience and level of use: beginning cooks, apartment dwellers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: poached pears with parmesan; winter greens with butternut squash croutons; composed salads (variety); lamb shanks with tomato sauce. The downside to this book: nothing really The upside to this book: strategies for buying from specialists. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 5. GLYCEMIC INDEX COOKBOOK FOR DUMMIES (Wiley Publishing, 2011, 360 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-87566-7, $19.99 US soft covers) is by Meri Raffetto and Rosanne Rust, both registered dietitians and food writers. Raffetto had previously writer The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies; both had written The Calorie Counter For Dummies. The GI is now a mature and proven industry with many books behind it. It had initially begun with a series of numbers to determine high or low glycemic qualities. The index is a way of determining how different carbohydrates in foods affect blood glucose levels. The lower the number, the slower (and more sustained) the absorption of carbs into the body. This is useful information for those with health issues (diabetes, heart problems, et al) or those trying to lose weight. So there is a good summary here in 50 pages, and then the creation of menus and recipes. All courses are covered, from apps to desserts. 150 or so recipes are listed in an index at the back and in a separate table of contents near the front. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metric tables of equivalents. It is all safe and effective and healthy. If you stick with low GIs, then you’ll probably lose weight and be healthy. Check out the authors’ website www.reallivingnutrition.com. Audience and level of use: dieters, those with health issues. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: understand the differences between types of carbohydrates. The downside to this book: much has been simplified, but then that is the Dummies style. The upside to this book: major foods are identified by “high” or “low” or “medium”, which is better than a number out of 100. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 6. KEYS TO GOOD COOKING; a guide to making the best of foods and recipes (Doubleday Canada, 2010, 553 pages, ISBN 978-0-385-66645-9, $42 US hard covers) is by Harold McGee, author of “On Food and Cooking”. Indeed, it has all the appearance of a slimmed down version of that 1984/2004 tome, minus much of the science behind the food. But it has also been updated beyond 2004: much of the bibliography is new, new foods have been brought in, and there has been a general updating throughout. For example, the section on sprouts in the 2004 book did not mention microgreens (which is in the 2010 book). On the other hand, much of the science behind sprouts has been left behind, and instead, the safety factor has been highlighted (sprouts promote bacterial growth). So it is a bit of a tradeoff. In length, this book is about one-quarter the size of “On Food and Cooking”. The 2004 book had a smaller typeface over two columns, with smaller leading and tables. The current book has an extremely large typeface and lots of blank space. Its emphasis is on cooking food, and not the science behind it. The mix of chemistry, history, folklore, literary anecdotes, kitchen tips, recipes, and explaining the science behind the cooking techniques are all gone. Still, it is extremely useful for strategies such as shopping, safety, storing, and preparations for cooking. The few tables that exist are inside the covers, and detail mostly metric equivalencies. Audience and level of use: cooks, libraries, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the 2004 book said that flipping meat on the grill every minute creates moistness. The 2010 books just says “to speed the cooking”, with no mention of moistness. The downside to this book: excessive log rolling (did we actually need Thomas Keller, Ruth Reichl, Rose Beranbaum, and even Shirley Corriher [who had McGee log roll her own book] doing endorsements? It’s like getting the Pope to give advance praise to a new edition of the Catholic Bible). Also, there is more on food and the kitchen and so little on human use of food (nutrition and digestion) and taste buds. The upside to this book: there is a newer audience out there for the science behind cooking. The updated bibliography. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 7. VEGAN COOKING FOR DUMMIES (Wiley Publishing, 2011, 364 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-64840-7, $19.99 US soft covers) is by Alexandra Jamieson, a certified holistic health counselor and a vegan chef (featured in the documentary “Super Size Me”). Vegans avoid all animal products, both in diet (flesh, eggs, dairy, honey) and in lifestyle (fur coats, shoe leather, furniture). She has about 160 vegan preps. All courses are covered, from apps to desserts. The recipes are listed in an index at the back and in a separate table of contents near the front. And she does make it all sound easy and fun. There’s party food here as well as menus for entertaining. A highlight is a listing of 11 emergency snacks such as pretzels, hummus and pita, salsa and tortilla chips, olive paste and rice crackers, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and the like. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metric tables of equivalents. Audience and level of use: vegetarians, vegans, those seeking a different lifestyle. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Occasionally, some vegans will recycle “used” animal products to avoid an environmental conflict. The downside to this book: much has been simplified, but then that is the Dummies style. The upside to this book: cheerful and upbeat, a good intro to vegans. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 8. VEGETARIAN TIMES EVERYTHING VEGAN (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-54788-5, $29.95 US hard covers) is edited by Mary Margaret Chappell. It’s a collection of some 250 recipes with SLOFE principles (seasonal, local, organic, fast, and easy). It’s billed by the publisher as “the something-for-everyone vegan cookbook”, drawn from the pages and kitchens of Vegetarian Times. Vegan cookery usually means “vegetarian without eggs and dairy”. And this can limit some choices of food preps since eggs and dairy are extensively used as binders in the plated product, holding a casserole or a cake together. Vegan meals can help reduce cholesterol, certain kinds of cancer, diabetes, and weight. These have been proven. This is a basic book, beginning with a kitchen primer and menu ideas. There are about 30 important and suggested menus, ranging from Thanksgiving, Christmas (all the usual holidays) to a Sunday Breakfast or Weekday Dinner. The preps begin with starters, drinks, burgers and sandwiches, salads, and then move on to pasta, noodles, rice, whole grains, soy products, “vegetables”, and beans. There are also soups, baked goods, sweets, and a variety of sauces and jams. There are informative sidebars, such as “Guidelines for Choosing Rice”. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Each prep also has nutritional data. Audience and level of use: vegans, vegetarians, natural health lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: barley risotto with spinach and tofu; polenta wedges with black-eyed pea salsa; forbidden rice bibimbap; radicchio, radish and fennel salad; morning glory loaf. The upside to this book: a good selection of vegan recipes from a vegetarian magazine. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 9. FOODISTA; 100 great recipes, photographs and voices (Andrews McMeel, 2010; distr. Simon and Schuster, 204 pages, ISBN 978-0-7407-9767-5, $19.99 US paper covers) has been edited by Sheri L. Wetherell, Barnaby Dorfman, and Colin M. Saunders. All three are founders of www.foodista.com, a Seattle-based collaborative project to build a large online food encyclopedia along the lines of Wikipedia, with material that can be edited by members and cross-checked, etc., as Wikipedia is supposed to be. It’s another free resource social media site, allowing free information for anyone who wants to cook and to share recipes. The members chose the 100 best recipes from the thousands on the site, and here they are. It’s arranged by course, from appetizers to desserts. Each prep is sourced, with a picture of the plated dish, and some biographical information (a picture of each cook is at the back of the book). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents at the back. Recipes come from around the world, mostly from young people (mainly women), and appear to be derived from their extended families. So there are a fair bit of ethnic dishes here, which is a good thing. Audience and level of use: new cooks, bloggers, foodies. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: paneer kofta; cranberry crumb bars; spicy pumpkin soup; buckwheat galettes with an egg; Asian meat loaf. The downside to this book: the typeface for the list of ingredients is a light orange, hard on the eyes after awhile. The upside to this book: the recipe line spacing is good with plenty of leading. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 10. THE ART OF THE CHOCOLATIER; from classic confections to sensational showpieces (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 408 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-39884-5, $65 US hard covers) is by Ewald Notter, an award-winning pastry chef and chocolatier. He has been working for over 35 years, and a teacher for a quarter century. Currently, he is also pastry adviser to the Culinary Team USA. It becomes at once THE book on chocolate for pastry chefs, students, and chocolate stores. Part One gives the basic overview (equipment, ingredients, techniques), while Part Two covers all manner of small chocolates (gianduja, marzipan, ganache, chocolate pralines). Part Three is the heavy gun – creating chocolate showpieces (not for the faint of heart), dealing with flowers, painting, piping, creating 3-D models, etc.). The work is complemented by absolutely stunning photography and numerous charts, diagrams and templates. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric, US and volume measurements, but otherwise there are no tables of equivalents. Audience and level of use: professionals in the chocolate business, students, libraries, reference collections. Some interesting or unusual facts: for a unique look, chocolate candy molds can be smeared or finger-painted with coloured cocoa butter using colours that correspond to the flavours inside. Splattering is also useful. The downside to this book: it weighs 2 kilos (4.4 pounds)! The upside to this book: good, detailed index. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 11. HEALING SPICES; how to use 50 everyday and exotic spices to boost health and beat disease (Sterling Publishing, 2011, 322 pages, ISBN 978-1-4027-7663-2, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Bharat B. Aggarwal (a Ph.D. cancer researcher with over 500 scientific papers and articles), with Debora Yost (a health book editor and writer). First off, I’m not sure why the title says just “spices” when the book also includes herbs and nuts. Notable herbs here include basil, bay leaf, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Nuts include almonds. Even veggies are here (sun-dried tomatoes, onions, garlic). Let’s just say that the foods he recommends are “flavourful foods”, usually consumed in small quantities because they are intense. Several pages are devoted to each “spice”. The entry for turmeric, for example, is about a dozen pages long, subtitled “leading crusader against disease”. There’s an explanation about what it does, suggesting that it is the anti-cancer spice. There’s a list of what it may help prevent or treat (about 30 illnesses), a statement about how much is needed to promote good health, what other spices it pairs well with, and a recipe (here, turmeric with potato cauliflower soup). There is also a list of other recipes in the book (with page references) that call for turmeric, and a statement of non-recommended partnering with food (here, dairy dishes will mask turmeric’s delicate flavour). There are sidebars scattered throughout, such as the one on how to make your own vanilla extract, what is Mexican oregano, how to mask garlic breath, and using elephant garlic like a leek). The last part of the book covers about two dozen special spice combos, such as masala, which you can do yourself, and substitutions. There’s also the use of spices as natural medicines, ranging from something as simple as bad breath to the more complicated varieties of arthritis or asthma. Indeed, the book has linked spices to the prevention and treatment of more than 150 health problems, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. It concludes with a listing of US sources for spices, many of them online. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Colour photos of the spices are collated into one section at the middle of the book. Audience and level of use: alternative medicine fans, reference libraries, natural health lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: turmeric had a secondary use as a fabric dye, so be careful about spills; it can be difficult to get turmeric out of fabric. The downside to this book: more recipes would have been useful, say, at least two per entry. The upside to this book: a good collection of materials, nicely laid out. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 12. HEALTHY COOKING (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 314 pages, ISBN 978-0- 470-05233-4, $34.95 US hard covers) is from the Culinary Institute of America, and is another addition to its consumer-styled “At Home” series. This series is meant for home cooks: the recipes have normal quantities of about 4 to 6, the ingredients can be reasonably found, and equipment is home-sized. Kudos to the CIA for this series, but I still wonder why a “Healthy Cooking” at home is needed. There are many other books out on the market dealing with this matter; the CIA in establishing some turf is a “Johnny-come-lately” entrant. Nevertheless, the CIA would probably like you to buy all the books in this series. The basic premise here is to replace unhealthy fats/oils and sugar and carbs with flavour from herbs and spices, and using better, more appropriate cooking techniques for different foods in different circumstances. Recipes are based on the latest USDA nutrition guidelines and food safety techniques, along with portion control. Strategies are important, to develop healthy menus for meal planning. Accompaniments must be balanced, and the whole day’s nutrition cast amongst the three meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner. The 235 recipes here provide for variations and other options. And, in essence, the book tries to practice SLOFE principles (seasonal, local, organic, fast, and easy) as much as it can. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois volume measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: home cooks, new cooks, students. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: curried apple-squash soup; artichoke seviche in Belgian endive; medallions of lobster with shaved vegetable salad; Vietnamese summer rolls; lentil ragout; thyme-scented trout; cocoa-rubbed pork tenderloin; pumpkin, zucchini, and chickpea tagine. The downside to this book: heavy book, could have been lighter. Also, there is lots of competition out there. The upside to this book: recipes are pretty basic and simple to do. Quality/Price Rating: 88. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 13. 3 CHEFS; the kitchen men (Whitecap, 2010, 287 pages, ISBN 978-1- 77050-034-1, $26.95 CAD hard covers) is by the renowned trio of chefs: Michael Bonacini, Massimo Capra, and Jason Parsons. They all appear on local TV’s “CityLine” in Toronto, and have cooked on the show and in their published writings for newspapers and magazines. Bonacini is partner in the Oliver & Bonacini restaurant group, Capra has cooked at Prego della Piazza and currently co-owns Mistura, and Parsons heads up Peller Estates Winery Restaurant. All courses are covered, all 126 preps are sourced as to chef, and all recipes have an immense amount of savour-flavour. Their book uses SLOFE principles (seasonal, local, organic, fast, and easy) and the food is mainly Mediterranean styled. Try Capra’s roasted vegetables and butter leaf lettuce salad or his chick pea, black olive and pecorino crostini. Try Bonacini’s mulligatawny soup or his Portobello mushroom chip and dip. Try Parson’s homemade honey, sage and sea salt doughnuts or his chardonnay-braised lamb shank. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Two drawbacks: there are no wine recommendations, and there are too many pictures of the chefs standing about. The publisher’s resources could have been better spent elsewhere (e.g. wine recommendations?). Quality/price rating: 90. 14. MR. SUNDAY’S SOUPS (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0- 470-64022-7, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Lorraine Wallace with Brigit Binns. Wallace is married to Chris Wallace, a Fox News Anchor. Because of his Sunday schedule and a quantity of teenagers roaming around the house, Lorraine decided to feed her family soup with salad as the main meal. Most soups can be turned into main courses anyway, and Wallace was proficient at this. The book may have more meaning for Americans, but apart from family pictures and political endorsements, it is a nifty soup book. Organic food is used wherever possible, and seasonal too. The arrangement is starts with Fall and moves through the year. There are 78 preps plus four stock recipes. The usual and familiar chowders and soups are augmented by a sprinkling of international ethnic goodies such as Sengalese soup or Italian wedding soup. A good section, to wean the guys away from fatty foods, is “Game Day Favorites” with four chili preps, a baked potato soup, and cheeseburger soup. Nice large print and easy to follow instructions. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 84. 15. FABULOUS FAIRHOLME; breakfasts & brunches (Whitecap, 2010, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-55285-932-2, $29.95 CDN hard covers) is by Sylvia Main, owner of the award-winning Fairholme Manor Inn in Victoria, BC. It’s right next to the Government House and Gardens, and has been open since 1999. And it has a local reputation for fabulous breakfasts and brunches. The 65 preps come from a number of cooks who have worked there over the years. I especially enjoyed the lemon scones, the egg blossoms, the toasted pecan, orange and brown sugar butter, and the lemon lavender blueberry muffins (with the sugar called for, more akin to cupcakes). A good idea book, with lovely refreshing photography. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. * THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 16. SPECIAL EVENTS; a new generation and the next frontier. Sixth ed. (John Wiley & Sons, 2011, 550 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-44987-5, $55.55 US hard covers) is by Joe Goldblatt, currently Executive Director of the International Centre for the Study of Planned Events in Edinburgh. He has established many, many programs through the United States, and is thought to be the leader in the field of Event Management. The first edition of this book was published in 1990 by Van Nostrand, and then Wiley took over. Lately, it has been updated every three years. So this becomes a gold standard text in the area. Besides coverage of what event management is, discussion questions (this is a text, after all), and career management and advancement, there has been a general updating plus new material. There are new chapters on greener events, corporate social responsibility, international best practices, and expanding event fields. More than 200 new web resources are indicated, as well as constructive uses of social media. There are also more interviews with event leaders and newer case studies. The updated bibliography contains quite a few relevant sources. Quality/Price rating: 89. 17. THE NEW SONOMA DIET; trimmer waist, more energy in just 10 days. (Sterling Publishing, 2011, 383 pages, ISBN 978-1-4027-8118=6, $22.95 US hard covers) is by Connie Guttersen, R.D., Ph.D., currently a nutrition instructor at the CIA in California. The first edition of her book was in 2005, selling a lot of copies. There is a subscription website, www.newsonomadiet.com which has much more additional information. The main thrust of the diet is quality food, flavours, and a healthy exercise regimen. The updating is for more coverage of the so-called SuperFoods, here labeled Power Foods, and the evolving glycemic index. New material covers omega 3 fatty acids, pro-biotics, dark chocolate, Vitamin D, gluten free recipes, and wine. Lots has happened in the past 5 – 6 years. The basic 10 power foods have been added to, with beans and citrus. There are 21 days of menus and recipes with all sorts of combinations. My basic go-to food has been dark chocolate and almonds, and they are here. Guttersen promotes the three wave theory: the first wave (10 days) is the approach to the diet, the clearing of the path. The second wave is the continuation of the diet for weight loss. The third wave (after reaching target weight) is changing the diet into a lifestyle. The older book would still be useful, so don’t pitch it. This book is meant for new readers. Quality/price rating: 88. 18. COOKING BASICS FOR DUMMIES. 4th ed. (Wiley Publishing Inc., 2011, 436 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-91388-8, $19.99 US paper covers) is by Bryan Miller (once a restaurant reviewer for the New York Times and now a food writer covering dining trends), Marie Rama (food consultant), and Eve Adamson (cookbook author). The last edition was in 2004. So here we are with newer material on trendier dining (BBQ and grilling) and newer equipment. As a basic book for under twenty bucks, it is pretty good. And the fact that it appears to be revised when needed is also pretty good. And yes there are even metric conversion tables. One of the keys is at the back: a glossary of top 100 common cooking terms, plus notes on common substitutions, abbreviations and equivalents. There’s also enough stuff here to make you a short order cook. Each prep has a clear explanation of technique, with ingredients listed in boldface and nutritional data at the bottom. There’s an indication of prep times, cook times, and yields. All courses and meals are covered, with a lot of variety – about 100 starter preps in all, with variations as needed. Quality/Price rating: 90. 19. WEIGHT WATCHERS NEW COMPLETE COOKBOOK, 4th ed. (J Wiley, 2011, 416 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-61451-8, $29.95 US loose leaf edition) is an update of the 2007 edition, which was released in a plastic comb binding. It was originally published in hardback in 1993. The new, fourth edition, has many changes, such as a separate chapter on slow cooker meals and new sidebar advice. The new PointsPlus™ program is explained. Recipes have been labeled for skill level, and there are more preps for grains and veggies. Plus, of course, the new design: loose leaf allow for better recipe display in the kitchen. Once again, the emphasis is on healthy eating for family meals and for entertainment meals. The book has always been 500 recipes in length, but they are always changing. There are some helpful technique photos, as well as the usual technique tricks and tips. Quality/price rating: 87. 20. AT HOME WITH MADHUR JAFFRY; simple, delectable dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka (Knopf, 2010, 301 pages, ISBN 978- 0-307-26824-2, $35 US hard covers) was originally published as “Curry Easy” in different form by Ebury Press in London. Six of her previous books have won Beard Awards – she’s the go-to person for Indian food. It’s a summative book of some 190 recipes, for this is what she does at home. It follows the SLOFE principles (seasonal, local, organic, fast, and easy). As she says, “to make a proper curry generally calls for the browning of wet seasonings such as onion, garlic and ginger, the browning of dry spices like cumin, chilies, and coriander, and the browning of the meat itself. Now I find that if I just marinate the meat with all the spices and seasonings and then bake it, both covered and uncovered, all the browning happens on its own; the curry absorbs the spices and is delicious.” So the emphasis is on simpler methods and fewer steps. But she does change the order of the food: like many cultures, all the food comes out at once, with fresh fruit for dessert. Here, she has a Western culture order to the dishes, with appetizers, mains, sides, and desserts. I should think at this time of her life that the publisher would need no log rolling, but Deborah Madison and Betty Fussell do appear on the back cover. Try eggplants in a North- South sauce, gujarati-style okra, roasted moong dal with mustard greens, or Pakistani goat curry with potatoes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR NOVEMBER 2010 ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2010 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. THE ART AND DESIGN OF CONTEMPORARY WINE LABELS (Santa Monica Press, 2010, 287 pages, ISBN 978-1-59580-046-6, $50 CAD hard covers) is by Tanya Scholes, a Toronto-based graphic designer and packager. Michael Mondavi contributes an enlightening foreword which is more an essay on both wine label design and how Robert Mondavi came to design his iconic arch and tower label in 1966. Scholes has a couple of essays on the history of wine design. Other than that, it is s straight ahead but eclectic collection of some 213 wineries from both the Old and the New World, although there are more from the latter. Each is given a page or two, and some of the larger or more innovative wineries are given a spread to cover more than one label. There is enough text to describe the run-up to the label design (remember: the labels speak for themselves, since each is worth 1,000 words). Wherever she can, Scholes uses the designer or owner’s own words to describe the label. She needed here, and elsewhere, to expound more on the artistic influences behind the selection and why she picked “it” and not another. At the bottom of each description, there is a box with the salient details of region, country or origin, type of wine, website, designer name, and designer’s website. The icons are here, such as Rothschild (both Mouton and Opus One), but there are also labels from Bouza Bodega in Uruguay and Barkan in Israel. I was not attracted to M by Mondavi, but it helped that he wrote the book’s foreword. I am not quite sure why Dr. Loosen is here, since it is “old style” and only serves to reinforce the notion that German wine labels never change. There are so many good wine labels out there: I could pick my own 213 wineries, Tony Aspler could pick his own 213, and you could pick your own 213. And we’d probably have no duplicates. But it is great that SHE did it, for now we have something to work with. If there is one theme running through here, then it is the theme of whimsy. Whimsy sells things, no matter what the product. Making fun of the industry and yourself sells things. For Ontario, for once -– beyond icewines -- there seems to be popular acclaim. We have a disproportionate number of wineries covered, such as Sibling Rivalry, Megalomaniac, Malivoire, Southbrook, Foreign Affair, Five Rows Craft Wine, and Truffle Pig. For BC, there is Ex Nihilo, Dirty Laundry, Therapy (with its Rorschach inkblots), Mission Hill, Artisan, and Blasted Church. That’s 13! The old paper label that floated off when the bottle is chilled in ice, the one with the gothic typeface and mismatched colours (a lot like the Loosen label here), is soon to disappear. Even the cheapest Montepulciano d’Abruzzo in Ontario has a spiffy new, compelling and eye-appealing name and label. If I had one major criticism of the book, it is that there is no index. Some of the wineries have several lines of wines, and these need to be cross-referenced. For example, Sibling Rivalry comes from Henry of Pelham (no entry), StraightJacket Winery has a line called Strait Jacket (close, but no cigar: speaking of which, where is the label for Le Cigare Volant??), Layer Cake (no entry) come from Pure Love Wine, and Poetica (no entry) is from Southbrook. It would also be useful in this index to have all the names of the winery owners and the designers in one placed. Page [288] is blank, and the index could have been done there. Just a thought. Audience and level of use: for the inveterate wine collector, and the graphic designer’s library. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Mondavi reports that there are 127,000 approved labels in the US alone. The downside to this book: I wish Scholes had devoted more space to wine label design competitions, which I think is a fascinating area. Some websites could have been useful, or lists of winners and medals. The upside to this book: a perfect gift for the wine lover. Quality/Price Rating: 91. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. FROM THE OLIVE GROVE; Mediterranean cooking with olive oil (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2010, 199 pages, ISBN 978-1-55152-367-5, $24.95 CAN soft covers) is by Helen Koutalianos and Anastasia Koutalianos, a mother- and-daughter team. Helen was a food columnist and Greek cooking instructor who now runs www.basiloliveoil.com importing olive oil from her husband’s family in Greece. Anastasia has worked in publishing (book and magazine). The emphasis, of course, is on the healthy character of olive oil, and this includes its use in desserts such as the apple cake prep here. Some preps have been sourced from 13 west coast chefs. But otherwise, it is arranged by course (appetizers, soups, stews, salads, mains, desserts). There’s primer material on olive oil (history, grading, cooking principles, health aspects). The 150 recipes are mainly Greek or Eastern Mediterranean, but no matter. They are all healthy. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric (mainly) and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents which would have been useful for volume measurements. Audience and level of use: home cooks; olive oil lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: lamb (chop) fricassee with artichokes; keftedes (meatballs); sablefish with preserved lemons; imam bayildi (stuffed baby eggplants); melitzana ksipoliti (eggplant quiche); loukoumades (Greek doughnuts); whole chicken baked in a pumpkin; kebabs. The downside to this book: There is no metric table of equivalents which would have been useful for the volume measurements. The upside to this book: there’s a recipe for olive oil energy drink. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. MY COOKING CLASS: series (Firefly Books, 2010, unpaged, ISBN varies, $24.95 Canadian soft covers) is a new series of cook books meant for beginner home cooks or those who want a refresher on certain elements or themes. Each has an individual author (usually a professional with several cookbooks under his/her belt) but they are all set up the same way. The preps are presented in visual sequences, step-by-step. Every piece of equipment is photographed from above in colour, and every ingredient is shown in the correct quantity and in the order that it will be used. The publisher claims that it is as true to reality as possible. The written part is at the bottom of each page, listing the ingredients and the sequence. Cooks notes (variations, techniques, service) are presented. There is a glossary of terms, a listing of the preps in content order, and a subject index by type of food. There are no page numbers, just a recipe number. So a prep such as “pinwheel cookies” is number 43 in the chocolate book, and continues for four pages with “43” at the top of those four pages. All of the books conform to this arrangement. They’ve all got between 70 and 97 recipes in each one. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. CHOCOLATE BASICS, ISBN 978-1-55407-758-8, by Orathay Guillaumont and Vania Nikolcic. MIDDLE EASTER BASICS, ISBN 978-1-55407-759-5, by Marianne Magnier- Moreno. PASTA BASICS, ISBN 978-1-55407-756-4, by Laura Zavan. SAUCE BASICS, ISBN 978-1-55407-761-8, by Keda Black. STEAMING BASICS, ISBN 978-1-55407-757-1, by Orathay Guillaumont. VEGETABLE BASICS, ISBN 978-1-55407-760-4, by Jody Vassallo. Audience and level of use: home cooks, possibly hospitality students. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cappuccino pie; monkfish tagine; clams with herb butter; salmon bundles; mouhalabieh; tagliatelle with duck; conchiglioni with caponata; wild mushroom risotto; cauliflower with cheese. The downside to this book: a big investment if you buy them all. They’re at Amazon.Ca for $15.64 each, which is a help. The upside to this book: practical series. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 4. CLEAN START; inspiring you to eat clean and live well (Sterling Epicure, 2010, 166 pages, ISBN 978-1-4027-7905-3 $25 US hard covers) is by Terry Walters, author of “Clean Food”. It’s another book dealing with SLOFE principles (seasonal, local, organic, fast, and easy), following up on her initial work. There are 100 additional recipes here for making healthy choices. There are the usual tips and advice plus ideas for leftovers and how to protect nutrient-rich foods. Recipes are vegan and gluten-free, and arranged by season beginning with Spring. There are about 25 preps per season. The photos looked especially enticing. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: vegans or those interested in becoming vegans. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: roasted cauliflower and garlic soup; cinnamon whole oats with toasted almonds; festive quinoa with apricots and orange zest; polenta pizzas; The downside to this book: for some reason the first book’s log rolling from Mario Batali and Alice Waters also appears on the back cover of this book. The upside to this book: the physical book has been published with recycled products and agri-based inks. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 5. PANINI; gourmet recipes to help you get the most from your panini press (Whitecap, 2010, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-030-3) is by Dominique and Cindy Duby – it is one of a series of small books by this team of pastry chefs who have now branched out to a complete line of food styling through DC DUBY Hospitality Services Inc. Other such books have included Chocolate and Crème Brulee. It seems to me, though, that this is their first savoury book in their Definitive Kitchen Classics series, and it uses the panini press. You can use a non-electric panini pan and press, but why bother? If you have room and inclination for a single use equipment for panini, then you might as well get an electric one: it can also double as an electric frying pan of sorts. The 40 preps here are mainly Mediterranean (mostly Italian)-inspired. There’s basic grilled bread and cheese, seafood and shellfish, meaty and poultry, charcuteries and cured meats, eggs and veggies, and sweets. The team also has notes on pairing wine and beer with panini. I agree with the Dubys: beer seems to work better than wine. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Ciabatta is the basic bread recommended, but of course you can use baguettes or country breads. There are plenty of variations, beginning with the type of bread, or cheese, or meats, or garnishes. So the basic 40 here can become greater, almost a different one every day for a year. Audience and level of use: beginners, home cooks, sandwich lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: ham & cheese croque monsieur panini; gruyere, ciabatta, and onion jam panini; prosciuto, fig and provolone panini; balsamic Neufchatel cream and strawberry panini; honey, pecan, pear, blue cheese cream and brioche panini. The downside to this book: tasty sandwiches, but difficult to do without a press. The upside to this book: variety of sandwiches. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 6. GRANDI VINI; an opinionated tour of Italy’s 89 finest wines (Clarkson Potter, 2010, 292 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-46303-6, $24.99 US hard covers) is by Joseph Bastianich, who owns four Italian wine estates, a wine store, plus many restaurants in New York City. Shamelessly, he has four log rollers including his business partner (Chef Mario Batali) and his own mother (Lidia Bastianich, cookbook author and co-owner of multiple restaurants, celebrity TV chef on PBS, etc.). Oh yes, if that wasn’t enough: he also got an endorsement from Robert (“Himself”) Parker Jr. But seriously, while this is a serious book, I have no idea why he needs such log rolling. He takes us through the process of why these wines were chosen by him (but why 89? Why not 90? Or 100?). Twenty-one wines are from nebbiolo grapes in Piedmont, while 11 are from sangiovese grapes in Tuscany. 18 are IGT wines (mostly supertuscans); 17 are white wines (mostly Alto Adige and Friuli-Venezia Giulia). There’s a marsala, a vin santo, and a passito di pantelleria. The well-known (and expensive) names include Il Greppo, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, Tignanello, Sassicaia, Cervaro della Sala, and Ben Rye. There are also several organic wines. Some memoir and travel materials, as well as histories of the estates and, of course, tasting notes are spread among the entries. At the back, there are summaries of the wines, with information on grape varieties, production, website, first vintage made, aging, and production methods. Every region is covered, but not every province. It must have been politically difficult to come up with a wide dispersion of choices. Audience and level of use: Italian wine lovers. Some interesting or unusual facts: Some of the wines produced are biodynamic. Others are “natural” or “sustainable” or organic. The downside to this book: the nature of differences among natural, sustainable, organic and biodynamic terms is not clearly stated. The upside to this book: a good reckoning for the 89 wines. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 7. MY SWEET MEXICO; recipes for authentic pastries, breads, candies, beverages, and frozen treats (Ten Speed Press, 2010, 217 pages, ISBN 978-1-58008-994-4, $30 US hard covers) is by pastry chef Fany Gerson, a CIA grad who has worked in many Spanish and Mexican restos. She now splits her time between NYC and Mexico; she also runs www.mysweetmexico.com. This cookbook, with log rolling from Bayless and others, does give us a unique contribution in that it is solely devoted to the desserts side of Mexican cuisine. It is part memoir as well as culinary cultural history. She begins with bebidas (beverages), moving on to sweets put together by nuns, and then to corn, heirloom sweets, morning sweet breads, fruit, desserts, and frozen foods. There is also a section on modern Mexico, with piloncillo-roasted pears with cheese pastry, a passion fruit mexcal trifle, mango bread puddings with tamarind sauce, an upside-down plantain cake, and a cheesecake with spiced quince. Many indigenous ingredients are used, such as sweet maguey plants, mesquite, honeys, and cacao. There’s an all-US sources list plus a bibliography. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metrics table of equivalents. A very prominent contribution to culinary literature. Quality/Price rating: 90. 8. THE OCEAN WISE COOKBOOK; seafood recipes that are good for the planet (Whitecap, 2010, 322 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-016-7, $34.95 Canadian paper covers) is a collection of preps from chefs and restaurants from across Canada, although most of them are from the West Coast. It’s an accessible guide to sustainable seafood and freshwater fish, which the index indicates ranges from abalone to yellow perch. Some rarities include jellyfish, geoduck, and sea urchin. Jane Mundy, a professional cook and writer, did the editorial work. Ocean Wise is a nationwide conservation program created by the Vancouver Aquarium to educate restaurants and consumers about the issues surrounding sustainable seafood: it has over 200 members. 139 recipes feature about 45 types of seafood – and each prep is sourced as to chef. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. After a discussion on sustainability, farmed versus wild, fresh versus frozen, and storage for fish, the preps are listed in course order from apps to mains, with chapters on “one-pots” and canned foods. But this is not all fin; some fur is involved with an octopus and sausage prep, and a mussels and sausage recipe. Try fish cakes with wasabi pea puree and wilted pea shoot salad, or sake-marinated barramundi with ginger, or prosciutto and rosemary-wrapped halibut, or coconut scallop bisque with prawns. A very worthwhile book. Quality/price rating: 89. 9. THE GEOMETRY OF PASTA (Quirk Books, 2010; distr. Raincoast, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-59474-495-2, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Jacob Kenedy, co-owner of Bocca di Lupo in London, voted a best restaurant by Time Out and the Evening Standard. Caz Hildebrand is well known as the designer of best-selling cookbooks. Log rolling includes Nigella Lawson. Their book pairs over 100 recipes from Kenedy with Hildebrand’s black-and-white designs. Kenedy describes each pasta shape (wheels, tubes, fantasy, twists, folds, grooves) and then prepares some sauces for them. He begins with agnolotti, which are raviolis made from one piece of pasta folded in half. There’s a dimensions panel, a list of synonyms, and how the pasta was used historically. Then he tells how to make it, and gives recipes for sauces. Here, he has a walnut sauce, but one can also use a butter and sage sauce, do an “in brodo” or go with a tomato sauce. And, of course, there’s a nice silhouette pattern by Hildebrand, which I assume some enterprising business will turn into a patterned fabric. He ends with ziti, also known as candele, which can be used in a timballo and in ziti lardati (both recipes given). Other variations would include using ziti with ricotta and tomato, with a Napoli ragu, with lentils, al forno, or even a arrabbiata sauce. There’s an index of sauces, in both Italian and English. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. This is a very useful reference book, to both cooks and chefs alike. Quality/price rating: 89. 10. BAREFOOT CONTESSA, how easy is that (Clarkson Potter, 2010, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-23876-4, $35 US hard covers) is by Ina Garten, who has written six other cookbooks and hosts “Barefoot Contessa” on Food Network plus writes a monthly column. It neatly continues the parade of easy cooking books that promise quick and flavourful meals at a low cost. This particular book is being promoted as “her easiest recipes ever”. It helps to have a mise en place, sharp knives, proper equipment, and a cocktail before starting. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. The arrangement is by course, beginning with starters, lunch, dinner, veggies, and dessert. There’s about 100 recipes here, with variations. Simple preps include roasted figs and prosciutto, chipotle and rosemary roasted nuts, beef barley soup, herbed ricotta bruschettas, Greek panzanella, tuna and hummus sandwiches, bangers and mustard mash. Nice large type with plenty of leading so there are no excuses for home cook errors. Quality/price rating: 84. 11. IN A PINCH; effortless cooking for today’s gourmet (Whitecap, 2010, 204 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-026-6, $29.95 paper covers) is by Caren McSherry, owner of Vancouver’s Gourmet Warehouse. She also appears on Global TV every Saturday. The book promises that she “will show you how to make a five-star meal in no time flat”, which is an honourable intention but only if you follow through on it. Log rolling comes from fellow west-coasters such as John Bishop and Vikram Vij. So this collection of gourmet secrets and shortcuts relies on planning, a mise en place, and a pantry. Not to mention a cool demeanor. There’s also the matter of proper equipment and proper plates. The arrangement is by course, apps to desserts, with a collection of resources from around the world. Her pantry has 10 “must-have” ingredients; he kitchen has 11 utensils “I can’t live without”. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Typical recipes include fresh fig and chevre rolls, quick bouillabaisse [west coast], Reggiano cheese sticks, zabaglione, BBQ duck pizza, chocolate coconut cups. Quality/price rating: 85. 12. THE FOOD NETWORK SOUTH BEACH WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL COOKBOOK; recipes and behind-the-scenes stories from America’s hottest chefs (Clarkson Potter, 2010, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-46016-5, $35 US hard covers) has been collated by Lee Brian Schrager (founder of the festival) with food writer and editor Julie Mautner. For one long weekend each year, hot chefs drop in on South Beach to work one of the world’s largest kitchens. This cookbook features 100 recipes and stories about celebrity chefs such as Bobby Flay, Paula Deen (double chocolate gooey butter cake), Mario Batali, Rachael Ray (Cubano burger with mango salsa), Martha Stewart (lobster roll), Alice Waters (grapefruit and avocado salad), Rick Bayless (brava steak), Nigella Lawson (caramel croissant pudding), and others. It’s been a leading “meet and greet” fundraiser function for a decade, and this book celebrates ten years worth of preps (about ten recipes per year). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. And with an easy to read layout. Quality/Price rating: 84. 13. THE VEGAN GIRL’S GUIDE TO LIFE; cruelty-free crafts, recipes, beauty secrets and more (Skyhorse Publishing, 2010; distr. T. Allen, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-61608-092-1 $21.50 CAD soft covers) is by Melisser Elliott, founder of Sugar Beat Sweets Bakery, San Francisco’s first vegan bakery. She has also been featured in just about every vegan lifestyle publication, as well as television. Here she gives us the basics of vegan lifestyle, which includes clothes and cosmetics. There are also recipes for foods as well as instructions for making your own clothes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Try banana bread French toast, two-bean confetti hash, apple sage rice stuffed acorn squash, almond-lime cake, purple cow cupcakes. The book lacks an index, which I calculate to be a serious defect in the retrieval of information. Otherwise, it is pretty nifty, with an excellent chapter on transitioning to vegan. Quality/price rating: 80. 14. NEW ORLEANS KITCHENS; recipes from the Big Easy’s best restaurants (Gibbs Smith, 2010, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-1001-4, $30 US hard covers) has been pulled together by Stacey Meyer (CIA grad now working with Emeril Lagasse) and Troy Gilbert (free lance writer). It’s a basic New Orleans cookbook augmented not by photos of plated dishes but by photos of themed Louisiana work from local artists. It’s a lot like an earlier series showcasing Santa Fe art and food. There are a few short notes on New Orleans galleries and New Orleans food and chefs. Each prep comes with a source, such as the white truffle bean dip from Tom Wolfe of Peristyle, or smoked duck breast pain perdu with Fontina cheese and cane syrup from Greg Poole of The Bistro at the Maison de Ville, or shrimp remoulade from Brian Landry, executive chef of Galatoire’s. Another 25 recipes come from Stacey and/or her mother, Mary Ann Meyer. Chefs, restaurants, museums, galleries, and artists are also cited in the resources section, with addresses and websites and phone numbers. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Great photos of local art and a well-designed large typeface layout completes the picture. Oh, yes: the recipes also include the basic po’ boys, jambalaya, gumbo, etouffee, and oysters. Quality/price rating: 89. 15. SWALLOW THIS; the progressive approach to wine (20 Sips LLC, 2009; distr. McArthur, 2010, 342 pages, ISBN 978-0-615-30209-6 $24.95 CAD soft covers) is by celebrity television star wine taster Mark Phillips, who had a PBS show (now on DVD) about wine tasting. In addition to this book, he also has audio books and DVDs on how to taste. The Progressive Approach is entertaining, although some wine people cringe. Yes, he says that there is a time to microwave wine. Yes, he tells you which wine is best for wild sex (but because he didn’t do an index, you cannot find out which wine goes with pussy unless you read it from cover to cover). Yes, there is a time to freeze wine. No, don’t buy any expensive wines. But you can tell what wine tastes like before opening it. No, different shapes of glasses will alter wines but one shape seems to be best above all (he has done the research and sells the glasses). So: No, you don’t need a collection of different shapes (waste of money). Wine ratings are silly. Describing wine is for geeks. And on and on. As he pointedly says, “Wine just adds an emotional component, a pure sensual aspect to whatever you’re doing. It is a bonding beverage.” Just don’t overdo it, for alcohol kills. This is a good bedtime read, to relax. BUT IT DOES NEED AN INDEX. Quality/price rating: 82, probably up to 88 with an index. 16. FLOUR; spectacular recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Café (Chronicle Books, 2010, 320 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6944-7, $35 US hard covers) is by owner Joanne Chang. She’s also a food writer. Christie Matheson is the focusing food editor. It’s a basic book that can be scooped up by her fans in the Boston area, or tourists who have visited her place and want to replicate her foods in their own homes. There are breakfast treats, cookies, cakes, pies, tarts, and breads – each with its own chapter. The book opens with basic primer material plus her top 12 baking tips. These are so self-evident that they bear repeating until they are drummed into everybody’s head: preheat the oven, “mise” everything, read the recipe, weigh your ingredients, toast your nuts, roll out properly, make ahead, bake dough all the way through, and others. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is also a table of equivalents. One discouraging note: I found the typeface too faint. Try buttermilk biscuits, berry bread pudding, plum clafoutis, hazelnut-vanilla ice milk, or the dacquoise. Quality/Price rating: 87. 17. THE FRANKIES SPUNTINO KITCHEN COMPANION & COOKING MANUAL (Artisan Books, 2010; distr. T. Allen, 234 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-415-3, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Frankie Falcinelli, Frank Castronovo and Peter Meehan. The two Franks are co-chefs at Frankies Spuntino in New York since it opened in 2004; spuntino means a casual Italian eatery. Log rolling comes from Mario Batali, Paul Bocuse, and director Spike Jonze. It is a good time, good feel book, with plenty of mozzarella and tomato sauce. Italian cooking as we all used to know it. And there is lots of memoir-type material here, with stories and photos of their lives and the resto. It actually seems perfect as a guy’s book since most of the recipes are uncomplicated and reflective of grandmothers. Arrangement is by course (antipasto to dolce). The appendices feature menus for entertaining, pairing wines, cheeses, and how to fillet a sardine (always useful). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Try puntarelle with lemons, capers, anchovies, and pecorino romano. Or, a sardine and blood orange salad, gnocchi marinara with fresh ricotta, or linguine cacao e pepe. Quality/Price rating: 83. * THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 18. A FEAST FOR ALL SEASONS; traditional native peoples’ cuisine (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2010, 151 pages, ISBN 978-1-55152-368-2, $24.95 CAD soft covers) is by Andrew George Jr. and Robert Gairns. George was most recently head chef at the Four Host First Nations pavilion at the 2010 Winter Olympics. He was also involved with the World Culinary Olympics as part of the first all-Native team in the competition’s history. He instructs at the Kla-how-eya cooking school. Gairns is a writer-playwright. The book was earlier published as “Feast!” by Doubleday Canada in 1997. It’s part memoir (updated, of course) and part cookbook, with 120 recipes that feature foods from native areas of Canada, such as salmon and fiddleheads, wild duck, oysters, beaver, and bear. It is a unique book: the original was well-worn and tattered- splattered through many kitchens over the past 13 years. The emphasis is on “feast” foods and ceremonies, for a gathering small or large; it could even be a family dinner. There are cultural food notes, with specific material about the salmon harvest, bannock, and wild rice. Half of the recipes are in the seasonal menus beginning with autumn; the other half are from the waters, the earth, land and the skies. The eight menus have page references to the recipes used. You’ll need access to a lot of wild food in order to do these recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Try moose chili or moose cutlets, wild goose stuffed with apples, smoked salmon on bannock fingers, seafood chowder, spirit braid seafood platter, and any of the delicious soups. Quality/price rating: 89. 19. WHY ITALIANS LOVE TO TALK ABOUT FOOD (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006, 2010, 449 pages, ISBN 978-0-374-53253-6 $18 US soft covers) is by Elena Kostioukovitch, a translator (Umberto Eco) and essayist. It was originally published in Italian in 2006, and then in English in 2009. This is its paperback reprint edition, with log rolling by Jacques Pepin and Tom Colicchio. It is billed as “a journey through Italy’s regional cuisines”. Each region is discussed with its history, geography and culture as it all pertains to food. Wine is not covered, although Campari is mentioned. Each area has a set of sidebars which lists dishes, food ingredients and drinks. It’s an academic book, with an extensive 23 page bibliography, end notes, and two food sections: cooking methods in English for an Italian phrase, and pairings of pasta shapes with sauces. It’s a good book, long on culture and Mediterranean Diet and Slow Food (as well as pilgrims and Jews), but I still don’t see WHY Italians love to talk about food. Quality/price rating: 90. 20. HOW BAKING WORKS. 3rd edition (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 516 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-39267-6, $45 US soft covers) is by Paula Figoni, a professor at the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhone Island. She had earlier worked for the Pillsbury Company. The first edition was created for students in 2003. This latest version incorporates changes on health and wellness in baking (special diets, food sensitivities, food allergies), changes due to the switch away from trans fats, changes in the student exercises and experiments, more questions, drawing and charts, and some simplified explanations for the chemistry behind such functions as emulsification. A useful book for both students and short-order cooks. Quality/price rating: 86. 21. ANJUM’S NEW INDIAN (Alhambra Editions, 2010, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1- 84400-954-1, $14.95 CAD soft covers) is by Anjum Anand, who hosts the TV show “Indian Food Made Easy” in the UK. Here, she collates many recipes from her best-selling book based on the TV show which has the same title, along with some fave regional Indian dishes. The emphasis is on light, modern, and simple Indian food. There are over 100 dishes here, arranged by ingredient (fish, meat, beans, etc.) with separate chapters for snacks, light meals, desserts, drinks and chutneys. There is also a short discourse on regional foods, common ingredients, and basic recipes for masala, yogurt, and paneer. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Because of the “perfect” binding, the book is awkward when open, so be careful. What works well in this basic book? Tomato-poached eggs, quick brad and veggie stir-fry, chicken dhansak, Bengali fish stew, mung lentil curry, Punjabi lamb chops. Quality/price rating: 86. 22. MAKING SENSE OF WINE TASTING; your essential guide to enjoying wine. 5th ed. (Wine Appreciation Guild, 2010; distr. by McArthur & Co., 174 pages, ISBN 978-1-891267-03-1, $34.95 CAD soft covers) is by Alan Young, founder of the International Wine Academy, based in San Francisco. This is his 19th book; it was first published in London England in 1986 and has been revised and updated several times. Paul Rigby contributes some engaging and hilarious cartoons, while Robert (“Himself”) Parker Jr. gives some log rolling. The emphasis is on sight, touch, smell and taste (but can’t you also hear the bubbles in crackling wine? Just wondering…). New this edition is the concept of umami. There are photos, cartoons, charts, and highlighted passages (for the kernel material). Plus there are plenty of exercises for self- study pr as part of a class experience. In addition, there’s ancillary material on glassware, wine judging, setups, and bibliographies for further reading. This is a must read. Quality/price rating: 92. FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR OCTOBER 2010 ================================================ By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2010 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. TASTE BUDS AND MOLECULES; the art and science of food with wine (McClelland & Stewart, 2010, 223 pages, ISBN 978-0-7710-2253-1, $39.99 Canadian, hard covers) is an English translation of the 2009 French- Canadian book by Francois Chartier, a leading sommelier in Quebec and author of the annual La Selection Chartier, a wine-buying guide now in its 15th edition. He is currently researching more on molecular harmonies and wine stewardship. Certainly, one cannot beat the endorsement of Ferra Adria and Juli Soler of elBulli restaurant in Spain. He begins by identifying the aromatic compounds responsible for fragrances, and finding which ones are in common with wine and food. He takes the gustatory experience right down to the molecular level in both wine and food, and then makes suggested pairings based on the relationships. This is only the first of a series of books, as he works his way through the aromas of foods and wines. Obviously, he owes a debt to elBulli, but he takes the molecular experience steps further. There’s a chapter on sauvignon blanc and anise-flavoured foods and wines; there’s a chapter on gewurztraminer and ginger and lychee; strawberries and pineapples also have a connection. Rosemary seems to go well with Alsatian wines. There are chapters on sherries (all things to all people), maple syrup, oak and barrels, cloves, saffron, cinnamon, and capsaicin. He ends up with a molecular tasting meal with two master chefs. There are a few recipes and some menu ideas. There’s a graphic display and a white-on-black layout that could be hard (or fatiguing) for some to read. Maybe it was an attempt to get younger readers? I think that I would really like to read this book as a text, maybe an e-text, without the pictures and graphic charts and arrows. It’s really busy, and it does cause enough stress that I’d like a drink of wine after I read each chapter!! Audience and level of use: the serious food and wine lover. Some interesting or unusual facts: Eugenol is the dominant volatile compound in cloves and is one of the principal aromatics generated by charred oak barrels. Cloves also contain vanillin and other aromatics that are found in oak barrels. The connection is that an oak-aged wine goes perfectly well with clove-inflected foods. The downside to this book: my eyes hurt from reading all the graphical- layout of the text with its many colours and arrows. The upside to this book: the same layout may just appeal to younger wine lovers and attract them to reading about the quality of wine and food pairing. Quality/Price Rating: 91. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS COMPLETE BOOK OF KNIFE SKILLS; the essential guide to use, techniques & care (Robert Rose, 2010, 400 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0256-3, $34.95 Canadian spiral bound) is by Jeffrey Elliot, a Henckels executive chef and Director of Culinary Relations for the firm. His co-author is James P. Dewan, a food writer for the Chicago Tribune and a culinary instructor. Although it is a “product” book with endorsements for Henckel knives, any knife can be used. Chefs have to use knives for every aspect of cooking. Learning how to hold and use a knife correctly will help the home cook work more safely and effectively, efficiently, and faster. Knives also promote uniform cooking by proper sizing, and presentation. This book has 1200 photographs, mostly in a series of techniques. The only thing better may be a video presentation – you can find several out there on YouTube or DVD. The opening chapter is the primer: all you need to know about knives, including a useful history, techniques of forging, knife styles, parts of the knife, blade styles, and more. Henckels makes a Japanese line, and these too are included (the Gyutoh, the Santoku, the Usuba, Kamagata, Nakiri, and others). Knife care is important, and how to maintain an edge is discussed. All of this takes the first 90 pages. Basic fruit and vegetable cuts (including how to pit an avocado or breaking up a garlic head) is followed by cutting poultry, cutting meat, cutting fish and shellfish, and carving cooked meats. For those with flair, the last chapter covers tomato roses, radish flowers, carrot flowers, and eight more garnishes. No recipes. Audience and level of use: home cooks, culinary students. Some interesting or unusual facts: bias-cut slices of meat are typically fanned out when they’re plated for a nice look. The downside to this book: I am always leery of spiral binding because it is easier to rip out the pages. The upside to this book: the photographs. Quality/Price Rating: 91. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. 1000 RECIPES FOR SIMPLE FAMILY FOOD (Firefly, 2010, 400 pages, ISBN 978-1-55407-733-5, $29.95 CAD, hard covers) has been edited by Eleanor Maxfield. It’s a book packager’s opus, from Octopus Publishing in the U.K. And as such, it is pretty basic. If you count the spin-off recipes, then you’ll get 1000. Otherwise, it is one recipe to a page plus photo. For example, under Budget Meals, there is jerk chicken wings. The spin-off, in a lighter (and thus harder to read) typeface is here jerk lamb kebabs. For the duck breast with a plum and mango salsa, there is an apricot and lime salsa. These are variations. The arrangement follows style, such as simple snacks, midweek meals, family faves, one pot, vegetarian, kids, baked items, and desserts. There is something here for everyone, but it is all basic at an affordable price. Many dishes can be created in 30-minutes or so, and everything is easy to follow, although the typeface could have been a bit larger. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: general home cooks, beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: eggplant, tomato and feta rolls; lima bean and bacon soup; goat’s cheese and tomato tarts; feta cheese and pepper tarts; sesame greens with black bean sauce; Mexican pie; creamy blue cheese pasta; chocolate soufflés. The downside to this book: the lighter typeface for the spin-off recipes. The upside to this book: a nice basic collection. Quality/Price Rating: 81. 4. WHOLESOME KITCHEN; delicious recipes with beans, lentils, grains and other natural foods (Ryland, Peters, and Small, 2010, 160 pages, $24.95US hard covers) is by Ross Dobson, an Australian chef, caterer, and food writer with several cookbooks to his credit from Ryland Peters & Small. These are mainly preps for pulses and grains, sorted by course (appetizers, soups, salads, side, main dishes, and baking). The thrust is ethnic, the excitement is spicy. All the recipes are useful, especially for vegetarians. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: ful medames; Moroccan fava bean and cumin dip; Mexican taco salad with pinot beans and avocado; chickpea and fresh spinach curry; chocolate and aduki bean paste phyllo fingers; homemade semolina crumpets. The downside to this book: there’s shading on the pages with the recipes, and thus some of them are hard to read. The upside to this book: a useful bean cookbook. Quality/Price Rating: 82. 5. THE DIABETES COOKBOOK (DK, 2010, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-5139-8, $25 US hard covers) is from the editorial team at DK Books, along with editorial consultant Amy Campbell, MS, RD, LDN, CDE. Who has written other books about food and diabetes. There are 220 sensible recipes here, with nutritional analysis for each. Preps have an indication of service, preparation time, cooking time and freezing time. Much space is also devoted to daily meal planning. Useful websites are noted, such as for the DASH diet, the food pyramid, the glycemic index. Recipes are sorted by meals – breakfasts, snacks, lunches, simple dinners (vegetarian, fish, meat, poultry), sides, and desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there are no tables of equivalents. Audience and level of use: diabetics, beginner cooks, even those looking for a healthy lifestyle. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: curried salmon kebabs; spiced bulgar wheat with feta and salsa; yellow split peas with peppers and pea shoots; Spanish eggs; pan fried shrimp; eggplant and zucchini tagine with couscous; pork tenderloin stuffed with chiles and tomatoes. The downside to this book: the typeface seems a bit light even for the thin font. The upside to this book: good database of preps. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 6. MICROGREENS; how to grow nature’s own superfood (Firefly, 2010, 107 pages, ISBN 978-1-55407-769-4, $19.95 Canadian paper covers) is by Fionna Hill, a gardener-floral designer who also writes books and magazine articles. It’s a wonder that this is one of the first books about microgreens, the tiny seedlings of herbs and veggies, since they have been on cooks’ radar for over five years. Anyway, the volume definition is that they are larger than sprouts but smaller than baby salad greens. They are useful to grow in a limited amount of space such as an apartment balcony or a window sill. Most varieties are ready in a week, and they contain a large amount of nutritional material. Hill gives us data on 20 popular varieties (arugula, beet, kale, peas, broccoli, basil, et al), as well as a dozen recipes. Flavours range from mild to hot, nutty or spicy, but microgreens are also interchangeable to some extent. A recipe may call for only as handful of microgreens: what they are will be up to what you grow. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of equivalents. There’s a glossary and some international websites, but nothing specific to Canada. Audience and level of use: adventurous cooks Some interesting or unusual facts: “Flavours change as the plant grows. As the leaves open, they begin to manufacture energy from light. That gives them a change in flavour. The most intense flavour comes when that first leaf opens.” The downside to this book: a bit short at only 107 pages, large type. More could have been said. The upside to this book: a useful single-product book. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 7. PERFECT ONE-DISH DINNERS; all you need for easy get-togethers (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010, 266 pages, ISBN 978-0-547-19595-7 $32 US hard covers) is by Pam Anderson, former executive editor for Cook’s Illustrated and a prolific cookbook author (The Perfect Recipe series), winning an IACP Award for best cookbook. Her book is neatly divided into stews, casseroles, roasting pans, and summer salads with grilled platters. It is a nice concept, and gets away from just a slow-cooker or a casserole. These then are easy make-aheads, suitable for potlucks or for entertaining with unique dishes. There are some menu suggestions for quick apps, sides and desserts, plus a dinner drink or wine. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Some dishes use prepared foods. Audience and level of use: harried home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: one- pot penne with turkey- feta meatballs; grilled antipasto platter; roast chicken with sausage and vegetable stuffing; chicken potpie with green apples and cheddar biscuits. The downside to this book: tough competition with other one-pot books out there in these tough times. The upside to this book: good layout and enthusiasm. Quality/Price Rating: 84. 8. PRESERVE IT! (DK Books, 2010, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-6208-0, $25 US hard covers) has been edited by Lynda Brown, with Carolyn Humphries and Heather Whinney. Recipes come from a variety of sources, including the Soil Association. This is another “times are tough” book, joining a parade of preservation books this year. DK does it up with a certain commercial slickness that I enjoyable to read and see. They always have great visuals in the photography. The main theme here is using surplus foods: fruit, vegetables, meats, fish, dairy. There are the usual step- by-step fully illustrated instructions. The book covers jams, syrups, sausages, cheese, butters, ciders and wines – all in 180 recipes and with over 600 photos. The arrangement is by type of preservation, beginning with natural storage. This is followed by drying, freezing, sweet preserves, savoury preserves, bottled and canned foods, preserving in oil, salting and curing charcuterie, smoking, and brewing/vinting wines and beers and ciders. At the beginning of the book, there is a heavy emphasis on equipment and on safety. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: beet wine; pea pod wine; cranberry jelly; green bean and zucchini chutney; mushrooms in oil; wet-cured ham; salted turkey. The downside to this book: nothing really. The upside to this book: covers more than it says it does. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 9. FAST BREADS; 50 recipes for easy, delicious bread (Chronicle Books, 2010, 144 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6570-8, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Elinor Klivans, a magazine food writer who also has written cookbooks on aspects of baking. Here she covers breads, buns and biscuits, both sweet and savoury. It’s arranged by topic, so there is a nice chapter on quick breads (no yeast), corn breads, and another on refrigerator breads, as well as bread dishes or bread toppings. The yeasted breads use the popular quick-rise no-knead technique. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: savoury lemon-leek loaf; cinnamon-caramel pinwheels; multigrain crusty bread; Gruyere and black pepper gougeres; Sally Lunn bread. The downside to this book: I wish there were more recipes, say 75. The upside to this book: a nice collection of classic preps. Quality/Price Rating: 84. 10. PARTY VEGAN; fabulous fun food for every occasion (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 278 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-47223-1, $17.95 US paper covers) is by Robin Robertson, author of Vegan Planet and 1000 Vegan Recipes. She writes regularly for magazines on all aspects of vegans. Here she promotes some 25 or so menus with animal-free recipes for all occasions, from holiday meals and birthday parties to a tapas table or Mother’s Day brunch. The 140 dishes are extremely useful for parties of any kind; each has an indication of whether it is a “make ahead” or “Quick & easy”. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. There is also a separate listing of recipes by course, with an indication of their status as a make ahead or as a quick prep. Audience and level of use: vegans and vegetarians. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: two-potato shepherd’s pie; fava bean hummus; olive-and-caper stuffed cherry tomatoes; collard and red bean fritters; baked enchiladas with mole poblano; quinoa-stuffed Portobello mushrooms with wine-braised shallots. The downside to this book: the purple ink can be fatiguing. The upside to this book: you can still be a party animal who doesn’t serve animals at parties. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 11. SUPERFOODS; the healthiest foods on the planet (Firefly, 2010, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-55407-684-0, m$24.95 Canadian paper covers) is by registered dietitian Tonia Reinhard, who has authored other books dealing with vitamins and nutrition. Here, she devotes a page to each of some 200 superfoods. The definition of such is “nutrient-dense”, one that provides a high level of nutrients in a reasonable number of calories (that is, more bang for the buck). There have been a number of such books over the past two years; indeed, it has even reached down to “Superfoods for Dummies”. This one is arranged by food type: vegetables, mushrooms, legumes, fruits, nuts and oils, herbs and spices, grains, meats, dairy food, and beverages. She gives data on new research between each food and health, and how effective that food is. For each, she has details on nutritional content, seasonal variations, curative value, combinations that enhance their efficacy and those to avoid, how to maximize the beneficial effects of each, prep advice, and culinary tips. But no recipes. There are lots here such as an explanation of anti-oxidants, omegas, free radicals, enzymes, and minerals. Certainly, you’d want to begin eating these foods before many others. Audience and level of use: for the nutritionally alert Some interesting or unusual facts: The downside to this book: just the latest in a stream of similar books, and it may be superseded at some point. The upside to this book: there are nutritional tables and a glossary. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 12. INTENSELY CHOCOLATE; 100 scrumptious recipes for true chocolate lovers (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 218 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-55101-1, $27.95 US hard covers) is by Carole Bloom, a pastry chef and author of ten other cookbooks on desserts (including “Chocolate Lover’s Cookbook for Dummies”). Chocolate is on a roll again--I’m surprised the price hasn’t climbed--and this is the latest book. For some people, you cannot have too many chocolate books. This is a basic set of 100 preps, covering cakes and cupcakes, brownies, muffins, tarts, cookies, custards and puddings, mousses, truffles, candies, and frozen desserts. There is a glossary of terms, a list of US sources for ingredients and equipment, and even a table of weight and measure equivalents (all the preps use avoirdupois). She itemizes the different percentage values of cacao components, noting that recipes have to be adapted if you use, say, a 85% chocolate in a prep calling for, say, 62%. Or vice versa. There are lots of cook’s notes and cooking instructions. Audience and level of use: chocolate lovers, culinary students. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bittersweet chocolate caramel swirl brownies; bittersweet chocolate tart with candied orange peel and almonds; cocoa gingersnaps; milk chocolate chunk-pecan biscotti; white chocolate crème caramel; hot malted milk chocolate. The downside to this book: there is heavy competition amongst chocolate books at this level. The upside to this book: good photos. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 13. FALLING OFF THE BONE (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 254 pages, ISBN 978- 0-470-46713-8, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Jean Anderson, author of more than 20 cookbooks (The Doubleday Cookbook, The Family Circle Cookbook). She’s been a six-time best cookbook award winner (Beard, IACP, and others), founding member of Les Dames d’Escoffier and other groups, and has been a powerhouse in the field of cookery in North America. Impressive credentials -- so why then the log rolling from Sara Moulton, Paula Wolfert, and James Villas? This is a basic meat book collection of stews, soups, pies, ribs and bones, and the like, for beef, veal (shortest chapter), lamb and pork. The emphasis, of course, is on the cheaper cuts, both to save costs and to make more flavourful food. The only connection is that there must be meat “falling off the bone”. For each she describes the best way to cook each cut, along with a nutritional profile and advice on shopping, storage and freezing tips. For beef and veal, there is brisket, chuck, flank, oxtail, rump and shanks. For lamb there is breast, neck, riblets, shanks and shoulders. And for pork, there is fresh ham, pig’s feet, and spareribs. At the back there are web resources for learning more and buying off-cuts that supermarkets do not have. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: home cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Finnish layered pork and apple loaf; lamb neck slices in dill and lemon sauce; Lancashire hot pot; Andalusian shepherd’s stew; Lithuanian veal and cabbage pie; Norwegian skipper’s stew; stufatino; jade soup with pork and veal dumpling balls. The downside to this book: I was hoping for more exciting lamb recipes, but most of the preps deal with Mediterranean-style lamb stews made from the shoulder. Lamb necks used in stews seem to be UK in origin. The upside to this book: a nice book for meat eaters. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 14. 7-DAY MENU PLANNER FOR DUMMIES (Wiley Publishing, 2010, 342 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-87857-6, $19.99 US paper covers) is by Susan Nicholson, RD/LD (registered and licensed dietitian). She has been writing a syndicated newspaper column (“7-Day Menu Planner”) since 1995, and her book is based on that series. It manages to combine a number of features that are trending in cookbooks these days: quick and easy under 30 minutes, nutrition with low-fat and low-sugar, small budget, seasonal, menus, and family meals. The book covers 52 weeks, beginning with January. So if you buy the book in December, remember to start with the appropriate week, such as week 48 or 49. Otherwise, you will lose the seasonality. There’s lots of primer type material on cooking and nutrition, balance, and creating menus. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metric tables of equivalents. Each recipe is laid out one to a page, good type face and leading, with an indication of prep times, cook times, yields, and nutritional analysis. The menus are categorized, so that every week you can get something that matches “family”, “heat and eat”, “budget”, “kids”, “express”, “meatless” and “easy entertaining”. And of course, you don’t have to follow the scheme, nor the seasonality. In effect, this is a book of some 364 menus, a boon to the harried home cook for the dinner meal. Breakfasts and lunches are on your own. Audience and level of use: home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: week six provides a Mexicali Round steak, rice, grapefruit salad, corn tortillas, flan, steak tortillas, salsa, chopped lettuce and tomato salad, tropical fruits, fettuccine, garlic breads, lettuce wedge, kiwifruit, sloppy joes, baked chips, stuffed celery sticks, black bean soup, brown rice, banana pudding, green salad, bow-tie pasta, winter squash and walnuts, spinach salad, peaches, baked scallops, angel hair pasta, snow peas, Bibb lettuce, sourdough bread, fruit tarts. The downside to this book: the preps are basic, and can involve some short cuts and prepared purchases. The upside to this book: while I may not cook from this book’s recipes, I intend to use it for ideas and assessment, perhaps taking comparable recipes from elsewhere. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 15. BON APPETIT DESSERTS (Andrews McMeel, 2010; distr. Simon & Schuster, 689 pages, ISBN 978-0-7407-9352-3, $40 US hard covers) is by Barbara Fairchild (editor-in-chief of Bon Appetit) and her staff, with contribution from a wide-ranging collection of contributors (some from Europe, others from the Caribbean). It’s a basic book, with all of the classics – totaling some 600 recipes, most from the magazine but also a few that have not been published before. And it is an important book. Yet it still has logrolling, such as by Molly Wizenberg and David Lebovitz – logrolling has now become standard. If a book doesn’t have any, then the book may not be worthwhile – at least that’s how the thinking goes in marketing divisions. The range here is complete: cakes, cheesecakes, pies and pastries, custards and puddings, fruit desserts, frozen desserts, cookies, and candy. In addition to basic primer material on equipment, pantry, and techniques, there is a breakdown by degree of difficulty. Each prep gets rated: one “whisk” is the easiest, four “whisks” are for the expert baker. So at the back of the book there is a listing of preps by degree of difficulty, with each prep being given a page reference and falling within one of the categories such as cakes or cookies. The recipes are nicely laid out, one or two to a page, with judicious use of bold face to indicate important items (ingredients, quantities made, etc.). There’s also a list of online and mail-order sources (all US). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metric tables of equivalents. There’s an index, of course, and it is quite detailed, and presented in a larger font; this is a boon for tired eyes. Audience and level of use: home cooks or even small restaurants attempting their own desserts, cooking schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Valentine cake; baklava cheesecake; chocolate truffle croquembouche; profiteroles with caramel sauce; frozen white chocolate and hazelnut dacquoise; tiered almond cake; chocolate, orange, and macadamia buche de noel. The downside to this book: given that there are few photos – only 50 for the plated product -- (this is the first Bon Appetit cookbook with full-colour throughout, even though most of that colour is just different ink for text), there is no need for every single page to be clay-coated heavy. The book weighs an astounding 6.25 pounds and is thus maddening to use. The gutters do not spread, so photocopying recipes for in-kitchen use can be a trial. The upside to this book: it needed to be done, especially since there are others in the Bon Appetit series. Quality/Price Rating: 88. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 16. WILD GARLIC, GOOSEBERRIES…AND ME; a chef’s stories and recipes from the land (Collins, 2007, 2010, 320 pages, ISBN 978-0-00-736406-0, $28.99 Canadian soft covers) is by Denis Cotter, Irish author of the Café Paradiso Cookbook and chef-operator of that place in Cork. It is a reprint of the 2007 hardback book. It’s a vegetarian book, and the main premise is foraging for food in the wild. It has good application to the local veggie fare of the UK. He tells us what’s available and when, and how to use it. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. He has quite extensive notes for most plants, and of course there is also some memoir material. Try chard, new potato, and chickpea soup with lemon and roast garlic, or sea spinach with oyster mushrooms and soba noodles, or even bok choy and rice vermicelli salad with egg, apple, and a peanut dressing. English cognates are used throughout, such as aubergine (for eggplant) and courgette (for zucchini). Quality/price rating: 84. 17. THE ILLUSTRATED STEP-BY-STEP COOK; more than 300 updated recipes from DK’s classic Look & Cook series (DK, 2010, 544 pages, ISBN 978-0- 7566-6753-5, $35 US hard covers) is based on material from Anne Willan originally published in 1992 through 1995. This is virtually a brand new book since all the preps have been modernized. The whole range is covered: starters, salads, vegetarian, one-pots, comfort food, bread, pies, cakes, desserts, and midweek cooking. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, and there are tables of equivalents on the inside covers, a boon. All recipes have been photographed to illustrate techniques (each prep gets a two page spread), and there are symbols to indicate service, prep time, cooking time, and the like. A good book of basic foods, such as onion and Roquefort quiche, Asian noodle salad, tuna Nicoise salad, Nori-maki sushi, cod and mussel chowder, blackberry and apple pie. Quality/price rating: 85. 18. THE I HATE TO COOK BOOK. Updated and revised (Grand Central Publishing, 2010, 208 pages, ISBN 978-0-446-54592-1, $22.99 UD hard covers) is the 50th Anniversary Edition of an American classic. It was originally written by Peg Bracken in 1960. Here, it has been updated and tweaked, with new material by Jo Bracken, her daughter. The original had 200 recipes and many “hints” and “tips”; it sold some three million copies. Indeed, I had just read that this Anniversary Edition had already sold 24,000 copies by August. Classics shouldn’t be reviewed: they get annotated gracefully. Bracken and her friends wanted to shave a few minutes off the cooking chores, and to some extent, they succeeded. The emphasis was on quick and tasty. There was no concern for preservatives or for dairy fats. As her daughter says, you can now use fresh food or yogurt as appropriate, relevant substitutes. And everything works well. It’s all pretty basic, and Bracken continued with eight other books and many articles. So: the steak is made with an onion-soup mix, the stew with the peas and carrot plus a can of thinned down soup, and the stroganoff with a cream of chicken soup can. Some of the others are quite tasty, such as a basic lamb shank recipe with no additions or a meatloaf with swiss cheese. The book has some menus (a boon for any home cook) and some last-minute suppers. Quality/price rating: 85. 19. BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS NEW COOKBOOK. 15th edition. (Wiley, 2010, 608 loose leaf pages, ISBN 978-0-470-55686-3, $29.95 US ring binder) is from the magazine of the same name. In fact, with each book US residents can get a free subscription for one year (value: $6.13 US). Since the book is widely discounted at box stores and Amazon, with the subscription the book can be had at virtually next to nothing. The 14th edition was published in 2007. The important thing is that this is a classic that keeps getting better for the basic home cook. New to this edition of 1400 preps are 1000 recipes with 1000 photos (800 new) and 400 photos of techniques. New features include a chapter on “Cook Once, Eat Twice”, creating two meals out of one, and an exploration of new flavours to perk up basic foods. There is also new stuff on breakfast, brunch, casseroles, sandwiches and pizzas, as well as convenience cooking. Recipes have been laid out in a more eye appealing fashion, and there is advice on how to customize basic recipes. Ingredients are listed in US weights and measures. Quality/price ratio: 85. 20, THE GREAT DOMAINES OF BURGUNDY; a guide to the finest wine producers of the Cote d’Or. 3rd ed. (Sterling, 2010, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-4027-7882-7, $35 US hard covers) is by Remington Norman and Charles Taylor. It was originally published in 1992, with a revised edition in 1996 at the same number of pages as now: 288. There are 140 or so Domaines (up from 130), the best of the properties in Burgundy, with an assessment of the vintages 1971 through 2009 (all the data here was collected May through November 2009). 39 entries are new, so 29 Cote D’Or Domaines from the earlier book have been dropped. Norman was a Master of Wine for 20 years, while Taylor was the youngest ever member of that august society. I gather that Taylor did much of the spade work here, with interviews of the owners and winemakers, plus an update on the 25 important communes. There’s a page or two for each, with a table of vineyard holdings (with the average age of the vines) and some photographs. Viticulture, viniculture and wine style are discussed. There’s a lot of primer, basic information to complete the book (about 40 pages), material on microclimates, grape varieties and clones, oaking, biodynamics, tasting, and a glossary. Frankly, I would have appreciated more Domaines being listed since the primer can be found elsewhere in Coates or in Hanson. Anybody who buys this book will probably know most of the primer anyway. The non-Burgundian specialist will find the Domaine data arcane. For the Burgundy wine lover, this is a terrific book. Quality/price rating: 91. 21. THE VEGETARIAN COLLECTION; creative meat-free dishes that nourish & inspire (Transcontinental Books, 2010, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-9813938-0- 3, $22.95 Canadian paper covers) has been pulled together by Alison Kent and the Canadian Living Test Kitchen (with its team of seven chefs and stylists). The preps come mainly from the pages of the magazine, and have been grouped around an ingredient category such as pulses and beans, grains, tofu, seeds and nuts, eggs and cheese, and then forty pages devoted to “vegetables”. Recipes are one to a page, and there are just over 200 of them. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Nutritional information is listed, as well as some helpful hints from page to page. Expect a savour-flavour with double mushroom hot and sour soup, crunchy almond noodle salad, wild rice with pepitas, or vegetarian ceviche. Another good book for the home cook. Quality/price rating: 89. 22. BARTENDING FOR DUMMIES. 4th edition. (John Wiley Publishing, 2010, 366 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-63312-0, $16.99 US paper covers) has been revised to include more hip and trendy drinks. Ray Foley, the publisher of "Bartender" magazine, is the author. Preliminary matter deals with home bar setups and the base drinks. The A - Z alphabetical format has been retained, for about 1000 recipes with illustrations of what stemware to use for each drink. There are lots of charts, websites for producers and suppliers and information, a recipe index, and a topical index. This is a value-driven book in a respected off-handed series. Quality/price rating: 89. 23. MATT KRAMER ON WINE; a matchless collection of columns, essays, and observations by America’s most original and lucid wine writer (Sterling Epicure, 2010, 334 pages, ISBN 978-1-4027-7164-4, $19.95 US hard covers) is by the well-known author of the “Making Sense” wine series who is also a columnist for the Wine Spectator. This latest book is a collection of his shorter works, a sort of retrospective, all noted as to original publication source and date. Most are, of course, from the Wine Spectator, but there are also some from the New York Sun and from his books. They cover the gamut of wine knowledge, and his own interest in wines (how to taste, California, older wines, Burgundy, and Italy). He’s also an easy reader, with a breezy but literate style. You can always learn something from him. Topics also include Gaja, wine and women, and Bordeaux. There is even a Devil’s Dictionary on wine terms from 1995, although some of it can be termed “libelous”. As a writer on food and wine, Kramer has been at the top of his game for over 34 years. And the best value of this collection is that, unlike just about all the other anthologies, there is an index! Use it to track down such elusive topics as why wine isn’t art, cloning cabernet to meaninglessness, why there is no wine writing in the New Yorker, how Kramer got a $15,000 kill fee (for a Gaja article, included in this book), and much more. Fascinating. Quality/price rating: 91. 24. THE FRENCH COUNTRY TABLE; simple recipes for bistro classics (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2010; distr. T. Allen, 159 pages, ISBN 978-1- 84975-023-3, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Laura Washburn, who currently translates French cookbooks into English and tests recipes. It was originally published in hard covers in 2003 (as Bistro) and in 2005 (as French Desserts). Here are the classic recipes for French onion soup, tians from Provence, soupe au pistou, goat cheese tart, Belgian endive salad, pork in cider, cassoulet, and the like. For desserts, there are tarte tatin, soufflé, clafouti, tarte au citron, napoleons, oeufs a la neige, mousse, and parfaits. Everything is relatively easy to make if you apply yourself. Good sharp photography, as always from Ryland. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 87. 25. THE FOOD SUBSTITUTIONS BIBLE; more than 6,500 substitutions for ingredients, equipment & techniques. 2nd ed. (Robert Rose, 2010, 695 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0245-7, $27.95 Canadian paper covers) has been compiled by David Joachim who has authored, edited or collaborated on more than 30 cookbooks. It was originally published in 2005, with 1,500 fewer substitutions. The new edition also has five new ingredient guides and measuring tables, plus 50 new recipes. It’s also physically larger, with about 70 more pages. This is a solid reference book emphasizing, through over 1500 complete entries, more than 6500 reasonably approximate substitutions – all of it cross-referenced and arranged alphabetically. The ingredients are listed with both avoirdupois and metric measurements. There are 175 recipes for larder type items (sauces, stocks, spice mixes, herb blends, syrups, flavoured butters, cheese, dips, spreads, relishes, and beverages). There are handy reference charts for metric equivalents, high altitude cooking, stages of cooked sugar, pan sizes. There are ingredient tables for edible flowers, types of salts and vinegars, oil substitutions, picking apples and pears, dried beans and lentils, olives, mushrooms, potatoes, chilies, flours, and rice. He has useful website listings and a bibliography. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 26. THE BARTENDER’S BEST FRIEND. Updated and revised. (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 392 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-44718-5, $19.95 US soft covers) is by Mardee Haidin Regan, an American wine and spirits consultant with a Julia Child Cookbook Award nomination. It’s a basic book, originally published in 2002, with over 850 recipes (including new ones such as the whole slew of what are now “new martini”). There’s about three to a page, with bold face for the ingredients, making it easier to use in a setting of a dim barlight. It is an all-in-one alphabetical listing of cocktails. There are tabs for easier retrieval, plus an index for retrieval by spirit or form of drink, and a waterproof, wipe-dry cover with a book ribbon for bookmarking. There’s also a bibliography but with bad indentations. It is all kept up to date at www.ardentspirits.com. No pictures, which is nice since it keeps the weight and the price of the book down. Quality/Priced rating: 88. 27. SEASONS; the best of Donna Hay Magazine (HarperCollins, 2010, 324 pages, ISBN 978-1-55468-906-4, $39.99 Canadian soft covers) is by Donna Hay, the foodie Martha Stewart of Australia, with a string of successful cookbooks (17), newspaper articles, and her own self-named magazine. These preps in this book, originally published last year by Murdoch Books in Australia, come from her magazine. And her Canadian fans will lap it up, because the magazine is not that widely available here. It is all arranged by season, with coverage of “savoury” and “sweet” for each. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of equivalents. It is pretty basic, marred slightly by many overly touristy or non-food pictures (some double-spreaded over the book. But the oversized book does give us four or so recipes per page. There’s red mullet with cherry tomatoes and garlic crumbs, spinach and feta pies, blistered plums and vanilla mascarpone tart, mixed berry clafouti, cauliflower soup with porcini oil, roasted pumpkin and garlic soup, and three pepper pork stir-fry. Quality/Price rating: 84. 28. EVERYDAY EASY CAKES & CUPCAKES; cheesecakes, muffins, brownies, sponge cakes (DK 2010, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-6731-3 $20 US hard covers) is a collection of 85 dessert preps from the previously published DK books, The Illustrated Kitchen Bible (2008) and The Illustrated Quick Cook (2009). There’s a lot of useful information here, specifically on these types of desserts. As well, the DK photography is pretty good too. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metric table of equivalents on both the inside covers. The large print is useful, as well as a variety of icons used to show how long to freeze a dish, its prep time, and what kind of equipment is needed. Quality/Price rating: 84. 29. EXPLORING WINE. Completely revised third edition (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 792 pages, ISBN 978-0-471-77063-3, $65 US hard covers) is by Steven Kolpan, Brian Smith and Michael Weiss – all professors of wine at the Culinary Institute of America. It is meant as both a textbook for hospitality students, especially those at the CIA, and for the informed consumer who wishes to pursue his vinous knowledge. It has a fairly complicated past. The second edition was in 2004 at 1070 pages (now out of print). The first edition was in 1996 from Van Nostrand Reinhold. Meanwhile, in 2008, Wiley published “WINEWISE; your complete guide to understanding, selecting, and enjoying wine” (360 pages) by these same three authors. So the best way to describe the current book is to say that it is a book that has doubled in size from 2008, borrowing elements from the second edition and with new material by two new authors. It is a fairly complete basic guide within two covers at a decent price. There are over 600 colour photos and over 32 maps (in colour, and with sufficient detail). The authors aim to prepare the basic consumer to appreciate wines, to select and buy the best bottles in both stores and restaurants, and to pair wines with foods (and vice versa). They begin coverage with material on the major white and red varietals. They continue with profiles of the major wine regions in the world. Here, Canada is given the usual three pages. Ok, I can handle that. But (shamefully) there is still nothing on Prince Edward County. Additional material concerns lists of value wines. As for restaurant pricing policies, the authors say “the wine should never cost double its retail price on the wine list.” With a straight face, I can say that for Ontario, the wine should ALWAYS cost quadruple its retail price. An $8 bottle from the consignment warehouse is regularly priced in the $30 to $40 range. I wished they had some more details on some of the minor grapes. We do not really know which will be the next “star”. Quality/Price Rating: for this price, try 90. 30. EVERYDAY EASY FREE-AHEAD MEALS; casseroles, hearty soups, pizzas, one-pots, oven bakes (DK 2010, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-6732-0 $20 US hard covers) is a collection of 85 preps from the previously published DK books, The Illustrated Kitchen Bible (2008) and The Illustrated Quick Cook (2009). There’s a lot of useful information here, specifically on these types of vehicles listed in the sub-title. As well, the DK photography is pretty good too. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metric table of equivalents on both the inside covers. The large print is useful, as well as a variety of icons used to show how long to freeze a dish, its prep time, and what kind of equipment is needed. Try stuffed eggplants (imam bayildi) or fish and lee pie or salmon fish cakes. Quality/Price rating: 84. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SEPTEMBER 2010 ================================================= By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2010 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. VINO ARGENTINO; an insider’s guide to the wines and wine country of Argentina (Chronicle Books, 2010; distr. Raincoast, 238 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7330-7, $27.50 US hard covers) is by Laura Catena, daughter of Nicolas Catena, the winery owner. She’s also a medical doctor in San Francisco, has her own line of Argentine wine (Luca), and serves as a spokesperson for her father’s winery in North America (she came to Toronto last spring). As she says, the book “is an insider’s travelogue to the Argentine wine country. It is part viticulture primer, part cultural exploration, part introduction to the Argentine lifestyle.” It is also the story of the Malbec grape. The book concentrates on the Mendoza and its regions, but there is also material on Patagonia and Salta. There are wine and food glossaries, and nine recipes for typical foods: empanadas, carbonada, milaneseas, dulce de leche, and meat dishes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. The book concludes with some material on resources and bibliographies, plus contact information, as well as a handy chapter on touring Buenos Aires and the Argentine wine country. Audience and level of use: those who wish to know more about Argentine wines. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: about 35% of the Argentine wine production is exported to the U.S. The downside to this book: there are three sketch maps for the regions, but no overall map placing these regions. The upside to this book: entertaining history of wine development in Argentina, nicely accessible. Quality/Price Rating: 89. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. THE FOOD MATTERS COOK BOOK; 500 revolutionary recipes for better living (Simon & Schuster, 2010, 645 pages, ISBN 978-1-4391-2023-1, $35 US hard covers) is by Mark Bittman, well-known award-winning author and New York Times columnist. His own health prompted Bittman to change his diet, and so he has become more conscious of losing weight with healthy foods that take little out of the environment. If you have read (and enjoyed) Food Matters, then this is the book for you. It’s a guide to responsible eating: more plants, fewer animals, and less processed foods. The emphasis here is on “taste” and that involves a more judicious use of herbs and spices, and cutting back on sugars and salts. There is a full range here, from apps to desserts, with cook’s notes for each prep, an indication of ease or make-ahead, time involved, but no nutritional information at the end of the recipe which many other similar books have. There’s a page index to fast recipes, one for make-aheads, and one for pantry staples. He also has a bibliography of source materials on food and the planet. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginners, concerned eaters, Bittman fans. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: crisp rice cakes with stir- fried veggies and chicken; faro with grapes and rosemary; pasta with fennel and chicken risotto, bowties with arugula, olives, bulgur and fresh tomatoes; black kale and black olive salad; creamy navy bean and squash gratin with bits of sausage. The downside to this book: the easy-going non-doctrinaire tone doesn’t give any sense of urgency. The upside to this book: a good beginning for the unconverted. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. BREW NORTH; how Canadians made beer and beer made Canada (Greystone Books, 2020, 175 pages, ISBN 978-1-55365-467-4, $24.95 Canadian paper covers) is by Ian Coutts, who is a book author and magazine writer of diverse topics. Here he handles a popular history of beer in Canada. It’s also an industry thing, with stories of brewers and businessmen, starting from New France days through to modern microbreweries. It is also lavishly illustrated with ads and labels from the past, with a great deal of colour. Topics include prohibition, the rise of national brands, advertising, and, of course, India Pal Ale. While the illustrations make it a fun book, there is a serious bibliography for further reading and a useful index. Audience and level of use: beer drinkers who read. Some interesting or unusual facts: Bans on liquor advertising continued in Saskatchewan until 1987 and in PEI until 1997. The downside to this book: no real tasting notes The upside to this book: nice illustrations of the microbrews. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 4. D.I.Y. DELCIOUS; recipes and ideas for simple food from scratch (Chronicle Books, 2010, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7346-8, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Vanessa Barrington, author of Heirloom Beans. This is a slow food book, with preps made from “scratch”. Scratch includes making your own staples such as peanut butter, crackers and yogurt. Here she explains how to culture fresh cheeses and brew root beer. Indeed, she introduces many readers to the processes of fermentation, pickling, and culturing. Topics include preserving (condiments, jams, spreads), salads and sauces, dairy products, breads, pickles, and beverages. She suggests several sources of supplies, and has an interesting bibliography which includes useful websites. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents – and indeed, this is even mentioned on the contents page. Audience and level of use: home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: plum-verbena jam; avocado- tomatillo salsa; marinated fresh cheese; hal-wheat sourdough bread; fresh pasta with cabbage and bacon; sarma; Italian table pickles. The downside to this book: it’s a heavy book, and weighs more than it needs to The upside to this book: there are section on making baby food and pet foods. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 5. CHATELAINE MODERN CLASSICS; 250 fast, fresh recipes from the Chatelaine kitchens (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 391 pages, ISBN 978-0- 470-73982-2, $39.95 Canadian hard covers) has been compiled and edited by Victoria Walsh, associate food editor of Chatelaine. It’s a general, basic book, with the recipes coming out of the pages of the magazine over the years. It is hard to believe that four log rollers (including Michael Smith and Anna Olson) were needed for pre-publication blurbs. Still, it is a useful book, meant for those homes with larger pantries and larders, and with a shortage of time. The classics here have some short cuts (e.g., easy eggs benedict) and some variations. Each prep has timing, ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements (but there is no table of equivalents), cook’s notes and tips, and a nutritional analysis. All courses are covered, as well as breakfast and brunch. There is a short chapter on entertaining ideas, with sections such as drinks and menus (1l of them, but nothing specific to Canada – even the Christmas Dinner for 12 can be used for Canadian Thanksgiving). Audience and level of use: home cooks, Chatelaine magazine fans. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: linguine with spicy gremolata shrimp; spicy sausage with dilled orzo; mushroom-stuffed sirloin steak rolls; Singapore noodles; Asian burgers; California sushi-roll salad; cedar-planked salmon. The downside to this book: nothing specifically Canadian The upside to this book: the index has a larger than normal typeface. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 6. THE ILLUSTRATED COOK’S BOOK OF INGREDIENTS; 2,500 of the world’s best with classic recipes (DK, 2010, 544 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-6730-6, $40 Canadian hard covers) is a nice book package from DK. According to the publisher, the reader can learn how to buy, store, prepare, cook, preserve and eat about 2500 international foods. It’s a visual reference with thousands of photos and major contributions from such top UK writers as Jill Norman (Elizabeth David’s editor) on herbs and spices, Jeff Cox on veggies, Judy Ridgway on oils and vinegars, Clarissa Hyman on fruit, and the American Juliet Harbutt, cheese consultant. Each has a separate chapter, so the book is not an alphabetically arranged reference tool (there is an index). It’s also a heavy book because of the paper needed for the photos. 200 classic regional recipes are also here. Preparations have their ingredients listed mostly in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. The index is a gem, with leading and a larger than normal typeface. It’s pretty hard to beat the price of this book. Audience and level of use: those in need of an identifier. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: “Slinzega: made in Valtellina using smaller strips than bresaola, traditionally horse, but increasingly venison or pork.” The downside to this book: it’s a heavy book. The upside to this book: it’s pretty graphic – p.154 has some nifty pix of offal, including tongue and a pig’s head. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 7. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF JEWISH FOOD (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 656 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-39130-3, $40 US hard covers) is by Gil Marks, a chef and rabbi with five books (including a Beard winner). This is a comprehensive international book on Jewish foods, recipes and culinary traditions. There’s an interesting section on wine and winemaking, but not so much on yayin mevushal wines (the term is not indexed), nor on the distinction between kosher wines and passover wines. Otherwise, there’s a fair bit of cultural history and food traditions here. The book is alphabetically arranged, with a time line of Jewish history and (at the end) a bibliography, mostly in English, with a separate breakout for cookbooks (but he left out some of his own books!). There are internal cross-references plus recipes strewn about. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Each page has a double-column, so material is well-packed in. There is the occasional black and white photo, along with some sketch maps. Audience and level of use: food scholars, lovers of Jewish food. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the original bagel had more hole and less bread; potato latkes derive from Italian cheese pancakes; and other “did you know that?” The downside to this book: the lack of wine information. The upside to this book: good reference tool. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 8. SOUTHERN PIES; a gracious plenty of pie recipes from lemon chess to chocolate pecan (Chronicle Books, 2010, 168 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118- 6992-8, $22.95 US paper covers) is by Nancie McDermott, a North Carolina food writer with ten cookbooks to her credit. The publisher tries to describe these 60 plus recipes as “heavenly”, and that may well be, but they are not “light”. It’s arranged by season, with other chapters on old-school custard pies, heirloom pies from the past, a selection of chess pies, chocolate pies, and regional favourites. About a third of the recipes are sourced as to a particular person who developed the recipe (such as Nathalie Dupree or Leah Chase among many others). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. My wife’s former father-in-law was a Southern gentleman who came home every day from work for lunch: he always insisted on a fresh pie with lunch (he didn’t eat it all). There are mail order sources, and even a three-page bibliography for further recipe gathering. Audience and level of use: home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Cajun tarte a la bouillie; mountain home soup bean pie; old-school North Carolina rhubarb pie; buttermilk chess pie; almond custard pie; banana-peanut butter cream pie with fudge sauce. The downside to this book: nothing really. The upside to this book: good cook’s notes and memoir material Quality/Price Rating: 88. 9. GLUTEN-FREE GIRL AND THE CHEF (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-41971-7, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Shauna James Ahern, blogger at glutenfreegirl.com and author of the memoir Gluten- Free Girl, and Daniel Ahern, a chef in Washington state. Notable log- rollers (there are five of them) include Michael Ruhlman and Molly Wizenberg. There’s 100 recipes here, strewn amongst a memoir of a love story between the “GF girl” and the “chef”. The book also follows a day in the life of the working chef. So there is material about life at home and life at the restaurant. Lots of teff and millet and quinoa are used. There’s an index to the recipes, as well as a resources list (all U.S., mostly west coast). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: those needing a gluten-free diet, those who’d like a good read. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: millet tabouleh; gluten-free fresh pasta; gluten-free crackers; gluten-free polenta with goat cheese; chocolate-peanut butter brownies; The downside to this book: it needs more gluten-free recipe adaptations for foods that actually contain gluten. The upside to this book: there is separate list of recipes that is easy to scan. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 10. EVERYONE CAN COOK SLOW COOKER MEALS; recipes for satisfying mains and delicious sides (Whitecap, 2010, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-027-3, $24.95 CDN paper covers) is by Eric Akis, a food writer in Victoria, BC. He’s a former chef and the bestselling author of the “Everyone Can Cook” series (covering basics, seafood, appetizers, celebrations, and midweek meals). There are six in this series, and I guess you could call him Canada’s answer to Mark Bittman. These are simple dishes, suitable to a wide range of “satisfying” meals. But their usefulness lies in the creative planning of meals. He has the primer of how to select and buy a slow-cooker. Each recipe has detail on prep time, slow cooker time, and finishing time, as well as some options and variations. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, and there is no table of equivalents. There are plenty of cook’s notes and options for variations here. Audience and level of use: beginner or home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: veal stroganoff; sake soy braised beef short ribs; chicken wings with bourbon, maple and citrus; The downside to this book: the quantities for each ingredient are set in pastel colours on the page, which makes for squinty reading and poor photocopying. I advocate photocopying recipes for actual kitchen preparation (saves wear and tear on the book, and you can clip the recipe to a shelf or cupboard). The upside to this book: a good clean look. Quality/Price Rating: 86. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 11. TASTE BROADWAY; restaurant recipes from NYC’s theater district (Gibbs Smith, 2010; distr. Raincoast, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0486- 0, $19.99 US soft covers) has been assembled by Carliss Retif Pond, z food writer living in New York city. These are signature dishes from 30 restaurants in the district, arranged by course from appetizers to desserts (plus drinks). There are photos and engaging anecdotes from the establishments. Preps have all been sourced as to name of chef and resto. And there is a directory at the back with contact data and page references to their recipes in this book. Leading the way with contributions is the Russian Tea Room, Sardi’s, and the Algonquin Hotel. P.J. Clarke’s has just one prep given (bubble and squeak). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. The print is a nice size, and there is plenty of white space for eye ease and to write your own notes. The book is more of a souvenir than anything else, as are the best Broadway programs. Dishes include such as pasta e fagioli from La Rivista, zuppa di broccoli from Lattanzi, and venison hash from Lucille’s Grill. Quality/price rating: 86. 12. THE HARROW FAIR COOKBOOK; prize-winning recipes inspired by Canada’s favourite country fair (Whitecap, 2010, 238 pages, ISBN 978-1- 77050-020-4, $29.95 paper covers) is by sisters Moira Sanders and Lori Elstone, both culinary school graduates who worked in restaurants. Moira has a food blog, while Lori writes locally about food and wine. They have been assisted by Beth Maloney, a first cousin. You can check them all out at www.theharrowfaircookbook.com. The Colchester South and Harrow Agricultural Society Fair was founded in 1854; it is held every Labour Day weekend with a turnout of some 70,000. The 150 preps here use local produce to make plates from scratch. There are preserves for summer produce, pie bakes, and drinks. All of the recipes were inspired by the fair and the surrounding area. Some are first prize winners, such as buttermilk biscuits and rhubarb custard pie. Others are family favourites passed on from generation to generation. All of them are delicious and tasty. A full range is presented: breakfast, starters, soups, sides, mains, desserts, plus primer data on preserving veggies and fruit (sauces, jams, freezing, condiments, pickles). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Try the seven- strata salad, the Great Lakes chowder, or any of the prize-winning pies and cakes. A yummy book with nifty photography. Quality/price rating: 86. 13. THE SEVEN STARS COOKBOOK; recipes from world-class casino restaurants (Chronicle Books, 2010,; distr. Raincoast, 320 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7475-5, $45 US hard covers) has been pulled together by John Schlimm, better known for his books on beer. The book is sponsored by Harrah’s Entertainment, the world’s largest provider of branded casino entertainment, operating on four continents under such names as Caesars, Horseshoe, and World Series of Poker. It also has a majority interest in the London Clubs International series of casinos. Despite this provenance, there is still some heavy log rolling from Paul Prudhomme and Rocco DiSpirito – and even novelist Jackie Collins(!). The book features recipes from Bobby Flay and Paula Deen and other executive chefs from casinos, including some from Canada. There’s a history of the company plus lots of photos of their casino operations. Apart from that, it seems to be a coffee table book with oversized photos on platings of dishes, and fare that fits into categories of appetizers, salads, soups, sides, meat mains, pasta, fish and seafood, desserts, and cocktails. There’s a breakfast buffet-brunch and a VIP luncheon menu. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Recipes are sourced by casino and chef name. Prudhomme contributes a leek and sun-dried tomato mushroom and champagne soup and a bronzed fish, Paula Deen has her hoecakes and gooey butter cake, and Flay has his blue corn-crusted red snapper. The book will undoubtedly sell well at all their casino properties. Oh, and did I say that the book weighs 2.2 kilos? It’s pretty heavy to lug around the kitchen when doing a prep. Quality/price rating: 82. 14. EVERYDAY RAW DESSERTS (Gibbs Smith, 2010; distr. Raincoast, 143 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0599-7, $19.99 paper covers) is by Matthew Kenney, founder and chef at 105degrees Restaurant, and a TV personality. He has also authored some books dealing with raw foods, so he is a go-to person in the raw food front. He has 75 preps here. He begins with a staples list, to establish a foundation. So he has recipes for coconut milk, coconut powder, sucanat, nut flour, cashew flour, Irish moss paste, date paste, candied nuts, toffee and caramel, plus raw chocolate. The secret to raw cooking is the dehydrator – and you cannot over-dehydrate. The drier the finished product, the longer it can last. Desserts here include cookies and candy, brownies, fudge, puddings, pies and tarts, custards, cakes and cheesecakes, plus frozen treats. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Try dulce de leche flan, candied carrot-ginger cake, or cacao cake with lavender. Quality/price rating: 87. 15. FRESH FROM THE MARKET; seasonal cooking (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 328 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-40242-9, $35 US hard covers) is by Laurent Tourondel and Charlotte March. He’s the founder of the BLT chain, Bistro Laurent Tourondel Restaurants. Log rolling comes from Rachel Ray. He stresses the local and wild foods found at farmers’ markets, mostly from the Northeast US. There’s about 167 recipes here, plus menus for a variety of occasions. He also offers cocktails and wine pairings. The arrangement is, of course, seasonal, from Spring through Winter. Typical menus cover Easter Sunday brunch buffet, Mother’s Day brunch, BBQ and Picnic, wine harvest, US Thanksgiving, plus Christmas and New Year Eves. Braised rabbit legs in Chablis with tarragon tagliatelle and mushrooms grabbed my attention. So did spiced grilled duck with plum mostarda and foie gras. Or how about the aromatic stuffed suckling pig? Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Sources are all American; indeed, suppliers are mainly situated in New York state. Useful for those living in NE US. Quality/price rating: 86. 16. BOURKE STREET BAKERY; the ultimate baking companion (HarperCollins, 2010, 370 pages, ISBN 978-1-55468-881-4, $39.99 Canadian soft covers) was originally published by Murdoch Books in Australia in 2009. Authors Paul Allam and David McGuinness are chefs and co-owners of the eponymous bakery in Sydney, Australia. They specialize in rustic breads, gourmet pies, and sweets, and there are several other branches of the operation. So this book concentrates on those three forms of baked goods; it also gets an endorsement from Joanne Yolles, acclaimed pastry chef at Scaramouche in Toronto. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents or conversion charts. There’s some text about the bakery and some memoir-ish notes as well. Some interesting items include spiced fruit sourdough, light rye bread, chicken pies with eggplant and mushroom, ratatouille pie, chickpea and goat’s curd and eggplant empanadas, and chocolate mousse tarts. Quality/Price rating: 87. 17.TARTINE BREAD (Chronicle Books, 2010; distr. Raincoast, 304 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7041-2, $40 US hard covers) is by Chad Robertson. With his pastry chef wife Elizabeth, he had written Tartine in 2006, eventually picking up a Beard Award. Here he concentrates on just bread, and bread made just by natural leavening. His take on this sourdough is a younger version with little acidity, making it a sweet- smelling yeastier relative. He must be doing something right for his bread sells out in an hour after leaving the ovens at 5 PM. In form, the bread would be baked dark, with a substantial blistered crust. The crumb would have a sweet character with holes. There’s a lot of material here about his bakery (history, business, memoirs) as well as the usual pictures. We get to the basic bread at page 45, with black and white photos for techniques. Start with a starter, move on to the leavening, and mixing the dough. Everything is scaled for only weights are true measures. Preps are detailed and based on one kilogram of flour. The recipe ends on page 79, 35 pages later. Then begin all the variations. This is a terrific book for would-be beakers, and it is not for the faint of heart. He concludes with some 30 recipes for making a meal from the bread: panzanella, escalivada, bagnet vert, aioli, bruschetta, sandwiches, fritatine, and summer pudding. Bread preparations have their ingredients listed in metric measurements, meal preps have avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 89. 18. BLACKBIRD BAKERY GLUTEN-FREE; 75 recipes for irresistible desserts and pastries (Chronicle Books, 2010, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7331-4, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Karen Morgan, proprietor of the Blackbird Bakery in Austin, Texas. Here she uses a variety of wheatless flours (rice, tapioca, sorghum, almond) to create cookies, cakes, biscuits, and pies. There’s a primer on cooking without flour and a resources list where gluten-free ingredients may be purchased. The preps include popovers, pancakes, scones, muffins, banana bread, gingerbread, pound cake, ladyfingers, shortbreads, crepes, apple pies, and more. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. A useful book. Quality/Price rating: 86. 19. MICHAEL CHIARELLO’S BOTTEGA; bold Italian flavors from the heart of California’s wine country (Chronicle Books, 2010, 223 pages, ISBN 978- 0-8118-7539-4, $40 US hard covers) is also authored “with Ann Krueger Spivack and Claudia Sansone”. The former is a cookbook author with a Beard Award; the latter is a culinary set designer with an Emmy. The team has garnered log rolling from Rick Bayless, Tom Colicchio, and Hubert Keller (plus others from west coast restaurants). Chiarello runs Bottega in Napa, just one of his many food accomplishments (his resume is a yard/metre long) which includes Emmy-winning food television. He opened Bottegs in late 2008; all of the preps here come from that resto. There’s a lot of restaurant memoir-history here, scattered amongst the recipes. He begins, sensibly, with the CalItal pantry. This is followed by the Italian meal pacing of stuzzichini (snacks), antipasti, minestre e insalate, paste e risotto, pesce ed I molluschi, carne e pollame, contorni (sides), and dolci. There’s not much on wine, just a minimal recommendation for most presps such as “champagne” or “pinot noir”. But there is a section on libations and cocktails. This is followed by a list of US resources. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Typical items include his grandmother’s old hen tomato sauce, chicken wings agrodolce (yum yum), cauliflower fritto, grilled radicchio salad with tuna, garganelli with rabbit sugo and mushroom, and, of course, a killer porchetta using a suckling pig stuffed with a boneless pork shoulder. But the book weighs a lot, and the pages are 9 x 12 inches. Quality/Price rating: 88. 20. VIJ’S AT HOME; relax, honey – the warmth and ease of Indian cooking (Douglas & McIntyre, 2010, 230 pages, ISBN 978-1-55365-572-5, $40 CDN paper covers) is by Meeru Dhalwala and Vikram Vij. Vij is owner-chef of Vij in Vancouver since 1994; Dhalwala and Vij together also run Rangoli in Vancouver. Vij has appeared on many television shows. It’s a useful quick and easy guide to inspired Indian food: all preps can be done in less than 20 minutes plus cooking times. There’s a full-range of vegetarian, seafood, poultry, meats and desserts. There’s an opening primer on Indian foods at home (spices, oils, staples) which includes some guidelines for easier cooking, such as sizzling seeds or using a lot of tomatoes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. There is also the occasional memoir material on Indian family life. And some really sharp notes on wine pairings with Indian food (Vij is a certified sommelier). The advice, though, is general, for there are no specific wine recommendations for the recipes. Recipes also list three different other food to have with the prep. Try green beans and potatoes and spinach in coconut curry, steamed marinated halibut in black chickpea and potato curry, marinated duck breast with mung bean and sesame see rice pilaf, spinach and split pea mash, and brown basmati with Portobello mushroom pilaf. Quality/Price rating: 88. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR JULY 2010 =============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2010 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. PUNCHED DRUNK; alcohol, surveillance and the LCBO, 1927- 1975 (Fernwood Publishing, 2009, 222 pages, ISBN 978-1-5526-6319-6, $19.95 Canadian paper covers) is by academics Scott Thompson and Gary Genosko. It was published in late 2009, and to my knowledge, it has been ignored by the popular press, especially in Ontario. Indeed, it was not even published in Ontario. Conspiracy theories, anyone? Sure, it’s an academic book, but really, how many times do books about the LCBO get published, especially one that slags the bureaucracy that is behind its “moral” and “regulatory” nature. It’s also a book about early computer technology, to wit, the punched (or IBM Hollerith) card, which arose out of the necessity of tabulating the US Census of 1890. In 1944, punched cards were used to track Permit holders and purchases, among other things. The LCBO was established in 1927 to regulate the sales of alcohol after prohibition ended. But “if the government was expected to be returned at the next and succeeding elections they had to make their law effective”. The government of the day could not permit “it to be shown that revenue was being generated from the ruination of families or creating drunkards.” Thus was born the Interdiction List, from 1927 to its official end in 1990. 79,000 names were on this list. These people had all been sent a letter from the LCBO: their privilege to purchase liquor had been revoked. Any purchase or possession of alcohol on their part would be considered a criminal act. These people now had a new status: known drunkard. However, they did NOT know that copies of these letters were going out to every police station, bar, beer store and LCBO in their region! And their names and descriptions were being added to a province-wide circulated “drunk list”. It was a secret list, and once you were on it, you couldn’t get off unless you died. It’s an early example of citizen surveillance by the state. By 1944, the list had moved over to the punched card. They were indeed punched drunk. In 1927, the LCBO also established the green Permit book to track individual bottle purchases. My father had one: hey, it proves that he was NOT a drunk! By 1962, the Permits were gone, and by 1975, nobody was being added to the List anymore (although the frozen List was still around in 1990). Ontario was not alone here: there were similar laws and regulations clear across Canada, in parts of the US, and in other countries. Thompson and Genosko also wrote a couple of interesting sections here detailing treatment of women and First Nations drinking. It’s an academic book with some arcane scholarly references, graphs, and charts, appendix (Interdiction records regression analysis, 1953-1975), end notes, and the like. The book can be tough slogging if you are not an academic, but an index could help pull out all kinds of references for easier retrieval and reading. What a shame that there is no index, it would have been extremely useful. But there is also much more material at their website www.puncheddrunk.ca and here you can do a word search to pull out all kinds of interesting facts and documents. Audience and level of use: historians of bureaucracy, consumer profilers, First Nations, those who enjoy histories of alcohol, libraries. Some interesting or unusual facts: From the LCBO Annual Report 1928-29: “Strict sobriety and clean living is not only essential to business success, but also worthwhile citizenship”. The downside to this book: there is no index, which is a shame. The upside to this book: there is a wealth of information about interdiction and attitudes. Also, the book serves as a partial history of the LCBO and its bureaucracy Quality/Price Rating: 95. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. THE HISTORY OF MICHIGAN WINES; 150 years of winemaking along the Great Lakes (History Press, 2010, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-59629-947-4, $19.99 US paper covers) is by Lorri Hathaway and Sharon Kegerreis, authors of 2007’s From the Vine: exploring Michigan wineries. This book is kind of a pre-quel in that it covers the beginnings of the wine industry in Michigan, from about the mid-1800s to today. The authors look at a basic history of the region’s early settlers, some terroir, and vitis labrusca. Disaster struck early: rot came in 1883, temperance came along a few years later, and then Michigan was one of the earliest states to impose prohibition. So essentially the book covers 1930s to 2010. What’s interesting to us in Ontario is the fact that there were several wineries operating in the Windsor border area after 1927, producing wine for Michigan consumption. These were bootleg operations across the Detroit River. Some of them moved over to Michigan after 1932 to establish the first real modern Michigan wineries. Hathaway and Kegerreis have taken plenty of colour and black/white photos of people, labels, and vineyards. Like many local histories, the account is somewhat episodic – which may be useful since there is no index. If you know the time period of key actions or names, then you can safely dip into a relevant chapter. Still, an index is always to be preferred The book concludes with a long bibliography and a listing of 73 current wineries (with their websites) sorted by the four AVAs and other regions. There are no tasting notes or other points of evaluation. Audience and level of use: for the wine history buff or Michigan local history reader. Some interesting or unusual facts: the first vineyard for commercial winemaking was planted in 1863 in the Monroe region The downside to this book: there is no index, which is a shame since it can be difficult to retrieve information and names of people. The upside to this book: a good contribution to information about the wines of North America. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 3. EVERYDAY FRESH FLAVOR FAST; 250 easy, delicious recipes for any time of day (Clarkson Potter, 2010, 384 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-40510-4, $24.99 US paper covers) is from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living. It has been drawn from the pages of “Everyday Food” magazine which supplements the PBS television cooking series. The previous book in this series was “Everyday Great Food Fast”. There’s a lot in here since the coverage extends to breakfast, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, apps, salads, soups, stews, pasta, mains, sides and desserts. At the end, there’s a primer section based on technique and tips, basic recipes, nutritional data, and a guide to measuring. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Every recipe has a total feeding, a prep time (most are under half-an-hour), total timings, and specific cook notes. Audience and level of use: beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: brown-rice bowl with shrimp, snow peas, and avocados; grilled eggplant with yogurt sauce; chicken with tomatoes, olives, and cilantro; Napa cabbage salad; artichoke and salami sandwich; grilled Greek chicken kebabs. The downside to this book: as a book that could be used a lot I’m not sure if the binding is up to it. Only time will tell. The upside to this book: it is all pretty basic, but there are lots of helpful hints. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 4. NUTS IN THE KITCHEN; more than 100 recipes for every taste and occasion (William Morrow, 2010, 247 pages, ISBN 978-0-06-123501-6, $21.99 US paper covers) is by Susan Herrmann Loomis, author of six other cookbooks, countless magazine articles, and owner of a cooking school in Normandy France. Her book covers both nuts (almonds, Brazils, hazel, macadamia, pecan, pine, pistachio, and walnuts) and seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, flax, and poppy). Peanuts are legumes, but they are also included in this book. Both nuts and seeds are extremely useful to the human body, for a range of tune-ups from cardio to joints to bone health, and more. Edible skins add fibre. And of course, she cautions against nut allergies. This is a basic book with breakfast (probably the best time to have seeds and nuts), small plates, salads, mains, sides, and desserts. I generally only use peanuts or pecans in my own cooking. I toast other nuts and eat out-of-hand or in salads and breakfasts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. More details are at www.onruetatin.com, her cooking school site. Audience and level of use: those who love nuts or wish to incorporate more of them into their diet. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: apricot pistachio compote; nutty pancakes; almond and olive sandwich; millet with saffron and walnuts; Brazil nut fish; parsnip and walnut fricassee; spiced walnut and almond cookies. The downside to this book: nothing really. The upside to this book: straightforward book, useful to have. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 5. COOK UP A FEAST (DK, 2010, 336 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-6206-6, $30 US hard covers) is by Mary Berry, a UK cookbook author with more than 70 books to her credit. Lucy Young is the co-author; she’s been Berry’s assistant for more than 20 years and has helped to develop the recipes for all of Berry’s books. This is a cookbook for entertaining the larger crowd, usually to serve six or to serve 12. Their book tries to answer stressful questions such as “what can I make for so many people?”, or “How can I keep the food hot?” and “Will there be enough?” They begin with the primer material, followed by specific topics such as “party bites”, starters, special mans, potluck parties, Italian feasts, buffets, backyards, snacks, desserts. The setting is important, so you’ll need to concentrate on lighting, flowers, music, themes, and the like. Still, it is hard to think about making party finger food when there are many, many frozen versions at the supermarket. Asparagus, goat cheese and Parma ham filo rolls do stand out, but just about everything else mentioned here can be purchased. You might be better off spending your time slicing and chopping fresh foods and then rely on the purchased goods. Party foods are just too exhausting (been there, done that myself). Everything else is a different story, but it still takes a lot of work. Preps are listed as service for six or for 12, with two columns of ingredients, a good idea. Most everything can be made in advance by several hours, with a minimum amount of finishing. At the back, there are 24 menus (with page references) and a time line for early prep work. Themes include an Asiatic event, Mediterranean one, Italian, Sunday Roast, Vegetarian, Cold, Lunch, and more – these are all divided by the seasons, and by whether cocktail, lunch, or dinner. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is also a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: party givers or those who like to entertain largely. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Puy lentil and pearl barley soup; fennel and smoked salmon tartlets; baked trout with tomato and basil salsa; smokey sausage cassoulet; eggplant baked with feta and chickpeas; roasted veggie risotto; toffee pudding with warm toffee sauce; summer berry tart. The downside to this book: it may be useful to borrow equipment from friends and neighbours, especially for the larger crowd of 12 or more. Often I’ll place food at my neighbours until the time comes. The upside to this book: good layout and well-considered good advice. Quality/Price Rating: 88. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but ore often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 6. BBQ 25 (HarperStudio, 2010, 65 pages, ISBN 978-0-06-199023-6, $19.99 US, paperboards) is by Adam Perry Lang, founder and co-owner of Daisy May’s BBQ Restaurant in the US. This book simplifies the whole process of the BBQ: these are 25 recipes that we cook 95 percent of the time, using accessible food. For example, number 15 is Spareribs (side ribs and back ribs, often called, respectively, “St. Louis-cut ribs” and “baby back ribs”). There are line drawings for the tools required, the techniques needed (already explained at the front), the ingredients for the food and the ingredients for the spice. The cooking method is for indirect grilling with heavy foil wrapping. This is the basics. What you can do to change it is to vary the spicing as to one of the several hundred that seem to be on the Internet, do some smoking, or, if your teeth are weak, parboil the ribs to get that sickening “fall-off-the- bones” status. “Pulled pork” is covered as Pork Butt and/or Picnic Ham. And there is Brisket and Beef Ribs, as well as fish, poultry, lamb, hot dogs and veggies. Nothing fancy, but you can always get a better level of spicing as you wish. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. I like the idea of paperboards, as in children’s books. They’re flat and washable. A great book for that BBQ guy who is confused. Quality/price rating: 87. 7. FARM TO FORK; cooking local, cooking fresh (HarperStudio, 2010, 312 pages, ISBN 978-0-06-174295-8, $24.99 US paper covers) is by Emeril Lagasse, who owns 13 restaurants and has published a dozen best-selling cookbooks. His main claim to fame has been via the Food Network television shows. Through 15 chapters he explores the use of simple and local ingredients, a sort-of a local-slow-organic or sustainable-simple food plan. Because of logistics, it won’t apply to everybody, but it is a useful campaign. The book’s division is by product: herb garden, dairy and eggs, green leaves, corn-beans-squash, nightshades, orchard fruit, berries, kale-cole family, thistle, roots, fish-seafood, and meats. It’s an engaging book, with some memoir-like material and framed nicely by photos. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Large typeface and some white space is a plus here. Try bacon-wrapped quail with sausage and chestnut dressing, pan-roasted striped bass with fava-chorizo ragu, mashed rutabaga, fried okra with buttermilk dip, herbed quiche with blue cheese. Quality/price rating: 87. 8. BURGER PARTIES (Ten Speed Press, 2010, 170 pages, ISBN 978-1-580008- 110-8, $19.99 US paper covers) has been pulled together by James McNair (head judge of the Sutter Home Winery’s Build a Better Burger Contest) and Jeffrey Starr (culinary director of the Contest). It’s a collection of winning recipes. Every year 10 home cooks are flown to Sutter Home for a BBB coo-off, often shown on the Food Network. The book marks the 20th anniversary of the event; it features 16 menus with recipes for winning burgers, appetizers, sides and desserts. In fact, 19 burgers in all are covered: Albuquerque chicken burgers with jicama slaw to sweet- hot Thai burgers with cilantro mayo. Each menu has a culinary theme, such as Greek, Italian, Jamaica, Morocco, Southeast Asia, Southwest USA, or theme such as Game Night, Blues Brunch, and BBQ. Two of my faves are the “sip and slide” (a wine and slider tasting) and “Place in the Sun” (wine country–style outdoor lunch). Wine pairings are suggested, but, of course, they are all Sutter Home products. You can use the grape varietal suggested to buy other producers. I like the layout and spacing. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 9. THE SONO BAKING COMPANY COOKBOOK; the best sweet and savory recipes for every occasion (Clarkson Potter, 2010, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-307- 44945-0, $35 US hard covers) is by John Barricelli, a chef who also hosted TV cooking and baking shows. He currently owns SoNo Baking Company in Connecticut. It’s a basic book for novices and experienced home bakers as well. The recipes cover the usual: breads, cookies, pies, cakes, cobblers, crisps, and buckles. Trifles, mousses, puddings, focaccia, quiches, muffins, pastries, scones, brownies, and bars are also here. Savouries are quickly covered in 22 pages; I thought more recipes could be here, but some savouries are distributed throughout the book, such as under focaccia. You’ll need to use the index to dig these out. There are glossaries for ingredients and equipment, as well as a US resources list. The typeface is large and appealing. Indeed the index is almost as large in font size, a welcome boon to my tired eyes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. And the preps have only volumes indicated: I personally believe that baked goods need to be scaled. There are 150 recipes here, mostly the classics. Quality/price rating: 84. 10. ENTERTAINING WITH THE SEASONS (Free Press, 2010, 304 pages, ISBN 978-1-4391-8686-2, $32.50 US spiral bound) is from the Williams-Sonoma company, a book package put together by Weldon Owen, Inc. Its content was adapted from original recipes by Georgeanne Brennan, George Dolese, and Lou Seibert Pappas. It’s a basic book on entertaining, with notes on how to entertain. Spring pops up first, with a collection of some eight drinks, ten starters, five soups and salads, seven mains and sides, and six desserts. There are ample photos to show what the plated dish should look like, and pix for ideas of layout and essential dining room decorations. The idea of spiral binding is terrific for home purchases since the book will always be flat when it is opened. But I know that such binding is a pain for both booksellers and libraries. People tend to easily rip out the pages needed. From Summer, you can try corn fritters with Romesco sauce, caprese salad, lamb brochettes with mint gremolata, and an apricot pistachio tart. It’s simply a matter of mixing and matching. If parties are larger, then cook more dishes from the selection. It’s all a matter of timing. Or, nip to the back at page 296 where you can find pre-made menus (about six per season). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 11. THE HOMESTEADER’S KITCHEN; recipes from farm to table (Gibbs Smith, 2010; distr. Raincoast, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0058-9, $19.99 US paper covers) is by Robin Burnside, a co-owner and chef at Carmel Café and Nepenthe in Big Sur. For five years, she managed the kitchen at Esalen Institute. This is another “eating healthy and living well” book. Everything here is nourishing and healthy, based on her years of experience. In common with many such books, she advocates farmers’ markets, local foods of fruits and veggies, organic, and the like. Knowledge is important: you must know where the food comes from and its impact on your body. Not only are you what you eat, but you are responsible for what you eat. It’s also a basic book, with material on larders and equipment. The range of preps covers beverages, breakfast, soups, salads, vegetables, meats, breads and desserts. Most of the meats are fish dishes. There are two chicken and two turkey recipes, plus one grass-fed beef and one leg of lamb. No pork. The preps are laid out nicely with plenty of cook notes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Unlike many such books, there are no pix of the author, although I may have spotted an unnamed picture of her at a market. And it has gotta be nice living with year round fresh local produce. Quality/Price rating: 87. 12. ATLANTA KITCHENS; recipes from Atlanta’s best restaurants (Gibbs Smith, 2010; distr. Raincoast, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0546-1, $30 US hard covers) has been put together by Krista Reeves, a restaurant critic in Georgia. She’s been at it for 20 years. It’s a good assortment, beginning with notes on Atlanta’s culinary heritage. Each prep is about a page, usually with a photo. So that gets us over 100 recipes. Each has been sourced, such as the chicken from Scott Peacock’s Watershed Restaurant or the turnip greens and cornbread muffins from Mary Mac’s Tea Room. Still, I find the mundane recipes here to be out of place. Do we need another croque monsieur or mac and cheese, or French fries and gravy, or piemento cheese, or chicken noodle soup? Better it be the pan-fried chicken from Peacock or the beef and mushroom tarts from the Four Seasons, or the 39 hour short ribs from Pano’s & Paul’s. There are others here, mainly Southern delights. Lots of rich desserts and rich drinks at the end of the book. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. At the very end there is an index to restaurants and owners. Quality/Price rating: 84. * THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 13. THE G.I. DIET; the green-light way to permanent weight loss. Second revised edition. (Random House Canada, 2010, 191 pages, ISBN 978-0-307- 35832-5, $24.95 Canadian paper covers) is by Rick Gallop, who was the CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation for 15 years. This was his first book, originally published in 2002, and a New York Times bestseller with 2 million sales worldwide. It was first revised in 2005, and here is its third incarnation. Gallop addresses a very vital question: how to prepare and maintain food and diet for people when everybody has different chemistry, nutritional needs and eating habits (overweight kids, aging seniors, mothers-to-be, etc.). These are meal preps that everyone can eat, without customizing and “short-order” cookery. His book tries to improve kids’ eating habits; indeed, the book promotes good eating for every age group, including seniors. He divides food into three ranges: low G.I. foods are green, yellow (midway) foods mean go slow, and red foods (high G.I.) are a no-no. Just eat the “green light” foods, and you’ll be okay, says Gallop. He provides about 50 recipes, as well as tips on shopping, meal planning, and lunch packing. Some of his advice: vegetables should not be overcooked, for then their G.I. climbs; slow-release food satisfies your hunger and is great for diabetics. Exercise is covered in a few pages, but one cannot lose weight and keep it off without exercising. There are lots of charts, maybe too many, but there is a good section on Body Mass Index. More material is available at the website www.gidiet.com. Quality/Price rating: 90. 14. THE G.I. DIET GUIDE TO SHOPPING AND EATING OUT. Second revised edition. (Random House Canada, 2010, 101 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-35833-2, $9.99 Canadian, paper covers) is by Rick Gallop (see above). It was first published in 2002, and was revised in 2005 and 2010. It’s a pocket-sized companion to the above book, “The G.I. Diet”, and it is meant for portability whenever one goes shopping or eating out. Most of this book has been expanded from the relevant chapters in the G.I. Diet book, so if you have that book then you might not need this one – except to carry around with you. The restos are all chains, from fast food to family or casual dining. But there is general advice on what to buy and what not to buy in the grocery store and restaurant. The typeface is larger too, so it makes it easier to read by candlelight. Quality/Price rating: 85 for portability. 15. THE FLEXITARIAN DIET; the mostly vegetarian way to lose weight, be healthier, prevent disease, and add years to your life (McGraw Hill, 2009, 285 pages, ISBN 978-0-07-174579-6, $16.95 US paper covers) is by Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, LDN (licensed dietician). She’s heavily involved in the online and TV nutrition world, as well as print and cooking schools. It was originally published in 2009 in hard covers; this is the 2010 reprint in paper covers. Her main thrust here is simply to cut down on red meat. “Flexitarian” means the same as omnivore: you’ll eat everything. But in moderation and balance. There are a range of options here, such as flexible meal plans, meat- substitute recipes, and time of day. No need to completely give up meat, dairy or fat. Typical one day programs include vanilla spice French toast with berry syrup, arugula salad with figs and goat cheese, grilled primavera on rigatoni, and peach raspberry crepe. The trick is not to overdo it. Recent studies show that flexitarians weigh 15 percent less, have a lower rate of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, and live about four nears longer than carnivores. This diet book should appeal to men. Quality/Price rating: 85. 16. GREAT BEERS; 700 of the best from around the world (DK, 2008, 2010, 384 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-5798-7, $15 US paper covers) has been pulled together by Editor-in-Chief Tim Hampson. It has been drawn from DK’s “The Beer Book”, published in 2008, and covers all of the important 700 beers. There are 14 contributors but no signed reviews. Most of the beers are bottled, but there are some from microbrew pubs. There is a pix of a beer bottle for all the major beers covered. The directory- type data includes names and addresses, websites, and a mini-capsule history. There are also maps which include the US, Germany, UK, Belgium, and the Czech Republic. There are more maps of “Beer Trails” in Oregon, Bamberg, Cotswolds, Brussels, and Prague. There is an index to beers. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 17. BACON; a love story (Harper, 2009, 2010, 210 pages, ISBN 978-0-06- 197126-6, $13.99 paper covers) is by Heather Lauer, a bacon freak who blogs at baconunwrapped.com. It was published in 2009, and this is the paperback reprint. This is part memoir, part cookbook. There is an index to all the recipes. There are anecdotes about the bacon lifestyle, so the book has landed in a humourous vein. She has a tour of bacon producers, with details about their curing techniques, mini- profiles of chefs who use bacon extensively, and then a resource list to all things bacon. The 26 preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. There’s a bacon, grilled cheese and apple sandwich, jalapeno-bacon pizza, and Hungarian rice. Or try the Internet for more recipes. There are no pictures in the book, which is fine with me: how many pix of bacon, lard and pigs can you really take? Quality/price rating: 87. 18. NEVEN’S FOOD FROM THE SUN (Collins, 2008, 2010, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-00-734815-2, $32.95 Canadian, paper covers) is by Neven Maguire, a TV chef in England. Here, he has 120 recipes; the book was published in 2008 and this is the 2010 reprint. It’s a British book, so we have aubergines and courgettes without any special translation. The theme is international, but the countries seem to be mostly Mediterranean (hence the subtitle), with some preps such as Huevos Rancheros and Monkfish with Thai Yellow Curry added to the book’s pot. So it’s a basic book. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. The ink used in the listing of ingredients varies in colour but always seems pale so as to fool photocopiers. Quality/price rating: 82. 19. THE ALICE B. TOKLAS COOK BOOK (Harper Perennial, 1954, 1984, 2010, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-06-199536-1, $14.99 US paper covers) is by the secretary-companion to Gertrude Stein. They lived together for many years in France, with Toklas doing the cooking. The book was originally published in 1954 and reprinted in 1984. This is a 2010 paperback reprint from Harper. It is one of the best-selling cookbooks of all time, which may be because of the infamous “haschich fudge” recipe (“which anyone could whip up on a rainy day”). This prep became the basis for the marijuana brownies of the 1960s. I don’t have the original book to hand; I do know that the recipe was left out of the original American edition but made the paperback reprint in 1960. Hemp was called for by the recipe’s original creator (who was not Toklas). Toklas said that if you could not find hemp (a weed) then use its cousin. By the way, the index entry for “haschich fudge” is in a lighter typeface that the rest of the index, indicating that it was added later, at some point. Toklas’ memoirs cover almost half of the book, and of course, they are relevant, pertinent, and exciting to read. The preps themselves are French-based, and are home-style, such as stewed mackerel with paprika, or devilled smelts, veal meatloaf, and the like. Recipes are presented in narrative style (no separate listing of ingredients or step instructions). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. A great read. Quality/Price rating: 90. 20.READY FOR DESSERT; my best recipes (Ten Speed Press, 2010, 280 pages, ISBN 978-1-58008-138-2, $35 US hard covers) is by David Lebovitz, pastry chef and author who worked at Chez Panisse for a dozen years. He now blogs at www.davidlebovitz.com and leads culinary tours from his home in Paris. The recipes in this book are mostly from “Room for Dessert” (1999) and “Ripe for Dessert” (2003), both out-of-print. He has re-jigged with second thoughts wherever necessary, and has also added a dozen new preps. The range includes cakes, pies, tarts, fruit desserts, custards, soufflés, puddings, frozen treats, cookies, candies, and accompaniments. Despite his credentials, the publisher still thought fit to get four log rollers (including Deborah Madison) onto the back cover – where review glosses from his earlier acclaimed books should have been. There’s primer material on techniques, ingredients, and equipment, plus notes on caramelizing and a US resources list. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. And it is nice to see that recipes can be scaled. Try spiced plum streusel cake with toffee glaze, coconut and tropical fruit trifle, pear tart with brown butter and pecans, or lemon-ginger crème brulee. This is one classy book. Quality/price rating: 89. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SUMMER 2010 ============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2010 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. GRAPES & WINES; a comprehensive guide to varieties and flavours (Sterling Epicure, 2010, 320 pages, ISBN 978-1-4027-7730-1, $31.95 Canadian, paper covers) is yet another accessible wine book by Oz Clarke. It first came out in 2001, with a revised edition in 2003. The paperback appearance, revised yet again, this time for 2010, has been an annual since 2007. It has had a minor title change (dropping the words “Oz Clarke’s” from the title, as well the entire former subtitle, “the definitive guide to the world’s great grapes and the wines they make”). Seventeen “Classic” grapes are covered in depth, with material on tradition, innovation, viticulture and vinification methods, plus contrasting wine styles in a global context. Actually, he should also add Pinot Gris to this basic list, to make it an even 18. He’s too tied into the UK: pinot gris (or pinot grigio) has swept North America for a few years now. Clarke also has details about 15 more “major” grapes, a sort of a second tier, which does include Pinot Gris. The dictionary arrangement covers 300 grapes over 260 pages. The basics of grape growing and wines are in the first 32 pages. The classic grape book is of course Jancis Robinson’s “Guide to Wine Grapes” published in 1996 by Oxford University Press and now out-of-print (some of it has been absorbed into her Oxford Companion). Clarke’s book is an adequate replacement, but strangely, he doesn’t even mention Robinson’s book in his bibliography. Not only that but also the bibliography is out-of-date, with the latest entry being 2000 – it has not been updated since the book was first produced in 2001. Not everything is perfect here. He has no entry for the white varietal “Auxerrois” (which should be news to Ontario’s Chateau des Charmes winery). It is widely planted in Alsace and other places in north-east France. The red varietal of the same name is mentioned, but not the white strain. Yet it is the white varietal which is referred to in other parts of the book (I looked them up). The distinction between “Shiraz” and “Syrah” needs closer definition. On the label, the former term is used for the fruit-forward Australian-style drink, while “Syrah” is normally used for the Euro- style or Rhone food wine. For example, Stellenzicht in South Africa makes both syrah and shiraz in these two different styles, and it is thus labeled. At the back, Clarke has an index of grape names and their synonyms, as well as a glossary of technical terms. But no pronunciation guides. Just like Robinson, Clarke has a European wine decoder that lists which grapes go into which wine. But unlike Robinson, he doesn’t cover Croatian wines. The book should prove useful to wine lovers who also like to approach their wines by grape variety, to see what’s available in different countries or regions. It might have been useful to have some production figures or vintages with a year mentioned, but maybe the publisher thought that that might date the book. Maturity guides have been added for some of the wines made in the 2000s, but the vintage years on the label reproductions in the book come largely from the 1990s. Some interesting or unusual facts: “Vernaccia wines are found all over Italy, but to try and relate them to each other is often a waste of time”. The downside to this book: There is just a brief mention of terroir and yeasts. And the bibliography shows no sign of updating. The upside to this book: lots of small but useful colour photos. Quality/Price Rating: 88, if you don’t have a copy of this book already; otherwise, pass and wait for another revision a few years down the road. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. SIMPLY IN SEASON; 12 months of wine country cooking (Whitecap Books, 2010, 266 pages, ISBN 978-1-55285-951-3, $39.95 Canadian, soft covers) is by Tony de Luca, a Niagara-on-the-Lake chef-owner of two restaurants, Old Winery and de Luca’s Wine Country. His first book for Whitecap (Recipes from Wine Company) was a popular book. Here he relies on local growers in Niagara to keep him in food season after season. This SLO (seasonal, local, organic) book is arranged month-by-month. The first dozen or so pages highlight his life via his short memoirs, and his cooking philosophy. As is typical with most Whitecap Books, the recipes have a large typeface, white space, clear notes, and bold listings for their ingredients. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there are no tables of equivalents. Audience and level of use: wine lovers, Canadian food cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: for February, there is a glazed pan seared foie gras; goat cheese and winter mushroom phyllo turnovers; stuffed pinwheel of winter flounder; fennel seed and juniper crusted venison loin; rice pudding with caramelized pears. The downside to this book: the book may be too heavy for its binding, only time will tell. The upside to this book: gorgeous photography. Quality/Price Rating: 88. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. RIPE FROM AROUND HERE; a vegan guide to local and sustainable eating (no matter where you live) (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2010, 264 pages, ISBN 978-1-55152-254-8 $23.95US soft covers) is by Jae Steele, a registered holistic nutritionist in Toronto. Her first book was Get It Ripe (2008); her vegan blog is at domesticaffair.ca. Still, there was a need for log rolling from Deborah Madison, Wayne Roberts, and J.B. MacKinnon (The 100-Mile Diet). The intent of the book is to get you to eat food in season, food that is local and organic, and food that is good for you as a vegan. In other words, SLO food (not really the Slow Food Movement food, but part of it) for vegan locavores. She preps the reader through the first 75 pages with primer data on healthy nutritional food, the importance of staying local, being sustainable, and what one can do through container growing, composting, preserving during summer, and the like. Recipes run from drinks to breakfasts, muffins and breads, dips and spreads, salads, sauces, soups, entrees, and desserts. Good food all round. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Each recipe has indication if the prep is gluten-free, soy-free, nightshade–free, and/or raw. At the back of the book, there are seasonal menu ideas centered around different themes (and with page references to the dishes). This is followed by a good resource list of books, articles and videos. Audience and level of use: locavores, vegans and vegetarians. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: hemp milk; mushroom and spinach salad; springtime tabouleh; asparagus and spring onion quiche; apple spice pancakes; and an apple cinnamon buckwheat raw granola. The downside to this book: I found the typeface too light after a time. The upside to this book: page references to the dishes cited on the menus. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 4. PORCH PARTIES; cocktail recipes and easy ideas for outdoor entertaining (Chronicle Books, 2009, 144 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6580-7, $16.95 US, hard covers) is by Denise Gee, who has written articles and books on cocktails and foods. Even so, the book needed some log rolling endorsements. It’s a good guide to outdoor entertaining, whether on a porch (as in the American South), or deck, patio, backyard, stoop, and the like. All you need is a fun, frilly cocktail with lowish alcohol, and some good finger food for handheld snacks. There’s a chapter on planning (but it should not be too decorative), followed by some 50 or so cocktails and punches. Try watermelon cooler, blackberry smash, ruby sangria, or Bellini. Little bites of food include crumbles, dips, puffs, cheeses, crostini, and more. There’s a source list and an index. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is also a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: cautious entertainers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cherry tomatoes with jalapeno-pimento cheese; Greek crostini; baby crab cakes; cucumber smoked salmon sandwiches; fig and walnut brie. The downside to this book: a bit short, it could have been longer. The upside to this book: good ideas and themes. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 5. QUESADILLAS (Gibbs Smith, 2010, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0503-4, $14.99 hard covers) is by Donna Kelly, who has written several single product cookbooks on tortilla, tofu, and canned soup. Here she has several dozen ideas for quesadillas, the melted cheese wonder sandwiched inside crispy tortillas. So there is food here from around the world, to stuff into mainly flour tortillas. There’s a vegetarian section and one for desserts, as well as a collection of zippy sauces and salsas. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is also a metric table of equivalents. All of this is easy to do with a microwave. Audience and level of use: kids, home cooks, snackers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: these are mostly variations, such as BLT quesadillas, pizza style, crab cake style, chicken Caesar, Old world Mexico with potatoes and chorizo. The downside to this book: I wish she had some corn tortilla quesadilla recipes – I can make my own, but she needed to have some starters. The upside to this book: good variations on grilled cheese sandwiches. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 6. FAST, FRESH & GREEN; more than 90 delicious recipes for veggie lovers (Chronicle Books, 2010, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6566-1, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Susie Middleton, former editor of Fine Cooking, now writing about vegetables for that magazine. She concentrates here on quick methods, such as pre- or quick-braising, short sautéing, stir-frying, and quick roasting. Some preps have meat in them such as pancetta, but just over 60 recipes here are all veggie. She encourages substitution of vegetables. The book is arranged by eight cooking techniques (raw is also an option) including gratins. There’s primer material on shopping and storage. The pantry is another chapter with all those oils and vinegars, condiments and aromatics, herbs and spices, dried fruits and nuts, and some meats in the freezer such as bacon. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there are no tables of equivalents. Audience and level of use: home cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: spinach with shallots and Parmigiano; mahogany mushrooms; tomato, peach and herb gazpacho salad; sautéed broccoli with garlic and thyme; cider-braised baby bok choy and golden apples. The downside to this book: these are not all veggie preps, which could be confusing to some readers. The upside to this book: yummy looking photos. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 7. BOOZE CAKES; confections spiked with spirits, wine and beer (Quirk Books, 2010; distr. Raincoast, 143 pages, ISBN 978-1-59474-423-5, $16.95 US soft covers) is by Krystina Castella and Terry Lee Stone, both designers. The former has written other sweet books on cupcakes and popsicles. These are preps for cakes that have had alcohol added after baking, although there are a few with alcohol added to the batter. She has charts on how much alcohol is retained after backing. There’s four sections – classics that traditionally have alcohol in them (bourbon buttercream, honey-spice beer cake); cocktail cakes with cocktails added to the cakes; cake shots with one-bite cakes such as brownies, or tea cakes; and “cakes with a twist” which are simply popular recipes spiked with alcohol. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there a metric table of equivalents. The authors use symbols to indicate the type of cake, the number of servings, the baking time, and the occasion (casual, entertaining, formal, etc.). At the back, there are sections on making your own liqueurs and making different buttercreams and frostings. Audience and level of use: home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: wine-tasting cakes (merlot, rose, blackberry); rum and coke whoopie pies; pumpkin martini cakes; ginger cake with rum sauce; rosemary limoncello cake; tipsy tiramisu. The downside to this book: NO INDEX The upside to this book: appetizing photos. Quality/Price Rating: 84. 8. THE WINEMAKER COOKS; menus, parties and pairings (Chronicle Books, 2010, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6934-8, $35 US hard covers) is by Christine Hanna, a food writer-teacher who is also president of Hanna Winery & Vineyards in Sonoma. Technically, while Hanna is the manager, it is Jeff Hinchcliffe who is the winemaker (at the time of writing). Hanna takes her position as marketer and entertainer seriously; she’s a ferocious cook. Her book, arranged by seasons, has 20 menus, most four to six courses each. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Wines are used in many of the recipes, and there are suggestions for types of wines to pair with the dishes. These wines are generic, such as her suggesting a Sonoma Pinot Noir or a Gewurztraminer. As wine and cheese have a natural affinity, there are 21 preps (over one-fifth of the book) involving cheese. Some menu themes include a grillside lunch, an Eastern Mediterranean feast, an ocean-harvest dinner, and a springtime brunch. Audience and level of use: followers of winemakers and wineries. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Fall Dinner - spicy eggplant caviar with pita chips; fall lettuces with pear and pecorino; pan- seared hanger steak with porcini-merlot reduction; roasted potatoes and shallots with herbed aioli; pear tarte tatin with ginger ice cream. The downside to this book: the index is in teeny tiny print, yet there is leftover blank space on the pages. The upside to this book: good, clean layout is a plus Quality/Price Rating: 87. 9. THE ART OF WOOD FIRED COOKING (Gibbs Smith, 2010, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0653-6, $19.99 US paper covers) is by Andrea Mugnaini who also imports wood fired pizza ovens. And, of course, she teaches wood fired cooking; she’s had over 20 years experience in such cooking. The thrust of the book is Italian via the wood fired oven. Desserts seem to be particularly good if you use fresh fruit: the high heat caramelizes the sugars in the fruit. Recipes are meant for this oven, but occasionally she mentions use of a roasting oven or some other lower temperature environment (e.g., biscotti di prato) that can be cooked in a conventional oven. But otherwise, this is strictly a one purpose book. Beyond the pizza, calzone and flatbread sections, she has preps for a whole meal, from apps to desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: Italian food lovers, wood fired pizza oven lovers, restaurants. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: I did not try any recipes from this book as I do not have access to proper equipment. Nevertheless, some preps look pretty good: roasted figs with fromage blanc and grated chocolate; lasagna with tomato sauce and sheep’s milk ricotta; wood-roasted side of salmon; chicken cutlets with cherry tomatoes and basil; porchetta; saltimbocca. The downside to this book: there’s a lot of material about her school, and undoubtedly, the book will be vended to her students. The upside to this book: a single product book that is extremely useful. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 10. CHEESE; exploring taste and tradition (Gibbs Smith, 2010, 304 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0651-2, $35 US hard covers) is by Patricia Michelson, owner of La Fromagerie, a well-known cheese shop in England. Indeed, this book has been published in England at the same time. And there is log rolling from none other than Nigella Lawson herself. The arrangement is by country. Normally, in cheese books, the first country is France. But since this is a book of British origin, the United Kingdom comes first, subdivided by regions. Each country has some special cheeses highlighted. Thus, for France, there is a separate discussion on Mimolette, Papillon, Roquefort Carles, Cantal, and ten others. In this book, cheeses come from Europe and North America, with just a few pages for Australia and New Zealand. Unfortunately, one of the finest blue cheeses in the world (King Island’s Roaring Forties) was not included in the Australian section. For Canada, 18 cheeses from six producers are highlighted: two from the Maritimes, two from PQ, one from Ontario and another from BC, along with relevant photos showing the cheese. Production methods are listed, as well as tasting notes. One of my faves is here: Dragon’s Breath Blue. There’s the usual primer info on cheese and cheese making, as well as generous notes on cutting cheeses and accessorizing a platter. Several different kinds of platters are shown. Drinks and cheeses are paired off. And there is a small recipe section on cooking with cheese, making your own flavoured cheeses, and some light meals and sandwiches. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. At the end, there is a directory of cheeses covered in the text, and this listing includes some eight cheeses from “the rest of the world”. Audience and level of use: beginning cheese lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: “The reason why the baby calf fourth stomach lining is used for rennet is because the animal has to be suckling from its mother to obtain the right high acidity level in the fourth stomach”. The downside to this book: there is no index to the recipes. The upside to this book: a nice introduction to the world of cheeses, with a package of recipes, appreciation, and pictures. Quality/Price Rating: 85. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 11. EVERYDAY EASY CHEAP EATS: casseroles – stir-fries – savory tarts – sweet treats (DK Books, 2010, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-6192-2, $20US hard covers) is “based on content previously published in The Illustrated Kitchen Bible (2008) and The Illustrated Quick Cook (2009)”. Both of these books got high recommendations from me, and they contained the primer data and about 1500 recipes. Here, there are 90 recipes specifically concerned with lower cost foods, as indicated in the subtitle. Techniques pages cover the “how to” slice and peel, line, make stocks, etc. There are five themed recipe planners (healthy, vegetarian, quick, et al). Of course you may need three things that not everyone has: a larder-pantry, a mise-en-place, and food prepared in advance. There are lots of photos, tips on service and sides, plus indications of prep times. I also like the large typeface. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both avoirdupois and metric measurements, and there are table of equivalents on the inside cover, both front and back. Basics include beef and tomato lasagna, patatas bravas, feta and pumpkin pastries, and lemon and sugar crepes. A good starter book, ideal too for students and singles. Quality/Price rating: 90 (and it would be better value if it were a paperback and presumably cheaper). 12. EVERYDAY EASY 30-MINUTE DINNERS: quick assembly – fresh and light from the pantry. (DK Books, 2010, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-6189-2, $20US hard covers) is “based on content previously published in The Illustrated Kitchen Bible (2008) and The Illustrated Quick Cook (2009)”. Both of these books got high recommendations from me when I first reviewed them, and they contained the primer data and about 1500 recipes. Here, there are 90 recipes specifically concerned with quick preparations, as indicated in the subtitle. Techniques pages cover the “how to” slice and peel, steam rice, make stocks, etc. There are six themed recipe planners (healthy, one-pot, vegetarian, budget, et al). Of course you may need three things that not everyone has: a larder- pantry, a mise-en-place, and food prepared in advance. There are lots of photos, tips on service and sides, plus indications of prep times. I also like the large typeface. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both avoirdupois and metric measurements, and there are table of equivalents on the inside cover, both front and back. Basics include berries with citrus syrup, tomato bulgur wheat with capers and olives, kasha pilaf, waldorf salad, bean burgers. A good starter book, ideal too for students and harried workers. Quality/Price rating: 90 (and it would be better value if it were a paperback and presumably cheaper). 13. SUSHI; taste and technique (DK Books, 2010, 256 pages, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-6424-4, $14.95US paper covers) is by Kimiko Barber and Hiroki Takemura, who both work in cooking schools and restaurants in London. It was originally published in 2002, and this is the paperback reprint. The basics are covered: scattered, stuffed, pressed, rolled, hand-formed sushi, with vegetarian and fusion options. I am not sure how well the book is needed now, since there is proliferation of sushi places all over the world, and many deal with take out. But if you are in a rural area and the seafood is freshly caught, then you’ll want to have this book to do it all at home. It is easy enough, especially with the large typeface. Try omelette parcels, seared duck breast, shrimp, mackerel, and the like. Great pix of techniques. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. A glossary is also presented. Quality/Price rating: 88. 14. GRILL IT! Recipes, techniques, tools. (DK Books, 2010, 336 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-6548-7, $18.95US paper covers) is by Chris Schlesinger (chef-owner of East Coast Grill in Cambridge MA and Beard Award winner) and John Willoughby (last editor of Gourmet). They have written nine cookbooks together. It was originally published in hard covers in 2008 as “Barbecue”, and this is its paper back reprint. Schlesinger, of course, owns a grill restaurant, so he is committed to the procedure. Topics are arranged by meat, with steaks and chops and ribs first up, followed by seafood, poultry, veggies, etc. There are also chapters on sides and salads, snacks, sweets, and the like. Large typeface is a boon, although endless pictures of grill marks and charred bits can fatigue after awhile. There’s a good discussion on techniques and sauces. Try Latin-style grilled pork chops, Asian-flavored grilled baby back ribs, double-thick tuna steaks, or smoke-roasted chicken thighs. Preparations have their weight ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 87. 15. GEMS OF GLUTEN-FREE BAKING; breads and irresistible treats everyone can enjoy (Whitecap Books, 2010, 200 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-018-1, $29.95 Canadian, paper covers) is by Wendy Turnbull, who has been gluten-free for thirty years (see glutenfreegems.com). She was appalled at the white rice flour and tapioca starch she had to use. She began experimenting with whole-grain gluten-free flours, and came up with GEMS flour which you can make yourself (it is not a brand name). It is comprised of brown rice flour, white sorghum flour, flour from amaranth, light buckwheat, gluten-free oat, teff, plus chickpea, millet, soy, quinoa, and white/red/black bean. Her book was originally published in 2008 by a local Calgary publisher, and here it has been updated and given wider circulation. There’s a couple of dozen pages on the flour and the basics of a gluten-free diet. The rest of the book is divided into breads, muffins, cookies, and desserts (cakes, pies, squares). There are 120 preps here. But nothing is scaled: it is all volume. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metric table of equivalents. Try crispy gingersnaps, Dad’s cookies, hazelnut and cranberry biscotti, butter tart squares, chocolate fudge brownies, granola bars, sour cream spice cake, or sourdough bread. Quality/Price rating: 88. 16. A SLICE OF ORGANIC LIFE (DK Books, 2010, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0- 7566-6211-0, $19.95US paper covers) is by Sheherazade Goldsmith, a writer who runs an organic farm in Devon, England. It was originally published in 2007; this is the paperback reprint. The author is listed as “editor-in-chief” which seems to imply that other people wrote the material. But I don’t see any writing references, although there are many acknowledgements to photographers. The book is in three parts: what you can do to be eco-friendly if you don’t have a yard; what you can do if you have a patio or a small yard; and what you can do if you have a large yard or field or even community garden. Under the latter, there are 33 activities, ranging from keeping some chickens (illegal in Toronto), making simple preserves, nourishing the soil, to using up a glut of tomatoes, planting a vine or simply creating a pond for wildlife. There’s about 90 activities in the book. At the very least (with no yard), one can bake bread, check the label, make flavoured oils and vinegars, and shop ethically. Commonsense will win out. This is a very good book, with a few recipes (all indexed in italics). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. The bibliography could use an update. Quality/Price ratio: 89. 17. CURRY CUISINE; fragrant dishes from India, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia (DK Books, 2010, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-6207-3 $22.95 CAD soft covers) is a book package with nine authors, each one responsible for a different country. It was originally published in 2006, and this is the paperback reprint. Sri Owen, a cookbook writer for the past four decades, wrote the chapter on Myanmar and Maritime SE Asia, while David Thompson (who wrote the award-winning book “Thai Food” in 2002) covers, of course, Thailand. Eighteen regions in all are included: (beyond the subtitle) Africa, Caribbean, Britain and Japan, and all with kitchen memoirs by the authors, cooking methods, and cook’s notes of tips. This is a book about curry migration through the world. The publisher also advises that “Every recipe in Curry Cuisine is both authentic and user-friendly. Tried and tested by experts using widely available ingredients, exquisite flavors and successful results are guaranteed.” No weasel words there...180 recipes cover the key dishes, the sides and the accompaniments. Unfortunately for us in Canada, the source list is all US and UK only. The book concludes with a food glossary. Try katsu curry (pork or chicken); shrimp balti; saraman (ginger beef curry); green curry of coconut heart; chickpea pilaf; tamarind rice; or lamb with winter vegetables and spinach. The volume measurements are in avoirdupois only while the weight measurements are in both avoirdupois and metric scales. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 18. THE PRACTICAL HOMESTEAD; the backyard handbook for growing food, raising animals & nurturing your land (DK Books, 1998, 2010, 192 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-6213-4, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Paul Heiney, currently a part-time farmer. It was originally published in 1998 as “Country Life”. It is an open-and-shut quick guide to creating a sustainable life style via your own farm, getting back to the roots. A small farm would suffice. Select food topics include: making cider, churning butter, harvesting honey, growing grain, grinding flour, selecting poultry, curing bacon, spinning wool, making cheese, canning, winemaking, plus others. Each has a couple of pages loaded with advice and photos and charts. Larger material deals with working the soil, planning the year, making compost, sowing seeds, and restoring a pond. It is pretty good stuff, with primer advice for the beginner. Nothing much has changed in farm life in the past dozen years, so most of the reprint still stands. Quality/Price rating: 86. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR MAY 2010 =========================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2010 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! 1. 101 BLENDER DRINKS (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 128 pages, ISBN 978-0- 470-50513-7, $16.95US hard covers) is by Kim Haasarud, a beverage consultant and cocktail designer who has also written a series of “101” drink books on margaritas, champagne cocktails, martinis, and sangrias. Here she takes her formula and applies it to blender drinks. While the drinks all feature alcohol, this can be toned down or even eliminated. Obviously, she goes beyond the slushy daiquiris and margaritas. There are some classics and new creations here. One of the driest concoctions here is a Pimm’s Freeze (cucumber, strawberry and Pimm’s Cup No. 1). Even regular cocktails can benefit from adding icy slush during the summer. She begins with a primer on blending, followed by a selection of syrups, purees, whipped milks and creams, and ground spices. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: cocktails lovers sitting around a pool/patio/deck/etc. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pink flamingo ice; sake to me; stone fruit purees; strawberry-banana daiquiri; tropical blush sangria; antiox pom crush; blackberry bramblicious; detox daze (no alcohol). The downside to this book: in hard covers, it is a tad too heavy for summertime and patios/pools. It might have worked better as a paperback. The upside to this book: out just in time for summer. Quality/Price Rating: 88. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 2. SOUTH SHORE TASTES; recipes from the best restaurants on Nova Scotia’s South Shore (Nimbus Publishing, 2010, 74 pages, ISBN 978-1- 55109-751-0, $22.95 CAD paper covers) is by food critic and writer Liz Feltham. She collected recipes from two dozen restos from Peggy’s Cove to Liverpool and Yarmouth. These are all local dishes featuring local foods. It’s a bit of a tourist guide as well since there are photos of both plated foods and the surrounding landscape-seascape. Other books in the series cover PEI, Annapolis Valley, and Cape Breton. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. There’s no index, but there is a table of contents for quick access. Naturally, seafood forms the basis of the collection, but all courses are represented. There’s a map with locations, and directory of addresses. All of the restos except one are located on the scenic Lighthouse Route. Farmers’ markets and wineries plus bakeries are also listed. A good souvenir of Nova Scotia. Quality/Price rating: 85. 3. IN THE GREEN KITCHEN; techniques to learn by heart (Clarkson Potter, 2010, 152 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-33680-4, $28US hardbound) is by Alice Waters, who has always championed sustainability and local foods for over 40 years. Here she gives her cooking techniques plus 50 recipes, most from her friends Debby Madison, Paul Bertolli, Rick Bayless, David Tanis, Charlie Trotter, et al. No need for logrolling here! Proceeds from this book will benefit the Chez Panisse Foundation. The blurb says that “Alice demystifies the basics” – huh?? Do basics need demystifying? There are lots of pix of chefs and plated and raw foods. An interesting book but it is puffed up with lots of non-obligatory pictures (the same chef portraits are used twice). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. The best part of the book deals with an organic pantry. Try tomatillo salsa, the grand aioli, buttered couscous, or even whole-wheat spaghetti with kale. The book works if it urns people on to more SLOF food (season, local, organic and fresh). Quality/Price rating: 86. 4. THE GOOD STUFF COOKBOOK; burgers, fries, shakes, wedges, and more (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-52792-4, $24.95 US paper covers) is by CIS-grad Spike Mendelsohn, a fan fave on Top Chef TV show and now owner of Good Stuff Eatery in Washington, DC. There is log rolling from Tom Colicchio and Rachael Ray. Material is derived from resto, and there are 120 preps here. Most deal with Guy Food (as in the book’s subtitle), and thus are relatively easy to prepare. He begins with a dozen mayo recipes, followed by salad wedges, fry sides and other fritters from zucchini or bacon-wrapped asparagus. Almost two dozen burger recipes come next, followed by sixteen floats, malts and shakes. Then there are v20 desserts and some party foods. As I said, this is Guy Food, and all Guys need to know how to make these items before moving on. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 86. 5. BROMBERG BROTHERS BLUE RIBBON COOKBOOK (Clarkson Potter, 2010, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-40794-8, $35 US hard covers) is by Bruce and Eric Bromberg, who began the Blue Ribbon nine-restaurant chain in NYC in 1992. Melissa Clark is the focusing food writer; she’s been involved in over 26 cookbooks. Log rolling comes from Anthony Bourdain, Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, and Tom Colicchio. But points off for glosses by Julianna Margulies and Lance Armstrong (in the food world, who they?). It’s a basic book, based on their restos serving American home cooking. So you’ll find braised beef short ribs, herb-roasted chicken, Reuben sandwiches, collard greens, and others – each with a twist or spin. All courses are covered, from snacks and soups to desserts. There are also separate sections on breakfasts and brunches and sandwiches. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Some websites are listed for sourcing materials. A good basic book for their fans and others. Quality/Price rating: 86. * THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 6. 250 HOME PRESERVING FAVORITES; from jams & jellies to marmalades & chutneys (Robert Rose, 2010, 384 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0237-2, $24.95 Canadian soft covers) is by Yvonne Tremblay, a four-time winner of the Grand Champion Jam and Jelly Maker Award at the Royal Winter Fair (Toronto). This is an updated version of her earlier “Prizewinning Preserves” (published in 2001), and she has now extended the number of preps to 250, up from 152. She covers the range, as indicated in the subtitle, to also include conserves, butters, no-cook varieties and sugar-free varieties. She begins with a comprehensive primer on preparing, setting, and saving home preserves with the latest in canning techniques and equipment. Besides the different types of preserves, she also has some preps on using them, such as cream tea scones or empire cookies or apricot ladder braid. About 17 recipes are from other prizewinners, all named. What makes her book so valuable, though, is her use of multiple fruits in many preps, such as strawberry rhubarb orange jam or raspberry gooseberry red currant jam. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. At the end, there is a list of resources, principally websites. She even has a listing of sites where one can download free templates for jar labels. Quality/Price rating: 89. 7. JOHN SCHREINER’S OKANAGAN WINE TOUR GUIDE. Revised and updated third edition (Whitecap, 2010, 318 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-014-3, $19.95 Canadian paper covers) is by the renowned B.C. writer who has written many books about B.C. and Canadian wines, as well as snapping up major writing awards in this area. He’s been busy in the past few years, crafting works on Canadian wines (in general) and on BC wines. The publisher claims that Schreiner has added 60% new material to this third edition, yet the price has remained the same – and 54 more pages were added. This tour guide includes the Similkameen Valley as well, which is the most southerly wine region in BC but only 5% the size of the Okanagan. A dozen wineries are described in that valley, but unfortunately there is just an insert map to the Similkameen. Schreiner describes the sub-regions, and this is followed by an alphabetical order to the 146 (up from 110 in the last edition) wineries themselves including others not yet producing. For each, there is a description and commentary, followed by some specific but brief notes on a few of the wines. A picture of the owner and/or winemaker appears, as well as the date opened, address, phone numbers, website, and times of day open. Schreiner concludes with a vineyard census, general production figures, and a glossary of heavy-duty words such as “micro- oxygenation”. The most popular grape in BC is still Merlot (17.49%), followed by Pinot Gris (10.24%), Chardonnay (9.56%), Pinot Noir (8.75%), Cabernet Sauvignon (7.51%), and Gewurztraminer (7.10%). The black and white photos are still on the dark side. Quality/Price Rating: 89. ++---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR APRIL 2010 ============================================= By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2010 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. GOOD BETTER BEST WINES; a no-nonsense guide to popular wines (Alpha Books, 2010; distr. Penguin, 238 pages, ISBN 978-1-59257-977-8, $12.95 US, soft covers) is by Carolyn Evans Hammond, wine writer and sommelier. Her first book was “1000 Best Wine Secrets”. Here, she has produced the latest guide to best-selling wines in the USA, but with an engaging format. She has categorized the wines by grape variety such as Merlot or Pinot Grigio or a blend. Then she further subdivides by nationally distributed price ranges such as $5 to $7.99, $8 to $10.99, and $11 to $15. Then her last category is to pick wines in each reference area (such as a Chardonnay for $10.99) and give us her notes on these wines: the good, better and best of the title. Her cut off was $15, except for dessert wines. In Canada, this would be $20 to $25. And of course, you know that American stores widely discount best-selling wines as loss-leaders, and give case discounts. None of this happens in Canada, so we’ll just have to play along. Quite a few of the wines are available in Canada, since these are (after all) “best-selling” popular wines. But since most Americans drink domestic wines, there are (for Canada) a disproportionate number of US wines. There are no Canadian wines, which (if you included Cellared in Canada products) would lead to Ms. Hammond’s next book, on Canadian wines, “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”. There is the usual thumbnail primer on wine basics, on why we drink what we drink, notes on the varieties, many sidebars of interesting information, and some choices for bargain wines and party wines. “Parties” include wedding reception (an invaluable guide here for the upcoming June brides), dinner party, cocktail party, BBQ, beach/cottage/pool, garden party, and banquets. Each wine is illustrated with a small black and white pix of the bottle and label for shelf recognition. Audience and level of use: regular wine drinkers looking for suggestions on trading up or trying new wines. Its size makes it very convenient to take with you into a wine store, hoping to spot a sale. Some interesting or unusual facts: The quality of everyday wines has never been better. The downside to this book: lacks an index, so there is no easy way to find out what she thinks about a wine. Also, a quick check through an index would make it easier to correlate with a wine that is on sale. The upside to this book: a great way to pick up basic wine knowledge without breaking the bank. It’s “back to basics”, “learn the rules before you break the rules”. Have a clear understanding of what wines you yourself like at this moment before moving on. Quality/Price Rating: 91. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. EDIBLE; a celebration of local foods (John Wiley & Co., 2010, 324 pages, $29.95 US hard covers) has been pulled together Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian, cofounders of Edible Communities Publications. It’s a combo cookbook and sustainable living guide, with all sorts of material about local farms scattered throughout North America. Edible Communities are a series of 60 magazines published in most of the large urban centres. Two are in Canada (Edible Toronto and Edible Vancouver). All are freely available via the web site www.ediblecommunities.com. So this book has gathered “stories” from six American regions (the two Canadian mags are in Northeast and Pacific Northwest). The stories concern locals such as Ahiwenzie’s Fish & More, a family business fishing in Georgian Bay (Edible Toronto) or Joe S. Sausage from Albuquerque (Edible Santa Fe) who regular wins awards for his red hots. You cannot get much local than this. The 74 recipes come next, and they are divided by season beginning with spring. At the back, there is a recipe index by region, a listing of all 60 Edibles, and a general index. Audience and level of use: those foodies curious about local farmers and businesses around the continent. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: glazed lamb chops (Edible Hawaiian Islands); linguine with clams (Edible Seattle); strawberry shortcakes (Edible Ojai); harvest cake with cider-cinnamon frosting (Edible Rhody); braised pomegranate chicken with walnuts (Edible East Bay); egg noodles with fresh spring veggies (Edible Portland OR). The downside to this book: Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. The upside to this book: good looking photos of people and products, all in colour on matte paper (so the book does not weigh a ton). Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. PIG; king of the southern table (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 424 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-19401-0, $34.95 US hard covers) is by that irrepressible Southern gentleman, James Villas, a long time food editor, author of over 15 cookbooks (most dealing with the US south), and winner of two Beard awards. Even with this list of credits, he seems to need logrolling help from Jean Anderson and others doing Southern writing. There are over 300 preps here, from every region and state of the US south. Here’s a chance to live high off the hog. But today’s pigs are not your father’s pigs: they are smaller and leaner, and many of them are organically and humanely raised. His main reference point is his home state of North Carolina, but he has an engaging section on pig basics, the primer from head to tail (but minus the squeal) plus a glossary, a bow to country hams such as Smithfield loaded with salt, BBQ (of course), and bulk pork sausage. Strewn throughout are bits and pieces of remembrances, sort-of like a memoir. Through it all he covers pork hocks, pigtails, trotters, bellies, fatback, boudin sausage, bacon, salt pork – all the really good stuff. There are some colour photos, but they all have a lot of biscuits, potatoes and gravies around the finished pork dish. Contents proceed from appetizers through soups and chowders, gumbos, stews, casseroles, chops, steaks, pies, hashes, roasts, ham, sausage, bacon, BBQ and ribs, and variety meats. Breads, veggies and rice complete the accompaniments. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: the meat specialist, the pork lover. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Gentleman Jack’s BBQ country-styled ribs; eggs and pig’s brains; crusted pigs’ ears; Cajun pig tails with field peas; Georgia-style BBQ pork chops; shredded BBQ pork. The downside to this book: you can only eat so much. The upside to this book: a good reference book, loaded with accessible data. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 4. THE BARBECUE COLLECTION; Canadian Living (Transcontinental Books, 2010, 552 pages, ISBN 978-0-9809924-9-6, $$29.95 Canadian, soft covers) is by Andrew Chase, food editor of Homemakers and food contributing editor to Canadian Living. His book comes from the Canadian Living Test Kitchen, and promises “the best barbecue recipes from our kitchen to your backyard”. Of course the basics are covered, along with brochettes, kabobs, burgers, sausages, patties, steaks, chops, ribs, roasts, poultry, fish, seafood, and grilled pizza. There is also room in this book for vegetables and cheese, salads and sides, sauces, marinades and rubs. Something for everyone, beginning with a discussion on gas or charcoal and all tools needed. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Many of the recipes come from Andrew Chase himself, plus Canadian Living and Homemakers. Audience and level of use: homemakers, those who want a complete BBQ book. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: garlic & anchovy stuffed pork tenderloins; Thai grilled chicken; Hoisin chicken burnished; BBQ rabbit; Portuguese grilled sardines with potatoes and peppers; Texas BBQ brisket; Mexican pork shoulder. The downside to this book: the binding looks sturdy enough, but this is a fat and heavy book, more suited to hard covers (where a cracked book will still be intact). It needs to be kitchen tested for beyond one season of use. The upside to this book: the layout is pretty good, with plenty of white space and leading. The ingredients are listed in bold, and the font is very readable and big. There is nutritional data for each prep. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 5. MELISSA’S EVERYDAY COOKING WITH ORGANIC PRODUCE (John Wiley & Co., 2010, 336 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-37105-3, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Cathy Thomas, food columnist at the Orange County Register. In 1984, Melissa’s World Variety Produce Inc was formed; it was named after the founders’ daughter. It is a leading distributor of fruits and veggies in the US, primarily to restaurants and other trade places. This is Thomas’ second book for Melissa. She gives us overviews of the 57 most commonly available fruits and veggies (with variations by variety), about 225 recipes with variations and quick-prep ideas, plus the usual basics of shopping and storage, with serving suggestions and nutritional info. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: those concerned about food sustainability, organic food eaters. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pork chops with curry- apricot sauce; nuthouse chicken with roasted bananas; broccoli, beef, and brown rice combo; leek and tarragon soup with melted brie cheese; couscous with plumcots and mint. The downside to this book: I’m uncomfortable with logos and trademarks on my food; the beginning of the book is a bit of an infomercial, but then it goes away. The upside to this book: photographs show intense colour. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 6. ROSE REISMAN’S FAMILY FAVOURITES (Whitecap, 2010, 392 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-006-8, $29.95 Canadian soft covers) is by the indefatigable Rose Reisman, author of some 17 other cookbooks. But despite her creds through a catering company, home delivery, involvement with Pickle Barrel, and Breakfast for Learning, the publisher feels that she still needs logrolling. There are 4 on the back cover, including Mark McEwan, Michael Smith, and Bonnie Stern, and 8 more at the front, including TV hosts and a Senator (not a hockey player)! I really don’t see a need for any of these, but then I’m only a reviewer, not a marketer. Reisman proposes healthy meals for those who matter most. Here are 270 quick and nutritious recipes for the family. There’s a crash course in nutrition and why it is so important, what are the best foods for families , and how make meals a family affair – there are about 40 pages here. There is even some material on how to pack a lunch for the kids (and yourself).The preps that follow cover all courses and all types of food: breakfast, appetizers, salads, soups, sandwiches, vegetable side dishes, meats and seafood, desserts, slow cooker, and thirty pages of children’s faves. Each recipe comes with some kind of advice and tip in a sidebar (actually a midline bar?) plus the usual per serving nutritional data. Most preps have only a few steps, and there is plenty of white room )and large printing) to allow for visual relief and addition of your own comments. The book is probably also being pitched to the US market since there are only avoirdupois measurements used in the recipes. There is, of course, a table of metric equivalents at the back. There are coloured tabs which are useful in locating sections of the book, but the index is also thorough and useful. Audience and level of use: families, those who also use Stern and Lindsay. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chocolate and cashew cream cheese pie; pizza quesadillas; pesto chicken; beef, bok choy and oyster mushroom stir-fry; turkey and sautéed corn chili with white cheddar cheese; hummus soup with feta and black olives. The downside to this book: I have to assume that the binding will hold, since it is a paperback and the paper is heavy. Just be careful, don’t bend back the book. The upside to this book: this book supports Breakfast for Learning, which helps local communities start and sustain programs that provide breakfast, lunch and snacks to students. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 7. THE BIG SUMMER COOKBOOK; 300 fresh, flavorful recipes for those lazy hazy days (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 337 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-11427-8, $24.95 US soft covers) is by Jeff Cox, author of 17 books about organic food, wine, and gardening. He was a managing editor of Organic Farming – you can find more details at organicfoodguy.com. This is a staples book of basic summer food preps (he even has a section on homemade summer staples: sauces, condiments, dressings, marinades, and the like). He has a lot of ideas on menu creation for lunches, brunches, visits to the beach, picnics, and other outdoors activities. His food emphases are on fresh veggies, herbs, and fruits since summer is THE season. He encourages us to eat more of these during this season, in addition to perhaps using meats as a garnish. Preps are marked with icons to help identify quick-cooking recipes, ones that can be made ahead, and ones that require no cooking at all. Informative sidebars are liberally distributed. As well, he has some anecdotal tales to amuse us. All courses are covered from apps to desserts, with material on drinks, 19 menus (with page references), picks at farmers’ markets, and a listing of recipes by both icon and by summer ingredient. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: those looking for a summery cookbook. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: peachberry almond galette; pssta primavera salad; summer stone fruit tart; lobster salad; cold summer squash soup; caponata; melon-lime salad. The downside to this book: the orange and green colours of the typeface grate after awhile, and the recipes may be hard to read in some cases, depending on your eyesight. The upside to this book: from time to time there are wine suggestions. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 8. THE COMPLETE ROOT CELLAR BOOK; building plans, uses, and 100 recipes (Robert Rose, 2010, 264 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0243-3, $27.95 Canadian, paper covers) is by Steve Maxwell, a home improvement author with his own root cellar, and Jennifer MacKenzie, a professional home economist, author and editor. Together they present 30 easy-to-follow illustrated plans for all kinds of storage, plus 100 recipes to use the “roots”. The variety of storage includes cold rooms, storage containers, basement cellars, stand-alone cellars, outdoor structures, cellars for condos and townhouses, and cellars for a warmer climate. They have a huge list of fruits and veggies, and for each there are notes on optimal storage conditions for both outdoor and indoor storage, storage life in a cellar, plus what to do when the food starts to deteriorate. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, and there is no table of equivalents. The book concludes with a resources list and a bibliography. Audience and level of use: the adventuresome, those who want to create their own cold rooms. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: beets that have gone soft during storage are still good to eat after they are boiled. Try sauerkraut, vegetable pot pie, sage butter parsnip soufflé, or roasted onion and potato soup. Even a rumtopf. The downside to this book: I think the book needs a little more hand holding in the pest control section. The upside to this book: there are many applications here for wine cellars too. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 9. THE GLORIOUSLY GLUTEN-FREE COOKBOOK; spicing up life with Italian, Asian, and Mexican recipes (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 238 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-44088-9, $19.95 US soft covers) is by Vanessa Maltin, Food & Lifestyle Editor for Delight Gluten Free Magazine. Three chefs helped to contribute recipes: Keith Brunell (Italian), Katie Chan (Asian), and Edgar Steele (Mexican). Maltin completes the package with a primer on celiac disease, living on a gluten-free diet, and some gluten-free desserts. She also has a list of celiac disease resources and three indexes (one for dairy-free recipes, one for vegetarian recipes, and a general index). Pantries are suggested for each cuisine. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Basic sauces are covered, asa well as risottos, pasta, pizza, rice and noodles, sushi, and the like. Audience and level of use: those who need a gluten-free diet. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: moo shu beef; rd snapper with fresh salsa and quinoa; empanadas; grilled salmon and green curry risotto; eggplant rollatini; calzones. The downside to this book: the purple and green typeface colours can be distracting. The upside to this book: useful to have some ethnic tasty food. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 10. FOOD STYLING; the art of preparing food for the camera (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 398 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-08019-1, $75 US hard covers) is by Delores Custer, a freelance food stylist since 1978. She styles in all media and has taught courses around the world. She has major food clients such as Budweiser, General Mills, Kraft Foods and ConAgra. More about her can be found at delorescuster.com. The book has been highly anticipated. There’s nothing much I can say about the basic contents beyond what the publisher tells us on the flap: the food stylist considers, plans, and perfects every detail of the presentation of food, whether in stages or plated as a final. Custer brings 30 years of experience styling for advertising, magazines, books, television, and film. Plus she has taught all of this at New York University, CIA, Institute of Culinary Education, and others. In essence, then, this is a definitive reference book, with detailed information on essential tools and useful equipment, step-by-step guidance on achieving the perfect shot, an a collection of ideas for tricks and techniques to bring out the best of the plated food. Everything is laid out in text- book fashion, which promotes bites of data on a couple of pages or so. The detail goes through a history, basic primer, ethics (to enhance, to stretch or to cheat?), editorial vs. advertising, types of media, who you work with – all in the first 30 pages. Half of the book is about facing the challenges of food by ingredient: fruit, veggies, herbs, edible flowers, dairy products, breakfast foods, sandwiches, soups, meats, grilled food, etc. She had also done a project 10 years ago about the last fifty years of food styling, complete with archival photos. Here, she updates it to cover 1950-2010, adding ten years and complete with timelines. At the back, there is a glossary, a list of resources (magazines, directories, and books: it is up-to-date as Gourmet is not here, but Canadian and Brit mags are). Internet resources are exhaustively detailed, as are organizations and sources of supply. Audience and level of use: professional photographers and food presenters, libraries, and the curious public. Some interesting or unusual facts: mortician’s wax is a clear sticky substance and it holds foods in place or gives height. Use petroleum jelly (Vaseline) as a clear glue to add crumbs to or fill in gaps in cakes and piecrusts. The downside to this book: it is heavy, with all the photos on that paper – 2 kilos weight (4.5 pounds) The upside to this book: the photos, of course, are stunning. Quality/Price Rating: as a text, it is very comprehensive, so 94. 11. THE BEER TRIALS; the essential guide to the world’s most popular beers (Fearless Critic Media, 2010; distr. T. Allen, 312 pages, ISBN 978-1-6081600-9-9, $14.95 US paper covers) has been pulled together by Seamus Campbell and Robin Goldstein. Campbell writes the popular The Daily Wort blog from Portland, OR, while Goldstein is also the co- author of the companion book, The Wine Trials 2010. In set up, the book is similar to Wine Trials – 250 beers are rated in brown-bag blind tastings. Each beer has a full-page review. Primer info includes a guide to the major beer styles, beer flavours, and beer regions of the world. All of the participants and judges have been named. There are indexes to both beer styles and the beers themselves. Audience and level of use: beer lovers. Some interesting or unusual facts: Drying malts over open fires, which for a long time was the only option in many regions, imparted a smoky signature that simply reflected the cooking fuel used. These beers died out when indirect-heat kilning technology was developed. The downside to this book: Canada only gets a couple of entries under “Belgian Ale” and “Pale Lagers”. We know that there is more here, but the book is only concerned with what’s popular in the US. The microbrews, then, are mainly American. The upside to this book: good detail and written descriptions. Quality/Price Rating: 85, 12. MR. BOSTON SUMMER COCKTAILS (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 106 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-18489=9, $15.95 US hard bound) comes from those associated with the Mr. Boston series of cocktail recipe books. Here, the editors are Anthony Giglio and Jim Meehan, both of whom worked on the master series of Mr. Boston preps. And just in time for summer, with 100 cocktails. Most use fresh fruit and cooler type thinning. There are the usual primer data on cocktail preparation plus the sidebars of trade secrets (proper muddling, finding inexpensive substitutes). Contributors are named. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: patio and pool hounds who love cocktails. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: blackbeard punch; melon stand; rosarita; rude sage cosmo; arch angel; blood orange; and other named concoctions. The downside to this book: could use more cocktails. The upside to this book: good looking pictures. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 13. FOR THE LOVE OF SALAD (Whitecap, 2010, 168 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050- 007-5, $19.95 Canadian soft covers) is by Jeanelle Mitchell, author of For the Love of Soup (2002). And just in time for summer…Here she has 99 preps for all manner of salads: leafy, veggies, grains, pasta, beans, and types of meats. There is the usual primer data on dressings and ingredient selections, plus tips on salad techniques. Some of the salads are for main courses, but they can be converted to a salad course. She’s illustrated the pages with her artwork. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Proceeds of this book (as well as from the previous Soup book) go to support her nephew who was in an auto accident. Audience and level of use: summer salad lovers and others Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: fresh mushroom salad with gremolata vinaigrette; grilled shrimp tabbouleh salad; cabbage slaw with apples; smoked trout salad with endive; grilled tuna nicoise; nicoise pasta salad; tex-mex grilled chicken salad with salsa dressing. The downside to this book: I would have liked more salad preps in the book. The upside to this book: good layout. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 14. BAROLO (University of Nebraska Press, 2010, 227 pages, ISBN 978-0- 8032-2674-6, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Matthew Gavin Frank, a food writer who has worked for over 15 years in the hospitality industry. He has also been teaching writing at Grand Valley State University. His book is published in the “At Table” series from UNP. More and more academic presses are publishing food and wine books – academia seems top have discovered ripe research potentials here. This is not a scholarly work about Barolo (as in the wine), but rather it is a memoir-travelogue done in much the same manner as the commercial publishers do in covering Tuscany, Provence, Sonoma, Napa, and the like. Blame it all on Peter Mayles? I’m most happy to see it here because Frank is a good writer, perhaps a bit too vivid from time to time, but then that’s what creative non-fiction is all about. There are only two long chapters here; most are 4 to 7 pages of vignettes. Seven had been previously published. Through it all we find that Frank is living in a tent, absorbing as much as possible about Piedmontese food and wine. He ends up picking grapes (as an illegal worker, apparently) for a vintner. He shares many stories about the provincial farms and merchants, all agricultural (farmers markets, restaurants, butchers, bakers). Illustrated with eight black and white photos. Audience and level of use: armchair tourists, memoir-lovers, readers of Italian food and culture. The downside to this book: needs an index to retrieve names and locations, food stuffs, etc. The upside to this book: it is loaded with Barolo wine and Alba white truffles. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 15. SUCCESSFUL RESTAURANT DESIGN. Third edition (Wily and Sons, 2010, 304 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-25075-4 hard covers) is one of the more enduring books in the hospitality service industry. It was first published in 1989, and it presents an integrated approach to restaurant design, incorporating front- and back-of-the-house operations. The authors are Regina S. Baraban (founding editor of Hospitality Design magazine and teacher at various places including University of New Hampshire) and the Joseph F. Durocher (a faculty member at UNH and her husband who died in 2009). This latest edition has been revised and update with new coverage of the latest technology (usually new computers programs). Case methods were completed within the past five years. Case studies have been used for architectural and decorative solutions. All in-depth interviews here are brand new. The mix of people included architects, designers, restaurateurs, and kitchen specialists. “Sustainability” is a hot issue in the hospitality industry right now, and it has been addressed for both front- and back- of-the-house. At the end of the book, the authors forecast what they think the future and changes of restaurants will be over the next decade. There are plenty of floor plans, mostly black and white photos (with a colour section) and some charts. Quality/Price rating: 87. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR MARCH 2010 ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2010 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST or HST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK AND FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. 100 PERFECT PAIRING; small plates to enjoy with wines you love (Wiley, 2010, 188 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-44631-7, $16.95 US hard covers) is by Jill Silverman Hough, a free lance food writer and recipe developer. This is a collection of some easy-to-make food apps with wine pairings, about 100 of them arranged by 12 grape varieties. It is more of a one-way book: it is best to use if you know and love a particular grape. You can use the index to track down preps by type of food, such as sandwiches, salads, shellfish, bacon, beans, and the like. It is meant for everyday wine and food enjoyment. There are the basic principles of food matching (weight, salt, spices, acid, and sweetness) plus some fine tuning. Certainly, the book is useful for those who want just a little food or one course, and just a glass of wine. Nothing neither formal nor elaborate here, but then that’s not the point of the book. She adds lots of food and tips in sidebars. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginners in the kitchen, those looking for some wine in their food lives. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: for sauvignon blanc, she suggests minted pea bruschetta, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, smoked trout salad, spinach salad with edamame and pecorino, celery root and scallion soup, fresh corn with citrus butter (I’d add some chipotle to this butter), and chicken and endive sandwich. The downside to this book: she could have spent more time examining the regional differences of wines and how this affects food tastes. But then, most Americans drink New World fruity upfront wines anyway. The upside to this book: a nifty book at a great price. Quality/Price Rating: 90. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. WATCHING WHAT WE EAT; the evolution of television cooking shows (Continuum Books, 2009, 278 pages, ISBN 978-0-8264-2930-8, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Kathleen Collins, a professional librarian at John Jay College in New York, with a master’s degree in journalism. She’s written a lot of stuff about popular culture and television. She begins, quite rightly, with radio’s government home economists such as Aunt Sammy in 1926. The USDA used this method to communicate with farmers all over the country; they employed scores of women reading the same script but with different regional accents. From these shows, radio evolved a way for housewives to share recipes. Next was James Beard in 1946, on TV, followed by Dione Lucas. These two TV chefs made New York the centre of American gastronomy. Eventually, Julia Child turned up, followed by Graham Kerr. PBS ruled the cooking shows with top notch cookbook authors. Local cooks appeared on local TV. Then the Food Network experience happened, and the rest is, well, history. Collins’ account is exceptionally readable (she is a journalist, of course). There are small but clearly reproduced archival photos. There are sources for follow-up plus a bibliography. Audience and level of use: culinary historians, popular culturists, television lovers who also read. Some interesting or unusual facts: The Frugal Chef (Jeff Smith) was ahead of his time – he discussed food as a topic beyond nutrition, cooking methods, and restaurants. This was before the Food Network. The downside to this book: I would have liked more coverage about radio, even though it is outside the scope of the book. The upside to this book: quality writing and her ability to communicate facts and ideas. Quality/Price Rating: 92. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3. THE MEDITERRANEAN DIABETES COOKBOOK (American Diabetes association, 2010; distr. McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 296 pages, ISBN 978-1-58-040312-2, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Amy Ritolo, author of other cookbooks such as “Arabian Delights” and “Nile Style”. Here she takes a run at Mediterranean food in general. Actually, the Med Diet is perfectly attuned to the needs of diabetics, so for the most [part, one need go no further. In general, Ritolo has eliminated fats and sugars while augmenting quality proteins, whole grains, and legumes. The recipes here are quick and easy, with a Mediterranean pantry. Main foods embrace red tomatoes, eggplant, fresh herbs, EVOO, whole grains and legumes, and tahini, along with fish. Med cuisine is a way of life. She has meal planners, seasonal menus (with eight or so for each season along with page references to the prep), and extensive notes for the pantry. Arrangement is by course, with the obvious small plates upfront first. Cook’s notes provide cultural contexts and helpful hints, and cross-reference the prep to other preps in the book (along with the relevant page references). There are metric nutritional data. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Preps are listed by both English title and the indigenous language (e.g., “fagioli al’uccelletto” is stewed cannellini beans with tomatoes and sage). There’s a chapter on making your own flavour enhancers (herbes de Provence, harissa, tahini, gremolata). The indexes are by principal ingredient and by origin or country. Audience and level of use: diabetics or those looking for SLO Med diet books. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: khubz matloua (Algerian skillet bread); pissaladiere; pizza alla Siciliana; melanzane marinate; eggplant croquettes. The downside to this book: no metric equivalent tables. The upside to this book: easy to use, good layout. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 4. HAY FEVER; how chasing a dream on a Vermont farm changed my life (John Wiley, 2010, 290 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-39833-3, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Angela Miller, a literary agent and the owner of Consider Bardwell Farm in Vermont. She is a multiple award winner from the American Cheese Society. This is her story, as a memoir, of getting away from it all in the city and moving to the rustic countryside – and being a farmer. Ralph Gardner Jr. is the focusing writer. “Angela Miller and her husband set their sites on a charming nineteenth-century farm in Vermont” – and apparently took the publisher’s spell-check with them: “sites” ? They started with a herd of goats and began producing artisanal cheeses, now found at The French Laundry and Daniel and Per Se. It’s a good book, detailing the efforts of a cheese maker. As with most memoirs of this sort, there is a fair bit of humour (which makes it more readable). Additionally, there are answers to the question: how do you run a New York-based business AND run a cheese making operation? Secret – she’s not the only person on the farm (there are at least nine named others). It’s a big operation, taking time and money. At the back of the book, there are eight recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: memoir lovers, cheese fanciers. Some interesting or unusual facts: “Just to get certified in 2004 cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment and construction. We’ve spent hundreds of thousands more since then.” The downside to this book: it is also a page turner in that there is a larger typeface and lots of leading. This makes the book seem longer than it is. I’d also like to see some more pictures beyond the two on the cover. The upside to this book: there is an index, which makes it very useful to dig out data and facts such as on the cheese making process. Quality/Price Rating: 83. 5. FOOD PRESENTATION SECRETS (Firefly Books, 2010, 176 pages, ISBN 978- 1-55407-491-4, $29.95 CAD hard covers) is by two Brits, Cara Hobday (food journalist and cookbook author) and Jo Denbury (freelance writer). There are over 75 sweet and savoury edible garnishing ideas here, with recipes. Techniques, tools, ingredients and designs are all explained in a comprehensive fashion, illustrated with step-by-step photos on prepping and assembling the garnish. Each is graded by level of difficulty. There are useful tips and checklists along the way, and there are sidebars to indicate the best ways to use garnishes. Both authors contribute a series of generic recipes and a kitchen schedule planner. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there are also tables of weight and measure equivalents. Audience and level of use: home cooks who want to learn garnishing. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: potato matchsticks; caramel dipped fruit; fruit fans; rolled green towers; vegetable bundles; tuile shapes; cucumber lotus. The downside to this book: I would have liked a slightly large type font. The upside to this book: there’s a section on edible flowers, shoots and leaves. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 6. PROFESSIONAL GARDE MANGER; a comprehensive guide to cold food preparation (John Wiley & Sons, 2011 [sic], 780 pages, ISBN 978-0-470- 17996-3, $100US hard covers) is by Lou Sackett and Jaclyn Pestka, with consulting author Wayne Gisslen. They are all teachers, and this is, of course, a text book for professional chefs. Garde Manger is the art and technique of preparing a full range of cold dishes for buffet, banquet, and catering events. This includes hors d’oeuvre, appetizers, terrines and pates, and charcuterie. The 375 recipes (plus 400 variations) included in this book take into account the global cuisine of today. Such material includes microgreens, international sandwiches, brining ratios, fermented sausages, artisanal US cheeses, tapas tasting menus, savoury sorbets, and the raw bar. The book is meant for both students and practitioners. The opening sections deal with history of banquets, the needed skills, careers, safe food handling techniques, the flavours, colours and textures of food for the table. Cost controls and price establishment are also important here. Recipe sections include cold sauces, soups, salads (flavour balances), sandwiches, curing and preserving meats and fish, cheeses (including presentations). There are also chapters with chaud-froid, aspics, gelees, marinades, condiments, and garnishes. Decorating and plating are also included, especially platter layouts and design. The book is well-stitched, so it will put up with much wear and tear. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and US avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. There is also a bibliography and a glossary. Good layout and detailed procedures, plus plenty of colours and use of photos and drawings for techniques. Audience and level of use: students and professionals, the home cook who does a lot of cold dishes. Some interesting or unusual facts: plating is important for cold food since there are only visual stimuli. Purchasers of this book can get access to a website for more recipes and FAQs. The downside to this book: a heavy book, weight wise. The upside to this book: most recipes are doable at home because they are for small portions. Quality/Price Rating: 88 7. SIMPLY SPECTACULAR CAKES; beautiful designs for irresistible cakes and cookies (Clarkson Potter, 2010, 144 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-46455-2, $30 US hard covers) is by UK pastry chef Peggy Porschen, author of “Pretty Party Cakes”. Here she moves up a notch, from “pretty” to “spectacular”. For these she has a series of templates at the back for monograms and positioning dowels and layouts. There’s a techniques section, tools listing, colours used, a glossary, a list of suppliers (which amazingly enough includes someone in Richmond Hill, ON), and a quantity guide. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. If you are stuck for anything, visit www.peggyporschen.com. Audience and level of use: for the adventuresome home cook or anyone who wants to project whimsy. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the book was originally published in 2009 in the UK as “Cake Chic”, as a trove of recipes for upscale designer-crafted cakes. Porschen also throws in some cookies and mini cakes (petit fours?). Try making ballerina pumps cookies, or little black dress cookies, cameo cakes, cupcakes in bloom, or even couture hatboxes. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 8. THE SOMMELIER PREP COURSE; an introduction to the wines, beers, and spirits of the world (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 468 pages, ISBN 978-0- 470-28318-9, $35 US soft covers) is by Michael Gibson, an MS sommelier teaching at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Scottsdale, AZ. This book is meant for the restaurant-sommelier/bartender or sommelier- student, but anybody can use it. In addition to lots of wine material (which, admittedly, can be found in many other books), there are loads of details on beers and spirits. What also makes the book useful are the review questions and quizzes. There is a pronouncing glossary of 1200 key terms, maps, and sections on how a sommelier is supposed to work in a bistro (opening wines, presenting them, labels, knowledge, etc.). The emphasis in the book is on prepping for any sommelier test, whether at a college hospitality program or the awesome MS Court. It can serve as a good reference work, and at this price, it is certainly affordable. Not a colourful book: photos are all black and white, tables and graphs fill the pages, and there are exercises everywhere. But nit keeps the price down. Audience and level of use: wine and sommelier students, current sommeliers seeking refresher upgrading, hospitality schools and their libraries. Some interesting facts: For each type of beverage, Gibson covers the essential history, manufacturing information, varieties available, and tasting and pairing information. He also includes sections on service, storage, and wine list preparation for an understanding of many aspects of beverage service. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 9. THE WINE, BEER & SPIRITS HANDBOOK; a guide to styles and service (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 513 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-13884-7, $30US on Amazon.Com, hard covers) is by Joseph DeVilla and The International Culinary Schools at the Art Institutes, which boasts over 6,000 students. The book is quite similar to the sommelier book above, except there is more emphasis on wines, chapters have review questions and key terms, and there are both colour photos and a hard case binding. Yet the price is about the same as the sommelier book. The number of pages here is misleading since the typeface is large and there is leading and some blank pages ahead of some chapters. This book has a “nicer” feel than Gibson’s (above) but I usually prefer data. I’d imagine that it would be used at the ICS, for sure, since it is issued from them. There’s a glossary and a bibliography at the end. Audience and level of use: students, especially at the ICS Some interesting facts: The book explains the responsibilities of the sommelier from both the service and the managerial perspectives. Quality/Price Rating: 85. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK... ...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. But of course there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 10. GIADA AT HOME (Clarkson Potter, 2010, 239 pages, ISBN 978-0-307- 45101-9, $35 US hard covers) is by Giada De Laurentiis, possibly the hardest working food TV celebrity, with many shows on the Food Network since 2002, and contributing to the Today show. She’s also cookbook author; this is at least her fifth book. And she needs (and gets) NO logrolling. This time she tackles “family recipes” from Italy and California, although the California ones are more like Cal-Ital preps. So it becomes all the same thing. Her book’s title comes from her latest TV show, so we can expect those same preps in the FESLOP manner (fast, easy, seasonal, local, and organic if possible). All courses are covered, from appetizers to desserts, with a long chapter on brunches. Try cheesy baked faro, white chocolate-dipped almond and lemon biscotti, sweet and savoury bread pudding, red snapper with fava bean puree, ricotta with vanilla-sugar croutons and berry syrup. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. There are also 47 pix of Giada and her family within the book, and another 5 on the covers. I deem this excessive, even if Giada is a star. Quality/Price rating: 83. 11. THE ULTIMATE STUDENT COOKBOOK (Firefly, 2010, 160 pages, ISBN 978- 1-55407-602-1, $14.95 CAD paper covers) is by Tiffany Goodall, a personality-celebrity chef in the UK (where the book was first published by Quadrille. This is a nifty book about basics and budget. The author had lived away from home on a limited budget while she was a culinary arts student, so she shows college students how to get by with fresh and healthy food every day. Of course, she had a leg up since she was actually studying cooking. There are 100 preps here, requiring only 20 kitchen items, fewer than 20 on-hand staples, plus regularly available ingredients from the grocery store. There’s some health information, hygiene, storage, and use of leftovers. Substitutions and adaptations are also included. What I really like about the book are the step-by-step photos with captions and balloons that show the prep and presentation of each dish. But on the other hand, some recipes need refiguring: the saltiness of soy sauce will NOT disappear with evaporation, and baking 2 inch potatoes for 1.5 to 2 hours at 400 degrees will get you blackened (not crisp) potatoes. So: what do students like? How about mac and cheese, pizza, roast chicken, fajitas, stir fries, sandwiches? Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/Price rating: 87. 12. HOME COOKING WITH TRISHA YEARWOOD; stories and recipes to share with family and friends (Clarkson Potter, 2010, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0- 307-46523-8, $29.99 US hard covers) is by country entertainer Trisha Yearwood. This is her second cookbook, and this time it is a collection of family-style Southern food. There’s also more self-involvement with family photos, memoir-style anecdotes of the family, and some kitchen lore. She’s assisted here by sister and daughter Gwen Yearwood and Beth Yearwood Bernard. The basic layout is by course selection, from breakfast through apps to soups, salads, meats, poultry, sides and breads, and oodles of desserts. There are lots of photos too. Typical dishes include spice cake with lemon sauce, fresh apple cake, cabbage casserole, okra and tomatoes, chicken pizza, BBQ pork ribs, and cabbage rolls. Preparations have their ingredients listed in US avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. The book has large print and lots of leading and white space, but the list of ingredients is given in light pastel colours, as if to foil photocopies. One for her fans. Quality/Price rating: 81. 13. SAM THE COOKING GUY; awesome recipes & kitchen shortcuts (Wiley, 2010, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-46794-7, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Sam Zien, and eleven-time Emmy Award winner and host of various American cable channel cooking shows. He has a website at www.thecookingguy.com. The book’s subject heading says it all: “quick and easy cooking”. So what’s different here, different from the scores of other books? Well, it is put together with a terrific layout and has discreet use of colour. The typeface is adequate and there are actually useful tips. In many ways, this seems to be a “guy” book. It relies on things on hand (you’ll need a pantry here) primarily frozen meats such as steaks, and sauces, and jars of veggies such as roasted red peppers. There’s nothing wrong with these in moderation. But they keep it all quick and easy, and could best be used when you absolutely have to cook for a bunch of people. The unexpected guests. For example, sauces (and most of the preps) are based on Asiatic, Latin, or Mediterranean flavours. Because that’s actually all there is in guy-land. Specific sections deal with breakfast, soups, sandwiches, things to eat with your fingers, chicken, meat and potatoes, and pasta and desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Pretty basic foods such as chicken and bacon pot pie, chicken-egg salad, antipasto sandwich, pesto-bean-shrimp soup, red pepper and blue cheese bruschetta, meatball stroganoff, and the like. Worth a look. Quality/Price rating: 82. THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 14. IN THE SWEET KITCHEN; the definitive baker’s companion (Random House Canada, 2000 and 2010, 692 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-35934-6, $35 CAD soft covers) is mainly a reissue from 2000. The only item copyrighted 2010 is the author’s (Regan Daley) short preface. Her bibliography only goes up to 1997 or so. As a winner of the 2001 IACP Cookbook of the Year Award, it is good to have this book back in print as a reissue. The publisher summarizes it best: “a guide to ingredients &b techniques with more than 150 simple and seductive recipes”. The first 368 pages are a primer, and deal with the tools, techniques and 700 ingredients. The next 300 contain the recipes: cakes, pies, tarts, cookies, custards, mousses, frozen desserts, breads, garnishes and sauces. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are many metric tables of equivalents. If you don’t already have it (or your current copy is worn out), it is an affordable book if purchased online. But I do really wish that some updating and new recipes could have been added. After all, she does say in her 2010 preface “In the years since In the Sweet Kitchen first appeared, the landscape of food in North America has changed dramatically.” Whatever changes there are, they may not be reflected in her book. The only conclusion I can reach is that she was way ahead of her time. Quality/Price rating: 86. 15. SUPERVISION IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY; leading human resources. Sixth edition (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 496 pages, ISBN 978-0-470- 07783-2, hard covers) is by John R. Walker (hospitality professor at the University of South Florida) and the late Jack E. Miller. It was originally published in 1985 and last revised in 2007. It’s now a standard text in hospitality management courses. As the publisher says, “This book – practical, concrete, and results oriented – is a down-to- earth guide to applying the wisdom of leadership theory and experience to the hard realities of the hospitality industry. It’s meant for the student, but anyone who supervises in the industry can profit from reading it. The sixth edition has been restructured, revised, and updated: more diversity initiatives, more on recruitment and retention, more on coaching and life skills, an update on safety and health, conflict resolution, new and different profiles of companies and people, new stuff on benefits and compensation. Exercises for students include quizzes, self-assessments, simulations, case studies, role play, and journal writing. But some of the black and white pictures (laid out in sepia) look old and tired, and dark. Quality/Price rating: 85. 16. THE ACID ALKALINE BALANCE DIET; an innovative program that detoxifies your body’s acidic waste to prevent disease and restore overall health. Revised edition (McGraw-Hill, 2010, 242 pages, ISBN 978-0-07-170337-6 $16.95 US soft covers) is by Felicia Drury Kliment, a nutritionist and alternative health consultant. It was originally published in 2002, and has been reissued as revised to take into account new research about heavy metal foods and acid alkaline balance (such as chelators that move metals from the bones to the brain where they are more destructive), warnings on potentially harmful effects of some nutritional supplements, and new alternative treatments for various health conditions caused by the body's production of acidic waste. There are no recipes here, but of course there are lists of foods that are best to be consumed if you have any one of several problems (cancer, alcoholism, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, and food allergies). Clear the body of acidic wastes and make the pH balance work for specific ailments (digestion, obesity, thyroid, kidney, lung, bone, eye, diabetes, prostate, etc.). Simply put, when acidic wastes from processed foods accumulate in the body, they cause organs to malfunction. The body needs to detoxify. She shows how to balance the body's acid-alkaline to detoxify toxins based on metabolic type. Based on Eastern medicinal practices, The Acid-Alkaline Balance Diet advocates a sensible food-combination program in conjunction with herbal medicine therapies to balance the positively charged acidic particles in the body with the negatively charged particles. Organized by medical condition, this book makes it easy to quickly find help and advice. Quality/Price rating: 87. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR FEBRUARY 2010 =============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2010 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. SOUTH-WEST FRANCE; the wines and winemakers (University of California Pr., 2009, 376 pages, ISBN 978-0-520-25941-6, $45US hard covers) is by wine and food writer Paul Strang who specializes in south-west France. The book is based on earlier works stretching back to 1994, but has been entirely recast because of the newer technology and emerging markets. South-west France includes a range of locations, such as Gaillac, Cahors, Fronton, Bergerac, Monbazillac, Duras, Buzet, Gascony, Madiran, and Jurancon. And some that never seem to turn up in Canada, such as Irouleguy, Rosette, Marcillac, and Estaing. Overall, those areas closer to Bordeaux using the same grapes as Bordeaux tend to taste like regular Bordeaux (he addresses the problems of Bordeaux satellites); those areas further away are their own creatures, featuring obscure grapes such as Camaralet (Jurancon), Arrufiac (St. Mont), Segalin (Glanes) and Ondenc (Gaillac). The total area covered here is from Bordeaux south to the Pyrenees, east to the Massif Central, and covering the river valleys of the Lot and the Dordogne. Most of the wines have higher acid, and are ideal accompaniments to the rich and fatty foods of the region. Strang opens with a history of the region, showing connections to Anglo roots. His arrangement is by sub- region, with larger chapters on Cahors, Gaillac, the Dordogne, Gascony, Madiran, and the Pyrenees. Under each, there is identification of cantons and more local history, followed by listings of recommended independent growers (with full directory-type data plus a critique and rating of the wines) and some simple directory listings for “other good growers”. His appendices are extremely useful: a table of grape varieties employed in the region, wine and food pairings (a chart), an English glossary of French terms, and a bibliography of both English and French titles. The latter shows a pathetic amount of older books about the region in both languages. Audience and level of use: readers of wine materials, lovers of wines of South-West France, wine schools, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: “It is refreshing to know that other [grape] varieties, grown only in the South-West, produce wines which are like no other. The South-West is the opposite pole from globalization, which may explain why the big players in the wine business…have been reluctant to come to grips with it.” The downside to this book: while the layout is good (especially because of the leading), the book is larger than it should be. Such similar guides are normally smaller, and lower in price. The upside to this book: some really new and fresh material about the region. Quality/Price Rating: 90. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. THE BEST SOUPS IN THE WORLD (John Wiley, 2010, 468 pages, ISBN 978- 0-470-18052-5, $22.95 US soft covers) is by Clifford A. Wright, who is an award-winning author of 11 pre4vious cookbooks. He is best known for “A Mediterranean Feast”, and he frequently writes for all the major American food magazines. It is a straight forward book at a sensible price, with a heavy emphasis on international classics. The book is arranged by type of soup, e.g., chunky, smooth, clear, minestrone-like, chowder, cheese, egg, and chilled. Most of the chilled soups are fruit- based. Each prep has some indication of its country of origin, and there is even a recipe index by region (with page references). There is also an internet food shopping guide. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. He has a technique section on stock preparations and a nice discussion on canned stocks. There is even s short history of soups. As well, every recipe has a cook’s note on context of the soup in its country’s cuisine. You can get more details at www.cliffordawright.com Audience and level of use: any chef Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Georgian beef and apricot soup; mulligatawny soup; Slovak sauerkraut soup; almond and saffron soup; artichoke veloute; rasam; black kale soup; Algerian green wheat soup with meatballs. The downside to this book: the type face for the ingredients is too light. The upside to this book: no photos keep the price of the book down. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3. THE MODERN CAFÉ (John Wiley, 2010, 550 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-37134- 3, $65 US hard covers) is by Francisco J. Migoya of the Culinary Institute of America. He’s a former executive pastry chef at The French Laundry, and Bouchon Bistro/Bakery; he currently runs the CIA’s own café (since 2005). As the publisher states, this book is a guide for both novices and experienced chefs. It’s a textbook for anyone thinking of opening a café or upgrading a current one. Today’s café culture offers quick meals to those on the run: breakfast baked goods, artisan breads, desserts, cakes, savoury items such as sandwiches and quiches, quick meals, chocolates and candies, beverages, packaged items, and frozen desserts. In many respects, it is the modern version of the diner – without the hot plate special. The text covers management principles, pricing formulas, displays and packaging, as well as recipes. The book is divided into themes: the bakery, the pastry shop, the savory kitchen, beverages, and the retail shelf. He also has a glossary and a bibliography, as well as a list of US supply sources. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. And all ingredients are scaled. Quantities are on the high side, such as 40 pieces of craquelin or three chocolate cakes, so the home cook needs to adjust. Audience and level of use: professional schools, cafes, serious hone cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the bakery is a low- cost/high-profit centre. Migoya covers the seven key ingredients and provides master recipes for brioche, croissants, Danish, pound cake, muffins, scones, biscuits and breads. The downside to this book: very heavy book at just over five pounds. The upside to this book: it fulfills a definite need, good layout and photography (especially for techniques). Quality/Price Rating: 88. 4. THE 200 SUPERFOODS THAT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE (McGraw-Hill, 2010, 363 pages, ISBN 978-0-07-162575-3, $19.95US soft covers) is by Deborah A. Klein, M.S., RD, a top dietician/nutritionist in Los Angeles for the past 15 years. This is at least the third or fourth such book in a year; I am not sure I can stand many more of them. To tell you the truth, I don’t think I even KNOW 200 foods, let alone 200 superfoods. There is a brief description of each food, followed by “benefits”, nutritional information, techniques in cooking, and a recipe. There are no red meats, just turkey, chicken, and various fishes. The arrangement is by food type: fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy plus soy, proteins, fats, sweeteners, and herbs. Material at the back includes staples for the pantry, a couple of dozen menu ideas (with calorie counts), snack ideas, and a grocery shopping list. The last section lists 20 different “actions that will save your life.” For the guys, she introduces anti- inflammatory fats and proteins to reduce the risk of heart disease. For the gals, she talks about how to combine phytochemicals and nutrients to look younger longer. Audience and level of use: for the health conscious. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: none of the foods here is esoteric, and the recipes are not unusual (e.g., millet bowl, chicken in red wine, nectarine muffins, baked halibut, watercress fusilli, ratatouille, acorn squash bisque) The downside to this book: has to compete with similar books on this topic of superfoods. The upside to this book: she stresses the combination of foods to balance macronutrients for maximum health and energy. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 5. ARTISAN BREADS AT HOME WITH THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA (John Wiley, 2010, 434 pages, ISBN 978-0-47018260-4, $34.95US hard covers) is by Eric W. Kastel, associate professor of baking at the CIA. This book continues the “At Home” series from the CIA, a series of cookbooks reflecting the current curriculum at the CIA but with more user friendly recipes meant for home cooks. As Kastel said, you don’t need a brick oven nor keep a sourdough starter on hand. The emphasis is on loaves, rolls and flatbreads. As is typical in a CIA production, there is great detail on techniques and flours, followed by the twelve steps of bread baking, with detailed descriptions. After the basic breads, Kastel encourages the home cook to move onto more advanced baking. Typical beginner productions are Kaiser rolls, rye bread, and whole wheat bread. Flatbreads embrace pita and tortillas as well as breadsticks. Advanced breads involve starters like a sponge, biga, poolish, and sourdoughs. Ingredients are listed with ounces, grams, volume, and bakers percentages. Yields are generally two loaves or nine (and more) rolls. This basic book should also serve as a refresher to the more serious home baker. The appendix has some dips and sauces recipes, some illustrated material on braiding and knotting, and a listing of other books and resources (ingredients and equipment). Audience and level of use: home bakers (both new and experienced). Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: multigrain English muffins, lavash, durum and rosemary-lemon rolls, lima bean spread, almond and currant sourdough, ciabatta, fig and hazelnut bread, cheese breads, hot cross buns, cream cheese-apple-walnut coffee cake) The downside to this book: because of the photographs, the paper is thick and the book is consequently heavier than normal. The upside to this book: scaling, which he uses, is always better than volume. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 6. QUINOA 365; the everyday superfood (Whitecap, 2010, 198 pages, ISBN 978-1-55285-994-0, $29.95 CAD paper covers) is by Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming, both sisters into natural health foods. Log rolling comes from academics, athletes, and other cookbook writers. To date, there have only been a handful of small quinoa books; the grain was mostly handled in larger books dealing with a variety of grains and grasses such as amaranth and teff. Quinoa is known for its digestibility, its high protein level, and having all 8 amino acids. Here, they give us 170 or recipes which are mainly well-established preps with quinoa added for its exceptionally high nutritive value – and versatility. Each prep has an icon to show if the recipe is gluten- free, “kid-approved”, or vegetarian. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Upon reviewing the recipes, I find that you can add quinoa to just about anything. Audience and level of use: families, those with digestive problems or weight-loss issues. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: quinoa hummus; quinoa tabbouleh; pimento and chickpea quinoa; broccoli goat cheese soufflé; Greek burgers; tuna basil sprout sandwich. The downside to this book: I’m not sure you can call a quinoa risotto “quisotto”. The upside to this book: a good concept book, extremely useful. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 7. ANNA GETTY’S EASY GREEN ORGANIC; cook well, eat well, live well (Chronicle Books, 2010, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6668-2, $24.95 US paper covers) is by one of the Getty heirs who also authored “I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas”. This time, with log-rolling from established green personnel, she has a SLO book (seasonal, local, and organic). Here are 100 easy but tasty preps which embrace the sustainable lifestyle. But first, there is a primer on why SLO food is the best food. After that, whether you adopt a green style or not, the preps are very enjoyable, with useful cook’s notes. Arrangement is typical, from starters to desserts. The listing of ingredients could use a larger type face. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. There’s a listing of 15 menus for dinners and the like, but unfortunately, none of the preps are referenced to page entries. At the back there is a resources listing, with websites, and a bibliography of books for further reading. Audience and level of use: families, those looking for a green lifestyle. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chunky Tuscan bean soup with swiss chard and pancetta; Asian chopped salad with grilled shrimp; double lemon chicken breasts with fresh tomato basil salsa; strawberry frozen yogurt pie with granola crunch. The downside to this book: I am surprised that she doesn’t mention fair-trade and organic sugar, easily accessible and just as useful as fair-traded organic coffee – which she spends a whole page on. The upside to this book: there is a directory to organic California wineries. Quality/Price Rating: 86. THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOKS... ...are one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often, there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual shtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. But of course, there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 8. CHOCOLATE; more than 50 decadent recipes (Whitecap Books, 2009, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-001-3, $16.95 CAD paper covers) is by Dominique and Cindy Duby, chef-owners of DC DUBY Wild Sweets, artisanal chocolatiers. They have authored other cookbooks for Whitecap, including Crème Brulee. Both that book and this current one are part of the “Definitive Kitchen Classics” series. These are books built around a classic dish or food, limited to about 50 of the best preps. Great for gifting. The food styling is terrific, with good upclose shots of the plated product. There’s the usual introductory matter about using chocolate, with a chocolate flavour matching chart and a wine matching section. They have a series of decorative techniques for making angel hair, curls, bark, sticks, teardrops and others. Preps have been arranged by style, with sections on pralines, ganaches, mousses and creams, liquid, and so forth. Try baked chocolate custard pudding, milk chocolate and ginger panna cotta, lemon macadamia praline, or even semi-frozen white chocolate foam. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. And there is more at www.dcduby.com. Quality/Price rating: 88. 9. AMY’S BREAD. Rev. and updated. (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, 276 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-17075-5, $35 US hard covers) is by Amy Scherber and Toy Kim Dupree. It’s listed here under the celebrities rather than the reissues because, although the book is built on the earlier 1996 edition, it’s about 100 pages longer and has been re-cast for the modern era. Scherber founded Amy’s Bread in 1992 in the Hell’s Kitchen neighbourhood. Currently, she wholesales to about 300 outlets, and she has two other retail operations. Dupree was one of her original bakers, and is currently pastry chef and operator of the original location. All of her popular breads are here, along with primer information on baking processes and techniques. There are about 50 different basic preps plus variations and additions. Arrangement is by type: whole wheat breads, sourdoughs, rye breads, semolina breads, pizza and focaccia, sandwiches, brioche and sweet specialty breads. Sidebars tell us the flour protein comparison of commercially available flours is the US. She has American mail order sources, a memoirish account of her business, and lots of useful photos of techniques. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric and avoirdupois measurements, with both weights and volumes. Try maple walnut and fig bread, brioche pan loaf, an autumn pumpkin bread with pecans, or Italian semolina loaf. Visit www.amysbread.com for more recipes and ideas. Quality/Price rating: 89. 10. NOW EAT THIS!; 150 of America’s favorite comfort foods, all under 350 calories (Ballantine Books, 2010, 247 pages, ISBN 978-0-345-52090- 6, $22 US paper covers) is by award-winning (Beard) Rocco DiSpirito, who had what was probably the best “reality” restaurant show, “The Restaurant” on NBC. This is his sixth book, and most of the recipes in all of his books have some sort of Italian theme. This cookbook is one of the few being published without any log rolling: could it be that nobody wants to roll with Rocco? Here’s the shtick: take some existing foods that North Americans all like to eat, such as brownies or fried chicken, and replicate the recipe with zero bad carbs, zero bad fats, zero sugar, and maximum flavour. He cuts a portion of fried coconut shrimp from 1178 calories to 178 calories. Nachos are reduced from 880 calories to 341. The arrangement is by coursed, from appetizer to dessert. His larder is revealing; these products are the keys to reduction. He calls for a pantry with cauliflower, corn starch, Dijon mustard, egg whites or egg substitutes, fresh squeezed lemons, Greek yoghurt, low-sodium and low-fat chicken broth, non-stick cooking spray, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, reduced-fat blue cheese, salsa, sprouted- grain bread, whole wheat pasta, and more. Each recipe has a nutritional table, including calories before and calories after the changeover. I am sorry to report that, and needless to say, many items tried did not have the flavours expected – because they had reduced fat and sugars. But others may disagree, and prefer this book. It is worth a try. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 80. 11. I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S NOT FATTENING1; over 150 ridiculously easy recipes for the super busy (Broadway Books, 2010, 230 pages, ISBN 978- 0-7679-3157-1, $19.99 US paper covers) is by the chef from “The Biggest Loser”, who has written two other biggest loser cookbooks. She’s Devin Alexander, also host of a health show on US cable television. Everything here is fast and easy. It is arranged by course or entrée, beginning with breakfast, moving on to lunch-type burgers-wraps- sandwiches, and then on to dinners of appetizers, snacks, mains, sides, salads, and desserts. Everything is timed, so a Luau London Broil is 8 minutes hands-on plus 4 to 6 hours to marinate (first thing in the morning before leaving for work), plus 10 minutes on the grill and 10 minutes to rest. Each prep has servings and nutritional data. It’s just a matter of picking and choosing what kind of food you like. Most flavours come from spices and herbs, to replace that element lost in using fat-reduced products. But it was a bad idea to use pastel inks for the listing of ingredients. Maybe to discourage photocopying? Even so, it is awfully hard to read even the originals. Try pomegranate oatmeal, Mexican cocktail meatballs, presto pesto chicken, margarita chips, and French onion dip. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 80. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 12. RACHAEL RAY’S BOOK OF 10; more than 300 recipes to cook every day (Clarkson Potter, 2009, 384 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-38320-4, $20 US paper covers) is another sign of celebrity sighting in the book cases. It is not enough that celebrity cooks are producing books at an alarming rate. They must also be titled with the name of the author in large letters and possessed by something, e.g. RACHEL RAY’s. Much of the material in this book originally appeared in several other of Ray’s 2005 books; hence, its appearance in this column. This time the material has been arranged by THIRTY categories for FELSO (fast, easy, local, seasonal, possibly organic) cooking. These are her top ten recipes for family favourites, comfort foods, $10 meals, most requested, burgers, vegetarian, pasta, seafood, one-pots. There’s some kid food here, but mainly in the chicken category. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. More advice is at www.rachaelray.com. Quality/Price rating: 85. 13. TOMATO; a fresh-from-the-vine cookbook (Storey Publishing, 2004, 2010; distr. Th. Allen, 278 pages, ISBN 978-1-60342-478-3, $16.95 US paper covers) is by Lawrence Davis-Hollander, who founded and directed the Eastern Native Seed Conservancy (preservation and rediscovery of heirloom plants). It was originally published in 2004 as “The Tomato Festival Cookbook”. Most of the preps come from 28 named chefs (including Massimo Capra of Toronto). Log rollers include Alice Waters and Deborah Madison. It has been lightly revised -- the sidebars on tomato lore, chef profiles, descriptions of heirloom varieties, and gardening tips remain. The bibliography stops at 2002. Presumably the directory of sources and tomato festivals is current, with phone numbers and websites. Recipes are grouped by theme or plate, and include desserts (tomato pies, jams, tarts – even a sorbet). Try Catalan tomato toasts, herbed goat cheese broiled in tomato sauce, tomato-rice casserole with poblanos, of the lovely and delicate Imam Bayildi. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 88. 14. THE VEGETABLE GARDENER’S BIBLE, 2nd edition (Storey Publishing, 2009; distr. T. Allen, 351 pages, ISBN 978-1-60342-475-2, $24.95 US soft covers) is by Edward C. Smith, a Vermont gardener with a 1500 square foot garden. It was first published in 2000, and this edition is being touted as the “Fully Updated 10th Anniversary Edition”, claiming sales of over a quarter-million in the previous decade. His WORD system remains intact: Wide rows; Organic methods; Raised beds; and Deep soil. The dictionary arrangement of vegetable specific information remains. New is coverage of 15 additional vegetables, with an expanded section on salad greens and European and Asian veggies. There is more – and newer – growing information in general, new photos of cultivars, and a section on extending the season into the winter months (bringing stuff indoors). And he proposes more solutions for small-space gardening. And of course, he takes into consideration the variety of North American gardening regions. Overall, the book does a great job in answering the question “should I grow my own vegetables?” Quality/Price rating: 88. 15. PASTA ET CETERA A LA DI STASIO (Transcontinental Books, 2007, 2009, 191 pages, ISBN 978-0-9809924-8-9, $29.95 CAD paper covers) is by Josee di Stasio, who had a cooking show on French-Canadian TV. This book was originally published in French in 2007 as a tie-in with that show. It’s a basic Italian cookbook, divided into chapters dealing with antipasti and minestre, pasta (the main part), and dolci. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. The layout and photography is very good, but there is a lot of white space. So a gorgeous-looking book it is. She begins with cheese tuiles, salami chips, and little leek balls (none of which you see in too many Italian cookbooks), and ends with lemon sorbet and limoncello, lime budino, and an olive oil and lemon loaf (which you don’t see too often). Pastas are pretty basic, although there are some like cauliflower penne, cacao e pepe, and lemon pasta that are not ordinary. Maybe it is time for someone to put out a definitive pasta book which defines the field, with about 2000 variations. She also covers the basic Italian pantry. Page numbers for recipes in the index have bold face, which is always a good idea. Quality/Price rating: 86. 16. LIGHTHEARTED AT HOME; the very best of Anne Lindsay (John Wiley & Sons Canada, 2010, 486p, ISBN 978-0-470-16077-0, $38.95 CAD hard covers) is by long-time food writer Anne Lindsay, a member of the Order of Canada. It collates many of her best recipes from previous Heart and Stroke Foundation books as well as 40 preps from her Key Porter books and 28 from her Ballantine book. Here are 500 recipes in total, designed to ease your heart with their low-fat approach. All courses are covered, and the book (which weighs over 4 pounds because of the coated paper) can serve as a general cookbook since it has many recipes for each part of the meal. Indeed, there is an assortment of 29 menus at the back, each prep listed with a page number, and good for a variety of occasions such as brunch, vegetarian, the four seasons, family dinners, breakfasts, luncheons, and buffets. There is also a glossary of nutritional terms and a reproduction of the Canadian Food Guide (2007). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. The book has large fonts in almost-bold typefaces, a boon to the cook who always casts an eye on the recipe in the kitchen. Good leading in the index makes it easier to read and quickly locate a recipe. The binding is durable and useful for repeated use; I say this because many of her earlier books were in paperback and fell apart after awhile. Each prep has nutritional analysis and had been reviewed by the Heart and Stroke people, who also get a portion of the proceeds from the book sales. Distributed throughout are tips and advice on healthy eating, cooking techniques of use for the lighthearted cook, make ahead instructions, and even ingredient substitutions. Some recipes are attributed to others such as Elizabeth Baird. It’s an extremely useful but pretty basic book. For exciting dishes, do try the shepherd’s pie (made with pork, beef and lamb), Moroccan vegetable couscous, hoisin-glazed halibut, and Provencal saffron chicken. Quality/Price rating: 88. 17. WINE ALL-IN-ONE FOR DUMMIES (Wiley Publishing, 2009, 670 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-476326-0, $29.99 US paper covers) is mainly by Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan, with additional contributions from Maryann Egan, Tony Aspler, and Barbara Leslie. McCarthy and Ewing- Mulligan are the team which has produced several Dummies books, such as “Wine for Dummies” (now in its 4th edition) and Dummies books on French, Italian, and California wines. Egan has done a Dummies book on Australian and New Zealand wines, while Aspler and Leslie co-wrote a Dummies book on Canadian wines. Other parts of this book come from Dummies books on Paris and Germany, and there is also some California material from Frommer’s. The “All-in-One” book series for collates and revises existing Dummies books. This makes the book a bargain revision of several reprinted items. There are lots of sketch maps and bulleted information with thumbnail sketches of just about everything. You can also get cheat sheets and charts from www.dummies.com. This is a fat basic book that is just perfect for anybody wanting to know about wine. It’s an entry-level book without a lot of pictures and tasting notes, but there are plenty of wines listed and pronunciation guides right next to the foreign word. Quality/Price rating: 90. 18. PROFESSIONAL COOKING, seventh edition (John Wiley and Sons, 2011 [sic], 1088 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-19753-0, $70US hard covers) is by Wayne Gisslen. It was last revised in 2007 as a textbook meant for cooking courses at community colleges and chef schools. It has evolved into both a textbook and a book for the serious home cook. There’s still some stuff on the food service industry, but not so much anymore. It has also come down a lot in price. Overall, there are about 650 recipes with another 600 variations, plus over 1,000 instructive illustrations. About 100 new recipes have been added since the last edition, mainly on veggies and grains with an international slant. All courses and all meals are covered, plus some selective international cuisine such as oriental, Mexican, and Italian. Mostly pretty basic stuff, but with lots of new colour photos to illustrate the step-by-step techniques and plated dishes. There is good material on how to create, to structure and to use recipes, beginning with menu construction and menu building. Other chapters concern the handling of convenience foods and meat cuts. The book concludes with an up-to-date and useful bibliography plus a glossary of food terms. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, and there also are tables of equivalents. The book is heavy and fat, and there is nothing on wine at all, except for a few sauce preps. Recipe contents are at the front, and there is a recipe index at the back. Quality/Price rating: 88. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR JANUARY 2010 =============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2010 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. FIONA BECKETT’S CHEESE COURSE: styles – wine pairing – plates & boards – recipes (Ryland Peters & Small, 2009; distr. T. Allen, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84597-917-1, $24.95 US hard covers) is by an award- winning food writer who has contributed to many UK newspapers and magazines. As well, she has written several cookbooks. Lately, she has been specializing in cheese. Indeed, some of this book can be found in bits and pieces (and kept up to date) through http://thecheeselover.blogspot.com. The subtitle says it all. She covers the different forms of cheeses (from fresh and soft to old and hard and blue), how to pair wines (and beers and spirits), how to set out an attractive cheeseboard and a cheese plate when entertaining, and how to employ cheese in your cooking (course by course). She has about 40 preps here, with their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. You can also catch a lot more of her food pairings at www.matchingfoodandwine.com Audience and level of use: cheese lovers, text for cheese schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cheddar and cider fondue; lavender honey and vanilla cheesecake; taleggio and grape focaccia; bell pepper and Manchego Spanish omelet; leek and blue cheese quiche. The downside to this book: nothing from Canada in the cheese suppliers list of websites. The upside to this book: gorgeous and useful photos. Quality/Price Rating: 89. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 2. SUPERFRUITS (McGraw Hill, 2010, 228 pages, ISBN 978-0-07-163387-1, $16.95 US paper covers) is by Paul M. Gross, a marketer-researcher who develops new superfruit products. Known as the “berry doctor” (www.berrydoctor.com), Gross shows us which power-packed fruits can recharge immune systems, slow the aging process, and lower risks of disease. He offers a list of 20 fruits, with mangos ranked as Numero Uno. He then gives us 75 recipes, with a lot of smoothies and similar desserts. There are chapters and sidebars on scientific evidence and a bibliography for more reading. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: those wishing to advance their wellness levels. Some interesting or unusual facts: pasteurizing and over processing are the main reasons for nutrient loss in manufactured superfruit juices. The downside to this book: you could just make a list of the 20 fruits and eat as much as you can, beginning with Number One. Scientific information is useful but you don’t need to keep going back to it. The upside to this book: of particular importance is the best way to eat fruits for maximum nutrition. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 3. CASUAL ENTERTAINING (Ryland Peters & Small, 2009; distr. T. Allen, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84597-908-9, $27.95 US hard covers) is by Ross Dobson, an Australian food writer and food stylist. Here’s another FELSO book (fast, easy, local, seasonal and organic) with some added material on “cheap and cheerful” frugality and some higher end dishes. There’s a chapter on grazing, which is more on drinks and cocktail parties (it does have a nice polenta fries with green Tabasco mayonnaise) but it does have a few small plates that can be messy (or at least need a plate) in context of grazing. Lots of interesting ideas amongst its 100 or so recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: workers who are home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: savory palmiers (one with parmesan and miso, another with onion jelly); salmon rilettes with Melba toast; rosemary risotto with roasted summer veggies; smoked trout fattoush; za’atar salmon with lentil salad; roast duckling with orange and ginger pilaf. The downside to this book: there are a lot of other books like this one on the market. The upside to this book: good photography. Quality/Price Rating: 84. 4. THE LOW-STARCH DIABETES SOLUTION; six steps to optimal control of your adult-onset (Type 2) diabetes with the science of insulin resistance and the glycemic load (McGraw-Hill, 2010, 252 pages, ISBN 978-0-07-162150-2, $16.95 US, soft covers) is by Rob Thompson, M.D., a cardiologist who has written three other books on the subject of low- carb glycemic loads. If you use this diet and do an exercise program, then he says that you should be able to stabilize blood sugar in just a week (he has seven days of menus). He has kept his own diabetes under control for the past decade. About two dozen recipes here were created by Dana Carpender, author of “15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes”. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. A bibliography and index concludes the book. Audience and level of use: diabetics and pre-diabetics. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: 21 million Americans have type 2 and 40 million Americans are pre-diabetic. Similar numbers occur in Canada. The downside to this book: only 25 or so recipes. The upside to this book: good cogent summaries. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 5. COOKIE SWAP; creative treats to share throughout the year (Gibbs Smith, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0378-8, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Julia Usher, a food writer, teacher, and pastry person. There is some log rolling from other dessert authors. Usher brings forward the cookie swap, moving it out of Christmas to an all-year event, celebrating everything. This also removes the tedious and boring Christmas motifs on the decorated cookies. For the cookie preps, she has suggestions on when to use them, how to decorate, selecting themes, and shaping. Any event can be celebrated: the trick is find a suitable garnish or decoration. She has lots of advice. There are bar cookies, rolled cookies, chocolate cookies, sandwich cookies, sugar cookies, pressed or piped cookies, dropped cookies, almond cookies, gingerbreads, and more. Plus a US resources list for equipment and hard-to-find ingredients. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: home cooks, church social organizers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bridal veil lace wafers; chocolate-fig oatmeal bars; raspberry-truffle brownie bars; hot buttered rum meltaways; May Day baskets; teacher’s pet drop cookies; heart bouquets. The downside to this book: nothing much really, but then I’m not a decorator. The upside to this book: good instructions on decorating and great close-up photos. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 6. LONG NIGHTS AND LOG FIRES (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2009; distr. T. Allen, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84597-919-5, $27.95 US hard covers) is a book package with most of the Ryland Peters and Small cookbook authors, including Louise Pickford, Fran Warde, Fiona Beckett, and Ross Dobson. I’m not sure whether there are original recipes or just reprints from previously published cookbooks, since the copyright dates are all 2009. Nevertheless, there are more than 180 decent recipes and ideas for dining in a warm and cozy setting. The subtitle says “warming comfort food for family and friends”. The range is from fireplaces, one-pot wonders, roasts, lunches, drinks, and dinners. There is some advice on planning but not much on cleanup. Drinks are heavy, as befits the season. And most of the food is roasted or smoked, adding to the welcomed heat of the house. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. There was an earlier 2009 book for the summer, entitled “Lazy Days and Beach Blankets”. Audience and level of use: cautious beginning entertainers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: potato and parsnip croquettes; pan-fried tuna steaks with lentils; beef en croute; winter veggie gratin; pork loin roasted with rosemary and garlic; lamb tagines. The downside to this book: price seems a little high. It might work better as a paperback. The upside to this book: there are metric conversion charts. Quality/Price Rating: 85. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOKS... ...are one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual schtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. But of course there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 7. MARTHA STEWART’S DINNER AT HOME; 52 quick meals to cook for family and friends (Clarkson Potter, 2009, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-39645-7, $35 US hard covers) is from a cookbook and lifestyle author who needs no log rolling. She hosts a TV show and produces www.marthastewart.com. Here she goes the FELSO route (fast, easy, local, seasonal, possibly organic) for 200 recipes, crafting 52 menus, one a week throughout the year. Each menu has a starter, main, side, and dessert. There’s her usual prep sked for the time-challenged. There’s a seasonal index for all the courses, so you can mix and match. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Everything here is clear and concise, the layout works with different uses of bold typeface (although the font could be a few points more). Good professional photography. Not a book to ignore. Try summer squash and olive phyllo tart, cantaloupe wedged with feta cheese, espresso cream crunch, blackberry shortbread squares, miso-glazed fish fillets, and orange-endive salad. Quality/Price rating: 90. 8. COOKIN’ WITH COOLIO; 5 star meals at a 1 star price (Atria Paperback, 2009; distr. Simon and Schuster, 202 pages, ISBN 978-1-4391- 1761-3, $16 US paper covers) is by Coolio, a successful rapper with a Grammy. He’s also a celebrity chef, with cooking shows on the Internet and via a catering service (“Coolio’s Rules”). Coolio promotes himself as a ghetto gourmet, with such titles as “I’m-Gonna-Slap-You-With-My- Whisk-Tomato-Bisque” or “Chickens-Can’t-Dance Tortellini. These are all 30-minute (or so) meals, emphasizing the likes of soul food with “Fall- Off-The-Bone-and-Into-Your-Mouth Chicken”. Some of it is fusion, as in “Blasian” (Black Asian”) or “Ghettalian” (Ghetto Italian) – but all of it is fun. If this is what gets you cooking and laughing, then so be it. Good large typeface. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 85. 9. TOP CHEF: the Quickfire cookbook (Chronicle Books, 2009, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7082-5, $29.95 US hard covers) is from this competitive reality show. It has recipes, interviews, and behind-the-scenes stories from the US Bravo Channel’s hit show. There are about 100 recipes here, with tips and advice. Quickfire is that portion of the show where speed is of the essence. It is a challenge indeed. If you like these kinds of cooking shows, then this book is for you, especially with its backstage material. Recipes come from the competitors, and they are sourced as to which show had the visual attack. The first five seasons are covered. Good photo close-ups. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents at the back. Quality/Price rating: 85. 10. MICHAEL SYMON’S LIVE TO COOK; recipes and techniques to rock your kitchen (Clarkson Potter, 2009, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-45365-5, $35 US hard covers) is by the latest Iron Chef America. He is assisted by Michael Ruhlman who has coauthored many cookbooks such as those of Thomas Keller. And of course log rolling comes courtesy of fellow Iron Chef America Bobby Flay. This book is part memoir, since Symon apparently has a huge following as a hot food personality. This of course would explain the excessive use of personal photographs, albeit in black and white (the food pix are in colour). His heritage shows in the assembling of preps from Greece, Italy, Eastern Europe, and growing up in Cleveland (mac and cheese with roasted chicken). Such dishes include beef cheek pirogues with wild mushrooms and horseradish, mom’s little meatballs, crispy pig’s ears with pickled veggies, corn crepes with BBQ duck confit, and scallops with lamb sausage and beans. He touches on FELSO, but it is still mildly labour intensive but filled with gusto. Good sidebars on techniques. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 86. 11. ARAXI; seasonal recipes from the celebrated Whistler restaurant (Douglas and McIntyre, 2009, 250 pages, ISBN 978-1-55365-367-7, $45 Canadian hard covers) is from Chef James Walt, Executive Chef who joined Araxi in 1998 after four years at Sooke Harbour House. And as if being an upscale restaurant in Whistler, BC during the Olympics wasn’t enough, the top prize of “head chef” during the 2010 Olympics will go to the winner of the smackdown on Gordon Ramsay’s “Hell’s Kitchen”. The preps here, by Walt, emphasize winter and summer in the Pacific Northwest. He also has a harvest menu that features dishes using only ingredients grown or raised within 100 miles of the restaurant. But that doesn’t work too well for the rest of Canada, so you’ll have to improvise with your own ingredients. Araxi has been voted best of Whistler nine times, and Award of Excellence from the Wine Spectator nine times. The oversized book demands your attention: there is logrolling from Heston Bluemthal and Gordon Ramsay (he called it the best restaurant in Canada). Good photo close-ups, but I found the typeface too light for my aging eyes. Try cheese cannelloni with spinach, hazelnut financiers, braised beef short ribs with cauliflower puree, and parmesan polenta with braised greens and fonduta. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is also a table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 89. 12. LIDIA COOKS FROM THE HEART OF ITALY (Knopf, 2009, 414 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-26751-1, $35 US hard covers) is by chef-owner Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, cookbook author of almost a half dozen books, most of which have been accompanied by PBS television series. This one debuted in the Spring of 2009. Here she presents recipes and food from the lesser-known regions of Italy, such as Molise, Liguria, Umbria, Abruzzo, Valle d’Aosta, Le Marche, Alto Adige, and Sardinia. Plus, to keep a balance, some of the lesser-known foods of well-known areas such as Lombardy and Emilia Romagna. Her daughter, Tanya Bastianich Manuali, with her Ph.D. in Renaissance art history from Oxford, contributes art notes. She has notes on artisanal cheese and wines, olive oils, and local foods. Ingredients are listed in red ink, sure to stand out. There’s a sources list, a list of the menus from this TV show (with red ink page references), and a recipe finder by course (again, with red ink page references). The index also has page references in red ink. You cannot miss it. Try something from Liguria, such as rice and zucchini crostata, trenette with pesto, almond torta, or bread salad with summer veggies. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 89. 13. EMERIL 20 – 40 – 60; fresh food fast (HarperStudio, 2009, 257 pages, ISBN 978-0-06-174294-1, $24.99 soft covers) is by Emeril Lagasse, the well-known Food Network chef (bam!), owner of 11 restaurants, and author of 13 popular cookbooks. And, no, the title does not refer to a football play from the New Orleans Saints, currently leading the NFL. He just wants you to make the meals you want in the time that you have. So the book is divided into three sections: meals you can cook in under 20 minutes; under 40 minutes; and under 60 minutes. There’s a fair number of these books out on the marketplace, but this is the only one I’ve seen with the three categories, plus the star quality strength of the author. All of these, of course, require some kind of mise en place and pantry, and even more so with the shorter time constraint. Within each timed section, Lagasse presents soups through desserts. Menus would have been nice, but that would just add to the time constraints. For the under 20, we have Italian wedding soup (11 minutes), sweet pea soup (16 minutes), shrimp and chorizo tapas (20 minutes), and more. The major tip here is to do something else while the dish is cooking. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 86. 14. SANDRA LEE SEMI-HOMEMADE WEEKNIGHT WONDERS; 139 easy fast fix dishes (SL Books, Wiley, 2009, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-54024-4, $19.95 US soft covers) is by Sandra Lee, who is a whole industry in “semi-homemade”. She has a magazine (Sandra Lee Semi-Handmade), a club, almost 20 cook books, two television shows on the Food Network, a newsletter, and more (www.sandralee.com). She specializes in dishes that use a blend of off-the-shelf food with fresh ingredients. Her books are on themes such as grilling, holidays, slow cookers, children, desserts, under 20 minutes, etc. This one is for when you come home after work and want to catch a quick meal. The basic formula is 70% ready-made convenience products are added to 30% fresh ingredients. So here, she categorizes into Mexican, Italian, Deep south, Asian, desserts, family snacks, comfort foods, and so forth. For pork tenderloin with mushroom sauce, you’ll need specified product garlic salt, lemon pepper, minced garlic from a package, a package of sliced mushrooms, frozen chopped onions and a jar of pork gravy. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Well, maybe the book worked in the 1950s. Quality/Price rating: unrated. 15. THE $10 GOURMET (Whitecap,2009, 178 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-005-1, $24.95 CAD soft covers) is by Ken Kostick, television personality currently on the W Network. He has authored 14 other cookbooks. This one is another in a series of low budget cookery books for the home cook. As the publisher notes, “Ken shows us that not only can you cook a meal for two under 10 dollars, but you can create dishes that rival a meal from a trendy downtown restaurant.” He also shows us how to host a gourmet dinner party for under $30 (menus are on pages 156 to 169). Quite understandably, Kostick says that we waste about one-third of our food purchases. So part of being thrifty is to have leftovers and sauces/stocks, plus smart shopping (specials, coupons, no name generics) and effective use of the pantry. He gives us a $50 pantry to use, but we don’t charge meal costs against this larder stock. For each dish he gives a shopping list with some prices, which may vary from season to season. Technically, for all mains, he is under $10 for two. But then restaurants work on the rule of thirds, where one third of the cost comes from the food. So a $10 at home main dish with no larder fee translates as $33 for two main courses on the menu of a “trendy” resto. Added to this are tax and tip, making it about $45 for two. So I see no real advantage here, except saving money: everybody knows home cooking costs a lot less than eating out. And I think, in most cases here, the guy wins since the cooking probably will be done by the lady. Some recipes here cannot be photocopied, so they may be difficult to try out. He has standard meats, seafood, poultry, desserts, and the larder. The menu section can be valuable, and its principles applied elsewhere. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 84. 16. THE COMFORT TABLE; recipes for everyday occasions (Simon Spotlight Entertainment, 2009, 271 pages, ISBN 978-1-4391-2674-5, $26 US hard covers) is by Katie Lee, television and magazine food personality. She’s also married to musician Billy Joel. This is her second cookbook, but even so she has log rolling from Mario (Batali) and Paula (Deen). Her emphasis here is on menus for special occasions, using preps that are FELSO (fast, easy, local, seasonal, organic). Her 100 recipes celebrate the fall harvest, Thanksgiving, Sunday supper, Chinese New Year, breakfast party, spa lunch, mother’s day brunch, garden party, summer BBQ, and a beach picnic – as well as typical US celebrations. Prep times and cooking times are indicated, and the typeface is big enough for my tired eyes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 85. 17. SO EASY; luscious, healthy recipes for every meal of the week (Wiley, 2009, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-42354-7, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Ellie Krieger, a registered dietitian with a magazine column and TV show on the Food Network. There’s 150 recipes here, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For diner, there are 25 complete, family- friendly meals. For the most part, FELSO (fast, easy, local, seasonal, organic) is invoked – and under 30 minutes. There’s a five-page pantry, of course, to help speed up the preps, and lots of nutritional data for each recipe. Try wheat berry salad, spaghetti frittata, cracked pepper potato chips, shrimp roll, steak chimichurri, garden lentil pilaf, prosciutto-wrapped cod. I also like the idea of the “serving size”. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Much more of her material can be found at www.healthylivingwithellie.com. 18. MOOSEWOOD RESTAURANT COOKING FOR HEALTH; more than 200 new vegetarian and vegan recipes for delicious and nutrient-rich dishes (Simon & Schuster, 2009, 350 pages, ISBN 978-1-4165-4886-7, $35 US hard covers) is by the Moosewood Collective, who run their vegetarian restaurant in Ithaca, New York. They’ve been together (for the most part) since 1973, and their books have been awarded three Beards. This is their twelfth book together, and they now have a database of over 2,000 vegetarian recipes. Some of their books have emphasized crowds or desserts or special events. This one is a collection of “new” recipes, suitable for all occasions but with an emphasis on that healthful eating which will create a weight loss. Not all of it is fast or easy, but it is certainly local, seasonal and organic (where possible). Every course and type of food is covered, with room for vegan, gluten-free and raw food preps. There is also a wide swath of global fusion in the material. Sidebars are extended essays on Glycemic Index, eggs, phytonutrients, food sensitivities, seaweed, nuts and seeds, soy, antioxidants, pasta, legumes, sugars – and more. Try hijiki and vegetable sauté, seitan gyro, Italian lentils, Eastern European minestrone, Japanese lunchbox salad, quinoa tabouli, or kale with cranberries. Each prep has some nutritional data. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Some of the money from this book goes in aid of a New York school food program. Quality/Price rating: 90. 19. NIRMALA’S EDIBLE DIARY; a hungry traveler’s cookbook with recipes from 14 countries (Chronicle Books, 2009; dist. Raincoast, 263 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6906-5, $27.50 US hard covers) is by Nirmala Narine, owner of a gourmet food products company (Nirmala’s Kitchen). She was born and raised in Guyana in South America. Her business is very heavily influenced by South American cooking and spicing. The 14 countries in this book are all South American, and include Guyana, Peru, Suriname, French Guiana, Venezuela, Falkland Islands, Uruguay, Columbia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Paraguay. Her diary is part-memoir, part-food book, and incorporates some 75 recipes garnered from her travels in South America. She concentrates on peasant food, street food, and beverages. From Ecuador, there is braised oxtail. From Suriname, there is baked stuffed okra with shrimp. Try also cream of sweet potato soup (Venezuela), grilled beef skewers (Uruguay), bori-bori (Paraguay), croquembouche with rum and coconut (French Guiana), and baked curry fish and chips (Falkland Islands). Brazilian black bean stew is also popular. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. A menu for each country is scattered about (the book is arranged by country). Quality/Price rating: 89. 20. MANGIA WITH QUATTRO (Whitecap, 2009, 248 pages, ISBN 978-1-55285- 982-7, $29.95 CAD soft covers) is by Antonio Corsi, with son Patrick. They are the team behind Quattro on Fourth, Gusto di Quattro, and Quattro at Whistler, all well-known and established restaurants. The focusing food writer is Tanis Tsisserev. Many of the desserts come from pastry chef Merri Schwartz. There are 140 recipes here, both new- and old-country, which includes family faves and restaurant menu items. There are wine pairing notes at the back, incorporated into the 15 family-style menus (which also have page references to the recipes). The authors have some pages on a Roman pantry (Rome seems to be the basis for much of their preps). There are many family photos and remembrances of family living, giving the book a memoirish feel. Arranged by course, each recipe is for six to eight family members. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Try braised rabbit cannelloni, cheese rapini, smoked chicken with corn and potato chowder, zucchini and fennel soup. It’s all with gusto. Quality/Price rating: 89. 21. TWO DISHES; mother and daughter, two cooks, two lifestyles, two takes (McClelland & Stewart, 2009, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-7710-3816-7, $29.99 CAD, soft covers) is by Linda Haynes and Devin Connell. Haynes is to co-founder of ACE Bakery along with her husband, Martin Connell. Devin is their daughter, who also owns Delica Kitchen, and all-natural soup, salad, sandwich place in Toronto. Log rolling is by uber-chefs Mark McEwan and Lynn Crawford. The basic premise is “two takes” on the same type of food. Devon’s is more loose and less-demanding, as befits younger people these days, and that’s why the book should also appeal to younger readers. Thus, while Haynes does duck breasts with dried cherries and shallots, Devin does roast chicken with apricots and prosciutto. Haynes tomato soup is slow-cooked with rare ingredients, Devin’s is quick and simple. Essentially, Devin is FELSO while Haynes specifies some techniques. It’s a good family cookbook as well, but there are too many personal photographs. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Only the scaled ingredients have weights in both avoirdupois and metric forms. My book’s binding cracked often, which is a problem with oversized paperbacks. Quality/Price rating: 84. 22. STIR; mixing it up in the Italian tradition (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009, 336 pages, ISBN 978-0-618-57681-4, $35 US hard covers) is by Barbara Lynch, a Beard award winner and chef-owner of Barbara Lynch Gruppo, which has some food and restaurant business in Boston (at least seven properties, including the resto “Stir” where she has cooking classes). Still, despite all that she apparently needs log rolling from six well-placed chefs and writers, including Michael Ruhlman and Tom Colicchio. Joanne Smart is the focusing food writer and tester. Lynch’s book is also part memoir, about her upbringing in South Boston and her introduction to the food world. She is self-taught. The food is a mix of Italian and Italian-inspired, appearing from time to time at her restaurants. It moves from starters and small bites through salads and soups to pasta, mains, sides and dolci. So there is her take on fried calamari with lemon aioli, brioche pizza with black olives and fresh ricotta, beet and frisee salad with blue cheese, ricotta gnudi (the newest in-thing at Italian restos in Toronto), spice-rubbed roast goose, and seared duck breast with spiced cherries. There are lots of cooks notes and sidebars (with many suggestions for making part of the dish ahead of time), and the layout has some good white space with no clutter. The 150 recipes are both tasty and practical. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. I like the extensive index with its larger typeface and leading (even so, “gnudi” is not indexed). Quality/price rating: 88. ---------------------------------------------------- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR NOVEMBER 2009 =============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2009 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. TONY ASPLER’S CELLAR BOOK; how to design, build, stock and manage your wine cellar wherever you live (Random House Canada, 2009, 340 pages, ISBN 978-0307357113, $32.95 CAD hard covers) is by Canada’s most well-known wine writer and Member of the Order of Canada. It comes complete with printed wine stains, an interesting innovation. I contributed to this book, so I am not allowed to be overly-excited by it (conflict of interest rules). But Tony does have a memoir-ish style since most chapters are expressed in the form of his journeys through life. His book is about guidelines without boundaries for modest to expensive wine safekeeping, whether in a professional cellar or temporarily in a kitchen. Aspler’s suggestions for general approaches to establishing a cellar, specific bottles and even themes will help one create a near-perfect, big or small collection. Basic techniques for evaluating the right cellar for one’s needs are accompanied by sidebars of cellaring experience and advice from well-known wine celebrities. Of importance is his chapter on condos (he recently bought a condo and had to make his wine cellar work). He has recommendations for what wines should be in a wine cellar, to accommodate most budgets and expenses. There are plenty of charts and tables for wine names, grape comparisons, regions, and wine styles, plus food and wine matches (and wine and food matches) and “dream” cellars. Other sections include a wine vocabulary. Audience and level of use: collectors, libraries Some interesting or unusual facts: The major grape varieties for storage are: Cabernet Sauvignon (especially from cooler regions like Bordeaux), Cabernet-Merlot blends (Meritage), Nebbiolo (Barolo/Barbaresco), Syrah/Shiraz (Rhône, Australia), Tempranillo (Spain), and Sangiovese (Italy). Quality/Price Rating: 90. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. GOURMET TODAY; more than 1000 all-new recipes for the contemporary kitchen (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009, 1008 pages, ISBN 978-0-618- 61018-1, $40 US hard covers) has been edited by Ruth Reichl. Since the book was published at the beginning of October, Gourmet magazine has ceased publication. But Conde Nast still sits on all the recipes and preps, so it is possible that there could be several Gourmet cookbooks in the years ahead, a sort of upscale Mark Bittman. Reichl, the last editor of Gourmet magazine, had edited the previous book which was published in 2004 to great acclaim. This time, there are entirely new recipes, and the cover is green, symbolic of sustainable agriculture. There are two green bookmark ribbons as well, always a handy feature in trying to keep flipping aside. Anyway, I usually advocate making a photocopy of the recipe to be used (fair use, single copy, not breaking any laws). Throughout there are sidebars and cook’s notes. OK, here are the numbers: about 650 preps that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less, scores of recipes for promoting vegetarian main dishes, about 100 fish and shellfish recipes (all sustainable) with substitutions mentioned, 100 cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages, hundreds of illustrations of ingredients and techniques, and much more which can be found at www.gourmettodaycookbook.com. The mood here is “contemporary”, meaning FESLOS (fast, easy, seasonal, local, organic or sustainable) Audience and level of use: home cooks, subscribers to the former Gourmet. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: rabbit braised in red wines; spiced chicken; cornmeal sugar cookies; babaghanouj; Armenian lamb pizza; arepas with black beans and feta; eggplant soufflé. The downside to this book: the book weighs 4.8 pounds, and I’m not sure if the binding can stand several years of wear and tear. The upside to this book: if you want a sugar high, there are over 300 desserts covered in this book. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3. NEW VEGETARIAN (Chronicle Books, 2009, 144 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118- 6579-1, $19.95 US soft covers) is by Robin Asbell, a chef, food writer and cooking teacher specializing in natural foods. She also wrote “The New Whole Grains Cookbook” for Chronicle Books. Log-rolling comes from highly respected chef-writers such as John Ash, Meredith Deeds, and Elizabeth Andoh. The book’s subtitle says it all: “more than 75 fresh, contemporary recipes for pasta, tagines, curries, soups & stews, and desserts”. The scope is international, the theme is flavours. Most of the world is vegetarian, so that it makes it easier to source usefully nutritious and flavourful recipes. The arrangement is by course, from soups to sweets. Most preps have a region in the title of the recipe, such as Spicy Italian “Meat” Loaf, or Loation Green Curry Mock Duck. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Most of the preps and ov0- lacto free, and should appeal to vegans as well. Rice, soy, and coconut milk is used extensively. That being said, I don’t think that omnivores would disagree with veggie soups, salads, desserts and sides. It is the main course that needs to be touted to omnivores or meat-lovers – and that’s almost half the book with 32 recipes. Audience and level of use: vegetarians looking for more and different flavours. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: smoky herb salad; baked creamy squash pasta with arugula; French lentil cassoulet; Greek vegetable feta pie in phyllo; Jamaican veggie patties; Javanese tempeh sambal goring; Roman chickpea gnocchi gratin. The downside to this book: the typeface for the index is way too small. The upside to this book: Yvonne Duivenvoorden’s photography. Quality/Price Rating: 4. EVERYONE CAN COOK FOR CELEBRATIONS; seasonal recipes for festive occasions (Whitecap, 2009, 261 pages, ISBN 978-1-55285-993-3, $24.95 CAD soft covers) is by Eric Akis, a food writer for the Times Colonist in Victoria, BC. He’s a former chef and the bestselling author of the “Everyone Can Cook” series (covering basics, seafood, appetizers, and midweek meals). There are five in this series, and I guess you could call him Canada’s answer to Mark Bittman. These are simple festive dishes, suitable to a wide range of meals such as just entertaining, Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year, et al. But their usefulness lies in the creative planning of menus, and some of these are given on pages 250 – 251, with page references to the original recipe. He has a Retro New Year’s Eve dinner, and elegant New Year’s Day dinner, a New Year’s Day breakfast, and a Chinese New Year’s buffet. Each of his sections has menus, so there must be about 30 of them and 140 recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, and there is no table of equivalents. There are plenty of cook’s notes and options for variations here. Audience and level of use: beginner or home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: spinach salad with strawberries and walnuts; chanterelle mushroom crostini; shrimp baked in champagne butter sauce; Yorkshire pudding; apple-glazed breakfast sausages; mushroom-pinot noir sauce; fig and olive tapenade. The downside to this book: the quantities for each ingredient are set in pastel colours on the page, which makes for squinty reading and poor photocopying. I advocate photocopying recipes for actual kitchen preparation (saves wear and tear on the book, and you can clip the recipe to a shelf or cupboard). The upside to this book: a good clean look. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 5. THE FINEST WINES OF CHAMPAGNE; a guide to the best cuvees, houses, and growers (University of California Press, 2009, 320 pages, ISBN 978- 0-520-25940-9, $34.95US soft covers) is by Michael Edwards, who has written many guides to champagnes. This book (and the one below) is part of a major series of illustrated guides created by the editorial team at “The World of Fine Wine” magazine (which sells for $80US a copy). It has been co-published with Quarto-Aurum in the UK. Producers, vineyards and vintages are all covered in the series by regional look. According to Hugh Johnson, one of the founders, the books cover “the wines most worth talking about”. Thus, the appeal is to the serious wine lover who will read about what the wines taste like, why they taste that way, and how they mirror the people and times that made them. The Champagne book is terroir-driven, with 90 profiles of the best houses and growers. It is organized geographically, from Reims, Ay, Epernay and beyond. Each entry gets a description and assessment, a photo or two, some tasting notes of the “finest” wines, and bare bones co-ordinates of street address, phone number, and web- site. The intro covers the mystique of sparkling wines, while the last section covers lists. Here will be found surveys of the previous 20 years of Champagne, matching of wine and food (including places to eat), and ten top-ten tables to give us a list of the best 100 champagnes (ten best roses, ten top-value, ten prestigious, etc.). Other valuable sections cover a glossary and a bibliography. Audience and level of use: the serious wine lover, wine and cooking schools, libraries. Some interesting or unusual facts: Just after the authorities in Champagne increased acreage (this was an acrimonious pursuit), the bottom fell out of the world’s economy and sales plummeted. The downside to this book: the worst I can complain about is the too thin fabric bookmark. The upside to this book: good value, far less expensive than the magazine. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 6. THE FINEST WINES OF TUSCANY AND CENTRAL ITALY; a regional and village guide to the best wines and their producers (University of California Press, 2009, 320 pages, ISBN 978-0-520-25942-3, $34.95US soft covers) is by Nicholas Belfrage, MW, who has written many guides to Italian wine. This book (and the one above) is part of a major series of illustrated guides created by the editorial team at “The World of Fine Wine” magazine (which sells for $80US an issue). It has been co-published with Quarto-Aurum in the UK. Producers, vineyards and vintages are all covered in the series by regional look. According to Hugh Johnson, one of the founders, the books cover “the wines most worth talking about”. Thus, the appeal is to the serious wine lover who will read about what the wines taste like, why they taste that way, and how they mirror the people and times that made them. The Tuscan book is terroir-driven, with over 90 profiles of the best houses. It is organized geographically, from Chianti and Montalcino through Montepulciano, Umbria, and Marche. Each entry gets a description and assessment, a photo or two, some tasting notes of the “finest” wines, a word about some recent vintages, and bare bones co-ordinates of street address, phone number, and web-site. Both red and white wines are covered. The intro covers the mystique of terroir plus winemaking styles and grapes (sangiovese mostly), while the last section covers lists. Here will be found surveys of the previous 19 years of the region, matching of wine and food (but no places to eat), and ten top- ten tables to give us a list of the best 100 wines (ten great brunellos, ten top-value, ten top whites, etc.). Other valuable sections cover a glossary and a bibliography. Audience and level of use: the serious wine lover, wine and cooking schools, libraries. Some interesting or unusual facts: From the author, “I will no doubt be taken to task for including certain producers I represent commercially or have done at some point in a longish career as a buyer, retailer, importer, and broker of Italian wine.” The downside to this book: the worst I can complain about is the too thin fabric bookmark. The upside to this book: good value, far less expensive than the magazine. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 7. MORE VEGETABLES, PLEASE! Over 100 easy & delicious recipes for eating healthy foods each & every day (New Harbinger Publications, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 227 pages, ISBN 978-1-57224-590-7, $ 21.95US soft covers) is by Elson Haas, MD, and Patty James, MS (founder of the first certified organic cooking school in the USA). The subtitle pretty well says it all. The authors strive to incorporate as many veggies as possible into standard dishes such as mac and cheese, pizza and chicken pot pie. This is family driven food. They have tips for adding ]veggies to favourite dishes, making veggies taste better with seasonings, using seasonal selections of veggies, and in general, making everyone in the family aware of what nutrition and good taste is all about. Audience and level of use: home cooks with families. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: red pepper strips with artichoke and caper filling; tofu cauliflower soup; spaghetti squash supreme; asparagus quiche; yam casserole. The downside to this book: Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. The upside to this book: good introductory material on how to approach food, and how to get kids interested in the kitchen (let them help). Quality/Price Rating: 86. 8. SOUP (DK Books, 2009, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-5697-3, $25US hard covers) is a book package assembled by four food editors and four recipe testers. This is a compendium of 200 basic soups preps, from appetizers to hearty and full meals. It has been organized by food ingredient, such as summer vegetables, winter vegetables, legumes and nuts, fish and shellfish, poultry game and meat. Each prep has the usual cook’s notes and advice. There are separate technique and recipe planning chapters – these also have plenty of photos. The planners have pix and page references to recipes for topical soups such as vegetarian, chilled, hearty, healthy, spicy, quick, and “main meals”. Each recipe has service level, prep and cook times, and storage possibilities. The last chapter has some ten bread recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, and there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: home cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: mussels in a ginger and chile brother; red pepper soup; fish soup with fennel; chicory gazpacho; smoked tomato soup; curried broth with peppers. The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes, not just the basics. The upside to this book: nice large print fonts, clear and easy to use. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 9. DRINK THIS; wine made simple (Ballantine Books, 2009, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-345-51165-2, $26US hard covers) is by Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, a top wine and food writer (she’s won four Beards for wine writing and restaurant criticism). She reminds us that personal taste is the only deciding factor in what to drink. Of course, you’ll need to recognize what you like and do not like, and that demands a fair bit of tasting. The first tasting should be the Old World vs. the New World, the food wine vs. the party wine, the dry vs. the off-dry, the red vs. the white, the still vs. the sparkling. It goes on. Here, the author categorizes most wines by eight varieties, claiming, quite rightly, that these grapes make most of the wines consumed in the USA: zinfandel, sauvignon blanc, riesling, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, sangiovese, tempranillo, and pinot noir. A lot of the material is presented by way of Q and A, sidebars, and lists, with wine recommendations based on price and availability. It takes a while to work your way through this book, but in the end it works. Audience and level of use: wine novices Some interesting or unusual facts: the book does very well in handling restaurant situations, menus and pricings, and sommeliers. The downside to this book: I think it could use some more work on “other” grape varieties. The upside to this book: while not explicitly stated, I think that this book would be terrific for women who don’t give a hoot over a wine’s exact provenance or track record, the way some men would. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 10. GINGERBREAD (Chronicle Books, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 144 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6191-5, $19.95 US hard covers) is by Jennifer Lindner McGlinn, a pastry chef and food writer. Here she promotes all things ginger-y, emphasizing cakes, cookies, ice cream, candy and other desserts, including two gingerbread houses. Nothing says Christmas more than “gingerbread” – it is so European. She has a short history of gingerbread in the primer section. There are about 50 recipes here plus more for variations, different dough, and sauces. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: home cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bread and butter pudding with pain d’epices and quince; gingerbread maple-moon pies; gingerbread pumpkin ice cream sandwiches; gingerbread blackberry trifle; pumpkin- gingerbread torte; buche de noel; gingerbread brownies. The downside to this book: cook’s notes are hard to read because the typeface is so faint. The upside to this book: she has a special chapter on gingerbread breakfasts. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 11. 12,167 KITCHEN AND COOKING SECRETS; everyday tips, hints, techniques and more (Robert Rose, 2009, 704 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788- 0222-8, $27.95 CAD soft covers) has been assembled by well-known Toronto Star newspaper food columnist Susan Sampson. Her premise: to present kitchen advice that she has gathered over the years, in this case, totaling 12,167. It is all arranged by major topic. There’s a collection of advice on tools (cookware, knives, wraps, linens, household supplies, blender, coffee grinder, deep-fryer, microwave, plus the major appliances), shopping and storing, pantry basics, produce, meat, seafood, cooking techniques, baked goods, entertaining, plus safety and hygiene. She even manages to give us several dozen recipes as a sort of lagniappe (preps have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents). She also has Master Plans (MPs) for techniques in cooking standard dishes. Under Lamb, she has an MP for both slow-roasted lamb and herb-crusted lamb. I could go on, but you can read the other 12,000 or so secrets for yourself. Maybe somebody will do a blog, call it Sully and Susan, in which Sully tries to do 12,167 kitchen secrets in a year – that’s over 33 a day! Just kidding. A book like this is only as good as its index, and this one is about 3,000 entries long. And she gives us five handy websites for pictures and recipes and more tips (Cook’s Thesaurus, Recipesource.com, Epicurious.com, Chow.com, and Baking911.com). At the end, she gives us advice to ignore, such as “blanching basil beforehand makes smoother pesto”. To her, it also makes blander pesto. So don’t do it. Audience and level of use: home cooks, the experienced, the curious, reference libraries. Some interesting or unusual facts: “A technique that one cook swears by, another shrugs off. Just because a famous chef says something …doesn’t mean it is written in stone…Please don’t think of cooking tips as rules…most rules are just guidelines.” The downside to this book: it could also have been useful as a released CD database, fully searchable by keyword. The upside to this book: she lists eight places to continue to find kitchen tips. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 12. REFLECTIONS OF A WINE MERCHANT (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008; distr. by DMPI, 257 pages, ISBN 978-0-374-24856-7 $24 US hard covers) is by Neal I. Rosenthal, an organic farmer who also has a wine importing company, Rosenthal Wine Merchant. Log rollers include a US poet laureate and Victor Hazan. Rosenthal specializes in sustainable wineries; he only imports traditionally made wines produced by small family-owned estates in France and Italy. He was featured in the documentary “Mondovino” (by J. Nossiter), and in Lawrence Osborne’s “The Accidental Connoisseur”. Rosenthal is one of the outspoken critics of globalization and homogenization. He is a strong believer in terroir. This book recounts his visits to a variety of cellars and vineyards, plus the vignerons. Chock full of useful anecdotes. Audience and level of use: memoir readers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: I found it strange that Rosenthal never ever mentioned Mondovino, nor The Accidental Connoisseur, nor their authors. The downside to this book: no Mondovino? The upside to this book: there is an index, which makes this book extremely useful. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 13. THE GRISWOLD AND WAGNER WARE CAST IRON COOKBOOK (Skyhorse Publishing, 2009; distr. T. Allen, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-60239-803-0 $24.95 US hard covers) is by Joanna Pruess, a magazine and newspaper food writer and cookbook author (about a dozen books). The American Culinary Corporation now owns Griswold, Wagner, and WagnerWare; their cast iron products have won more gold medal awards than any other producer’s. You can, of course, use any cast iron cookware in doing these 66 cast iron recipes. The arrangement is by food product: luncheon, vegetables, mains (poultry, meat, seafood) and desserts. The introduction has a history and a primer on cast iron ware, along with some antique adverts (which are also strewn about the book). Cast iron has been making a comeback, principally because it is seen as “traditional”. Yet it is a healthy alternative to regular cook ware, its only drawback being its high maintenance and weight. There is also a cast iron FAQ and a glossary. David G. Smith, a collector of cast iron for over 30 years, also contributed to this book. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: home cook, traditionalists. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: mac and cheese with bacon; Asian quesadillas; oven roasted asparagus with macadamias; buttermilk fried chicken; Provencal lamb stew; Finnian haddie; salted caramel sauce. The downside to this book: a few more recipes might have been useful. The upside to this book: a useful contribution to cast iron cooking. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 14. APPETITE CITY; a culinary history of New York (North Point Press, 2009; distr. DMPI, 368 pages, ISBN 978-0-86547-692-9, $30 US, hard covers) is by William Grimes, resto critic for the New York Times, 1999-2003 and co-author of “The New York Times Guide to New York City Restaurants”. That Grimes was able to condense his history into a workable 368 pages must be seen as a minor miracle, since the history of New York restaurants is the history of American food. In fact, I can offer no better synopsis than to quote the publisher: “a grand tour of the city’s restaurants, exploring the ways in which sex and class determined where and how a person would eat, and how the city’s restaurant scene mirrored the larger social and political forces in shaping New York.” There is an index, so you can check out his extensive writings about Delmonico’s. He introduces a lot of characters through anecdotes. Covered are the oyster bars, the steak houses, the ice cream parlours, the beef-and-beans joints, the Automat, the restos of the 1939 World’s Fair, the modern multicultural places of today, and the Bowery. Audience and level of use: food historians, restaurant lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: he began his book when he was asked to curate a display of vintage menus in the New York Public Library collection. The downside to this book: the title is slightly misleading, since this is a history of restaurants in New York, not all foods. The upside to this book: he has just a few, but also just the right number, of black and white antique or historical photos or illustrations of restos. Quality/Price Rating: 89. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 15. LIQUID MEMORY; why wine matters (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009; distr. D & M Publishers, 262 pages, ISBN 978-0-374-27257-9, $26 US hard covers) is by Jonathan Nossiter, the director of the documentary “Mondovino”, which I felt was a terrific film. This is his first book, originally published in French in 2007. Log rolling includes Bill Buford and Neal Rosenthal (the latter appeared in the documentary and has written “Reflections of a Wine Merchant”). For Nossiter, wine is an essential art form, like movies, literature, music, and art. His book is a mix of coverage. It is part memoir, part interview, part screed (against snobs and fraudsters). Part I is about terroir, the sense of place. Part II deals with power in the wine world, the motif of “upmanship”. Part III shows us his concern with Burgundy. And Part IV is about authentic wines. It’s a personal book, as all memoirs are, and he does have a point of view. In fact, personal views do shape our awareness of wine. His faves must be Burgundy followed by Bordeaux since those have the most references in the book. And of course he has a lot to say about Robert Parker, Jr. and Michel Rolland – both strongly influential on changes to the Spanish wine industry, and not for the better. I shouldn’t be telling you these things, read it for yourself. Quality/Price rating: 91. 16. RAISING STEAKS; the life and times of American beef (Mariner, 2009, 402 pages, ISBN 978-0-547-24769-4, $15.95 US soft covers) is by Betty Fussell, a free lance writer who contributes to Gastronomica, Food & Wine, Saveur, New Yorker, et al. She has also written ten previous books, one most notably on corn. The book was originally published in 2008 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and this is a straight reprint. This is a scholarly book, with copious endnotes, a bibliography of trade journals and books and foodbooks, and index. The 21 or so recipes, all indexed under “recipes”, come from a variety of sources, all acknowledged. Her story of beef is one best told through a series of historical clashes, from the British pastoralists vs. the Spanish ranchers, through buffalo vs. cattle, cowboys vs. industrial machines, up to and including natural vs. growth hormones. She covers breeds (e.g. Angus), feed and anti-biotics, slaughtering and abattoirs, packaging and distribution, with details on butcher shops, tanneries, steakhouses, the role of Chicago, and buffalo meat (much better for you than beef). There are lots of facts and figures, augmented by reproductions of archival posters, paintings and photos. For us in Canada, there are occasional references, with headings in the index such as “mad cow disease” and beef imports. No websites are listed in the resources section. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 17. A TASTE OF MY LIFE (Corgi Books, 2009, 463 pages, ISBN 978-0-55215- 731-5, $23.95 CAD paper covers) is by Raymond Blanc, a French chef who opened Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons (in 1984) near Oxford England. This is his 2008 autobiography, self-described as “one man’s hunger for perfection”. It’s in memoir form, with stories from his French childhood and his early apprentice days. The BBC described the original of this book as “a rattling good read”. It is a thorough and comprehensive read. Blanc was instrumental in teaching Marco Pierre White and Heston Blumenthal. Read his takes on molecular gastronomy and on sustainability, plus children and food, hand washing, the Slow Food movement, and even crows and dancing. Typical preps that he is associated with (and are here in this book) include braised oxtail, iced pineapple parfait, exotic fruit gratin with coconut rice, and eel in teriyaki jelly. Preparations have their ingredients listed in either metric or avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents given. An important read. Quality/Price rating: 87. 18. OLIVES & ORANGES; recipes & flavor secrets from Italy, Spain, Cyprus & beyond (Houghton Mifflin, 2009 reprint, 372 pages, ISBN 978-0- 618-67764-1, $35 US hard covers) is by Sara Jenkins and Mindy Fox. Jenkins, daughter of food writer Nancy Harmon Jenkins, has cheffed mostly in New York city; she just opened Porchetta in the East Village. Mindy Fox is a focusing food writer, now food editor at La Cucina Italiana. Log rolling includes pieces by Mario (Batali), Paula (Wolfert), Adam (Gopnik), and Molly (O’Neill). The preps are Mediterranean, but for family reasons there is a strong run of Italian and Eastern Mediterranean dishes. Try Fattouche from Lebanon; Green beans with shaved onion, fried almonds and parmesan; Red onions cooked in orange juice; Pan-roasted Brussels sprouts, turnips, and beets with farm faro; or North African spiced shrimp. She begins with a description of her “flavor pantry” (oils, salts and salty products, grains and legumes, broths, herbs and spices, and cheeses) and then moves on to small plates, salad, soup, pasta-risotto-polenta, fish, poultry, meats, and then sweets. There is a US sources list and all weights and measures are in avoirdupois (with no metric conversion tables). There are no wine recommendations. Quality/price rating: 86. 19. LIGHTEN UP (Quadrille Publishing, 2009, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1- 84400-701-1, $24.95 CAD soft covers) is by Jull Dupleix, who was the Cook at The Times for six years. She has authored 14 other cookbooks. This book was originally published in 2007, and in 2008 it was the winner of the Guild of Food Writers (UK) Award for Work on Healthy Eating. It is a basic book, taking classic regular preps and lightening them up in terms of fat and calories and meats. She has sidebars to cover bananas, raw food, breads, tofu, and umami. The book is arranged by theme, so she gets you off to a good morning with a fully loaded breakfast, followed by salads and soups, some spicy foods, some fast food, some slow food, some easy food, some steamy food, and some veggies and fruits. What I like about the book is the large typeface and the ease of the instructions and the movement around the book. Try her Thai beef with lemongrass, spring minestrone, spinach chana dal, Japanese mushroom noodles, spaghetti alla puttanesca, or pineapple and coconut soufflé. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 89. 20. FLAVORS OF TUSCANY; recipes from the heart of Italy (Ryland Peters & Small, 2006, 2009; distr. T. Allen, 160 pages, ISBN 1-84597-889-1, $21.95 soft covers) is by Maxine Clark, a well-traveled food writer and teacher specializing in Italian cuisine. It was originally published in 2006. There are also photos of the Tuscan surrounding area, farms, markets, restaurants, bars, museums, and the like. So it is like a “week at a cooking school”, with photo demos and classic dishes. The selection of regional dishes is arranged in meal order (antipasti, soups, pasta, secondi, sides, and dolci). She has short essays on local ingredients such as olives and olive oil, meats of white cattle or fennel salami or wild boar, sheep cheese (pecorino), beans, mushrooms, and wine including Vin Santo. Many dishes can also be varied with different sauces and pesto (recipes furnished). There is a resources list and website URLs for Italian and US mail orders. While US volume measurements are used for the recipe ingredients, there is a metric conversion chart on p.157. Try anchovies marinated in lemon; pancetta and fennel puffs; ribollita soup; chestnut and pancetta soup; pandiramerino (rosemary, sultana, and olive oil bread); fennel sausage risotto. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 21, THE NEW SAVORY WILD MUSHROOM (Greystone Books, 2009, 250 pages, ISBN 978-1-55054-179-3, $28.95 CAD paper covers) is by Margaret McKenny, who wrote the first edition in 1962. Since then it has been revised in 1971 and 1987, and here it has been reissued. Over the years, Daniel Stuntz and Joseph Ammirati have created the enlarged editions. This classic now covers 199 fungi; it is a field guide to picking and eating wild mushrooms, principally on the west coast. Colour photos provide great identification, answering two important queries: what is it? And can I eat it?. Full written descriptions give identifications. Te book is arranged by species, beginning with boletes, and then moving onto chanterelles, gilled mushrooms, polyspores, spine funghi, coral funghi, jelly funghi, puffballs, morels, and truffles. There is a chapter on mushroom poisons, and a chapter on how to cook mushroom by Angelo Pellegrini. The book concludes with a bibliography for advanced reading. Quality/Price rating: 88. AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR OCTOBER 2009 ============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2009 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. NIAGARA’S WINE VISIONARIES; profiles of the pioneering winemakers (Lorimer, 2009, 224 pages, ISBN 978—1-55277-429-8, $29.95 Canadian hard covers) is by Linda Bramble, an Ontario wine writer who is also a certified sommelier. She’s taught in the wine program at Brock University, contributed to the Oxford Companion to Wine, and has written four previous books about Niagara and its wines. Here she tells the story of the emerging Ontario wine economy in terms of its far- sighted winery pioneers. After the opening chapter on what Niagara wine is all about, she begins with pioneer Harry Hatch (Brights), moving on to Don Ziraldo (Inniskillin) who picked up Ontario’s first winery license in decades (1974), Len Pennachetti (Cave Spring Cellars), Paul Bosc (Chateau des Charmes), Paul Speck (Henry of Pelham) and more. Actually, each biographical chapter provides a framework for the advancement of wine knowledge and history in Ontario. At the back, there are acknowledgments for source materials, and you can dig out a respectable bibliography by reading these pages. Audience and level of use: Ontario wine lovers, wine schools, libraries. Some interesting or unusual facts: some names are not mentioned, but I can read between the lines and I have some insider knowledge. The downside to this book: there are only two references to “Cellared in Canada” wine, and I wish that there had been more explication since CIC wines represent about half of the grape crop in Ontario. The upside to this book: a great review of the political process and the ins and outs of wine democracy, and how and why it failed and how and why it succeeded. Quality/Price Rating: 91 – a must read. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. WORLD CHEESE BOOK (DK, 2009, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-5442-9, $25 US hard covers) has been edited by Juliet Harbutt (cheese expert since opening Jeroboams Wine and Cheese Shop in 1984, now an industry consultant-judge) with an international list of 20 contributors, generally one per country or region. Thus, we have our very own Gurth Pretty (www.cheeseofcanada.ca) covering Canada. Hat being said, he gives 24 cheeses, three per page, on p312 through p319. He tries for regional representation, but still, most cheese are from Quebec – and rightly so. There’s even a generic “cheddar curds” from all over the country. My Canadian fave is the black waxed ball of Dragon’s Breath Blue from Nova Scotia, which changes over time. And it is a ball, not a cylinder as Gurth says. The book has 750 cheeses, photographed as you would buy them AND in close-ups so you can see the cleanly sliced version and check for colour, holes and texture of the paste. These are, of course, the cheese to begin with. Most should be available at the larger urban cheese store. Some can come via post from producers or cheese shops. There is a basic primer on cheeses, well-illustrated over two dozen pages. Then there is a country-by-country arrangement beginning, of course, with France, plowing through the rest of Europe, the Americas, Japan, and Australia and New Zealand (you’d think that with all those sheep down there there’d be more ewe cheeses, but no). For each cheese, there is a description, tasting notes on the paste and rind, how best to enjoy it, its age, weight and shape, size, type of milk (not broken down by time of day), classification, producers. A first rate job. Audience and level of use: cheese lovers, cheese clubs, hospitality schools, libraries. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: lots of menu suggestions for accompaniments, with some wine notes, use in cooking, and cheeseboard ideas and possibilities. The downside to this book: I’d go up to 1,000 cheeses in the next edition. Cheese is hot, and will remain so for awhile. The upside to this book: I love those close-up pix of the pastes and rinds. Quality/Price Rating: 95. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3. MEDITERANEAN CLAY POT COOKING (John Wiley and Sons, 2009, 334 pages, ISBN 978-0-7645-7633-1, $34.95 US hard covers) is by Paula Wolfert, the expert on Mediterranean food and author of seven other cookbooks. She’s won just about every cookbook award going, plus a Lifetime Achievement in France and a Beard induction into the Cookbook Hall of Game. So why a clay pot book? It turns out that she has been collecting clay pots for 50 years. To her, these vessels refer to all earthenware, stoneware, and flameware. They come in different shapes: tall, small, flat, round, covered, etc. Here are the Moroccan tagine, the Spanish cazuela, the Chinese sandpot, the terra cotta Romertopf, and others made from clay and miraceous clay. She has a primer, and then it is off to soups through desserts. She indicates which clay pot is preferred for a particular dish. 150 traditional and modern recipes are included, although portions of the book have appeared in different form in four magazines (Saveur, Pleasures of Cooking, et al). The appendix lists sources of food, clay pot sources, and a bibliography for further reading. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: Wolfert lovers, clay pot lovers, Mediterranean food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cazuela quail with red peppers and pine nut picada; chard stuffed with toasted corn and hazelnuts; zucchini musakka with tomatoes and chickpeas; a range of oven-baked breads; clay pot tianu with lamb, potatoes and onions; slow- roasted glazed lamb shoulder with spring vegetables. The downside to this book: I’d just reviewed a couple of slow cooker books, and now this “clay pot” book hits my desk – is there a revival afoot for one-pot meals? The upside to this book: carefully crafted and well-thought out. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 4. IN SEARCH OF BACCHUS; wanderings in the wonderful world of wine tourism (Scribner, 2009, 294 pages, ISBN 978-1-4165-6243-6, $30 US hard covers) is by George Taber, author of “Judgment of Paris” and “To Cork or Not to Cork”. Both books had won major awards. And Taber is well on his way to winning another major award for this current book. The concept is simple: travel to twelve fascinating wine-producing regions around the globe. Taber gives us notes on the land, the people, the culture, the architecture, the grapes, the wines, the winemakers, the meals. Wine tourism is big business. But it is also not very deep. Taber points to more relevant materials and descriptions, making his book a first stop. He took six months off to travel (am I jealous?) through these places and evaluate what there is to see: Mendoza, Napa, Stellenbosch, Colchagua, Margaret River, Central Otago, Rioja, Douro, Tuscany, Bordeaux, Rheingau, and Georgia. There is an appendix for the armchair traveler which lists relevant wines for sampling, a bibliography for further reading (and pictures), currency notes, and an index. This is a good solid introduction and memoir, minus the photos and specific travel recommendations. Audience and level of use: armchair travelers, people who have already been to a wine destination. Some interesting or unusual facts: Napa Valley attracts more than five million visitors each year, making it California’s second most popular destination after Disneyland. The downside to this book: in Tuscany, he took a cooking class for four days. Do we have to hear about it? I now know more people who have taken classes in Tuscany than people who have not. It’s too common to even mention anymore, and certainly is not part of wine tourism. The upside to this book: an engaging and accessible memoir of wine and travel. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 5. BASIC JAPANESE COOKING (Whitecap, 2009, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-55285- 971-1, $19.95 US paper covers) AND 6. BASIC THAI COOKING (Whitecap, 2009, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-55285-970- 4, $19.95 US paper covers) are both by Jody Vassallo, who writes cookbooks about South East Asian foods. Both books are similarly set- up, except, of course, for the theme. The Japanese book covers sushi, sashimi and yakitori, ranging from soups to desserts. She has 60 preps here, with clear instructions. Most recipes are quick and easy, so long as you have the ingredients on hand. For that you’ll need some kind of larder. This is covered at the beginning with photographs of basic ingredients. The Thai book is the same, except there are 80 preps. Again, you’ll need a larder of ingredients (all explained). You can suffer a shortage of shelf space if you have too many pantries or larders beyond the basic Euro or Mediterranean setup. The photography is stunning, with close-ups of just about everything you’d need. Of course, these are just the basics: you’ll need other books to get deep into a country’s cuisine. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: yakitori chicken; shitake mushroom salad; minced pepper pork ramen; masaman beef curry; spicy tofu and peanut satay salad; pad siewe; Japanese hamburgers. The downside to this book: given that there is one recipe per page and that recipe only covers half the page, I think that the typeface needs to be made larger. This would be useful if you are a few feet away from the book. The upside to this book: nifty, useful collections. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 7. EATING; a memoir (Knopf, 2009, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4000-4296-8, $25 US hard covers) is by renowned bookman Jason Epstein (co-founder of the New York Review of Books, editor of Mailer, Nabokov, Vidal, Doctorow, Alice Waters, Wolfgang Puck, Maida Heatter, and others). For many years, he was editorial director of Random House. It’s a slight book, covering many bases in his life: childhood summers in Maine, restaurants of postwar Paris, New York’s Chinatown, the Ile de France, 21 Restaurant. For him it is all about food, and he thrives on cooking as storytelling. Hence, there are more than 40 basic recipes here, in san serif typeface and with a beige-tan ink colour. Everything is indexed: the text and the recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. But it is hard to believe that he needed log rolling from five people (Ray Sokolov, Larry McMurtry, James Salter, Scott Peacock, and Maida Heatter). You might want to look at tarte tatin, fettuccine with clams or scallops, warm bass salad, or even egg foo yung. Audience and level of use: memoir lovers. Some interesting or unusual facts: the book is based on material originally published in the New York Times. The downside to this book: it is a slight book – I would have appreciated more material from his life. The upside to this book: some of us have been waiting all year for this book, and our anticipation levels have been satiated. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 8. RICE PASTA COUSCOUS; the heart of the Mediterranean kitchen (Chronicle Books, 2009, 223 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6297-4, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Jeff Koehler, a food writer specializing in Med cooking for major food magazines and larger newspapers. Here, he concentrates on the starch of the Mediterranean, with preps from Lebanon, Turkey, Tunisia, Greece, Syria, Italy, Malta, Egypt, Croatia, France, Algeria, Morocco, and Spain. The book is divided by starch. With rice, there is a primer on paella (Spain), risotto (Italy), pilaf, and stuffing. This is followed by recipes for 60 pages. For pasta, there is a primer on matching pastas with sauces, the ideas of shapes, cheeses, and making your own fresh pastas (including fresh egg pasta). Again, 60 pages of pasta preps. The couscous section has a primer on regional differences, a couscoussier for making the dish, and harissa. Only 40 pages are given over to recipes here. Recipes are sourced by region within a country, and are titled in both English and native languages. He concludes with a discourse on herbs and spices, sources of supply and equipment (all U.S.), and a bibliography for further reading. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: intermediate levels of experience. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: fusilli in cream sauce with sausage and fennel seeds (Abruzzo, Italy); Catalan two-course Christmas soup; gandia-style fideua (Valencia, Spain); couscous with chicken, caramelized onions and raisins (Morocco); berkoukes with chicken (Algeria); risotto with porcini mushrooms and scallops (Northern Italy); lentils and rice with fried onions (Lebanon). The downside to this book: too many generic product photos. We need more of the finished plates. The upside to this book: good useful concept. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 9. GOOD FOOD FOR ALL; seasonal recipes from a community garden (The Stop, 2009; distr. Simon & Schuster Canada, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4391- 7041-0, $19.99 Canadian paper covers) comes from The Stop, a Toronto Community Food Centre. I must declare a minor conflict-of-interest since my wife financially supports The Stop. The preps here were developed in their own community kitchen by Joshna Maharaj, and use local items from their own garden. The recipes are tied into the “good food revolution” which emphasizes sustainability, naturalness, low carbon footprints, knowledge of origin, and how the food system works. There are almost 80 basic recipes (arranged by season), with lots of technique tips and cook’s notes on how to maximize affordable meals on a budget. More details can be found at thestop.org. In addition to community kitchens serving over 150 needy each day, there are gardens, cooking classes, drop-in meals, peri-natal support, a food bank, outdoor bake ovens, food markets and community advocacy. In 2009, The Stop opened The Green Barn, a sustainable food production and education centre with a 3,000 square foot greenhouse, commercial kitchen, classroom, sheltered garden and composting facility. The Stop also offers school visits and an after-school program. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginning cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: peach salsa; za’atar; fish tacos; sticky sesame chicken wings; roasted veggie burritos; green tomato ketchup; jerk chicken. The upside to this book: this is a useful fundraiser. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 10. GET COOKING; 150 simple recipes to get you started in the kitchen (HarperStudio, 2009, 268 pages, ISBN 978-0-06-173243-0, $24.99 US paper covers) is by Mollie Katzen, once associated with the Moosewood restaurant co-operative in Ithaca, NY. She created “The Moosewood Cookbook” and “The Enchanted Broccoli Forest”, as well as other cookbooks. In fact, she is beginning the Get Cooking series of books, tied in to her website at www.get-cooking.com. This is yet another “good food, simple recipes, and quick preparations” book. But it is also one of the more stylish ones. It is also her first cookbook for omnivores (aka meat-eaters), with recipes using chicken, fish, and meats. The book has chapters from soups to desserts. In the preface, she wants us all to get cooking, no matter what our level of experience. She feels that if you can get to cook, then you will appreciate food better, and stay away from the bad stuff (i.e. pre- purchased foods and takeout deliveries). Certainly, you can control the salt levels at home. Equipment is mandatory (she explains it all), and prep work must be exact. Simple preps call for grilling and frying, and the accompanying photos are tasteful. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginners and others. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cream of spinach and broccoli soup; Caesar salad with a from-scratch salad dressing; acorn squash stuffed with apple-almond-cherry basmati pilaf; turkey burgers. The downside to this book: menus could have been presented – these are always useful for cooks at all levels. The upside to this book: there is something here for everyone. Quality/Price Rating: 86, 11. CULINARY VIETNAM (Gibbs Smith, 2009, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236- 0320-7, $35 US hard covers) is by Daniel Hoyer, who once worked as a sous chef at Coyote Café in Santa Fe, NM. He is currently a restaurant consultant and culinary travel guide (www.welleatenpath.com). He had previously authored “Culinary Mexico”, a combination food and travel book. The Vietnam book is similar in structure, with detail about the land and people. Here he begins with the dipping sauces and condiments, moving on to appetizers and beverages, through salads, soups, noodles, beef, pork, poultry, seafood, rice and banh dishes, and veggies. Recipes are laid out nicely, and the typeface is usefully large. Indigenous names are also listed for the preps. The photos are a mixture of travel shots, food shots, and plated dish shots. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Sources of supply are indicated, but they are all U.S. Audience: armchair travelers and those interested in Vietnamese foods. Some interesting recipes: Vietnamese coffee; shrimp, pork and cabbage salad; chicken and glass noodle soup; grilled five-spice pork chops; chicken, lemongrass, and chile stir-fry; grilled fish fillets with ginger sauce. Quality/Price Rating: 87. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOKS... ...are one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual schtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. But of course there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 12. EARTH TO TABLE; seasonal recipes from an organic farm (Random House Canada, 2009,326 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-35684-0, $45 Canada hard covers) is by Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann; they both work at the Ancaster Old Mill. He’s Executive Chef (after stints at The Fat Duck and Chez Panisse); she’s Pastry Chef (with numerous awards). Both are heavily involved in the Slow Food Movement in Canada. Remarkably, the book has managed to garner logrolling from both Michael Pollan and Deborah Madison. The authors’ stories and passion tell us how to reduce our carbon footprints through S-L-O, my acronym for “seasonal”, “local” and “organic” where possible. Crump begins by developing a network of farmers to keep his restaurant’s kitchen working. It’s just another step for him and Schormann to grow some local food such as onions and heirloom wheat. The book is arranged by season, beginning with spring. Each has a spotlight on something such as compost, seafood, or dairy. Each has a how-to section such as foraging, canning, farmers’ markets. Each has a profile such as the ones on Thomas Keller (French Laundry) and Heston Blumenthal (The Fat Duck). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents, a clear sign that the book is moving on to the US market. He has numerous sidebars, including a list of ten things beyond the local scene that he cannot do without: olive oil, coffee, vanilla, rice, citrus fruits, chocolate, et al. With the spring come asparagus, cherries, dandelion greens, fiddleheads, herbs, salmon, lamb, maple syrup, morels, new potatoes, peas, radishes, ramps, and rhubarb. His descriptions are followed by the preps, such as rhubarb fool, sorrel frittata, cherries affogatto, buttermilk panna cotta, and stinging nettle linguini. Try also gnudi with ramps, morels and fiddleheads. Or even squash and sage and pancetta pizza in the fall. Quality/Price rating: 90. 13. ALL THE BEST RECIPES; 300 delicious and extraordinary recipes (Robert Rose, 2009, 448 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0223-5, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Jane Rodmell, a food writer and president of All The Best Fine Foods, a specialty food and caterer in Toronto’s Rosedale area. It was established in 1984 as one of the locally known Five Thieves (Seven Thieves if you count two more around the corner). They all closed up shop a few years back or relocated. The landlord wanted to redo the buildings. Well, they are back, and Rodmell obviously took the time to plow through hundreds or preps in her filing cabinet in order to produce this book. All courses are covered, from soup to desserts, with party fare and breads as well. Everything is delicious, but “extraordinary” is too strong a word for every single prep. David Cobb, who c0-wrote as “Epicure” in Toronto Life for almost 18 years, contributes some short food essays longer than a sidebar, and which are thankfully indexed. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both avoirdupois and metric measurements, so there is no metric table of equivalents. Try curried scallop cakes, socca with shrimp provencal, five-grain pomegranate salad, black-eyed pea salad with tomato and feta, pork loin with apple fennel chutney, and braised butternut squash and tofu with sesame seeds. Quality/Price rating: 89. 14. THE DEEN BROTHERS TAKE IT EASY (Ballantine Books, 2009, 202 pages, ISBN 978-0-345-51326-7, $25 US hard covers) is by Jamie and Bobby Deen with Melissa Clark as the focusing food writer. Paula Deen is their mother, and in 1996 they opened The Lady and Sons Restaurant in Savannah. The regularly appear on network TV and had a show on the Food Network, Road Tasted. This is their third book, and the subtitle says it all: “quick and affordable meals the whole family will love”. Each meal should take 45 minutes if you are prepared first. Ingredients come from larger supermarkets, and are used in such preps as baked bow ties and black-eyed peas, grilled chicken breasts with brown sugar pineapple rings, or shrimp and grits. Other dishes include variations on tuna casserole and macaroni and cheese. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. 125 recipes in all, emphasizing accessibility, fast techniques (crockpot, grilling), and children’s food. Quality/Price rating: 83. 15. ATLANTIC SEAFOOD; recipes from Chef Michael Howell (Nimbus Publishing, 2009, 133 pages, ISBN 978-1-55109-728-2, $24.95 Canadian paper covers) is by Michael Howell, an award-winning chef-owner of Tempest Restaurant in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Currently, he is also head of Slow Food Nova Scotia and cooks occasionally at James Beard House in New York. And, for the purposes of this review, he is my son- in-law. So there is really nothing more I can say except that the over 50 recipes are all sustainable and ethical. While there is no index, all the preps are arranged by the name of the seafood, and embrace mains, starters, salads and grains. He’s got char, clams, crab, haddock, halibut, lobster, mackerel, monkfish, mussels, oysters, salmon, salt cod, scallops, shrimp, smoked seafood (you might have to do mail-order here from the list of suppliers he furnishes), sole, squid, sturgeon, swordfish and tuna. Some of the recipes are interchangeable. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, a good thing. All of the cook’s notes are breezy and informative, and the photography of the finished plate is superb. Quality/Price rating: conflict of interest (oh, all right, shameless plug for 88 as a number). 16. BUBBY’S BRUNCH COOKBOOK (Ballantine Books, 2009, 309 pages, ISBN 978-0-345-51163-8 $30 US hard covers) is by Ron Silver (owner of the Bubby’s Pie Company operations in the US and in Japan), with Rosemary Black, food editor at the New York Daily News. And does it say something when most of the logrolling comes from movie and TV celebrities? Here are almost 200 preps (originally announced as 120) from a fave brunch spot offering classic comfort food. As is typical with restaurants like this one, no reservations are taken – so there are hour-long lineups for brunch. He starts with 25 special occasion brunch menus (with page references to the recipes) for the whole year. My fave is the Cinco de Mayo brunch, with huevos rancheros and chorizo sausages. For each he gives an “ideal” range for service, such as 4 to 10 for the Cinco de Mayo, or 6 to 20 for a Farmers’ Market Brunch. The Honeymoon Brunch, of course, is for two. The basics are covered in chapters dealing with quick breads and muffins, eggs of all kinds, griddle foods, sandwiches and salads, platters of meats and fish, side dishes, lots of juices and beverages, and toppings and sauces. So it is also a decent breakfast and lunch book. There are cook’s notes and many indicated variations. Bubby’s signature dishes are clearly indicated. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 88. 17. STONEWALL KITCHEN BREAKFAST; a collection of great morning meals (Chronicle Books, 2009, 144 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6867-9, $19.95 US hard covers) AND 18. STONEWALL KITCHEN WINTER CELEBRATIONS; special recipes for family and friends (Chronicle Books, 2009, 144 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6868-6, $19.95 US hard covers) are both by Jonathan King and Jim Scott, owners of the company (founded in 1991) in York, Maine, which sells nationally distributed jams, sauces, and baking mixes. Kathy Gunst is their focusing food writer; she also teaches food writing. Both books cover the same ground as Bubby’s (above), but perhaps in a more elegant laid- back style for the intermediate-level home cook. They run through the egg dishes, the waffles, the sandwiches, muffins, drinks and so forth in the breakfast book, indicating the quick and easy recipes. They have 11 menus, with page references, and these could easily do for a brunch event. The Winter Celebrations is holiday-party foods, beginning with American Thanksgiving and running through to almost Easter. The 11 menus, again with page references, are extremely useful. Any of these can also do for brunch, although the roasts will have to be started earlier. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is also a metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 89. 19. TOP CHEF: the cookbook (Chronicle Books, 2008, 256 pages, ISBN 978- 0-8118-7347-5, $29.95 US hard covers) is from the first five seasons of this competitive reality show. It has recipes, interviews, and behind- the-scenes stories from the US Bravo Channel’s hit show. There are about 100 recipes here, with tips and advice. If you like these kinds of cooking shows, then this book is for you, especially with its backstage material. Recipes come from the competitors, and they are sourced as to which show had the visual attack. Good photo close-ups. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 84. 20. EAT ATE (Chronicle Books, 2009, 182 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-7111-2, $35 US hard covers) is by Guy Mirabella, Italian cookbook author and operator of the Shop Ate Cafe and Store. This is sort-of a slow food Italian culinary cultural book, with a combination of recipes, photos, stories and memoirs related to Italian food and life. His Sicilian heritage is especially emphasized. Typical dishes include egg, white anchovies and pancetta salad; chargrilled chili calamari and radicchio salad; asparagus, gorgonzola and lemon risotto; lamb with eggplant, tomato and feta salad; broccoli fritti; and baked mushrooms with broken bread. The large typeface is a plus, but the list of ingredients in the recipes is on faded ink and hard to read. Plus the book is also heavy (it can double as an art book). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 85. 21. THE CONSCIOUS COOK (William Morrow, 2009, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-06- 187433-8, $29.99 US hard covers) is by Tal Ronnen, whose main claim to fame lately has been to prepare vegan fare for Oprah Winfrey’s 21-day vegan cleanse. He consults and teaches on vegan menus and in vegetarian workshops (Le Cordon Bleu). His basic approach is to apply traditional French culinary techniques to meatless cuisine. But then you run up against cream, butter and eggs which are some backbones in the French cooking manner. He uses “cashew cream” as a valid substitute: use raw cashews (which have no flavour) for the creamy element. The 70 preps here feature vegan versions of Caesar salad, corn chowder, paella, and the like. The final plated dishes is photographed. Typical recipes include lemongrass consomme with pea shoot and mushroom dumplings, macadamia caprese, peppercorn-encrusted Portobello fillets with yellow tomato béarnaise and mashed potatoes; agave-lime grilled tofu with asian slaw and mashed sweet potatoes. There are some nifty desserts, (rosemary pine nut brittle), four seasonal dinner party menus, and a list of his fave vegan restaurants in the US. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Nevertheless, this is a very well-organized and presented book. Quality/Price rating: 89. 22. FINE TEXAS CUISINE (Gibbs Smith, 2009, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236- 0523-2, $30 US hard covers) is by Jon Bonnell, owner-chef of Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine in Dallas/Fort Worth, opened in 2001. He’s been named or nominated for several major awards both locally and nationally. As a restaurant book, he has several endorsements on the back cover, most notably from the James Beard Foundation and the Zagat Survey. Fine Texas cuisine, as defined by Bonnell, is not upscale bones or Tex-Mex. It is classic cuisine using Texas local ingredients, such as the Texas 1015 onion, wild game, organic beef, and Gulf of Mexico seafood. The preps all come from his resto, and are arranged here from appetizers through desserts. There are no notes on Texas wines which is a disappointment to me. In fact, there are no notes on any kind of wines. Dishes include venison carpaccio with green peppercorn dressing, wild boar chops with peach barbeque sauce, Tequila-flamed quail and grits, BBQ oysters with Anaheim chill-lime sauce, crispy flounder with shaved fennel slaw, and sirloin summer steak topped with seared avocado and smoky salsa. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 85. 23. ALL CAKES CONSIDERED (Chronicle Books, 2009, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0- 8118-6781-8, $24.95 US hard covers) has been compiled by Melissa Gray, a producer for NPR’s “All Things Considered”. The subtitle says it all: “a year’s worth of weekly recipes tested, tasted, and approved by the staff of NPR’s “All Things Considered” --- how to keep your co-workers happy, friendly, and fatter than you!”. Every Monday Gray brings in a cake (made from scratch) for her colleagues to try. The emphasis is on American Southern, from her family or Southern chefs such as Paula Deen or Stephen Pyles. From the hundreds of cakes that she has done, the book has 52 or so, all sourced. Each has extensive cook’s notes. It is arranged by ease in chapter one. Chapter two has fruit and spices. Chapter three has six preps for cookies (why bother?). Chapter four has the balance: angel food, devil’s food, layer cakes, and the like. She has a list of web resources and a bibliography. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. This book has a good feel about it. Quality/Price rating: 87. 24. VANCOUVER COOKS 2 (Douglas and McIntyre, 2009, 250 pages, ISBN 978- 1-55365-261-8, $35 CAD paper covers) is from the Chefs’ Table Society of British Columbia, a collaborative dedicated to creating a foundation for the exchange of information between culinary professionals. The emphasis is on education and regional cuisine, with sustainable programs. Five years ago, they scored with “Vancouver Cooks” (selling more than 13,000 copies). Now they are back with more, as 70 chefs contribute about 100 recipes. It’s divided into four sections: regional food, international food, “rising stars”, and “culinary vanguard”. The book has been written with the home cook in mind. There are 50 photos of plated foods for the preps, along with BC wine recommendations (but with no reasons for the match) for each recipe. Royalties go to the Chefs’ Table Scholarship and Bursary Fund. Check out www.chefstablesociety.com. All preps have been sourced: Sooke Harbour House’s French sorrel apple sorbet, West’s squab breast; C Restaurant’s scallops with marinated cucumber; Diva at the Metropolitan Hotel’s pan- seared ling cod; Yuji’s spicy curry calamari. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. There are pix and bios for each of the chefs involved. Quality/Price rating: 86. 25. THE BEST OF CHEF AT HOME (Whitecap, 2009, 258 pages, ISBN 978-1- 55285-984-1, $29.95 CAN soft covers) is by Michael Smith, chef-host of the Food Network Canada’s “Chef at Home”. It is a follow-up book to his “Chef at Home”. Here he presents the basics (called essential recipes for today’s kitchen), a collection of “everyday comfort foods” such as mac and cheese, steamed mussels, braised short ribs, pork chops and apple sauce, grilled chicken, steak and onions, and the like. Each has been jazzed up a little to give it that extra “oomph”: different or special toppings, a new way to cook it, or a different side. Each has a cook’s note called “freestyle variation”. And there are more details at www.chefmichaelsmith.ca. There are over 100 recipes here (much more if you count the variations). Try Caesar salad with basil, Tuscan steak salad, penne with smoked salmon and cream cheese sauce, twice-baked potatoes, chicken stew, ratatouille, or grilled veggies. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/Price rating: 83. 26. MORE DINERS, DRIVE-INS AND DIVES (William Morrow, 2009, 249 pages, ISBN 978-0-06-189456-5, $19.99 US paper covers) is by Guy Fieri, of Food Network’s “Guy’s Big Bite, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”. He’s also co-owner of Johnny Garlic’s California Pasta Grill and Tex Wasabi’s. Ann Volkwein is the focusing food writer. His first book was “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”, an d this second one is “More” of the same. Expect the same sassing, the same attitude as the Stearns on steroids. These are an additional 50 off-the-map places (Bobo Drive-In in Topeka, Uncle Lou’s Fried Chicken in Memphis, Gorilla Barbeque in Pacifica, CA. The book is arranged by four regions: north, south, Midwest, west/southwest. Each restaurant has a description with co-ordinates, a pix or two, notes and comments, and recipes. From Kelly O’s diner in Pittsburgh there is haluski (cabbage and noodles), followed by Fieri’s own Holy Haluski (a hotter version). From the Beacon Drive-In in South Carolina, there’s lightly breaded onion rings and pimento cheese spread. Schooner or Later in Long Beach. CA there is Schultzie’s Mess (hash browns, ham, pepper, eggs, cheese, salsa, avocado, etc.). Great fun if you are in the mood for something different. There’s a recipe index by course, and a list of all the restaurants used in the show, in alphabetical order, with addresses, websites and phone numbers. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 84. 27. PIZZA & WINE; authentic Italian recipes and wine pairings (Gibbs Smith, 2009, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0514-0, $19.99US soft covers) is by Chef Leonardo Curti, co-proprietor and executive chef at Santa Ynez’s Trattoria Grappolo (founded 1997). He also caters, teaches and promotes a line of pasta sauces. Everything here from the restaurant was done in a wood-fired oven, and that makes it hard for home cooks outside of California where the weather allows year-round ovens in the back yard. Nevertheless, you can use a conventional oven (with a pizza stone) or even your grill. He gives us lots of material on types and varieties of wood-fired ovens. There are the basics of pizza dough and tomato pasta sauces. He opens with focaccia and sides, moving on to vegetarian pizzas, meat, and seafood. Variations come next with calzones, panzerottis, and shiacciatas. Preps come with wine recommendations that smack of product placement since a winery logo is used, and not a label. The wines are also indexed separately. The wines are local to him (Central California), and we don’t see many of them in Canada. Too many non-food or non-relevant photos are included. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 81. 28. FRESH WITH ANNA OLSON (Whitecap, 2009, 200 pages, ISBN 978-1-55285- 995-7, $29.95 CAD soft covers) is by the host of the Food Network’s “Sugar” and the new series, “Fresh with Anna Olson”. This book accompanies or is derived from that show, and is a follow-up to her earlier success “In the Kitchen with Anna”. Again, the emphasis is on Fresh, Easy, Local, Seasonal, and Quick – what we call “FELSQ”. Sometimes it can be “FELSOQ” by adding Organic. And that’s the trend in most cookbooks on the market today. This book has an edge in that it is Canadian and it comes from a popular TV show. The arrangement is by season, from spring through winter. For the latter season, you can have potato soup with bacon and cheddar or perhaps vegetable chowder. For a light entrée, there are her quesadillas or walnut brie strudel with ricotta. Try also rosemary roasted lamb with date pistachio salsa, or Israeli couscous with olives, arugula and feta. What makes the book work is the variety of cook’s notes (“fresh take”) for each recipe. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/Price rating: 85. 29. COOKING IN CAJUN COUNTRY (Gibbs Smith, 2009, 160 pages, $16.99 US, ISBN 978-1-4236-0487-7, paper covers) is by Karl Breaux, who has his own Cajun cooking show on TV (check out www.cajunkarl.com). Chere Dastugue Coen is the focusing food writer; she does a weekly food column. There are about 100 recipes here, all flavourful, some hot and spicy, some with optional hot sauce. Cajun food is derived from the immigrant roots of the Acadian diaspora (1755), African, Italian, Lebanese, and Creole French. He has seven chapters of food from the regions: Acadian coast, wetlands, upper prairie, lower prairie, Bayou, southwest Louisiana, and the marshes. Along the way he provides an engaging culinary history, filled with some anecdotes. In the appendix he has listed food festivals in Cajun country, Cajun food websites, Cajun tourism websites, and even a short bibliography for four important books. Here are the classics: Vacherie chicken creole, andouille-stuffed pork loin, file gumbo, roux, oyster patties, piquante sauce, crab rice, Cajun brisket, and pralines – along with the regional variations. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 87. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SEPTEMBER 2009 ================================================ By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2009 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ WORLD WHISKEY (DK, 2009, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-5443-6, $25 US, hard covers) has been edited by Charles MacLean, author of ten books on whiskey (including the definitive “Scotch Whisky” and “Malt Whisky”). The writers include Dave Broom, Tom Bruce-Gardyne, Ian Buxton, Peter Mulryan, Hans Offringa, and Gavin D. Smith. While it does not appear that articles are actually signed, each writer has a mini-biography of credentials. The books very similar to the late Michael Jackson’s WHISKEY; the definitive world guide, published by DK in 2005 with 288 pages. This is another “tell all” book, international in scope. It is comprehensive and somewhat authoritative, with 167 pages on Scotland, 34 for Irish, 12 on Canada, 50 on the USA, 25 for Japan, 13 for the rest of Europe, and six for Australasia. The writers clearly show the impact of climate, water, heather, sea breeze, barley, peat, malting techniques, distillation processes, type of wood used for storage, maturation periods. General sections cover aromas and flavours, peats and bogs, regions, terroirs – with lots of illustrations and diagrams. There are short sections on whiskey cocktails (with recipes), and food and whiskey pairing. But this is principally a directory to some of the finest distilled grain-based spirits in the world (over 700 of them, with 1200 colour photos). After the first 20 pages of general materials, the country-by-country arrangement begins with Scotland, of course. The guide to the major producers of single-malt scotch, small batch bourbons, and pure pot Irish includes contact details and reproductions of bottles. Tasting notes are also included. There are five whiskey tours through Speyside, Islay, Ireland, Kentucky, and Japan. Audience and level of use: wine schools, whiskey lovers. Some interesting or unusual facts: “Islay’s constant wind carries a mist of sweet, salt-laden air, the whiff of the sea, the coconut aroma of hot gorse, a hint of peat smoke and bog myrtle, and the smell of a just-spent fire on the beach. All the notes you pick up in its malts are there, floating in the Atlantic wind”. What I don’t like about this book: it is hard to fault, but maybe a pronunciation guide could have been useful. More maps would also have engaged me. What I do like about this book: good thick paper. There are tasting notes and good descriptions of vatted malts. Quality/Price Ratio: 91. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. THE PLEASURES OF COOKING FOR ONE (Alfred A. Knopf, 2009, 276 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-27072-6, $27.95 US hard covers) is by Judith Jones, a long time cookbook and food editor at Knopf; she is the winner of the James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. She’s also written a slew of cookbooks on her own and with her late husband, Evan Jones. After he died in 1996, Jones had to cook for just herself, and out of that daily experience comes this book. Cooking for one is invigorating since we can all eat our failures and play around with our leftovers. The hard part is rallying strength to march forth to the markets and specialty shops, tempered by the fact that we only have ourselves to buy for and to please. She has the basics that should always be on hand, even if frozen, such as a marinara sauce, pesto, preserved lemons or stock, and some menu planning principles. Her book has six chapters on making meat and fish dishes (plus recycling), soups, egg and cheese dishes, vegetables and salads, pasta and rice and legumes, and finally, the sweets. The first and last chapters (meats and sweets) are the largest, probably reflecting the greater variation of preps. The layout and typeface, plus the few illustrations, are all excellent. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: anybody who cooks for one or two. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: calf’s liver with shallot and wine pan sauce; skirt steak; gratin or beef, mushrooms, and breadcrumbs; pumpkin or winter squash soup; winter bean soup; frittatas; cheese soufflé; wild rice pilaf; pear crisp; peanut butter cookies. The downside to this book: some wine ideas or suggestions could have been useful, plus some music or spoken word CDs or reading matter could be noted. The upside to this book: this is also a good book for beginner cooks, students, and preps can be almost doubled to serve two or more diners. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3. RISOTTO WITH NETTLES; a memoir with food (Chatto & Windus, 2009; distr. Random House Canada, 326 pages, ISBN 978-0-701-18098-0, $34.95 Canadian hard covers) is by Anna Del Conte, who has written a dozen books on Italian cooking. Many of them have won awards. Here, she recounts her life in a sort-of memoir/autobiography. She was born in pre-war Italy, arrived in England in 1949, married an Englishman and stayed on. She has been well-known for bringing forth Italian food to the English palate. This is her story of food in her life, and the tastes associated with her food – with recipes and plenty of cook’s notes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric measurements, but there is no avoirdupois table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: memoir lovers, food historians. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bollito misto; bomba di panna e marrons glace; pasta and bean soup; gnocchi; polenta biscuits; baked sardines; Swiss chard torte. The downside to this book: the few photos are dark and murky. The upside to this book: There’s a general index to the book, and a separate index to recipes and food. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 4. SLOW COOKER: the best cookbook ever with more than 400 easy-to-make recipes (Chronicle Books, 2009, 544 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6657-6, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Diane Phillips, author of 14 cookbooks and a food consultant/teacher. This is a convenient book in that it adapts many conventional recipes to the slow cooker. As many readers know, you put a few items in the slow cooker in the A.M., set it for some hours, and then it will be ready when you get home. Almost like magic. Philips gives extensive details on the workings of the slow cooker, the need for a dry pantry. spices and a larder, plus maintenance/care of the cooker. There have been other books over the years, but this one is one of the fattest with a wider range of applications. It’s arranged by technique, from soup and chiles through casserole and stews, with separate chapters on fish, beef, poultry, pork, lamb, veggies, breads and desserts. And there are seventy-five pages on party planning. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents at the back. Audience and level of use: home cooks, beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cheesy broccoli soup, huevos rancheros, beef enchiladas with chipotle sauce, artichoke spinach dip, grits casserole, cherries jubilee lava cake, braised root vegetables. The downside to this book: I found the typeface to be a little on the light side. The upside to this book: good database and selection of recipes. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 5. THE ILLUSTRATED QUICK COOK (DK, 2009, 544 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566- 5577-8, $35 US) has been edited by Heather Whinney, a British food writer and editor. The basics here: 700 plus recipes, many to be ready in 30 minutes or less, 1,000 photos of finished dishes, quick techniques, step-by-step master recipes. Categories involve everyday family meals and express entertaining. Of course you will need three things that not everyone has: a larder-pantry, a mise-en-place, and food prepared in advance. She has planners, tables, and an illustrated table of contents. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there are also metric tables of equivalents and conversion charts. Extra features include: menu planners, recipe chooser galleries, Cheat tips, Cook's Notes, recipe variations, and practical information to introduce every time-saving device. Signs are used to indicate prep times and cooking times. Audience and level of use: harried beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: quesadilla with feta cheese, green olives and peppers; asparagus and herb tart; spiced pork and chicken pie; shepherd’s pie (which correctly calls for lamb); coq au vin; pork with fennel and mustard. The downside to this book: the book weighs too much – it is not convenient at more than five pounds. The upside to this book: gorgeous colour photos. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 6. THE ENTERTAINING ENCYCLOPEDIA; essential tips for recipes and perfect parties (Robert Rose, 2009, 477 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0219-8, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Denise Vivaldo, founder of Food Fanatics, a catering, recipe-development and food-styling firm (foodfanatics.net). Some of her earlier books start with the title “Do It for Less” – as guides to parties or weddings. This current book presents about 200 recipes and scores of proven party ideas, menus and tips. She neatly divides and conquers by telling us that there are only six basic elements to entertaining: theme, location, décor, guests, food and beverages, and entertainment. Then she proceeds to give us an analysis of each with her advice. In the recipe section (which begins on page 201), she gives us the essential preps for appetizers, salads, soups, etc. through to desserts and beverages. Then come the 25 theme menus with page references fort each recipe suggested. International cuisine and party favours are highlighted, as in a Turkish Twilight, a German Feast, a Mexican Fiesta, a Western Hoedown, or a Chinese Banquet. And there is a quick reference guide which also serves as a checklist. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, and there is no need for tables of equivalents. Audience and level of use: the adventuresome who wish to throw a party. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: oven-roasted kalua pork; pear bread pudding; smoked turkey on sage mini scones; crab and blue cheese bundles; rock shrimp salad wraps; petit lobster pot pies; cheddar cumin scones with Black Forest ham. The downside to this book: many regular recipes (e.g., French onion soup) can be located in other, more general cookbooks. The upside to this book: great collection of ideas, all in one place. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 7. THE NEW THANKSGIVING TABLE; an American celebration of family, friends, and food (Chronicle Books, 2008, 2009, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0- 8118-6493-0, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Diane Morgan, a Portland, OR freelance food writer and multiple cookbook author for Chronicle Books. This book is best meant for the US market, since it presents preps from every region in the US. It is available in time for American purchase, but not for Canadian (I just got the book near the end of September). Nevertheless, it does a fine job in presenting the parameters of the holiday, which appears to loom larger in US minds than in Canadian minds. There are lots of material on the nature of celebration, the harvest and seasonal foods, and special holiday equipment and tools. This is followed by categories of appetizers, soups, mains, sides, and desserts. There is of course, a special chapter on leftover faves and a series of menus for regional thanksgivings with their own timetables for the countdowns, beginning three weeks ahead. There is a New England dinner, a Heartland, a Southern Style, and a Pacific Northwest. I think she could have added a Southwest dinner and even a Cajun/Creole dinner (didn’t the deep fried whole brined turkey idea come from Louisiana?). Each recipe has a page reference. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: for the consummate Thanksgiving Day lover. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: for leftovers, try – turkey sandwiches (several styles), turkey enchiladas, pot pie, tetrazzini, turkey and andouille sausage gumbo, hash and eggs, turkey and veggie chowder, turkey chili. The downside to this book: a couple more menus could be useful, and we can even apply them to Canada. The upside to this book: good concept. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 8. A YEAR IN LUCY’S KITCHEN; seasonable recipes and memorable meals (Random House Canada, 2009, 304 pages, ISBN 978-0-679-31458-5, $29.95 US paper covers) is by Lucy Waverman, acclaimed food writer for the Globe and Mail and the LCBO’s Food & Drink magazine, plus several other cookbooks. Some of the recipes are from the Globe and the LCBO. There’s even some logrolling from former GG Adrienne Clarkson and Chef Lynn Crawford. It’s arranged by month, instead of by season, which makes it more manageable in handling the local produce and the local holidays. Each month also has a theme, such as pasta and marmalade for January. But otherwise, there are no free-standing recipes – everything is tied into some celebration or theme. With February come bean soups as a theme, with celebrations for Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year, plus a family birthday. Husband Bruce contributes thorough wine notes, suggesting varieties or regions rather than brand names. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Good use of leading in the layout. Audience and level of use: for fans and those who want some pre-planned menus for the year. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: for a Spanish dinner, try – shrimp with Romesco sauce; fideos (noodle nests) with chorizo, mussels and clams; salad of arugula and artichoke fritters; tarragon-roasted strawberries with caramel cream, The downside to this book: it’s a paperback, and it’ll get heavier- than-normal use. The upside to this book: good tight photography of the finished dish Quality/Price Rating: 90. 9. SAVORY BAKING; warm and inspiring recipes for crisp, crumbly, flaky pastry (Chronicle Books, 2009, 168 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-5906-6, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Mary Cech, a top rated pastry chef in the USA. She was once Charlie Trotter’s pastry chef, and went on to start the pastry program at the CIA (Greystone) in California. There is a refreshing lack of logrolling here – she quite plainly does not need it. The book’s arranged by type: quick breads, flaky pastries, rustic, puff pastries, cookies, and diverse sauces and spreads. She has 72 preps, ranging for easy to engaging. There is the usual baking primer information on flours, equipment and techniques, including how to work with pastry. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginners and up, plus those who are pastry AND savoury addicts (like me). Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: buttermilk tarragon loaf; white cedar-zucchini pancakes; baked pomodori dumplings on an olive salad; onion and sherry cream turnovers; spicy tomato crumble; chicken Dijon brown betty; thyme, lemon and sea-salt shortbreads. The downside to this book: given the need for this book, I should think that more recipes would have been useful. The upside to this book: there’s a pronouncing glossary in case you don’t know what a pancake is. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 10. NORTH BAY FARMERS MARKETS COOKBOOK (Gibbs Smith, 2009, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0313-9, $24.99 US paper covers) is by Brigitte Moran, a French woman who started the San Rafael farmers market in 1989. In 2004 she joined the Marin Farmers Markets and Marin Agricultural Institute as their Executive Director. The book, also written with Amelia Spilger as a focusing food writer, comes endorsed by Wolfgang Puck. It its basic form, she gives us a history of farmers markets in California, noting that there are more than 4500 farmers markets all over the USA. There are sections on slow food and local sustainable agriculture, plus a suggested reading list, and a resources list for farmers markets in the North Bay area (north of San Francisco). Other than that, this is a straightforward book highly useful for California cooks since the emphasis is on “local” (i.e. local to California) foods. Soups to desserts are covered, all using locally available seasonal foods. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: mostly Californian cooks, but others who use fresh foods. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pork tamales; rabbit a la bretonne; chicken with dates and apricots; baked halibut with red pepper and onion; avocado and zucchini salad; blueberry-orange tartine; asparagus and grilled shiitake; baked salmon with tomato, cucumber and basil beurre blanc. The downside to this book: as she prefers “sustainable”, there is not too much on organic certified foods. The upside to this book: upbeat and positive account of people, with good pix. Quality/Price Rating: 87. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... AGE GETS BETTER WITH WINE; new science for a healthier, better and longer life. 2d ed. (Wine Appreciation Guild, 2009, 212 pages, ISBN 9788-1-934259-24-5, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Richard A. Baxter, M.D., formerly on medical faculties. It was originally published in 2007, and rather than merely reprint it, the author has updated it throughout. It is also 50 pages larger than the original edition. As he says, since 2007, “The wine-health connection has gone mainstream, with almost daily press releases about the newest study on wine, Alzheimer, cancer, and other benefits.” New are phenolics, anti-aging, resveratrol, increased bone density, heart disease, feel-good endorphins, and sports drinks. The basic assumption is simply that wine is good for you. But how much? And which wine? The Greeks had a word for it: moderation, and nothing in excess. Overall, you need only drink one glass of heavy red wine with a meal every day. Baxter references some 2500 scientific studies in a readable, enjoyable style. Try with two glasses of red wine, and call him in the morning. Quality/Price rating: 89. SAVING DINNER; the menus, recipes, and shopping lists to bring your family back to the table (Ballantine Books, 2009, 323 pages, ISBN 978- 0-345-51629-9, $16 US paper covers) is by Leanne Ely; it was originally published in 2003. Here it has been revised and extended. Ely is a nutritionist, a web-columnist, a syndicated columnist (“Dinner Diva”), and a radio host. She has authored other books in “saving dinner”. She specializes in stress-reduction in the kitchen shopping and prep areas by creating “freezer dinner kits”, a method of assembling and freezing meals. She promises to have you quickly prepare a month’s worth of weeknight dinners. She has many tips on meal planning and menus. There are six weeks of menus with recipes, side dish suggestions, itemized grocery lists organized by product, and kitchen shortcuts. The book promises 225 dinners, organized by season. Each prep has nutritional data, and each prep is supposed to bring the family together, thus saving dinner. There’s turkey piccata, baked macaroni and three cheese, garlic lime salmon, black bean soup, chicken pasta with artichokes, mashed potato pie, skillet chili chicken. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements; there is no metric table of equivalents. But a good price. Quality/Price rating: 87. THE PROVENCAL COOKBOOK; shop, cook and eat like a local. Rev. ed. (DK Books, 2009, 304 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-5791-8, $19.95US paper covers) is by Gui Gedda, a Var-born retired chef and consultant, and Marie- Pierre Moine, a French food and wine writer and editor. It was originally issued as COOKING SCHOOL PROVENCE in 2007, with a daily lesson for one week. Without the cooking school aspect, it has shorn some 50 pages of content, but still covers the French Riviera, which is an extension of Provencal cooking. He has 100 recipes with step-by-step demos, location pictures, details on local merchants and local ingredients, and so forth. Much of this can be replicated at home if you have access to farmers’ markets. But it is difficult to get a fresh fish market, boulangerie, and fromagerie in one location outside of France. Maybe Sonoma...There is a glossary of French terms, but none of the local patois. He uses metric only for weights – conversion tables are needed. The print is large, and the recipes are uncluttered. There is not much on wines. Salade nicoise; pan bagna; ratatouille; pistou; tians; tapenade; fourgasse; pissaladiere; but NO tourte de blettes! French and English names of recipes are indexed. Quality/Price Rating: 88. HE SAID BEER, SHE SAID WINE (Dorling Kindersley, 2009, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-5449-8, $16.95US soft covers) is by Sam (Beer) Calagione and Marnie (Wine) Old. He’s the brewer and founder/owner of Dogfish Head, plus author of several beer books. She’s Director of Wine Studies at New York’s French Culinary Institute, and is an award- winning sommelier. Both are hip and cool. This is a reissue of the 2008 book, but in paper covers. It’s on food pairing suggestions. There are recipes for a wine vs. beer dinner party, with both beer and wine recommendations. The first 70 pages are all about basics, and then the food pairing begins. The chapters are arranged by food type. There is a section on cheese (type of cheeses played against type of beers and wines), followed by vegetables, sandwiches, pizza and pasta, spicy food, shellfish, fish, poultry, meat, and fruit desserts (sweet wines vs. fruit/brown ales). There are some 20 recipes for in-home pairing of food and beer and wine. But not all beers mentioned are available in all markets, unlike the wines mentioned. Many labels are reproduced, although there are generic recommendations. It does smack of product placements, especially with websites mentioned. Since both authors are experienced in the business of matching alcohol to food, then I would have appreciated more cross-promotion. Sam could do wine stuff and Marnie could do beer. But they don’t -- just a bit too coy for me, with redundant pix of the winsome couple eating up lots of space. Quality/Price Rating: 88. IS THIS BOTTLE CORKED? The secret life of wine (Harmony Books, 2009, 196 pages, $19.99US hard covers) is by Kathleen Burk and Michael Bywater, both UK wine writers (although Burk was born and raised in California wine country) and both academics. It was originally published in 2008 in the UK by Faber and Faber, and here it is reissued to the North American audience. It is an engaging little book comprising some 88 or so Q and A about wine. As the PR bumpf says, “This book is guaranteed to provide readers with a ‘Yes, but did you know…’ answer.” Did you ever wonder what Falstaff was drinking when he quaffed sack? Why does Bridget Jones drink Chardonnay? What did Jane Austen drink? Why do we drink to forget? What is wine speak and wine guru? There is a bibliography of sources and a really good, extensive index – a rarity amongst such eclectic books. One answer a day to accompany your glass of wine…Quality/Price rating: 84. PRESCRIPTION ALTERNATIVES; hundreds of safe, natural, prescription-free remedies to restore & maintain your health. 4th ed. (McGraw-Hill, 2009, 440 pages, ISBN 978-0-07-160031-6, $21.95 US paper covers) is by natural health and nutrition expert Earl Mindell, Ph.D. with over 30 books to his credit, and Virginia Hopkins, who has written or coauthored more than 50 books on alternative health and nutrition. Drugs have side effects, some worse than others; drugs can deplete the body of vitamins and minerals. Here the authors describe all possible side effects for drugs, arranged by topic and pulled together by the convenient index. Many drugs interact with common everyday food (think grapefruit), and such food should be avoided if one remains on the drug therapy. Then they discuss the possible alternatives, which includes food therapy and diets and nutrition. This fourth edition includes new drugs; it also emphasizes heart disease, diabetes, asthma, ADD, and obesity-related ailments. There’s an extensive recommended reading list and set of references for follow-up information. Quality/Price rating: 90. ROSE’S HEAVENLY CAKES (John Wily & Sons, 2009, 498 pages, ISBN 978-0- 471-78173-8, $39.95US hard covers) is by Rose Levy Beranbaum, a multiple IACP and Beard Award winner. She has authored nine cookbooks, usually with the word “Bible” in it, such as “The Bread Bible” in 2003. Indeed, “The Cake Bible” was published in 1988, and the current book (with its ascendant title) reflects a reworking that allows for new ingredients, new equipment, new techniques and thoughts. For example, in the former book she had no oil in her cakes. Here she does, a whole range from banana refrigerator oil cake to classic carrot, chiffonlets, chocolate ice cream cake, pumpkin, and more. Also, cake pan sizes have changed. All her ingredients are both scaled (avoirdupois and metric) and in volume (only avoirdupois). She covers butter cakes, oil cakes, sponge cakes, cheesecakes, flourless cakes, baby cakes, and wedding cakes. There are even a few angel food cakes in the sponge section. 100 preps in all, with full notes on timings, quantities, cooks notes, special equipment, and techniques. At the end there are chapters on special effects, ingredient and equipment sources (all US), and lists of recipes using only egg white and only egg yolks, as well a listing of 32 quick and easy recipes. No sugar substitutes such as stevia are listed. Try heavenly coconut seduction cake, fruitcake wreath, double chocolate valentine, tomboy, orange-glow chiffon layer cake. But photocopy the recipes first, to avoid kitchen smears plus the fact that the book is very heavy at 4 pounds. Quality/Price rating: 89. HOW IT ALL VEGAN! Irresistible recipes for an animal-free diet. 10th Anniversary Edition (Arsenal Press, 2009, 232 pages, ISBN 978-1-55152- 253-1, $24.95 CAD, soft covers) is by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer. The live in Kelowna and Victoria, BC respectively. Since it was first published in 1999 it has been reprinted many times. It has won awards. Now, it has been updated with five new recipes, advice to reflect the new vegan reality, and a colour photo section. Nutrition material has been updated. In the years since, the authors came up with govegan.net and four other vegan cookbooks (The Garden of Vegan, Le Dolce Vegan, and others). There’s a good chapter on “milks” (beans, grains and nuts) and how to make your own. Eggs are also a no-no, so you might want to try Faux Eggs Benny for something different. The index is extensive. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. They have a lot of fruit recipes, breakfasts, breads, sauces, soups, dressings and dips, and tofu. Quality/Price rating: 86. WHEAT-FREE, GLUTEN-FREE COOKBOOK FOR KIDS AND BUSY ADULTS. 2d ed. (McGraw-Hill, 2010, 204 pages, ISBN 978-0-07-162747-4, $16.95 US paper covers) is by Connie Sarros, who has written a lot of books dedicated to sufferers of celiac disease. This means avoiding gluten for life. In the new edition (the first was in 2003), she has added casein-free (dairy-free) options as well. Research has shown that gluten-free and dairy-free alternatives may help conditions like autism significantly; she lists 32 such conditions, as ALS, ADD, bulimia, fibromyalgia, dementia, dermatitis, epilepsy, psoriasis, thyroid problems. There’s also a list of 50 foods which contain gluten, and should be avoided. There are lots of tips on how to do without, including milk substitutes such as rice milk, almond milk and soy milk. Recipes cover all courses and are relatively easy to prepare. They are also kid-friendly. As well, there is nutritional information for each prep. While the typeface is nice and large, the small point size of the index makes it hard to read. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 85. THE NEW BEST OF BETTER BAKING.COM (Whitecap Books, 2009, 324 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-002-0, $26.95US paper covers) is by Marcy Goldman, a Montreal pastry chef and baker. She has written baking articles for the major food magazines and general newspapers of North America. She was one of the first to be out there with a blog at betterbaking.com (in 1997), dedicated, of course, to better baking. In 2002 she authored the first edition of this book with recipes from her site. She’s expanded the reissue of the book by adding 35 more recipes. It’s a good basic baking book, covering all the angles of yeast breads, rolls, pizzas, flatbreads, cookies, biscotti, muffins, scones, and pastries. Most of her sources and resources are, unfortunately for us, American: it is still difficult to import materials. But at least all of their websites are informative. The typeface used for the recipes is engaging. Butter in the preps has both volume and weight listed, but in general, the ingredients have not been scaled. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metric tables of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR AUGUST 2009 ============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com But first, these words: 2009 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. WHAT PRICE BORDEAUX? (Vendange Press, 2009, 292 pages, ISBN 978-1- 934259-20-7, $34.95 US hard covers) is by Benjamin Lewin, Master of Wine. As a long-time academic and writer of molecular biology, Lewin is now focusing on wine. In his first book (there are more on the way), he explores an overview of the financial forces making Bordeaux wines so pricey today. He scrutinizes the 1855 classification, looking at the original motives and its modern relevance. The real value of this classification was to promote the value of the properties contained therein, to perpetuate the class structure and the pecking order. He investigated the unique terroir of chateaux, the many brands they market, the negociant-broker setup, the en premeur system, the influence of wine writers and winemakers such as Robert Parker or Michel Rolland, and the rise and fall of individual chateaux through ownership changes amongst banks and insurance companies. He proposes a reclassification based on his forensic investigations. He would like fewer than half of the chateaux to retain their original classification, and he would like to drop several altogether. Throughout the book, there are colourful graphs and charts clearly illustrating his points. There is also a bibliography and many pages of end notes. Audience and level of use: a good marketing book, useful for Bordeaux specialists and wine schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: find out who is really making money in Bordeaux. The downside to this book: physically, the book is hefty to hold – this is because of the coated paper needed for the colour charts. The upside to this book: a must read, gripping in its intensity. Quality/Price Rating: 92. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. THE NEW PORTUGUESE TABLE (Clarkson Potter, 2009, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-39441-5, $32.50 US hard covers) is by David Leite, a three- time Beard Award winning writer and website publisher (www.leitesculinaria.com). He’s also a magazine writer with articles in Gourmet, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, et al. Notable logrollers endorsing this book include Anthony Bourdain, Lynne Rosetto Kasper, the Lee Brothers, and Paula Wolfert. This book is basically a collection of updated Portuguese classics. Leite was taught by his Portuguese grandmother to make deeply smoked sausages, use peppers and olive oil, beans, tomatoes, garlic, and cilantro – as well as seafood. Then he visited Portugal, and discovered that it had all changed. The cuisine is lighter and makes use of more ingredients. Here are 100 re-invented preps for the home cook. All 11 provinces are covered, as well as a generalized pantry of Portuguese food (complete with a pronunciation guide) that includes clams, chourico, various herbs and spices, kale, lard, salt cod, turnip greens and more. He begins with acepipes (appetizers) and continues with sopas, fish, poultry, carnes, breads, eggs and veggies, and desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. He has no real discussion on wines, just lists. The book concludes with a listing of US sources. Audience and level of use: home cooks and those who have traveled to Portugal. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cilantro bread soup with poached eggs; olive oil poached fresh cod with roasted tomato sauce; Azorean garlic-roasted pork; sweet-sour carrots; cheese-stuffed pork tenderloin; mini-lamb meatballs. The downside to this book: the book is weighty because of the paper needed for the photography. The upside to this book: there’s a good description of Portuguese queijo. Quality/Price Rating: 89. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3. THE TROPICAL VEGAN KITCHEN; meat-free, egg-free, dairy-free dishes from the tropics (Home Books, 2009; distr. Penguin, 179 pages, ISBN 978-1-55788-544-9, $18.95 US paper covers) is by Donna Klein, author of other vegan cookbooks. She’s a free lance writer for several publications, writing on vegan and vegetarian matters. There are 225 or so preps here, covering the tropics of the Caribbean, Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. There is a primer on tropical fruits and veggies with data on buying and storing. Each recipe has a nutritional analysis. Arrangement is by course, with many soups and salads. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metric tables of equivalents. It is a straightforward book, covering avocado, banana, chayote, jackfruit, kiwi, mango and more – 20 in all. Two recipes or so on a page, many with cook’s notes. And just about everything is fast and easy to do. Audience and level of use: vegans and vegetarians looking for spicy food. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: avocado-cucumber sushi rolls; black bean and tropical fruit salads; spicy Bolivian-style lentils over rice; cabbage stuffed tortillas; The downside to this book: I would have liked some menu suggestions. The upside to this book: she includes chilies as a tropical item, thus there are many preps here with different peppers in the mix. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 4. ALMOST MEATLESS; recipes that are better for your health and the planet (Ten Speed Press, 2009, 148 pages, ISBN 978-1-58008-961-6, $22.50 US paper covers) is by Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond. Both are food writers living in Philadelphia. Here are 60 plus preps that de-emphasize meat. It includes vegetarian variations on meat-based recipes for flexitarians. Meats here are flavour enhancements and garnishes. Most of the preps are classics and standbys, re-jigged to have less meat but more veggies. So the recipes remain delicious but also healthier and even economically worthy since there are less beef and pork to buy. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. There is also a bibliography and website listing for healthier eating. Audience and level of use: first to those meat eaters who want to cut back on their meat consumption. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: shrimp and slow-roasted tomato risotto; chicken and biscuit pot pie; turkey verde soup; turkey and pinto bean corn bread pie; caramelized onion meat loaf; albondigas; grits roulade. The downside to this book: more recipes are needed. The upside to this book: seems to satisfy the need for less meat. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 5. MODERN SPICE; inspired Indian flavors for the contemporary kitchen (Simon & Schuster, 2009, 265 pages, ISBN 978-1-4165-6659-5, $25 US hard covers) is by Monica Bhide, who has authored two previous Indian cookbooks. Despite that, the publisher needs a half dozen logrollers, especially from Mark Bittman and the head of egullet.org. Here are some 125 recipes plus some essays (a few like memoirs), which covers culinary trends in Indian food in North America, contemporary updates of Indian classics, and notes on Indian culture in North America. She also has a guide to the modern Indian pantry. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. More details are at www.monicabhide.com. Audience and level of use: Indian food lovers looking for some North American adaptations. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pan-seared eggplant with ginger and honey; baby besan crepes with potatoes; pomegranate-mango toss; chicken breast stuffed with paneer; stir-fried lamb; strawberry and kiwi pudding; guava fool; salmon with kumquat chutney. The downside to this book: there are eight photos, not particularly inspired – and with no page references to the recipes. The upside to this book: larger typeface is very useful, especially in the index. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 6. JAM IT, PICKLE IT, CURE IT and other cooking projects (Ten Speed Press, 2009, 148 pages, ISBN 978-1-58008-958-6, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Karen Solomon, a San Francisco food and lifestyle writer. This is a handy collection of some 75 recipes for making what the publisher calls “artisan foods” at home. There are preps here for homemade cheeses, condiments, smoked meats, pickles, noodles, crackers and breadsticks, popsicles, jams, and cordials. Just like the book from decades ago, “Better than Store Bought”. She also has ideas for creative packaging should you want to give any of these preps as gifts. He guide has projects that can be completed over a weekend. And to that end, she has detailed instructions, timelines for planning ahead, shopping lists, and how to inventory your pantry. The book is arranged by themes: munch it, bottle it, brine it, noodle it, hook it (fish), hunt it (meats), milk it, jam it, sugar it, freeze it, unwrap it (candy), and drink it. There are several photos of techniques. Keen instructions and storage notes are useful. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: great for generation Y to learn about how to make these things at home instead of spending money on purchased stuff. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: ricotta salata; kimchee; marshmallows; chocolate fudge pops; beef jerky; olives; mustard. The downside to this book: I would have liked more recipes for more home prepping. The upside to this book: good to have a book to appeal to younger, budding cooks. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 7. HOW TO LAUNCH YOUR WINE CAREER (Wine Appreciation Guild, 2009, 354 pages, ISBN 978-1-934259-06-1, $29.95 US paper covers) is by Liz Thach (developer of the Wine MBA program at Sonoma State University) and Brian D’Emilio (Director of Talent for Foster’s Wine Estates Americas). Together, they detail job descriptions, educational and skill requirements, the ladder to success in one’s career, how to get started, job hunting strategies and the like. Apparently, there fifty career roles in the wine business. Each chapter ends with a guide to available resources (books, websites, and conferences). The appendix has an “Action Plan Worksheet). Along the way, there are in-depth interviews with some important wine people, such as Michael Mondavi, James Laube of the Wine Spectator and Leslie Sbrocco, wine author. There is a long and useful chapter on wine writers and wine educators, and how to get there. The book is written and arranged by typical career divisions, including winemaker, viticulturist, wine marketing, public relations, distributors-importers-direct sales, retailing to stores and restaurants, wine writers, wine educators, administration, and wine supplies. There are a lot of strategies here for job-hunting. Audience and level of use: wine schools, students, career changers. Some interesting or unusual facts: E-commerce/web specialist or manager roles focus specifically on the winery’s Internet presence. They manage website design, e-commerce software and sales, and email communications. Wineries offer customers the opportunity to purchase directly via the Internet. The downside to this book: big chunks are not applicable to Canada, which has liquor monopolies. The upside to this book: the book is focused on just the US wine industry Quality/Price Rating: 88. 8. 200 FAST & EASY ARTISAN BREADS; no-knead, one bowl (Robert Rose, 2009, 317 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0211-2, $27.95 Canadian, soft covers) is by Judith Fertig, an American food writer, book author, and recipe developer. It is a fairly easy and useful compilation of preps, being based on the Sullivan Street Bakery’s (and others’) lead recipe in the New York Times a few years back. The basic premise is to create a biga, to let the bread breathe on its own. This means no proofing, no kneading, and no baking on the same day. You can wait several days. The result is a more interesting kind of bread, here made with instant or bread machine yeast. (Bread machines are not called for in this book, but the bread machine yeast is needed). Arrangement is by type of bread, such as whole-grains, seeded, filled, flavoured, slow-rise, gluten-free, festive breads, brioche, bagels, bialys, buttery yeast breads, and more. But the book makes concessions to its dual audience of Americans and Canadians: throughout the book, there is a box for nearly every recipe headed “Baking with Canadian Flour”. The box explains the difference between US and Canadian flours and how to compensate. It was off-putting after a dozen times: there must be some 150 occurrences of it in the book. Recipe preparations have their ingredients listed in both avoirdupois and metric measurements. Audience and level of use: basic bread baking primer. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: slow-rise herbed polenta dough; granola dough; Roquefort and walnut fougasse; sun-dried tomato and feta flatbread; rustic Italian hoagie rolls; sour Graham dough. The downside to this book: the constant view of the Canadian Flour box becomes boring. The upside to this book: it should encourage more cooks to do baking. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 9. WINESPEAK; a vinous thesaurus of (gasp!) 36, 975 bizarre, erotic, funny, outrageous, poetic, silly and ugly wine tasting descriptors (WineSpeak Press, 2009; distr. Wine Appreciation Guild, 346 pages, ISBN 978-0-9800648-0-3, $29.95 US paper covers) has been compiled by Bernard Klem of www.winespeak.com. For eight years, Klem has collated wine tasting terms from real wine reviews in English. I’m there. So is Richard Best from Oakville. Terms are organized in 27 different categories of appearance (clarity, colour, and age), smell and taste (17 here), balance, complexity, typicity, and finish. There are another 20 categories of special collections, such as a series of words describing terroir, chocolate, and minerals-rocks (have we ever sucked rocks?). My fave from these last categories is the description “California Chardonnay is like giving Pinocchio a blow job”. Near misses to: “health hazard”, “can be cellared for up to 10,000 years”, and “mutt of the blend”. This may be a fun book, but it is also a serious book: people actually wrote these words. Klem is hard at work on a second edition, and maybe he’ll propose some Parker numbers for the words. Audience and level of use: wine freaks and completists, new wine writers looking to expand their vocabulary. Some interesting or unusual facts: none of this was made up. The downside to this book: he misses a few Internet phrase generators such as the Silly Tasting Note Generator. Also, he misstated my first name as “Anthony” (Anthony Tudor was a ballet choreographer), although my website is correct and so is “Tudor’s Faint Praise Index”. The upside to this book: whew, what a collection, very complete. There should be no complaints. Just memorize everything. Quality/Price Rating: 91. 10. WINE SECRETS; advice from winemakers, sommeliers, and connoisseurs (Quirk Books, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 191 pages, ISBN 978-1-59474-261- 3, $19.95US hard covers) is by Marnie Old, who also authored the wine half of “He Said Beer, She Said Wine” (2008). She’s a Master Sommelier, a native of Winnipeg, and now a Philadelphia-based wine writer. She’s taken excerpts from the writings of 40 important wine people. I am surprised at how many of these people I actually know, such as Don Ziraldo, Gina Gallo, Ed Sbragia, Michael Mondavi, Tom Stevenson, Randall Grahm, Jean Trimbach, and Natalie MacLean. Most of the rest I had heard of. Topics range from basic winemaking, terroir, oak treatment, old world/new world styles, tasting wines, aroma-body- acidity-tannin, closures (twist tops, corks, boxes, et al) – forty in all at four pages or so each. Then Marnie puts her own spin and comments on the advice. Little bios are given for each source. Audience and level of use: good gift book Some interesting or unusual facts: Wines that will age gracefully for decades are becoming rarer every year. The downside to this book: I would have liked more comments and articles. The upside to this book: fairly comprehensive for beginners. Quality/Price Rating: 89, ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOKS... ...are one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual schtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. But of course there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 11. AMERICA’S MOST WANTED RECIPES; delicious recipes from your family’s favorite restaurants (Atria, 2009; distr. Simon & Schuster, 267 pages, ISBN 978-1-4391-4706-1, $15 US soft covers) has been pulled together by Ron Douglas, founder of a copycat recipe website, recipesecrets.net. The book has more than 200 of these recipes, from 57 of America’s popular restaurants. Most of these are in Canada, such as KFC, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, and Pizza Hut. But not IHOP or Brooklyn Café. Nevertheless, this is a good presentation of knockoffs from menu items found in these chains. With much experimentation, Douglas and his tester-tasters have come up with reasonable copycat recipes, so that you can go for Baskin-Robbins’ cheesecake ice cream or Benihana’s hibachi steak, or Olive Garden’s chicken crostina. All courses are covered. The recipes are easy to use, but everything is in avoirdupois weights and measures. Recipes are by establishment, but there is a category index and an ingredient index. Families can cook these dishes at home for a fraction of the total cost (the food bill plus taxes, tips, travel time and expenses). But it does require some thought in when and what to prepare. Salt levels, though, can be controlled at home. Quality/Price rating: 85. 12. TAKASHI’S NOODLES (Ten Speed Press, 2009, 168 pages, ISBN 978-1- 58008-965-4, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Takashi Yagihashi, currently owner of Takashi’s in Chicago. In partnership with Macy’s, he is opening Noodle Shops around the USA. He is assisted by Harris Salat who writes about food and culture for diverse publications (Gourmet, NY Times, Saveur). This is fairly comprehensive treatment of hot and cold Japanese noodles from an award-winning chef (he has a Beard). Yet he still needs extensive log rolling from five chefs, including Boulud, Trotter, Ripert, and Susur Lee. The range includes hand-cut soba, traditional and contemporary dishes, hot and cold, clay-pot udo, crispy gyoza, and the like. This is Japanese comfort food as Yagihashi has been cooking for the part two decades in the American Midwest. The 75 preps also include ramen, somen, bean threads, and rice noodles, as well as side dishes. There are tips that emphasize shortcuts, fresh and dried noodle techniques, and kid-friendly meals. There is also a fair amount of memoir material here. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Arrangement is by type of noodle, and actually includes pasta such as penne, gnocchi and orecchiette. There is an ingredient glossary plus a list of US resources. Try chilled ramen with chicken and banbanji sauce, curry udon, poached egg and mentaiko udon, or grilled salmon and chilled somen with yuzu sauce. Quality/Price rating: 88. 13. THE DIABETES SEAFOOD COOKBOOK; fresh, healthy, low-fat cooking (American Diabetes Association, 2009; distr. McGraw-Hill, 165 pages, ISBN 978-1-58-040302-3, $18.95 paper covers) is by Barbara Seelig- Brown, host of a TV cooking show (Stress Free Cooking) and author of a companion cookbook. Each prep here meets the nutrition guidelines of the ADA (improved blood glucose management). And proceeds from the book goes to the ADA. The emphasis here is on low-fat, omega-3 fats, and protein. Creamy sauces and fried batters are eschewed. There are about 100 recipes here, emphasizing taste. But not much is mentioned with sodium reduction. Arrangement is by course (starters to mains) with sauces, dressings, and sides. There are a few tips and suggestions on handling fish, including a mercury chart-guideline. Try Mediterranean fish stew (eliminate the salt), salmon tacos, fillet primavera, bloody Mary shrimp, or baked scallops (hold the salt). More details are at www.stressfreecooking.com. Quality/Price rating: 87. 14. ISLAND LAKE LODGE: the cookbook (Whitecap, 2009, 184 pages, ISBN 978-1-55285-947-6, $29.95 soft covers) is by writer Keith Liggett who has collated 60 recipes from the eight current and former chefs of Island Lake Lodge, a 20-year old ski haven in the heart of BC’s Kootenay mountains. The kitchens in this National Geographic-referenced lodge use local and organic ingredients. Liggett gives chef profiles and presents about 60 recipes. It’s arranged by meal taken and course. There’s star anise French toast, a trilogy of quail eggs benedict, chickpea-spinach soup with tahini, smoked duck salad, and pan-roasted black cod with mussels and black-olive gnocchi. Lots of good photos by Henry Georgi to illustrate the kitchen’s environment and the cooking line, as well as the plated dish. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 89. WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR JULY 2009 ============================================= By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com But first, these words: 2009 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. AU REVOIR TO ALL THAT; food, wine and the end of France (Doubleday Canada, 2009, 243 pages, ISBN 978-0-385-66472-1, $32.95 US hard covers) is by Michael Steinberger, the wine columnist for Slate and a contributing writer to the Financial Times. He writes extensively about economics and culture. Six big log rollers kick in, including Jay McInerney and Kermit Lynch. His main points are that France no longer has influential chefs, that bistros are rapidly closing (like pubs in the UK), coffee stinks, the wine industry is in crisis, artisanal cheeses are close to extinction, and French eating habits have drastically changed. How else to explain that France is the second- most-profitable market on the planet for McDonald’s? Steinberger does some interviewing and deep research, and comes up with several conclusions and impressions for the future. I’m not going to tell you what these are: read the book and be surprised. There’s a bibliography about French culture and its “economic crisis”. And a concluding index, which makes retrieval of his data possible. Audience and level of use: food lovers who have been disappointed on their latest trips to France. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: “Twenty-five years ago it was hard to have a bad meal in France; now, in some cities and towns, it is a challenge to find a good one.” The downside to this book: I would have liked more details about France’s decline. For instance, there is nothing about the intrusion of the supermarket, known as “la grande surface” when I was there. The upside to this book: what makes this book so useful is the index. Quality/Price Rating: 92. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 2. MARK BITTMAN’S KITCHEN EXPRESS; 404 inspired seasonal dishes you can make in 20 minutes or less (Simon & Schuster, 2009, 233 pages, ISBN 978-1-4165-7566-5, $26 US hard covers) is by the ubiquitous and eponymous Mark Bittman, who, apparently, still needs log rolling help for four other writers. It was originally to be titled “404 Express”, but I guess they shied away from its Internet connotation, “404 Error”. He promises 101 quick and easy recipes for each of the four seasons. He’s done cooking shows, and 2 million readers look at his weekly New York Times column (paper and internet versions), “The Minimalist”. In this book, he claims dishes can be ready in 20 minutes or less. There have been many books on the theme of “20-minutes-or-less”, and this one is not any different – just the latest, with the added cachet of Bittman’s name. He had a similar book from 2007, a paperback titled “Mark Bittman’s Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times” which you can still get on Amazon for $15 US or so. There were 350 recipes in that book, and not all of them were quick (a few demanded unattended times such as baking in the oven). Here he has rearranged some and added many more, laying them out by season. So he can catch the “seasonal” element too. The trick to the timing is to have your mise en place plus be able to multitask. He says, “These recipes were developed for the type of cook who gets the oil hot while chopping an onion, cooks the onion while peeling and chopping the carrot, adds the carrot and goes on to dice the meat, and so on.” This is fast, steady, sequential cooking. You’ll also need a pantry, which he specifies, so you can grab an essential ingredient that will always be in stock. Oh, yes … you’ll need to do regular shopping too. All of these can be mastered. He has a section that lists (with page references) dishes that can double as appetizers, brown-bag lunches, meals and desserts to eat year long, finger food, “easiest of the easiest”, do-aheads and reheatables, and picnic foods. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents – except for oven temperatures. Recipes are given in narrative prose, the way Gourmet magazine used to do them. This forces you to read the whole description before attempting to cook. He has a list of some substitutions and a collection of menus for putting a meal together in some order. Audience and level of use: those who like a challenge. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: taco slaw; peanut soup; banderilla pasta; zuppa di pane; mussels in white wine and garlic; warm milk toast. The downside to this book: you’ve got to know what you are doing at all times. The upside to this book: menus and categories of dishes for picnics, potlucks, etc. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 3. SIMPLE FOOD FOR BUSY FAMILIES; the whole life nutrition approach (Celestial Arts, 2009, 244 pages, ISBN 978-1-58761-335-7, $19.95 US soft covers) is by Jeannette Bessinger, CHHC and Tracee Yablon-Brenner, RD, CHHC. Both are “Certified Holistic Health Counselors”, and as such they are lifestyle health experts. The book comes with some heavy-duty logrolling from Ann Louise Gittleman (Fat Flush), Jonny Bowden (Healthiest Foods on Earth), and a couple of medical doctors. It is supposed to be an easy-to-use guide to nutrition and healthful meal planning for busy parents. The main rationale is the scary fact that there are about 30 million kids in North America who are overweight, and should need help in acquiring some lifelong eating and nutritional skills. There are about 65 recipes with countless tips and variations. In addition, there are helpful charts on nutrition, mix and match foods, and combo foods. Plus appendices on useful but less familiar ingredients (cacao powder, flaxseed oil, mirin, etc), appropriate oils, and sources of supply. The authors have their own wellness websites, but they come together on www.realfoodmoms.com for sharing tips and developments. My wife has a site (www.iloverealfood.com) which also deals with wholesome food: I thought I’d throw in a plug. Audience and level of use: basic building block book. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: polenta cakes; barley salad; Mexican quiche; berry smoothie; fruit cobbler. The downside to this book: Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. The upside to this book: good, holistic approach. Salt levels can be controlled at home. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 4. SOUTHERN FARMERS MARKET COOKBOOK (Gibbs Smith, 2009, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0474-7, $19.99 US, soft covers) is by Holly Herrick, a Cordon Bleu chef who writes on food for the Charleston, SC newspaper. It’s another book dealing with farmers markets, again stressing the seasonal, local and fresh nature of the food. But this time, there’s a twist: she deals with the markets of the Deep South: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee. She has 75 recipes, arranged by course (and sub-arranged by season), plus plenty of details about the local markets. There’s even a metric conversion chart tucked away on the last page of the index. There are state-by-state seasonal produce charts as well as farmers market listings with times, addresses and websites. She had previously written some of the recipe for her newspaper. Audience and level of use: regional readers, farmers market lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Christmas collards; watermelon, bacon, avocado and goat cheese sandwich; meaty and meatless wild mushroom soup; sweet corn and crowder pea chowder; white turnip soup with onions; butter bean and smoked ham hock soup; horseradish cheese grits. The downside to this book: it may be of limited use, only to the locals in the Deep South, but it adds to our knowledge of North American food culture. The upside to this book: good introduction to light and refreshing Deep South food. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 5. NO MORE TAKOUT! A visual do-it-yourself guide to cooking (Wiley, 2009, 227 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-16998-8, $25 US hard covers) is by Stephen Hartigan and Jerry Boak. Hartigan is a trained chef now working as a personal chef; Boak is a freelance writer who has worked in restaurants. Together, they make a case for saving money by eating at home. There are 450 step-by-step photographs to show you how to cook at home. There are three recipe levels, from basic to advanced meals. Ingredient lists and sidebars dominate the contents, but there are helpful tips and variations. The premise is valid, but in real life, an execution can fail. Cooking takes work and foresight. Take-out is what you do on the way home, when you are busy. The only advantages to eating at home (and they are good ones) are to put nutrition into your body and money into your back account. You wouldn’t do it to save time. But having said that, I find the book to be first-rate as a primer on how to cook. Now just get that motivation… Audience and level of use: basic primer. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: seasonal pasta; fish tacos; goat cheese crostini; arugula with crisp salami and taleggio croutes; beef teriyaki; sticky toffee pudding. The downside to this book: Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. The upside to this book: basic primer, good layout. Pictures are useful. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 6. SIMPLY MEXICAN (Ten Speed Press, 2009, 122 pages, ISBN 978-1-58008- 952-4, $24.95 US, hard covers) is by Lourdes Castro, a cooking school instructor from Miami currently living and working in New York city. Her book proposes to simplify Mexican cooking. The 60 recipes are accessible, for what is described as “quick-to-table” meals. Each prep features some chef’s notes to highlight equipment, techniques, or ingredients for advance prep work. Should you want to attack it, she gives some notes on mole and adobo. There are lots of illustrative photos, with ten pix alone for tamales. She begins with an outline of two dozen key ingredients for the Mexican pantry. The book is arranged by course, from appetizers to desserts. Audience and level of use: a Mexican kitchen primer. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: crab tostadas; chicken quesadillas; stuffed chiles; achiote chicken roasted in banana leaves; cilantro rice; corn tart. The downside to this book: Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. The upside to this book: good photos. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 7. A HOMEMADE LIFE; stories and recipes from my kitchen table (Simon & Schuster, 2009, 320 pages, ISBN 978-1-4165-5105-8, $25US hard covers) is by Molly Wizenberg, a columnist for Bon Appetit magazine (“Cooking Life”) and creator of “Orangette”, a popular food blog that was named “Best Overall” in the 2005 Food Blog Awards. Portions from this book have been adapted from http://orangette.blogspot.com which gets about 4,000 hits a day. There are five important logrollers endorsing the book, as well as a few praises for the website (although this latter is not noted as such). This is a memoir of everyday life with food, along with fifty or so recipes. There is no index to the memoir portion, but the 50 recipes are indexed. She currently lives in Seattle, so there are references to the Pacific Northwest, and to Paris where she lived for a time. Each chapter has a story followed by a recipe. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Most preps are for the sweeter side of life, plus salads and other veggies. Audience and level of use: those who like food memoirs. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bread salad with cherries, arugula, and goat cheese; noodles with presto and zucchini; pistachio cake with honeyed apricots; Hoosier pie; buttermilk vanilla bean cake; chocolate cupcakes. The downside to this book: no index to the memoir, and do we really need three pages of acknowledgements? The upside to this book: I’m glad more blogs are being published in book form. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 8. POTATO SALAD; 65 recipes from classic to cool (Wiley, 2009, 126 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-28348-6, $16.95 US hard covers) is by Debbie Moose, who writes small but useful cookbooks on single products such as “Deviled Eggs” and “Wings”. She’s currently a food columnist in North Carolina, and is a five-time winner of the Association of Food Journalists first-place award for essays. Check out debbiemoose.com. Here she concentrates on summertime dishes. Potato salad is a no- brainer for outdoors activities of BBQ, church suppers, picnics, potlucks, and reunions. You can use any kind of potato, so long as it is waxy. She specifies varieties for each recipe, but these are only suggestions. Also, eight of the preps are for sweet potatoes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: potato or salad lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: German warm potato salad; smoky bacon salad; sweet potatoes with lime vinaigrette; double tater salad; prosciutto and parmesan salad. The downside to this book: just about every prep has a colour photo, but you can get jaded looking at many, many forms of potato salad lumps. The upside to this book: good idea for summer. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 9. THE FOODIE HANDBOOK; the (almost) definitive guide to gastronomy (Chronicle Books, 2009, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6853-2, $24.95 US soft covers) is by Pim Techamuanvivit, a magazine food writer and photographer, and blogger (www.chezpim.com) since 2000. This is a readable collection of ideas sorted by four themes: how to eat like a foodie, how to cook like a foodie, how to drink like a foodie, and how to be a fabulous foodie. I knew how to do the first three, so I opted to begin with “how to be a fabulous foodie”. This chapter is mainly a series of lists on what to do to extend the foodie experience, such as eat a whole roasted turbot on the Basque coast of Spain, or try a durian, or throw a locavore party. Well, I’ve been there, done that for most of them. I’ll skip the fugu fish experience. I’ve done the ten “ethical foodie” things we should all be doing, including working on an organic farm. I’ve baked bread. So I guess that there is nothing left for me to do, except read and make judgment on foodie books. I looked at the chapter on foodie wines, and it is all about how to be a wine geek in easy lessons. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, which is useful for a co- published book. Audience and level of use: a primer for Generation Y and bloggers everywhere. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pad thai; roast chicken; strawberries in hibiscus and vanilla soup; rice noodles with prawn sauce; lychee bellini. The downside to this book: too many gratuitous pix of the author. The upside to this book: I liked the cover but it must have cost the publisher a bundle. Quality/Price Rating: 84. 10. 500 THINGS TO EAT BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE and the very best places to eat them (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009; distr. T. Allen, 452 pages, ISBN 978-0-547-05907-5, $19.95 soft bound) is by the Sterns (Jane and Michael) who have been writing a column for Gourmet and publishing books for about 15 years – all on the topic of “Roadfood”. They specialize in finding the best places on the highway (or close to it) for all food courses and products. They’ve won Beards, and have appeared on American Public Radio. This book covers 500 food items, and is unfortunately titled with the addition “before it’s too late”. All of this food is okay in moderation, but most of us chow down, and if you did not eat this food, you would probably live longer. So it is a bit of Catch-22: if you eat this food regularly, you probably won’t live as long as you could; if you don’t eat the food, you would be missing great taste sensations, but you’ll live longer. So the choice is up to you. The book is a guide to the best cheap eats all over the US; I could not find Canada in the index. Material comes from their website and printed writings, but they have ordered them differently and updated the listings. The book is arranged by region: New England, Mid-Atlantic, South, Midwest, Southwest, and West – complete with coloured tabs for each. So you cannot get lost. For example, under “soft pretzel” you will be in Philadelphia. There’s a description of what they are and two locations in Philly, along with addresses, phone numbers and websites. Plus, of course, a discussion on the merits and demerits of each of the two places. There’s also a picture of the food, and often a pix of the place’s signs. So in Maine, you can find a boiled dinner, clam chowder, flo dog, French fries, ice cream, Indian pudding, lobster roll, maple dessert, shore dinners, whoopie pie, and whoopie pie cake. Look at www.roadfood.com for more. Audience and level of use: travelers through the US highways and byways. Quality/Price rating: 89. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 11. QUICK & HEALTHY, volume II: more help for people who say they don’t have time to cook healthy meals. 2d edition (Small Steps Press, 2009; distr. McGraw-Hill, 319 pages, ISBN 978-0-98-160011-6, $18.95 US spiral bound) is by registered dietitian Brenda J. Ponichtera, who operates www.quickandhealthy.net. This book was originally published in 1995, and now of course it has been substantially updated and revised. Over the years, the two volumes have sold 750,000 copies. Here are 180 easy recipes that are low in fat and low in cholesterol and calories. There is also practical nutrition information. All the ingredients are listed in avoirdupois measurements, and there is a table of metric equivalents but it is buried on page 76 (it is indexed). But while the ingredients are listed in ounces and cups, the nutrient analysis is listed with grams. This means a lot of cross-referencing. Processed foods are kept to a minimum (e.g., pancake mix, breakfast cereal, canned veggies, and chicken broth). Listed in the recipes are exchanges. She gives us 10 weeks of dinner menus (all sourced to page references) with grocery lists. Plus tips on 100 easy menus for breakfast and lunch. Other tips include how to eat out, how to change recipes to reduce fats and sugars, attacking a salad bar, party advice, holiday dinners, exercising, and fat limits. Preps are all the classics (salads, chicken fricassee, skillet chicken, tuna casserole, fish fillets, etc.). Hey now, there’s no excuse...Quality/Price rating: 89. 12. THE ROUGH GUIDE TO TORONTO; 5th ed (Rough Guides, 2009; distr. Penguin, 250 pages, ISBN 978-1-84836-074-7, $22.99 Canadian soft covers) is by Phil Lee and Helen Lovekin. Lee has Muskoka experience but now lives in Nottingham, UK, while Lovekin lives in Cabbagetown, Toronto. Lee has written many of these guides, so he is an old hand. Guides are always the basic source, no matter who publishes them: the latest is the best. This one is dated July 2009, as a fifth edition. There is a lot of colour here through the photos, with touristy depictions of travel, accommodations, sights, and the listings on eating, shopping, and living. There I a context section on literary Toronto and history, and a colour section on art and architecture. Of interest to me, of course, there are the eating and drinking sections. These are mostly spot on, and at the lower end of the price scale since the readers are mainly young people. Thus, Terroni is here but Mistura is not. Quality/Price rating: 86. 13. THE SWEET SCIENCE AND OTHER WRITINGS (The Library of America, 2009; distr. Random House, 1058 pages, ISBN 978-1-59853-040-7, $40 US hard covers) is by A. J. Liebling, the noted American man of letters associated with the New Yorker. This collection is a series of five reprinted books all-in-one, most of which are themselves drawn from his shorter pieces over the decades. “The Sweet Science” (1956) concerns boxing in the early 1950s. “The Earl of Louisiana” (1961) is an account of Governor Earl Long. “The Jollity Building” (1962) are real stories about Manhattan low-life schemers. “The Press” (1964) collates his articles from the New Yorker on media criticism. For us, “Between Meals: an appetite for Paris” (1962) is the keystone, a memoir of Liebling’s introduction to Paris and its food and wine in the late 1920s. It is good to have it back in print. Quality/Price rating: 88. 14. THE EMPIRE OF TEA; the remarkable history of the plant that took over the world (Overlook Press, 2009, 308 pages, ISBN 978-1-59020-175- 6, $14.95 US soft covers) is by Alan MacFarlane, a social anthropologist at Cambridge, and Iris MacFarlane, who lived on an Assamese tea garden for 20 years and has written on India and Assamese history. It was originally published as “Green Tea: the empire of tea” by Ebury Press in 2003, but allowed to go out-f-print. This is a straight reprint, covering the basic history from Darjeeling to Lapsang Souchon, from India to Japan, emphasizing the impact that tea had on the world’s history: Buddhist meditation, Boston Tea Party, the Industrial Revolution, Assam 1839-1880, labour conditions and strife, et al. There are end notes, a bibliography, and an index. His website, www.alanmacfarlane.com/tea has seven articles which add to or update the book. Quality/Price rating: 88. 15. BARBECUE SECRETS DELUXE! The very best recipes, tips and tricks from a barbecue champion (Whitecap Books, 2009, 394 pages, ISBN 978-1- 55285-949-0, $29.95 Canadian paper covers) is by Ronnie Shewchuk, a BBQ competitor (his team’s name is Butt Shredders) and BBQ writer. He went to journalism school at Carleton in Ottawa, but now lives in North Vancouver. His day job is as a business communicator facilitator. This current book is a re-tuning of his first two books (“Barbecue Secrets” from 2004 and “Planking Secrets” from 2006) plus fifty new, additional preps. And some new anecdotes. The 200 recipes here contain detailed data and guidelines on all the elements you’d run into in BBQ. The best use Championship Barbecue Rub (or “Bob’s Rub”). Try cowboy steaks, lemony-herbed flank steak, lamb meatball kebabs, planked salmon (via Steve Raichlen), and pepper-grilled tuna. www.ronshewchuk.com has more details and blogs about BBQ. Quality/Price rating: 89. 16. BANANA; the fate of the fruit that changed the world (Plume Books, 2009; distr. Penguin, 281 pages, ISBN 978-0-454-29008-2, $16 US soft covers) is by Dan Koeppel, a nature and science writer. This book was originally published last year, 2008; it takes the banana from jungle to supermarket, from corporate boardrooms to kitchen tables. Because it is so cheap and easily digested, bananas are the world’s most popular fruit. Picked very green, they can be easily shipped to anywhere in the world. And the early labour (in order to keep prices down but retain profits) was serf-like and near-slavery. The major players were Chiquita and Dole, and they gave rise to the term “banana republics” in Central America. They also supported much research over the years, including genetic modification. This well-written history comes with a timeline, good through 2007. But, as Koeppel says, over the years little has changed. “Biotech bananas still hold the greatest potential, and though progress has been made in the lab, extensive field testing has yet to begin.” Meanwhile, the dreaded “Panama disease” continues to spread. There is a bibliography and an index, although the entries under United Fruit, Standard Fruit, Cavendish, and Panama disease are too long without any subdivisions. Quality/Price rating: 89. 17. HEIRLOOM; notes from an accidental tomato farmer (Broadway Books, 2009, 232 pages, ISBN 978-0-7679-2707-9, $14 US soft covers) is by Tim Stark, who owns and operates Eckerton Hill Farm in Pennsylvania. He sells a lot of his produce in Manhattan, especially his heirloom tomatoes and his obscure chili peppers. His book was originally published by Broadway in hard covers in 2008; it appears to be a winner in the category of “gentleman farmer literature”. Five of the 11 essays had been previously published in Gourmet, the Washington Post, or read on National Public Radio. He’s a good writer of his memoirs, telling the story of how he left his Brooklyn job as a government consultant to revive his family farm in Pennsylvania. An index would have been useful. Quality/Price rating: 86. 18. WHAT TO EAT WHEH YOU’RE EATING OUT. 2nd ed. (Small Steps Press, 2009; distr. McGraw Hill, 816 pages, ISBN 978-1-58-040316-0, $10.95 US soft covers) has been put together by Hope S. Warshaw, RD, MMSc, CDE – a nationally recognized expert on healthy eating and diabetes. It was originally published in 2005, with some earlier material copyrighted 1999 and 2002. This is a hard to beat book if you eat out a lot and want to cut back on superfluous calories, sugars and fats. The coverage is for American chain restaurants, and (for the most part) these same chains exist in Canada. Six meals a week are eaten out in restaurants, mostly at chains where you just walk in and go up to the front. 61 chains are covered (although Tim Horton’s is listed as only available online at the website below), and more than 6500 items are analyzed. The arrangement is by loose type of diner: those serving breakfasts, snacks, chicken, seafood, burgers, family fare, soups and sandwiches, pizza, tacos, Asiatic, and frozen desserts. Nutritional analyses for each item include calories, fat content, saturated fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, fibre and protein. Choices and Exchanges are also listed. So you can go through all the burger and pizza joints to find the “best” possible foods. She has sample meals that show readers how to make healthy meals from the menu of each resto, and related to this she also indicates “Healthiest Bet” choices from every establishment. I wish she had also covered Highly Refined Corn Fructose (HRCF) as well. Instead, it is just buried in the carbs category. This is a survival kit, and more can be found at www.diabetes.org/healthyrestaurant, especially searching for key terms. Quality/price rating: 95. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR JUNE 2009 =========================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com But first, these words: 2009 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. A PINT OF PLAIN; tradition, change, and the fate of the Irish pub (Walker & Company, 2009; distr. Penguin, 241 pages, ISBN 978-0-8027- 1701-6, $25 US hard covers) is by Bill Barich, a free lance writer (think New Yorker) living in Dublin. Somewhere along the way, they had changed the subtitle; it was first announced as “how the Irish pub lost its magic but conquered the world”. And indeed, one log rolling author says that Barich “voices a reluctant farewell to the old Ireland” as the new Ireland becomes part of the global mall. There were 12,000 pubs in Ireland, but Barich wanted one in Dublin that was straight out of “The Quiet Man”, offering talk and drink with no distractions. But sadly, a dwindling audience meant that pubs had to go after newer, younger clientele who only wanted games and TV. Pubs had been losing customers and closing one by one, but two new laws are actually killing them: strict drunk-driving laws, and no smoking laws. Yet at the same time, Irish pubs are being replicated all over the world in at least 45 different countries. His narrative combines modern day life with historical material on the famed pubs of Dublin to tiny village pubs, along with the denizens of said watering holes. And of course, there is material on Guinness and other Irish beers. There is some evidence of cutbacks in the book: there were supposed to be black and white illustrations throughout, a tie-in with St. Patrick’s Day (but I never got my review copy until June even though I had asked for it months ago), and a lack of a sorely needed index. The book concludes with a bibliography for further reading. Audience and level of use: Irish pub lovers, literate beer drinkers. Some interesting or unusual facts: more Guinness stout is sold in Nigeria than is sold in Ireland. The downside to this book: an index is needed, as well as some illustrative material. The upside to this book: well-written and tenderly expressed. Quality/Price Rating: 88. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. THE ASIAN BARBECUE BOOK; from teriyaki to tandoori, 125 tantalizing recipes for your grill (Tuttle Publishing, 2009; distr. Ten Speed Press, 176 pages, ISBN 978-0-8048-4044-6, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Alex Skaria, a cook at a yacht club in Bangkok who also specializes in huge BBQ gatherings for up to 200 people. Asian BBQ is perfect for the combination of sweet-sour-hot-spicy dishes. Much of it favours kebabs, short ribs, wings, and fish – the small stuff. So the grilling elements can also be small hibachis and similar equipment. The book also attempts to cover sides, salads, and desserts. Avoirdupois measurements are used in the recipes, but there is no metric table of equivalencies. There are 125 recipes in all. Audience and level of use: BBQ lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: caramelized mangoes, baingan bhurta, tandoori pork ribs, tomato pomegranate dip, grilled garlic pepper jumbo shrimp. The downside to this book: nothing really, looks fairly complete. The upside to this book: good notes on the Asian pantry. Quality/Price Rating: 91. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE DIABETIC TO LOVE THIS COOKBOOK (Workman, 2009; distr. T. Allen, 348 pages, ISBN 978-0-7611-5550-8, $19.95 US, soft covers) is by Tom Valenti, chef/owner of Ouest and The West Branch in New York City. He is assisted by writer Andrew Friedman. Log rolling has been provided by chefs Mario Batali and Tom Colicchio. Valenti was diagnosed with diabetes 14 years ago; he has gone on to create a diabetic cuisine, many dishes of which are available in his restaurants. The 250 dishes here cover all courses and all styles of foods (hot and spicy to sweet and sour, creamy, crunchy, etc.). What makes the food upscale are the combinations of textures and flavours. Salt is reduced, but acid and lemons take its place. Smoke tones come from smoked turkeys, not hams or bacon. Nutritional information and food exchanges are supplied for each recipe. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are metric tables of equivalents at the back. The index is extensive. Audience and level of use: those looking for lighter foods, plus of course, diabetics. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: mushroom bruschetta; warm lobster salad; spicy seafood pasta; grilled calamari; lamb salad; beef and vegetable kebabs. The downside to this book: the binding looks sturdy enough, but the book will be well used and I think it needs more spinal support. The upside to this book: colour photos have been consolidated at the front of the book, with page references. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 4. THE SUSHI LOVER’S COOKBOOK; easy-to-prepare sushi for every occasion (Tuttle Publishing, 2009; distr. Ten Speed, 175 pages, ISBN 978-4-8053- 0915-5, $34.95 US hard covers) is by Yumi Umemura, a chef and author/translator of several cookbooks. There’s a history of the development of sushi, plus gorgeous photography by Noboru Murata. Discussed are equipment, techniques, and ingredients all in the first 40 pages. The rest of the book has 85 recipes, with lists of ingredients using both avoirdupois and metric weights and measures. The relatively easy and quick preps combine sushi rice with ingredients such as smoked salmon and avocados. There are sauces, such as a Thai fish sauce or French ratatouille, or cooked meats such as roast beef or chicken. There are even ball sushi and pizza sushi. Timings and quantities for service are also given. There is a resource guide, but just for the US and the UK. Audience and level of use: a good book for sushi fanatics, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Korean kimchi sushi rolls, mushrooms and chicken sushi rice, cabbage and sausage sushi rolls, Vietnamese rice paper sushi rolls, tempura sushi, grilled eel sushi, taco sushi. The downside to this book: there are a number of non-sushi dishes here, such as sushi canapés. The upside to this book: if you feel that you cannot deal with raw seafood, then there are plenty of other sushi dishes here. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 5. SUPER IMMUNITY FOODS; a complete program to boost wellness, speed recovery, and keep your body strong (McGraw-Hill, 2009, 258 pages, ISBN 978-0-07-159882-8, $16.95 US soft covers) is by Frances Sheridan Goulart, a certified clinical nutritionist who has authored about 16 books on health, nutrition, fitness and spirituality. She also teaches yoga and Pilates. The highlights of this book include a section on how to eat in order to conquer 13 health conditions that weaken immunity. She goes on to list and discuss the top 25 immunity-boosting foods. And there are 100 or so recipes, along with a monthly meal plan. The original PR pushed “20” health conditions, “150” recipes, and “50” meal plans. I guess there is scaleback everywhere these days. The top foods run from apples to yogurt, with broccoli, carrots, citrus fruits, garlic, flaxseed, olives, mushrooms, squash, tomatoes, nuts and seeds, and others. The health conditions include acne, arthritis, depression, diabetes, insomnia, cancer, and more. There’s a program to get into and a resources list (all websites). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: those in need of healthy guidance. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: edamole dip; bluegrass chips; fruit and root spinach salad; beta-carotene bisque; probiotic parfait; meatless cacciatore. The downside to this book: I’d like a few more recipes. The upside to this book: Menu planning is good, with page references to the recipes. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 6. THE SIMPLY RAW LIVING FOODS DETOX MANUAL (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2009, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-55152-250-0, $19.95 Canadian soft covers) is by Natasha Kyssa, a raw foods chef and lifestyle coach, and owner of SimplyRaw. She’s been a raw and living foods vegan for about two decades. She’s now 47, and leads a very active life. Log rolling comes from other raw food book authors. The premise here is that “you too could lead such a life by eating raw foods”. The publisher says that “this informative and useful manual outlines Natasha’s twenty-eight-day detox program”. You’ll need to cleanse the body and then go on to get optimal nourishment for healing. She has 135 or so preps plus lots of background and guidelines. In addition to a healthier lifestyle, you’ll get a natural weight loss. Nothing is cooked, so it isn’t really a “cookbook”, but the recipes do have prep techniques. There are lots of charts and tables form nutrient values and the like. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: those serious about having a healthy lifestyle. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: green smoothies; fresh juices; salads; muesli; soups; salad dressings. The downside to this book: there are so many smoothies and juices. The upside to this book: raw diets have been the trend for awhile now. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 7. CONQUER THE FAT-LOSS CODE (McGraw-Hill, 2009, 286 pages, ISBN 978-0- 07-163007-8, $16.95 US, soft covers) is by Wendy Chant is a certified personal trainer specializing in performance nutrition. She has a company, ForeverFit, which has been operating in Florida for over a decade: www.foreverfit.com. Earlier, she had written “Crack the Fat- Loss Code”. This is the sequel: to conquer it. She proposes a program of “macro-patterning” wherein you alternate between increasing and decreasing carbohydrates (along with baseline days). You should be able to increase your metabolism and thus burn away fat. The book is full of case studies and charts and timelines and plans, with a couple of dozen recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Here is guidance on monitoring your eating, recording your progress, and how to speed up your results. The food section has good advice. Audience and level of use: those trying to lose weight. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chocolate banana protein shake; butternut squash soup; taco salad; broccoli Italiano; spicy Cajun chicken. The downside to this book: I wish that there were more recipes. The upside to this book: a rigorous program, demanding of detail. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 8. TEQUILA; myth, magic & spirited recipes (Chronicle Books, 2009, 128 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6504-3, $18.95 US hard covers) is by Karl Petzke, a James Beard Award-winning photographer. He’s done a number of smaller beverage items for Chronicle Books. This is a basic work, augmented by extremely useful photographs. He has 40 recipes for food and drink. Almost half the book is devoted to the blue agave hearts and their transformation into a distilled spirit. There’s a glossary. Avoirdupois measurements are used in the recipes, but there is a metric table of equivalencies. Audience and level of use: tequila lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: You might want to try roast chicken with reposado mole, patzcuaro hot chocolate, tapioca pudding with tequila and strawberries, and corn chowder with roasted tomatoes and tequila. The downside to this book: it is too brief. The upside to this book: good photography. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 9. DINNER AT MR. JEFFERSON’S; three men, five great wines, and the evening that changed America (John Wiley & Sons, 2008, 270 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-45044-4, $15.95 US soft covers) is by Charles A. Cerami, who writes many popular histories from the Jeffersonian period. Here he re- creates the dinner party that “saved the union”. There were issues that were dividing the newly emerging country. At a single dinner, compromises were achieved. At the dinner were Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison. A lot of what happened that night is speculative since the dinner was private with no servants about. But the resulting conclusions (debt resolution and a capital city) are not. He turns to “Dining at Monticello” and “Domestic Life of Thomas Jefferson” for what could have been the dinner (with recipes in the appendix), and to “Thomas Jefferson On Wine” for what wines could have been served. His book has end notes and a bibliography, as well as an insightful index. Audience and level of use: historians, curious food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the Dinner-Table Compromise has been a plaything of historians. Jefferson did fear that his compromise might lead to more power by Hamilton. The downside to this book: I’m not sure why all the chapter heads have to be in old-style type face. The upside to this book: there are reproductions of historical engravings and drawings. Quality/Price Rating: 87. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOKS... ...are one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual schtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. But of course there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 10. PINTXOS; small plates in the Basque tradition (Ten Speed Press, 2009, 202 pages, ISBN 978-1-58008-922-7, $24.95 US, hard covers) is by Gerald Hirigoyen, chef-owner of two San Francisco restos (Piperade and Bocadillos). He was named or nominated for several “best chef” awards in California. The focusing food writer is Lisa Weiss, who has co- written many other cookbooks. Top notch log rollers here are Eric Ripert, Paula Wolfert, and Chuck Williams (Williams-Sonoma). With “small plates” as the single hottest menu trend in North America, it seems appropriate to begin specializing beyond Spain and the Eastern Mediterranean. Here are 75 preps for appetizer-sized French Basque and Spanish Basque dishes, albeit with some California influences. The arrangement is by type of dish (griddle, beans, sandwiches, braises, innards, fried bites, salads, skewers, montaditos, and soups). He has wine notes that offering pairings for each dish, as well as tips for cooks to make their own pairings. Avoirdupois measurements are used in the recipes, but there is no metric table of equivalencies. There are notes about the Basque pantry, US sources of supply, and a large typeface index. Try hanger steak with chimichurri, calamari with peppers and wild mushroom salad, white bean and salt cod stew, fava beans with crème fraiche and mint, oxtail empanadas, sweetbreads, artichoke chips with lemon aioli, or sardines escabeche. Quality/Price rating: 88. 11. DIRTY DISHES; a restaurateur’s story of passion, pain and pasta (Bloomsbury, 2009, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-59691-442-1, $25 US hard covers) is by Pino Luongo, who has owned and operated several restaurants, since 1983, in New York and Chicago. Currently, he is chef and owner of New York’s Centolire. As he says, “Everybody has an opinion about me…A lot of people love me, and a lot of people hate me…a lot of what you’ve heard about me is true”. His memoir covers his Tuscan boyhood right up through his business partners, former partners, food critics, and others. He is also the author of several cookbooks. He rose from dishwasher to owner-operator. But after dealing with a corporate chain (the relationship went sour), he left everything behind and returned to cooking. Here are his stories about the rich and famous, ably assisted by collaborator Andrew Friedman, who has co- authored many cookbooks with celebrity chefs. Portions of the book were in “Don’t Try This at Home”, a collection of kitchen disasters. And for the first time since 1988, he’s back to just one restaurant. There is index to the contents, so you cannot look up Warhol, Zagat, Stallone, or Onassis to see what he says about them – you must browse. There are 10 recipes, mostly for basic Tuscan dishes. Quality/Price rating: 88. 12. SIZZLE IN HELL’S KITCHEN; ethnic recipes from restaurants of New York City’s Ninth Avenue neighborhood (Gibbs Smith, 2009; dist. Raincoast, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0445-7, $30 US hard covers) is a collection of preps collated by Carliss Retif Pond, a culinary advisor living in New York. Arranged by course (apps to desserts), this collection reflects the preps as presented by 43 local restaurants reflecting the cuisines of Africa, Louisiana, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Asia, Cuba, Druze (Israel), the Mediterranean, Russia, Puerto Rico, Argentina, even Ireland: all of course reflective of the waves of immigrants that have arrived through the Hell’s Kitchen area. Recipes are sourced, and include such as railroad pork chops with apricot-mango sauce, yebeg tibs (Ethiopian), spiedino macelleria, spiha (Deuze), pla lad prik (Thai), molokhia (Egypt), kartoffelsuppe (Germany), pistou soup, and samosas with potato and peas. All of it perfect street or diner food. There are some photos and stories about the restaurants and their owners, many of which have been ion the same family hands for generations. Avoirdupois measurements are used in the recipes, but there is a metric table of equivalencies. Quality/Price rating: 89. 13. CANYON RANCH: NOURISH; indulgently healthy cuisine (Penguin Viking Studio, 2009, 372 pages, ISBN 978-0-670-02073-7, $40 US hard covers) is by Scott Uehlein, executive chef at the Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Tucson since 1999. For almost thirty years, it has been a top spa destination for health and wellness. The culinary philosophy here is the same as at all spas: natural, nutritional, wholesome ingredients must be fresh and seasonal. Each prep includes nutritional data and techniques. The book is arranged by course, from beverages and snacks through to desserts, with vegetarian entrees and all of the major food groups. Avoirdupois measurements are used in the recipes, but there is no metric table of equivalencies. There is, however, a useful chart of ingredient conversions from weights to volumes, so that a pound of acorn squash could be three cups. There are lists of gluten-free recipes and dairy-free recipes, but no page references are given. There is also a US web resources listing. Uehlein emphasizes colour and downplays white. Try his chilled cucumber soup with arugula, apple- cranberry salmon salad, tomato feta relish, grilled beef tenderloins with tomato-blue cheese salsa, and almond macaroons. Quality/Price rating: 87. 14. SEVEN FIRES; grilling the Argentine way (Artisan, 2009; dist. T. Allen, 278 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-354-5, $35 US hard covers) is by Francis Mallmann, who owns two restaurants in Mendoza and Buenos Aires, plus a third in Uruguay. This Patagonian chef has applied his skills for the home cook. According to the publisher, the Argentines grill more meat per capita than any other country. Since 1995, Mallmann has been working exclusively with wood-fired cookery, both rustic and refined. He has burnt stories and crusty stories here. He has seven methods of cooking. Parilla is the most prominent, since this is basically what’s called BBQ in North America. But the other six can be employed as well, although asador (whole pigs or lambs affixed to an iron cross that faces a bonfire) and rescoldo (cooking food by burying in hopt embers and ashes) may not be too practical at home. Most recipes are adapted for cooking indoors, so the book is useful for any kitchen in any season. Preps cover the whole range of food from apps to desserts; the arrangement of the book includes extensive chapters on beef, lamb, chicken, pork, plus seafood and vegetables. Try fresh figs with mozzarella, pears and iberico ham, bricklayer steak, lamb Malbec, salt crust chicken, salmon a la vara, or carmelized endives with vinegar. There are, of course, sections on techniques and equipment needed. Absolutely gorgeous photography. Avoirdupois measurements are used in the recipes, but there is a metric table of equivalencies. Quality/Price rating: 90. 15. TEA & CRUMPETS; rituals & recipes from European tearooms and cafes (Chronicle Books, 2009, 180 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6214-1, $19.95 US hard covers) is by Chronicle cookbook author Margaret M. Johnson, who also writes food articles for the press. Here she collects and collates recipes from tearooms throughout Europe, in some cases adapting them for home use. Preps concern mainly sandwiches, pastries, cakes and scones, crumpets, et al. After the primer material on teas and some history, she has separate chapters on the sandwiches, the breads, and the sweets. Preps are sourced. Thus, there is The Clarence (Dublin) and its spiced egg sandwiches, the cucumber sandwiches from Claridge’s (London), tea brack from the Quay House in Galway, meringues from Willow Tea Rooms (Glasgow), and gooseberry mousse from Llangoed Hall in Wales. Most tearooms are in the UK and Eire. Others are spotty in Paris and Switzerland (in the French cantons), principally at hotels with an English clientele. She has a concluding chapter on the French style of teas, along with recipes for madeleines, crème caramel, and petit pains au chocolat. There is a US resource list for ingredients. Avoirdupois measurements are used in the recipes, but there is a metric table of equivalencies. Quality/Price rating: 87. 16. RUSTIC FRUIT DESSERTS; crumbles, buckles, cobblers, pandowdies, and more (Ten Speed Press, 2009, 164 pages, ISBN 978-1-58008-976-0, $22 US hard covers) is by Cory Schreiber (founder of Wildwood Restaurant) and Julie Richardson (founder of Baker & Spice), both of Portland, Oregon. I am not sure what is in the publisher’s mind here: most of the preps come from Richardson (she’s the baker) but it is Schreiber’s attributed book as first author. In addition, the publisher felt it necessary to have heavy duty log rolling from such as Sara Moulton (exec chef of Gourmet) and David Lebovitz (former top dessert chef from Chez Panisse). This is a basic book of old time cooked fruit desserts, generally without pastry crusts. Anyone can make them. Included are crisps, slumps, betties, buckles, grunts, crumbles, cobblers, pandowdies, bread puddings, cakes, compotes, custards, fools (but no syllabubs), galettes, teacakes, and trifles. Generic preps are listed for stone fruit slump, stone fruit tea cake, stone fruit crisp, and stone fruit upside-down cornmeal cake. Substitutions are encouraged. Apples, stone fruit, and berries are the main three categories of fruit. The book is arranged by season as it follows the course of development of the fruit. And it is also based primarily on what is available in the Pacific Northwest. Try raspberry red currant cobbler, upside-down sweet cherry cake, maple apple dumpling, cranberry buckle with vanilla crumb, or caramel peach grunt. There’s a short US sources lists. Avoirdupois measurements are used in the recipes, but there is no metric table of equivalencies. Quality/Price rating: 89. 17. MRS. ROWE’S LITTLE BOOK OF SOUTHERN PIES (Ten Speed Press, 2009, 118 pages, ISBN 9788-0-1-58008-980-7, $16.95 US hard covers) is by Mollie Cox Bryan, a food writer. Here are more than 65 recipes for pies from the family-owned “Mrs. Rowe’s Restaurant and Bakery” in the Shenandoah Valley, VA. It is sixty years old, and her family now runs it, along with some cafeterias, a buffet, catering business and a take- out counter which sells 100 pies a day. To me, the classic US Southern pie has always been Chess Pie, made with either lemons or vinegar or a combination. But try to find it in this book. There is no index entry for “Chess” Pie. The inside front cover says that there is a Lemon Chess Pie in the book. Most references I’ve seen to Chess Pie don’t mention “Lemon” in the title. I look up Lemon in the index, and find an entry for “Lemon pies” on page 73 and 110. Not on 73, but it is on page 110. Are they trying to hide something? Other deficiencies of the index include a Make-Your-Own-Flavor Chiffon Pie entry, but none for Chiffon Pie. Streusel Topping has its own entry, but it is not cross-listed under Toppings and sauces as it should be. Part one of the book covers crusts and toppings. The second part deals with fruits and nut pies. Cream and custards are up next, followed by frozen/icebox pies, and “pies for the cupboard”. There’s some good primer material on how to make pie crusts and cooking times. Try weepless meringue, caramel apple nut pie, chestnut pie, winter squash pie, brown sugar pie, raisin pie, and shoo fly pie. Avoirdupois measurements are used in the recipes, but there is no metric table of equivalencies. Quality/Price rating: 88. 18. SMOKED, SLATHERED, AND SEASONED; a complete guide to flavoring food for the grill (Wiley, 2009, 334 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-18648-0, $19.95 US, soft covers) is by Elizabeth Karmel, owner of the Grill Friends line of grilling products and the executive chef for Hill Country barbecue restaurant in New York City. She also runs girlsatthegrill.com and grillfriends.com. Here she offers a booming 400 recipes for marinades, brines, barbecue sauces, glazes, mops, salsa, jellies, dipping sauces, pestos, and tapenades. All of these can be applied to hot-and-fast grilling or low-and-slow BQ. The essence is in balancing the flavours for the likes of ribs, burgers, steaks, poultry, seafood, vegetables and fruit. The book is arranged by the title: there’s a section of items to be soaked, another for slathered items, and a third for seasoned (rubs). Double-columns throughout are used, with economically smaller pictures. There is good use of typefaces and sizes. Sidebars are used wherever appropriate. Avoirdupois measurements are used in the recipes, but there is no metric table of equivalencies. Try pomegranate BBQ sauce, carrot-jalapeno relish, cherry-chile steak sauce, sesame-soy mop, or roasted garlic-Dijon butter. Quality/Price rating: 90. 19. A TOUCH OF TROPICAL SPICE; recipes from chili crab to Laksa (Tuttle Publishing, 2009; distr. Ten Speed, 144 pages, ISBN 978-0-8048-4081-1, $24.95 US hard covers) has been collated by Wendy Hutton, an Asiatic food specialist. These 75 preps all come from four Four Seasons Resorts and Hotels – the ones in Bali at Jimbaran Bay and Sayan, the Maldives resort at Kuda Huraa, and Hotel Singapore. This is high level spicy Asiatic cooking at its best from the world-renowned Four Seasons teams. The range is India, Maldives, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, and covering virtually every course from breakfast and snacks through to evening mains. Brunches and picnics are also included. In addition to the 75 preps, there are 34 recipes for basics of sambals, sauces, dips, dressings, jams, chutneys, and pickles. The list of web-based resources includes Australia, Germany, Scandinavia, the UK, and the USA. Executive chefs responsible for the home versions of the food are named, and ingredients are expressed in both avoirdupois and metric weights and measures. Try passionfruit cheesecake, pan fired fish fillets with mango, grilled rending rib-eye steaks, sweet corn and leek soup with crab dumplings, BBQ jumbo shrimp with vindaloo dip, or even “coconut rice with assorted side dishes”. All with gorgeous photography. Quality/Price rating: 89. 20. THE RUSTY PARROT COOKBOOK; recipes from Jackson Hole’s acclaimed lodge (Gibbs Smith, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236- 0347-4, $50 US hard covers) is by Darla Worden and Eliza Cross. Both are lifestyles writers; Worden lives in Jackson Hole (Wyoming) and Cross lives in Centennial, Colorado. The Rusty Parrot Lodge & Spa seems to make everybody’s top ten lists. Indeed, it has been AAA Four Diamond for 15 consecutive years. Their Wild Sage Restaurant specializes in “over-the-top” breakfasts. This is a typical souvenir type book, featuring the home kitchen version of their most popular dishes. It has a lot of photography and essays, historical gleanings from the area. And of course it has to be nicely recommended for anyone who has had a good experience there. It is an oversized book, and it is very heavy in weight. The arrangement is seasonal, with a source directory that is all US. Surprisingly, they recommend a local Wyoming source for seafood. Avoirdupois measurements are used in the recipes, but there is a metric table of equivalencies. Try a jumbo lump crab cake, opal basil stuffed chicken breast, yakinori salad roll, hazelnut blanc mange, sake and green curry-braised pork belly, or griddled haystack mountain goat cheese. Quality/Price rating: 85. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR MAY 2009 ========================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com But first, these words: 2009 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. TEQUILA; a guide to types, flights, cocktails and bites (Ten Speed Press, 2009, 130 pages, ISBN 978-1-58008-949-4, $16.95 US, hard covers) is by Joanne Weir, chef and food writer in San Francisco. She’s also won a Beard for “Weir Cooking in the City”. Here she deftly guides us through the mazeway of tequila, giving us 60 preps for drinks and tequila-infused foods. There’s the basic primer on tequila’s history and culture, and the guide to the various types. There are photos on the making of tequila, as well as the food preps here. Fortunately, there are few pictures of cocktail glasses or bottles. Excessive use of these pictures is ultimately a sign of editorial laziness in a cocktail book. Not here. Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Sources of supply are all US. Audience and level of use: home bartenders, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: more than 10 million cases of tequila were sold in the US in 2007. The downside to this book: a bit short; it needed more recipes. The upside to this book: a good collection of information. Quality/Price Rating: 88. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. THE SWEET LIFE IN PARIS; delicious adventures in the world’s most glorious – and perplexing – city (Broadway Books, 2009, 282 pages, ISBN 978-0-7679-2888-5, $24.95 US, hard covers) is by renowned pastry chef, David Lebovitz. He currently lives in Paris, leads chocolate tours, and teaches cooking. He moved to Paris in 2002 to start a new life, near the Bastille. But he soon found that the French were a “strange” people. It took him awhile to come to grips, and this book is his story. He deals with the ironclad rules of social conduct (appearance and image is everything) which dominate life in Paris. Much material is derived and codified from his blog at www.davidlebovitz.com. Written in memoir style, he adds about 50 recipes. Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there is no metric table of equivalents. At the end of the book, there is a list of some favourite food haunts in Paris. This appears to be a good guide, based on my own memories. There is no index but there is a listing of recipes. Audience and level of use: arm chair travelers, those who have been to Paris. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: absinthe cake (his blog also has absinthe ice cream), bacon and blue cheese cake, fig-olive tapenade, chicken mole, peanut slaw. The downside to this book: the listing of recipes is alphabetical by title, so you have “warm goat cheese salad” at the end under W. The upside to this book: good writing style, with sidebars and glosses of comments. Quality/Price Rating: 89. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3. A CULINARY VOYAGE AROUND THE GREEK ISLANDS (Quadrille, 2008; distr. Ten Speed Press, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-84400-604-5, $37.95 US, hard covers) is by Theodore Kyriakou, He has worked as a chef in London, but now organizes week-long Greek cooking courses on board a large gullet sailing the Aegean. So this book closely follows what he teaches. Here are 90 preps plus gastronomic tour, from breakfast to late night coffee. Cultural history stories clearly show the differences between and among the islands. The photography also makes this a great travel book. Classic dishes are the traditional regional specialties. Cook’s notes precede the recipes, and detail a lot of anecdotes and local lore. At the back, there is a calendar guide to annual festivals, very useful if you are planning an itinerary. The book concludes with a glossary of Greek ingredients. But there is no discussion on Greek wines, which could have proved useful. Metric measurements are used, but there is no table of avoirdupois equivalencies. Audience and level of use: armchair travelers, Greek food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: omelette with honey and sesame seeds, bougiourdi (roast feta en papillote), mussel soup, rabbit and peas hotpot from Halki, mosxaraki kapama (veal stew), bonito and Santorinian sprig vine leaf rolls. The downside to this book: somewhat overly detailed instructions. The upside to this book: good selection of recipes. Quality/Price Rating: 85, 4. THE SPANISH TABLE; traditional recipes and wine pairings from Spain and Portugal (Gibbs Smith, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 224 pages, ISBN 978- 1-4236-0373-3, $30 US, hard covers) is by Steve Winston. He owns a small chain of specialty cookware shops called The Spanish Table. Hence the title of the book? It makes better sense to name it after its contents, since the book also covers Portugal: try The Iberian Table. The Portuguese are getting shorted here. And so might the cooks, since there are very few photos of plated dishes (that’s one way to cut expenses). Logrolling comes from both Paul Wolfert and Penelope Casas. He begins with spices, moving on to the pantry (beans, wine vinegars, hams, cheeses, fish in tins, etc.). There are 18 recipes for the paella pan, which includes Portuguese spaghetti and piri-piri basted game hens; there are 23 terracota cookware recipes, which include Portuguese bean soup, white beans with linguica, Catalan chicken, and halibut with prawns; and there are 12 recipes for the cataplana (lots of clam dishes). There is a good assortment of preps here, mostly two recipes on a page. There’s a chapter on entertaining with menus, having a wine tasting, a beach paella party for 40, and a dessert wine tasting. Avoirdupois measurements are used, and there is a metric table of equivalents at the back. Sources for food and cookware are all Spanish Table locations (why am I not surprised?). Audience and level of use: armchair travelers, lovers of Spanish and Portuguese foods. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: garbanzo and gamba paella, lentils with Portuguese sausage and red finger peppers, Azorean beef stew, Sephardic migas, Madeiran fried polenta cubes, egg yolk Romesco montaditos, cardoon gratin. The downside to this book: there are many touristy photos here, ones that really have nothing to do with food. The upside to this book: a large collection of Iberian food under one set of covers. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 5. THE BRZILIAN TABLE (Gibbs Smith, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0315-3, $30 US hard covers) is by Yara Castro Roberts and Richard Roberts. Chef Yara had hosted the PBS show “Cook’s Tour” before she moved to Brazil to open a cooking school. Richard is a professional photographer. Preps here blend indigeous foods of manioc, cachaca, pequi, palm hearts, and palm oil with cuisines of Portugal, Africa, Japan and the Middle East. There’s a history of food culture in Brazil, followed by a regional approach with local recipes: Amazon, Bahia, Mina Gerais, and Cerrado. There’s a chapter on elegant dishes, and a chapter on immigrant food contributions such as okra robata, linguica risotto, star fruit strudel. Great food pictures and local onsite shots. There’s a bibliography and a listing of resources (web sites too). Toronto, Canada is included here, with Perola Supermarket being listed. Avoirdupois measurements are used, and there is a metric table of equivalents at the back. Audience and level of use: lovers of Latin American food, armchair travelers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: para fish stew; tucupi duck soup; vatapa fish chowder; okra tomato salad; tapioca muffins; collard green farofa; beef with pequi sauce. The downside to this book: no details about Brazilian wines which are really beginning to come into their own. The upside to this book: good layout Quality/Price Rating: 89. 6. TOMATO; a guide to the pleasures of choosing, growing, and cooking (DK, 2009, 192 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-5094-0, $18 US hard covers) is by Gail Harland, a UK tomato grower, and Sofia Larrinua-Craxton from Mexico but now developing recipes and menus for her own UK firm. This is a visual guide to over 160 varieties of tomatoes from around the world. The authors show how to grow and how to harvest, as well as cooking and preservation. Most of the book is on gardening, and most of the recipes call for beefsteak or plum or just “ripe” tomatoes. For each tomato, there is basic information about hybrid, time of growth, characteristics, how to grow, plus a picture and how to best enjoy the variety. There’s one called “Extra Sweetie”, and they recommend that you pack it in children’s lunch bag, since the variety is so sweet. Audience and level of use: tomato lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: tomato borscht; salsa Romesco; chutneys; sofritos; tomato summer pudding; beef cheeks. The downside to this book: the authors could have given us a few more recipes. The upside to this book: the chapter on preserving is good. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 7. FROMMER’S 500 PLACES FOR FOOD & WINE LOVERS (Wiley Publishing, 2009, 471 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-28775-0, $19.99 US soft covers) is the latest in Frommer’s 500 Places series. Holly Hughes, who has done two other 500 Places books, is aboard as this first edition’s collator. She is assisted by wine tour operator and writer Charlie O’Malley. Here, then, are 500 top destinations. Included are open-air markets, farms, culinary festivals, street food locations, kitchenware shops, specialty gourmet stores, gourmet inns, cooking schools, cruises, chef’s tables, vineyards and wineries, breweries, distilleries, restaurants, food museums – and, as they say, more!! You can use the book as a checklist on what to see before you die, or just check off where you have been. Each name has a description which tells you why it is important, an address, phone number and website. If you don’t visit, then you could at least sample the website and maybe buy something. There’s an alphabetical index at the back, so you could check out your fave place to see if it is listed or not. There is also a regional index: Canada has 14 entries (Cookbook Store, Toronto’s Chinatown, Cave Spring Cellars, Au Pied du Cochon, Schwartz’s, Sooke Harbour House, et al). There are also a small number of black and white photos. As with any book of lists, there are bound to be favourite places that have been left out. And places that shouldn’t be there. But it is a beginning, and the next edition will be better. Audience and level of use: travelers, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Culinary tourism now comprises about 17% of all US leisure travelers, and continues to grow. The downside to this book: names of the places are in faded green while a subhead is in bold black – this is too confusing and should be changed for the next edition. The upside to this book: I especially liked the section on chef’s tables. Such a listing is hard to come by. And besides, Claudio Aprile’s Colborne Lane in Toronto made the chef table’s list. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 8. WHAT WE EAT WHEN WE EAT ALONE; stories and 100 recipes (Gibbs Smith, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0496-9, $24.99 US hard covers) is by Deborah Madison, probably the best food writer in the United States today. She has won countless Childs and Beards, served on several food preservation and slow food boards, and done Edible Kitchen Gardens. She has taken on a decade-old project once suggested by her husband, Patrick McFarlin, a painter and graphic designer: what do people eat when they are alone. He contributes a ton of illustrations here, on virtually every page, plus writing and ideas. They mainly asked everybody they met what they did for food when they were by themselves. Back came stories of survival by men, enjoyment by women, and specialty cooking by many. This is good reading. The recipes are, of course, for one person. They are based on ideas and suggestions from the people they talked with. Avoirdupois measurements are used, and there is a metric table of equivalents at the back. Audience and level of use: hospitality schools, the curious, single diners. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: omelet with crunchy buttered breadcrumbs; ricotta frittata; chicken fajitas with black beans; salmon cakes; scallops with slivered asparagus; spicy tapenade; frito pie. The downside to this book: not enough of it! The upside to this book: gorgeous watercolours Quality/Price Rating: 93. 9. MEDITERRANEAN HOT AND SPICY (Broadway Books, 2009, 228 pages, ISBN 978-0-7679-2745-1, $19.95 US soft covers) is by Aglaia Kremezi, who has written other foodbooks such as “The Mediterranean Pantry” and “Mediterranean Hot” in the 1990s. Indeed, versions of some of the recipes in this current book were published previously in those two books. She’s also crafted “The Foods of Greece” which won a Child award. She now runs a cooking school on the Greek island of Kea. Nevertheless, there is excessive log rolling from Claudia Roden, Joan Nathan, Deborah Madison, Fred Plotkin, and Paula Wolfert. There are over 100 preps here, and the emphasis is on Mediterranean and “spicy”. Foods full of zest. The full range of food is here, but the concentration is obviously on the eastern end of the Mediterranean, from Italy and Malta to Greece, Turkey, and the Middle East. The 100 or so recipes cover all courses. The book is arranged from apps to desserts. Sources are all US. Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: Mediterranean and/or spicy food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sweet-sour eggplants; grilled whole fish in chile; Arab pizza; roasted leg of lamb; fried calamari rings; orzo risotto; grilled skewered sausages. The downside to this book: well, do we need another Mediterranean book? The upside to this book: recipes are guaranteed to be spicy. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 10. TACOS (Ten Speed Press, 2009, 174 pages, ISBN 978-1-58008-977-7, $21.95 US soft covers) is by Mark Miller, the acclaimed chef-founder of Coyote Café in Santa Fe; he’s also written some nine books on food. He is assisted by one of his sous-chefs, Ben Hargett, and Jane Horn, a cookbook writer and editor. Miller gives us 75 recipes for this epitome of street food. The filling is the heart of the taco, and Miller concentrates on that aspect. His chapters are divided by content: vegetables, chicken, seafood, pork, beef, lamb, with others covering breakfast, salsas, sides and drinks. The preps are nicely complemented by the photography. His techniques are useful for making your own tortillas and then crisping them into tacos. Other techniques cover blackening tomatoes and roasting chiles. He has many preps for salsas and accompaniments. Each filling recipe has suggestions for the best tortilla choices, salsas, sides and drink. Heat levels are indicated in the cook’s notes, as are prep times. There is a concluding glossary section on ingredients and techniques. Sources of supply are all US. Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: Tex-Mex food lovers who want to expand their horizons. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chicken tinga; Yucatan chicken with achiote; Thai shrimp; lobster and avocado; grilled beef with porcini; blackened jalapenos with eggs and cheese; potatoes with chile rajas and scrambled eggs. The downside to this book: nothing obvious. The upside to this book: there are drink recommendations (wines, cocktails, beers) for each dish. Quality/Price Rating: 93. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 11. GUIDE TO HEALTHY RESTAURANT EATING. 4th edition (American Diabetes Association, 2009; distr. McGraw Hill, 830 pages, ISBN 978-1-58-040315- 3, $17.95US paper covers) has been put together by Hope S. Warshaw, RD, MMSc, CDE – a nationally recognized expert on healthy eating and diabetes. This is a hard to beat book if you eat out a lot and are diabetic or just want to cut back on superfluous calories, sugars and fats. The coverage is for American chain restaurants, and (for the most part) these same chains also exist in Canada. Six meals a week are eaten out in restaurants, mostly at chains where you just walk in and go up to the front. 61 chains are covered (although Tim Horton’s is listed as only available online at the website below), and almost 7,000 items are analyzed. The arrangement is by loose type of diner: breakfasts, snacks, chicken, seafood, burgers, family fare, soups and sandwiches, pizza, tacos, Asiatic, and frozen desserts. Nutritional analyses for each item include calories, fat content, saturated fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, fibre and protein. Choices and Exchanges are also listed. So you can go through all the burger and pizza joints to find the “best” possible foods. She has sample meals that show readers how to make healthy meals from the menu of each resto, and related to this she also indicates “Healthiest Bet” choices from every establishment. I wish she had also done highly refined corn fructose (HRCF) as well. This is a survival kit; it has been published since 1999. More can be found at www.diabetes.org/healthyrestaurant, especially searching for key terms. Quality/price rating: 95. 12. CRUSH ON NIAGARA; the definitive wine tour guide for Niagara, Lake Erie North Shore, Pelee Island and Prince Edward County (Whitecap, 2009, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-55285-980-3, $19.95 paper covers) is by Andrew Brooks, a sommelier who not only owns a Niagara vineyard but also a wine tour company (Crush on Niagara Wine Tours. It was originally written in 2004 and published as 160 pages. It is now five years later, and there are 50% more pages. The industry has grown dramatically. The original coverage was just Niagara (56 wineries). But now he has 98. in the Niagara Peninsula, from the smallest (Domaine Vagners, 1000 cases) to the largest. And, of course, the industry continues to shake out, with a handful of wineries disappearing or merging. The directory data includes winery hours, contact information, annual production, acreage (not hectares), and where to purchase the wine. Other basic contents include wine serving and wine pairing suggestions, glassware tips, accommodation, shopping, and eating places. The book is very useful for information about the smaller and newer wineries, such as Caroline Cellars, Palatine Hills, and the organic Frogpond Farm. Each Niagara profile gets two pages, accompanied by photos. There are no pictures for the other regions’ wineries. Chase gives an assessment of the better wines and his recommendations (“Sommelier’s picks”). But the photos are often small and dark, and there are no real Tasting Notes. The front and back French covers have page references to wineries, listed in alphabetical order. There is a good chapter on tips on buying Ontario wines. But there are no fruit wineries except for Sunnybrook Farms. Quality/Price Ratio: 90. 13. FLAVORS OF PROVENCE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2007, 2009; distr. T.Allen, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84597-854-9, $21.95US paper covers) is by Clare Ferguson, a British food and travel writer who also lives in Greece, North America, and other parts of the world. It’s a very appealing book, good for armchair travelers, and one of a regional series, which began with Tuscany. Here, there are 90 recipes. There is a discussion on ingredients but these are scattered through the book (olives, walnuts and their oils; herbs and garlic; fish and poultry; sweets; sheep and goat cheese; wines). The recipes are arranged by course from apps to desserts to beverages. Websites are noted. Recipes are the classics of salade nicoise; pan bagna; ratatouille; pistou; tians; tapenade; and fougasse. The pissaladiere uses 80 – 100 black olives for 8 people. And there are some obscure regional dishes as well. But there are too many locational pictures at the expense of demo pix. Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there are metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 85. 14. SEASONAL FOOD; a guide to what’s in season, when and why (Eden Project Books, 2009; distr. Random House, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-905- 81136-6, $21.95 Canadian paper covers) is by Paul Waddington. It was originally published in 2004; this is the paperback reissue. Waddington is an environmental writer. This is a guidebook to seasonal food “in Britain, so that locals can eat produce at its best, contribute to a renaissance in local production, and simple revel in the variety of the seasons.” There are charts and chapters starting with January through December, listing what’s available and when. There are also some common but useful recipes (morels on fried bread, ratatouille, et al), all indexed. Both avoirdupois and metric forms of weights and measures are listed with the ingredients. BUT – the scope is British, and the book appears not to have been updated since 2004 (certainly, the former bibliography is listed as it was). Quality/Price rating: 82. 15. EASY MEDITERRANEAN; simple recipes from sunny shores (Ryland Peters & Small, 2007, 2009; dist. Thomas Allen, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-84597- 814-3, $16.95 US soft covers) is a collection of about 100 recipes from 11 authors who have written books for this publisher. Most of the preps are from Maxine Clark and Clare Ferguson. So it is an omnium gatherum in the truest anthological sense. Ryland has a whole series of “Easy” books, all at the same price, and all in this same format. All courses are covered here, from apps to sweets, mainly from Southern France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, and Morocco. The major classics are here, with well-framed photos: fish baked with lemon, oregano, and potatoes; Sicilian green vegetables; soupe au pistou; Spanish fish cakes; okra with dried limes; and Turkish pizza turnover. Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there are metric conversion charts. Quality/Price Rating: 83. 16. THE ACCIDENTAL VEGAN (Celestial Arts, 2009, 228 pages, ISBN 978-1- 58761-338-8, $16.95 US paper covers) is by Devra Gartenstein, chef- owner of the Patty Pan Grill in Seattle; it is a vegetarian-vegan resto. More than 25 percent of North Americans have some form of lactose-intolerance, making dairy-free cooking increasingly popular. Vegan cookbooks are selling briskly. Gartenstein has revised her 2000 book, and added 20 new recipes. Instructions have been simplified, and the emphasis is now on local and fresh foods. The full range of appetizers to desserts has been maintained, and there is a strong Asiatic influence plus popular Italian and Mexican dishes. Good leading in the recipes. Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Try tamari-roasted sunflower seeds, Thai noodle salad, Lebanese white been salad, Spanish veggie stew, or barley with almonds. Quality/Price rating: 87. 17. TABLE INSPIRATIONS; original ideas for stylish entertaining (Ryland Peters & Small, 2001, 2005, 2009; distr. by T. Allen, 143 pages, ISBN 1-84172-823-5, $19.95 paper covers) is by Emily Chalmers, a freelance stylist and writer. She firmly believes that a decorative table (at home or in a restaurant) gives a sense of occasion and heightens anticipation. Even simple meals can be made memorable this way. She gives 20 themed occasions or festive meals: a brunch, alfresco, Asian- style elegance, Christening tea and other events, children’s party, surprise birthday buffet. At the end, for reference, there is a visual directory of seven international place settings, both formal and informal. The source lists cover both UK and US stores. Settings are easy to create for busy people. Food does taste better when it is beautifully presented. Everything here is both interesting and doable. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 18. D.K.’s SUSHI CHRONICLES FROM HAWAII; recipes from Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar (Ten Speed Press, 2009,244 pages, ISBN 978-1- 58008-963-0, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Dave Kodama, now an executive chef/owner of four Sansei restos and other dining establishments in Hawaii. He is assisted by Bonnie Friedman who does the PR for Kodama’s companies. The book was originally published in 2003; this is the paperback reissue of favourite dishes from his restaurants. For the most part, it is Pan Asiatic fusion cuisine, with bits of Hawaiian, American and European ingredients and techniques. Arrangement is for sushi and sashimi, shikomi and sauces, “small plates” and “big plates” and “sweet plates”. Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Try foie gras nigiri, unagi and avocado nigiri with raspberry coulis, sweet miso scallops, Pacific Rim salmon, or seared buffalo strip loin sashimi. Quality/Price rating: 88. 19. BAKING & PASTRY; mastering the art and craft. Second edition (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 932 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-05591-5, $70 US hard covers) is from the Culinary Institute of America. It was originally published in 2004. It’s one of those books which can serve as a text at a hospitality school and/or as a useful reference book for home cooks. There are 625 recipes, covering the entire range, from primer (ingredients, baking formulas, percentages, techniques) to yeast-raised breads, pastry dough, batters, cakes, custards, creams, icings, frozen desserts, pies, etc. etc. 244 of the 461 photos and illustrations are new to this edition. Newer material covers vegan items, kosher, frozen desserts, breakfast pastries, savoury braking, healthy nutrition, design and display, plus wedding cake décor. Recipes are scaled to home cooking, and measurements are in both metric and avoirdupois, and sometimes with percentages. The book weighs six and a quarter pounds. Quality/Price rating: 87. 20. PURE SIMPLE COOKING; effortless meals every day (Ten Speed Press, 2009, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-58008-948-7, $21.95 US paper covers) is by Diana Henry, a prominent British cookbook author, award winner, TV host, and food columnist for the Sunday Telegraph. It was originally published in Britain as “Cook Simple” in 2007. The publisher says that it is an everyday cookbook with 150 recipes that feature simple food enhanced with fresh ingredients. Still, log rolling must have been needed since both Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (“The River Cottage Meat Book”) and Deborah Madison (multiple cookbooks) lend their endorsements. Classic recipes dominate, but each has been gussied up with additional taste points and variations. For example, for desserts, try peaches with gorgonzola and mascarpone, peaches in moscato, Prosecco with sorbet and summer berries, figs and raspberries with mascarpone, drained yoghurt with honey and pistachios and berries, strawberries in Beaujolais, cherries on ice, boozy raisins and about a dozen more. Arrangement is by major ingredient – chicken, chops, sausages, leg of lamb, fish, pasta, veggies, fruits, and desserts. Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there is no metric table of equivalents. The picture of a lamb stuffed with goat cheese, tomatoes and basil is dynamite. Mediterranean recipes predominate, mainly Provence, Italy, North Africa and Greece. Quality/Price rating: 90. 21. MAXINE CLARK’S ITALIAN KITCHEN; simple steps to great tasting Italian food (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2009; distr. T. Allen, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-84597-829-7, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Maxine Clark. Some of this book comes from her previous Italian cookbooks (Al Forno, Bruschetta, Flavors of Tuscany, Italian Salads, Italian Vegetables, Pizza, Risotto, and Trattoria). These 75 recipes make a good all-round collection, with great photography. These are all the fave dishes of everyday food of pasta, gnocchi, risotto, and polenta. Lots of detail on prep work. Chapters are arranged by course beginning with antipasti and moving to dessert. The weights and measures are in avoirdupois, but there are tables of metric conversions. Most of the book is primer-type and the recipes are basic classics, but that’s needed for beginners. Try zucchini and mint fritters, spinach and ricotta timbales, fennel and leeks braised in cream and lemon, warm lentil salad, creamy tomato and bread soup, pizza Bianca. Quality/price rating: 84. 22. THE FILIPINO-AMERICAN KITCHEN; traditional recipes contemporary flavours (Tuttle Publishing, 2006, 176 pages, ISBN 978-0-8048-3836-8, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Jennifer M. Aranas, formerly chef-owner of Rambutan Restaurant in Chicago. Now she teaches and writes about Filipino foods. This is both a basic book and a fusion book, with over 100 recipes. There’s not a lot about Filipino cuisine and culture, but enough to get you started. The Philippines were a crossroads culture, with influences from China, Spain, US and Mexico. I read somewhere that Mexico was most highly influential. The book is arranged by course, from apps to desserts. But there are only three adobo recipes in all, which is a bit strange since adobo is the national dish. You’ll have to read the recipe for duck adobo in order to find out what adobo is (and, or course, it can be used with any meat or vegetable). Both avoirdupois and metric measurements are used. Unfortunately, while all the preps are listed with page references in the table of contents, there is no index. Quality/Price rating: 82. 23. THE CALIFORNIA DIRECTORY OF FINE WINERIES; fourth edition (Wine House Press, 2006, 160 pages, $19.95 US hardbound) is a book package, with Marty Olmstead a travel writer, and Robert Holmes a photographer (there are over 200 photos here), plus a slew of designers and copyeditors. Sixty-nine wineries are covered, in Napa (31), Sonoma (32) and Mendocino (6). Each is profiled and is physically described (layout of winery operations, buildings, gardens), along with reproductions of labels. Various sidebars list directions, vineyard tours, wine tastings, culinary events, and nearby attractions. Maps show these wineries plus about 100 others within the counties. For example, in Napa, there are Beringer, Clos du Val, and Silver Oak. In Sonoma, there are Arrowood, Benziger, and Chateau St.Jean. There are also no tasting notes, nor any recipes, but the book is very useful for trips and tastings. Quality/price rating: 84. 24. A RETURN TO COOKING (Artisan, 2009; distr. by T. Allen, 330 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-393-4, $25.95 US soft covers) is by Eric Ripert, chef and part owner of Le Bernardin. He also is associated with restos in Grand Cayman, Washington, DC, and Philadelphia. Sharing the writing credits is Michael Ruhlman, cookbook author and memoirist. Here are 150 recipes dedicated to the carefully slow approach to cooking. It was originally published in 2002; this is the paperback reissue. Advanced log rolling comes from Martha Stewart, Anthony Bourdain, and Suzanne Goin. The book is also part memoir and part picture-book. His influences in life came from Sag Harbor, Puerto Rico, Napa Valley, and Vermont. Thus, he divides the book up that way, with recipes and thoughts from each place. Try venison loin with parsnip-celeriac puree and cranberries, shellfish ragout, halibut with grapes and wine sauce, rice pudding with sautéed bananas and chocolate sauce, Portobello and eggplant tart, and roasted whole turbot with spring veggies. Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there is no metric table of equivalents. Quality/Price rating: 88. 25. REMARKABLE SERVICE; a guide to winning and keeping customers for servers, managers, and restaurant owners. Second edition (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 294 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-19740-0, $29.95 US paper covers) is from the Culinary Institute of America. The premise here is that competitive restaurants must have consistent, high-quality service – and this is hard to do with minimum wages and lowered tips (due to the economy). While chapters cover every angle such as table service, prep work, money handling, reservations, seating, wine service, special functions, safety, customer relations and the like, it falls short on “motivation” (there is no entry in the index). There is nothing extra given for great service since all tips are now normally shared, and in some restos, management/owners also take a portion of the tips. The best waiter subsidizes the worst waiter. Nevertheless, there is expert advice here on how to do it all properly and with élan. The first edition was back in 2001. Newer material concentrates non safety and customer relations, plus special function events. Quality/price rating: 87. 26. THE END OF FOOD (Mariner Books, 2009, 400 pages, ISBN 978-0-547- 08597-5, $14.95 US soft covers) is by Paul Roberts, an author who writes on resource economics and politics for magazines and newspapers. He wrote the doomsday “The End of Oil” in 2004, and now the failure of the modern food economy is his new theme. His book (this is a reprint of his 2008 work) is endorsed by Michael Pollan (In Defense of Food). This is not a hard book to get in to, although it is depressing. It certainly is a timely book because of the excessive rise in food prices since January 2008. Indeed, he has an eight page afterword to bring the book up to date. His scope is broad, ranging from making food to marketing food and to moving what we eat. Of course, it is all entwined with OIL, his previous book. So he has done his basic research. And there are extremes here: the “haves” are now obese while the “have- nots” are starving. What’s new and different over the past few years have been the incredible amount of international investments and speculative food futures markets (commodity exchanges). With the entrance of China as a global player, the whole situation has been compounded. Commodity producers have taken over: they spend money on political campaign contributions, lobbying, food security, and transportation (read: oil) costs. They believe in ethanol which is raising grain prices. They set prices yet get government subsidies. Their profit margins grow, they don’t cover deficiencies. They influence trade policies. Worst still, they have managed to convince pension funds to buy into the investments. There are long-term costs associated with commodity producers, and we need to be aware of them. There are extensive endnotes and a bibliography (strangely enough, though, he does not cite Marion Nestle’s 2006 book “What to Eat” although her two other books are there). Quality/Price Rating: 90. 27. RISOTTO WITH VEGETABLES, SEAFOOD, MEAT AND MORE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2009; distr. T.Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84597-809-9, $19.95 soft covers) is by Maxine Clark, a cooking teacher and writer who specializes in Italian food. She has also written other such books for Ryland in the past. This book was originally published in 2005. Beginning with the basics (white risotto step-by-step, broths), she continues with sections on Best Broths, Useful Ingredients, Websites, and U.S. mail order sources. There is a vegetarian section, but of course, risottos deal mostly with cheese, egg, poultry, meats, and seafood. There are 46 recipes here plus six others (e.g., “barlotto” barley risotto, arancine di riso, and desserts). The book has metric conversion charts for the U.S. volume measurements. Try gelato di riso, fennel and black olive risotto, pesto risotto, chicken confit risotto, or beet risotto. Each recipe is illustrated with a lush presentation photo. Quality/Price Ratio: 85. AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR APRIL 2009 ============================================ By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com But first, these words: 2009 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. PASSION FOR PINOT; a journey through America’s pinot noir country (Ten Speed Press, 2009, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-58008-986-9, $30 US hard covers) is by Jordan Mackay, a Texas and California wine writer. The photography for this (largely) picture book is by Andrea Johnson and Robert Holmes. Both are experienced travel photographers. “Pinot noir country” actually just refers to the American West Coast. There is nothing here on British Columbia, or on New York State. Nor is sparkling wine covered. The blurb says that this is a portrait of the most fashionable grape in the wine world, showcasing California and Oregon producers. Pinot noir has been described as the perfect food wine, with occasional silkiness for sipping. But most pinot noirs on the US west coast don’t even taste like a pinot noir should; they just don’t have the Modal Varietal Characteristics (MVC) of what makes pinot great (i.e., classified Burgundy). Pinot noir come from Burgundy, and it should taste Burgundian. There is nothing wrong with that. Nevertheless, this is an engaging book, with profiles of top US pinot producers, terroirs, and bottles. The text promotes the different styles and approaches to the viticulture and viniculture of the pinot grape. The photography clearly shows most of the terroir through the many landscapes and seasons. Additional material is found in quotes and sidebars and maps. All the AVAs are described, and there are photos of the winemakers and owners. Typical estates covered include Calera, Abbott Claim Vineyard, Acacia, Domaine Drouhin, Donum, Tualatin, Quail Ridge, and many more. Audience and level of use: travelers, pinot noir fanatics. Some interesting or unusual facts: Statistics show that pinot noir sales have increased 120 percent in the last two years. This is due to the “Sideways” factor and to increased mass production of the lower quality wines. The downside to this book: there are very few actual tasting notes. The upside to this book: great photography. Quality/Price Rating: 85. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. BIG GREEN COOKBOOK; hundreds of planet-pleasing recipes and tips for a luscious, low-carbon lifestyle (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 386 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-40449-2, $24.95 US, paper covers) is by Jackie Newgent, RD, a cookbook author and freelance food nutritionist writer. Hyped as “the one cookbook people need to reduce their carbon footprint in the kitchen”, the book provides about 200 recipes in the “sustainable lifestyle” mode. Of course, green typefaces and colours are used throughout, and the back cover says “this book is printed on post- consumer waster paper with soy-based ink.” So all the right buttons are being pushed. Log rolling is by other authors of similar books. Eco- friendly cooking begins in the home, and the usual is covered: reduce waste, make everything from scratch, make everything SLO (seasonal, local, and organic), shop less, low-carbon cooking, and relevant shopping guides. To help identify the seasonality of goods, all of the chapters are arranged by season. There are tips on every page, which is good for the browser. There’s a glossary, a guide to farmers’ markets, and a US resources list. There are also 15 menus for “green themes”. But shouldn’t we be green all the time? Too bad that there are no metric conversion tables for the avoirdupois weights and measures of the ingredients. More details are at www.biggreencookbook.com where you can also get a newsletter and check out her tweets on Twitter. Audience and level of use: good sensible advice for beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: strip steak on fresh spinach; buckwheat blueberry-peach pancakes; julienne of garlic zucchini; quinoa with eggplant and arugula; blueberry crumble bread bars; cherry tomato, chard, and black bean salad; butternut squash orzo with fresh sage. The downside to this book: with “planet-pleasing party tips” there is an element of slickness about the book. The upside to this book: there are good details about “green” cleaning after a party, recycling materials, and the like. Quality/Price Rating: 89. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3. SOUTHERN LIVING COMFORT FOOD (Oxmoor House, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-8487-3266-0, $29.95 US hard covers) is from “Southern Living” magazine, and thus it has strong regional appeal through the American Deep South (it seems to have an audience of some 16 million readers). The subtitle is “a delicious trip down memory lane”. Here are 150 recipes that all families seem to collect over the years. The book also has some memoir material about growing up and the comforts of home. Recipes are arranged by course, beginning with “classics”, then breakfast, garden fresh foods, casseroles, soups and stews, desserts, and special occasions. Measurements are avoirdupois with metric tables. Basic timings come ahead of the instructions. So for a pot roast, you’ll need 30 minutes prep time, 8 hours chilling time, 12 minutes cooking, and 4 hours in baking time. Audience and level of use: most dishes are simple and satisfying. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: classics are she-crab soup, three-cheese pasta bake, BBQ deviled eggs, meat loaf, pole beans, beef stroganoff, roast chicken, burgers and fries, hot dog chile, egg salad sandwiches, chicken pot pie, BBQ ribs and BBQ pork, cole slaw, and, of course, cola pot roast. The downside to this book: what is the purpose of the pumpkin pie recipe on page 288, and why is it only indexed under “Pie”? The upside to this book: there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/Price Rating: 84. 4. COOKING KNOW-HOW (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 406 pages, ISBN 978-0- 470-18080-8, $34.95 US hard covers) is by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarborough, joint authors of single-topic “Ultimate” cookbooks (e.g., Then Ultimate Ice Cream Book). They write for many magazines such as Cooking Light, Eating Well, Today’s Health and Wellness, and Relish, as well as weightweatchers.com. Television appearances have also been made. Here they try to get you to be a better cook with hundreds of easy techniques, step-by-step photos, and ideas. Some 500 meals are involved, all taken from some 64 “master recipes”. Each is used as a base to teach techniques, with illustrations. After that, there are eight variations to try out. And a home cook can certainly improvise for further variations. So for New England chowder, there are detailed instructions, with photos, followed by variations for Clam chowder, lobster chowder, crab chowder, oyster chowder, seafood chowder, mixed shellfish chowder, Thai basil chowder, and corn chowder. For pot pie, there’s the pastry business, plus variations on turkey pot pie, chicken, curried pork pot pie, southwestern pork pot pie, etc. Master preps cover cacciatore, chili, Mediterranean fish stew, omelet, pan- frying, ribs, risotto, skewers, and more. Audience and level of use: beginner cooks who wish to expand their repertoire. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: vindaloo is presented as a master recipe, followed by lamb vindaloo, duck, chicken, goat, pork, veal, venison, and beef vindaloo. Each one has different fruit added, plus other little variations. The downside to this book: no metric conversion tables, which is a shame. The upside to this book: good idea for a book. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 5. FRUITS OF THE EARTH (Cico Books, 2009; dist. T. Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-906525-27-9, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Gloria Nicol, a UK lifestyle author who recently relocated to the English-Wales border in a rustic setting. Her book has 100 recipes for jams, jellies, curds, marmalades, nectars, fruits in syrup, pickles, and preserves. Chutneys and cordials are also in the mix. Flavours and combinations have changed over the years, becoming more exotic. Thus, both the traditional and the contemporary condiments are here. There are 100 preps here to help the chef make the most of a glut of fruit (and vegetables). At the beginning she has instructions on how to make each one of these varieties of preservation. There is a UK source list, not very useful for us in North America. While the recipes are in avoirdupois weights and measures, there are no metric conversion tables. Audience and level of use: those who like to cook from scratch. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: spiced blackberry and nectarine jam, peach and raspberry jam, lime marmalade, butternut and ginger curd, damson chutney, pickled pears. The downside to this book: you must pay attention to details, some of these are tricky. The upside to this book: good single product book, although there is not much you can do in photographing preserves – they just look pretty. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 6. LAZY DAYS AND BEACH BLANKETS (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2009; distr. T. Allen, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84597-845-7, $29.95 US hard covers) is a book package with most of the Ryland Peters and Small cookbook authors, including Louise Pickford, Fran Warde, Fiona Beckett, and Clare Ferguson. I’m not sure whether there are original recipes or just reprints from previously published cookbooks, since the copyright dates are all 2009. Nevertheless, there are more than 180 decent recipes and ideas for dining alfresco. The range is from picnic and patio food to barbecues, lunches, drinks, and dinners. There is some advice on planning but not much on cleanup. Salads are a big part of the book, as are BBQ and drinks. Weights and measures are all avoirdupois, with metric conversion tables. Audience and level of use: cautious beginning entertainers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: dried tomato puree; bean and mint salad; leaf and herb salad; eggplant and smoked cheese rolls; whole salmon stuffed with herbs; roasted vegetable and ricotta loaf; turmeric lamb; grilled pears. The downside to this book: price seems a little high. It might work better as a paperback. The upside to this book: there are metric conversion charts. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 7. GREAT SALADS AND SIDES (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2009; distr. T Allen, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84597-837-2, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Fiona Smithy, a New Zealand food writer and cookbook author. Her book is international in scope, with elements of global fusion. This, of course, makes all the salads very attractive in mouthfeel and flavours. It is complementary to the al fresco book above since there are plenty of dishes here for BBQs and outdoor dining (in fact, Smith only has one recipe in the Lazy Days book above). Ten of the recipes were previously published in Cuisine magazine from New Zealand. Nevertheless, there are 72 preps here, distributed about side salads, warm salads, entrée salads, salsas and dips, and relishes. She has a glossary and a listing of international websites. While the weights and measures are all avoirdupois, there are metric conversion tables. Audience and level of use: picky summer eaters Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: warm pinto bean and cheese dip; pea, prosciutto, and pasta salad; melon, romaine and cucumber salad; Portuguese potatoes; Greek barley salad; caramelized pineapple and chile salsa. The downside to this book: a little more than I want to pay for a book like this. The upside to this book: some nice ideas, gorgeous layout and photography. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 8. ON THE GRILL (Oxmoor House, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-8487-3269-1, $34.95 US hard covers) is packaged by Weldon Owen Inc. for Williams-Sonoma. Willie Cooper did the recipes; he’s been a grillmaster for two decades. Jordan Mackay did the drink recipes. Fred Thompson did the text. Here are 130 recipes and eight “grilling adventures” in this guide to outdoor cooking. The adventures include “A day at the lake”, a pig roast, hot-smoking salmon, a beach grilling party, a summer picnic, a backyard BBQ, a tailgate party, and “turkey on the grill”. The first two dozen pages serve as a primer on grilling equipment and techniques, especially getting the fire into the right shape. Then, there is a beer pairing guide (IPA works best with salmon and other meaty or oily fish) and a separate wine pairing guide. Each of the eight adventures describes what you have to do, with a menu that has page references to the actual prep. Separate chapters cover fruits and veggies, meats, poultry, fish and shellfish, sides, drinks, sauces- marinades-rubs, and condiments. Additionally, there some uncategorized recipes for apple puree, couscous, mint raita, and country-style gravy. Ingredients are listed as both avoirdupois and metric, except for the smaller volumes. Audience and level of use: adventurous outdoor cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: antipasto grill; grilled whole fish; grilled oysters with BBQ sauce; grilled fingerling potatoes; spit roasted pig; home-cured smoked salmon; Korean-style BBQ short ribs. The downside to this book: the smaller volumes are in avoirdupois only, with no metric tables. They can be confusing. The upside to this book: the photography by Ray Kachatorian is particularly appealing. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 9. FROM MY MOTHER’S KITCHEN (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2009; distr. T. Allen, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84597-818-1, $27.95 US hard covers) is another package from the publisher, with freelance food writer Jenny Linford as the “contributing editor”. Recipes come from a variety of authors from the Ryland stable: Maxine Clark, Louise Pickford, Laura Washburn, Ross Dobson, and 12 others. The PR for the book says “simple recipes for classic comfort food” and “traditional home cooking for family and friends”. That pretty well sums it up, although the food does have a UK bent to it (strawberry jam, crème anglaise, scones with clotted cream, Scotch broth, fish pie, cock-a-leekie soup, and blackberry crumble. The recipes include “wholesome” salads, “homely” soups (what? My dictionary defines homely as “lacking beauty” or “natural” [which soups could be] – so how about the non-confusing “homey”, a perfectly good word meaning “homelike in nature”?), “hot from the stove”, “fresh from the oven”, “sweet temptations”. Avoirdupois weights and measures are used, with metric conversion tables. Audience and level of use: beginners or those who wish to emulate their mothers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: ricotta, basil and cherry tomato cannelloni; sticky toffee pudding; upside down heirloom tomato tart; roasted Mediterranean vegetables. The downside to this book: pricey, best in a paperback if available. The upside to this book: great photography. Quality/Price Rating: 81. 10. EASY CHINESE STIR-FRIES (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 128 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-38756-6, $17.95 US hard covers) is by Helen Chen, cookbook author and founder of Helen’s Asian Kitchen, a line of Asian cookware. These are quick and easy preps, 60 of them. Tofu or veggies are featured in 20 of them. Half of the recipes have a picture. The measurements are all avoirdupois, with no metric conversion charts. Audience and level of use: beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: shanghai shrimp with peas; spicy chungking pork; mandarin orange chicken; ginger-glazed carrots and parsnips; broccoli in oyster sauce. The downside to this book: given these hard times, this book is a perfect candidate for paperback issue. So why the hard covers? It just adds to the price. The upside to this book: useful guide to techniques and ingredients. Quality/Price Rating: 83. 11. BITE-SIZE DESSERTS (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 198 pages, ISBN 978-0- 470-22697-1, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Carole Bloom, a European- trained pastry chef and cookbook author with television experience. It has a subtitle: “creating mini sweet treats, from cupcakes and cobblers to custards and cookies”. The 90 preps are miniatures of larger versions; the idea is to lessen the guilt of calories for people who cannot help themselves. The main value here is grazing, the opportunity to sample many, many different foods, especially if they are used for entertaining. There are the obligatory tips on entertaining and pastry making, equipment and techniques. US sources of supply are listed. While avoirdupois measurements are used, there are extensive tables of metric, volume and weight conversions. In the preps themselves, the listing of ingredients gives you a choice of volume or weight – always take the weight listing. Audience and level of use: intermediate levels. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: lemon crème brulee; pear and pecan galettes; almond, lemon and berry tartlets; coconut-macadamia nut muffins; lemon-cornmeal shortcakes; apricot-orange loaf cakes. The downside to this book: I don’t like the layout, which emphasizes different colours in the recipes plus a smaller typeface for the ingredients. The upside to this book: good idea. Quality/Price Rating: 87. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOKS... ...are one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual schtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. But of course there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 12. THE COMPLETE ROBUCHON (Alfred A. Knopf, 2008, 813 pages, ISBN 978- 0-307-26719-1, $35US hard covers) is by Joel Robuchon, who got three stars in Michelin in 1984 – and now has more than any other chef. He was named “Chef of the Century” in 1989 by Gault Millau. He now works as a consultant and runs L’Atelier restaurants around the world. This current book was originally published in Paris in 2006, and has now been translated for the English-speaking world. To his credit, notable log rolling here is from various food writers, and not cooking celebrities. At once this book is the definitive guide to how the French person cooks now. Here are more than 800 precise, easy-to-follow preps. The classics are here, some with updating such as the pot-au- feu, cherry clafoutis, and sole meuniere. There are regional specialties. The layout is terrific, with clear and precise service, preparation times, and cooking and resting times. The lists of ingredients include both avoirdupois and metric measurements. There are no photos of platings or techniques, just the recipes. There is some material on food and wine matching, but no specific names or labels are used. Try pork skewers with prunes and bacon, saddle of hare with mushrooms, smothered baby turnips with chicken juices, or roast duck with spiced honey. It’s just a shame, though, that this English book could not spell hors d’oeuvre in its singular context. Quality/Price rating: 89. 13. SANTA FE FLAVOURS; best restaurants and recipes (Gibbs Smith, 2009; distr. Raincoast), 112 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0318-4, $9.99 US soft covers) is by Anne Hillerman, a Santa Fe journalist and writing coach who also reviews restaurants. In this book she delves into some 49 restaurants. For each, she gives a basic guide as to what to expect (with signature dishes and price ranges), plus of course, the address, phone number and website. Each description is illustrated by the logo, and followed by a recipe, in most cases NOT a signature dish. It’s all arranged by course, beginning with the mains and moving through to desserts. There is an index to both the recipes and to the restos, and this is followed by a metric table of equivalents for the avoirdupois measurements used in the ingredients’ listing. It is nice to know that some faves of mine are still in operation. A short glossary of New Mexican dishes and foods completes the small package. Try basque-style lamb hash, chipotle shrimp with corn cakes, carne adovada with chile caribe, or sweet potato chipotle soup. The book is sure to do well as POS at the establishments. Quality/Price rating: 89. 14. SIPS & APPS; classic and contemporary recipes for cocktails and appetizers (Chronicle Books, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 204 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6406-0, $19.95 US hard covers) is by Kathy Casey, a celebrity chef and mixologist, and author of nine cookbooks who has appeared on TV and radio. She’s also picked up some Beard nominations and a Food & Wine award. She owns Dish D’Lish cafes and a consulting firm. Here she produces a very useful match of “creative libations” with “mouthwatering appetizers”. There are about 100 recipes, 36 of which deal with food. There is the usual primer data plus a sources list. The creative cocktails are fusion version of standards, such as a red square martini, a gin flower crush, or Lill’pertif (my fave). There is also a mango mai tai, a green-eye daiquiri, and harvest pumpkin toddy. For food, try sausage olive poppers, Bollywood chicken skewers, pineapple avocado salsa, mushroom and fontina purses, croquet monsieur puffs, or roasted pear crostini with gorgonzola. Quality/price rating: 88. 15. TASSAJARA DINNERS & DESSERTS (Gibbs Smith, 2009, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0520-1, $30 US, hard covers) is by Dale and Melissa Kent, who worked at the world famous Tassajara Zen Mountain Center for seven years. I still remember the Tassajara Bread Book from the early 1970s, written by Ed Brown. Here, the Kents take a look behind the doors of the monastic kitchen. Preparing food can be a spiritual practice. There are vegan and vegetarian recipes here. There are also accounts from guest cooks such as Ed Brown, Deborah Madison, and scores of others. There are vivid descriptions on how the kitchen process works and how much zen is involved with food. The arrangement of the book is from starters to sides to mains, beans, tofu, gains, pasta, and desserts. Measurements are in avoirdupois, but there is a table of metric equivalents at the back. Good, simple, solid food. Try Kahmiri-style greens with roasted potatoes, mushroom galette, chickpea stew with collard greens, olive oil date cake, peach pie, coconut custard with lychees. Quality/price rating: 90. 16. ‘WICHCRAFT; craft a sandwich into a meal – and a meal into a sandwich (Clarkson Potter, 2009, 208 pages, ISBN 978-0-609-61051-0 $27.50 US hard covers) is by Tom Colicchio, the chef-owner of Craft in New York City. He has won many awards, including numerous Beards for best chef, best new restaurant, and best general cookbook (“Think Like a Chef”). Even so, his latest book needs logrolling from Eric Ripert, executive chef/co-owner of Le Bernardin. He is assisted by Sisha Ortuzar, his partner in the ‘wichcraft sandwich shops in New York, San Francisco, and Las Vegas; 13 of the chain have opened since 2003. Additional credits include “text by Rhona Silverbush, photographs by Bill Bettencourt”. Colicchio has also been head judge for the four seasons of “Top Chef” reality show. The preps here include fan faves from his resto chain. There is a primer on stocking the pantry (along with recipes), how to layer a sandwich (they’re all huge), and making a meal out of it all. There are also some detail and stories about the restaurants themselves. The basic divisions in this fine book are breakfast sandwiches (eight of them), cool sandwiches (19), warm sandwiches (25), and sweet sandwiches (6, which can also double for breakfast). Each sandwich has a photo, once in the contents listing with a page reference, and once with the recipe. There’s a US resources list, and avoirdupois ingredient listings (no table of equivalents is furnished). Try chopped chickpeas with roasted peppers, pan-fried eggplant with mozzarella and white anchovies, flatiron steak with cucumber and ginger salad, cheddar with smoked ham and poached pear, fried squid po-boy, cured duck breast with caramelized apples. All are scrumptious. Quality/price rating: 89. 17. THE FLAVORS OF ASIA (DK, 2009, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-7566-4305-8, $35 US hard covers) has been pulled together by Mai Pham, the chef/owner of Lemon Grass Restaurant, plus a grill and noodle bar -- all in Sacramento. She has done extensive work for the Culinary Institute of America, who is also the major sponsor of this book. Log rollers include Thomas Keller and the team of Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford. This book culls recipes from 40 chefs of India, Asia, and the US. Pham joins the CIA in presenting 125 accessible recipes. This is the second book in the DK series covering the CIA’s “World of Flavor International Conference and Festival”. These are top ten type dishes from each country, and while there is little room to explore the myriad flavours of each cuisine, there is room to be creative within a limited range, and concentrate on just a few but basic dishes. Arrangement is by course, with a range of countries represented in each. Appetizers and small plates leads to soups and salads, followed by veggies, meats, seafood, noodle and rice dishes, and the vast range of sauces needed. There is a glossary, bios of the chefs involved, and a US sources list. So from India, we get a faluda drink and rice pudding, Vietnam has ginger-peanut ice cream and warm banana with tapioca pearls, Japan has a buckwheat noodle roll and yakitori of duck and young chicken, Thailand has stir-fried chicken with basil and spinach wraps with coconut and ginger. The vernacular terms are also used, and the weights are in avoirdupois. There are no tables of metric equivalents. Still, the photography is sharp (there is a picture for each prep) and the material is bountiful, especially for beginners and/or armchair travelers/cooks. Quality/Price rating: 85. 18. GALE GAND’S BRUNCH! (Clarkson Potter, 2009, 208 pages, ISBN 978-0- 307-40698-9, $27.50 hard covers) contains about 100 preps. Gand is a Beard award winner, co-owner of Tru in Chicago, a consulting pastry chef, and host of the US Food Network’s “Sweet Dreams”, a daily show devoted to baking. She’s also authored six other cookbooks. Christie Matheson, a food and lifestyle writer, is the focusing coauthor. Traditional dishes are given a contemporary spin, such as an almond ciabatta French toast. She has five “lessons” for eggs, each concentrating on one of omelets, quiches, strata, frittata, and crepes – all with variations. There’s plenty here for the adventurous to roam around with. The book, arranged by food type, concludes with a section on condiments, including her own version of Nutella spread. There’s some material on equipment and ingredients. Menus are given for events such as a bridal shower, a summer weekend, a going away party, the traditional Champagne brunch, the baby shower, Mother’s day – ten in all, and all with page references. But avoirdupois-only measurements, with no metric tables of conversion. Try breakfast burritos (bean free), pineapple noodle kugel, spiced apple-raisin turnovers, corn and parmesan fritters, cheddar grits, or wheat berry salad. Quality/price rating: 85. 19. RELAXED COOKING WITH CURTIS STONE (Clarkson Potter, 2009, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-40874-7 $32.50 hard covers) deals with the national fantasy of easy cooking. Stone is the host of The Learning Channel’s “Take Home Chef”, now in its third season. It is TLC’s only cooking show. The premise of the show is that he will cook for you, and show you how to do it. So he picks one grocery shopper each week, and shows how her (and the TV audience) to shop and cook with ease. He’s experienced: head chef, trained under Marco Pierre White, voted one of People magazine’s sexiest men alive. The book covers just about every occasion, such as breakfast, brunch, weekend lunches, snacks, dinners, crowd-pleasers, side dishes and sweets. The recipes are readable, set in larger type, but I cannot stand the white- on-beige text (I also don’t like the too-many pix of Stone the Hunk). There are avoirdupois- only measurements, with no metric tables of conversion, which is common in US cookbooks. Try green tea ice cream, asparagus with raspberry- shallot vinaigrette, chili crab, Brazilian-style chicken with okra, roasted fennel and potato soup, shrimp salad with fennel and blood orange. Nothing here is too demanding, but he tries well. Quality/price rating: 86. 20. BURGER BAR; build your own ultimate burgers (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 168 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-18767-8, $22.95 US hard covers) is by Hubert Keller, chef and owner of Burger Bar in diverse hotels in Las Vegas, St. Louis, and San Francisco. He also owns upscale restos in those same cities. He was named a Beard Chef: California. Here, he is assisted by Penelope Wisner, a freelance writer and recipe developer. Log rolling features Alain Ducasse. Keller uses upscale ingredients and flavourings, so the final product is not necessarily cheap….it is just “cheaper” than the usual upscale resto dishes because of the modest platform. Here are 50 creations, with tips on prepping, presentation and “Build Your Own” techniques. It is not all beef: there are chapters dealing with other meats (bison, pork, etc.), poultry, seafood, and veggies. Keller finishes off with material on side dishes, sauces, “sweet burgers” (chocolate-hazelnut, s’more, cheese cake burger) and even mixed alcohol beverages. Overall, it will be sliders that will win out. Quality/price rating: 88. 21. DINOSAUR BAR-B-QUE; an American roadhouse (Ten Speed Press, 2001, 2009. 184 pages, ISBN 978-1-58008-971-5, $19.95 US paper covers) is the paperback reissue of the 2001 book. Despite an additional copyright date of 2009, there appears to be minimal updating beyond the addresses and URLs in the Resources area. No new pix were taken. John Stage and Nancy Radke are the authors. The Dino BBQ in Syracuse is an icon; I’ve eaten there many times and have also done take out. I assume the Rochester and Harlem NYC locations are similar. It all began in 1988, and this book celebrates the resto’s 20th anniversary. The 100 recipes here cover the entire menu; there are also lots of references to blues music, which goes hand in hand with ribs. The rationale for their being is on page 93: Dinosaur-style ribs. It calls for a St. Louis cut of spareribs, red rub, mop sauce, and mutha sauce. Look it up. Beef, pork, chicken, fish, and lamb are the meats. Sides are here, as well as soups and “leftovers” and desserts. There is material on how to do your own smoking and pit work, as well as how and what to maintain in the pantry staples. The publishers claim that the hard cover has sold more than 120,000 copies. For the BBQ lover. Quality/price rating: 90. 22. GOLDEN DOOR COOKS AT HOME (Clarkson Potter, 2009, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-45079, $40 US hard covers) is by Dean Rucker, executive chef of the Golden Door since 2005. Marah Stets is the focusing food writer. These are supposed to be favourite recipes from that celebrated spa, which is synonymous with healthy eating and cuisine. It’s a California spa, with branches in Florida, Colorado, Arizona, and Puerto Rico. This is their 50th year of operation, and the book celebrates with 100 recipes and the overblown photography. I think that the book is really meant for previous clients to cook at home: lean proteins, whole grains, fresh veggies, and the like. Courses run from appetizers through to desserts, with breakfasts, teas and drinks, and some sauces. Nutritional data has been provided per serving, but at the back, not with the recipe itself. The only rationale for this is that the publisher or authors did not want people to actually use the book as a collection of weight control recipes. Try marinated vegetable focaccia sandwich, vegetable pizzetta, quinoa tabbouleh, Moroccan spice-rubbed lamb loin, or miso-glazed mero. Quality/price rating: 86. 23. FAMILY-STYLE MEALS AT THE HALI’IMAILE GENERAL STORE (Ten Speed Press, 2009, 236 pages, ISBN 978-1-58008-951-7, $35 US hard covers) is by Beverly Gannon, chef-owner of the resto, now celebrating its 20th year in business. She’s also a founder of Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement, executive chef of Hawaiian Airlines, and owns another restaurant on Maui. The focusing food writer is Joan Namkoong, who lives in Kamuela and has written many books about Hawaiian foods. The family-style meals here emphasize a fusion with Pacific-Asian-Southern US accents. This recipe collection comes from the restaurant’s files, and has been simplified to reflect family or large gatherings. Ingredient substitutions are included, and leftovers are adapted into future meals. Preps are presented by the days of the week. In between it all there are anecdotes of life in Hawaii and gorgeous (but touristy) photography. There is the inevitable logrolling (even from Dean Fearing, who has not been heard from in quite awhile). Try mango- chile dipping sauce, dried-fried long beans with cumin and chile, Cajun blackened ‘ahi, Asian fried calamari, hoisin-marinated short ribs and wasabi mashed potatoes, kona coffee-marinated rack of lamb, corn and edamame and jicama slaw. Quality/price rating: 85. 24. REAL CAJUN; rustic home cooking from Donald Link’s Louisiana (Clarkson Potter, 2009, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-39581-8, $35 US hard covers) is by Link who is chef-owner of Herbsaint and Cochon restaurants in New Orleans. He’s also a Beard winner. As is typical of many of these celebrity chef books, here is a focusing food writer (Paula Disbrowe) and some logrolling (Alice Waters, Anthony Bourdain). In addition to the preps, there are anecdotes covering fishing, shrimping, sausage-making, festivals, funerals, holidays, fish fries, crawfish boils, and seafood gumbo. He gives us updated versions of iconic recipes such as crawfish boudin, turtle soup, bread pudding. And there is a small resources list for such items as sausage-making supplies, andouille and boudin. Try pork belly cracklings, Cajun tasso, crawfish boudin, andouille gumbo, meat pie, and maque choux with fried green tomatoes. Worthwhile photography, but ultimately too many touristy or cutesy photos. Quality/price rating: 84. 25. PAULA DEEN’S: the Deen family cookbook (Simon & Schuster, 2009, 269 pages, ISBN 978-0-7432-7813-5, $26 US hard covers) is by Paula Deen, who has been spinning off Southern food recipes for quite some time. She’s also a major Food Network host. Here she takes her shots at a family cookbook. Certainly, the American book publishing community has found the luster in an economic downturn: creating family cookbooks. Every publisher must have a dozen or so – they are everywhere in catalogues and passing through my hands as well. Here are 140 recipes, mostly new, for family gatherings. Her own family, based on the back cover, seems to number 14. Plus three dogs. Melissa Clark, a cookbook author, is the focusing food writer. There’s nothing fancy here, just preps and pix of her family. Try stuffed eggs with smoked salmon, Italian pasta salad, bacon vinaigrette over greens, guacamole, buttermilk biscuit, zucchini bake, and the like. Each prep is some family member’s version – Jodi’s cream cheese dip, Aunt Trina’s shrimp boulettes, Michelle’s pimento cheese sandwiches. Quality/price rating: 80. 26. EAT CHEAP BUT EAT WELL (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 207 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-29336-2, $18.95 US paper covers) is by Charles Mattocks, who appears regularly on US television as “The Poor Chef”, specializing in cheap food. He demonstrates cheap but healthy meals for two, costing around $7 (or less). His book has 120 recipes, basic food but with international cuisine flavourings. This also makes them delicious. As for healthy foods, you do need balance. Too much pasta, no mater how ell you cook it and flavour it, is unwise. It must be mixed, put in rotation, or at least NOT made into a main course every single night. His book is arranged by product, beginning with poultry, moving through beef, pork, other meats, pasta, fish, seafood, eggs, salads, veggies, soups, sandwiches, and desserts. He uses the cent sign (try finding that on a computer keyboard) to indicate a cost of under $5 for 4 servings. But most dishes are under $7 for two or four servings. Try West Indian chicken curry, chicken Waikiki, sauerbraten-burgers, moussaka, ham with corn pudding, beef in beer, pork and apple pie with potato crust. Quality/price rating: 88. 27. ANNAPOLIS VALLEY TASTES; recipes from the valley’s best restaurants (Nimbus Publishing, 2009, 82 pages, ISBN 978-1-55109-703-9, $22.95 Canadian, soft covers) has been collated by Sean Buckland, a co-founder of Valley Wine Tours and a former sommelier. Photography is by Colleen Dagnall and Bob Federer. More than half the pictures concern touristy stuff in the Annapolis Valley, but there are sharp food photos too. The book’s drawing points are the 29 recipes from sterling restaurants in the area, plus the obvious tourist attractions in the valley. Here is a combination of fin, fowl, and farmstock, plus all the fruits and veggies. Along with the food comes wine and fine restaurants. There’s no index to the preps, but there is a table of contents divided into four: soups and starters, mains from the land, mains from the sea, and desserts. Restaurants are listed in a directory (but with no addresses nor phone numbers) and recipes are sourced there. So from Tempest we get crusted lamb racks with celery root puree, from Port Pub there is a very good porter cheddar soup, Halls Harbour Lobster Pound offers a basic lobster bisque, while Blomidon Inn has mussels with double-smoked bacon and vermouth. Measurements are all avoirdupois, with no metric conversion tables. Quality/price rating: 87. 28. BLUE WATER CAFÉ SEAFOOD COOKBOOK (Douglas & McIntyre, 2009, 202 pages, ISBN 978-1-55365-368-4, $45 Canadian, hard covers) is by Frank Pabst, the executive chef at the Vancouver restaurant since 2003. In fact, the copyright is held by the restaurant’s owner, Top Table Restaurants & Bars. Recipes are by Frank Pabst and Yoshi Tabo (who has been chef at the Raw Bar since 2002), wine pairings are by Andrea Vescovi, and “text” is by Jim Tobler. The largely French-inspired food from Pabst and the Japanese-inspired raw bar from Tabo are all based also on “sustainability” principles. Thus, the 80 recipes here all concern seafood that will not be diminished. If you can get it, try periwinkles with nettle puree and potato chips. No metric conversion charts, though. 120 photos illuminate the likes of grilled mackerel with chunky Romesco sauce, terrine of sardines with heirloom tomatoes and zucchini, sea urchins (done several ways), and squid and octopus (also done several ways). The raw bar section is amazing. Not a book for everyone – just for those explorative seafood lovers. Quality/price rating: 90. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR MARCH 2009 ============================================= By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com But first, these words: 2009 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. THE WINE TRIALS (Fearless Critic, 2008; distr. T.Allen, 189 pages, ISBN 978-0974014357, $14.95 US soft covers) is by Robin Goldstein, with Alexis Nerschkowitsch. Both have food and wine credentials, in addition to authoring restaurant review books and travel books. They have been assisted by eight named contributing writers and 500 named blind tasters. The object of the book is to come up with hidden wine values. The cover proclaims “brown-bag blind tastings reveal the surprising wine values under $15”. That’s $15 US, of course, and does not allow for discounts and sales so prevalent in the US marketplace. For example, top rated Segura Viudas Brut Reserva (no. 5 in the sparkling category) is $8 US national retail. It can be cheaper. In Ontario, it is $14.95, a firm price. So it is possible that a top rated US wine at $20, going on sale for under $15, could be well over $30 in Ontario. Most of the wines sold in Ontario are under $25 – the trick is to find the best ones. This book should give some guidance. They list 100 wines under $15 US that outscored $50 to $150 bottles, using hundreds of blind tasters who filled in a simple form. Looking at the pictures of the tasters, I’d have to say that most were young. Nothing wrong with that, except maybe a lack of experience. Nevertheless, the bottom line for us is the presentation of the top 100 wines. Values available in Ontario include Alamos Malbec from Argentina, Aveleda Vinho Verde from Portugal, Black Box Cabernet Sauvignon from California, Campo Viejo Rioja from Spain, the Cono Sur range from Chile, Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages, Guigal Cotes du Rhone (under $10 US but $18.80 in Ontario), Mouton Cadet, Osborne Solaz from Spain, and more. The authors have lots of material justifying their choices, and there are copious notes for each of the 100 wines. Appendices detail the designs of the experiment, the forms, and the statistical conclusions. Audience and level of use: those looking for good wine values. Some interesting or unusual facts: The book goes on at great length to debate the premise that expensive wines taste good because you know that they are expensive, and cheaper wines taste cheap. The downside to this book: only about half the wines are available in Ontario, and many are not value priced because of the exchange rate, the LCBO markup policy and lack of sales/discounts. The upside to this book: good scientific arguments here to probe the cost factor Quality/Price Rating: 91. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. THE FOIE GRAS WARS; how a 5,000-year-old delicacy inspired the world’s fiercest food fight (Simon & Schuster, 2009, 355 pages, ISBN 978-1-4165-5668-8, $35 US hard covers) is by Mark Caro, a Chicago Tribune reporter whose writing on the foie gras controversy received honours from the Association of Food Journalists and the James Beard Foundation. This book is an elaboration of his reporting which began in 2005 with questions directed to Charlie Trotter. Notable log rollers include Michael Ruhlman and Anthony Bourdain. The fattening of poultry livers (gavage) through forced feeding is a 5,000 year old history. So is the slaughter of the bird just for the liver, although today the whole bird is eaten in some form. Today, it is mostly done with ducks in France, and mainly ducks in North America. You can get “non-gavaged” goose livers for a premium, but they won’t be as fatty. Foie gras has more flavour and smooth character, mostly because of the fat. And foie gras is a niche market anyway. So niche that when Charlie Trotter gave up cooking foie gras in 2002, barely anybody noticed. Yet he was the main chef responsible for creating the foie gras craze. He had always had it on his menu, and would go through over 60 double lobes a week. After visiting many farms, he then became disgusted by the practice of gavage and the unsanitary conditions. Now he is outspoken about foie gras. Caro crafts a good read about how we all ignored what we know about what we eat. Apparently, it is one thing to have a relationship with a cow whose name we know, while it is another thing to deal with mass poultry and fish and other nameless creatures. One rule to make in order to eat all your food: don’t personalize your food source. Using a wide range of sources such as videos, court documents, personal interviews with the players involved (chefs, animal activists, farmers, producers, politicians, and professional eaters), government hearings and publications, visits to foie gras farms, Caro weaves a compelling story of the conflicts between those who believe in “names” and those who don’t. He used extensively the Google News Alerts for “foie gras” and websites. Audience and level of use: food memoirists, animal lovers, those who like reading about food and not cooking. Some interesting or unusual facts: Caro covers picket lines at restaurants; bans enacted (and sometimes repealed) by cities and countries; celebrity food follies; besieged duck farms; the French gastronomic tourism extravaganza labeled “Foie Gras Weekend”. The downside to this book: Roger Ebert contributes “praise” – why? The upside to this book: there is well-developed bibliography of books and articles, plus a great index. This is a good expose of a nasty racket. Quality/Price Rating: 94. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3. NEW FLAVORS FOR SALADS; classic recipes redefined (Oxmoor House, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 160 pages, ISBN 978-0-8487-3272-1, $22.95 US hard covers) is a production of Williams-Sonoma, with recipes by Dina Cheney, a freelance food writer. AND 4. NEW FLAVORS FOR SOUPS; classic recipes redefined (Oxmoor House, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 160 pages, ISBN 978-0-8487-3271-4, $22.95 US hard covers) is a production by Williams-Sonoma, with recipes by Adam Ried, the cooking columnist for the Boston Globe magazine (and a television chef). Both books are part of a series meant to cover courses such as appetizers and desserts, or ingredients such as chicken. The emphasis, according to the blurbs, is on “bold”, “fresh”, and “unexpected”. Bold simply means spicing and herbal levels, fresh is self-explanatory, and “unexpected” refers to ingredient combinations and global fusion. Arrangement is by season, beginning with spring. There are also tables of seasonal availability for the ingredients, some notes on herbs and spices, and a glossary of terms and products. Avoirdupois weights and measures are used. There are almost 50 recipes in each book. There is a good feel to the books, with a nice layout formula. The prominence of the Williams-Sonoma name should be useful in selling the book, especially at the self-named stores. Audience and level of use: beginning cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: leek and Yukon gold potato soup with fried prosciutto; chicken-tomatillo soup with chipotle chiles; kale and roasted sweet potato soup with lamb sausage; marinated edamame, cucumber, and red bell pepper salad; orzo salad with grape tomatoes, capers, and roasted garlic; broccoli and cauliflower salad with pickled onions and bacon. The downside to this book: there are no tables of metric equivalents to the avoirdupois measurements. The upside to this book: nifty photography. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 5. TAPAS; sensational small plates from Spain (Chronicle Books, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 168 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6298-1, $22.95 US soft covers) is by Joyce Goldstein prolific cookbook author for Chronicle Books. This is a basic primer on tapas, with the first two dozen pages concentration on local culinary variations, what to drink with tapas, the Spanish pantry, and five basic sauces with variations (alioli, romanesco, verde, Colorado, and samfaina). The basic idea of the tapa was as a “cover” over a sherry glass. The original ingredients were mainly nuts, olives, a few crispies, and cheeses. The original drink was once just a dry sherry. But now the world has gone expansive, and tapas can mean a small plate (appetizer size) of anything, accompanied by any kind of alcoholic beverage. In this book, of course, the small plates do have a Spanish tinge. The most common kind is the “cosas de picar” (as I described above). Others include “pinchos” (cooked or served on skewers) and “cazuelas” (small plate versions of larger dishes). There are about 100 preps here, and the easiest are the “shop- and-serve” tapas. Kitchen preparations include eggs and fritters, veggies, seafood, poultry, meats. Audience and level of use: basic primer for the cook. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Basque omelet; Galician double-crusted pie; spinach with raisins and pine nuts; grilled eggplant, garlic and peppers; seafood noodles. The downside to this book: about five years too late. Tapas have been with us in North America for some time. The upside to this book: there is a table of metric equivalents for the avoirdupois ingredient measurements. Quality/Price Rating: 84. 6. QUICK & EASY KOREAN COOKING; more than 70 everyday recipes (Chronicle Books, 2009, 168 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6146-5, $22.95US soft covers) is by Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee, author of the previous good seller “Eating Korean”. Here she concentrates on family dining. Most meals here can be prepared under 30 minutes, so long as you have the ingredients to hand. And that will mean a larder/pantry with kimchi and about two dozen other Asiatic ingredients. You can fudge, of course. Korean rice wine can be substituted for by any rice wine. Ginger and soy sauce are universal. But this is not the Mediterranean larder. So it is a commitment to have the relevant Asiatic ingredients (or most of them) on hand at most times. The arrangement is by course, from appetizers to sweets and drinks. Spicy foods with noodles, rice, barbecue, beef, pickles (kimchi, et al) form the substance of the diet here. She has ten quick and easy menus with page references, a recipe for anchovy stock, a mail order source page (all American, unfortunately for us in Canada), and a bibliography on Korean food and culture. Audience and level of use: basic primer on Korean foods. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: grilled mackerel; spicy eel with green onions; dough flake soup with potatoes; black sesame porridge; soju cocktails. The downside to this book: too many Korean landscape photos, irrelevant to the food. The upside to this book: there is a table of metric equivalents for the avoirdupois ingredient measurements. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 7. ESSENTIALS OF ASIAN COOKING (Oxmoor House, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-8487-3268-4, $34.95 US hard covers) is by book packager Weldon Owen, on behalf of Williams-Sonoma. Thy Tran, a chef now running the Asian Culinary Forum, did the text while Farina Wong Kingsley, cookbook author, writer and chef, did the recipes. Fifteen countries are in this tour, including of course India and China, Thailand and Indonesia. The 130 recipes are relatively easy to follow. There is basic primer data on Oriental ingredients, planning for menus, and even tea service. Arrangement is by course, with avoirdupois measurements. Each recipe is sourced as to country of origin. There is also a glossary of terms and ingredients. The prominence of the Williams-Sonoma name should be useful in selling the book, especially at the self-named stores. Audience and level of use: armchair travelers and armchair cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: tea leaf salad (Burma), shrimp curry with coconut milk (Sri Lanka), grilled garlic-and- cilantro-marinated chicken (Thailand), seasoned bean sprout salad (Koreas), green beans with sesame-miso dressing (Japan). The downside to this book: there is no table of metric equivalents for the weights and measures. The upside to this book: there are some nifty food photos. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 8. TASTING BEER; an insider’s guide to the world’s greatest drink (Story Publishing, 2009; distr. T. Allen, 248 pages, ISBN 978-1-60342- 089-1, $16.95 US paper covers) is by Randy Mosher, a drinks writer who specializes in beer (he also wrote “The Brewer’s Companion”). The first half of the book is a primer and history, with historical illustrations of labels and factories and beer-making devices. More than 50 beer styles are defined and explained. He believes that every batch of beer is affected by the brewmaster’s choices and recipes. He goes on to discus formulation of beer styles, procedures and house techniques, years, fermentations, carbonation, filtration, and packaging. His primer includes service and storing. He describes over 900 tastes found in beer, including resin, toast, apples, and smoke. There is a chapter on beer and food pairings and matchings. It is distressing to note that while the 1971 Campaign for Real Ale continues in the UK, real ale is now just 10% of total UK pub consumption. In the second half, Mosher gives a style-by-style-compendium of US beers, British ales, German lagers, Belgian Dubbels, and other variations around the world. Each style has regional facts and figures, characteristics of taste and aroma, availability by season, food matches, and some suggested beers to try (illustrated by many contemporary labels). At the end, there is short mention of beer drinks, such as ale punch, bishop, brown betty, and black velvet. There’s a bibliography, a list of websites, and a glossary. Audience and level of use: a basic primer but useful even to beer lovers. Some interesting or unusual facts: “The brewing texts are full of wistful quotes telling us how much better the beer was in the good old days…but if you look at the recipes, changes over time are rarely done with the aim of making the beer taste better.” The downside to this book: no recipes for beers, not even a standard one. Many people make their own beer, and it might have been nice to have a reference point. The upside to this book: colourful and a useful compendium. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 9. EVERYDAY INDIAN; 100 fast, fresh, and healthy recipes (Whitecap, 2009, 184 pages, ISBN 978-1-55285-948-3, $29.95 CAD, soft covers) is by Bal Arneson, a cooking school teacher. Log rolling comes from Chefs John Bishop and Michael Smith. All the preps here should be ready in 20 to 25 minutes, according to the author. That presupposes, of course, that all the ingredients are to hand. Global cooking demands a diverse larder/pantry to be maintained. And she has a primer on Indian spicing and how to make your own fresh spice blends. The basis of her cooking is Punjabi. Grape seed oil is the oil of choice. Flaxseed oil in salads, ginger, and turmeric all have health benefits. There are cooks notes, backgrounders, and tips. There are nine menus, ranging from everyday to fancy entertaining, and all dishes listed have page references to the recipes. The typeface is large, just right for the kitchen. Avoirdupois weights and measures are used, but there is a table of equivalents at the back. A portion of the book’s proceeds will be donated to the Royal Columbian Hospital in BC. Audience and level of use: home cooks with an interest in Indian cooking. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: lamb with black cherry sauce; buffalo masala; paneer in tomato sauce; curried scallop salad; potato curry; stuffed bitter melons. The downside to this book: some of the photos are more pretty than useful. The upside to this book: there is a table of metric equivalents. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 10. NOODLES EVERYDAY; delicious Asian recipes from ramen to rice sticks (Chronicle Books, 2009, 168 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6143-4, $22.95 US soft covers) is by Corinne Trang, a multiple award winning cookbook author and food writer. She also teaches food writing at New York University. Here she takes on that basic Asian staple, known for its uses as pho in Vietnam, mee goring in Indonesia, and soba in Japan, to take just a few examples. And slurping is the order of the day. After basic primer data (equipment, techniques, ingredients in the basic Asian pantry, condiments, and stocks), Trang arranges her book by content of noodle, beginning with wheat noodles, moving on to egg, buckwheat, rice, and cellophane (mung bean or potato starch). She concludes with a chapter on buns, dumplings and spring rolls, which are considered as part of the same food group as noodles (flour starch, water and salt components). Here and there, she provides background or a little history, which gives the book some context. Excellent layout Weights and measures are avoirdupois, but there is a table of metric equivalents. About 100 recipes with some variations. Audience and level of use: chefs with an Oriental bent to their cooking. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: udon with Japanese pork and vegetable curry; wheat noodles with five-spice cabbage sauce and crispy pork; egg noodle soup with duck; green tea soba and smoked wild salmon rolls; mung bean noodle, pork, cilantro, and cucumber soup; Singapore noodles. The downside to this book: mail order sources are all US. The upside to this book: excellent layout. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 11. L.A.’S ORIGINAL FARMERS MARKET COOKBOOK (Chronicle Books, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 258 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-5568-6, $22.95 US soft covers) is by JoAnn Cianciulli, a culinary producer for TV and a food writer. Here she gives us a loving history of the LA Farmers Market, which is now celebrating its 75th anniversary. It began as a dirt lot in 1934 as a response to the Great Depression, but now it has progressed into a dining experience with restos and markets and even a movie theatre. Cianciulli weaves stories of the multi-generational vendors with food and photos, both contemporary and archival. The first chapter covers breakfast, followed by chapters on sandwiches and the like, main meals, and desserts, all with avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: travelers to LA, people already living there, culinary historians. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: from Moishe’s Village, there is bacon-and-egg boerek; from Loteria Grill there is chilaquiles verdes; from Tusquellas Fish & Oyster Bar, there’s snow crab melt; from Pampas Grill, there’s churrasco picanha; from Ulysses Voyage, there’s spanakopita. The downside to this book: a bit limiting in focus, but extremely useful in California. The upside to this book: there’s a table of metric equivalents. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 12. COOKING FOR TWO; perfect meals for pairs (Chronicle Books, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 118 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6348-3, $19.95 US hard covers) is by Jessica Strand, an LA-based food writer and Chronicle Books cookbook author. The premise here is that most cookbooks provide recipes for four or more persons, very rarely for two. And unless you are adept at scaling down, the results will be leftovers. While these dishes are for two people (and can easily be scaled up for more), there is the expectation that BOTH persons will be involved in the cooking process. Strand gives us eight tips for cooking together, and the recipes read as if they could be broken into teamwork. The four sections all have drink suggestions. The first section is for easy and simple. This is followed by one-pot dinners, romantic meals, and desserts. The idea is to have a simple salad, a main, and a dessert. This is not a fast food cookbook: lamb shanks take almost three hours to produce, so it is best on a weekend. Avoirdupois measurements for the ingredients. Audience and level of use: romantic couples, those who like to cook together. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: split chicken breast puttanesca; Szechwan stir-fried steak; trout with herbal salsa; mixed berry shortcakes; Italian white bean, escarole and pancetta soup; grilled garlic shrimp. The downside to this book: no menus. The upside to this book: there is a table of metric equivalents. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 13. WHOLE GRAINS FOR BUSY PEOPLE (Clarkson Potter, 2009, 208 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-40782-5, $19.95 US paper covers) is by Lorna Sass, who has written several cookbooks, winning a Beard for “Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way”. Here are 125 preps that can be used for quick-cooking (under 30 minutes), using a range of barley, buckwheat, couscous, faro, hominy, millet, oats, popcorn, quinoa, rice, rye, and wild rice. She has tables, quick-reference charts and description for summarizing everything about these grains. Here you will also need a well-stocked pantry to get your mise en place ready for cooking. After the primer section, she has chapters on stand-alone soups, hearty stews, pasta, stove-top casseroles, oven dinners, main-dish grain salads, plus a variety of breads and desserts. Avoirdupois only listings in the ingredients. Audience and level of use: busy home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the 10 quickest recipes are – quinoa soup with avocado; hominy and kidney bean chili; brown rice with tuna and green beans; quinoa-crusted chicken cutlets; soft chicken tacos; skillet macaroni and cheese with ham; Aztec couscous; pizza; fusilli with zucchini ribbons; and steamed mussels with brown rice. The downside to this book: no table of metric equivalents and US mail order sources only. The upside to this book: great idea, the book is certainly useful. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 14. GUAC OFF! (Chronicle Books, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 112 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6506-7, $14.95 US hard covers) is by Nathan Myers. It purports to give us the rules and recipes for becoming guacamole champion of the world. There are 30 recipes here, along with drink preps. My question: how many champions can there be if they all use the same recipe? Guac offs began in Fallbrook, California, the “Avocado Capital of the World”. With so much of it around, there were a lot of things one could do with avocados. There’s a brief primer on avocados plus a history, which also says that Cinco de Mayo and Super Bowl Sunday are the heaviest guac days: 40 million pounds on Super Bowl Sunday 2003. Of interest to the competitive are the rules for a guac off, but it is not necessary if you just want the preps detailed here. Avoirdupois measurements are used. And there is an index. Audience and level of use: avocado lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: mango guac; southwestern guac; garlic guac; fruity salsa guac; guacamole de poblanos. The downside to this book: I’d like a few more recipes for the price of the book, or it could have been issued as a modestly-priced paperback. The upside to this book: there is a metric table of equivalents for the weights and measures. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 15. COOKING LIGHT: FRESH FOOD FAST (Oxmoor House, 2009; distr. Raincoast), 368 pages, ISBN 978-0-8487-3264-6, $24.95 US, soft covers) is from the magazine “Cooking Light” which was founded in 1987. They’ve had 38 other cookbooks over the years done by Oxmoor. This latest one promises over 280 recipes with only five ingredients (or less) and a cooking time of 15 minutes or so. It cannot be a really hard and fast rule though, because the very first recipe I looked at – rosemary and white bean pasta – had 11 ingredients! They do exclude water, “cooking spray”, salt, pepper, and “optional” ingredients. But even so, that makes the rosemary prep available with a lot of “options”. Another recipe with 11 ingredients is ravioli with sun-dried tomatoes. The options here would total 3, which is way too many for the dish. Cooking times range from none to 15 minutes, but “prep” and “other” times can add up to more than 15 minutes total. Sometimes convenience foods, such as pre-cooked pizza crusts, are needed. This is a full-scale cookbook, ranging from soups to sandwiches to salads to vegetarian mains, fish, shellfish, meats, and poultry. Desserts are strewn about; there are a dozen of these, made to fit in with some mains as if to suggest a menu. Combined with other prep titles, there are some 160 complete meals for the family, mainly two courses. There is also a complete nutritional analysis for each recipe, and many colour photos. There are some shortcuts indicated, most of which are common sense (such as a mise en place, preheating the water, using food processor slicing larger pieces of meat into medallions). There is a page for the “15 minute” pantry, a larder that you should have on hand all the time. While all the preps are expressed in avoirdupois measurements, there is a page of metric equivalents just ahead of the index. Audience and level of use: the harried cook, beginners who don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: prosciutto, fontina and fig panini; balsamic mixed greens with strawberries; grilled salmon and grapefruit salad with blood orange vinaigrette; roasted vegetable pizza; mustard-molasses flank steak; sweet potatoes with orange-thyme butter. The downside to this book: the amount of time and ingredients needed were not carefully explained. They are confusing elements, yet necessary to promote the book. The upside to this book: major ingredients are listed in boldface in the index. Quality/Price Rating: 88. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 16. PLATTER’S SOUTH AFRICAN WINES 2009; the guide to cellars, vineyards, winemakers, restaurants and accommodation (The John Platter SA Wine Guide Ltd; distr. by Wines of South Africa Canadian Office, keenan@propellerpr.com, 416-461-6016, 567 pages, ISBN 978-0-95-845067- 6, $30CAD (includes shipping) hard cover) is the recognized authority on South African wines. It has been published for 29 years. For this latest edition, there are now 17 tasters – all identified, and with initials after tasting notes. Some of the tasters have changed over the years. Some 6000 wines are here evaluated (800 are new to this edition), along with new wineries. One-quarter of all top ranking 5 star wines are now being made by mom-and-pop operations, a remarkable achievement. Even the large co-ops are making more credible, limited collections of superior wine. The contents of the guide are straightforward: there are chapters on the wine industry, vintages and styles, touring (accommodation and food, all in some 75 pages) followed by some 400 pages of dictionary-arranged wineries, detailing most aspects. To quote, "Wines are entered under the name of the private producer, estate, co-operative winery or brand name of a merchant, and listed alphabetically. Entries feature some or all of: producer's name, address, phone/fax number, email address, website; wine name, colour and style, grape varieties, vintage, area of origin; selected recent awards and star ratings. Where applicable, other attractions to be enjoyed on the property, such as meals and accommodation, are highlighted." The book also has an indication of organic wines available for sale and sketch maps to show the location of all the wineries. The index at the front is by grape, so you can see at a glance what is the top performing pinotage, or cabernet sauvignon, or sparkler. Quality/Price Rating: 95. 17. RIVER CAFÉ COOK BOOK EASY (Ebury Press, 2003, 2008, 269 pages, ISBN 978-0-091925321, $39.95 Canadian soft covers) is by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers, the two owner-chefs of the River Café in London. They founded it in 1987. They have had previously successful cookbooks, and a TV show. This book is a straight reprint of the 2003 issue. God forbid that we need another “easy Italian” cookbook…what’s different here? Well, the photos are very good and the large print is terrific. The “easy” part is explained by the premise that the food should be easy to shop for, and you can get it all on the table within an hour or two. The 200 recipes here rely on a well-stocked pantry (checklist is included here) plus fresh seasonal ingredients. The bruschetta section has 24 preps (all photographed) plus 15 antipasti. Soup, pasta, risotto, seafood, meats, potatoes, and verdure are completed by lots of desserts. The source list and the measurements are all UK. Try chicken with nutmeg, fig arugula bruschetta, Sardinian bottarga, or gnudi bianchi. Most, but not all, of the photos are for final plating. Quality/Price rating: 83. 18. SANTA FE SCHOOL OF COOKING; flavors of the Southwest (Gibbs Smith, 2006, 2008; distr. Raincoast, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-0470-9 $24.99 soft covers) is by founder Susan Curtis. The School has been operating since 1989. Her co-author is the school manager, Nicole Curtis Ammerman. The 2006 book was originally titled “SOUTHWEST FLAVORS; Santa Fe School of Cooking”, but this time out, they retitled it. Otherwise, it is the same book. The emphasis is on lighter foods – 100 preps in all. Her typical classes are described: she covers Mexican, Spanish, Native American, New Mexican, and Southwestern US cuisine. Many of the preps come from some of the area’s notable chefs, such as James Caruso of El Farol and Eddie Lyons of the Pink Adobe and Galisteo Inn. The theme and foundation, of course, is the chile. There are glossary notes on equipment and larders, a bibliography for further reading, and a directory of US sources for food ingredients. Only US weights and measures are given without any metric conversion charts. For more details, go to www.santafeschoolofcooking.com. Try blue corn tamales with calabacitas filling, sunset soup with red pepper (black bean soup and sweet corn bisque), nopales and golden beet salad, or tumbleweed of sweet potato. Large typeface, but the deficient index has not changed. Quality/Price rating: 83. 19. MOUTH WIDE OPEN; a cook and his appetite (North Point Press, 2008; distr. Douglas & McIntyre, 410 pages, ISBN 978-0-374-53143-0 $16.50 Canadian soft covers) is by John Thorne, well-known culinary writer living in Massachusetts. He is assisted by his wife Matt Lewis Thorne. This is his sixth book, and like all of them, is derived from his newsletter “Simple Cooking” with some autobiographical and memoirish pieces. “Pot on the Fire”, one of his earlier books, won a James Beard Book Award. He picks his food choices carefully. Here he details pistachios, falafel, Scottish marmalade, bagna caoda, salted anchovies, improvised breakfasts, minestrone, and midnight snacks. He has prepared us for many scenes along his food journeys. His writing style is impeccable and iconoclastic; he delights in everything he thinks is good. And wants us to think of them as good too. He says he does not follow recipes, but rather he interacts with them. Here he gives us about 125 preps, all listed at the front and indexed at the back. There is a bibliography of his favorite food and cookbooks. And the index is stunning in its detail – you can find his thoughts on a wide variety of food matters in an instant. This is literary food writing at its finest. Please read it in small doses, just before nodding off at night. Quality/Price rating: 94. 20. CRÈME BRULEE (Chronicle Books, 2005, 2009; distr. Raincoast, 96 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6682-8, $14.95 US hard covers) is by Lou Seibert Pappas, who has written several dozen cookbooks for Chronicle Books. This book was originally published in 2005; here, it is simply reissued. It is a collection of some 50 different varieties, beginning with the classic vanilla bean crème brulee and moving through similar creations such as mango crème brulee, cherry risotto crème brulee, toffee crème brulee, and some savoury: mushroom and goat cheese crème brulee, gorgonzola and leek crème brulee, sun-dried tomato and olive crème brulee, and roasted onion and gruyere crème brulee. As with any single food cookbook, you’ve got to like the end creation a lot. There are photos of some of the final platings, plus the usual primer advice on how to make crème brulee and spin off the variations. There is a table of equivalents for the avoirdupois measurements. If this is your bag, then – at this price level – this is your book. Quality/Price rating: 85. 21. THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE POTATO (Vintage Books, 2009, 315 pages, ISBN 978-0-099-47479-1, $23.95 Canadian soft covers) is by John Reader, an author who has specialized in popular anthropological studies. Here he tackles the ubiquitous potato. The book was originally published in the UK by William Heinemann, under the title “Propitious Esculent” (which means “benevolent edible”). It seems to have had rave reviews from everywhere in the UK. It is a scholarly book, with endnotes, a sterling bibliography of books and articles and websites, a good index, and some black and white plates of photos and archival drawings. The story begins in South America of course (pre-Incas, 8000 years ago), and moves to Europe (Spanish Conquest spoils, Irish famine). Reader looks at it all via human ecology (the extent to which culture and social systems are influenced by environment and food production systems). Readable. Quality/Price rating: 89. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR FEBRUARY 2009 =============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com But first, these words: 2009 WARNING – PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. KNEADLESSLY SIMPLE; fabulous, fuss-free, no-knead breads (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 210 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-39986-6, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Nancy Baggett, a food writer known principally for her dessert cookbooks (one was a Beard winner). Here she riffs off of Jim Lahey’s successful no-knead slow-rise French bread recipe as captured by Mark Bittman (October, 2006, New York Times) by extending the concept to all kinds of yeast breads. Lahey’s was not the first, but it seemed to be the most popular as evidenced by its spread through the Internet. Baggett has made changes, such as using ice water and refrigeration to slow down the biga. Log rolling is by baking authors Peter Reinhart and Nick Malgieri. The 75 recipes here are a boon to harried cooks and bakers everywhere. The secret to good bread making, whether you knead or not, is simply a long, slow rise. You’ll only need one bowl, one spoon, some simple steps to follow, and minimal cleanup. What you will get is artisanal bread that is thick, crusty, with moderately sized holes in the crumb. Her details and instructions are precise, with a range of rising times to suit your own schedule. And of course, she has a troubleshooting section. It is worth the effort to read about how to convert your favourite old bread recipe into the newer mode, for then you can convert most anything. There is a 32 page section on “easiest ever yeast breads”, followed by specific chapters on American favourites, Old World classics, multi-grain and gluten-free breads, and sweet breads. She believes that the best yeast for the slow rise is bread machine yeast because it does not need to be re-hydrated – and don’t use cake or compressed yeast. The basic technique takes nine steps, and is explained on pages 1 to 3. Each prep here usually has variations. Audience and level of use: bakers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cheddar bread; farmhouse potato bread with dill and olives; English muffin loaves; crusty yeasted cornbread; challah. The downside to this book: the emphasis in the book is on “knowing the rules before breaking them”, which I wholeheartedly agree with, but may rub some people the wrong way in these permissive times. The upside to this book: each recipe has a rating for its ease of preparation. Quality/Price Rating: 89. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 2. FOOD MATTERS; a guide to conscious eating with more than 75 recipes (Simon & Schuster, 2009, 326 pages, ISBN 978-1-4165=7564-1, $25 US hard covers) is by the ubiquitous Mark Bittman, a weekly New York Times food writer and author of the “How to Cook Everything” series. He is a well- known popularizer of foods. Here, he takes Michael Pollan one step further, and develops a diet from it all. By advocating responsible eating, he lost 35 pounds: be a vegan until 6 PM and then eat what you want after that time. The book was originally announced as having 100 recipes, but there are only 75 here, all courses, with the obvious emphasis on less meat, more veggies, and whole grains. This is all better for us and the environment, for it is more efficient to get our calories from veggies and grains. But all we need to do is to stay clear of junk foods. The first 110 pages are full of statistics, texts and rationales. The next 200 pages have all the recipes. There are two indexes, one to the text and one to the recipes. He concludes with a bibliography of his sources, including books (no Kingsolver or Pollan listed), articles (only 2 articles are cited as by Pollan), plus twelve online databases. The book will sell very well because of the Bittman name. Audience and level of use: those who are concerned about losing weight and helping the environment. Some interesting or unusual facts: each year, 10 animals are raised for food for every human on earth; a 2007 study showed that children preferred the taste of carrots and milk if they thought they were from McDonald’s; the more fructose you eat, the hungrier you get. The downside to this book: grudgingly cites Pollan’s name four times, with some quotes, e.g., “mandated”. The upside to this book: the epiphany moment of self-interest when he realizes that he has high cholesterol and blood sugar, he is overweight, his family has a history of diabetes, and he has sleep apnea. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 3. A MEETING PLANNER’S GUIDE TO CATERED EVENTS (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 310 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-12411-6 paper covers) is by Patti J. Shock and John M. Stefanelli, both hospitality professors at the University of Nevada. This is a basic book, useful for review by seasoned practitioners because it has several checklists. They run through the caterer’s objectives, menu planning, and evaluation of services tendered. There are forms, layout diagrams, and themes for the event itself. There is a chapter on off-premise and on-premise catering. It is, of course, geared to students with an instructor’s manual, chapter summaries, and review questions. Audience and level of use: students or even regular planners wishing a brush up, schools of hospitality. Some interesting or unusual facts: there is a section on how to negotiate contracts. The downside to this book: US applications when it comes to business law. The upside to this book: a good guide to oversee the event. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 4. 200 CAKES AND BAKES (Hamlyn, 2008; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-600-61871-3, $7.99 US paper covers) is by Sara Lewis. AND 5. 200 EASY DINNERS (Hamlyn, 2008; distr. Canadian Manda Group, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-600-61870-6, $7.99 US paper covers) is by Jo McAuley. Some of the preps here had originally appeared in three of McAuley’s earlier books. Both books are part of a series sharing comment elements: 200 preps, full colour pictures, heavy paper, ingredients listed in bold face, quantities, prep times and cooking times are given, variations are expressed, techniques are shown, and the index is very good. Avoirdupois weights only, with no metric conversion tables. The “easy dinners” book is for the worker bee, and there are tips on how to prepare and do a mise en place and stock a pantry. Most preps can be done in under half an hour; the most time consuming element is baking or roasting, and here you can do something else – like talk to your guests. Audience and level of use: basic primers, beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: for cakes – cherry and almond cornmeal cake, chocolate and hazelnut gateau; spiced marmalade cake; chocolate yum yums. For easy dinners – stuffed sweet potato melt; fava bean salad; lemon chili chicken; turkey and pumpkin seed salad. The downside to this book: no metric conversion tables. The upside to this book: great value for the dollar. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 6. WINGS; more than 50 high-flying recipes for America’s favorite snack (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 128 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-28347-9, $16.95 US hard covers) is by award-winning Debbie Moose, based in Raleigh, NC where she writes food columns. AND 7. GREAT PARTY DIPS (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 128 pages, ISBN 978-0- 470-23978-0, $16.95 US hard covers) is by Peggy Fallon, a multiple cookbook author, recipe developer-consultant, and former caterer. Both books emphasize the party side of eating. The wings are all gussied up, made more elegant, and provide basic football grub. The US National Chicken Council says that one billion wings are consumed on the Super Bowl weekend. Here, the wings are baked, grilled, pan-fried, and even slow cooked – as alternatives to deep frying. There are 10 recipes for dipping sauces (and a chance to correlate with the party dips book), such as kiwi-mango salsa. Caution: if you are going to be eating skin and sub-cutaneous fats, then eat organic chicken wings only. For the 60 dips, Fallon has divided them into hot and cold dips, spreads, and salsas. They are all very easy to prepare, and include the classics of babaganoush, hummus, creamy herb, ginger lime and even chicken liver pate. Fallon also notes some preps for homemade dippers, such as bagel chips, crostini, focaccia, wonton crisps, poppadums, tortilla chips, pita chips, plus lots of variations. Audience and level of use: guys, party givers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: WINGS – mighty mustard wings, lemon-pepper wings, carnival wings, chipotle wings, Thai wings, teriyaki wings, mole wings. DIPS – cannelloni bean dip with pancetta and thyme; sun dried tomato aioli; pumpkin cheesecake dip. The downside to this book: only avoirdupois measurements are used, with no metric conversion charts. The upside to this book: lots of colour photos for the guys. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 8. BAKING UNPLUGGED (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 260 pages, ISBN 978-0- 470-14911-9, $29.95 US hard covers) is by Nicole Rees, a Wiley cookbook author and recipe developer. The winter months bring forth a variety of baking books, for cooks/bakers to warm up the home hearths during the dreary cold months. Here, Rees concentrates on what I could call “acoustic baking” – simple productions with no gadgets. The 114 preps cover a lot of sweets: muffins, crumb cakes, sticky buns, chewy cookies, birthday cakes, tarts. There are cooks notes for tips, variations, and background. As well, there are lists of equipment and pantry inventories. She has a basic primer on how to read recipes, the basics of measuring, techniques, mixing, and baking. She begins with breakfast and brunch, moving on to cookies, bars, cakes, fruit pies, creamy desserts. Audience and level of use: basic dessert primer. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: almond and hazelnut biscotti; coconut-almond lace tulles; cranberry shortbread streusel bars; chocolate cup cakes; blueberry crumb cake; cream scones. The downside to this book: a return to roots is justified, but I’m not sure that it should be the whole scope of a book. The upside to this book: no electricity is used, beyond an oven (and that could be a gas oven). Quality/Price Rating: 9. WAITER RANT (Ecco HarperCollins, 2008, 302 pages, ISBN 978-0-06- 125668-4, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Steve Dublanico who runs the award-winning blog www.waiterrant.net. The book is derived from many of his postings to his website which has been running for five years. He has been a waiter for seven years in all. This is a delicious insider look at the front of the house, as well as the kitchens, the staff, the back of the house, the washrooms, the alleys, and even chasing people along the sidewalk. It is also all about “sex and the restaurant”. He has tales of customer stupidity, shenanigans, and annoying behaviour. He also slams his fellow employees, although more humourously. But you never know how much of the book is true and how much is hyperbole and exaggeration. Horror stories abound. We also learn about Steve through the memoir passages. This is a very readable but facile book. He has valuable appendices, such as how to get good service, proper tipping etiquette, what every waiter needs to carry in his kit bag. But the book does need an index. Audience and level of use: those seeking insider stories, potential waiters, hospitality trade students. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Steve firmly believes that 80% of his restaurant patrons are normal, while the other 20% are psychopaths. The downside to this book: no index, which a serious defect. The upside to this book: a light, humourous look at the resto business. Quality/Price Rating: 80 – borrow it from a library. 10. EVERYTHING BUT THE SQUEAL; eating the whole hop in northern Spain (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2008, 307 pages, ISBN 978-0-374-15010-5, $25 US hard covers) is by John Barlow, who is normally a fiction writer. This is a compelling book dealing with memoirs and food of Galicia Spain, where Barlow lives with his family. And it is very well-written. The basic premise is “how to eat a pig – snout to trotters – in twelve easy months”. He had to eat alone, since his wife is a vegetarian. Galicians eat a lot of pork, and since the Barlows were living there, John decided to eat a whole pig over the course of a year. In memoir fashion, and with a sense of humour, he tackles the ant-throwing festival of Laza, he makes pig-bladder puddings for carnival, and he washes down a lot of pork with a lot of local wine. These are short chapters, some with recipes such as brains on page 265, ribs on page 236, and a Latin cocido on page 142. The cocido is good for him, since it uses up a lot of miscellaneous cuts and bones. Then there is the seemingly endless parade of stews, hams, sausages, and other charcuterie. Reminds me of early Calvin Trillin… Audience and level of use: food and memoir readers. Some interesting or unusual facts: what is the nature of our relationship with food, with local food? The downside to this book: no index, which a serious defect. It needs a calendar index for the events and a cuts index, so that we can see what he has been eating. Plus a recipe index. The upside to this book: and engaging memoir. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 11. FRENCH COUNTRY KITCHENS (Clarkson Potter, 2008, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-35272-9, $37.50 US hard covers) is by Linda Dannenberg, an author of many books dealing with French design and cuisine. The range here is from simple to spectacular, according to the publisher. The kitchen is the heart and soul of the French home and here Dannenberg presents the bold colours and accents to be found in a French country kitchen, whether a rustic retreat or an urban living experience. Twenty kitchens are presented, with 200 colour photos detailing tile work and collectibles. They range from an 18th century kitchen in Paris, through artists kitchens, cookbook author Patricia Wells’ kitchen, chateaux, elegant farmhouses in Provence and a former grain mill. Each seems bright, sunny, airy and well-cleaned: sort of like a house fluffing before going on to the real estate market. Each comes with a family recipe and description of how (and sometimes why) the kitchen works. At the back, there is a source list covering both France and the USA, for antiques, cookware, decorators and designers, fabric, faience and pottery, furniture, ranges and stoves, and, of course, tiles. Audience and level of use: armchair travelers, kitchen cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: polenta wedges; French pumpkin soup; Provence stuffed bell pepper tians; calamari; sautéed tuna; roast quails. The downside to this book: nothing really, just a lust for a French country kitchen. The upside to this book: there is a separate recipe index. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 12. SALUMI; savory recipes and serving ideas for salame, prosciutto, and more (Chronicle Books, 2008; distr. Raincoast, 144 pages, ISBN 978- 0-8118-6424-4, $24.95 US hard covers) is by John Piccetti, a meat executive with 30 years in the salame business, and Francois Vecchio, a Swiss salumiere. The focusing food writer and recipe guru is Joyce Goldstein, a cookbook author who has often published with Chronicle Books. There are 52 or so of these, along with variations. The text is a history of salumi and the company, cured meats, artisanal “all pork”, salted and air cured meats. It’s a primer on details and descriptions. There is a guide to selecting, slicing and storing, plus how to correctly peel casings. There are serving suggestions for platters of antipasti. There is material on how to match and pair with breads, fruits and condiments. There are also wine pairings for more recipes. Included in the meats are stagionati (whole cuts such as prosciutto), salame (encased), and cooked (such as mortadella). Remember, these meats get eaten in small quantity since they are mainly an appetizer or garnish; they can be exceedingly salty and fatty. Audience and level of use: meat and sausage lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bruschetta with white bean puree and salame topping (Verdicchio, Frascati or sauvignon blanc); pizza with pancetta, leeks and gruyere cheese (dolcetto, pinot noir, or pinot bianco); spaghetti alla carbonara (Valpolicella, trebbiano, Frascati, or dolcetto); hero sandwich. The downside to this book: no recipe for making your own salumi. The upside to this book: there is a table of metric equivalents for the avoirdupois weights and measures. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 13. BIG NIGHT IN; more than 100 wonderful recipes for feeding family and friends Italian-style (Chronicle Books, 2008, 294 pages, ISBN 978- 0-8118-5929-5, $24.95 US paper covers) is by Domenica Marchetti, an Italian cooking author and cooking school teacher. Look her up at www.domenicacooks.com. The title is obviously a riff on the 1996 “Big Night” movie, but of course, in these downturn times, we don’t go out anymore: we eat in. This is a basic “entertain at home” book, with large quantities of relatively inexpensive Italian food. And if you are lucky, there will be plenty of leftovers. Pasta timballo is included, but it is her own version, not the movie’s. She also offers an eggplant and rice timballo which is equally good. Chapters follow the progression of an Italian meal: antipasti, pasta, mains, and desserts. There is even a Big Morning In brunch. Twelve menus have page references to the dishes, and they range from a Mediterranean Menu for 8 through a Rustic Summer Menu for 12 to a Cocktail Party for 20, and a standard Sunday Dinner for 10. As with all Chronicle cookbooks, there is a table of equivalents for the avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: those who entertain. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: veal and mushroom stew; spatchcooked herbed chickens alla diavolo; escarole and Swiss chard torte. The downside to this book: the ingredient listings are hard to read because they are printed on a coloured panel. Obviously, they publisher does not want anybody to photocopy the recipes. The upside to this book: menus are very useful. Quality/Price Rating: 85, 14. UNDER PRESSURE; cooking sous vide (Artisan Books, 2008; distr. T. Allen, 296 pages. ISBN 978-1-57965-351-, $75 US hard covers) is the latest book by Thomas Keller, owner of The French Laundry, with the assistance of six named persons who have contributed to his past books (Michael Ruhlman is perhaps the best known). The book weighs 2.2 kilos, just under 5 pounds. This is mainly a professional book, extremely useful for other restaurants. Keller and his chefs have taken a lot of the guesswork out of sous vide cooking; they’ve been at it for ten years. The publisher claims that this is the first book in English on the subject. Even so, this book appears about five years too late: the procedures have already appeared on Iron Chef in a nonchalant mode. But it is fitting to have Harold McGee, the food science popularizer, do the introduction, which explains the basic cooking of food under sealed plastic. With sous vide, you can get exact internal temperatures and can make tender the tough cuts. Cooking is uniform, and the veggies have great colour. The book describe three basic principles (pressure, temperature, and time), four basic techniques (storage, compression, marinating, and cooking), and safety issues. There are many tables and charts for prep times and temperatures. The sources list at the back reports on only two vacuum-packing machines, the Koch and the Multivac. Audience and level of use: restaurants, hospitality schools. Some interesting or unusual facts: I did not try any of the recipes because I lacked access to a vacuum-packing machine. Sous vide can dramatically change the way one cooks vegetables. The downside to this book: a small point, but Keller doesn’t say what he does with the used plastic – obviously recycles it? And the book is expensive… The upside to this book: great close-up colour photography. Quality/Price Rating: if you need it, 87. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOKS... ...are one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they’ve been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I’ll try to point this out. The usual schtick is “favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks”. There is also PR copy on “demystifying ethnic ingredients”. PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase “mouth-watering recipes” as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don’t seem to work, but how could that be? They all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. But of course there are a lot of food shots, verging on gastroporn. The endorsements are from other celebrities in a magnificent case of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don’t ignore them altogether. Here’s a rundown on the latest crop of such books – 15. TAVERN ON THE GREEN (Artisan, 2008; distr. T. Allen, 310 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-357-6, $35 US hard covers) is by Jennifer Oz LeRoy and Kay LeRoy, a daughter and mother who have been involved with the establishment (and with Maxwell’s Plum). The resto is in Central Park in New York City; some 700,000 patrons dine there every year. This book is touted as a “souvenir volume” and a “perfect keepsake”, with additional log rolling by celebrities. It documents its origins in the 1870s as a sheep shelter (Sheep Meadow) before becoming a resto in the 1930s, and its rebirth in the 1970s. There’s a section on home entertaining with decorating tips, eight sample menus, re-creating a party, and a lot of photos and celebrities (all indexed) who have eaten there over the years. Courses range from apps with cocktails through sit-downs (soups to desserts). Try their Stiletto (a Valentine’s Day cocktail), Christmas devilled eggs, cucumber-avocado puree, smoked chicken and wild rice salad, almond-crusted French toast, and banana- bourbon-raisin bread. About 125 recipes. No metric conversion charts. Quality/Price rating: 84. 16. THE EIFFEL TOWER RESTAURANT COOKBOOK; capturing the magic of Paris (Chronicle Books, 2008; distr. Raincoast, 144 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118- 6047-5, $35 US hard covers) is by Jean Joho with Chandra Ram. Joho is a Beard award winning chef, and proprietor of the Eiffel Tower Restaurant in Las Vegas. Ram is an editor for “Plate” magazine. And yes, this is the resto in Las Vegas Nevada, and NOT the resto at the Parisian tower itself. God knows what the licensing fee must be, since there are also copious images of the tower throughout the book and the establishment itself, which sets atop the Paris Hotel & Resort. It is a definite tourist attraction, although Joho is a classy chef with top-notch food ideas. You must look beyond the red plush suede book cover. There are 75 photos showing us some of the plated foods and a lot of the restaurant operations. Fifty recipes are presented, from amuse bouche to desserts, arranged by course. Try the smoked salmon spoons, the caraway gougeres, the sweet corn madeleines with caviar, the skirt steak roulades, or the foie gras with cured duck breast. Metric conversion tables. It helps to have a good home larder and a mise en place. Nevertheless, a good foodie book: Joho needs no log rollers. Quality/Price rating: 87. 17. URBAN ITALIAN; simple recipes and true stories from a life in food (Bloomsbury USA, 2008, 311 pages, ISBN 978-1-59691-470-4, $35 US hard covers) is by Andrew Carmellini and Gwen Hyman. He’s a Beard winner, once at Boulud, and now running A Voce. She’s a food writing educator who is the focusing food writer here. Top log rollers include Anthony Bourdain, Sara Moulton, and Michael Ruhlman. There are about 100 family-style recipes here, covering four courses with sides, based on home Italian cooking. Very simple, too: tomato and mozzarella arancini, pasta e fagioli, penne with bacon and radicchio, broccoli rabe with goat cheese, artichoke fritto, chicken leg cacciatore. Flavours exudes from every page. The book is part memoir too, with anecdotes in the cooks’ notes, and text on his times behind diverse kitchen stoves. Only avoirdupois weights and measures are given. Sources for foods are all New York city or Italy. This is an upscale home cooking book, suitable also for use at entertaining. Quality/Price rating: 85. 18. COOKING WITH THE SEAFOOD STEWARD (Arnica Publishing, 2009, 198 pages, ISBN 978-0-9801942-5-8, $24.95 US hard covers) is by Gary Rainer Puetz, an award-winning seafood chef running Seafood Steward; he is currently Executive Chef for Pacific Seafood, the largest distributor of seafood to restaurants and hotels in the USA. He is based in the state of Washington. This is the first in a series of cookbooks that he is now writing. This is a basic seafood cookbook, a primer, covering all manner of shrimp, lobster, clam, salmon, crab, oyster, tuna, scallops, squid, snapper, mahi mahi, sturgeon, and halibut – items you will find on most restaurant menus. When you buy these items, you will probably find them in portions, all dressed and cleaned. And, unfortunately, there are other preps here: desserts, non-seafood sides and salads, preps that are not seafood and which can be easily found elsewhere. Over 90 recipes and many tips. Try the cheeky ones: sautéed cod cheeks with sweet peppers or halibut cheeks braised with caramelized onion and cream. Quality/Price rating: 84. 19. A PLATTER OF FIGS AND OTHER RECIPES (Artisan, 2008; distr. T. Allen, 294 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-346-0, $35 US hard covers) is by David Tanis, who is head chef at Chez Panisse for six months a year (he’s been there since the 1980s). The rest of the time he’s in Paris. Logrollers of the highest order have turned out here: Michael Pollan, Madhur Jaffrey, Judy Rodgers, and Deborah Madison (but Frances McDormand?). The emphasis here is on simple but classy meals at home with friends. Here he has 24 seasonal menus, mainly served on platters family style. There’s an opening section that is sort of memoirish in tone. After that, the arrangement is by seasonal menu beginning with Spring; there are six apiece. In Spring, there’s the rabbit menu of spinach cake with herb salad, mustard rabbit, parsnips epiphany-style (slightly caramelized), and apple tart. In Summer, there’s a fish taco menu with homemade chips, both tomato and tomatillos salsa, avocado salad, and the tacos. Fall sees a Tuscan dinner of green lasagna, bistecca with fried artichokes, and castagnaccia. Winter has a New Mexican menu of avocado quesadillas, spicy picked veggies, green chile stew, and bizochitos. There is something for everybody here. Menus are three courses, sometimes four. Themes are Italian, Moroccan and North African, French, Mexican, and Spanish. Weights and measures are avoirdupois, with no metric conversion charts. Layout is easy on the eyes, with better-than-usual photos. Quality/Price rating: 86. 20. THE VINTNER’S KITCHEN; celebrating the wines of Oregon (Arnica Publishing, 2009; dist. Canadian Manda Group, 187 pages, ISBN 0- 9794771-3-1, $29.95 US hard covers) is by William King, who has been an executive chef in Oregon since 1975. He is currently Vice President of Culinary Development for McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant Group, which runs 75 restos. This is part of the Chef’s Bounty cookbook series from Arnica. Recipes have been contributed by various wineries and restaurants in Oregon, and then regularized. The aim has been to pair a select number of wines throughout the state with regional food. Weights and measures are expressed in avoirdupois, but there is no metric conversion chart. Thirty of the 400 wineries are covered, with some notes about the establishments and their wines. There are a lot of meat dishes and few vegetarian (mostly seafood). Try pomegranate and spice braised pork, braised lamb shanks, braised short ribs, duck with syrah, grilled molasses-marinated quail, and cedar-planked steelhead trout. There’s a brief index by major meat ingredient. Quality/Price rating: 85. 21. A GOOD CATCH; sustainable seafood recipes from Canada’s top chefs (Greystone/David Suzuki Foundation, 2008; distr. Douglas & McIntyre, 186 pages, ISBN 978-1-55365-3851, $24.95 soft covers) has been pulled together by Jill Lambert, a writer and editor of food books. There are over 90 recipes here from Canadian cookbook authors and chefs (improbable as it may seem, the very first prep – pan-roasted arctic char with lobster mashed potatoes and pinot noir sauce – comes from my son-in-law Michael Howell of Tempest Restaurant in Wolfville, NS). Howell is actually in here three times, also contributing finnan haddie and chorizo chowder plus smoked sturgeon with apple-parsnip puree. Most chefs are here once, a few (such as Lynn Crawford) are in twice or so. Susur Lee contributes a giant Pacific octopus recipe. Patrick Lin of Senses (wokked spiny lobster), Jamie Kennedy (marinated herring), Sinclair Philip of Sooke Harbour (geoduck), and Patrick McMurray of Starfish (oyster sandwich) are also here. There are no illustrations showing techniques or plated products, but SeaChoice (an initiative of Sustainable Seafood Canada) list the best choices for fish or seafood for each prep. So, for an oyster chowder, they recommend “farmed oysters” as the best choice, while wild oysters are listed as “some concerns”. For the cedar-planked salmon, there are some concerns about wild Pacific salmon, and farmed salmon is to be avoided. Alternative fish are suggested, but this is rather hard to do with shellfish and molluscs. Avoirdupois measurements are used, but there is a table of metric equivalents. The book opens with a basic primer on fish selection and cooking, a separate chapter on fish, another on shellfish and mollusks, and concluding material on sustainability. Visit www.seachoice.org for more. Quality/Price rating: 91. 22. THE SALPICON COOKBOOK; contemporary Mexican cuisine (Chronicle Books, 2008; distr. Raincoast, 192 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6046-8, $40 US hard covers) is by Priscila Satkoff, chef and proprietor of Salpicon Restaurant in Chicago. Her co-author is her husband Vincent, who is also co-owner of the resto and its wine director. The resto has an award-winning wine list as well as over 100 tequila selections. Log rollers include Feran Adria, William Rice, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Charlie Trotter. Chef Priscila grew up in Mexico City, moved to the USA, and developed her signature melding of Mexican seasonings with American ingredients. She later opened her resto 14 years ago in 1995, and this cookbook is the initial result. This collection has 80 recipes, with wine pairing notes from Vincent. His basic wine matches are in a chart, and posit that heavily oaked white wines are to be avoided. He says to prefer high-acid crisp white wines, and fruit forward reds. With fresh chiles, go with white wines; dried chiles need reds. While the food ingredients are listed by avoirdupois weights and measures, there is a table of equivalents for metric. The sources list for ingredients and equipment is all US. Courses range from appetizers through to desserts, and naturally come off her menus. Try grilled cactus and seafood napoleons with chipotle cream, crab cakes with avocado-habanero sauce, shredded pork with roasted tomatoes and chipotle chiles, halibut in parchment with tequila, and duck two ways in ancho-almond sauce. Upscale all the way. First rate photography by Jeff Kauck makes this a winner. Quality/Price rating: 89. 23. MADE IN SPAIN; Spanish dishes for the American kitchen (Clarkson Potter, 2008, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-38263-4, $35 US hard covers) is by Beard award-winning chef Jose Andres, the host of PBS’s “Made in Spain”. These 100 recipes come mainly from the show. He and his partners operate seven restaurants in and around Washington, DC. In 2005 he had authored “Tapas”, along with Richard Wolffe who also helped write this book and the TV series. This varied and diverse culinary tour of Spain – almost memoirish -- includes Basque (fish and aromatic stews), Cantabria (artisanal cheeses), Valencia (paella and rice), and Castilla-La Mancha (saffron). The arrangement of the book is by course, with one region featured for each. Soup has Madrid and its gazpacho, vegetables in Navarra with oyster mushrooms, pork in Cataluna, sweets in Asturias, drinks (mostly wine) in La Rioja, plus seafood in Galicia. Resources are US, and the weights and measures are in avoirdupois only, with no metric conversions. Ingredients are also typefaced with caps. Great close-up photography by Thomas Schauer; thankfully there are no touristy pix. Quality/Price rating: 87. AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- WINE AND FOOD BOOKS AND AUDIOBOOKS IN REVIEW FOR JANUARY 2009 =================================================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com But first, these words: 2009 WARNING – NEW PRICE ALERT: All prices listed below are now in US DOLLARS as printed on the cover. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations AND online discounts, plus the addition of GST, prices will vary upwards or downwards. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. THE FRUGAL OEOPHILE’S WINEGRAPE PRIMER (Chester Press, 2008, 112 pages, ISBN 978-0-9684986-2-0, $12.95 paper covers) is by Richard Best, who is frugal in all things including wine. He is a wine writer colleague of mine, and wine educator based in Oakville. He runs www.frugalwine.com, and he was nominated for a James Beard Award for Internet websites and writing. This basic primer covers over 250 wine grapes, both red and white, plus some wine styles. These are the more popular varieties and hybrids that one will run into in North America, out of the thousands used in wines around the world. Each alphabetized entry gets a name with a pronunciation guide, synonyms, wine style or region, and a description of the grape. This is followed by “classic” tasting notes for the grape (what I call MVC or “modal varietal character”) plus classic food matching ideas. In the appendix, you will find some notes on Old World Appellations, a glossary, and a nifty bibliography for further reading. Plus, of course, an index, even though the grapes are already entered alphabetically in the main texts. The book is available from www.frugalwine.com. Audience and level of use: basic primer, useful for quick ID. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: One example: his descriptors for Malbec says “often described as a rustic Merlot…produces dark, juicy, flavourful wines with high extract, low acid and low to moderate tannins. Aromas include blackberry, plums, spice and a slightly gamey note. Can age well.” Food choices for Malbec? “Steak and kidney pie, lamb shanks, beef en croute, beef Wellington, game, mature hard cheeses, cabbage rolls, duck a l’orange, truffles, steak tartare.” The downside to this book: the binding may not support multiple repeated searches. The upside to this book: this book is sure to be well-used. Quality/Price Rating: 90. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. HEART HEALTHY FOODS FOR LIFE; preventing heart disease through diet and nutrition (Penguin Books, 2009, 413 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-305659-1, $24 Canadian soft covers) is by Leslie Beck, RD, and author of many books and food columns on nutrition. Indeed, she manages about one book a year. Here she concentrates on which foods are the best to eat if you want to avoid or prevent heart disease, and how often to eat them, how much to eat of them, and how to add them to your daily diet. She also has useful guidelines on how to buy, store and prepare these foods. All the heart healthy foods are rich in fibre, low in saturated fats, and low in sodium. Chapter 10 is devoted to that bugaboo word “exercise”. Nobody really wants to do it, but it is unavoidable. She gives some cardiovascular workouts plus exercises for strength and flexibility. Michelle Gelok, RD, did the recipe development and nutritional analysis (this is her third such work with Beck). The recipes have large type, cover all courses, include both avoirdupois and metric listings of ingredients, and have a separate index. There’s more at www.lesliebeck.com. Audience and level of use: those who want a healthier diet. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: blueberry and apple smoothie; spinach and mushroom and goat cheese salad; lemon poppy seed loaf; carrot ginger soup; chicken barley soup; beef and vegetable stew. The downside to this book: The upside to this book: there is a nice chapter on how to eat in restaurants. Quality/Price Rating: 91. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3. THE FLEXITARIAN DIET; the mostly vegetarian way to lose weight, be healthier, prevent disease, and add years to your life (McGraw Hill, 2009, 285 pages, ISBN 978-0-07-154957-8, $24.95 US hard covers)is by Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, LDN (licensed dietician). She’s heavily involved in the online and TV nutrition world, as well as print and cooking schools. Her main thrust here is simply to cut down on red meat. “Flexitarian” means the same as omnivore: you’ll eat everything. But in moderation and balance. There are a range of options here, such as flexible meal plans, meat-substitute recipes, and time of day. No need to completely give up meat, dairy or fat. Typical one day programs include vanilla spice French toast with berry syrup, arugula salad with figs and goat cheese, grilled primavera on rigatoni, and peach raspberry crepe. The trick is not to overdo it. Audience and level of use: men, those trying to lose weight the easy way. Some interesting or unusual facts: studies show that flexitarians weight 15 percent less, have a lower rate of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, and live about four nears longer than carnivores. The downside to this book: just another diet book but more acceptable to men. The upside to this book: good layout of meal programs. Quality/Price Rating: 84. 4. LAST CANADIAN BEER; the Moosehead story (Nimbus Publishing, 2008, 178 pages, ISBN N978-1-55109-691-9, $29.95 Canadian hard covers) is by Harvey Sawler, a Maritime writer who has often written about New Brunswick businesses. Here he has conducted interviews with family members and the company’s communications area, and he was given access to the corporate archives. His book is a straightforward business history, and like all private family ownerships, there are the inevitable disputes over money and direction. The current leader of the firm is sixth generation Andrew Oland, born in 1967, one hundred years after the firm was founded. He currently makes 13 different beers, some for different markets. While other beer labels have been sold to American and European interests, Moosehead remains independent. Sawler has come up with lots of historical or archival photos, mostly black and white. He has colour plates of labels and their changes over the years. Audience and level of use: beer lovers, history buffs, culinary historians. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: The appendices list and identify the names of the family members through six generations. There is also a list of awards since 1950 (were there no records before 1950? Or no awards given?), a list of their markets for beers, and some advertising slogans. The downside to this book: NO INDEX, which is a shame. The upside to this book: good contribution to Canadian corporate business history, and to beer marketing. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 5. 200 BEST PANINI RECIPES (Robert Rose, 2008, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0- 7788-0201-3, $27.95 Canadian paper covers) is by Tiffany Collins, who currently serves as culinary spokesperson for the Texas Beef Council. 35 panini here are made from beef; this represents one-sixth of the book. Panini, for the uninitiated cook, are pressed and grilled sandwiches. You can take almost any sandwich and make it into a panini: just keep the ooze factor to a minimum. This book has several hundred recipes, if you count all the variations, and it is a good place to begin. The arrangement is by format or content, such as breakfast and brunch panini, vegetarian, seafood (smoked salmon, red onion, cream cheese and caper panini), poultry, meat (beef, caramelized onions and blue cheese panini), deli, leftover, panini for kids, and desserts (chocolate, hazelnut and strawberry panini). She has riffs such as classic Reuben panini, Montecristo panini, Philly chicken panini, chicken Caesar, lobster fontina, even pizza panini. Some of the preps are glamorous such as the sardine and balsamic tomato panini. Others are upscale. The type of bread is up to you, she says, but ciabatta and focaccia are best according to the author. The book shows the standard Robert Rose approach: larger typeface and additional leading, avoirdupois and metric measurements, colour plates with page references, cooks notes, and index. Audience and level of use: basic sandwich primer. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: see above. The downside to this book: this is a sandwich book, and you can easily “panini” any sandwich. The upside to this book: there is a chapter on condiments. Quality/Price Rating: 83. 6. COOKING UP A STORM; recipes lost and found from the Times-Picayune of New Orleans (Chronicle Books, 2008; distr. Raincoast, 368 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-6577-7, $24.95 US paper covers) is edited by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker. All the preps come out of the Times-Picayune newspaper. It is interesting that the newspaper became a post-hurricane swapping place for old recipes that were washed away by Katrina. There are about 225 recipes here, along with the stories of how they came to be. They have been collated from the newspaper archives, local readers and chefs, and local restaurants. Both classic and contemporary are repped here, so you’ll get a dose of beignets, chicken with okra, red beans and rice, grits, and local drink recipes. It is wide-ranging, and not all recipes are Creole or Cajun – it is more like a community cookbook from New Orleans and the parishes. And it means that there are many non-Creole dishes such as “Mexican lasagna” or “liver with onions” or “beef kababs”. Arrangement is by course, from apps to desserts, with, of course, a lagniappe chapter. The book concludes with a guide to local descriptions of food, such as po-boy or gumbo. Recipes use avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents at the far back. Anecdotes and pictures of a lost New Orleans complete the package. Audience and level of use: Creole food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pain perdu, seafood gumbo, fresh corn and shrimp chowder, banana bread, anise cookies, praline cookies, and muffuletta. The downside to this book: typeface is a bit light, especially since the ink used is beige or green. It can be hard to read at time. The upside to this book: a good project, to keep recipes in print. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 7. 300 SENSATIONAL SOUPS (Robert Rose, 2008, 384 pages, ISBN 978-0- 7788-0196-2, $27.95 Canadian paper covers) is by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds, both food writers living in the US Midwest. This is a nice database of classics and contemporary soups, along with international preps such as pho, harira, minestrone, or African peanut soup. It is arranged by major ingredient. There are separate chapters for meat, veggies, beans, cheese, poultry, fish, and styles such as chowders, cold soups, and dessert soups. At the beginning there are notes on soup stocks, and at the end, there are notes on garnishes and toppings. As is standard with any Rose cookbook, the ingredients are expressed in both avoirdupois and metric measurements, the typeface is clean and lean and large, and there is plenty of white space for adding your own notes. Audience and level of use: basic soup primer. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: veal burgoo, chilled curried pear soup, chicken-squash-sausage soup, lasagna soup, arugula soup with salmon and roasted grape tomatoes, guacamole soup. The downside to this book: there are some colour pix of the soups, but really, you cannot see much, just the garnish and the top layer. This is true of all soups, so why bother? It just adds to the expense of the book. The upside to this book: nifty collection. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 8. A YEAR OF WINE; perfect pairings , great buys, and what to sip for each season (Simon Spotlight Entertainment, 2008, 250 pages, ISBN 978- 1-4169-4815-5, $24 US hard covers) is by Tyler Colman, aka Dr. Vino, author of the award-winning wine blog drvino.com. He encourages wine lovers to “drink different”. This is a book about a year of wine enjoyment and “pairing wine with food”. Thus, it is arranged by season, and then by month. He begins with January in winter. Staples here include champagne, sweet and/or older rieslings, BA whites, burgundy, barolo, N Rhone, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, and zinfandel. Other sweet wines are included. The heavy and fruity wines would get you through the cold winter months (if you live in Canada or the northern part of the USD: what about Southern USA?). In summer, it is lots of Prosecco, vinho verde, unoaked whites, Malbec, lambrusco, roses, Beaujolais, and moscato. He has recommendations for every season, mood, budget, event, and suggestions for gifts. A highlight for me was the timeline for what goes on in a winery and vineyard over a twelve month period. Audience and level of use: basic primer, with a twist. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: He has a “sommelier survey” in which he asks wine professionals queries such as: how does context matter? Your fave pairings? Fave wines by season? Best season for drinking wine? Your best food and wine occasion? The downside to this book: there’s a lot of entry level and wine primer stuff here, Also, the index does not list all holidays or events, such as Christmas, and so you’ll have to go to the appropriate month. The upside to this book: some producers are recommended, but in different price ranges. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 9. BAKING FOR ALL OCCASIONS; a treasury of recipes for everyday celebrations (Chronicle Books, 2008, 396 pages, ISBN 978-0-8118-4547-2, $35 US hard covers) is by Flo Braker, baking cookbook author and food writer and educator. Log rolling is by Chuck Williams, Nigella Lawson, and Alice Medrich. “Occasions” here really means mostly for entertaining, for a group of people. It is organized with these occasions in mind. There’s a section on makeaheads which can stashed and finished off later. Another is on fresh fruit. The compendium of 200 preps covers most events. The first 50 pages is a baking primer. Her baking is a very exact science. Ingredient listings have volume and weights in both metric and avoirdupois. Even so, there are conversion charts for US/UK/Metric forms. A good reference book, but you must follow the rules first, as they are explained in the primer and cook’s notes. Audience and level of use: cooks who want to become bakers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chocolate chip cookie logs; trufflewiches; Neapolitan bars; yogurt pound cake; pumpkin ice cream profiteroles; almond apricot berry buckle. The downside to this book: typeface is too light, being sans serif and narrow in the ingredient listing. The upside to this book: separate indexes by recipe categories, such as tarts, turnovers, pies, cupcakes, pastries, and the like. Quality/Price Rating: 10. CHOOSING THE RIGHT WINE (Teach Yourself, 2008; distr. McGraw-Hill, 36 pages, ISBN 978-0-07-162102-1, $14.95 US soft covers) is by Beverley Blanning, a freelance writer and Master of Wine. This book is one of 500 in the Teach Yourself series (the original self-help series). The emphasis in all the books is on “shelf help” – read notes and form observations and opinions. This is the latest wine primer, and it is pretty basic: you won’t find any extraneous material here. The book is ideal for any wine classes, and it is certainly cheap enough. No pictures, which is a good thing. Blanning’s role is “to provide the tools to make choosing wine stress-free” and “to give an overview of the most interesting wines”. You can learn a lot about wines without actually doing much tasting. That was the premise of the bluffer’s guides. Major topics here: how to taste, grape varieties, terroir, winemakers, regions, and buying-storing-serving. She has a Q & A, glossary, references, bibliography, list of websites, and an index. She also has material on how to be a green wine shopper, with material on organic wines, biodynamic wine, and recycling. In every section, there are blocked off passages labeled “try these”, which are the structured wine tastings to have on your own. You are supposed to compare your notes to hers. No brands are mentioned. Audience and level of use: standard primer. Some interesting or unusual facts: In the UK, the excise duty on a bottle of wine is 1.46 pounds (1.87 on any sparkling wine). VAT is additional. This is a flat rate, not a markup. Thus, the more you pay for wine in the UK, the more value you get for the liquid contents. The downside to this book: slightly British orientation, which is unavoidable. The upside to this book: no pictures of wine bottles or other twee stuff. And thus, no specific wine producers are mentioned. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS... ...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 11. PACIFIC PINOT NOIR; a comprehensive winery guide for consumers and connoisseurs (University of California Press, 2008, 454 pages, ISBN 978-0-520-25317-9, $21.95 US soft covers) is by John Winthrup Haeger, author of “North American Pinot Noir”, a book award winner in 2005. Here he has revised, updated, expanded, and refocused on Pinot Noir as found only in California and Oregon (New York, British Columbia, Ontario, and a few other places were left out). Both states are responsible for 95% of North American pinot noir. Even with the change, the 72 profiles in the 2004 book became 216 in this one. Each profile contains history, background, contact info, a summary of wines produced now and in back vintages, vineyard sources, notes on winegrowing and winemaking, assessment on producer’s style, and tasting notes. There are some tie-ins with the earlier book, such as for maps and information cross-references of regions, plant material, and so forth. But these will only be useful if you have the other book. There is really no point, at this time, in buying that book, since it costs $35.95 US, and has a whack of outdated information, and of course, many fewer profiles. In fact, Haeger himself redirects the reader to the “Oxford Companion to Wine” for overall help. His newly written introductory essay on pinot noir in the US is a gem, exploring the “Sideways”-effect. Quality/Price rating: 92. 12. 125 BEST ITALIAN RECIPES (Robert Rose, 2008, 192 pages, ISBN 978-0- 7788-0198-6, $19.95 Canadian paper covers) is by cookbook author Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh who now also runs the Black Dog Village Pub and Bistro in Bayfield, Ontario. It was originally published in 1998 as “Rustic Italian Cooking”, which explains its peasant base of recipes. Not only are most of these preps useful as the standard recipe for classic Italian food (minestrone, gnocchi, saltimbocca, walnut cake), but there are also some delightful excursions into food we rarely think of, some real farmhouse dishes such as pizzoccheri (buckwheat pasta with Fontina cheese, potatoes and cabbage) or risotto al radicchio e Gorgonzola. Just about every region in Italy gets covered, s are all courses from antipasti to dolci. She promises simple, easy preps in 30 minutes or less (if you have a mise en place). Both avoirdupois and metric measurements are used in the ingredient listings. And a larger typeface is used. Quality/Price rating: 87. 13. PRINCIPLES OF FOOD, BEVERAGE, AND LABOR COAST CONTROLS, ninth edition (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 632 pages plus accompanying CD MD03741A, ISBN 978-0-471-78347-3) is by Paul R. Dittmer and J. Desmond Keefe III, both hospitality academics with extensive field experience. It is one of those textbook bibles that are not only so useful for culinary hospitality school students but also for working Food and Beverage managers. The ninth edition has been updated, there are more computer apps being discussed, as well as a CD with Excel problems. There is Study Guide and Instructor’s Manual, both available separately. The book includes detailed discussion of several approaches to beverage sales, with chapters on cost and sales controls. There is a complete menu for a hypothetical restaurant to illustrate principles. There are many student exercises on the CD, and there is a companion website for usage. Each chapter opens with learning objectives and closes with summaries and discussion questions. Quality/Price rating: 90. 14. RESTAURANT SERVICE BASICS, second edition (John Wiley & Sons, 2009, 196 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-10785-0, paper covers) is by Sandra J. Dahmer and Kurt W. Kahl, both foodservice educators. There is also an Instructor’s Manual, available separately. All types of service is covered, from casual to formal, from making reservations to greeting the diner to presentation of the cheque. Troubleshooting problems is the main theme: how to deal with mechanical problems, how to deal with human failings, how to deal with contentious customers, how to deal with violence, lack of sanitation, “cleanup on aisle 8”, and a whole pile of other things beyond just bringing the plate to the table. There is material on the responsibilities, qualifications, and conduct of the wait staff personnel. New to this edition is more material on POS systems, tableside service, reservations, and selling the menu. There are lots of diagrams for service (such as table, positioning, or making napkins) as well as photos and charts. Each chapter concludes with questions for discussion. Quality/Price rating: 90. 15. EAT, MEMORY; great writers at the table (W.W. Norton, 2009, 204 pages, ISBN 978-0-392-06763-7, $24.95 hard covers) is a collection of food essays from the New York Times, collated by Amanda Hesser, former food editor of the New York Times magazine. Here are 26 reprints, along with the recipes, from diverse US writers. As is carefully explained, every one has a great food story to tell. Check out R.W. Apple Jr.’s story of the dining room wars, with a recipe for Lebanese kofta; or, Julia Childs’ soft-cooked eggs, or Dorothy Allison’s roast duck. No index, but then the chapters are self-contained, although it might have been nice to have a listing of the recipes. With the leading, it is a slight book, and it could have been larger. Quality/Price rating: 83. 16. MR. BOSTON OFFICIAL BARTENDERS’S GUIDE; more than 1500 recipes, tools, and techniques. 67th edition (Wiley, 2009, 298 pages, ISBN 978-0- 470-39065-8, $14.95 US hard covers) has been edited by Anthony Giglio, with Jim Meehan and about 75 or so named contributors. Mr. Boston has been published since 1935; previously, it had sold about 11 million copies. Not bad for an American classic. Mr. Boston claims 200 contemporary and new recipes, and throughout the book, there are between 4 and 10 cocktails to a page (and it clearly identifies the glass to be used). All preps are arranged by alcohol product, and presents basic bar data. There are trade tips from many contributors, as well as much more info on garnishes and tools. The cocktail has evolved into an art form. It, and the cocktail party, has become hot. Caution: Mr. Boston has an extremely short wine cocktail section and a short non-alcoholic section. Quality/Price Rating: 91. 17. A HISTORY OF FOOD. New and expanded edition (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009, 756 pages, ISBN 978-1-4051-8119-8, $34.95 US hard covers) is by Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat, a French historian and food writer, author of some 17 books on French cuisine and history. It was originally published in 1987 in French, 1994 in English, and now in its new edition. It was one of the first of its kind to take a sweeping chronicle of food and society and present it to a literate readership. She traces the origins of foodstuffs such as honey, cheese, charcuterie, chocolate, coffee, potatoes, and shows how these -- and other food – transformed cuisine and culture. She has incorporated the latest scientific and technological discoveries in her revision. There are 16 colour plates, as well as many black and white illustrations. Part One deals with “collecting, gathering and hunting”. Part Two introduces animal husbandry and plant cultivation. Then she moves on to “sacramental foods”: oil, bread and wine. This is followed by the idea of markets, luxury foods, merchants, the Columbian exchange, orchards, kitchen gardens, and preservation. It is perfectly obvious that we are constantly moving away from our closeness to the origins of the foods that we eat, relying on a whole chain of middle people and preparers. There’s the original bibliography and an updated bibliography of recent works, compiled by Darra Goldstein. And, of course, the book has been re-indexed. A bargain price, everybody should be able to afford it, although the heavy paper makes it awkward to read in bed. Quality/Price rating: 91. 18. HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING; 2,000 simple recipes for great food. Rev. ed. (John Wiley & Sons, 2008, 1044 pages, ISBN 978-0-470-39857-9, $35 US hard covers) is by Mark Bittman, a PBS host of a similarly named show and a weekly New York Times writer called “The Minimalist”. He is mainly responsible for simplifying the cooking process; some would say “dumbing down”. This book was originally published in 1998, and since then he has been a dynamo in the word and kitchen factories with such books as “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian”, a book on the basics, a quick and easy book, and books associated with his PBS and other television shows. But this book is the motherbook (2 million copies sold, and both IACP and Beard awards winner). It first appeared in 1998, and this is its first revision as a “tenth anniversary edition”. He begins “Much has changed…since 1998…” And so his book has expanded to include more international and spicy preps. Gone is the attempt at recreating haute cuisine at home: this is wholesome everyday cooking. These are the recipes that people cook every day at home on every continent and region. Many recipes here can be made ahead or prepared in under 30 minutes. He has plenty of cook notes and sidebars for explanations of techniques and unusual ingredients. There is material from some of other books. He has instructional drawings, but his stress is that many techniques are the same the world over, such as pies, food wrapped in pastry, soups. The main differences are in the seasonings and the local ingredients. The book has also been reorganized, to include new symbols for fast, make-ahead, and vegetarian recipes. He opens each chapter with an “Essential Recipes” section. He has more detail in chapters on vegetables and fruits, grains and beans. There are newer charts and illustrations. There are lists such as “22 Picnic- Perfect Salads”. Recipes use avoirdupois weights and measures but there are conversion charts on the inside covers. There’s a section on menus, complete with page references, and his top choices for make-ahead, essential, fast, and vegetarian recipes (about 100 each). Try his baked macaroni and cheese (with its 10 variations and combos). Quality/Price Rating: 92. 19. HOW TO TASTE; a guide to enjoying wine. Completely revised & updated. (Simon & Schuster, 2008,208 pages, ISBN 978-1-4165-9665-3, $26 US hard covers) is by Jancis Robinson, well-known British MW wine writer who is also the editor of “The Oxford Companion to Wine”. It was first published in 1983 as “Masterglass” and I noted at the time that her book and Broadbent’s book were the only two wine books you would ever need. In 2000, the revised edition was published as “Jancis Robinson’s Wine Tasting Workbook”. Now, it has changed publishers and has been re-titled yet again. It is more than a “how to taste” book, it is actually a whole course in wine. And it has been updated to reflect this: updated vintages and producers, newly emerging wine regions, and contemporary drinking styles. This is an extremely practical book, made all the better by not mentioning specific wine labels for purchases. Topics, arranged by chapters, cover learning to taste, physical matters of storage and serving, white grapes, red grapes, fortified and sparkling wines, and food matches. There’s a glossary and some pretty decent photos (including one by my colleague Steve Elphick). Quality/Price rating: 89. 20. WINE REPORT 2009 (Dorling Kindersley, 2008, 432 pages, ISBN 0-7566- 3983-9, $15 US paper covers) is edited by Tom Stevenson, author of The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia and other great and useful reference books. This is book is now an annual; it first came out in 2004. The price has also dropped over the years. His book reports on what happened during the previous 12 months in the wine world. It will never go out-of-date, so hang onto your copy of the previous year. The Wine Report is a sort of insiders’ guide to the world of wine, with the latest data from each wine region, plus tips on recent vintages and on your wine investments. There are sections for new wine finds, bargains, the latest harvests, wine science and the greatest wines. The contents are arranged by country and region within, with local experts (each credited, and with a photo). Many have MWs. Writers include David Peppercorn on Bordeaux, Clive Coates on Burgundy, Nicholas Belfrage on Italy, Julian Jeffs on Sherry, Dan Berger on California, and our own Tony Aspler on Canada. Each writer gets several pages for each region, and conveys an assessment of recent vintages and hard hitting opinions, followed by key top ten type lists of the greatest wine producers, the fastest-improving producers, up and coming producers, best-value producers, greatest quality, best bargains, and “Most exciting or unusual finds”. Most of the team is back; there are 46 contributors in all, which is the only way to write up something as comprehensive as this Wine Report. No one writer can keep abreast of it all, and still offer a book at a decent price. Other textual matters within each region are topics concerning personnel changes, mergers and acquisitions, new appellations, new wine laws, legal cases, and new wines and changes and new vintages. Local prices of origin are also given, which is a boon for now we can compare them to the Canadian or LCBO prices. There is also a large, useful section on resource tools (also written by individuals) which deals with organic wines, grape varieties, wine auctions, viticulture, and wine on the web (Tom Cannavan). Some suggestions for improvement: an annual review (after a recap) of the existing book and magazine literature, commentaries on wine software programs (both inventory and professional winery management such as the Enologix), and email addresses for the contributors. Caution: this book was set and ready to roll in summer 2008, so the cut-off for material was early 2008. This makes the book’s coverage a year old by 2009, and thus mainly the picture for 2007/8. Not earth shattering for rumours and gossip. In addition, at 432 clay-coated pages, the book is heavy to pick up and lug around. I do not think that there is a better wine book out there for the wine professional or sommelier, especially since just about everything in this book is NEW and promises to keep one fully informed and up-to-date. Quality/Price rating: 95 – please buy this book to ensure next year’s publication! 21. EATING FOR ENGLAND (Harper Perennial, 2008, 280 pages, ISBN 978-0- 00-719947-1, $17.95 Canadian, soft covers) is by Nigel Slater, an award-winning UK cookbook author and food writer. It was originally published in the UK by Fourth Estate; this is the paperback reprint. And unfortunately, it still has no index, which is a shame since it is a hodge-podge collection of tidbits about British food that seem to have come from his previous columns in the Observer and elsewhere. It is an extremely funny assortment of jottings about British food despite the title which was obviously a stretch for alliteration: over 200 nuggets cover After Eight mints, cake forks, biscuit tins, faggots, pear drops, teacakes, Colman’s mustard, haggis, Welsh rarebit, carving, etc. Just the thing to read before going to bed or with your breakfast. And difficult to retrieve information at a later date. Quality/Price rating: 88.