FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SEPTEMBER/NOVEMBER 2020 [published monthly or bi-monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; CBRA Cookbook Reviewer, 1975-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because many of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations, parity, and online bookstore discounts (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.THE BIG BOOK OF CIDERMAKING; expert techniques for fermenting and flavoring your favorite hard cider (Storey Publishing, 2020, 336 pages, ISBN 978-1-63586-113-6, $29.95 USD softcovers) is by the team of Christopher and Kirsten K. Shockey. It's a DIY book with tips and guidance plus step-by-step photography. The preps cover a range of sparkling, still, dry, sweet, clear, cloudy, funky and mellow. They have also published three previous books on the art of fermentation: “Fermented Vegetables”, “Fiery Ferments”, and “Miso, Tempeh, Notto”. In 1998 they bought an apple orchard in southern Oregon, and they've been hard at it ever since. The first 80 pages cover apples and the cider-making process. The balance of the book delves into fermentation styles: wild yeast ciders, cultivated yeast ciders, botanical yeasts, infused ciders, spirited and iced ciders. There is really a lot in this book, with a huge chapter on apple varieties and troubleshooting. The typeface is outstandingly large enough for my tired eyes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is also a table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those wishing a great fermented fruit product such as hard apple cider. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: quince cider; cherry cider; persimmon cider; and some sour ciders. The downside to this book: nothing really. The upside to this book: much reference material is included, such as a glossary, endnotes, resources, bibliography. Quality/Price Rating: 93 * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.THE ART & SCIENCE OF FOOD PAIRING (Firefly Books, 2020, 388 pages, $49.95 hardbound) is by the team of Peter Coucquyt (chef), Bernard Lahousse (bio-engineer), and Johan Langenbick (entrepreneur) who together co-founded “Foodpairing”, a creative food-tech agency that works with chefs and bartenders to provide new food combos. They analyze foods to identify flavour components and have created the world's largest ingredient/flavour database. The pairings have been validated by 14 top chefs. Here they present 10,000 flavour matches such as chocolate on cauliflower and kiwi with oyster. It's all based on aromatic molecular properties of foods (80% of the taste is via the nose, the rest is vua the tongue). The matches that they give us are graphed as taste wheels and colour keys. You look up one ingredient and you wil find 10 food pairings with a colour wheel that states the taste results. They cover key food characteristics (a Modal Varietal Character, which I use in my wine reviews), aroma profiles, classic and contemporary combos – all with scientific explanations. The top 150 ingredients are listed (maybe there is more to come?) along with their wheels and keys. This is a great book at a decent price for that foodie at Christmas. Quality/Price Rating: 94 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3,ARAN (Hardie Grant Books, 2019, 240 pages, $42.50 hardbound) is by Flora Sheddon, who became the youngest ever semi-finalist on The Great British Bake Off Baking Show in 2015. She runs Aran bakery in Dunkeld, Highland Perthshire. She has also written a weekly baking column for the Sunday Telegraph. These are recipes and stories from a bakery in the heart of Scotland. Material includes the origins of the bakery (aran is Scottish Gaelic for bread or loaf) and a day in its life from dawn to dusk. There is location photography plus a slew of recipes for breakfast, lunch and High Tea. Typical are a pork, apple and sage sausage roll, and apricot and almond frangipani. Try also chocolate oat cookies, pear, coffee and hazelnut cake, and pomegranate and raspberry financiers. An impressive giftbook for the baker in your life. Quality/Price Rating: 88 4.TRAVELS WITH MY SPATULA (Ryland Peters & Small, 2020, 144 pages, $27.95 hardbound) is by Tori Haschka, a food and travel writer-blogger from Sydney. She's got you covered for eating fresh sardines with Campari, peach and fennel in Venice, and apple fritters in the Swiss Alps, or maybe some different breakfasts for when you wake up. It's a mix of food and travel, as that is what Tori is. Good enough as a host gift for the inveterate traveller. The photography is all plated food while the travelling is all text. You'll have to use your imagination in this lively book. Check her out at www.eatori.com. Quality/Price Rating: 87 5.GLUTEN-FREE HOLIDAY COOKIES (Artisan, 2020, 96 pages, $17.95 hardbound) is part of the Artisanal Kitchen series of small handbooks. This one is by Alice Medrich with Maya Klein. They've got over 30 recipes “to sweeten the season” . Not all then preps are exclusively Christmas: the standards here reflect both the classics (chocolate chip, ginger, double oatmeal, nutty thumbprint, et al) and the festives (buckwheat walnut or hazelnut tuiles, toasty pecan biscotti, chocolate sables, ginger-peach squares, et al). Sure to be a winner in the hostess gift sweepstakes, for it even includes conversion charts. Quality/Price Rating: 87 6.JEWISH HOLIDAY BAKING (Artisan, 2020, 112 pages, $17.95 hardbound) is part of the Artisanal Kitchen series of small handbooks. This one is by Uri Scheft with Raquel Pelzel. They've got over 25 preps for inspirations dealing with Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, Purim, Passover, and more. The savoury section includes challah, potato hamantaschen, spinach burekas; the sweets have date mamoul, chocolate rugelach, sufganiyot. Another great hostess gift, which also includes conversion charts. Quality/Price Rating:87 7.THE GOODE GUIDE TO WINE; a manifesto of sorts (University of California Press, 2020, 233 pages, $24.95 hardbound) is by the renowned UK wine writer Jamie Goode, who visits a lot of wine regions. It's a collection of observations and opinions about wine absurdities, excitements, interests, and how things could be better in wine culture. Of late he has been doing and saying nice things about Ontario wines, but there 's nothing here about that. There is, however, an illuminating article on how to succeed at wine writing by writing boring articles. It's a great book for the knowledgeable wine lover who has almost everything. Quality/Price Rating:90 8.MAN'OUSHE; inside the Lebanese street corner baker (Interlink Books, 2020, 200 pages, $43.95 hardbound) is by Barbara Abdeni Massaad, a food writer whose family owned a Lebanese restaurant “Kebabs and Things” in Florida. She has since located back to Lebanon, and here gives us a stunning document about kitchen rituals and traditions of Lebanese culture. The national pie is man'pushe, and she has 70 recipes for the perfect style of pies as found in a Lebanese bakery. It's a great snack, and she goes through the range of fillings, from cheese, yogurt, egg, chicken, meat preserve, and Armenian sausage. Photography is by her and by Raymond Yazbeck. She tells stories about the bakeries, the places, and the types of pies. She's got a pantry description as well as kitchen tools and techniques for making/baking the dough. And of course it all starts with za'tar and wild thyme pie. It's a work of art, not just a cookbook, and has been been endorsed by both Alice Waters and Paula Wolfert. Quality/Price Rating: 92 9.DELICIOUS DIPS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 2020, 64 pages, $13.95 hardbound) is a publisher's collection of some 50 recipes for dips from fresh and tangy to rich and creamy, using meats, legumes, veggies, herbs, olives, nuts, seeds, yogurt and cheese. Something for all, from 13 different UK food writers, principally Hannah Miles (with 15 preps). Quality/Price Rating: 89 10.HOW TO DICE AN ONION (Dog 'n' Bone, 2020, 128 pages, $14.95 hardbound) is by Anne Sheasby. These are hacks, tips and tricks for the home cook, originally published in 2007 as “Kitchen Wisdom”. Scores and scores of fail-safes will reward the budding home cook, offering assistance in all aspects of cookery. The best tips are those that try to correct your mistakes; next best are those tricks that employ substitution. It's an easy read, but try to dip into it often for reminders. Quality/Price Rating: 89 11.PINK GIN (Ryland Peters & Small, 2020, 64 pages, $14.95 hardbound) is a collection of some 30 or so pink-hued cocktails. Most of the preps come from Julia Charles, with some more from Laura Gladwin. It's an open-and-shut slender work, with the recipes scattered among three categories: cocktails, sparklers, and coolers. Most call for “pink gin” but you can use regular gin and add your own colouring, if need be (grenadine, cranberry juice, rose/red wine). Quality/Price Rating: 88 12.VENETIAN REPUBLIC (Interlink Publishing Group, 2020, 256 pages, $49.95 hardbound) is by Nino Zoccali, chef-owner of some Italian restaurants in Sydney Australia. He has written before on diverse cuisines of Italy. These recipes here come from the days when Venice was a world power, the centre of the spice/salt/silk trade routes. The four key regions were: Venice and the lagoon islands, the surrounding Veneto, the Croatian coast, and the Greek Islands (Santorini, Cyprus, Crete, Corfu, et al). Hence, we have Venetian Prosecco and snapper risotto, Croatian roast lamb shoulder with olive oil potatoes, Cretan sweet and sour red mullet, Corfu's zabaglione, and Dubrovnik's ricotta and rose liqueur crepes. It's all arranged by the regions, with sub-arrangement by course (from antipasti to dolci). And it has a whack of history/culture behind each prep. Loaded with mostly pictures of finished plates, but there are also some maps and tourist attractions. Quality/Price Rating: 90 13.THE SICILY COOKBOOK (DK Publishing, 2020, 240 pages, $39 hardbound) is by Cettina Vicenzino who was born in Sicily and grew up in Germany. She is a cook, food photographer, and writer, and has written several books on Italian and Sicilian cuisine. Three types of food are here --cucina povera (peasant food), cibo di strada (street food), and cucina dei monsù (sophisticated food). It's part cookbook and part travel, with loads of her own photos and cultural/gastronomical notes emphasizing local chefs and food producers.. The arrangement is by course, primi (Sicilian cuisine doesn't include antipasti) pasta, through secondi mains and piatto unico, intermezzi, and dolci. She's got a few non-alcoholic drinks and some wine. In all, the vast majority of her 70 preps use local spices, citrus, cheeses, olives, tomatoes, eggplant and seafood. This is a real treat for Sicilian food lovers, featuring ricotta dumplings in an orange and tomato sauce, stuffed sardines, salt cod, and grilled octopus with ricotta hummus. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 14.THE CURIOUS BARTENDER'S GUIDE TO MALT, BOURBON & RYE WHISKIES (Ryland Peters & Small, 2014, 2020, 176 pages, $14.95 USD hardcovers) is by Tristan Stephenson, not only a drinks author but also a brand ambassador and consultant in the UK world of cocktails. This, his second work covers malt, bourbon and rye types of whiskey, with histories, an exploration of the barrel-aging process, and a trip to major distilleries throughout the world (but principally the UK and the US). It's a second edition of a 2014 book but he has updated it and given us many more places to visit in his Directory of Distilleries. He's also got some classic preps for cocktails, such as the Boilermaker. It follows the rising tide of brown spirits that has returned after many years of clear spirits. There are lots of colour photos and a description of each business (along with tasting notes) including what to watch out for. Oh, and there are some nifty cocktail recipes. An absolutely perfect oversized book for the bourbon, rye, and whiskey lover. 15.INDIAN CUISINE (DK Books, 2006, 2010, 2020, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-9941-7, $29.99 CAD hardbound) is a publisher's book, with contributions by Vivek Singh, G. Sultan Mohideenh, Das Sreedharan, and Mahmood Akbar – all international chefs with British and American experiences. This is its third edition, with 200 recipes written for the modern home cook. The arrangement is by principal ingredient, with veggies up first, followed by fish, poultry, meat, rice and bread, plus sauces and chutneys. The book opens with international ingredients explained, mainly from North India, South India and Pakistan. There is a concluding glossary. Most everything here is a “curry”: curry is defined as any fish, meat or vegetables cooked with spices in a liquid. Spices determine the differences. The book could have been improved if it also used all metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89 16.SURF-SIDE EATING (Ryland Peters & Small, 2020, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-207-3 $24.95 USD hardbound) is a publisher's anthology collection of recipes from 13 different food writers. Valerie Aikman-Smith has the most with 27 preps, followed by Shelagh Ryan and Laura Santini with 15 each. It's a good assembly of food and food ideas for prepping and eating in a relaxed mode while by the seaside. So the emphasis is on coastal seafood such as fish tacos with chipotle-lime cream, spciy tuna and black rice bowl, or a Thai steamed snapper. The arrangement is by time of day: rise and shine, brunch/lunch, all-day dining, BBQ at the beach, sunset dinners and desserts – all along with various beverages with or without alcohol. It's a nifty idea, with many preps involving little or no work, or even sharable work. I particularly enjoyed the quinoa and asparagus salad with matcha lemon dressing, the grilled halloumi with jalapeno and lime and tequila relish, and, of course, the crab with mango and coconut – all from my own imitation seaside kitchen at a lockdown home and supermarket delivery. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. 17.STREET FOOD (Ryland Peters & Small, 2020, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-216-5, $19.95 USD hardbound) is a publisher's anthology collection of recipes from 25 different food writers. Nitisha Patel leads the way with 7 preps (pakoras, dhal, kulfi, samosas, rolls) followed by the rest who have about 4 or 5 recipes. Some even have just one or two. The range is international, of course, and this leads to many “food trucks” and stalls. These are all quick bites and mobile snacks, arranged by continent. The range is from the Americas to Europe to Africa and the Middle East, ending up with Asia and India. There is something for everybody, with the inevitable caution that a steady diet of street food may keep you up at night. So: from the USA comes the Hawaiian poke, Peru has the mackerel ceviche, Southern US has pulled pork, Buffalo NY has its wings, New York City has egg rolls, Jamaica has a jerk, Mexico has quesadillas and pork tamalee, and more. There's a whole season's worth of food here for takeaway lovers. Each prep comes with a story and a photo of the plated product. Unfortunately, there is no recipe here for cassava fries which must be the ultimate fried food in the world! But otherwise, what fun! The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 91 ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SUMMER 2020 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; CBRA Cookbook Reviewer, 1975-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because many of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations, parity, and online bookstore discounts (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.THE PIKES COCKTAIL BOOK: rock 'n' roll recipes from the iconic Ibizan hotel (Ryland Peters & Small, 2020, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-212-7 $24.95 USD) is a collaborative effort from the hotel, with text by Dawn Hindle, its creative director. Ibiza is Spanish, just off the Mediterranean coast; it's about 10 times the size of Manhattan. It's usually very warm and humid year round, which makes it a perfect party place. Pikes has a very colourful book on its hands, with gorgeous photography and recipes, usually one per page. The arrangement is by time of day, beginning with what to drink at “poolside”. There are usually about 10 preps per time, with the bulk being at “sunset” and “dinner” and “night time”. Concluding, of course, with “the morning after”. You go there to drink, to hear music, and to dance. If music be the drink of love... Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: fans of Ibiza or Pikes Hotel, or collectors of cocktail books. It's a great gift book. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: vodka seems to lead the way for the base alcohol, and the names of the drinks (e.g. “slippery when wet”) are localisms. Rest assured, all the classics are here (sangria, punches, margarita, mojito, martini, et al) with their variations. Quality/Price Rating: 90 * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.AT THE KITCHEN TABLE: simple low-waste recipes for family & friends (Ryland Peters & Small, 2020, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-199-1 $19.95 USD) is by Megan Davies, a UK food stylist, recipe developer, and food illustrator, who has published widely in the UK. Her book is written for the ecologically- conscious home cook. There's advice on stretching food ingredients, using leftovers as a new meal, brunches, sharing suppers, and side dishes good anytime. All in the effort to reduce carbon footprints. It's the small stuff that adds up, and every kitchen in the world can contribute. The arrangement is by meal, with “dusk or dawn” being the first: here the idea is have food for late at night or for breakfast. Her seven day menu planner takes us through a whole week, and of course it is repeatable. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both avoirdupois and mostly metric measurements, but the book could have been improved if it also used metric for teaspoons and tablespoons in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: mindful home cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: baked rosemary and nutmeg nectarines; chilli and chocolate con carne; Asian chicken salad; pork chops with baked chillies and pears; Indian scrambled eggs with naan or toast; lemon roasted fennel and dill pasta bake; apple and kale salad. Quality/Price Rating: 91 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.THE BEST ROTISSERIE CHICKEN COOKBOOK; 100 tasty recipes using a store-bought bird (Robert Rose, 2020, 192 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0658-5 $24.95 CAD paperbound) is by cookbook author Toby Amidor, who is also a dietitian and a recipe developer. Here she gives us nutritional sides for the pre-cooked bird (first developed in 1985). A lot of people buy a rotisserie chicken on their way home (Costco alone sells about 100 million a year); it is half the dinner already prepared. Within a 20-minute walk of my house I can walk into any one of a half-dozen stores and find rotisserie birds. There are preps here for all meals, appetizers, snacks, soups, sandwiches, mains, salads, sides, plus engaging useful sauces, dressings and other condiments. She uses icons for meals that are ready in 15 minutes or less, meals with five ingredients or less, one pot or pan meals, and freezer-friendly meals. There are only two disadvantages to such pre-cooked chicken: the salting on the skin and some fat remains after they are cooked, just under the skin – keeps the bird juicy, but if you are trying to cut back on fat...But if you take most of the skin off, then it works well. Many birds come from sustainable and free-ranging farms, but you have to ask the store. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: harried homemakers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chicken and mushroom baked risotto; garlic parmesan quinoa; ginger dressing; Israeli couscous and mushrooms; root veggie and chicken soup; easy pesto sauce; chicken caprese salad; Cajun chicken melt. The downside to this book: I wish that there were better FDA descriptors for the providence of poultry, and that there was more emphasis on the salting and the fat. The upside to this book: one pot preps lead the way. Quality/Price Rating: 90 4.SPICE APOTHECARY; blending and using common spices for everyday health (Storey Publishing, 2020, 169 pages, ISBN 978-1-63586-083-2 $18.95 USD paperbound) is by Bevin Clare, an academic at Maryland University of Integrative Health and a licensed nutritionist. The first 100 pages explores the spice culture of the spice and herb trade, the plant families, how medicinal herbs and spices work and whether it is to be fresh vs. dried, and creating your own spice apothecary (buying, storing, using for various health problems). She's listed 19 of the best, most commonly available herbs and spices: there are hundreds of spices and thousands of blends. Her choices cover barks (cinnamon), roots (ginger), leaves (sage), seeds (mustard), flowers (lavender), fruits (black pepper), and bulbs (garlic), to name just seven of the nineteen. Everything (in turn) bolsters immunity, healthy joint connections, digestion, and kidney-heart-lung health. Her preps are mostly blends, such as the Everyday on Everything Blend, an all-purpose 9 spice concoction that is basically an anti-inflammatory in support of heart, kidney and respiratory functions. Each blend comes with a few recipes. The blends are prepared in advance by scaling in metric, while the food preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois. There are tables of metric and weight conversions. Audience and level of use: those cooks interested not only in preparing tasty food but also interested in preparing healthy food. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: there are ten blends, titles such as Reminds-Me-Of-Pie Blend (e.g., pumpkin pie spices), Green Goodness Blend, Mint and Chile Blend, Digestive Blend, Cognitive Blend. The downside to this book: I anted more prep recipes. The upside to this book: There is a relevant bibliography. Quality/Price Rating: 90 5.SMOKE, WOOD, FIRE; the advanced guide to smoking meat (Whitecap, 2020, 184 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-326-7 $29.95 CAD paperbound) is by Jeff Phillips, author of “Smoking Meat” and the creator of www.smoking-meat.com (the highest ranked smoking meat website in America). He lives in Tulsa OK, one of the major US BBQ regions. This book is actually “Smoking Meat #2 The Next Level” as it builds on the basics of the first book: as he says, it covers more tools, equipment, smoking supplies, types and brands of smokers, slicers, dehydrators, thermometers, injectors, mops, brushes, gloves and mitts, and types of wood and charcoal... plus more techniques that deal with brining, smoke production, cooking outdoors in cold climates, cooking at high altitudes, curing and temperature control. And with lots of pictures throughout. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: pitmasters Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: there are special tips for augmenting store-bought BBQ sauces, which include items from your exiting pantry such as hot sauces, coffee, coaca, molasses, soda pop, et al. The downside to this book: it's a book of techniques, so do not expect side dishes or the like. The upside to this book: there is a good glossary. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.THE ARTISAN KITCHEN: the science, practice & possibilities (DK 2020, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-9936-3 $30 US hardbound) is by James Strawbridge, a Cornish UK chef and TV host for diverse UK cooking programs. He is also the co-author, with his dad, of “Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century”. His Sons of Thunder Agency develops recipes and art-directing for artisan brands. Here he brings into play the use of “mindfulness” in cooking to determine 25 different cooking and preserving processes to cover drinks, dairy, bread, curing, smoking, and outdoor experiences. It's a collaborative process with notes from a dozen like-minded chefs, artisans, and friends. All are sourced and credited with short bio notes and websites. Typical are patting butter properly, fermentation, cheese making, sourdoughs, salting, bottle conditioning cider, bresaola slicing, charcuterie, and plant-based cooking. Recipes are eclectic – you never know what to expect. For example, the section on outdoor cooking starts with campfire cooking and continues through to making a clay oven, with stops along the way for dirty cooking, grilling, clambake, plank cooking, spit roasting, shawarma kebabs, wood-fired oven, and pizzas. It's also a wonderful book to just pick up and leaf through. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements for the most part, but there is no table of metric equivalents. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 7.DIABETES MEALS FOR GOOD HEALTH COOKBOOK: complete meal plans & 100 recipes. 3rd ed (Robert Rose, 2008, 2012, 2020, 320 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0654-7, $29.95 CAN soft covers) is by Karen Graham, an RD and diabetes educator in British Columbia, who has been a nutrition counselor for the past 30 years, and by Dr. Mansur Shomali, researcher and educator specializing in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. Some of this book was published in 2010 and 2011. In 2008, Graham had written “Canada’s Diabetes Meals for Good Health: Includes Meal Planning Ideas and 100 Recipes”. Here, her book has been extensively peer reviewed as she develops a comprehensive guide to living the lifestyle. She covers the risks and complications, top 10 nutrition topics, food choices, blood sugar, exercises, and more. She has an “Eat This/Not That” chart section for food recommendations. She also writes on a seven day meal plan (good for six weeks) with recipes, incorporating fruit crepes, taco soup, luncheon wrap, steak and potato, and seafood chowder among the choices. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no overall table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 90. 8.DIABETES ESSENTIALS: everyday basics (Robert Rose, 2020, 192 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0631-8 $27.95 CAD softbound) is an oversized paperback created by Karen Graham, RD of British Columbia, and Mansur Shomali, MD, MedStar Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore. It's a book in the series Health & Wellness, basically meant for “new” type 2 diabetics. Every topic has been reduced to lists of ten points for beginning learners: prediabetes, morning blood sugar, stress, lab tests, medical terms, mindful eating, and more. It all begins on pages 12 and 13 with “Diabetes First Ten Days” and leads to strategies of management through nutrition, exercise, and medication. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the recipe section has about ten preps for each of tasty soups, salads, dinners, desserts, snacks, and then meal planning. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 9.ESSENTIAL HERBS: treat yourself naturally with herbs and homemade remedies (DK Publishing, 2011, 2020, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-9430-6, $25 USD hard covers) was originally published in 2011 as “Home Herbal”. It has been recently updated as 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. 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, and also with cross-references. Quality/price rating: 88. AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR APRIL/MAY 2020 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; CBRA Cookbook Reviewer, 1975-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because many of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations, parity, and online bookstore discounts (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.GROWING YOUR OWN COCKTAILS, MOCKTAILS, TEAS & INFUSIONS (Fox Chapel Publishing, 2020, 152 pages, ISBN 978-1-62008-383-3, $18.99 USD soft covers) is by Jodi Helmer gardening author, who gives us gardening tips and how-to techniques for making artisanal beverages at home. Jeannette Hurt, author “Drink Like a Woman” works out the recipes. There are 64 plant profiles here for the best homegrown drink ingredients (rhubarb, lemon balm, kale, chamomile, ginger, etc.). The recipes range from a lavender mojito to a garden gin-and-tonic, to mint iced tea, and veggie juice. It is all arranged by plant part: leaves, flowers, fruits and vegetables, and roots, with other material about syrups, shrubs, and alcohol-free drinks. There are plant hardiness zone maps for Canada and the USA, plus a resources list for ordering through the internet. A perfect stay-at-home project. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: a great read for the covid-19 pandemic, should motivate all to try it out. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: anise hyssop; fruit smoothie; citrus lift tea; French hibiscus 75; rhubarb gimlet; red sangria; garden margarita with strawberries and basil. The downside to this book: just a little short - I wanted more. The upside to this book: it is both a gardening and a cocktail book. Quality/Price Rating: 91 * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.MAN'OUSHE; inside the Lebanese street corner baker (Interlink Books, 2020, 200 pages, $43.95 hardbound) is by Barbara Abdeni Massaad, a food writer whose family owned a Lebanese restaurant “Kebabs and Things” in Florida. She has since located back to Lebanon, and here gives us a stunning document about kitchen rituals and traditions of Lebanese culture. The national pie is man'oushe, and she has 70 recipes for the perfect style of pies as found in a Lebanese bakery. It's a great snack, and she goes through the range of fillings, from cheese, yogurt, egg, chicken, meat preserve, and Armenian sausage. Photography is by her and by Raymond Yazbeck. She tells stories about the bakeries, the places, and the types of pies. She's got a pantry description as well as kitchen tools and techniques for making/baking the dough. And of course it all starts with za'tar and wild thyme pie. It's a work of art, not just a cookbook, and has been been endorsed by both Alice Waters and Paula Wolfert. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 91 * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.VENETIAN REPUBLIC (Interlink Publishing Group, 2020, 256 pages, $49.95 hardbound) is by Nino Zoccali, chef-owner of some Italian restaurants in Sydney Australia. He has written before on diverse cuisines of Italy. These recipes here come from the days when Venice was a world power, the centre of the spice/salt/silk trade routes. The four key regions were: Venice and the lagoon islands, the surrounding Veneto, the Croatian coast, and the Greek Islands (Santorini, Cyprus, Crete, Corfu, et al). Hence, we have Venetian Prosecco and snapper risotto, Croatian roast lamb shoulder with olive oil potatoes, Cretan sweet and sour red mullet, Corfu's zabaglione, and Dubrovnik's ricotta and rose liqueur crepes. It's all arranged by the regions, with sub-arrangement by course (from antipasti to dolci). And it has a whack of history/culture behind each prep. Loaded with mostly pictures of finished plates, but there are also some maps and tourist attractions. Quality/Price Rating: 90 4.THE SICILY COOKBOOK (DK Publishing, 2020, 240 pages, $39 hardbound) is by Cettina Vicenzino who was born in Sicily and grew up in Germany. She is a cook, food photographer, and writer, and has written several books on Italian and Sicilian cuisine. Three types of food are here --cucina povera (peasant food), cibo di strada (street food), and cucina dei monsù (sophisticated food). It's part cookbook and part travel, with loads of her own photos and cultural/gastronomical notes emphasizing local chefs and food producers. The arrangement is by course, primi (Sicilian cuisine doesn't include antipasti) pasta, through secondi mains and piatto unico, intermezzi, and dolci. She's got a few non-alcoholic drinks and some wine. In all, the vast majority of her 70 preps use local spices, citrus, cheeses, olives, tomatoes, eggplant and seafood. This is a real treat for Sicilian food lovers, featuring ricotta dumplings in an orange and tomato sauce, stuffed sardines, salt cod, and grilled octopus with ricotta hummus. Quality/Price Rating: 90 5.ARAN (Hardie Grant Books, 2019, 240 pages, $42.50 hardbound) is by Flora Sheddon, who became the youngest ever semi-finalist on The Great British Bake Off Baking Show in 2015. She runs Aran bakery in Dunkeld, Highland Perthshire. She has also written a weekly baking column for the Sunday Telegraph. These are recipes and stories from a bakery in the heart of Scotland. Material includes the origins of the bakery (aran is Scottish Gaelic for bread or loaf) and a day in its life from dawn to dusk. There is location photography plus a slew of recipes for breakfast, lunch and High Tea. Typical are a pork, apple and sage sausage roll, and apricot and almond frangipani. Try also chocolate oat cookies, pear, coffee and hazelnut cake, and pomegranate and raspberry financiers. An impressive giftbook for the stay-home baker in your life. Quality/Price Rating: 90 6.WINNER! WINNER! CHICKEN DINNER; 50 winning ways to cook it up (Storey Publishing, 2020, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-63586-156-3 $16.95 USD paperbound) is by food editor Stacie Billis, who appears on Rachel Ray, TODAY, and the Washington Post. Chicken, according to the USDA, is now more popular than beef in the USA. So she's got 50 recipes plus variations for various forms: roast, grill (my fave), slow cook, instant pot, braise, stew, and even sheet pan. Many can be interchangeable, and of course can be made into leftovers (separate chapter here). The book is full of ideas and kitchen hacks. The book could have been improved if it had also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: beginners, those stuck at home. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: BBQ chicken pizza; grilled chicken and mango salad; jerk chicken; peachy siracha sticky wings; guacamole burgers; ten-minute tostadas. The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes. The upside to this book: there's a long section on how to cut up a chicken and do most of the work yourself (saves money) Quality/Price Rating: 85. 7.HEALTHY ONE PAN DINNERS (Alpha Books, 2020, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4656-9266-1 $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Dana Angelo White, a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant who works with FoodNetwork.com and her own website, developing and analyzing food for athletes. Here she gives us 100 preps for one-pot dinners using a sheet pan, skillet, Dutch oven, baking dish, multi-cooker or slow cooker. She describes each of these with regard to benefits, cleaning up, proper sizing, and of course their best usage. Her basic ten ingredients include boneless and skinless chicken thighs, salmon, lean ground beef or turkey, eggs, and seasonal veggies – along with a kitchen pantry of some 20 different staples. Each prep has both easy instructions and nutritional data (the latter, as always, in metric, while the former is in Imperial measurements). The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: beginners; those stuck at home during lockdown. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: baked pasta primavera; sweet and spicy lamb tagine; lemon-thyme Dutch baby with smoked salmon; hash brown quiche; teriyaki shrimp stir fry; watermelon panzanella with fresh mint; sweet potato coconut stew. The downside to this book: The upside to this book: 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.EATING FOR PLEASURE, PEOPLE, & PLANET (Interlink Books, 2020, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-62371-953-1 $35 USD hardbound) is by Tom Hunt, the award-winning British chef at Poco (UK). He is also a food writer offering ingenuous no-waste recipes. He's also a director or member of several food associations which deal with hunger and poverty. Here his message is basically “eat well, waste nothing”, concentrating on sustainable diets for everyday cooking that consider how we farm, trade, eat, and dispose of food. The first part of the book (in 50 pages) deals with a roots-to-fruit manifesto for eating for pleasure, eating whole foods, and eating the best food you can (better farming, Fairtrade). The recipes are divided into morning meals, slow food fast at lunch and dinner, family meals, feats plates, new ways with salads, and sweet treats. At the end there is a “roots-to-fruit” pantry: aquafaba, green sauces, umami powders, kombucha, stocks, barley water, pickles and preserves, apple cider vinegars, bread and pastries, and plant-based milks. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 90. 9.BAKING WITH BRUNO; a French baker's North American love story (Whitecap, 2020, 148 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-332-8 $34.95 CAD paperbound) is by Chef Bruno Feldeisen, a French-born baker and pastry chef with extensive North American west coast experience and multiple TV appearances on the Food Network and CBC, etc. He's always been intrigued by local North American food, and he developed recipes for these plates. He's got a pantry, a tools kit, and the procedures (all laid out for us in the first 30 pages). He begins with jams and sauces before moving on to cookies and sweets, custards, puddings and mousses, followed by cakes and tarts, breads and pies. It's a nifty book, and the photos by Henry Wu do a very good job of illustrating the finished plate, right down to a stray crumb or two. Ingredients are listed in both metric and avoirdupois Imperial, very much appreciated by baking fans. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 10.PASTA PERFECT (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 2020, PASTA SECRETS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-818-5 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Laura Santini, an award-winning food writer for “Easy Tasty Italian” and “At Home with Umami”. It was originally published in 2017 as “Pasta Secrets”. Here, for 70 preps, she uses fresh pasta, so she's got the basics on how to make pasta and gnocchi (but no cavetelli), as well as tips and advice through the first quarter of the book. The rest is all about the sauces (but not all are Italian), which she has conveniently isolated into four parts as quick and easy, funghi and veggies, fish and seafood, and meat and poultry. The book could have been improved if it also used much more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Some interesting or unusual recipes include quick pad Thai; Singapore- style; ricotta, green olive and basil; raw avocado carbonara; mushroom ragu; classic pesto genovese. But do we actually need another pasta book, even if it is fresh pasta?Quality/price rating: 86. 11.DELICIOUS DIPS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 2020, 64 pages, $13.95 hardbound) is a publisher's collection of some 50 recipes for dips from fresh and tangy to rich and creamy, using meats, legumes, veggies, herbs, olives, nuts, seeds, yogurt and cheese. Something for all, from 13 different UK food writers, principally Hannah Miles (with 15 preps). 12.HOW TO DICE AN ONION (Dog 'n' Bone, 2020, 128 pages, $14.95 hardbound) is by Anne Sheasby. These are hacks, tips and tricks for the home cook, originally published in 2007 as “Kitchen Wisdom”. Scores and scores of fail-safes will reward the budding home cook, offering assistance in all aspects of cookery. The best tips are those that try to correct your mistakes; next best are those tricks that employ substitution. It's an easy read, but try to dip into it often for reminders. 13.PINK GIN (Ryland Peters & Small, 2020, 64 pages, $14.95 hardbound) is a collection of some 30 or so pink-hued cocktails. Most of the preps come from Julia Charles, with some more from Laura Gladwin. It's an open-and-shut slender work, with the recipes scattered among three categories: cocktails, sparklers, and coolers. Most call for “pink gin” but you can use regular gin and add your own colouring, if need be (grenadine, cranberry juice, rose/red wine). 14.ILLUSTRATED STEP-BY-STEP BAKING (DK Books, 2011, 2020, 544 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-9431-3, $40 USD oversized hard covers) is a lush and plush book for those beginners (or even experienced cooks) who have a fear of baking. These are easy-to-follow recipes with more than 1500 photos of techniques and final plating. Caroline Bretherton has a UK café and has worked in television cooking shows; she beings that Brit sensibility to the details. There are 80 classic preparations here, with a further 250 variations based on transferable skills and substitutions. She also has some classics without variations, such as buttermilk biscuits, pumpkin pie and devils food cake. There are cakes, pastries, cookies, soufflés, cheesecakes, pies, tarts, savouries, and breads (all yeasted or flat or quick). There’s an indication of quantities, time in preparing, and time in baking. And metric tables of equivalents to balance the mix of metric and avoirdupois listing of ingredients. The book could have been improved if it also used more volume metric in the recipes. But still a great book for all the stay-home covid-19 avoiders who are baking. Quality/price rating: 89. 15.BIG NIGHT IN (Ryland Peters & Small, 2020, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-192-2 $19.95 USD hardbound) is a publisher's collection of recipes from the RPS stable of cookbook authors. The idea here is to have themed menus to cook and eat at home (whenever social distancing stops), to stay home with friends and/or family, and enjoy a meal with a pre-set unusual menu – and presumably save money, especially on alcohol. Sarah Vaughan compiled the recipes which were contributed by 32 different writers (headed by Jenny Linford with 17 preps, while Miranda Ballard and Carole Hilker have 11 apiece). There are 19 themed menus, including a vegan celebration, an indoor picnic, a curry and beer night, and a scandi fish affair. Most intriguing is avocadelicious. Great idea, great fun. Each menu are three courses plus drinks. The book could have been improved if it also used more volume metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Very useful for the better times to come, although the current rules do allow for five people congregating together with social distancing – two couples are all doable in most homes. Just tailor the menu down a bit. Quality/price rating: 89 16.SMOKE & SPICE; recipes for seasonings, rubs, marinades, brines, glazes & butters (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2013, 2020, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-206-6, $19.95 USD hard covers) is by Valerie Aikman-Smith, a food stylist (film, TV, books) and writer (magazines, books). It was originally published in 2013. The 90 preps here emphasize the flavours to be added to the BBQ grill. For example, for pork, try the smoky chili BBQ sauce or the bourbon glazed pork chops or the szechuan rub (also the Cajun crispy pork belly). Pork also needs an apple cider brine. Moving to lamb, there’s lavender salt crusted leg of lamb, mint and lemon kebabs, pomegranate rack of lamb with harissa sauce, or date lamb tagine. Others: cherry-glazed duck skewers, Jamaican jerk chicken, spiced red snapper, caramelized beet tatin with marinated goat cheese, or matahambre beef marinade. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR MARCH 2020 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; CBRA Cookbook Reviewer, 1975-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because many of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations, parity, and online bookstore discounts (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.DISCO CUBE COCKTAILS (Chronicle Books, 2020, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-8081-6 $18.95 USD hardbound) is by Leslie Kirchhoff, who launched Disco Cubes in Los Angeles in 2018. She creates and then photographs unique frozen works of art. Here she does craft cocktails. There are over 100 recipes here for ice creations of cubes for cocktails. Because music is such an integral part of the millennial experience she proposes seven playlists to enjoy while sipping on the drinks. She tells you how to make the different ices and how to add them to the cocktail, and illustrates it all whit a photo. Quite a different book. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: millennials, potential bartenders. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Indochine iced coffee; Let's Stay Together cubes; Bellini Balls; the Breeze and double mint cubes; white Negroni and rose cube; soul makossa and tangerine turmeric cubes. The downside to this book: I guess I wanted a playlist form the 1950s rock and roll era. The upside to this book: good use of metric measurements and dashes. Good lookin' lifestyle book. Quality/Price Rating: 92. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.HOW TO BE A CONSCIOUS EATER (Workman Publishing, 2020, 270 pages, ISBN 978-1-5235-0738-2 $16.95 USD paperbound) is by Sophie Egan, Director of Health and Sustainability Leadership for the Strategic Initiatives Group at The Culinary Institute of America. She's written health articles for numerous publications, and authored “Devoured: How what we eat defines who we are”. Her current book is promoted as a “radically” practical guide to making food choices that are good for yourself, others and the planet (ecosystems) by having accurate information to determine what's best – the basic criteria guiding lines. Stuff your mother probably never told you. It's divided into four parts: stuff that comes from the ground, stuff that comes from animals, stuff that comes from factories, and stuff that's made in restaurant kitchens. One of her charts deals with the Food Pyramid; another concerns water usage (it takes 660 gallons of water to produce one hamburger, 23 for a handful of almonds, and 7 for one potato). She also covers tap water, organic produce, food waste, pollination, olive oil, greenhouse gases, carnivores, processed foods, nutrition and restaurants. Quality/price rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.THE DEFINED DISH (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019, 291 pages, ISBN 978-0-358-00441-7, $30 USD hardbound) is by Alex Snodgrass, founder of the eponymous blog, which won a Saveur blog award in 2018 for the most inspired weeknight dinners. She's also a recipe developer and food stylist. In this current book, she now concentrates on healthy and wholesome weeknight dishes. She favours her local Tex-Mex cuisine, her mom's Italian cooking, Indian curries, Asian flavours, and a wide range of Mediterranean dishes. The table of contents are arranged this way, with other chapters for salads, soups, kid food, “southern” charms and date-night dinners. Her healthier dishes include pad Thai made with spaghetti squash, and mac and cheese made with a dairy substitute of squash and coconut milk. Recipes are marked gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, and paleo. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. It might then sell better outside the USA. Audience and level of use: those looking for wellness and family dishes. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: carrot-ginger salad with baked salmon; minestra del sedano; sheet pan sausage with squash and roasted grapes; crispy-skinned branzino with parsnip puree; sheet pan rack of lamb with potatoes and mint chimichurri. The downside to this book: while it is endorsed by Whole30, this is not quite properly explained in the text of the book...as to what it means. The upside to this book: great preps for the health conscious. Quality/Price Rating: 88 3.A GOOD MEAL IS HARD TO FIND (Chronicle Books, 2020, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-6978-1 $24.95 hardbound) is by Amy C. Evans and Martha Hall Foose. Evans is an artist and a storyteller; she's collected Southern food culture through oral history fieldwork. Foose is a cookbook author and storyteller; she won a Beard Award for American Cooking for “Screen Doors and Sweet Tea”. It's a collection of culinary narratives augmented by stories, recipes and artwork. It's got 60 preps prefaced by funny vignettes, arranged by course (breakfast, lunch, afternoon pick-me-ups, and dinners. Amy is the artist, Martha is the cook, and together they create the stories. The book could have been improved if it had also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: fans of story-driven cooking and Southern recipes. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Agnes Graton Firecracker popcorn; Alice's rosary cannelini salad; Ida';s Shore lunch loaf; Rita's roadside attraction; Gayle's lucky chicken posole; Vi's sherry pot pie; Frank's collard green and field pea fried rice. The downside to this book: I wanted more. The upside to this book: good pic, good stories. Quality/Price Rating: 88 4.KEEPING IT SIMPLE (Hardie Grant Books, 2020, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-282-2 $24.99 USD flexibound) is by Yasmin Fahr, who is a food writer with a Master's degree in Food Studies. She wisely concentrates on easy weeknight one-pot recipes, which will be very popular. You'll need to have a good pantry with a variety of seasonings. There's a go-to weeknight pizza that is pretty basic, but there are a variety of variations in the toppings and doughs. Her chapter topics cover oven to table, quick and easy (faster than home delivery), gluten and grains, salads, and more. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginners, harried workers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: 20 minute spicy sausage with crispy broccoli; pork chops with nectarines; baked feta with greens and lemon-tahini dressing; simple whole fish with charred citrus; cumin spiced steak salad with avocado and kale; sleeveless sweet potato jackets with Dijonaisse. The downside to this book: lots of citrus and cumin and feta. The upside to this book: very useful Quality/Price Rating: 88 5.POSH TARTS (Hardie Grant Quadrille, 2019, 193 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-381-5 $19.99 USD hardbound) is another entry in Quadrille's “Posh” series, which emphasizes the flash of an easy prep with great visuals. Pip Spence has 70 recipes, from galettes to pastries, all arranged by ingredient or time of day: breakfast, meat, seafood, veggie, fruit, and dessert tarts. She opens with the basics of pastry, such as types and commercial sources. So you can either buy a shortcrust, a puff, or a filo pastry, or make it yourself. She has the recipes for them. It may help to at least start off with commercial pastry doughs, to see what they are about and to test the fills she proposes. And then move on to homemade doughs. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no overall table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginners and up. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: acorn squash and carrot tarte tatin; cherry Bakewell slice; heritage beetroot and feta slice; chickpea tagine filo tart; spiced lamb and eggplant tart; maple pecan pie; roasted fruit and granola tart; tonnato tart. The downside to this book: I wanted more. The upside to this book: makes it all seem easy, but the photos are great. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 6.DINNER'S IN THE BAG (Hardie Grant Quadrille, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-485-0 $22.99 USD hardbound) is by Louise Kenney. She proposes 60 easy oven recipes all wrapped up in any of baking parchment, foil, or oven bags. The range is from healthy weekday suppers through veggie dishes and sweet desserts. As Kenney says, just bag it up, pop it in the oven, set the timer, and eat. It's a good little open and shut cookbook for one techniques using an assortments of meat, veggies, fish, and sweets. She's got photographic essays for the techniques. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginners, the harried, needing a quick meal. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Italian salmon packets with couscous; lemon sole with potatoes, capers, lemon and herbs; ratatouille; baked peppers with lentils and goat's cheese; pork with ginger and coconut rice; sausages with sweet corn, peppers and zucchini. The downside to this book: again, I wanted more. The upside to this book: she has icons to let you know which wrapping is best (parchment, foil, bag) 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.SHARE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2020, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-211-0 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Theo Michaels, from BBC's MasterChefUK, some popups, and other food writing and TV gigs (including four previous cookbooks). Here he gives 75 recipes for themed menus of sharing boards. These are for six to eight people, moderately easy to do, and are relevant to communal dining. He begins with deli-style foods (all purchased) to set you up, followed by themes with garnishes. He got brunches, mezes, picnic, BBQ, harvest time, sweets, and feasts. A lot of the book deals with presentation (clusters, colours, height, fillers) in the layout of foods. The range is from fresh figs with goat's cheese and honey through griddled apricots with lavender and bee pollen. Also spicy chicken shawama, roasty squash and lentil salad, tomato and blue cheese salad with ciabatta croutons, and souvlaki with date molasses and tahini dressing. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 8.ENTERTAINING WITH MARY BERRY (DK, 2010, 2014, 2020, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-4654-8935-7, $27 USD hard covers) is by Mary Berry, a UK cookbook author with more than 80 books to her credit. Lucy Young is the co-author; she’s been Berry’s assistant for more than 25 years and has helped to develop the recipes for all of Berry’s books. It was originally published in 2010 as “Cook Up a Feast”, but in this second revised edition, it is “Entertaining with Mary Berry”. The price has even come down a bit, and there are 16 more pages. This is a cookbook for entertaining the larger crowd, usually to serve six or to serve 12. It 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 hors d'oeuvre, special mains, 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 actually making party finger food when there are many, many frozen versions at the supermarket. Asparagus, goat cheese and prosciutto phyllo rolls do stand out, but just about everything else mentioned here in this section 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 separate columns of ingredients for six or 12, a good idea. Most everything can be made in advance by several hours, with a minimum amount of finishing. The older editions used to have 24 menus with timelines for the themes. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Do try Puy lentil and pearl barley soup; fennel and smoked salmon tartlets; hot 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; and/or summer berry tart. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 9.CRAFT PIZZA (Ryland Peters & Small, 2016, 2020, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-194-6, $19.95 USD hardcovers) is by Maxine Clark, prolific UK food writer and cooking coach/teacher. Here, she covers mainly “classic” pizza, Sicilian, sourdough, calzone and focaccia made at home. It's a revision of her earlier 2016 book which has the same title. So she's also got pizzette and small bites. It is pretty thorough, with a primer on equipment and flours. About 80+ recipes in all, but no doughs that are gluten-free. Try focaccia with crispy kale with whipped ricotta, roasted garlic and chipotle; rolled pesto and olive and garlic bread; rustic country pie; torta reggiano; and potato and mozzarella calzone. The book could have been improved if it had also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 86 10.DELICIOUSLY MESSY FOOD; 65 recipes for ribs, wings, burgers, hot dogs, and other lip-smacking foods ((Ryland Peters & Small, 2014, 2020, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-193-9, $19.95 USD hard covers) is by Carol Hilker, a food writer in San Francisco who has written several cookbooks for Ryland Peters & Small. It was originally published in 2014 but now has some additional material. Chicken wings are perfectly adaptable to a huge range of dips and sauces, marinades and glazes. So any BBQ book with a lot of these savoury methods is useful. The same for ribs and other finger foods that call for constant “wiping of the hands”. This food is perfect for any in-house sports watching, and here YOU are in charge of the better sauces and the better meats. So there are honey-fried chicken, pulled pork sandwiches, pretzel buns, blueberry cotton candy pancakes, etc. The range also includes bowls and some recipes for homemade versions of take-out food. Remarkable is the fried oysters and grits prep. Desserts and beverages are also included (such as honey-vanilla root beer float). The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 84. 11.FISH (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2015, 2020 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-198-4, $19.95 USD hard covers) is by Mat Follas, a UK chef/owner and winner of Masterchef (BBC) in 2009. It has now been revised for 2020 expectations. This set is organized by fish type: salmon & tuna, freshwater fish, small fish, round fish, flat fish, exotic fish, with crustaceans, squid and octopus occupying the last quarter of the book. There's material on sustainability, stocks and soups, and drinks to match the food. The 80 recipes come loaded with tips. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no overall table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 12.VEGETABLES (Ryland Peters & Small, 2016, 2020, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-709-6, $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Mat Follas, Masterchef UK winner in 2009. It was first published in 2016 as “Vegetable Perfection”. As a basic book, it covers some of the more modern approaches to vegetarian cookery found in restaurants: using the newest cooking techniques and interesting ingredients to boost texture, add flavour, and thus make the veggie stand out on its own by being its own centrepiece. He's got 100 preps for roots, bulbs, shoots and stems. The book is arranged this way, with other chapters for juices, brassicas, belladonnas, pulses, and fungi. Some of the preps are vegan. There's an interesting pantry (here, a store cupboard) and some substitutions. There are resource pages for both the UK and the US. You could check out artichoke frittata, goat's cheese with dandelion sauce, Bloody Mary soup, or runner beans with eggplant pasta. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes (why use teaspoons?), or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87 13.LEMONS AND LIMES (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 2020, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-200-4 $14.95 USD hardbound) is by well-known Ursula Ferrigno, who has written over 18 cookery books most emphasizing Mediterranean foods. This is the 2020 edition. She's been on UK TV quite a lot, does restaurant consultations, and runs classes at all Sur La Table stores. These 75 preps emphasize the freshness and vivacity of lemons and limes, with one excursion to pink grapefruit. The range is from small bites through soups/salads, meat/poultry, fish/seafood, veggies, and sweets plus drinks. Lemon mushroom arancini, pork dumplings in lime-leaf broth, spaghettini with calamari and lemons, and a smashing gin and tonic cake with lemon syrup. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes (tablespoons and teaspoons are in Imperial, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR JANUARY 2020 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; CBRA Cookbook Reviewer, 1975-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because many of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations, parity, and online bookstore discounts (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.HOW TO BE A MINDFUL DRINKER; cut down, take a break, or quit (DK Books, 2019, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-9247-0 $17.99 USD paperback) is very timely after the Christmas holiday period. It's a book about drinking affecting moods, health, and relationships. It comes via the “Club Soda” community, a mindful drinking movement for those who want to cut down alcohol consumption. It all starts with tying in the will to cut back with the mindful movement about why we drink, who we drink with, what we drink and when, how much we consume. This leads to intentions and change, believing in yourself, and avoiding perfection. There are some good ideas here on changing behavioural patterns...Score another one for mindfulness! Audience and level of use: those who wish to cut back on alcohol. Some interesting facts: changing involves recognizing your body's health and sleep, feeling moods and stress, boredom, involving and reacting with other people. The downside to this book: there can be more of an emphasis in this book on alcohol-free clones of drinks when there should really be more detail on liquids that were never part of alcoholic drinks. It is more difficult to change patterns than it is to start up new ones. It's like the vegan approach to hamburgers or Thanksgiving turkeys – make it look and taste pretty close to the original...but why bother? Drink liquids that bear no taste resemblance to alcohol.` The upside to this book: good stories told by others. Quality/Price Rating: 91. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.HALF THE SUGAR, ALL THE LOVE; a family cookbook (Workman, 2019, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-5235-0423-7 $22.95 USD paperbound) is by TV healthy personality Jennifer Tyler Lee (Nutrition and Healthy Living, Cornell University) who comes from Toronto but now currently lives in the Bay Area of California. Her co-author is Anisha Patel, a pediatrics professor at Stanford, specializing in child health and weight. They give us 100 easy, low-sugar recipes for every meal. It is relatively easy to give up the overt sugar laden foods such as yogurt, salad dressings, dips and sauces; it is much harder when sugar is buried everywhere else. To quote: “Today our children routinely consume three times the recommended daily allowance of added sugar – a problem that can cause obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and fatty liver disease.” The solution proposed in this book is to avoid hidden sugars and replace them with the natural flavours of vegetables and fruits. It's a practical guide with kid-tested recipes (and in some instances, the kids can help out in the kitchen). The basic arrangement is by meal, breakfasts to dinners, with snacks, salads, beverages, and mains. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: families and seniors. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: caramelized pumpkin bread; monkey toast; baked BBQ potato chips; turkey panini with cranberry sauce; Chinese chicken salad with mandarin vinaigrette; oven-baked Korean chicken wings; BBQ pulled pork sliders with buttermilk-apple slaw; The downside to this book: sugar is lurking everywhere, they say, which is really depressing. The upside to this book: it is of course, convincing Quality/Price Rating: 91 IMPRESSIVE BOOKS!!! ++++++++++++++++ --PALESTINE ON A PLATE; memories from my mother's kitchen (Interlink Publishing Group, 2020, 240 pages, $34.95 paperbound) is by Joudie Kalla, a UK chef who specializes in Palestine food. She earlier had also written the cookbook “Baladi Palestine”. This is the home-cooked food of her heritage, paying homage to the Palestine that her family knew and remembers. She starts off with her world of ingredients before moving on to the courses (breakfast, desserts) and the major ingredients: grains, legumes, veggies, lamb, chicken, fish. There's also a bibliography and a list of suppliers. First rate photography with strong memoir-ish cook's notes and travel info. --BIG FLAVORS FROM ITALIAN AMERICA: family-style favorites from coast to coast (America's Test Kitchen, 2020, 278 pages, $35 hardbound) is by the crew at America's Test Kitchens in Boston, where their motto is “recipes that work”. The cookbook celebrates the basic red sauce (ragu gravy) cooking found in America, and also included here is a short history of Italian American food. Created here were spaghetti and meatballs, cioppino, and scali bread. Pizza shops, pasta shops, and sandwich shops came to every town., sustained by those customers who wanted simple and inexpensive meals – usually with garlic bread and modestly-priced baskets of chianti, often lasagna. As the years went by, new items appeared: risotto, polenta, different ravioli. This work also covers minor variations in restaurants across the USA – Philadelphia pork sandwiches, Utica greens, Detroit-Chicago-St Louis pizzas, eggplant pecorino, garlic knots and zeppole. Good holiday reading, from marinated olives through calamari, Sunday suppers, breads and desserts. --BOWLS; vibrant recipes with endless possibilities (America's Test Kitchen, 2020, 246 pages, $35 hardbound) is just one a series of ATK books, now numbering in the seventies. They always take a theme and look at it from every angle, to produce the absolute best cooking ideas and recipes, taking into account kitchen equipment and varying cooking skills. This one produces presp on salad bowls, grain and bean bowls, noodle bowls, and soup bowls. There are master meal preps with make-ahead components, some mix and match items, and handy use of leftovers. There are 63 toppings and sauces, making enough here for a year full of bowls, many of them customized. This is probably the only bowl cookbook you will ever need. Great ideas, with service ranging mostly from two to six, and with full nutritional information for each. There are tables of conversions and equivalents. Just perfect for the zoomer starting out in life. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.DIABETES ESSENTIALS: everyday basics (Robert Rose, 2020, 192 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0631-8 $27.95 CAD softbound) is an oversized paperback created by Karen Graham, RD of British Columbia, and Mansur Shomali, MD, MedStar Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore. It's a book in the series Health & Wellness, basically meant for “new” type 2 diabetics. Every topic has been reduced to lists of ten points for beginning learners: prediabetes, morning blood sugar, stress, lab tests, medical terms, mindful eating, and more. It all begins on pages 12 and 13 with “Diabetes First Ten Days” and leads to strategies of management through nutrition, exercise, and medication. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: mostly pre-diabetics Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the recipe section has about ten preps for each of tasty soups, salads, dinners, desserts, snacks, and then meal planning. The downside to this book: the oversized nature of the book (8.5 x 11 inches) makes it awkward, although the size does allow for larger typefaces. The upside to this book: lots of great illustrations and checklist-quizzes to keep you on point. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 4.THE HEALTHSPAN SOLUTION: how and what to eat to add life to your years (DK Books, 2019, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-9007-0, $25 USD hardbound) is by Julienna Hever, MS Nutrition, and author of four other plant-based books, and Ray Cronise, co-founder of Efferos. They propose that a single lifestyle modification can dramatically improve one's quality of life and promote sustainable health benefits: a plant-based diet. Here are 100 easy but quality recipes, arranged by courses (soups, salads, sides, sweets, sauces). I do not like the grey-toned background on the recipe pages because it makes the text difficult to read. The typeface for the chef notes are a goodly size, but the rest of the page with more important content such as instructions and ingredients is very hard to read. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those contemplating life/health style changes Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: fiesta corn stew; green apple and brussels sprout slaw; eggplant rollatini; lime-mint papaya and jicama bowl; new year's collard greens. The downside to this book: one really doesn't know how effective this all is for oneself until the end is nigh. Has the nigh been long enough? The upside to this book: the proof is in the (plant-based) pudding. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 5.THE DELICIOUS BOOK OF DHAL: comforting vegan and vegetarian recipes made with lentils, peas and beans (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-150-2 $14.95 USD hardbound) is by Nitisha Patel, a UK food consultant and chef specializing in recipe development. Call it “dhal”, “dal” or “daal” – it's all about that important staple: the dried, split pulses of South Asian countries. The 40 preps ere show how diversified the pulses are; dhal can refer to the pulses themselves and to the resulting dishes. So dhal can be a medium-thin soup, a curry, a pakora, dosa, burgers, or dessert. Chapters in this book are divided along those lines. The book could have been improved if it had also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: plant-based aficionados Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: kaali urad dhal; coconut and kale toor dhal; brussels sprouts and carrot sambharo; moong dhal, kale and coconut salad; spiced lentil trail mix; vindaloo burger relish. Quality/Price Rating: 85 6.CAULIFLOWER POWER: 75 feel-good, gluten-free recipes made with the world's most versatile vegetable (Artisan, 2019, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-901-1 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Lindsay Grimes Freedman, who begins with the five key ways to prepare cauliflower: whole head, steaks, florets, riced, and mealed. The range is all-day, from breakfasts through lunches, happy hours, dinners and sides, and desserts. She has a resources list with websites for pantry products such as tamari or almond flour. The book could have been improved if it had also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: Audience and level of use: vegetarians, for the most part. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: shepherd's pie; California roll; turmeric roasted vegetable Buddha bowl; fettuccine alfredo; strawberry ice cream. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.DELISH INSANE SWEETS: bake yourself a little crazy (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019, 238 pages, ISBN 978-0-358-19334-9 $22.99 USD hardbound) is by Joanna Saltz and The Editors of Delish. Saltz is the Editorial Director and author of Delish: Eat Like Everyday's the Weekend; Delish is a fast-growing food media brand on the Internet. Here are 130 recipes of sinful desserts, none of them guilt-free. So they are put out there for you...Chapters are sorted by categories such as cookies, brownies, bars, cupcakes, blondies, “giants”, and Christmas. Lots of colourful, decorative photos. But the book could have been improved if it had also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: sugar freaks; millennials Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: death by chocolate cookies, and brownies; inside-out red velvet cookies; s'mores skillet cookie; giant oreo cake; mini eggnog cheesecakes; oatmeal fudge bars. The downside to this book: no Bakewells (neither tart or pudding). The upside to this book: great rush of sugar hits. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 8.THE GAIJIN COOKBOOK: Japanese recipes from a chef, father, eater and lifelong outsider (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-328-95435-0 $30 USD hardbound) is by Ivan Orkin (author of Ivan Ramen and a TV chef, plus ownership of two restaurants in NYC) and Chris Ying (co-founder of Lucky Peach). “Gaijin” is an outsider to Japan. This is a book of really good Japanese home-cooked foods. He's got a pantry and an ingredient list, plus a contents listing of the recipes by category (such as “rice dishes and dishes to eat over rice”, broth and stews, apps, entrees to share, hot pots, noodles, bagels and sandwiches). His home preps are divided by chapters, such as “eat more Japanese”, “empathy”, “geeking out”, “good times”, and “New Year's”. It's a fun book, encouraging us to eat more Japanese food and involving our kids in prepping and feeding. He has a selection of recipes from the vanishing Japanese diner. Fascinating book, well worth a look. It goes beyond teriyaki, yakitori, and soba...for the better. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 9.MELTED CHEESE (Ryland Peters Small, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-164-9 $14.95 USD hardbound) is a publisher's book of collected recipes from the RPS stable of writers. Its sub-title deftly summarizes it: “gloriously gooey recipes from fondue to grilled cheese and pasta bake to potato gratin”. Classics include Swiss fondue and French onion soup. The seventy recipes are from (mostly) Laura Washburn, Hannah Miles, Lizzie Kamenetzky, and 13 others. The contents include breads, pastas, veggies, dips, and soups. A nice collection of melted cheese foods. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87. 10.MODERN FLEXITARIAN; plant-inspired recipes you can flex to add fish, meat, or dairy (DK Books, 2020, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-9246-3 $30 USD hardback) originated with DK Books in Australia in 2019. This is the North American edition. The preps are taken from ten other DK cookbooks which deal with healthy non-meat foods. The opening chapter was created by Lucy Taylor and gives the lay of the land: definitions, balanced diet, pantry, swaps, and more. In the book, the stress is on using plant-based preps with the option of adding any or all of fish, meat or dairy. So for the three bean paella, there are instructions on how to use or add fish. For the baked falafel with pickled red onions, how to make it with lamb. For the masala chickpea nachos, how to add cooked chopped chicken OR use a soy mozzarella cheese. There's a good section on simple swaps, where dairy milk substitutes can be soy, almond, coconut, oat, and rice; cheese can be swapped with nutritional yeast or nut cheeses; honey can be swapped with agave nectar, rice malt syrup or maple syrup; and eggs can be swapped with aquafaba, chia seeds and flax seeds. Meat and seafood can be replaced by tofu, tempeh and seitan. Cooking techniques need not change. The book could have been improved if it had also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. 11.DELICIOUS SOUPS; fresh & hearty soups for every occasion (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2013, 2020, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-196-0, $19.95 USD hard covers) is by Belinda Williams, founder of the Yorkshire Party Company (events and catering) and the Yorkshire Provender. She’s been busy designing soups for the latter. There are about 60 preps here, arranged by style of soup: hearty, smooth and creamy, special occasion, and global flavours. Her chickpea soup is a Moroccan harira and a chickpea chicken tagine. There is no pho or miso. But there is a nifty sunchoke soup with sorrel and sage, and a field mushroom soup or a creamy coconut and lamb soup. This book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 86. 12.THE PLANT KITCHEN: 100 easy recipes for vegan beginners (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2020, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-181-6 $19.95 USD hardbound) has been edited by Miriam Catley from recipes by other writers in the RPS stable. It is a good introductory book, arranged by course (breakfast through snacks, soups, sides, suppers, and entertaining a crowd – finishing with desserts. Preps come from 16 different writers, but mainly from Dunja Gulin (30), Jenna Zoe, Nicola Gaines, and Liz Franklin. This book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87. 13.THE MODERN TAGINE COOKBOOK: delicious recipes for Moroccan one-pot meals (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-143-4 $14.95 USD hardbound) is by Ghillie Basan. They were chosen by editor Julia Charles from Basan's four previous tagine books: Flavours of Morocco, Tagine, Tagines and Couscous, and Vegetarian Tagines and Couscous. So here are 60 great preps for Moroccan casseroles that include any of meat (lamb, beef, chicken, sausage), fish and seafood, vegetable (lentil, bean) or vegan options (cream-free, of course). And there are recipes for couscous and salads. If you do not have a tagine, then a Dutch oven, Instant pot, Slow cooker, or just a tin-foiled covered baking dish can do – either stovetop or oven. [but this is not explained in the book]. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87 ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR NOVEMBER 2019 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; CBRA Cookbook Reviewer, 1975-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because many of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations, parity, and online bookstore discounts (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.FANCY AF COCKTAILS; drink recipes from a couple of professional drinkers (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019, 208 pages, $35.99 hardbound) is by Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval. It's the perfect gift for millennials: a loud, brassy tome with lots of colour and photos of both the drinks and the authors. With plenty of personal data too. The work has four main sections: classy, trashy, shots and recovery – drinks for all occasions with bourbon, Champagne, gin, Cointreau, margaritas, rum, vodka, whiskeys and more. Perhaps best taken in small doses, but it is a readable and affordable guide. Quality/Price Rating: 90 * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.LATERAL COOKING (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018, 2019, 612 pages, ISBN 978-1-63557-264-3 $40 USD hardbound) is by Niki Segnit, who also wrote “The Flavor Thesaurus”. This current book, published in the UK last year, is a companion volume to that earlier book. As Niki says, the hand book is “designed to help creative cooks develop their own recipes. It is based around a set of recipes which, once you're familiar with them, will prove almost infinitely adaptable, according to what you have in your fridge, in season, on offer at the market, or you feel like making.” Everything is arranged by 12 continuums, jncluding batter, roux, soup and stew, nuts, sauce, pastry and more. The chef's job is to taste flavour combinations, and this leads to lateral cooking where one dish leads to another. Segnit and Ottolenghi (in their introductions) explain it all. There is an extensive bibliography and index to help us all through it. It looks more complex than it is, but it is all laid out for you. As with most cookbooks published in America, the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Still, it is a very weighty tome dedicated to the fundamentals of cooking – and well-worth a read. Audience and level of use: the inquisitive cook. No dilettantes need apply. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: this is how chefs make food – they see something, they taste something, and then they tinker with it. The downside to this book: in 608 pages there are lots of preps and background here. The upside to this book: it is all very well laid out. Quality/Price Rating: 92. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.BEST OF BRIDGE: COMFORT FOOD (Robert Rose, 2019, 252 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0632-5 $29.95 CAD spiral bound) is by Emily Richards and Sylvia Kong who have been extending the Best of Bridge franchise by creating new material and new books. They had previously written “Best of Bridge Weekday Suppers”. Their latest book has 150 recipes for family and friends on the theme of “comfort food”. As such it is very useful for anybody who wishes a basic cook book for the kitchen. The spiral binding is a great bonus, for the book lies flat when used. Typical dishes include breakfast sandwiches, ramen noodle soup, Asian chopped chicken salad, carbonara pasta – all the warm foods that are quick and easy to make for the fall/winter seasons. Some updating includes more plant-based options and multi-cultural preps (chicken gumbo, guyanese beef curry on rice, ma po tofu, churros). The familiar hand-lettered font has been retained (except for the index). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements; and there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 4.INSTANT LOSS: eat real, lose weight (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019, 322 pages, ISBN 978-0-358-12185-5, $24.99 USF paperbound) is by Brittany Williams, who describes how she lost 125 pounds – in one year – using the Instant Pot and other kitchen gadgets. In 2017 she made a radical choice to stop trying to lose weight and instead keep food simple. She changed her mindset regarding weight loss, dieting and food. Her first book was Instant Loss Cookbook, in which she used the Instant Pot for all her meals. She decided to do all the fresh cooking at home (avoiding processed foods), for meals that are 30 minutes in prep time or less, using healthy and sustainable food, with no eating out or ordering in. No fast food. Just natural food. And it worked too, and should work for anyone: mindfulness, no fast food, no processed food, no ordering in, no eating out, and just eating naturally healthy food of all kinds, even meats/seafood. There are 100 plus recipes here that are worthy of your attention. Just don't overindulge. The book is arranged by course, from apps through desserts, soups to nuts, with material on breakfasts and snacks. The book could have been improved if it had also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88 5.FRESH FLAVORS FOR THE SLOW COOKER (Storey Publishing, 2019, 202 pages, ISBN 978-1-63586-123-5 $18.95 USD paperbound) is by Nicki Sizemore, a recipe developer who had previously published “Build-a-Bowl” cookbook. Here are 77 easy recipes for the slow-cooked meal. It's a rethink of the old slow cooker, which is back in tandem with the Instant Pot. She does compare the two, and feels that the slow cooker is better since the Instant Pot (and its clones?) heats up too fast for breaking down stewing meats and other tough foods. BUT as long as you are aware of that heating up, then an Instant Pot can be used almost as well and you don't have to buy another appliance, not even from a garage sale. Her overall changes in developing new recipes is to cut out processed foods, cut back on adding liquid, increase the aromatics and spices, add quick cooking foods last, and finish the dish with a compelling sauce/topping. There are four main sections here: veggies, poultry, meats, and seafood, plus brunch dishes. Thus there are chicken and black bean chilaquiles, Asian pork lettuce wraps, and slow cooked cod. The book could have been improved if it had also used metric in the recipes. But at least it had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89 6.CHEESE BOARDS TO SHARE; how to create a stunning cheese board for any occasion (Ryland Peters and Small, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-148-9 $19.95 USD hard covers) is by cheese professional and cheese educator Thalassa Skinner. This is a short introduction to the “world of cheeses” plus material on how to create 25 themed cheese boards with international cheeses. Themes include wine, beer and cocktail pairings, as well as kids, picnics, and camping trips. Each cheese has a detailed description and some suggested global alternatives if you cannot find an elusive cheese. She has accompaniment ideas and many tips and tricks, including a bibliography of books and magazines and websites for further reading. A typical board is the Alpine, an all Swiss cheese board. Four cheeses are described, 12 more are listed as substitutes, and she gives us the idea of doing more regional boards for other countries. Suggested “boughten” accompaniments for the Swiss board include rye bread toasts, salted almonds, pickled cornichons, and fresh apricots. Also, she has a tomato and smoked pepper jam for you to make from her recipe. I would have liked an all-blue cheese board for the sake of comparison, but she does have one board with two blues on it. In fact, cheese boards can also be instructive if there is the opportunity to compare and contrast very similar cheeses. Indeed, a few days ago I prepared a cheese board with four different Tommes (circular round shape, earthy gray-brown edible rind, and intensely nutty taste, made from skimmed milk: hence low-fat, high-protein) from four separate milk sources (water buffalo, cow, sheep, goat) from the same Ontario dairy – Monforte. Hey – that way I created a three-fold cheese board of regionality, Tommes, and milk sources! The book could have been improved if it had also used more metric in the recipes to include equivalents to teaspoons and tablespoons, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 90. 7.LEAF: lettuce, greens, herbs, weeds (Hardie Grant Quadrille, 2019, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-240-5 $35 USD hardbound) is by food writer and cookbook author Catherine Phipps. One of her four books is CITRUS (2017). Here she engages us with 120 or so recipes that celebrate varied, versatile leaves. It's arranged by course, from brunch through starters, light meals, soups, salads, veggie main dishes, meat/seafood mains, sides and basics. There are some good notes on how to store leaves and how to dry herbs, plus some cooking preps on making flavoured salts, butters, jellies and oils, principally from herbs. A section on sauerkraut proves that cabbage is king. Radicchio risotto is one my faves, as is orzo with foraged spring greens. The book could have been improved if it had also used more metric in the recipes especially for the teaspoons and the tablespoons equivalencies, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 8.SOUR; the magical element that will transform your cooking (Hardie Grant Quadrille, 2019, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-226-9 $35 USD hardbound) is by Mark Diacono, food writer. He introduces souring skills at the beginning, the first 60 pages that deal with sourdough, dairy, vinegar, fermented fruit and vegetables, and fermented drinks. Then he goes on with sections devoted to courses: apps, sides, salads, salads, mains, desserts, and drinks. At the end there are some resources, mainly books and websites. This is a through and comprehensive book, full of sour details. You've got to like “sour” but there are levels to run through. I love sourdoughs and sour dairy (kefir, yogurt), but I loathe pickles and fermented veggies. So where does that put me? This is an excellent reference book for its details. Some suggestions: sumac duck, kombucha mayonnaise, roasted plums with labneh, cherry sour cream clafoutis. It could have been improved if the book had also used more metric in the recipes especially for the teaspoon and the tablespoon equivalencies, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 90. 9.COOKING CLASS GLOBAL FEAST! (Storey Publishing, 2019, 144 pages, $28.95 spiral bound) is by Deanna F. Cook, and it is her third work in this series meant for food adventures for kids. It's a tour of 44 ethnic dishes from around the world – there's fried bannock bread from Canada, beans on toast from the UK, soda bread from Ireland, kasha from Russia, mealie meal bread from South Africa, coconut bread from Tonga, fried rice from China, et al. There are also pop-out food passports, world language flash cards, flag stickers, infographics for taste-test explorations of fruits, breads, veggies and ice creams from around the world. Great fun for over the holidays. Quality/price rating: 87 10.AMERICAN CUISINE AND HOW IT GOT THIS WAY (Liveright Publishing Corporation, 2019. 451 pages, $53.95 hardbound) is by Paul Freedman, author of “Ten Restaurants that Changed America” . He's followed up on that earlier tome by covering more of the Colonial period up through processed industrial food, ethnic cultural diversified foods, and the farm-to-table movement. It's an ambitious too, covering regional cooking styles of the colonies and the westward evolution of the USA. His main thrust is the progression from regionality through national standardization and then variety (as a backlash). Thoughtful, interesting reading for the holidays. Quality/price rating: 90. 11.THE SIDE DISH BIBLE (America's Test Kitchen, 2019, 564 pages, $45 hardcovers) is an affordable look at 1001 great recipes for every salad, veggie, rice, grain, fruit, and bean dish you might need to accompany a main dish – right from a turkey down to a meatball. The only thing missing is fresh meat as a garnish, save for bacon and pancetta (with over 50 preps between them). There are plenty of tips and advice to help the harried cook/chef to easily find a perfect matching side dish for any occasion. There's 10-minute Brussels sprouts, cauliflower salad, creamy farrotto (farro risotto), potato galette. And it is a perfect cookbook for those who actually enjoy a meal of side dishes (like me). One of the highlights of the holiday gift parade. Quality/price rating: 90. 12.PASTA GRANNIES; THE OFFICIAL COOKBOOK (Hardie Grant Books, 2019, 256 pages, $42.99 hardbound) is by Vicky Bennison who created the YouTube channel “Pasta Grannies” five years ago. In her cookbook (and through the videos), she has a mission to save traditions and share skills, one Granny Nonna at a time, As 85-year old Lucia says, “when you have good ingredients you don't have to worry about cooking. They do the work for you.” Everyone has their own special recipe and Bennison is capturing as many as she can before the nonne pass on. While the cookbook is arranged by type of food (nuts, veggies, pulses, gnocchi, seafood, meat, brodo, ravioli), it is basically about the great divide of dairy (butter, cheese) of the north and the tomato of the south. Diversity is the name of the game. Profiles are given as well as backgorund the the many kitchens, so it is more than just a cookbook. These are the secrets of Italy's best home cooks, and it is a wonderful gift for a hostess/holiday time. Quality/price rating: 90. 13.BINGING WITH BABISH (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019, 336 pages, $43 hardbound) is by Andrew Rea, a chef and filmmaker. He's created the eponymous YouTube channel, and this is the resulting complementary cookbook...except it also involves storytelling as it relates to 100 recipes recreated from fave movies and TV shows (such as Homer Simpson's Space-Age Out-of-This-World Moon Waffles, or The Godfather's Cannoli, or shrimp gumbo from Forrest Gump). He's got details about the cooking show itself, plus a range of photography and some memoir-material. Outstanding are such classic dishes as the timpano from Big Night, prison gravy from Goodfellas, and big kahuna burger from Pulp Fiction. The ultimate giftbook...to food lovers or film lovers. Quality/price rating: 86 14.BINGE-WATCHING EATS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 160 pages $19.95 hardbound) is a publisher's production, with themed snacks and drinks for your next binge TV watch, as pulled together by Katherine Bebo and Julia Charles from 32 cookbook authors in the RP & S stable of writers. It's arranged by theme: lawyer shows, sports, medical shows, police, murder, etc. 60 party recipes for TV shows. Quality/price rating: 86. 15.FINE CIDER (Dod 'n' Bone, 2019, 176 pages, $27.95 hardbound) is by Felix Nash, a cider merchant who looks at the history, the styles, the apple varieties, and the processes of cider-making, He's also got material on cider-producing regions, cider and food matches, and a great list of where to start with the bucket list of ciders to try. Styles are important (I love cider from Normandy or Brittany), but these are dependent on the varieties available. There is an art to blending and to using wild yeasts. Cidermaking is a lot like winemaking, substituting apples for grapes and finishing with a lower alcohol content, usually at the top end of a beer level, say 5 – 8% ABV. There's the French style I like, usually at 4% ABV. There is also Pet Nat (petillant naturel) , ice cider, still cider, and Champagne method. A good too for those beginning to find their way into cider. Quality/price rating: 91 16.BAR CART STYLE; creating super-chic cocktail stations (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 128 pages, $19.95 hardbound) has been styled by Emily Henson. It is basically how to put together a bar cart that makes a statement in its own right for iconic cocktails and other alcoholic drinks. Carts are from the Art Deco and Jazz Age period, but they are important simply because they are mobile and free-up counter space. The bar basics are here, equipment is minimal as is glassware, and there are some suggested recipes such as blackberry bellini, mai tai, jalisco flowet, dill acquavit, and the Negroni. A great inexpensive gift for the millennial. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.FELIDIA; recipes from my flagship restaurant (Appetite by Random House, 2019, 246 pages, $42 hardbound) is by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, her Chef Fortunato Nicotra, and her daughter Tanya Bastianich Manuali who has also co-authored several cookbooks with Lidia. Felidia is one of the top Italian restaurants in North America, and it is augmented by Lidia's empire of entertainment production units (principally her PBS shows), her other restaurants, her prodigious output of cookbooks, and her food line. The upscale preps here come from her flagship restaurant, and include such oft-requested items as polenta crackers, carrot spread, eggplant flan with tomato coulis, capon broth with passatelli, gnudi, and a range of risottos and pastas. Not to mention main courses and sides. This is a well-developed cookbook for the Italian food lover. The book could have been improved if it had also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 90 18.THE CURRY GUY VEGGIE (Hardie Grant Quadrille, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-258-0 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Dan “The Curry Guy” Toombs. It's his second curry book. This one deals exclusively with over 100 meat-free Indian dishes. It is all arranged by categories, from snacks to starters to street foods, and then curries in 33 pages, dosas, idlis, outdoor cooking, accompaniments, breads, rice and desserts. There is a glossary of ingredients as well as a list of suppliers (includes USA too but not Canada). Recipes labels have been added, so you can see at a glance what prep is 30 minutes or less, what prep is low and slow, what fermenting/soaking time is needed, what is vegan, and what is gluten-free. He's got plans for storing food such as spices, sauces, pulses, rice, herbs, and pickles. Then there are the base recipes for garam masala, chaat masala, tandoori masala, various pastes and sauces. Try vegetable stuffed papad roll curry, beetroot and potato masala dosa, kanchipuram idlis, or tandoori mushrooms with paprika sauce. Everything has been created and vetted in his own home kitchen. The book could have been improved if it had also used more metric in the recipes as with teaspoons and tablespoons, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89 19.AFTERNOON TEA AT THE CUTTER & SQUIDGE BAKERY; delicious recipes for dream cakes, riskies, savouries & more (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-158-8 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Annabel Lui and Emily Lui, sisters who own Cutter & Squidge. It is now in two locations in London. The cafe specializes in sweet treats and afternoon teas, and thus the book reflects those activities. The 60 preps have natural colourings and flavourings. There are even some fantasy-themed bakes here, such as rose zucchini tartlets, feta and pepper pinwheel scones, or apple pie mousse with shortbread bows. The ombre rainbow layer cake is spectacular. At the back there is a set of menus for afternoon teas for Mother's Day, quick and easy, kid's faves, vegan, picnic, et al. It's a great book for the baker who wishes ideas, especially those who live outside of London and have no physical access to the cafe. As with all good baking books, ingredients are listed with both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 89 20.CURRY & KIMCHI; flavor secrets for creating 70 Asian-inspired recipes at home (Story Publishing, 2019, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-63586-158-7, $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Unmi Abkin and Roger Taylor, co-owners and chefs at the Maassachusetts restaurant Coco and The Cellar Bar. Abkin is a four-time semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Northeast. Both of them attended the California Culinary Academy. Abkin had also worked at Chez Panisse. It's a typical book with basic Korean dishes but there is also the added spin of some Mexican- and Korean-inspired lateral foods, such as a bolognese sauce for Korean spaghetti and Korean sloppy joes. There's a chow fun sauce for coriander shrimp, a scallion ginger jam for a clay pot miso chicken, and ponzu sauce for a miso-glazed cod rice bowl. On board with the log rolling endorsements are Alice Waters, Virginia Willia, and Joanne Weir. Excellent layout with two-colour instructions. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had a metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 88 21.THE DEEP END OF FLAVOR; recipes and stories from New Orleans' premier seafood chef (Gibbs Smith, 2019, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-5100-0 $30 USD hardbound) is by Tenney Flynn, chef at GW Fins in New Orleans. He has been assisted her by Susan Puckett, former food editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. His log rollers include a bevvy of Bear award winners from New Orleans. It is mostly about finfish (he's got a glossary) but also covers shrimp and crawfish, oyster, lobster, crab and other assorted denizens of the deep. It is all arranged by cooking method: raw, poached and boiled, seared, grilled, smoked, braised, roasted, fried, simmered, stewed, blended bits and pieces, plus the inevitable sauces-dressings-sides-salads. A small chapter on drinks and desserts completes the book which could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes. At least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88 22.PLANT-BASED MEAL PREP; simple, make-ahead recipes for vegan, gluten-free, comfort food (Alpha DK, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-8384-3 $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Stephanie Tornatore and Adam Bannon who now have their own YouTube channel. They also wrote “Healthy Meal Prep”. This is a basic book on vegan food, emphasizing that your diet can be completely vegan or just eat more plant-based dishes. There are six quick prep day plans, with strategies, followed by 70 or so make-ahead recipes for all meals (and some of them can be mixed and matched). In addition to all preps being GF (gluten-free) there are other tags such as soy-free, gain-free, nut-free. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Nutritional data has been added to each recipe. The index is in a large typeface. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 23.COOKING WITH MARY BERRY (DK Books, 2016, 2019, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-9421-4, $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Mary Berry, well-known British cookbook author who has appeared as a judge on UK cooking shows and competitions in the American market. This is one of her first books for US viewers – published in hard covers in 2016, and here now in paper covers, although she has written over 70 (seventy!) cookbooks in the UK. Here are 150 everyday recipes “that my American viewers will love”. There are also some UK specialties in the mix as well, such as Chelsea buns. Bath buns, It is a standard arrangement: breakfasts, soups & starters, mains, sides, breads, and desserts. It is international, with curries, enchiladas, hummus, salade nicoise, focaccia, Persian pilaf. Standard and classic Mary Berry. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 24.PARTY-PERFECT BITES (Ryland Peters & Small, 2014, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-157-1, $14.95 USDhard covers) is by Milli Taylor, a London caterer who has a supper club called Milk & Sugar. Her book is all about finger food (sorry, only one asparagus recipe: asparagus filo cigars) and small bites. She's got about 100 recipes, all easy and quick to do. In addition, there are menu planners to help serve a variety of people and a selection of both hot and cold apps – all matched to the season, the celebration, and the venue. These include a formal drinks party, a casual drinks party, a festive winter drinks party, a vegetarian affair, and a gluten-free affair. Strewn throughout are the usual shortcuts, tips, hints and advice on parties. Typical preps are chestnuts and bacon, mini okonomiyaki (with no fish), coconut pancakes, beetroot and apple on crispbreads, prosciutto-pear-gorgonzola rolls, and churros. Something for everyone. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric (for the most part) and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 88. 25.FLAVORS OF THE MIDDLE EAST (Ryland Peters & Small, 2014, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-162-5, $19.95 USD hard covers) is by Ghilli Basan, a Cordon Bleu trained food writer of books dealing with the Middle East and with South-East Asia. This book was originally published in 2014 as “Flavors of the Middle East”. It's more a general introduction, almost-travel book with its photography by Steve Painter. The arrangement here is pretty traditional, beginning with basic recipes and a cultural history of the region, followed by mezze, salads, soups, meat, poultry, seafood, veggies, grains, sweets and drinks. It is a fabulous introduction with a good layout. Preparations have their ingredients listed in some metric but mainly in avoirdupois measurements, and there are no tables of equivalents. Some interesting recipes of the 65 given include chicken tagine with fried halloumi and olives; chicken onions and sumac; lentils with rice and caramelized onions; carrot, almond and cardamom conserve; pickled purple turnips; brown beans with soft-boiled eggs; and fish tagine with chermoula and cabbage. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 26.THE GUILT-FREE GOURMET; indulgent recipes without wheat, dairy or cane sugar (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2012, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-152-6, $19.95 USD hard covers) is by Jordan and Jessica Bourke, an Irish brother and sister. He’s a chef specializing in nutrition; she's a nutritional therapist. The book originally came out in 2012; it is reprinted here (with an addition: the word “sugar” in the former subtitle has been replaced with the words “cane sugar”). None of the recipes here use wheat or dairy, or "processed sugar" (but date syrup and agave syrup is used, so it is not entirely sugar free). There is also use of xylitol, a natural sweetener. But stevia, though, is strangely not mentioned. The book is arranged by mood, so there is a chapter on brunch, another on comfort food, another on foods from afar, home baking, sweet treats, light and fresh, and sharing plates. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both mainly metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Some interesting recipes include apple, raisins and cinnamon muffins; chicken and chorizo with mashed squash and romesco; sweet potato hummus; borlotti bean puree; globe artichoke and fennel; chicken tagine; chocolate panna cotta. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 27.RAINBOW FOOD; 50 recipes color-coded and vitaminized (Firefly Books, 2018, 2019, 143 pages, ISBN 978-0-2281-0224-3, $19.95 CAD softcovers) is by Linda Louis, who lives in France and writes often about wild foods and organic cooking. It was originally published last year in French by Gallimard (Paris). The theme is “colourful” foods to promote good nutrition, based on easy and delicious (with spices) recipes for a variety of tastes using standard grocery foods, mainly fresh fruits and veggies. The three most powerful nutrients in colourful foods are: chlorophyll, carotenoids, and polyphenols. Preps cover the range from apps to desserts to frozen snacks. There is even a section on homemade natural food colourings. Typical dishes include roasted heirloom carrots with balsamic, yogurt and pomegranate sauce; pickled roasted peppers; chia pudding; fruit popsicles; dried fruit ice cream – even mojitos. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. This is probably the best new colourfully photographed books this year! Quality/price rating: 87. 28.ROASTS (National Trust, 2009, 2019, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-911358-75-6 $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Laura Mason. It was originally published a decade ago, and now it is back in a revised edition (although the bibliography does not seem to have been updated). It's a good basic book, with all the British elements of what constitutes a roast and how to prepare it for the baking process. It opens with beef and veal, and then moves along to lamb and mutton (the latter rarely seen in North America), pork and ham, poultry (including goose and duck), and game (a toughie). Plus a selection of sides and sauces. Conversions charts are at the back. Quality/price rating: 87 ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR OCTOBER 2019 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; CBRA Cookbook Reviewer, 1975-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because many of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations, parity, and online bookstore discounts (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.WHISKEY; a tasting course (DK Books, 2019, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-8239-6, $25 USD hardbound) is by Eddie Ludlow, former Brand Ambassador for Glenmorangie and now co-owner with his wife of The Whiskey Lounge, an event-centered spot for all manner of things whiskey. They believe that the best way to find out about whiskey is by tasting it, similar to the approach by wine writers. So here there are 20 tailored tasting sessions of four samples each, structured to take you through the experience of aromas and flavours, ranging from the scents of Japanese oak through to the smoky tang of Islay peat. They've got some tasting tours and insider tips on smart buying. They cover the basics on how whiskey is produced and how to taste spirits, with stops for tasting vocabulary on aromatics, body, and finish, plus deep background. They begin of course with Scottish single malts, progressing to Irish, bourbon, rye, Japanese/Asian, and the like. There are suggestions for what bottles to buy, and if you have a group, then you can easily absorb the costs. Good, strong schematic diagrams. Audience and level of use: whiskey lovers looking for new angles, millennials. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Scotch whisky was the unwitting beneficiary of the phylloxera grapevine-destroying parasite. As stocks of grape-based alcohol ran low, sales of Scotch whisky soared. The downside to this book: too many small generic photos take away space from the instructions. The upside to this book: whiskey and food (including chocolate) are covered, along with cocktails. Quality/Price Rating: 93. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.KOSHER STYLE; more than 100 Jewish recipes for the modern cook (Appetite by Random House, 2019, 245 pages, ISBN 978-0-525-60988-9 $35 CAD hardbound) is by Amy Rosen, well-known award-winning freelance journalist and editor. She's the author of five books, including Toronto Eats and Toronto Cooks. It's got log rolling endorsements from Christina Tosi, Alan Richman, and Lucy Waverman. These are all her family classics that have been modernized, but still kosher. The range is from Jewish holidays through work-day dinners with some entertaining. Of course, all then preps are doable at home and are marked “meat”, “dairy” or “pareve” (neutral). It's all arranged by course, from apps through nuts and sweets, concluding with ten menus for gettogethers, such as a vegetarian shabbat, seder, chanukah, sukkot, and high holidays. There is even a passover party mix. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. The book could have been improved if it had also used metric in the recipes, or at least had that metric conversion chart. There is also a fair bit of cultural background with each prep, plus some memoir-ish material. Audience and level of use: millennials, Kosher (and kosher-style) food eaters. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: roasted salmon with horseradish sauce and pickled onions; bialys; roasted butternut squash soup; sweet challah; kasha pilaf; Friday-night roast chicken; cheese blintzes. The downside to this book: lacks metric. The upside to this book: includes typical ultra modern dishes such as quinoa-tofu bowl with greens or harissa-roasted carrots. Quality/Price Rating: 91. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.TASTING TABLE COOKING WITH FRIENDS; recipes for modern entertaining (Flatiron Books, 2019, 310 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-13954-2, $32.50 USD hardbound) is by Geoff Bartakovics (who created www.tastingtable.com in 2008) and his culinary partner Todd Coleman (food editor and director). The idea behind the book and the website is basically: to entertain with menus and recipes that are designed to be made with the invited-guests who are now the sous-chefs. It's a variety of team sports, and comes with log rolling by Marcus Samuelsson and Antoni Porowski. It's a manifesto for entertaining, with guidance and instructions for confidence and food dishes. It's an accessible book with separate chapters for each theme: appetizers before going out; picnic; a formal affair; dinner and a movie; all-day brunch; shrimp boil; vegetarian dinner for omnivores; modern retro dinner; and Friday night feast. You could also invent your own theme: the point is to get everybody involved. We did something like this numerous times with apps and desserts, as part of a wine tasting for twelve of us. Some examples of participation include the fact that no two recipes require the oven at different temperatures at the same time. The preps also have different skill levels, so the overall work can be rationed out to everybody. Plus: there can be mix and matching with the hosts co-ordinating the kitchen OR outsourcing the dishes by a co-ordinated potluck. The book could have been improved if it had also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: party goers; definitely millennials; and just about every guy who is interested in food and hosting. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: tomato tart with feta and za'atar; gyro meatballs with hot sauce; smoky eggplant; sheet pan nachos; smoky shishito dip; goat cheese stuffed pepperoncini; bigos; baked oatmeal with blackberries; green bean poutine. The downside to this book: it can be a bit regimented and organized. The upside to this book: this is “crowdsourced” cooking and cleaning. Quality/Price Rating: 90 4.NATURALLY SWEET BAKING; healthier recipes for a guilt-free treat (DK Books, 2019, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-8395-9, $17.99 USD paperback) is by Carolin Trothe (food photographer and food blogger) and her husband, Sebastian Keitel. They got Jamie Oliver to say “One of my favorite baking books ever!” as endorsement log rolling. The idea is to reduce the amount of highly refined sugar in baking by using naturally sweet products and cutting back on sugar in general with these 70 recipes. The authors encourage us to explore the multitude of natural flavours in foods and to bake with some unusual ingredients such as parsnips and kidney beans. The natural flavours will replace the perceptible sweetness of “sugar”. A variety of flours are used (spelt, almond, oat flour, chickpea, rye, teff, et al). Sweeteners include maple syrup, dates, honey, and dark brown sugar. One of the indexes lists the type of prep for a food category: beginners, finger foods, afternoon treats, quick and easy, old classics, modern classics, etc. The book could easily have been improved if it had also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Most baking should be scaled. Audience and level of use: bakers; those who wish to control their sugar. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: beet bundt cake; blackberry cheesecake; cherry tart; oat waffles; hazelnut bundt cake; raspberry and blackberry cobbler. The downside to this book: the authors are German, and the Germans have always been big on stevia – yet I don't see it in this book. The upside to this book: there are symbols for food, such as gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, etc. Quality/Price Rating: 85 5.BEER SNACKS; tasty bites from around the world (Smith Street Books, 152 pages, ISBN 978-1-925811-17-9, $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Oscar Smith. These are 70 preps for enjoying beer, divided into categories such as nibbles, bites, dips, and plates. There are about a dozen different styles of beers, ranging from lager through stout, and Smith tries to accommodate all of them, starting with chicharrones and ending with beef tacos. A lot of the food is global (India, Mexico, American, South East Asia). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: pub crawlers, beer drinkers at home. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chilli bourbon jerky; potato chips three ways; cheesy bacon and rosemary polenta fries; tteokbokki (South Korea); tsukune (Japan); boquerones (Spain). The downside to this book: very few actual beer “style” recommendations. The upside to this book: a good collection of recipes. Quality/Price Rating: 87 6.VARIATIONS; simple and delicious dishes, two ways (ArtsScroll/Shaar Press, 2019, 296 pages, ISBN 978-1-4226-2333-6 $46.95 CAD hardbound) is by Daniella Silver, author of the popular “Silver Platter” cookbook series. Her latest book gives us 120 recipes, each with a complementary variation. There are pix with every prep, gluten-free recipes (labeled as such) are included, and nutritional data is also here. It's arranged by course, from appetizers to soups, salads to fish, chicken to meat, dairy, grain, veggies, and dessert. It is all useful for kosher/pareve food preparations. The theme for all of her books is simple, elegance, and spectacular. So it is a book that fits in quite well with entertainment, and she describes how to get a “big bang elegance/spectacle” for your simple buck. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents, which is a shame for international sales. Audience and level of use: those looking for simple/elegant kosher recipes Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sesame seed rice balls; za'atar avocado; celery soup; no-mayo avocado tuna salad; sheet pan chicken with heirloom carrots and sweet potatoes; baked almond flour chicken. The downside to this book: no metric The upside to this book: large typeface and integration with the photos. Quality/Price Rating: 86 7.UMAMI BOMB; 75 vegetarian recipes that explode with flavour (Workman Publishing, 2019, 246 pages ISBN 978-1-5235-0036-9 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Raquel Pelzel, who has authored and co-authored over 20 cookbooks. Her preps are built around eight umami-rich foods: aged cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, soy sauce, miso, caramelized onions, smoke, and nutritional yeast. Each is given a separate chapter, but there is also a recipe index at the back, listed in course order from breakfast through soups, salads, sandwiches, mains, sides, and desserts. The cheeses are mainly parmesan, cheddar, and aged gouda. Smoke also includes smoked cheeses as well as smoked tofu. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: vegans, those who want a lot of flavour Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: smoked trout dip; honey-soy grilled salmon; miso broth and clams on toast; grilled banana splits; French onion gratin; caramelized onion Korean pancake; tomato-cucumber sandwiches with roasted tomato mayo; tomato 'nduja. The downside to this book: there are, of course, other foods, such as blue cheese, which is not covered here. The upside to this book: I think I could survive on just nutritional yeast and parmesan cheeses alone. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.GATHER: a Dirty Apron Cookbook (Figure.1, 2019, 2016, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-77327-067-8 $32.99 USD hardbound) is the creation of David Robertson, author of the Dirty Apron Cookbook. He founded The Dirty Apron Cooking School and Delicatessen in Vancouver, and now teaches some 35 classes a year. His current book is a follow-up to the earlier DAC; it has 80 recipes which reflect seasonality and personality in its flavours. The arrangement is typical: brunch, salads, soups, vegetarian, seafood, poultry and meats, breads, and deserts. He has a strong emphasis on the “mise en place” organized kitchen: that is half the battle (locating your materials). Brunch can be a gravlax and breakfast biscuits, or it can be a Thai beef steak sandwich with lemongrass aioli. A vegetarian feature is the pan-seared halloumi cheese and caramelized fennel with an orange-pomegranate reduction. Poultry and meats include a South Indian spiced pork tenderloin with lemon rice, and a bison mushroom stroganoff with thyme sour cream. Excellent plated food photography. A portion of the proceeds from this book will be donated to the Joy Smith Foundation. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. 9.BIGGER BOLDER BAKING: a fearless approach to baking anytime, anywhere (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019, 320 pages, ISBN 978-1-238-54632-6 $30 USD hardbound) is by Gemma Stafford, one busy lady: chef and host of an eponymous online baking show (from whence the book derives its title), judge on Food Network and Netflix, YouTube lady, Facebook, Instagram, and her own website www.biggerbolderbaking.com. Here are 100 recipes for maximum deliciousness with minimal effort, taken from her weekly show. Chapters are organized by tool: wooden spoon & bowl, pots and pans, rolling pin, baking pans, mixer, “no oven needed”, and basics. Typical are confetti mug cake, fancy pavlova, lemon curd mousse, devil's food cupcakes, homemade jelly doughnuts, peanut butter and fudge ice cream pie. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, but at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 10.ANTONI IN THE KITCHEN (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019, 274 pages, ISBN 978-1-32863134-3 $30 USD hardbound) is by Antoni Porowski, the food and wine expert on Netflix's Queer Eye who also works as a food consultant and sommelier in New York City. It comes with log rolling by Ted Allen, Jacques Pepin, and Dorie Greenspan among others. Mindy Fox is the focusing food writer and recipe developer. It's also a memoir- as Ted Allen says, “a veritable culinary travelogue, with nods to his family's Canadian roots, and detours to every place from Lyon to Athens to Melbourne.” Chapters are headed Apps and Snacks, “Greens, Veg and other sides”, soups and stews, pasta and rice, weeknights, animal, and bakes. Typical are chickpea masala, butter beans and tuna in tomato sauce, farro bowl with sweet potatoes, fish tacos with chipotle mayo, bigos (Polish hunter stew), Moroccan-style (lamb) pasta Bolognese, and kielbasa Polish-style. He's also got some French-Canadian recipes from Montreal plus some of his family Polish recipes, The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 11.WHOLE FOOD COOKING EVERY DAY (Artisan Books, 2019, 400 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-802-1 $40 USD hardbound) is by Amy Chaplin, author of the Beard and IACP award winning book “At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen” . She's the former executive chef at NYC's vegan restaurant Angelica Kitchen. She's now mostly a teacher, recipe developer, and personal chef. The sub-title pretty well says it all: “transform the way you eat with 250 vegetarian recipes free of gluten, dairy, and refined sugar.” Contents are arranged by ingredient and by course. Thus, she begins with chia bircher bowls, moving through whole-grain porridges, gluten-free breads, nut and seed milks, drinks, and butters, soups, beans, veggies, sauces, cauliflower bakes, and a variety of desserts headed by puddings, granola, waffles, muffins. Quite through, with a string of variations after just about every prep. Helpful additional matter includes resources, tables of nut and seed roasting times, grain soaking and cooking times, ingredients for the pantry, essential equipment, and so nifty tips and advice for meal preps and meal plans. Most of the book is vegan. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Some of the metric is inconsistently applied. Quality/price rating: 89. 12.SHUK; from market to table, the heart of Israeli home cooking (Artisan Books, 2019, 368 pages, $53 hardbound) is by Einat Admony and Janna Gur. Admony is chef-owner of three NYC restaurants; Gur lives in Tel Aviv and has authored some 40 other cookbooks. “Shuk” is an Israeli market and usually features Mediterranean culinary crossroad food, a sort of cultural melting pot. The food here is flavourful, and comprises salad for breakfast, many cooking techniques for veggies, rich stews and soups, couscous and chicken, liberal use of lemon and oil, fresh herbs and lots of fish. These are 140 home comfort food preps, with tons of tips and on-site photos of the shuk tour of Israel. Included are Ethiopian chicken, Yemenite malawach sficha, crispy za'atar, green shakshuka, and Jerusalem bagels. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88 13.THE BEST OF AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN; best recipes, equipment reviews, and tastings 2020 (America's Test Kitchen, 2019, 326 pages, $45 hardbound) is a group effort from the PBS television show. It comes out in late summer but is meant for the next year: in this case, 2020. So all material here is pretty well is written up by the spring of 2019. This is a” best of the best” collection, active since 2007. It's arranged by course, from starters/soups/salads through veggies, pasta/pizza/panini, meat, poultry, seafood, breads, and desserts – with stops along the way for sides, breakfast and brunch. There are concluding sections on test kitchen resources, nutritional info, and conversion equivalents. Quite a lot packed into a handy package, and excellent value (particular for the buying guides and the technique photo displays). The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 92 14.YOU ARE WHAT YOUR GRANDPARENTS ATE: what you need to know about nutrition, experience, epigenetics & the origins of chronic disease. (Robert Rose, 2019, 320 pages, $37.95 paperbound) is by long time food author Judith Finlayson who also writes about personal well-being and women's history. She provides an up-to-date global overview of the science linking one's experience as a fetus with the development of chronic illness later in life, and the possibility that one will pass on lifestyle choices to future generations. Epigenetics is the connection between our genes and our environment: the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the lifestyle we choose. It's a good basis for those millennials who try to understand where they are from and where they are going. Nature and nurture are intertwined, and early life experiences have an effect on diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancers. She does a good job in making hard science accessible and readable. Something to think about over the holiday seasons. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/Price Rating: 89 15.SAVE ME THE PLUMS; my Gourmet memoir (Appetite by Random House, 2019, 268 pages, $32 hardbound) is by the inspired Ruth Reichl, a great food writer with a gripping-can't-put-it-down style – just perfect for the holidays. She's been the restaurant critic for the LA Times, the NY Times, and then editor of Gourmet magazine for a ten year gig. Then the magazine shut down, primarily because of the incursion of the Internet where recipes abound. This is her story, her memoir of the glamourous, high-stakes world of magazine publishing. Under her management, Gourmet flourished as a cutting-edge food magazine, far from its stodgy beginnings. It is also the story of how Reichl grappled with the changes and how the changes affected her and then how the shutdown affected her. There are about a dozen recipes here, but one caveat: no overall index to neither the preps or the subject content. 16.THE MUNCHY MUNCH COOKBOOK FOR KIDS (Familius, 2019, 170 pages, $28.99 spiral-bound) is by Pierre A. Lamielle, and award-winning kids' cookbook author with titles such as “Alice Eats” and “Kitchen Scraps: a humourous illustrated cookbook”. He's also competed on Top Chef Canada and Chopped Canada (which he won). Great illustrations that even adults or new cooks will enjoy. These are the essential skills and recipes every young chef should know, beginning with ten pages of “safety”. That deal with hot, sharp, and germs. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 17.SOUTH; essential recipes and new explorations (Artisan Books, 2019, 376 pages, $60 hardcover) is by Sean Brock, once chef of Husk restaurants. Now he will have his own place in Nashville (working name: The Kudzu Complex, serving Appalachian food and a tasting menu). His first cookbook “Heritage” was both a Beard and Child winner in 2015. He's also been a subject on The Mind of a Chef and Chef's Table TV series. Here Brock goes all out with heirloom and indigenous Appalachian ingredients. 125 recipes cover boiled peanuts, fried green tomatoes, she-crab soup, grilled catfish, hoppin' john, pot of greens, dirty rice, cornbread, buttermilk pie, BBQ, plus a Country Ham, Road Map. With an eye on international sales, there are also metric conversion charts. It has already been named one of the best new cookbooks of 2019 by a dozen publications. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 91 18.SALT & TIME; recipes from a Russian kitchen (Interlink Books, 2019, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-62371-921-0, $35 USD hardbound) is by Alissa Timoshkina, chef, curator and supper club host with a PhD in film history. In 2015 she launched KinoVino, which offers film screenings and sit-down dinners with unique menus inspired by the films. Her firm is also an event planner for film and food activities. One of these projects is exploring the cuisine of the former Soviet Union. And she does it here with this book, especially for Siberian food (her birthplace). She's got 100 recipes, mostly about the crossroads of Eastern European and Central Asian cuisine – all adapted for modern tastes and our western kitchens. Interesting preps include Napoleon cake, khe (Soviet-Korean ceviche), golubtsy (layered cabbage pie), plus dumplings, sauerkraut, doughnuts, chicken with prunes. There is an extensive chapter on ingredients and the pantry, plus drinks. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 19.BRONTE AT HOME; baking from the Scandi Kitchen (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 176 pages, $19.95 USD hardbound) is a foodbook by Bronte Aurell, Danish author and TV chef, and restaurateur at ScandiKitchen Cafe in London UK. This is her seventh eponymous cookbook for Ryland Peters & Small. There are 70 recipes here, many from her earlier books. These are traditional recipes from Scandinavia. The themes of the ScandiKitchen centre around baking, and this is her home baking of comforting cakes and bakes. After introducing us to her pantry, the arrangement is by form: biscuits and cookies; buns; traybakes and no bakes; little fancy fika cakes; celebration cakes; breads and batters. Spices used include caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, ginger, saffron, orange peel. Grains are mostly oats and rye, with spelt and potato flour. Try custard tarts, blueberry stud muffins, honey cake, or hazelnut and mocha square. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, although this is inconsistent and conversion charts could have been useful. Quality/price rating: 87. 20.THE RED HOT CHILE COOKBOOK; fabulously fiery recipes for chile fans. Rev. ed. (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2012, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-788-1, $19.95 USD hard covers) is by Dan May, who began growing chiles in the North Pennines in 2005. He now has the world’s most northerly chile farm, called Trees Can’t Dance. He began producing chile sauces. Here he has about 70 preps loaded with heat at various Scoville unit levels. There’s primer stuff on history, how to grow at home, how to identify the varieties, and their strength levels. It’s all arranged by course, from apps to desserts (chile jam ice cream, chile pecan brownies) and drinks. Smoked peppers are also included, such as chipotle (five recipes). Each prep has a chile meter to indicate heat levels. At the back, there’s a listing of both US and UK chile suppliers. Preparations have their ingredients listed, but mixed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements; there is no separate table of metric equivalents. Some interesting or unusual recipes: tropical fruit salad with chile and lime syrup; green chile bhajis; fruity African bean stew; roast pork chops with spicy lentils; Moroccan-spiced lamb burgers. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 21.GARLIC Rev. ed. (Ryland Peters & Small, 2016, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-153-3, $19.95 USD hard covers)is by Jenny Linford, a UK freelance food writer and multiple cookbook author. It was originally published in 2016; this is the revised edition. Garlic adds immense flavour to dishes; some do not like it, but many do. It's a member of the lilies: leeks, onions, chives, and is used internationally. Here are over 65 preps that use garlic extensively as a main component, either for flavour or for textures. It is a full range, divided into areas from “mellow” through to “go wild”, and including “comfort” and “fiery” along the way. There is also material about types and use, garlic festivals around the world (Gilroy comes to mind), medicinal and folklore use, and home cultivation. In general, preparations have their ingredients listed in both avoirdupois and metric measurements (with some inconsistency in treatment), but there is no table of metric equivalents. Some interesting or unusual recipes: kimchi pancake with black garlic crème fraiche; toast garlic herbed labneh; Spanish garlic soup; wild garlic cheese scones; tzatziki; ajo blanco. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 22.HOME BREW BEER (DK Publishing, 2013, 2019, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-8737-7, $22 US hard covers) is by Greg Hughes, co-owner of BrewUK, an online brewing website. He also organizes beer competitions. It is a fun book – anyone can make their own beer, from a simple kit or from an elaborate setup with friends. There are 100 recipes here from around the world, in different styles, with colour photos of techniques and the finished beers. The range includes lagers and ales, wheat beers, herb-spice-fruit beers, all with different levels of strength and concentration of flavours. I used to make beer for seven years, but had to switch to ciders for my weight problems. So it is a treat to revisit a basic home brew book. There is the usual DK treatment of pictures and graphs illustrating timelines, geography, ingredients and techniques. There are many complications involving yeast treatment, hops, adjuncts, and even waters. A simple recipe is all you need to get started – the rest are for the big boys’ club, which you can join after experience. The first rule is to never, ever use sucrose (table sugar) because the resulting brew will taste too apple-y. Of course, you may like that style, so do go ahead – it’s a shandygaff. Equipment can be basic or extensive, but will always involve transfer hoses, air locks, and carboys. More than a third of the book covers all this material. The recipes are the remainder. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is also a table of metric equivalents. He has a glossary, a trouble-shooting FAQ, and some online forums for further help and assistance and recipes. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 23.STARTING AND RUNNING A COFFEE SHOP (DK Books, 2019, 324 page, ISBN 978-1-4654-8379-9 $21.99 USD paperbound) is by Linda Formichelli and Melissa Villanueva. It was originally published in 2005 as “The Idiot's Guide to Starting and Running a Coffee Bar.” It has now been upgraded (from bar to shop) with recent material and a second author (Melissa). In the business world 15 years is a long time. The publisher promises that you will brew success with proven strategies for every aspect of your espresso startup – which presumes that you only run an espresso coffee shop. There are a bunch of questions that need to be answered by the reader: are you a self-starter? Do you have money in the bank? Do you have your family's support? Plus the pros and cons of being your own boss. Melissa gives us a “day in the life”, from opening to closing. Business plans are also discussed, as well as partnering and branding, and finding a good location that hasn't already been taken by the big boys. It is all fairly comprehensive, except that dealing with the landlord comes in on only 4 pages. Really? There's décor, equipment, layout and design, hiring a crew, baristas, what to sell, and the like. The appendices cover a glossary and forms, plus checklists and resources. There are even a few recipes. Quality/price rating: 87. 24.BISTRO: classic French comfort food (Rizzoli, 2015, 2018, 260 pages, ISBN 978-0-78933698-9 $19.98 USD hardbound) is by Alain Ducasse. It was originally published in French in 2015; this is the English translation. These are classic foods served at his restaurants Allard, Benoit, and Aux Lyonnais – all are older bisros but now managed by Ducasse. Preps are sourced as noted from one of the three. The arrangement is by course, with appetizers followed by mains (fish, organ meats, meats, poultry, game, veggies) and desserts and some basic preps, along with a glossary. Typical are civet of wild boar with chestnuts, porcini and crabapples; pheasant with cabbage and chestnuts; traditional calf's head with ravigot sauce; pate en croute; tournedos of beef; veal kidneys with Madeira sauce. Recipes are detailed, and accompanying wines (all French) are noted. Given its price and many photographs and provenance, the book is a bargain. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Indexes are by course and by restaurant. Quality/price rating: 90 25.THE SOUP BOOK: season by season (DK Books, 2009, 2019, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-8613-4 $19.99 USD paperbound) has been edited by Sophie Grigson. It was originally published in the UK as “Soup”. It's a good database of some 200 soups, arranged by season, with an opening chapter on techniques and a finishing chapter on bread. In between we have Spring (with soups based on asparagus, wild garlic, nettles), Summer (edamame, crab, beef, chicken, pork), Fall (pumpkin, pears, sweet potatoes, mussels, chicken) and Winter (kidney beans, parsnips, leeks, kale, duck, pheasant, smoked haddock). Each recipe has indications of service, prep times, cooking times, and freezer life (minus cream). Preps have been sourced as to author, and of course there is a comprehensive index. Contributors are advocates of organic growing (such as Alice Waters). Soup – easy enough to do! Proceeds from the book will support the work of the UK Soil Association, a non-profit that deals with sustainable and organic growing. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 90. 26.HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING; simple recipes for great food. Third ed. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019, 951 pages, ISBN 978-1-328-54543-59, $37 USD hard covers) is by Mark Bittman, PBS host of a similarly named show and the weekly New York Times writer called “The Minimalist”. He is mainly responsible for simplifying the cooking process; some others would say “dumbing down”. This book was originally published in 1998 (updated in 2008), 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 by 2008, and both IACP and Beard awards winner). It first appeared in 1998, with 2000 recipes, and this is its second revision as a “twentieth anniversary edition”. There was a tenth anniversary edition in 2008. 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. 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). The price of the book has gone up in 10 years – by two bucks. Other changes include new recipes and new features. Information has been updated, and photos are in colour. It is unbeatable for the price. Quality/Price Rating: 92. 27.TARTINE; a classic revisited (Chronicle Books, 2019, 328 pages, ISBN 978-1-4531-7873-8 $40 USD hardbound) is by Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson, co-founders of Tartine in San Francisco. It opened in 2002, and this book was originally published in 2006 with 224 pages (and $5 cheaper). Liz does the pastries, Chad does the breads. They are both Beard winners and they have both authored other baking books with the word Tartine in the title. The book was an instant classic, and now it is been updated and revised, with 68 all-new recipes and 55 updated “faves”. Modern flavours and ingredients are here: matcha, einkorn, teff, rye, buckwheat. Variations include natural sweeteners such as coconut sugar and maple syrup, More than two dozen recipes are gluten-free. Gentil + Hyers did the photography this time around. The arrangement is traditional, with breakfast (and their popular Tartine morning buns of croissant dough and cinnamon pinwheels), tarts and pies, cakes, cookies, pastries, holiday treats, and the basics. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes as equivalent to American volume measurements, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Scaling is used but “tsp” and “Tbsp” remain unscaled. Quality/price rating: 91. 28.DINING AT DUSK; evening eats – tapas, antipasti, mezze, ceviche and aperitifs from around the world (Whitecap, 2018, 2019, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-338-0 $34.95 CAD papercovers) is by Stevan Paul. It was originally published in Vienna in 2018, and then translated to English by Murdoch books. This is a co-publication. The range covers today's cuisine for the twilight time: comfort foods and relaxation. The preps are simple and easy to prepare, and )in addition to the subtitle indications) include the Italian cicchetti, Mexican tacos, Japanese yakitori, and items from Samoa, Australia, India, Morocco, Brazil – wherever good food is to be found. It is all arranged by country with background data. From China, expect wonton soup or spring onion pancakes; from Denamrk, a herring platter; from Hungary, sauerkraut puff pastry pockets; from Turkey, imam bayildi (of course); from Austria, the Heuriger platter; roll mops from Germany; Swiss raclette; Swedish smorgasbord; even haggis meatballs from the UK...A great idea for a cookbook. For the most part, preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois and matching metric measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 90 29.THE FLEXITARIAN COOKBOOK; adaptable recipes for part-time vegetarians and vegans (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 144 pages ISBN 978-1-78879-146-5 $19.95 USD hardbound) is a publisher's book based on prior recipes that RPS have published. Julia Charles is the compiler; recipe credits (all sourced) come from Ross Dobson, Mat Follas, Liz Franlin, Vicky Jones, Jenny Linford and seven others. The Introduction tells you how to do it, especially for dinner with mixed philosophies, and then the arrangement is by course such as breakfast/brunch, snacks, salads, sides, soups, stews, pasta, sheet pans, and others. Expect such dishes as Mexican tortilla wraps of black-eyed beans, or pink pancakes with goat's cheese, or halloumi and veggie kebabs, or veggie jambalaya, curried veggie paneer, cheese beetroot and feta risotto, even pan-fried salmon Caesar salad. Try the awesome Syrian eggplant and chickpea ragout. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SEPTEMBER 2019 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; CBRA Cookbook Reviewer, 1975-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because many of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations, parity, and online bookstore discounts (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.THE BEER LOVER'S TABLE: seasonal recipes and modern beer pairings (Dog 'n' Bone, 2019, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-911026-78-5 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Claire Bullen (London food and beer writer) with Jen Ferguson (craft beer specialist at London's Hop Burns & Black). It's a book meant to be an alternative to wine-food pairing. The authors have 65 seasonal modern recipes that are matched to a range of craft beers. They've divided craft beers into five categories: sours/saisons, lagers, wheat, IPAs, and dark beers. There is a chapter for each, with accompanying food recipes. Bitters, of course, have been accounted for. So right away, we leave behind about 90% of the world's beer: the commercially light Buds, Coors, Euro equivalents, etc. Now of course it makes more sense. The hoppy, malted, spicy, bitters of IPA-styles really kick in with pungent foods such as mushroom pasta, aged cheeses, cured salami, gamey lamb (and game in general). The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes (an not imperial volumes), or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: beer lovers, those wanting different alcohol with food. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: for IPAs – nectarine panzanella salad with croutons; fried avocado wedges; dal with fried onions and lime cream; heirloom tomato and whipped goat's cheese galettes; fusilli with chanterelle cream sauce; Indian-spiced fried chicken; peach upside-down cake with miso caramel. The downside to this book: needs metric conversion charts, The upside to this book: great recipe ideas for a gastro-pub, and really fine photography. Quality/Price Rating: 92. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.SUPER ROOTS: cooking with healing spices to boost your mood (Hardie Grant Books, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-241-9, $22.99 paperbound) is by Tanita de Ruijt, a Dutch chef at the Japanese udon-ya Koya Bar in London UK. A lot of the food here is Asiatic. There is preliminary material on “top 12 healing recipes to suit your mood”, notes on sweet and starchy, salty and umami, pungent and spicy, bitter, sour and “balanced”. There is a separate chapter on the pantry that needs to be maintained. Then it's all arranged by your mood of the moment: tired, hungover, bloated, and sick. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes (and reduced the imperial), or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: those needing a change in diets Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: kimchi hummus; gado gado with turmeric peanut sauce; Korean hangover soup; spring onions, herbs and turmeric pancakes; sunshine curry spinach; spice salsa verde; urap urap coconut salad. The downside to this book: needs more metric The upside to this book: good idea for anybody to eat these preps. Quality/Price Rating: 92 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.THE CBD KITCHEN (RylandPeters & Small, 2019, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-112-0 $19.95 hardbound) is by Leah Vanderveldt, a food writer and recipe developer in the wellness arena. She's also been certified in culinary nutrition. CBD oil (cannabidiol) has great anti-inflammatory properties, and is derived from hemp. It can alleviate anxiety, headache, and arthritis, but it is NOT psychoactive. Her 50 preps concentrate on smoothies, teas and coffees, snacks and desserts, with light savoury meals also being useful. Mocktails and cocktails complete the food picture, but there is also CBD skin care and a coconut oil moisturizer. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those who need or want to use CBD. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: in the AM, try match latte, chai latte, mango & ginger smoothie, green strawberry smoothie, super-powered yogurt bowl, and snacking granola clusters. The downside to this book: not to be confused with “edibles”. The upside to this book: there is a CBD schedule for morning, noon and night, with suggested dishes and page references. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 4.FOOD ON FIRE; create bold dishes with 65 recipes to cook outdoors (Dog 'n' Bone, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-911026-88-4, $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Marcus Bawdon. Editor of UK BBQ Mag and social media channels such as “CountryWoodSmoke”. Most BBQ authors are not British. And here Bawdon goes after a global thrust with local flavours and artisanal techniques such as searing directly onto the coals, rotisserie, wood-fired ovens, cast-iron grilling, campfires, smoke, and the like. As the late Anthony Bourdain said, “Barbecue may not be the road to world peace, but it's a start”. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart for the American avoirdupois volume measurements. Audience and level of use: intermediate BBQ cooks and chefs. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: scallops on a silver-birch log; firepit lamb chops; cast-iron peaches; glazed chicken, bacon, and avocado skewers; stuffed porchetta; brisket pot roast; wood-fired eggplant. The downside to this book: I wished that there were more recipes. The upside to this book: a good idea, fulfills a need. Quality/Price Rating: 89 5.SMOKEHOUSE HANDBOOK; comprehensive techniques & specialty recipes for smoking meat, fish & vegetables (Story Publishing, 2019, 189 pages, ISBN 978-1-63586-011-5, $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Jake Levin, a butcher who produces cured meats at Jacuterie in New York. Logrollers do include Ruth Reichl. The book covers a wide range of topics, from the basics of smoking (rubs, brines, cures) through choosing a smoker, the recipes themselves (divided into hot-smoke and cold-smoke), and ending with building your own smoker, including a tri-purpose smokehouse. There's a resources page with a bibliography for further reading. The book could have been improved if it also used both metric and avoirdupois completely in the recipes, but at least it also had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: BBQ lovers and the woodsy guys. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: The downside to this book: I think more than 36 recipes would have been useful. The upside to this book: Excellent introduction and handbook to the varieties of smoking. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 6.THE CAMPFIRE COOKBOOK; 80 imaginative recipes for cooking outdoors (DK Books, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-8396-6, $17.99 USD paperbound) is by Viola Lex and Nico Stanitzok, who had previously published the book in German in 2018. This is the first North American edition. This is total al fresco eating, ranging from the basics, the classics, and some contemporary spinoffs. Good writing and lots of technique photos. Each prep has checklists to make that you have everything before you actually start. Of course there is grilled fish, plus goulashes and orange-chocolate cakes. The theme is “vacation” and keeping it local with purchased foods. Prep times are given, which is really crucial with a campfire or firepit. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: vacationers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cheese and vegetable gnocchi; paella; stuffed flatbreads; mussels in white wine; pannini with ricotta and prosciutto; strawberry sandwich. The downside to this book: needed more metric measurements since it did not have a conversion chart. The upside to this book: good single purpose book. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 7.JUST PEACHY (Gibbs Smith, 2019, 168 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-5126-0, $21.99 USD hardbound) is by Belinda Smith-Sullivan, a food writer concentrating on Southern US food (she lives in South Carolina). Here it is sweet and savoury peach preps from South Carolina. Prominent logrollers include Nathalie Dupreee and Sandra Gutierrez. Primer material includes a brief history of peaches, the varietals, canning and freezing. The preps range from breads, breakfasts to apps, soups and salads, mains, pies and other desserts – plus beverages. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: peach lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: berbere flat iron steak with honey-grilled peaches; peach and sweet potato casserole; spinach-peach salad with Stilton cheese and walnuts; peach guacamole; brie-peach beggar's purse; blueberry-peach slump (grunt); blackened cod tacos with peach salsa. Quality/Price Rating: 89. It's the beginning of the Gift and Holiday Season, with students returning to school, Thanksgiving in Canada and the United States, and the run-up to Christmas...There are lots of stories to tell through these book reviews that follow below (prices are in Canadian dollars) --- 8.MADE IN MEXICO THE COOKBOOK; classic and contemporary recipes from Mexico City (Rizzoli, 2019, 272 pages $55 hardbound) is by Danny Mena, chef at NYC's Hecho en Dumbo, with great endorsements by Rick Bayless and Richard Sandoval. It's a flavourable and colourful work of preps and travel about Mena's fave diners, fondas, loncherias, taco stands, and restaurants in Mexico City, with recipes from the locals plus his own takes. This guidebook covers the city's dining and cooking activities, how the natives drink and eat, but with also a lot of relevant commentary. It's useful for any trip to Mexico City, with the caveat that the tome weighs about 1.25 kilos. 9.AMERICAN SFOGLINO; a master class in handmade pasta (Chronicle Books, 2019, 272 pages, $50 hardbound) is by Evan Funke, an American sfoglino (maker of fresh pasta sheets called sfoglia) who rigourously trained with Bologna's Alessandra Spisni (eight-time world champion pasta maker) and Japan's Kosaku Kawamura. He's opened many restaurants in LA, but managed to find the time to offer this massive work which has a powerful log-rolling endorsement from TEN other chefs, many of whom are Beard winners. It's arranged by 15 pasta shapes, such as tagliatelle, strichetti, strozzapreti, and gnocchi di ricotta. Each section has stories, recipes for sauces and accompaniments. Lots of full-colour photos of techniques for preparing bowls, plates and stuffed pastas. A great tome for pasta lovers. 10.ADVENTURES ON THE WINE ROUTE (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1988, 2013, 2019, 276 pages, $25 softbound) is by Kermit Lynch. It's his wine buyer's guide of France, originally published in 1988 but with a 2013 addition of a 33 page epilogue, a 2013 addition of “25 most memorable bottles of wines”, and a 2019 affordable paperback reissue perfect for gifting. It's a classic work for wine lovers, especially for French wine lovers. It's a highly influential look at the wine trade as it is a record of Lynch's buying patterns (he was an importer: these are his notes). 11.LONELY PLANET'S GLOBAL DISTILLERY TOUR (Lonely Planet, 2019, 264 pages, $26 hardbound) is from the publisher Lonely Planet with contributions from over three dozen writers. It;s a guide to tasting whisky, gin, bourbon and other spirits at the world's best distilleries and bars. Over 30 countries are covered, with regional drinks from Canada (10 pages), USA, Mexico, Japan, the UK, and New Zealand. There are local itineraries that recommend top sights and experiences, and a special section that showcases the world's best cocktails. 12.THE ULTIMATE SCRATCH & SNIFF GUIDE TO LOVING BEER (Flatiron Books, 2019, 12 boards, $28.99 hardbound) is by Richard Betts. Rotem Raffe did the artwork. Together, with deft illustrations and sniffing they do a good job in breaking down the ingredients, the science, and the processes behind how beer is made and enjoyed. They claim that with this reference item the reader will have the tools to make informed decisions. A fun work of art. 13.WE ARE LA COCINA (Chronicle Books, 2019, 288 pages, $36 hardbound) is a collection of recipes in pursuit of the American dream. “La Cocina” (“kitchen” in Spanish) is an organization that promotes foodways from all over the world. It helps to develop food products, restaurants, food trucks, and food stall concepts. It's a group which lobbies for inclusion and equity for entrepreneurial women of colour and recent immigrants to the USA; all of the royalties go back into La Cocina to support new entrepreneurs. There are 75 recipes here and stories from 40 successful alumni of the kitchen incubator. These different foods (momos, albondigas, onigiri, et al) are accompanied by 150 photos by Eric Wolfinger. 14.ANDALUSIA (Hardie Grant Books, 2019, 256 pages, $57 hardbound) is by Jose Pizarro, who owns three restaurants in London called (wait for it): Jose, Pizarro, and Jose Pizzaro. It's a good collection of local cuisine and preps from Seville and other places within the Spanish region by the sea. He's got some memoirish material plus lots of photos from Emma Lee. It's divided into 4 main sections of meat, fish, veggies, and desserts, plus some Andalusian menus with a timeline of work routines for the days before. This is followed by a listing of places to eat in the area. Loaded with photos. 15.PROVENCAL (Pavilion, 2019, 256 pages, $47 hardbound) is by Alex Jackson, owner of Sardine in London UK, which centres on Provence and the surrounding Mediterranean area. So this is Southern French cooking with an emphasis on fresh veggies, herbs, olive oil and breads. And it is seasonally arranged from Spring through Winter, opening up with socca with artichokes and closing with the grand bouffe of pot-au-feu. It's a charmer of a collection of preps, centred around rusticity. But it is hard to find at a commercial restaurant even in Provence. As the author says, “short of knocking on farmhouse doors, it's difficult to piece it all together.” You have to rely on books and do it yourself. So this work is a good start to begin with, and then move on to Richard Olney and Robert Carrier. Nicely laid out with line drawings. Pissaladiere anyone? 16.PROVENCE: the cookbook (Interlink Books, 2019, 208 pages, $43.95 hardbound) is by Caroline Rimbert Craig, whose fruit farmer heritage shines forth in this collection of recipes from the French Mediterranean. There is much detail (and photos) on how the locals eat and their customs over the years. The Provencal larder is explored, with its olive oils, herbs and aromatics, garlic, salads, preserved anchovies, wines, breads, cheeses, salt cod, nuts, and red wine vinegar. The contents are arranged by season, from Spring through Winter. Some faves of mine appear: salade de feves et d'asperges, pissaladiere, tarte de blettes, and the wonderful sandwich des cyclistes! The range is from accras de morue through soupe au pistou through tartines de truffes. Another great too for the armchair traveller and/or the home chef. 17.PARIS FOR FOOD LOVERS (Hardie Grant Travel, 2017, 2019, 176 pages, $28.99 paperbound) is by Elin Unnes. It was originally published in Swedish, but here it has been updated for the 2019 English edition. It's a guide to the new Paris, the 11th arrondissement (natural-wine restaurants, divey bars, market stalls, alley lanes for unmarked restaurants, and more). Each has a photo and brief description, plus the deets. She also covers other areas such as the 10th, 12th, and 20th. Maps are included. Really an interesting work, written in conversational style. 18.ROME FOR FOOD LOVERS (Hardie Grant Travel, 2018, 2019, 176 pages, $28.99 paperbound) is by Peter Loewe. It was originally published in Swedish, but here it has been updated for the 2019 English edition. It's a more traditional organization, with chapters on different types of places to eat at, food stores, the outskirts of town, and the avoidance of tourist traps. Each has a photo and brief description, plus the deets. Maps are included. Really an interesting work, written in conversational style. 19.TOKYO FOR FOOD LOVERS (Hardie Grant Travel, 2018, 2019, 176 pages, $28.99 paperbound) is by Jonas Cramby. It was originally published in Swedish, but here it has been updated for the 2019 English edition. It's a personal guide arranged by type of food served: ramen, tsukemen, udon, tempera, yakitori, curry, biru, gyoza, tonkatsu, sushi, and izakaya. Plus locations of fast food, street food and bars (beers and sakes). Each has a photo and brief description, plus the deets. Maps are included. Really an interesting work, written in conversational style. 20.FRUIT FROM THE SANDS; the silk road origins of the foods we eat (University of California Press, 2019, 374 pages, $43.95 hardbound) is by Robert N. Spengler III, the Archaeobotany Laboratory Director at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. He's traced the history of many foods back to prehistoric Central Asia (the crossroads of the ancient world) and the Silk Road, from where the foods moved to Europe, America, and East Asia. Covered then are apples, millet, barley, wheat, grapes, tea, legumes, rice and others, The exchange of goods started over 5000 years ago, and the actual “organized” trade along the Silk Route can be traced back to Han Dynasty China (206 BCE). The major source of evidence are the preserved remains of plants found in archaeological sites. The Silk Road exchange (overland route) and the “accidental” Columbian exchange (maritime route) were similar attempts to get to the spices and foods of Central Asia. Fascinating reading complemented by notes and references. 21.ITALY'S NATIVE WINE GRAPE TERROIRS (University of California Press, 2019, 376 pages, $70 hardbound) is by Ian D'Agata, the world's leading expert on Italian wine. In 2014 he authored NATIVE WINE GRAPES OF ITALY. This current work is all about the various DOCs and DOCGs in the wine production areas of Italy's native wine grapes. Easy-to-read descriptions have easy-to-read geologic data, biotype and clonal info, followed by producer interviews and comments. Facts and figures provide the beginnings of in-depth analysis for the terroirs that produce the great wines (Barolo, Chianti Classico, Brunello de Montalcino) to the lesser-known Ischia and Turbiana. The slightly oversized tome has double columns, so lots of information is given. It all comes complete with a glossary, a bibliography, and three indexes. A brilliant giftbook for the demanding wine lover! 22.BAKING WITH KIM-JOY: cute and creative bakes to make you smile (Hardie Grant Quadrille, 2019, 176 pages, $34.99 hardbound) is by Kim-Joy, a finalist on two UK TV baking competitions. It's a spiffy, colourful work that is essentially a guide to decorating fun cakes, profiteroles, cookies, breads, macaroons. These are really imaginative designs: some are easy, some are complicated, all are enjoyable. Of course there is much material on layouts, frostings, icings, and other decorations. The basic requirement is merely a steady hand. She opens with an “easy” pistachio and cardamom cake with mango-saffron jam, followed by a vegan chocolate cake with praline – and then begins to move on to other enjoyments such as “pigfiteroles in mud”. All the photos are very bright and colourful, and all the ingredients are listed in both metric and imperial measurements. 23.THE VIBRANT LIFE: eat well, be well (Chronicle Books, 2019, 240 pages, $42.95 hardbound) is by Amanda Haas, a cookbook author who is also a former culinary director for Williams-Sonoma. She's got recipes, meditations, and guidance on ways to well-being, from acupuncture through meditation, for the midlife and beyond person. The 60 recipes emphasize self-care, and include basics for salsa verde, preserved lemon gremolata, and cucumber salad. It's all arranged by “best breakfasts”, veggies and fruits, selected meats and seafoods, and useful sweets. Plus about 14 items for the mind-body-spirit. 24.CALGARY EATS: signature recipes from the city's best restaurants and bars (Figure.1, 2019, 233 pages, $38.99 hardbound) has been edited by Gail Norton and Karen Ralph, who both edited the companion CALGARY COOKS. The is the ninth work in the Canadian series of urban food and eating from Figure.1; others included Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, and Winnipeg. It's a good second sampling of the cuisine scene in Calgary, with preps from Alloy Dining, Cassis Bistro, Cilantro, Knifewear, Market (duck confit pot pie), and others. Great food styling photos, as in all the rest of the series. And: there are metric conversion charts!! FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SUMMER 2019 [published monthly since 2000] ================================================= By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; CBRA Cookbook Reviewer, 1975–1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because many of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations, parity, and online bookstore discounts (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.THAT'S THE SPIRIT (Hardie Grant, 2019, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-264-1 $22.99 USD hardbound) is by Jonathan Ray, who has been drinks/wine editor of the Spectator (UK), GQ, and the Daily Telegraph in his lifetime. Plus, he's the author of several wine books. He's selected 100 of the best spirits, liqueurs and digestifs to drink with style. His coverage is alphabetical, from Absolut Elyx Single Estate Handcrafted Vodka through Pimm's No. 6 Cup to Wynand Fockink Citroen Likeur. Each is described on a page, with a bottle shot. There are features throughout, such as material about cocktails through the ages, how spirits are made, cognac, essentials for a home cocktail, mixers, top international cocktail bars (including one from Toronto, BarChef, with its 5000 bitters), and, of course, recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. His book comes complete with comic quotes from great drinkers, old advertisements, an alphabetical index, and a listing of the 100 spirits by type (Scotch, Cognac, Calvados, Grappa, Rum, et al. Audience and level of use: bartenders, drinkers, millennials, reference libraries. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Classics – The Old Fashioned, The Dry Martini, The Manhattan, The Sidecar, Margarita, The Daiquiri/Mohito, The Negroni, et al. The downside to this book: what, Fernet Branca did not make the cut? WOW The upside to this book: a good collection of 100 bottles for your bar, if you have the room or if you are a restaurant/hotel bar. Quality/Price Rating: 91. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.THE NIMBLE COOK (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019, 400 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-93550-1 $30 USD hardbound) is by Ronna Welsh, owner of a NYC cooking school The Purple Kale Kitchenworks. She specializes in teaching cooks to strategize efficiently while cooking simply and creatively. Notable log rollers include Jacques Pepin, Amanda Hesser, and Dorie Greenspan. Here she has a book of great meals that make the most of your ingredients. She rides the crest of books that use the whole food item in cooking, with no waste. She tries to get you to learn new techniques for releasing flavour so you eventually cook without recipes, putting the ingredients first. She cleverly uses end papers of the book to layout graphs of cooking chicken, herbs, pork, and citrus, showing relationships created by herb-infusions, roasted whole lemons, sausage, and chicken stock – for example. It is all arranged by type of ingredient, from aromatics through leaves, stalks, shoots, heads, bulbs, summer veggies, winter roots, mushrooms, apples, lemons, fish, poultry, meat, pasta and polenta, and grains. She concludes with a pantry: eggs, bread, wine, vinegar, dried fruit, nuts and seeds, rubs, butters, condiments, and cheese. The chapters of ingredients are sub-arranged by seasons. She then gives us some fave preps for each (called “starting points”), followed by ways to use these preps with other dishes (which she calls “explorations”). The starting points should see you through more than one dish, thus allowing you to get the ingredients ready for another use. She says, “Your kitchen starts to sustain itself”. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but the book could have been so improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: cooks, innovators. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: seared sausage with julienned celeriac; pulled pork and pickled squash sandwich; cabbage and green lentils with orange vinaigrette; sauteed unravelled Brussels sprouts with caraway, lemon and dill; braised chicken legs with rhubarb compote and sun-dried tomatoes; spiced lamb meatballs with chickpeas, pickled parsley and yogurt. The downside to this book: publishers should please think about ROW (rest of the world) when dealing with measurements. Of the developed countries, the USA stands alone with avoirdupois measurements. At least quality US bakers use metric in scaling their recipes. The upside to this book: good material on how to use food that used to be thrown away. Quality/Price Rating: 91. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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 – 3.GENNARO'S PASTA PERFECTO! (Interlink Books, 2020, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-62371-926-5 $30 USD hardbound) is by Gennaro Contaldo, He has appeared on many cooking shows, most notably his own “Two Greedy Italians” on PBS. He has long owned Passione the London UK restaurant. He is reputed to have taught Jamie Oliver all he knows about Italian cooking (Oliver says: “His talent for cooking and storytelling changed my life and food forever”). His previous books for Interlink were about Italian baking and faster cooking. This one has 100 preps to create an Italian feast in 40 minutes or less. It will call for a larger Italian pantry (extended to the refrigerator, to the freezer, and to fresh produce that keeps for a bit, such as salad greens, herbs, bell peppers) to make sure that all ingredients are on hand. It is arranged by course: salads, soups, pasta, et al through to desserts. There are primer chapters on Italian fast cooking and simple sauces. As he says, “gone are the days when women stayed at home” and made their own pasta or soaked their own beans. Try prosciutto with roasted apples and pears or cavatelli with sausage, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes – or even hake with mixed potatoes and red onion agrodolce. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 89 4.CRU OYSTER BAR NANTUCKET COOKBOOK (St. Martin's Griffen, 2019, 294 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-19365-0 $40 US hardbound) is by Erin Zircher (executive chef at Cru), Jane Stoddard and Carlos Hildalgo (both managing partners), with Martha W. Murphy as the focusing food writer. It's arranged by seasonal topic, from waterfront lunch and sailing, summertime grilling, beach cruising, through to sunsets at summer's end. Along the way there are sections on the raw bar, cocktails, Nantucket Bay scallops, Christmas/New Year's, with multiple indexes by occasion (picnic, grilling, brunch, etc.) and by category (starters, mains, sides, soups, sandwiches, etc.)– with page references. At the end there is a general index to topics and to all of the recipes. Highlights include crispy fried oysters, crudo scallops, clam chowder, and pear tarte tatin. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89 5.THE FIGHTER'S KITCHEN (Alpha, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-8373-7 $19.99 US paperbound) is by champion professional boxer/kickboxer Chris Algieri. He also has an MA in clinical nutrition, and is certified as a sports nutritionist. This book is all about fighters fueling their bodies with precise nutrients delivered at specific times to help them achieve their functional physiques. If you are one of them, then this is obviously the book for you. Or if you just want to keep in shape. He's got 100 preps for meals and snacks, with macro-nutrient breakdowns to easily see the calories, carbs, protein and fat in every recipe. Weekly meal plans and detailed shopping lists complete the package. Great layout graphics. Yet the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. It just doesn't seem right to have ingredients listed in avoirdupois and nutrients listed in metric. Quality/price rating: 88. 6.ATSUKO'S JAPANESE KITCHEN (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2019, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-081-9 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Atsuko Ikeda, a Japanese chef, writer, and food photographer. Her Japanese cookery courses sell out in Shoreditch London UK. She had previously written a sushi book. Here she promotes a wider variety of home-0cooked Japanese comfort food. These are all umami-rich dishes that are commonly found in the Japanese home and restaurant: gyoza, ramen, katsu curry, teriyaki. Basics, of course, are covered, followed by apps, soups, noodles, one plate meals, sides, dressings, and desserts. Special occasion meals are given a separate chapter. She opens with the “secrets of Japanese cuisine” and the Golden Rule of Five (tastes, colours, methods, meal layout). The larder and tools section is next, followed by the preps themselves. By tomorrow night, you could be enjoying goma senbei (sesame snaps with miso caramel sauce) or matcha no tiramisu. Soy simmered lemon sole or simmered beef and tomatoes on rice are good for the carnivore eater. The book could have been improved if it also used more volume metrics in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 7.THE ESSENTIAL HOME-GROUND FLOUR BOOK (Robert Rose, 2016, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0534-2, $27.95 CAN paperbound) is by Sue Becker, owner of The Bread Beckers and The Real Bread Company. She's a nutrition counselor in Georgia USA who has been teaching whole-grain flours for over 25 years. This is a reissue/reprint of the 2016 book. Real whole grains are both nutritious and delicious, and can be incorporated into any lifestyle and culture. Those grains with gluten (wheat, barley, rye) unfortunately cannot be assimilated by some people, but there are plenty of other grains and grasses to go around: rice, buckwheat, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, teff, sorghum, legumes. She covers them all in her determination to get you to bake and eat freshly home-ground flours; there is nutrition, lower cost, and better taste. The first half of the book details equipment for home-milling and the basics of baking. The second half has 100 recipes for yeast breads, quick breads, loaf breads, biscuits, cornbread, cookies, bars and cakes. As always there is the terrific Robert Rose layout of notes, ingredients, metric and avoirdupois measurements used in each recipe, and tips. Quality/price rating: 90. 8.MILK! (Bloomsbury, 2018, 2019, 385 pages, ISBN 978-1-63286-383-6 $19US softbound) is by Mark Kurlansky who has written a ton of books over the past decades (20 non-fiction). Here he returns to the topic of food (his previous such books were on Salt, Cod, WPA food, Oysters). I could joke that the topics salt and cod are related (salted cod) to milk in that milk is used to soften the cod as in “brandade de morue”, thus continuing the food theme perhaps for a fourth title – but I won't. This is a culinary, cultural, and economic history of all things dairy, with some 100 or so recipes from all time periods. “Milk became the first food to be tested in laboratories, and is now the world's most regulated food.” Today milk is at the centre of food politics, raising questions about everything from industrial farming and animal rights to GMOs, the locavore movement, and advocates for raw milk. He's got a bibliography, and index, plus a recipe index. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89 9.RAW FOOD (DK, 2014, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-8402-4 $19.99 US paperbound) is by Anat Fritz. It was originally published in German in 2014; this is the first North American edition, in English. It is basically fast, fresh and easy all-vegan food. There are 65 recipes with distinctive flavour combos and techniques that provide a vegan culinary experience. Salads, smoothies, sauces, seeds, soups, spreads, sushi, sprouts, snacks – all the “s” words – abound. There is something here for everyone, and all of it is raw. Carnivores can easily adapt this to tartares – just so long as it is all raw. The book concludes with raw food ingredients and kitchen tips. But I am sure that the original German text used metric measurements. These have been converted to American volume avoirdupois. The book could have been improved if it also used the original metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87. 10.WILD HONEY & RYE (Interlink Books, 2018, 2019, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-62371-918-0 $22.95 US paperbound) is by Ren Behan. It was originally published in 2018 by Pavilion Books, and here it is reissued in a paperbound format. The emphasis is on contemporary Polish cuisine, a more modern and upscale approach to traditional food: less fat and sugar, modern techniques, brighter and fresher. As she says, the emphasis is no longer on dumplings and stews but rather on lighter, seasonal and more-spicy food. Typical newish grain s include spelt, buckwheat and millet. Fruit is fresher, honeys are infused, salads are more raw. Hearty dishes such as pierogi, goulash, and meatballs have a lighter touch and different fillings. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 11.CUCINA SICILIANA (Ryland Peters & Small, 2016, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-117-5, $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Ursula Ferrigno, consultant chef to the Caffe Nero chain. She's been on BBC, and runs classes for Sur La Table stores. She's written more than 20 cookbooks, mainly on Italian and Mediterranean themes. This book was originally published in 2016 as “Flavors of Sicily”. Sicilian cuisine is a great crossroads melting pot mixture of Greeks/Romans/Arabs/Normans/Spaniards. Typical food include tomatoes, olive oil, sheep's milk, pistachios, olives, fennel, citrus fruits. Classics include blood orange and red onion salads, olive relish, fava bean soup, spring lamb, fried chickpeas with herbs, panelle [socca], and braised lemon chicken in the 70 or so recipes here.. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 12.SALT & PEPPER (Ryland Peters & Small, 2009, 2016, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-122-9 $14.95 USD hardbound) is by Valerie Aikman-Smith food stylist, chef and author based in Los Angeles. It contains some preps from her previous books that dealt with preserves and pickles, dressings and small bites. It's a basic book of some 70 recipes using salt and/or pepper as gourmet seasoning ingredients. For salt, there are a number of salt crust recipes (lamb, shrimp, chicken, branzino) plus a few sweet and salty items such as Mexican chili chocolate salted truffles. Classics include margarita with a special salt, mojito with sea salt, or a bloody Mary with celery salt. For pepper, there is, of course, the pepper-crusted steak or the peppered peach chutney. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88 13.125 BEST INDOOR GRILL RECIPES (Robert Rose, 2004, 2013, 2019, 189 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0102-3, $21.95 CAN paper covers) is by Ilana Simon. It is now back in print: a basic primer on using indoor grills, mostly electrical but including two-sided contact indoor grills and one-sided hibachi-style indoor grills. It is loaded with techniques, ingredients, tools, charts for internal cooking times, and the 125 recipes covering salads, sandwiches, burgers, mains and sides, plus a few desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Try Asian steak noodle salad, grilled brie pockets, or orange sesame chicken. Quality/price rating: 85. 14.ONE-POT VEGETARIAN (Hardie Grant Books, 2018, 2019, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-357-0 $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Sabrina Fauda-Role, It was first published last year by Hachette Livre in Paris in French; this is the English language translation. These are 80 easy and tasty vegetable meals in one (non-electric) pot that can heated on a gas or electric range. For a nutritionally complete meal you will need a carbohydrate (pasta, grain, rice), some plant-based protein (pulses, legumes), veggies and/or fruit (carrots, zucchini, fresh or frozen), spices, and a creamy fat or oil (dairy, nut oil, cheese) for body. Recipes can be varied by changing the seasonings or the garnishes for distinctive flavours. These are complete meals, and in the case of meat lovers, can be served as an accompaniment to the main flesh dish. Basic dishes include rigatoni with tomato and chickpeas, farfalle with blue cheese and mushrooms, tomato and sweetcorn polenta cake. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes with metric volumes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89 ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR MAY 2019 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because many of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations, parity, and online bookstore discounts (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.THE BIG BOOK OF GIN (Hardie Grant, 2018, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-193-1 $29.99 USD hardbound) is an over-the-top colourful package of witty text, excellent photographs, and great drawings. It's by Dan Jones (a British editor with many drink books) who covers everything with 100 recipes, from classic cocktails, batch drinks, homemade syrups and tonics. There's the section on history and production, coverage of the world's best producers and mixers, glasses, infusions, and even a list of the best places to drink gin around the world. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: gin lovers, other spirits drinkers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cherry thyme sour; marmajito; green dragon; green snapper. Quality/Price Rating: 92. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.THE PRAIRIE TABLE (Appetite by Random House, 2019, 264 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-753110 $32 hardbound) is by Karylynn Johnston, a food blogger (The Kitchen Magpie) and author of “Flapper Pie and a Blue Prairie Sky”. These are new and nostalgic preps of Canadian Prairie Life, with family faves that can double for weekend entertainment dinners and potluck parties – gatherings of any kind, the “socials”. The 100+ recipes cover the gamut and arrangement by topic, such as breads and baked goods, small bites for apps, salads and veggie sides, mains, cookies and dainties, portable desserts (for potlucks and picnics), and end with libations, which have been curated by her husband. There is even a chapter on Ukrainian dishes, reflecting that heritage of the Canadian prairies. But the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: family food lovers, Prairie dwellers, comfort foodies. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: perogy; nalysnyky; nachynka; periske; pumpkin morning glory muffins; bacon-wrapped cabbage wedges; minty feta, cherry and watermelon salad; cold picnic BBQ fried chicken; red curry pumpkin, chickpea, and sweet potato soup. The downside to this book: it's a Canadian book with no metric measurements and no conversion tables. The upside to this book: a well-put together package of inviting food, 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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 – 3.AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 FOOD TRUCKS (Lonely Planet Food, 2019, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78868-131-5 $19.99 USD hardbound) is a very well put together anthology of global food from food trucks. About three dozen writers were involved in listing food from chefs on the road in Berlin, Cape Town, Hong Kong, Lima, London, Melbourne, New York City, Portland, San Francisco and more. Veggie options are clearly marked. The arrangement is geographical by country, beginning with Europe and moving through Africa, Middle East, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania. For each there are photos and a brief profile plus social media sites (how else are you going to find them?). Then comes a recipe, such as spicy Killary lamb samosas, langoustine roll, sea bass ceviche, mollete of roasted pork, pakora wrap – all of them converted to home production for “serves four”. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89 4.FIESTAS (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-328-56755-0 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Marcella Valldolid, a longtime Food Network host and judge. She's written three other cookbooks, details at www.chefmarcela.com Here she covers 75 Mexican-style cocktails and apps for an opener to meals, or even a meal in itself. The book is in three parts: drinks, nibbles, and sweet. It is all pretty basic but usefull compiled into one book, along with advice on entertaining. Preps include Picadillo Lettuce Cups and a crudites platter with chimichurri and some jalpeno-cilantro aioli. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87 5.MY GREEK TABLE (St. Martin's Griffin, 2018, 386 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-16637-1 $44.99 CAD hardbound) is by Diane Kochilas, cooking school owner and host/chef of My Greek Table on public US television. This book accompanies the TV series, with recipes and stories about her family gatherings and school in Greece. Cooks would appreciate an avocado-tahini spread or a kale-apple-feta salad. The Aegean Island stuffed lamb will leave you, well, stuffed. It's arranged by ingredient or course, beginning with breakfast and moving on to dips, meze, salads, breads, veggies, beans, ancient grains, soups – and then some mains. There is also a good summary at the back of the state of Greek winemaking today plus its unique grape varietals. This is followed by a resources list for Greek food. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89 6.STEAK AND CAKE (Workman Publishing, 2019, 260 pages, ISBN 978-0-7611-8574-1 $22.95 USD paperbound) is by Elizabeth Karmel, a grilling and BBQ expert. She was the founding executive chef of the Hill Country restaurants in New York, and she has written other BBQ/grilling cookbooks. Here she has 100+ recipes for steak and for cake. She's paired various steaks with a related dessert, as, for example, “Steak and truffled eggs with latte cake with hazelnut glaze” or “Porterhouse for two and My mother's freshly grated coconut cake”. It works, but it will stuff you. Not for the faint of heart. There are 35 combos, with recipes for sides and other desserts. At the end she gives us the conditions for side dishes (some of the sides can be apps), a primer on steaks, and a primer on cakes. Not everything is a steak: there are also some surf and turf, sandwiches, kebabs, stroganoff, tacos, and burgers. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 7.THE BRISKET CHRONICLES (Workman Publishing, 2019, 278pages, ISBN 978-1-5235-0548-7 $19.95 USD paperbound) is by Steven Raichlen, who has been writing about BBQ for decades. He is probably best known for his public television cooking series on BBQ. He's also won five Beard Awards and three IACP Awards. Here he focuses on beef brisket to be smoked, braised, cured, grilled and barbecued, and then presented in different formats such as Texas kahuna, jerk brisket, Korean-styled, corned beef, pastrami, Passover, burgers, and tacos. Of particular note is the salty-sweet kettle popcorn with burnt ends. There's about 60+ recipes here, and sides and sauces are included. There are profiles of other BBQ competitors and some sourcing of their recipes too. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 8.THE CURIOUS BARISTA'S GUIDE TO COFFEE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2015,2019, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-083-3, $14.95 US hard covers) is by Tristan Stephenson, a well-know celebrity UK bartender, bar owner, and consultant (Fluid Movement). This is his third book (the other two were bar-tending books), and it deals with coffee, with 25 recipes. It was originally published in 2015. Most of the book is encyclopedic: guide to coffee producing regions, histories, how to make a cup of coffee through different brewing methods, etc. It is an excellent survey for the price, well-illustrated with old adverts, drawings, and a nifty chapter on latte art. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 88. 9.THE ZERO WASTE COOKBOOK (Hardie Grant Books, 2017, 2019, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-267-1 $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Giovanna Torrico and Amelia Wasiliev. It was originally published in French by Hachette Livre in 2017. The English language edition came out in 2019. The authors have about 100 recipes for cooking without waste, which means using banana peels, egg shells, orange rinds, pea pods, fish skin etc. in food preps for consumption. Tips include using corn husk to make veggie stock or making pesto with carrot tops. It involves smart shopping and planning, and the big three storage issues: cook everything (scraps and peelings), freeze and preserve, keep at room temperature via using jars and plastic tubs. You will feel good. One of the best recipes is for ribollita with mixed veggie scraps and stale bread. It's all arranged by categories: veggies, fruit, dairy and eggs, meat and seafood, bread and pulses (legumes), and (or course) leftovers. BTW, the re-use of a leftover is actually, to my mind, a “holdover”. Soups win, naturally. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89 10.SUMMER EVERY DAY (Ryland Peters and Small, 2014, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-111-3 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Acland Geddes and Pedro da Silva. After a series of gastropubs, Geddes opened Megan's in Chelsea, which soon became a series of cafes in other regions. Da Silva is head chef. Their book was originally published in 2014 as “Friends Around the Table”. This is the newly revised edition. These are Mediterranean recipes for relaxed entertaining. The 65+ recipes call for careful planning, to make it an event (tablecloths, cutlery, decorations, etc.), not just taking advantage of warm weather to eat outside. Lunch al fresco brings back the classics: gazpacho, carpaccio, grilled sardines and/or calamari, couscous salad or crunchy fennel salad, grilled nectarines with mozzarella, roasted pears. Another section deals with a large crowd and serious meats such as lamb or beef. A third covers just two diners, with preps scaled down to two (no leftovers). Another is teatime, another is for side dishes. Well-thought out, but I would have like a few more recipes (try cutting back on the lavish photography, which I cannot eat). The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes for small volumes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87. ------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR APRIL 2019 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com I have been reviewing cookbooks for FIFTY PLUS years -- Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and at http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in Canadian currency as printed on the cover or listed at Amazon.ca. It's the season for gifting books: parties, holidays, weddings, anniversaries, graduating, and the like.... TOP GIFT BOOKS ======================== Art/travel/restaurant cookbooks might be some of the best books to give a loved one. Most may cost you an arm and a leg. Books for the coffee table have their place in the gift scheme: just about every such book is only bought as a gift! And are often perused first by the donor. Don’t let the prices daunt you. Such books are available at a discount from online vendors. Because of the “economy”, not too many pricey food and wine books were released this year. Herewith, and in random order: 1.NEW ORLEANS CELEBRATIONS (Gibbs Smith, 2019, 192 pages, $30 hardbound) is by Kevin Belton, a local chef with a PBS New Orleans cooking show. It's detailed, with sections on specific foods such as oysters, gumbo, crawfish, boudin, catfish, hand pies, jambalaya, rice, blue crabs, fried chicken, beignet, shrimp. This is followed by celebrations for the BBQ, the jazz festival, Bastille Day, Oktoberfest, and the cultures of Greece and Sicily and Latin America with explorations of neighbourhoods. Quite a nice package, well-laid out, with useful directions. 2.THE IMMIGRANT COOKBOOK (Interlink Books, 2018, 224 pages, $49.95 hardbound) is a collection of recipes and stories edited by Leyla Moushabeck, with about 100 different contributors. Each prep section gives a recipe and the story behind the recipe. Many of the sources behind each dish are professional chefs, and their individual stories are related, from childhood to food success. It has been endorsed by top chefs – Ottolenghi, Waters, Deborah Madison, David Lebovitz, and the late Anthony Bourdain. The publisher will donate $5 from the sale of each cookbook to the ACLU. It's arranged from apps to desserts, and any of them certainly do beat the presidential mac and cheeseburger. 'Nuff said. 3.TORTELLINI AT MIDNIGHT (Hardie Grant Books, 2019, 256 pages, $35 USD hardbound) is by Emiko Davies, who is of mixed heritage but married a Tuscan man and lives in Italy. These are heirloom preps from four generations deep and many miles wide from Taranto in Puglia to Turin and then Tuscany in the north. It has a lot of memoir material, the food is comforting, and the photography a traveller's dream. There are great stories here for every dish. It is all arranged by one of the three regions followed by a series of seven menus for larger holiday events (New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, All Saints' Day, etc.), all with page references to the preps themselves. Recipes are in both metric and avoirdupois. Nifty gift package. 4.BALADI PALESTINE (Interlink Books, 2019, 256 pages, $49.95 hardbound) is by Joudie Kalla, a UK professional chef who also wrote the cookbook “Palestine on a Plate”. “Baladi” means “my home, my land”. Here she takes us on a culinary journey through her homeland with rare Palestinian family recipes reflecting the diverse landscapes and seasons. It's arranged by geographic feature, which chapters on river and sea (salmon, sardines, sea bass, red mullet, monkfish, sea bream, squid), hills and orchards (lime, pomegranate, mango, lemon, ice cream, pastries), the farm (lamb, poultry), the earth (potatoes, beets, zucchini, fava beans, shallots), the markets (coffee, eggs, turmeric, eggplants, chili). Each dish has a story. Excellent photography too. 5.CATALAN FOOD (Clarkson Potter, 2018, 273 pages, $40 hardbound) is by Daniel Olivella, a Catalan chef who opened Catalan cuisine restaurants in San Francisco and Texas. His collaborator is Caroline Wright. Catalan cuisine is one of the culinary crossroads: passing through were Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Jews, and others. There is lots of material and photos about Catalonia and its food, followed by recipes arranged by menu, beginning with small plates (pica pica), veggies (verdur4s i legums), paella, seafood, meats (del corral), pork, breads and desserts. A very useful armchair travel tool with many Mediterranean dishes. 6.ETHIOPIA (Interlink Books, 2019, 224 pages, $49.95 hardbound) is by Yohanis Gebreyesus, chef-owner of Antica in Addis Ababa and host of a weekly food program on EBS, Ethiopia's national television network. It's an impressive work on Ethiopian cuisine, with many recipes and traditions noted from the Horn of Africa. Its cuisine has been influenced by a religious mix of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Typical dishes include dor wat (chicken stewed with berber spice), siga ribs (fried beef), asa shorba (spiced fish soup), gomen (collard greens with giner and garlic), azifa (green lentil salad), dinich alicha (potatoes and carrots in onion turmeric sauce. Of course, the tome opens with injera and flatbreads, found in every global Ethiopian restaurant, followed by seasonings, soup to nuts, through to drinks. Every prep is geographically located and has a story as well as terrific photos. Where appropriate there are thoughts from local artisans. 7.TOKYO STORIES (Hardie Grant Books, 2019, 256 pages, $50 hardbound) is by Tim Anderson. It's subtitle is “ a Japanese cookbook” . It is more – it is a tour through the various styles of food outlets in Tokyo: department store food halls in the basement; top floor hotel restaurants; noodle shops; sushi bars; yakitori shacks; convenience stores; vending machine foods; and street foods in general. You're goning to find cheesy fried chicken, gyoza, ramen, curries, udon, onigirl, and others. He's got 80 recipes with his memoir-like stories and “on location” photography. It's arranged by food type (street, local, national, global, modern) after a primer on depachika (Japanes ingredients). Good fun for anyone who loves Japanese food. 8.ANDALUZ (Interlink Books, 2019, 304 pages, $49.95 hardbound) is by Fiona Dunlop, food and travel writer and photographer who has also written The North African Kitchen and Mexican Modern. Here, wit an endorsement from Yotam Ottolenghi she now covers the food, history, and culture of the south part of Spain by the coast. Moorish rule of nearly eight centuries has created a distinctly Arabian/Berberian influence on the food, with ingredients such as couscous, rice, eggplant, oranges, olives, apricots, marzipan, and a wide range of spices. With material on markets and both chef and home cook profiles, Dunlop gives us a pretty determined travel/food look at a specific region, from Granada (east) to Cordoba and Seville (south). Do try her mezquita salad (eggplant, tomato and olives) or mozarabic albondigas in almond and saffron sauce. There's a listing of recommended restaurants, a bibliography, and two indexes to the recipes (by course and by ingredient). And, of course, there are her own photographs. 9.FOOD OF THE ITALIAN SOUTH (Clarkson Potter, 2019, 256 pages, $40 hardbound) is by Katie Parla, an American Rome-based food and beverage journalist and author of the IACP award winner, “Tasting Rome” (2016). Here she moves on “south” to Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise and Puglia in a travel journey of classic and lost dishes of tomato-based pasta-heavy Italian food. Each rustic recipe has a cultural story to tell, and Parla does it well in, um, parlaying it with insights. The arrangement is traditional, from antipasti through dolci with a section on making your own amari and vermouths, and concludes with a bibliography, a resources list, and conversion charts. There is a whole section on the wonderful carrati con ragu di castrato (mutton sauce in winter) and carrati con ricotta e noci (cheese and walnut sauce in summer). 10.FROM THE LAND OF NIGHTINGALES & ROSES (Interlink Books, 2019, 318 pages, $49.95 hardbound) is by Maryam Sinaiee, an Iranian-born political analyst but now full-time food blogger of Iranian food. It's casual home cooking of Persian dishes, arranged by season, beginning with Spring. Food history and culture are also covered, along with her own food styling photography and historical photos. Each season introduces memoir material about Iranian life while the preps themselves have more historical and detailed instructions. Each dish has a local name, such as kotlet for beef and potato fritters, Lamb preps include braised shanks, ground meat kebabs, sweet and sour lamb, lamb and eggplant stew, lamb and dried plum stew, rice with lamb and green beans, lamb stew with dried limes, and other variations. It all concludes with a glossary. 11.BLACK SEA (Quadrille, 2018, 280 pages, $50 hardbound) is by Caroline Eden, an inveterate traveller who gives us a hefty tome that is part travelogue and part cookbook. It's the tale of Odessa, Istanbul, and Trabzon. Covered are Bessarabia (65% of which is Moldova), Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey – as they border on the Black Sea. So it is a commentary on local foods, and embraces memoir material on the Jewish tables of Odessa, fisherwomen of Bulgaria, and White Russians in Istanbul. Of particular interest is the food of Trabzon (Trebizond) -- when did you last see a Trabzon cookbook? She gives us extensive food and cultural notes along with preps such as frontline pilaf, Trabzon kaygana with anchovies and herbs, bebe cake, Sumela brunch, and apricot and cinnamon hosaf. 12.SPICE (DK Books, 2018, 224 pages, $32 hardbound) is a publisher's reference work on spices. The scientific aspect has been written or overseen by Dr. Stuart Farrimond, science and health writer, while British food writer Laura Nickoll co-ordinated the non-science content of the spice profiles (the bulk of the tool). The 120 pages dedicated to profiles divides all spices into phenols, terpenes, acids, aldehydes, pyrazines, and compounds, with sub-divisions. Each of the 60 profiles is connected to one or more of the 40 regional guides presented. There are also 65 top-notch recipes. Eight other food writers, mainly British, worked on the profiles, the regions, and the recipes. Great team work for a food reference tool! 13.WHERE TO DRINK WINE (Quadrille, 2018, 288 pages, $42.99 hardbound) is by Chris Losh, editor of Imbibe (UK). It's a guide to the world's must-visit wineries. It you've got the big bucks to travel, there is enough here for a lifetime (but start early). He opens with France and moves through Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Greece, North America (including both three places in the Okanagan Valley and nine in the Niagara Peninsula), South America, South Africa, the Antipodes, plus China, Georgia and Lebanon. Oh, if only they weren't so scattered!! Basically, it is a descriptive work for each wine region with some commentary on those welcoming wineries such as, for Champagne, Pommery, Taittinger, Mailly, Moet & Chandon, and more. He gives us multiple reasons for each visit but no tasting notes. There is much to be seen at each winery, such as visitor centres, museums, art work, knowledgeable staff, etc. It's a must have reference too for the bucket list! 14.THE CIDER INSIDER (Quadrille Books, 2018, 224 pages, $26 hardbound) is by Susanna Forbes. It is a fairly comprehensive guide to over 100 international craft ciders and their global styles. It's arranged by country, with the UK getting the lion's share followed by France, and then Spain, Europe, North America, and then the antipodes. There are glossaries and flavour guides throughout, with a good bibliography of resources. There is not much for Canada (four from Quebec and one from BC) which is probably as it should be since cider production was not made legal in Canada until the 1970s. Its main contribution is the glorious “ice cider” made like ice wine. Each company gets a detailed description with deets on location and apples used, and where to go next for more in that style. Currently, it is a pretty unique reference tool, well worth reading. 15.THE DEVIL'S DINNER (St. Martin's Press, 2018, 296 pages, $36.50 hardbound) is by Stuart Walton. It's a gastronomic and cultural history of chili peppers. He also manages to go into depth about the biological impact, beginning with Mexico and South America. Spaniards returning to Europe brought chilis back with them, and this produced piri-piri and pimientos (Iberia), paprika in Austro-Hungary, and permeated the Indian sub-continent. There is much detail here in this look, culminating with a discussion on the hotness of chilis and how it became a guy thing. Notes and a bibliography complete the work. 16.WHAT MAKES A WINE WORTH DRINKING (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018, 182 pages, $36 hardbound) is by Terry Theise, an importer of boutique wines from Germany, Austria and Champagne. He's also authored the title “Reading Between the Wines” and has written wine articles for magazines. Here he concentrates on praising the sublime in wine. It's in a somewhat autobiographical tone, but he does tell us how to find and appreciate exceptional wine and how it can lead to a richer and fuller life. Just the perfect gift for the oenophile in your life. What makes a wine worth drinking is its authenticity: it's usually small-scaled artisanal wine of subtlety. Taste matters, so that is first on the table in his tome – what does a good wine actually taste like? Enjoy...and try also https://hosemasterofwine.blogspot.com/2018/11/what-makes-wine-worth-drinking-in.html 17.BELLA FIGURA (Appetite by Random House, 2018, 284 pages, $29.95 hardbound) tells us how to live, love, and eat the Italian way. It's by Kamin Mohammadi, a now-British journalist and broadcaster living and working outside Florence and in London. Living in Florence had changed her life, and she makes it a great spin on armchair travel. It's the “slow food” approach to life – taking the time to do things well. Her memoir opens in January 2008 and moves through, monthly chapter by chapter, to the end of that year. Topics include: how to taste the sweetness of life, how to celebrate being a woman, how to eat and not put on weight, and how style has nothing to do with money. Recipes are scattered throughout, and at the end there is a summary of 21 different “rules”. 18.RITZ & ESCOFFIER (Clarkson Potter, 2018, 312 page, $35 hardbound) is by Luke Barr who wrote the amazing bestseller “Provence, 1970”. He deals with the hotelier Ritz and Chef Escoffier in the context of the rise of the leisure class. In essence, he covers not just the two men but also the social aspects of the hospitality industry in the late 19th and early 20th century. The Savoy in London was the first hotel with electricity and elevators; all rooms had baths. “Toute le monde” stayed there, and Escoffier ran the first restaurant in Europe to welcome unaccompanied women. Barr covers the relationship between the two, and (after disaster and opulence) follows them to Paris and the Hotel Ritz. Notes and sources, plus an index, are included. ==================================== FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR MARCH 2019 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because many of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations, parity, and online bookstore discounts (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.AMBER REVOLUTION (Interlink Books, 2018, 305 pages, ISBN 978-1-62371-966-1 $35 USD hardback) is by Simon J Woolf, an orange wine expert writer. It's a major spin on his overall concern about natural and biodynamic wines. And the book has already been hailed as the New York Times “Best Wine Book of 2018”. Morning Claret Productions co-published this book in the Netherlands. Orange wine has come on string in North America with millennials seeking out the most natural flavourful wines they can find. Young sommeliers are leading the charge because this is an ancient white wine made in a red wine style with skins being pressed and aged with the juice, sometimes in buried clay pot amphorae. He covers Fruili, Slovenia, and Georgia extensively, plus selectively from 20 countries such as Australia, Austria, Canada, France, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain and the USA. There are 180 profiles of global producers, with the usual tips on how to buy, pair with food, age and enjoy orange wines. There are only two problems with orange wines: they are pricey and because they are natural they can be “weird” tasting with a number of small faults. You really do not know what you can encounter...it's the thrill of it all! Audience and level of use: orange wine lovers, those looking for wine trends or obscurities. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: This is also a social history of cultural oppression, struggle and persistence across the shifting borders of Fruili, Slovenia, Georgia, the Caucasus. The downside to this book: I wish that there was more. The upside to this book: this is probably the first of a few such books. Quality/Price Rating: 92 * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.PIATTI (Chronicle Books, 2019, 225 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-6957-6 $29.95 USD hardbound) is by Stacy Adimando, a Beard Award-winning cookbook author, executive editor at Saveur magazine, and magazine food writer for Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, and others. These preps are meant to be plates and platters for sharing among family and friends at the table, with Italian inspirations. She's got more than 90 preps for celebrating the larger feast as entertainment. Help-yourself-platters encourage grazing, and there are plenty of them here. It is all arranged by season, beginning with winter. Her first chapters deal with both antipasti building blocks such as garlic confit, classic giardiniera and oil-preserved eggplant, and the antipasti pantry (oils, crostini, grissini). The large print index is very useful. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes (it uses both metric and avoirdupois in most cases but not in small volumes), or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: entertainment dining, Italian food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: warm olives with chorizo and sage and orange; baby root veggies and ricotta tartlets on salt and pepper pastry dough; charred radicchio and corn salad with fennel and yogurt dressing; chilled seafood salad with parsley and lemon; seared Italian sausages with roasted cherry tomatoes and shallots. The downside to this book: larger entertaining means cleaning up afterwards The upside to this book: gorgeous photography, especially the cover's artichokes. Quality/Price Rating: 91 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3.VEGAN GOODNESS: FEASTS (Hardie Grant Books, 2018, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-166-5 $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Jessica Prescott, a food writer, stylist and photographer from New Zealand who has written other vegan books and has a blog Wholly Goodness. Here she gives us 70 plant-based preps for meals of big and little gatherings. It is family oriented, and the range is from breakfast through dessert, with stops for BBQ, planning, condiments, grazing, and pantry staples. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: vegans, those seeking plant-based recipes Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bomb diggity BBQ sauce; easy fruit galette; BBQ-baked sweet potato with jackfruit and grilled corn; massaged kale chopped salad with avocados; banana walnut cake. The downside to this book: I wanted more – why are these books so short? The upside to this book: a good variety and family oriented Quality/Price Rating: 86 4.EVERY DAY IS SATURDAY (Chronicle Books, 2019, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-6852-4 $29.95 USD hardbound) is by Sarah Copeland, cookbook author and magazine food writer. If only every day were Saturday in REAL life (but then you'd have to be retired and old like me). Nevertheless, these are preps and strategies for easy cooking every day of the week. It is all arranged by course or presentation, such as breakfast, brunch, midday meals, grazing platters, mains, sweets, and drinks. For example, the Hungarian Snacking Tray platter has a lot of variety on it: meats (pates, hams, sausages), cheeses (at least a trio of soft, medium and hard, possibly blue), peppers, other veggies (radishes, cucumbers, onions), eggs, breads (rye, herbed, etc.(, butter, mustards, fruits (plums, cherries, figs, pears, apricots), and sweets (strudels of poppy, apple, walnut). She's got a lot of standbys to be made up in advance, including chicken liver pate, everyday dressings, homemade oat-almond milk). Also here are some more things to make in advance with veggie bits and root veggies, berries and other fruit bits, greens, meats, grains – any kind of leftovers. Great suggestions too. The book concludes with a special diets index (dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, et al) and a regular index. Preparations have their ingredients listed with mainly avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: families, workers, and entertainers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chimichurri; spring onion and salami sheet-pan pizza; raspberry shrub; hot oats and polenta with raisins and bananas; scrambled eggs with avocado, pea shoots, and sesame seeds; brown butter herb dip; always on-vegetable soup; raw cocoa-honey anytime shake. The downside to this book: I wanted more. The upside to this book: there is a section on “work smart, not hard” with timings for dishes. Quality/Price Rating: 89 5.TASTING GEORGIA; a food and wine journey in the Caucasus (Interlink Books, 2017, 464 pages, ISBN 978-1-56656-059-7 $40 USD hardbound) is by Carla Capalbo born in NYC, and now works as a freelance food journalist and photographer. She's written 14 books on the culture of producing food and wine, winning awards such as the Andre Simon for “Collio” as best wine book. He photos of Georgia have won an IACP award. Here she gives us, by the numbers: 70 recipes, 60 restaurants and wine bars, 40 family wineries, 10 regional maps, and 390 original photographs, many of which detail farmer markets and family cooks. She's got top log rolling from Redzepi (noma), Ottolenghi, and Petrini (founder of Slow Food). Georgia lies between the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea. It is one of the world's oldest winemaking areas, with wines made traditionally in clay qvevri buried in the ground, and searched for by lovers of natural wine. After the section on wine comes the food, beginning with the “supra” buffet-banquet-sharing feast and the elements of Georgian cuisine. Ingredients include ajika (capsicum paste), lobio beans, guda (sheep's cheese), tenili cheese, freshwater fish, gozinaki (honey and walnuts at New Year), jonjoli, khinkali dumplings, matsoni fermented milk, and lots more. There are only a few holiday recipes for sweets. Most dinners end with fresh fruit, nuts, or fruit leather. Preps have English and Georgian titles as well as scrips. Recipes have been edited for home cooks or otherwise simplified with substitutions. Metric and avoirdupois weights and measures co-exist in the preps. There is an impressive listing of sources and travel information, along with websites. The almost 40 page index includes a recipe planner for creating meals, a listing of the various foods by product, a listing of the restaurants and wine bars cited, an index to the wine, plus an index to the 12 regions of Georgia. And of course, there are are recipes by English title. Audience and level of use: armchair travelers and cooks, culinary historians Some interesting or unusual recipes: eggplant rolls; lobio beans stewed with herbs; beef and chickpea stew; beets with spiced walnut paste; chicken with nut sauce; corn meal with cheese; fermented cabbage and beets; mulberry and goat cheese salad; noodle and yogurt soup; stewed nettles. Quality/Price Rating: 91 6.CAULIFLOWER POWER (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-073-4 $14.95 USD hardbound) is by Kathy Kordalis, a UK food stylist and recipe writer. He's written two other cookbook for Ryland Peters & Small. Here she gives us over 60 vegetarian and vegan recipes for cauliflower. It's extremely healthy (omega-3, fibre, vitamin B, minerals) and versatile: serve it roasted, fried, braised, mashed or pickled. Even raw works well, but I always use a dip in this case. The flavours always change. The book is arranged by topic: simple, fresh, spiced, rustic, comfort, and elegant. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with sporadic metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginner ease Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: mixed brassica salad with horseradish dressing; veggie and bean ragu with cauliflower; oven-baked cauliflower tortilla; cauliflower fava with crispy olives and griddled cucumbers. The downside to this book: too short – I wanted more! The upside to this book: the index includes listings for courses, so there are six soups noted under “soups” and eleven salads under “salads”. Quality/Price Rating: 88 7.THE MAGIC OF TAHINI (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-072-7 $13.95 USD hardbound) is by Dunja Gulin, a chef who runs her own fermented food workshops, and who writes vegan cookbooks for Ryland Peters & Small. She'd got over 60 plant-based preps which all feature protein-rich tahini. The range is the table of contents: snacks, soups, drinks, sweet treats, mains, sides, desserts, sauces and dressings. The first part of the book is about tahini and what makes it so wonderful. But of course, tahini is made from sesame seeds, and some are allergic to these seeds. Sesames are one of the original superfoods, dating back centuries to India. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: vegans especially Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: fruit kebabs with choc-tahini dip; chia hot chocolate with tahini; tahini popcorn; buckwheat and tahini crackers; polenta canapes; ginger, peas and tahini pasta; bean and tahini burgers. The downside to this book: too short The upside to this book: a good introduction to tahini. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 8.THE NEWLYWED TABLE (Artisan, 2019, 304 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-798-7 $29.95 USD hardbound) is by Maria Zizka, co-author of several award winning cookbooks such as “Tartine All Day”. Her current book provides guidance with about 100 basic recipes. It's a perfect gift for the lead-up shower to the June wedding. She's heavy on the primers: kitchen equipment and tools, pantry, common cooking issues and how to fix them, a wedding registry checklist, plus a resources section. There is also space to note fave recipes, hosted parties, stories and anecdotes. It's all arranged by major categories, such as dinners for two, veggie mains, sides, entertaining, sweets, breakfasts, snacks, and even some kitchen projects for working together (apple cider doughnuts, preserved lemons, slow roasted pork, bread). The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes for teaspoons and tablespoons, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: newlyweds, couples now living together, basic cooking. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: apricot galette; green lasagne with kale; money-in-the-bank breaded chicken; aioli; food processor potato gratin; tuna salad lettuce wraps; warmed spiced olives; roasted bell pepper frittata; tiramisu. The downside to this book: it can be condescending in style but it is awfully hard to gauge experience levels here. The upside to this book: sample menus and other creative ideas. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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 – 9.NEW KITCHEN BASICS (Hardie Grant Books, 2019, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-254-2 $35 USD hardbound) is by Claire Thomson, chef and food writer who also hosts cooking components on the BBC TV. This is her fourth book. Her message is to use the 10 essential ingredients found in every supermarket through 120 modernized recipes. And of course it is arranged by those ingredients, beginning with chicken, tomatoes, eggs, salads, cheese, potatoes, ground meats, pasta, lemon, and chocolate. There's an average of 12 preps apiece. So for chicken, that would include chicken madras, chicken tinga, chicken roasted with grapes, spiced Persian chicken skewers, chicken curry mee, and others. Quite delightful in a regimented sort of way and can be perfectly employed by males looking for regularity in their cooking. Nothing hard here. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87 10.FRENCH APPETIZERS (Gibbs Smith, 2019, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-5102-4 $19.99 USD hardcovers) is by Marie Asselin, who lives in Quebec City and who is a freelance food writer, blogger, translator, food stylist, recipe developer, and culinary teacher. Her blog, FoodNouveau.com, won the 2017 International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) award for best recipe-based blog; she also won the 2017 IACP award for best food styling in a commercial food photograph. It is a concise work detailing 75 modern and classic French finger foods, with the intent of accompanying l'apero (a French evening ritual that combines food, drinks and friends/family. So this collection of preps is useful for what we in North America call “Happy Hour”. She has separate chapters dealing with a selection of small bites, savoury cakes and tarts, sandwiches and toasts, verrines (vertical food in glass rather than a plate0, sweet bites and, of course, some drinks. Some interesting takes include chocolate and tahini sables, any-bean hummus, chicken and olive meatballs, and pear and blue cheese savoury galettes. Nice large sans serif typeface. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 11.PILED-HIGH POTATOES (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-082-6 $14.95 USD hard bound) is by Hannah Miles, a lawyer who competed as a finalist in the BBC MasterChef programme, and then demonstrated for the BBC Good Food Show. She's also done 19 cookbooks for Ryland Peters & Small and some magazine food writing. Here she works on about 55 preps for the baked potato. So basically the recipes are for toppings beyond basic boring butter (but she's also listed 10 flavoured butters). Sweet potatoes are also included here, and can be used with every prep. The universal russet (Idaho) works best with its dry and fluffy texture. But any potato can be baked and the toppings will go with all of them. There is a section on microwaving and “instant” recipes from the larder, sure to work well for any millennial with a heads-up in the kitchen. The arrangement is by product, but at the end there is a “global” section which is the most interesting with spicy complexity, such as the Cuban potato (ham, roast pork, swiss cheese, pickles and mustard dressing) or the dhal and raita. I find that looking at a lot of these I have an idea that they can be used for any carbo platform: baked potato, leftover mashed potato, leftover roast potatoes, croutons, bread cubes, bowls of rice, bowls of grains, bowls of short pasta, and the like. Indeed, just about any of the toppings can be thinned down and converted to dips. This is indeed, a multi-purpose savoury cookbook: just add topping to carbo, or carbo to dip. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87 12.OREXI! (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-079-6 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Theo A. Michaels, a London born Greek Cypriot who competed in the BBC MasterChef and then opened up a pop up before writing cookbooks and articles. He has appeared many times on UK TV. Here he delves into the “feast” of Greek foods, beginning (as arranged in the book) with the meze, the sea, the land, the sun, the fire, and the sundowners. These are family-style recipes made for sharing and for entertaining. The book opens with two recipes for pita flatbreads: leavened and unleavened. Some interesting dishes include smoked chocolate baklava, skewered goat's cheese, date and pancetta parcels; fisherman's soup; hake en papillote; cod wrapped in kadayif pastry; ten cloves garlic lemon chicken; and sea bream and watermelon ceviche. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 13.LURE (Figure 1, 2017, 240 pages, $29.99 CAD paperbound) is by Ned Bell, once executive chef of Four seasons Hotel Vancouver and other places but now heavily involved with seafood sustainability groups such as “Chefs for Oceans” which he founded in 2014. He's writing with Valerie Howes, food editor of Reader's Digest Canada and currently writing a work on edible landscapes and seascapes of Fogo Island, Newfoundland. LURE was originally published in 2017 in hard covers; this is the paperback reprint at $10 less. These are sustainable seafood recipes from the West Coast of Canada. The recipe section is arranged by type: white fish, fatty fish, shellfish, and sea greens. It is headed by a recipe list by course, so you can always find a sandwich or soup or app. There is a 50-page chapter on specie profiles, so you can get the lowdown on what to look for when buying and how to prep. There's one dessert here (seaweed brownies), and one drink (seaweed vodka caesar) plus salads, mains, snacks, appetizers, sandwiches, and soups. He's identified all the healthy fish and shellfish species on the West coast, so it is a useful tome to assuage any feelings of irresponsibility. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 89 14.WINE & FOOD; perfect pairings every time (Ryland Peters & Small, 2014, 2017, 2019, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-076-5 $14.95 USD hardbound) is by Jane Parkinson, a UK wine writer with experience in magazines (eg, Decanter) and BBC TV. She was also a Roederer Award winner in 2009. Here, in this latest version, she covers the newest wine trends with deets on grape varieties and wine styles: red, white, rose, fortified and sweet dessert wines, plus sparklers are combed over. But the emphasis is on what goes with what, using practical examples. She is au currant with cheeses, moving on from the default red wines to white wines (soft cheeses) and fortified wines (hard cheeses). Goat cheese? Savvies and Rieslings. Sweet wines are needed for blues. Cheesy pasta? Depends on weight, moving from Italian white to Merlot. There are sections on matching cheeses with a country's wine (eg, brie and Loire rose, comte and Pinot noir from Alsace, Roquefort and Sauternes). She also does this for English, Italian, and Spanish cheeses and wines. Ultimately, though, there is more material on describing wine as food-friendly and what that means – and not enough on food textures and tastes (just the last 40 pages). Most people I know, especially dining out, really have a food dish in mind before contemplating wine choices. Ass she says, “countries like Italy, Spain, France and Portugal have raised their game in the face of stiff competition from New World winemakers...there are tons of delicious European wines, with high-quality local grape varieties”. Quality/price rating: 87. 15.7000 ISLANDS (Hardie Grant Books, 2013, 2018, 336 pages, ISBN 978-174379491-3 $24.99 USD paperbound) is by Yasmin Newman, a food and travel writer and photographer. She did the location pix for this book, which was originally published in 2013. This current edition is the 2018 paperback reprint. There were few Filipino cookbooks in English five years ago, but now there are many. 7000 Islands was one of the first. She's got a variety of recipes from the 7107 islands plus their stories/. It is arranged by course, starting with dipping sauces, and then breakfast, soups, everyday food, seafood, party food, BBQ, rice and noodles, veggies and salads – right through to desserts and snacks and street foods. She's got great advice on how to clean squid, roast cashews, soften banana leaves, and more. Over 100 preps clearly show the influence on the local foods via Spain, China, Mexico, and the USA. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, and no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 16.SALSAS AND TACOS (Gibbs Smith, 2000, 2006, 2019, ISBN 978-1-4236-5163-5, $14.99 hardbound) was originally published in 2000 as two small books. Here they are reissued together (and at a reduced price). The recipes come from Susan Curtis (owner and director of the Santa Fe Cooking School), Kathi Long, Daniel Hoyer, and R.Allen Smith. US volume measurements are used, and there is a US resources list which includes New Mexico, Texas, New York, and California (but not Colorado). Some interesting recipes include adobo pork tacos with grilled pineapple, pistachio and bing cherry salsa, corn and anasazi bean salsa, calabacitas tacos, spinach tacos with potato and poblano chile and cream, papaya and tomatillos salsa. New to this edition is the metric conversion chart. The upside to this book is that it is small enough for gift-giving to a hostess. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 17.THE SALAD BOWL (Ryland Peters & Small, 2015, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-087-1 $14.95 USD hardcovers) is by Nicola Graimes, a UK food writer specializing in vegetarian cookery. It was originally published in 2015; this is a slightly revised updating. These are 75 or so fresh, healthy and wholesome preps for all seasons. Arrangement is by principal ingredient: meat/poultry, fish/shellfish, dairy, grains, beans/pulses, and fruits/veggies. Her chapters are vividly photographed. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Some interesting or unusual recipes include spiced chicken with white beans; Vietnamese-style beef salad; chilli prawns; pearl barley and smoked cheddar & walnut salad; puy lentils, grapefruit and feta cheese. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 18.THE VIENNESE KITCHEN: Tante Hertha's book of family recipes (Interlink Books, 2011, 2017, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-56656-019-1 $22 USD paperbound) is by food writer Monica Meehan and Maria von Baich. Monica is the great niece of Tante Hertha; Maria is Monica's mother. It was originally published in 2011 by New Holland. It opens with stories and photos about Hertha (born in 1889) and her Viennese life. The coverage here is from 1890 through to the end of the 1960s, and the recipes do indeed come from her collection of that time period. It's all arranged from “soup to nuts”, beginning with appetizers and ending with puddings. The first 100 pages are savouries, from apps to sides and mains. The last 120 pages are devoted to the sweets, such as tortes (Linzer, hazelnut cream, orange buttercream, nuts with mocha cream filling) and cakes. About 100 recipes cover the fin de siecle Viennese high society, along with some personal stories. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. But it doesn't...Quality/price rating: 87 19.TAPAS AND OTHER SPANISH PLATES TO SHARE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2010, 2014, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-077-2, $14.95 US hard covers) is a publisher's collection of assorted recipes – 60 preps for sharing, all with a Spanish theme. Recipes come from six writers, including Julz Beresford (who has the most) and Linda Tubby (second-most). It was originally published in 2010 and slightly revised for 2014 and 2019. It is a full range of meat, poultry, seafood and fish, veggies, cheese and eggs. Typical are chicken with garlic, Catalan chickpea salad, chorizo in red wine, pork and veal turnovers, ham and chicken croquettes, migas, and others, ending with tortilla campestre. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 85 20.A PERFECT DAY FOR A PICNIC (Ryland Peters & Small, 2013, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-080-2, $14.95 US hard covers) is by Tori Finch, once a UK restaurant owner but now a full-time food and lifestyle writer. It was originally published six years ago. I can tell when summer is upon us: that’s when the cookbook mailbox is full of picnic and BBQ books. This is one of the first of the season, and it is a fine one with over 80 family recipes. She has 10 themed picnic menu ideas, each complete with recipes for portable savoury and sweet dishes as well as beverage recommendations. Ideas are included for the themes, but they can easily be disregarded if all you are interested in is the food. I find it hard enough as it is to clean up after a picnic (nobody wants to do it) let alone do decorations which need their own special cleanup. Nevertheless, if you have a dedicated family/friends connections, then you may invited them to participate in striking the set a la Tom Sawyer. Themes here include a vintage garden party, a bike ride picnic, a Teddy Bears’ picnic with the wee ones, a beach BBQ, a Provencal picnic, a woodland walk picnic, and more. The Indochine picnic covers Vietnamese summer rolls, wheatberries and soy salad, lemongrass chicken brochettes, sweet chili noodles, caramelized pork ban mi baguettes, fruit salad with fresh coconut, mango syllabub and a watermelon cooler. Invite me over, please. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 21.THE 100 MOST JEWISH FOODS (Artisan, 2019, 303 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-906-6 $24.95 USD hardbound) has been edited by Alana Newhouse, who founded in 2009 and is editor-in-chief of Tablet, the premier American Jewish magazine. A lot of folks were involved in this production, which includes the international contributions of diverse personnel. “The ideas here – from the largest conceptual ones to the smallest details – stem directly from the loud, teeming, at times angry but always loving kitchen that is Tablet”. The foods are the most significant foods culturally and historically to the Jewish people. Each has an essay, recipes, stories, and context. Some of the dishes are no longer cooked at home, while others never were and can be bought off the shelf. It is all listed alphabetically from “adafina” through to “yemenite soup”. Along the way we meet halvah, matzo balls, gefilte fish, herring, brisket, borscht, honey, cheesecake, and others. An excellent resource. But the book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 90. 22.HOME CHEESE MAKING. 4th ed. (Storey Publishing, 2018, 368 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-867-2 $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Ricki Carroll who founded the New England Cheesemaking Supply Company in 1978. Her book was first published in 1982 and last revised in 2002. The publisher states that over 400,000 copies have since been sold. The classics are here, such as mozzarella, feta, cheddar, and brie. Some of the more complicated preps are given for blues and gorgonzola, plus the harder halloumi and the melting raclette. Upgrades in the book include more cultured dairy products (sours, clotted), more recipes for goat's milk, plus a range of fresh-soft-hard cheeses. These are accompanied by about 50 new sweet and savoury recipes for cooking with cheese. All she needs now is a wine/beer guide for matching drinks. Additional material includes 15 profiles of international artisanal cheese makers, a glossary, a troubleshooting FAQ, record forms, resources, and a list of cheese recipes (35 new), about 90 which include some more complex and advanced cheeses such as baby swiss, tomme, toscano, gruyere and a few more. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in both the cheese and the food prep recipes; at least it had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. ---------------------------------------------------- ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because many of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations, parity, and online bookstore discounts (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.AMBER REVOLUTION (Interlink Books, 2018, 305 pages, ISBN 978-1-62371-966-1 $35 USD hardback) is by Simon J Woolf, an orange wine expert writer. It's a major spin on his overall concern about natural and biodynamic wines. And the book has already been hailed as the New York Times “Best Wine Book of 2018”. Morning Claret Productions co-published this book in the Netherlands. Orange wine has come on string in North America with millennials seeking out the most natural flavourful wines they can find. Young sommeliers are leading the charge because this is an ancient white wine made in a red wine style with skins being pressed and aged with the juice, sometimes in buried clay pot amphorae. He covers Fruili, Slovenia, and Georgia extensively, plus selectively from 20 countries such as Australia, Austria, Canada, France, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain and the USA. There are 180 profiles of global producers, with the usual tips on how to buy, pair with food, age and enjoy orange wines. There are only two problems with orange wines: they are pricey and because they are natural they can be “weird” tasting with a number of small faults. You really do not know what you can encounter...it's the thrill of it all! Audience and level of use: orange wine lovers, those looking for wine trends or obscurities. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: This is also a social history of cultural oppression, struggle and persistence across the shifting borders of Fruili, Slovenia, Georgia, the Caucasus. The downside to this book: I wish that there was more. The upside to this book: this is probably the first of a few such books. Quality/Price Rating: 92 * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.PIATTI (Chronicle Books, 2019, 225 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-6957-6 $29.95 USD hardbound) is by Stacy Adimando, a Beard Award-winning cookbook author, executive editor at Saveur magazine, and magazine food writer for Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, and others. These preps are meant to be plates and platters for sharing among family and friends at the table, with Italian inspirations. She's got more than 90 preps for celebrating the larger feast as entertainment. Help-yourself-platters encourage grazing, and there are plenty of them here. It is all arranged by season, beginning with winter. Her first chapters deal with both antipasti building blocks such as garlic confit, classic giardiniera and oil-preserved eggplant, and the antipasti pantry (oils, crostini, grissini). The large print index is very useful. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes (it uses both metric and avoirdupois in most cases but not in small volumes), or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: entertainment dining, Italian food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: warm olives with chorizo and sage and orange; baby root veggies and ricotta tartlets on salt and pepper pastry dough; charred radicchio and corn salad with fennel and yogurt dressing; chilled seafood salad with parsley and lemon; seared Italian sausages with roasted cherry tomatoes and shallots. The downside to this book: larger entertaining means cleaning up afterwards The upside to this book: gorgeous photography, especially the cover's artichokes. Quality/Price Rating: 91 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3.VEGAN GOODNESS: FEASTS (Hardie Grant Books, 2018, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-166-5 $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Jessica Prescott, a food writer, stylist and photographer from New Zealand who has written other vegan books and has a blog Wholly Goodness. Here she gives us 70 plant-based preps for meals of big and little gatherings. It is family oriented, and the range is from breakfast through dessert, with stops for BBQ, planning, condiments, grazing, and pantry staples. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: vegans, those seeking plant-based recipes Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bomb diggity BBQ sauce; easy fruit galette; BBQ-baked sweet potato with jackfruit and grilled corn; massaged kale chopped salad with avocados; banana walnut cake. The downside to this book: I wanted more – why are these books so short? The upside to this book: a good variety and family oriented Quality/Price Rating: 86 4.EVERY DAY IS SATURDAY (Chronicle Books, 2019, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-6852-4 $29.95 USD hardbound) is by Sarah Copeland, cookbook author and magazine food writer. If only every day were Saturday in REAL life (but then you'd have to be retired and old like me). Nevertheless, these are preps and strategies for easy cooking every day of the week. It is all arranged by course or presentation, such as breakfast, brunch, midday meals, grazing platters, mains, sweets, and drinks. For example, the Hungarian Snacking Tray platter has a lot of variety on it: meats (pates, hams, sausages), cheeses (at least a trio of soft, medium and hard, possibly blue), peppers, other veggies (radishes, cucumbers, onions), eggs, breads (rye, herbed, etc.(, butter, mustards, fruits (plums, cherries, figs, pears, apricots), and sweets (strudels of poppy, apple, walnut). She's got a lot of standbys to be made up in advance, including chicken liver pate, everyday dressings, homemade oat-almond milk). Also here are some more things to make in advance with veggie bits and root veggies, berries and other fruit bits, greens, meats, grains – any kind of leftovers. Great suggestions too. The book concludes with a special diets index (dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, et al) and a regular index. Preparations have their ingredients listed with mainly avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: families, workers, and entertainers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chimichurri; spring onion and salami sheet-pan pizza; raspberry shrub; hot oats and polenta with raisins and bananas; scrambled eggs with avocado, pea shoots, and sesame seeds; brown butter herb dip; always on-vegetable soup; raw cocoa-honey anytime shake. The downside to this book: I wanted more. The upside to this book: there is a section on “work smart, not hard” with timings for dishes. Quality/Price Rating: 89 5.TASTING GEORGIA; a food and wine journey in the Caucasus (Interlink Books, 2017, 464 pages, ISBN 978-1-56656-059-7 $40 USD hardbound) is by Carla Capalbo born in NYC, and now works as a freelance food journalist and photographer. She's written 14 books on the culture of producing food and wine, winning awards such as the Andre Simon for “Collio” as best wine book. He photos of Georgia have won an IACP award. Here she gives us, by the numbers: 70 recipes, 60 restaurants and wine bars, 40 family wineries, 10 regional maps, and 390 original photographs, many of which detail farmer markets and family cooks. She's got top log rolling from Redzepi (noma), Ottolenghi, and Petrini (founder of Slow Food). Georgia lies between the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea. It is one of the world's oldest winemaking areas, with wines made traditionally in clay qvevri buried in the ground, and searched for by lovers of natural wine. After the section on wine comes the food, beginning with the “supra” buffet-banquet-sharing feast and the elements of Georgian cuisine. Ingredients include ajika (capsicum paste), lobio beans, guda (sheep's cheese), tenili cheese, freshwater fish, gozinaki (honey and walnuts at New Year), jonjoli, khinkali dumplings, matsoni fermented milk, and lots more. There are only a few holiday recipes for sweets. Most dinners end with fresh fruit, nuts, or fruit leather. Preps have English and Georgian titles as well as scrips. Recipes have been edited for home cooks or otherwise simplified with substitutions. Metric and avoirdupois weights and measures co-exist in the preps. There is an impressive listing of sources and travel information, along with websites. The almost 40 page index includes a recipe planner for creating meals, a listing of the various foods by product, a listing of the restaurants and wine bars cited, an index to the wine, plus an index to the 12 regions of Georgia. And of course, there are are recipes by English title. Audience and level of use: armchair travelers and cooks, culinary historians Some interesting or unusual recipes: eggplant rolls; lobio beans stewed with herbs; beef and chickpea stew; beets with spiced walnut paste; chicken with nut sauce; corn meal with cheese; fermented cabbage and beets; mulberry and goat cheese salad; noodle and yogurt soup; stewed nettles. Quality/Price Rating: 91 6.CAULIFLOWER POWER (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-073-4 $14.95 USD hardbound) is by Kathy Kordalis, a UK food stylist and recipe writer. He's written two other cookbook for Ryland Peters & Small. Here she gives us over 60 vegetarian and vegan recipes for cauliflower. It's extremely healthy (omega-3, fibre, vitamin B, minerals) and versatile: serve it roasted, fried, braised, mashed or pickled. Even raw works well, but I always use a dip in this case. The flavours always change. The book is arranged by topic: simple, fresh, spiced, rustic, comfort, and elegant. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with sporadic metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginner ease Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: mixed brassica salad with horseradish dressing; veggie and bean ragu with cauliflower; oven-baked cauliflower tortilla; cauliflower fava with crispy olives and griddled cucumbers. The downside to this book: too short – I wanted more! The upside to this book: the index includes listings for courses, so there are six soups noted under “soups” and eleven salads under “salads”. Quality/Price Rating: 88 7.THE MAGIC OF TAHINI (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-072-7 $13.95 USD hardbound) is by Dunja Gulin, a chef who runs her own fermented food workshops, and who writes vegan cookbooks for Ryland Peters & Small. She'd got over 60 plant-based preps which all feature protein-rich tahini. The range is the table of contents: snacks, soups, drinks, sweet treats, mains, sides, desserts, sauces and dressings. The first part of the book is about tahini and what makes it so wonderful. But of course, tahini is made from sesame seeds, and some are allergic to these seeds. Sesames are one of the original superfoods, dating back centuries to India. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: vegans especially Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: fruit kebabs with choc-tahini dip; chia hot chocolate with tahini; tahini popcorn; buckwheat and tahini crackers; polenta canapes; ginger, peas and tahini pasta; bean and tahini burgers. The downside to this book: too short The upside to this book: a good introduction to tahini. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 8.THE NEWLYWED TABLE (Artisan, 2019, 304 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-798-7 $29.95 USD hardbound) is by Maria Zizka, co-author of several award winning cookbooks such as “Tartine All Day”. Her current book provides guidance with about 100 basic recipes. It's a perfect gift for the lead-up shower to the June wedding. She's heavy on the primers: kitchen equipment and tools, pantry, common cooking issues and how to fix them, a wedding registry checklist, plus a resources section. There is also space to note fave recipes, hosted parties, stories and anecdotes. It's all arranged by major categories, such as dinners for two, veggie mains, sides, entertaining, sweets, breakfasts, snacks, and even some kitchen projects for working together (apple cider doughnuts, preserved lemons, slow roasted pork, bread). The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes for teaspoons and tablespoons, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: newlyweds, couples now living together, basic cooking. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: apricot galette; green lasagne with kale; money-in-the-bank breaded chicken; aioli; food processor potato gratin; tuna salad lettuce wraps; warmed spiced olives; roasted bell pepper frittata; tiramisu. The downside to this book: it can be condescending in style but it is awfully hard to gauge experience levels here. The upside to this book: sample menus and other creative ideas. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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 – 9.NEW KITCHEN BASICS (Hardie Grant Books, 2019, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-254-2 $35 USD hardbound) is by Claire Thomson, chef and food writer who also hosts cooking components on the BBC TV. This is her fourth book. Her message is to use the 10 essential ingredients found in every supermarket through 120 modernized recipes. And of course it is arranged by those ingredients, beginning with chicken, tomatoes, eggs, salads, cheese, potatoes, ground meats, pasta, lemon, and chocolate. There's an average of 12 preps apiece. So for chicken, that would include chicken madras, chicken tinga, chicken roasted with grapes, spiced Persian chicken skewers, chicken curry mee, and others. Quite delightful in a regimented sort of way and can be perfectly employed by males looking for regularity in their cooking. Nothing hard here. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87 10.FRENCH APPETIZERS (Gibbs Smith, 2019, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-5102-4 $19.99 USD hardcovers) is by Marie Asselin, who lives in Quebec City and who is a freelance food writer, blogger, translator, food stylist, recipe developer, and culinary teacher. Her blog, FoodNouveau.com, won the 2017 International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) award for best recipe-based blog; she also won the 2017 IACP award for best food styling in a commercial food photograph. It is a concise work detailing 75 modern and classic French finger foods, with the intent of accompanying l'apero (a French evening ritual that combines food, drinks and friends/family. So this collection of preps is useful for what we in North America call “Happy Hour”. She has separate chapters dealing with a selection of small bites, savoury cakes and tarts, sandwiches and toasts, verrines (vertical food in glass rather than a plate0, sweet bites and, of course, some drinks. Some interesting takes include chocolate and tahini sables, any-bean hummus, chicken and olive meatballs, and pear and blue cheese savoury galettes. Nice large sans serif typeface. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 11.PILED-HIGH POTATOES (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-082-6 $14.95 USD hard bound) is by Hannah Miles, a lawyer who competed as a finalist in the BBC MasterChef programme, and then demonstrated for the BBC Good Food Show. She's also done 19 cookbooks for Ryland Peters & Small and some magazine food writing. Here she works on about 55 preps for the baked potato. So basically the recipes are for toppings beyond basic boring butter (but she's also listed 10 flavoured butters). Sweet potatoes are also included here, and can be used with every prep. The universal russet (Idaho) works best with its dry and fluffy texture. But any potato can be baked and the toppings will go with all of them. There is a section on microwaving and “instant” recipes from the larder, sure to work well for any millennial with a heads-up in the kitchen. The arrangement is by product, but at the end there is a “global” section which is the most interesting with spicy complexity, such as the Cuban potato (ham, roast pork, swiss cheese, pickles and mustard dressing) or the dhal and raita. I find that looking at a lot of these I have an idea that they can be used for any carbo platform: baked potato, leftover mashed potato, leftover roast potatoes, croutons, bread cubes, bowls of rice, bowls of grains, bowls of short pasta, and the like. Indeed, just about any of the toppings can be thinned down and converted to dips. This is indeed, a multi-purpose savoury cookbook: just add topping to carbo, or carbo to dip. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87 12.OREXI! (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-079-6 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Theo A. Michaels, a London born Greek Cypriot who competed in the BBC MasterChef and then opened up a pop up before writing cookbooks and articles. He has appeared many times on UK TV. Here he delves into the “feast” of Greek foods, beginning (as arranged in the book) with the meze, the sea, the land, the sun, the fire, and the sundowners. These are family-style recipes made for sharing and for entertaining. The book opens with two recipes for pita flatbreads: leavened and unleavened. Some interesting dishes include smoked chocolate baklava, skewered goat's cheese, date and pancetta parcels; fisherman's soup; hake en papillote; cod wrapped in kadayif pastry; ten cloves garlic lemon chicken; and sea bream and watermelon ceviche. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 13.LURE (Figure 1, 2017, 240 pages, $29.99 CAD paperbound) is by Ned Bell, once executive chef of Four seasons Hotel Vancouver and other places but now heavily involved with seafood sustainability groups such as “Chefs for Oceans” which he founded in 2014. He's writing with Valerie Howes, food editor of Reader's Digest Canada and currently writing a work on edible landscapes and seascapes of Fogo Island, Newfoundland. LURE was originally published in 2017 in hard covers; this is the paperback reprint at $10 less. These are sustainable seafood recipes from the West Coast of Canada. The recipe section is arranged by type: white fish, fatty fish, shellfish, and sea greens. It is headed by a recipe list by course, so you can always find a sandwich or soup or app. There is a 50-page chapter on specie profiles, so you can get the lowdown on what to look for when buying and how to prep. There's one dessert here (seaweed brownies), and one drink (seaweed vodka caesar) plus salads, mains, snacks, appetizers, sandwiches, and soups. He's identified all the healthy fish and shellfish species on the West coast, so it is a useful tome to assuage any feelings of irresponsibility. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 89 14.WINE & FOOD; perfect pairings every time (Ryland Peters & Small, 2014, 2017, 2019, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-076-5 $14.95 USD hardbound) is by Jane Parkinson, a UK wine writer with experience in magazines (eg, Decanter) and BBC TV. She was also a Roederer Award winner in 2009. Here, in this latest version, she covers the newest wine trends with deets on grape varieties and wine styles: red, white, rose, fortified and sweet dessert wines, plus sparklers are combed over. But the emphasis is on what goes with what, using practical examples. She is au currant with cheeses, moving on from the default red wines to white wines (soft cheeses) and fortified wines (hard cheeses). Goat cheese? Savvies and Rieslings. Sweet wines are needed for blues. Cheesy pasta? Depends on weight, moving from Italian white to Merlot. There are sections on matching cheeses with a country's wine (eg, brie and Loire rose, comte and Pinot noir from Alsace, Roquefort and Sauternes). She also does this for English, Italian, and Spanish cheeses and wines. Ultimately, though, there is more material on describing wine as food-friendly and what that means – and not enough on food textures and tastes (just the last 40 pages). Most people I know, especially dining out, really have a food dish in mind before contemplating wine choices. Ass she says, “countries like Italy, Spain, France and Portugal have raised their game in the face of stiff competition from New World winemakers...there are tons of delicious European wines, with high-quality local grape varieties”. Quality/price rating: 87. 15.7000 ISLANDS (Hardie Grant Books, 2013, 2018, 336 pages, ISBN 978-174379491-3 $24.99 USD paperbound) is by Yasmin Newman, a food and travel writer and photographer. She did the location pix for this book, which was originally published in 2013. This current edition is the 2018 paperback reprint. There were few Filipino cookbooks in English five years ago, but now there are many. 7000 Islands was one of the first. She's got a variety of recipes from the 7107 islands plus their stories/. It is arranged by course, starting with dipping sauces, and then breakfast, soups, everyday food, seafood, party food, BBQ, rice and noodles, veggies and salads – right through to desserts and snacks and street foods. She's got great advice on how to clean squid, roast cashews, soften banana leaves, and more. Over 100 preps clearly show the influence on the local foods via Spain, China, Mexico, and the USA. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, and no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 16.SALSAS AND TACOS (Gibbs Smith, 2000, 2006, 2019, ISBN 978-1-4236-5163-5, $14.99 hardbound) was originally published in 2000 as two small books. Here they are reissued together (and at a reduced price). The recipes come from Susan Curtis (owner and director of the Santa Fe Cooking School), Kathi Long, Daniel Hoyer, and R.Allen Smith. US volume measurements are used, and there is a US resources list which includes New Mexico, Texas, New York, and California (but not Colorado). Some interesting recipes include adobo pork tacos with grilled pineapple, pistachio and bing cherry salsa, corn and anasazi bean salsa, calabacitas tacos, spinach tacos with potato and poblano chile and cream, papaya and tomatillos salsa. New to this edition is the metric conversion chart. The upside to this book is that it is small enough for gift-giving to a hostess. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 17.THE SALAD BOWL (Ryland Peters & Small, 2015, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-087-1 $14.95 USD hardcovers) is by Nicola Graimes, a UK food writer specializing in vegetarian cookery. It was originally published in 2015; this is a slightly revised updating. These are 75 or so fresh, healthy and wholesome preps for all seasons. Arrangement is by principal ingredient: meat/poultry, fish/shellfish, dairy, grains, beans/pulses, and fruits/veggies. Her chapters are vividly photographed. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Some interesting or unusual recipes include spiced chicken with white beans; Vietnamese-style beef salad; chilli prawns; pearl barley and smoked cheddar & walnut salad; puy lentils, grapefruit and feta cheese. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 18.THE VIENNESE KITCHEN: Tante Hertha's book of family recipes (Interlink Books, 2011, 2017, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-56656-019-1 $22 USD paperbound) is by food writer Monica Meehan and Maria von Baich. Monica is the great niece of Tante Hertha; Maria is Monica's mother. It was originally published in 2011 by New Holland. It opens with stories and photos about Hertha (born in 1889) and her Viennese life. The coverage here is from 1890 through to the end of the 1960s, and the recipes do indeed come from her collection of that time period. It's all arranged from “soup to nuts”, beginning with appetizers and ending with puddings. The first 100 pages are savouries, from apps to sides and mains. The last 120 pages are devoted to the sweets, such as tortes (Linzer, hazelnut cream, orange buttercream, nuts with mocha cream filling) and cakes. About 100 recipes cover the fin de siecle Viennese high society, along with some personal stories. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. But it doesn't...Quality/price rating: 87 19.TAPAS AND OTHER SPANISH PLATES TO SHARE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2010, 2014, 2019, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-077-2, $14.95 US hard covers) is a publisher's collection of assorted recipes – 60 preps for sharing, all with a Spanish theme. Recipes come from six writers, including Julz Beresford (who has the most) and Linda Tubby (second-most). It was originally published in 2010 and slightly revised for 2014 and 2019. It is a full range of meat, poultry, seafood and fish, veggies, cheese and eggs. Typical are chicken with garlic, Catalan chickpea salad, chorizo in red wine, pork and veal turnovers, ham and chicken croquettes, migas, and others, ending with tortilla campestre. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 85 20.A PERFECT DAY FOR A PICNIC (Ryland Peters & Small, 2013, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-080-2, $14.95 US hard covers) is by Tori Finch, once a UK restaurant owner but now a full-time food and lifestyle writer. It was originally published six years ago. I can tell when summer is upon us: that’s when the cookbook mailbox is full of picnic and BBQ books. This is one of the first of the season, and it is a fine one with over 80 family recipes. She has 10 themed picnic menu ideas, each complete with recipes for portable savoury and sweet dishes as well as beverage recommendations. Ideas are included for the themes, but they can easily be disregarded if all you are interested in is the food. I find it hard enough as it is to clean up after a picnic (nobody wants to do it) let alone do decorations which need their own special cleanup. Nevertheless, if you have a dedicated family/friends connections, then you may invited them to participate in striking the set a la Tom Sawyer. Themes here include a vintage garden party, a bike ride picnic, a Teddy Bears’ picnic with the wee ones, a beach BBQ, a Provencal picnic, a woodland walk picnic, and more. The Indochine picnic covers Vietnamese summer rolls, wheatberries and soy salad, lemongrass chicken brochettes, sweet chili noodles, caramelized pork ban mi baguettes, fruit salad with fresh coconut, mango syllabub and a watermelon cooler. Invite me over, please. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 21.THE 100 MOST JEWISH FOODS (Artisan, 2019, 303 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-906-6 $24.95 USD hardbound) has been edited by Alana Newhouse, who founded in 2009 and is editor-in-chief of Tablet, the premier American Jewish magazine. A lot of folks were involved in this production, which includes the international contributions of diverse personnel. “The ideas here – from the largest conceptual ones to the smallest details – stem directly from the loud, teeming, at times angry but always loving kitchen that is Tablet”. The foods are the most significant foods culturally and historically to the Jewish people. Each has an essay, recipes, stories, and context. Some of the dishes are no longer cooked at home, while others never were and can be bought off the shelf. It is all listed alphabetically from “adafina” through to “yemenite soup”. Along the way we meet halvah, matzo balls, gefilte fish, herring, brisket, borscht, honey, cheesecake, and others. An excellent resource. But the book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 90. 22.HOME CHEESE MAKING. 4th ed. (Storey Publishing, 2018, 368 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-867-2 $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Ricki Carroll who founded the New England Cheesemaking Supply Company in 1978. Her book was first published in 1982 and last revised in 2002. The publisher states that over 400,000 copies have since been sold. The classics are here, such as mozzarella, feta, cheddar, and brie. Some of the more complicated preps are given for blues and gorgonzola, plus the harder halloumi and the melting raclette. Upgrades in the book include more cultured dairy products (sours, clotted), more recipes for goat's milk, plus a range of fresh-soft-hard cheeses. These are accompanied by about 50 new sweet and savoury recipes for cooking with cheese. All she needs now is a wine/beer guide for matching drinks. Additional material includes 15 profiles of international artisanal cheese makers, a glossary, a troubleshooting FAQ, record forms, resources, and a list of cheese recipes (35 new), about 90 which include some more complex and advanced cheeses such as baby swiss, tomme, toscano, gruyere and a few more. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in both the cheese and the food prep recipes; at least it had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR FEBRUARY 2019 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.THE ART & CRAFT OF COFFEE COCKTAILS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-043-7 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Jason Clark,an itinerant bartender (and coffee lover) for many years. Here he gives us over 75 preps for mixing coffee and liquor. He has notes on selecting coffees, brewing coffee for cocktails, extractions by espresso or cold brew or French press. He's also got some good notes on how to maximize pod coffee usage. He divides his cocktails up into shake, hot, built, stirred and thrown, and blended. Excellent photographs of single purpose beverage glasses and cups. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: bartenders, coffee lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: tiramisu ice cream; chocolate coffee ganache; cinnamon toast crunch white Russian; B52 hot shot; Mexican blazer; caffeine carnival; cafe negroni; coffee bourbon float; super stout. The downside to this book: I really really wanted more preps! The upside to this book: there's a concluding section on homemade coffee products such as coffee syrup, coffee liqueur, coffee ice, coffee soda, coffee foam, and others. Quality/Price Rating: 92. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.OKLAVA (Interlink Books, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-56656-028-3 $35 USD hardbound) is by Selin Kiazim, who, after various head positions in the restaurant business, opened Oklava in Shoreditch (London UK) in 2015. Kiazim draws on her Turkish-Cypriot heritage to devise a pattern of food for her restaurant (Oklava translates as “rolling pin”). These are also Turkish-Cypriot home-cooked meals, arranged here by course from snacks, salads, savouries, meat, seafood, veggies and grains, and desserts. She's also got some drink preps plus dressings and dips and assorted items. She was born in north London with its Turkish and Greek Cypriots, but spent a lot of time on Cyprus itself with family. There is a lot of crossover between Greek and Turkish food, and the cognate words reflect this. The major difference is that Turks are generally Muslim and hence do not eat pork but rather lamb. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: those seeking a unique cuisine. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chicken livers with garlic, rosemary, cumin, and date butter on toast; salad of baharat-roast duck with feta, sumac onions, poached figs and salted walnuts; chili-garlic glazed chicken with za'atar crumbs; veal shish and onion salad flatbread with charred sivri biber relish and yogurt. The downside to this book: there are no pork recipes in the Meat chapter, but the lamb preps can be used by substituting pork. The upside to this book: lots of memoir-like material Quality/Price Rating: 92. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.COASTLINE (Interlink Books, 2017, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-56656-026-9 $35 USD hardbound) is by Lucio Galletto and David Dale. Galletto runs an Italian restaurant in Sydney, Australia; Dale has written cookbooks on Italian and Turkish cuisine. Here they explore the Mediterranean influences on Spain, France and Italy, emphasizing the east part of Spain and the west part of Italy. Most of the material is centred around Liguria, Provence, and Catalunya with their similar cuisine and sources. Historical influences for the region include the Greeks, the Romans, the Vikings, and the Arabs. The authors have a collection of photo essays and stories plus 100 or so relevant recipes. The typical arrangement begins with sauces and dips, snacks and apps, salads, grains, soups, stews, and ends with desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois with some metric measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: home-cooks, and the armchair traveller and cook? Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: black noodles with seafood; mussels Catalan style; navettes; petits farcis; Genoa calf liver; artichokes with ham and pine nuts; onions with romesco; pistou; romescada. The downside to this book: too many non-food pix, but that might be its appeal The upside to this book: it is a good concept for a cookbook Quality/Price Rating: 89 4.THE BUFFALO NEW YORK COOKBOOK (The Countryman Press, 2018, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-68268-323-1, $19.95 USD paperbound) is by Arthur Bovino, a local Buffalo food and travel writer. He had previously written “Buffalo Everything” which was a guide to eating out in the “nickel city”. Here he gives 70 preps from the restaurants he has covered. He's got the classic chicken wings aka Buffalo wings plus chicken finger subs, fried bologna sandwiches, stinger tacos, and sponge candy. And there is a section on how to Buffalo-ize your comfort food such as chicken pot pie, nachos, deviled eggs, cauliflower wings, and grilled cheese. His arrangement is specific: wings, beef on weck, iconic Buffalo dishes, Buffalo basics, and party food. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: City of Buffalo lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Old School Buffalo wings; Buffalo chicken parm pizza; stuffed banana peppers; Buffalo 7-layer dip; pizza logs; Buffalo panko. The downside to this book: There is room for more recipes. The upside to this book: upper New York state is covered nicely by beef on weck and Utica greens and Cornell-styled barbecue chicken. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 5.SCRAPS PEELS AND STEMS (Skipstone, 2018, 255 pages, ISBN 978-1-68051-148-2 $22.95 USD paperbound) is by food journalist Jill Lightner who has most recently done work for Taste magazine. This is a nifty collection of 73 recipes plus tips for rethinking food waste at home. It's in two parts: one deals with food waste at home, and is divided into sections covering meal planning, shopping, storing, cooking and eating, plus the matter of leftovers and gardening. The other part deals with outside the home – food service such as AYCE, grocer stores and food banks, farms, ranches, and fisheries, plus material on waste management helping households to save money. There is some advice on how to live the less disposable life and a resource list guide (which also includes some aquafaba (vegan meringue) interest groups). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: green users of food, millennials. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: typical preps to reduce waste and use leftovers (stews from scraps) include cassoulet, gumbo, cholent, mujaddara, shakshuka, and chili. For veggies, there are crispy roasted potato peels, roasted cauliflower leaves, and quick-pickled stems. The downside to this book: it can be depressing if we don't all pull together. Only 5% of wasted food is composted. The rest goes to landfill where the food creates methane, a sort of double whammy (not only wasted food, but also methane creation). The upside to this book: it is good to be reminded of a lot of things here. Quality/Price Rating: 90 6.COOKING WITH SCRAPS (Workman Publishing, 2018, 189 pages, ISBN 978-0-7611-9303-6 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Lindsay-Jean Hard, a food editor and writer at Food52 (“Cooking with Scraps”). This book grew out of that project. She encourages all of us to turn our peels, cores, rinds, stems and other odds and ends into delicious meals. She deals with how to select, store, and use these elements. She's got 85 recipes, plus tips and techniques. It is all arranged alphabetically by main ingredient. So “apples” are up first, followed by “aquafaba” (chickpea foam), through bread, coffee, fennel, leeks, wine and zucchini. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: conscientious eaters; sustainable food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: radish top ohitashi; dill pickle brine bloody mary; watermelon rind-lime granita; cantaloupe pulp overnight oats; mushroom stem compound butter; tomato seed dressing; coconut-milk braised turnip greens stew; wine vinegar. The downside to this book: the book is more about cooking the scraps with the “waste and environment” elements toned down, less of a message than the book above. The upside to this book: there is a recipe index by course (apps to desserts plus drinks). 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.EAST/WEST (Interlink Books, 2017, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-56656-006-1 $35 USD hardbound) is by Shane Delia, who has a cooking TV show in Australia and owns two places in Melbourne (Maha Restaurant and Biggie Smalls Kebab Shop). His book is a culinary journey through Malta (he is Maltese), Lebanon (his wife is Lebanese), Iran, Turkey, Morocco, and Andalusia. Typical foods include orange blossom, rose petals, slow-cooked meats, fermented yogurts, dates, olives – all of them available outside the Middle East. He presents 80 recipes drawn from his restaurant repertoire and redesigned for the home kitchen. He's also written a brief glossary for the Middle East pantry. The opening chapter on Malta is particularly attractive since the cuisine is rarely found outside of the region. He begins, of course, with the great pork and pea pastizzi, followed by the rabbit stew with raisin gremolata. Lebanon features grilled haloumi with pomegranate and sumac dressing, Iran has slow-roasted lamb shoulder with yogurt and nigella seed bread, Turkey has scallop-filled zucchini flowers with smoked eel dressing and orange and coriander crumb, Morocco has rfissa, and Andalusia features tuna tartare with harissa aioli. Each country opens with a photo essay. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. 8.UNICORN FOOD (Workman Publishing, 2018, 184 pages, ISBN 978-1-5235-0213-4 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Kat Odell who owns the plant-based food and drink brand Unicorn Food. She's also a food writer and editor. Here she brings us (as the subtitle says) “beautiful plant-based recipes to nurture your inner magical beast”. It's arranged by course, but first there is a unicorn pantry, filled with algae, bee pollen, cacao, chia seeds, chlorophyll, coconut, gluten-free nuts and seeds (and their milks), goji berries, maca root, plus a dozen more. The book is vegan, but she does use raw honey which can be substituted for. Other chapters cover milks and drinks, brunch, snacks, sweets, spreads, and a range of plants. Brunch, for example, includes probiotic morning custards, breakfast tabbouleh bowls with avocado, and avo-chia brekkies pudding. It's a very attractive book making effective use for colour. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had conversion tables. Quality/price rating: 89. 9.PASSIONE (Interlink Books, 2017, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-56656-027-6 $30 USD hardbound) is by Gennaro Contaldo, He has appeared on many cooking shows, most notably his own “Two Greedy Italians” on PBS. He has long owned Passione the London UK restaurant, and the name for his book. He is reputed to have taught Jamie Oliver all he knows about Italian cooking (Oliver says: “His talent for cooking and storytelling changed my life and food forever”). His previous book for Interlink was Panetteria, about Italian baking. This current one is basic book plus recollections of his experiences, ranging from the Italian pantry through zuppe, pasta, polenta, risotto, pesce, carne, verdure, plus bread, snacks, and dessert. He's got over 100 recipes, and includes a mixed root vegetable soup, pennette with zucchini flowers, farfalle with peas and pancetta and ricotta, duck breasts in limoncello, and puffball cutlets. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89 10.EAT FEEL FRESH (Alpha Books, 2018, 257 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-7562-6 $25 USD hardbound) is by Sahara Rose, podcaster, blogger and best-selling author of Ayurveda books. She teaches that food is divine medicine with the power to heal BUT the best food for one person may not be beneficial to another. Here she promotes guidelines for modern tastes and lifestyles in context of how to eat according to one's specific needs. Every meal should be healing with a plant-based nutrient-dense diet. The influential Deepak Chopra has written a foreword. Topic chapters include breakfast (chai pancakes, smoothies, sweet pottao cereal, savoury oatmeal, and chickpea flour frittatas). There are dinners, desserts, snacks, sides, and healthy “potions” (dosha tea, chai latte, alkaline green juice). She's also got a separate chapter for “six-taste bowls”: sweet hearty base and healthy fats, colourful bitter veggies and pungent aromatics, and astringent plant protein with salty/sour/stringent garnishes. Thirteen bowls are presented, along with customized variations based on the six tastes. It's a very colourful book with great food stylings. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 11.ASMA'S INDIAN KITCHEN (Interlink Books, 2019, 184 pages, ISBN 978-1-62371-912-8 $30 USD hardbound) is by Asma Khan, owner of London's Darjeeling Express (from supper club to pop-up to restaurant) which re-creates the food of Calcutta via its all-woman kitchen. She's also part of Chef's Table (Netflix). Partially a memoir, with her immigrant's story, the book was first published in the US by Pavilion. This is Indian home cooking at its best in four chapters, starting with feasts for two, feasts for family, feasts for friends, and celebratory feasts. She concludes with 13 menu suggestions covering the bases of vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian, and meat feasts. She's even got a no-expense-spared celebratory feast of six dishes (raan, macher, pulao, korma, kachumber, and rajma). The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. 12.A WOMAN'S DRINK (Chronicle Books, 2018, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-7329-0 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Natalka Burian and Scott Schneider, who together are business partners in bars in Brooklyn: Elsa and Ramona. Burian was appalled at how masculine bars were in 2007, but she decided that she wanted to own one and redecorate it with a feminine interior and the emphasis on the perfect drink. Schneider is now in charge of the cocktail program at both places. This book of 50 cocktail recipes shows every temperament and taste, from powerful concoctions down through light and frothy. And it has been customized for the home bar. Still, a proper bar needs lots of equipment for all the shaking, stirring, straining, and serving, PLUS a lot of garnishes for the various drinks. Hosting a mixed party is a lot of work, but if you just want a few items that you – and you alone – may enjoy, then equipment and ingredients can be cut back. Name brands are classified by price points. The 50 recipes cover solo drinking, drinking for two, drinking with a crowd, drinking with family, drinking with people who don't drink, drinking in a hurry, and leisurely drinking. Try the Salted Watermelon Rose Popsicles or Negroni for a Group. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 88 13.GENNARO'S FAST COOK ITALIAN (Interlink Books, 2018, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-62371-980-7 $30 USD hardbound) is by Gennaro Contaldo, He has appeared on many cooking shows, most notably his own “Two Greedy Italians” on PBS. He has long owned Passione the London UK restaurant. He is reputed to have taught Jamie Oliver all he knows about Italian cooking (Oliver says: “His talent for cooking and storytelling changed my life and food forever”). His previous book for Interlink was Panetteria, about Italian baking. This one has 90 preps to create an Italian feast in 40 minutes or less. It will call for a larger Italian pantry (extended to the refrigerator, to the freezer, and to fresh produce that keeps for a bit, such as salad greens, herbs, bell peppers) to make sure that all ingredients are on hand. It is arranged by course: salads, soups, pasta, et al through to desserts. There are primer chapters on Italian fast cooking and simple sauces. As he says, “gone are the days when women stayed at home” and made their own pasta or soaked their own beans. Try prosciutto with roasted apples and pears or cavatelli with sausage, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes – or even hake with mixed potatoes and red onion agrodolce. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 14.THE NEWLYWED'S COOKBOOK (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-064-2 $19.95 USD hardbound) is a publisher's book, with recipes contributed by the RPD stable of cookbook reviewers. It is being touted as a wedding gift for any couple who are contemplating marriage. [It's inexpensive, so maybe a shower gift would be more appropriate.] The emphasis here is on sharing the cooking. The arrangement proceeds from breakfast/brunch through meals for two, appetizers, entertaining, salads, sides, desserts, baking and drinks. It is pretty straightforward but it is global, so we get lamb tagine, gosht aloo saag masala, and shiitake potsticker dumplings. The contributing writers ranged from Jenny Techiesche with 17 through Kathy Kordalis (12), Shelagh Ryan (11), Jenny Linford (10) and 9 others. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87. 15.THE ALEPPO COOKBOOK (Interlink Books, 2017, 2019, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-56656-997-2 $25 USD paperbound) is by Marlene Matar. It's a straight reprint of the hardback version from 2017. It is arranged by course, from mezze (hot and cold) to desserts, with stops for stuffed dishes, kibbeh, bread, pickles, preserves, and drinks. Her primer has a local Aleppo spice mix, chickpeas, freekeh, mint, nuts, pomegranate, quince, vine leaves, yogurt, and other foodstuffs for the pantry. The 200 recipes deal with the whole Syrian food experience, from basic dishes to entertaining or fancy meals. Preparation times, cooking times, rising times, and service are clearly noted. The range includes some vegetarian kibbeh, She manages to cross-reference many dishes with surrounding states: “itch for everyday” has variations in Lebanon, southeastern Turkey, Armenia and Aleppo (it is based on bulgur like tabbouleh but each area adds and subtracts other ingredients). A fascinating book about the cuisine of Syria. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89 ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR JANUARY 2019 [published monthly since 2000] =============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+ These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.WINE TRAILS: Australia and New Zealand (Lonely Planet, 2018, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-78701-769-6, $20 USD hardbound) is one of a new series from Lonely Planet detailing 40 “perfect” [publisher's term] weekends in wine country. Covered here are the Australian hot spots of Margaret River, McLaren Vale, Hunter Valley, Coonawarra, Barossa, plus 25 more in the regions of New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia. New Zealand has 10 in all, including Marlborough, Hawkes Bay, Waipara, and Gisborne. There are single weekends in these diverse regions, with Victoria being the most prolific at 10 wine areas. The entire country of New Zealand also has 10 regions. About 250 wineries are covered, so there is lots to do – that's 6 – 7 or so on each weekend, good pacing. With Marlborough as an example, there is a snapshot description of the cool climate area, a basic map with numbers for seven wineries to visit on that weekend, and blurbs about each winery and their wine specialties. All of them are either sustainable-natural or at the other end of the spectrum, biodynamic. Websites are given for more data, phone numbers, street addresses, time open, food, and price ranges. The end of the Marlborough chapter lists a few places to stay, to eat, and what to do. Small but useful photos are strewn about. Audience and level of use: travellers, especially those who want to spend many weekends at these antipodean wineries. The downside to this book: 5 contributors are mentioned but it is unclear who contributed what. One is from New Zealand, two more are from Australia. The upside to this book: there are multiple indexes to architecture and art, experiences, and to the wineries themselves. Quality/Price Rating: 92 * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH* 2.CHOP SUEY NATION; the Legion Cafe and other stories from Canada's Chinese restaurants (Douglas & McIntyre, 2019, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-77162-222-6 $24.95 CAD French flaps gatefold paperbound) is by Ann Hui, the Globe and Mail's National Food Writer since 2015 and a two-time nominee for a National Newspaper Award. It's an augmented version of a long piece she did for the June 21, 2016 issue of the Globe and Mail. Notable log rollers include Mark Bittman, Chris Nuttall-Smith, and Lucy Waverman. Her book, in addition to being an 18-day discovery voyage of small town Chinese restaurants in Canada, also is a vivid memoir of her family, her Dad, and their own restaurant the Legion Cafe. The scope is nation-wide, from the Don Mee Seafood Restaurant in Victoria, BC to the Kwang Tung Restaurant on Fogo Island, NL – with stops along the way to several places in Alberta and Prairies through to Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. She explores the Canadian version of “chop suey” [mixed small bits – shap sui in Cantonese] and “chow mein” (which substitutes sliced cabbage for noodles in Newfoundland), both using local ingredients that can be adapted and turned into such plates as “bon bon ribs” or “ginger beef”. The memoir portions are skillfully interwoven with the visited restaurants. Audience and level of use: those interested in Chinese food and Canadian cultural history, lovers of memoirs. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: it was only after the article was published when Ann found out that own family could have been included – her parents had run a Chinese restaurant before she was born! And indeed, many of the owner families came from the same region, Toisan (“First home of the Overseas Chinese”). The downside to this book: no index is provided – one might have been useful to co-relate the various dishes on offer nationwide. The upside to this book: compelling reading. Quality/Price Rating: 93. RECENT INSTANT POT COOKBOOKS: report... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ There have been a slew of Instant Pot (IP) cookbooks: it has been one of the hottest selling electric implement in the kitchen. It's an extremely versatile piece of equipment, performing about a dozen different uses. So no need for single-purpose appliances. It can pressure cook, slow cook, saute, steam (cook rice), bake (breads), make yogurt, and more. But it cannot do everything, such as broil a roast or sheet pan cooking. There is also a temptation in Instant Pot cookbooks to re-format typical and standard pressure cooker and slow cooker preps which have been around for about a century, contributing nothing new – just bringing them across from previous books to the new IP book. The only real problem with IP is: you might want (or have) to use two or more of its functions at the same time – you can't do it. So time management is here important. 3.HEALTHY INSTANT POT COOKBOOK (Alpha, 2018, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-7663-0 $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Dana Angelo White, RD. She provides very helpful information about the basic usage of the Instant Pot (with black and white photos) in nine pages, the longest stretch of the three books. For her, Instant Pot is a boon. Not only is it energy efficient and fast, but also it is healthier – the flavours and nutrients are locked in. So she has 100 light and simple preps for breakfast through to dessert, with meatless options. Along the way, she cuts back on fats (thus promoting a leaner mac 'n' cheese or lassagna). Each prep (such as caramel popcorn crunch) has symbols and words to indicate the program (e.g., pressure cooker), the pressure level (e.g., high) and the release (e.g., quick). Calories and cooking times are listed as well as nutrition per serving. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 90 4.KETO IN AN INSTANT (Alpha, 2019, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-8073, $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Stacey Crawford, a blogger who has celiac disease. To her, good health is being grain-free and low-carb – the ketogenic diet. She too has 100 keto recipes for the Instant Pot in the breakfast to dinner range, with several gluten-free and paleo-friendly options. It is also possible to be dairy-free. She's got the nutrient breakdowns for each prep, as ell as the setting and the release modes. She's only got less than a couple of pages on the Instant Pot, with more space on the ketogenic diet. The two books nicely complement each other in their preps. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. 5.FIX-IT AND FORGET-IT INSTANT POT COOKBOOK (Good Books Skyhorse, 2018, 228 pages, ISBN 978-1-68099-431-5 $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Hope Comerford, who has taken over from Phyllis Good, the original author of many Fix-It and Forget-It books which centred around the slow cooker. Well, maybe it is bye-bye time for the slow cooker and welcome to the Instant Pot!! It certainly frees up a lot of time and space in the kitchen. Like the other two recent books (see above), she has 100 recipes for the breakfast through dessert scroll. But unlike the other two she has tables of metric equivalents and a whole series of tips and tricks. She has indications for setting, pressure and release. But no nutritional data section. Most of the preps are from readers or followers of the Fix-It series. Quality/price rating: 88 6.THE MODERN MULTI-COOKER COOKBOOK (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-973-1, $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Jenny Tschiesche, who also runs the UK nutrition website www.lunchboxdoctor.com and develops recipes. Previously she had authored “Sheet Pan Cooking” for this publisher. Overall, what sets this book apart from the others above is that it is hardbound and it has 101 recipes (one more than any of the rest reviewed here) – and manages to keep the price to under $20. Indeed, it is the least expensive book here. That may be because it concentrates on recipes, keeping the IP material to just one page of small typeface with no illustrations. That promotes it to the “Intermediate” level, by assuming that the user already has an IP. It's arranged by course or ingredient, with breakfasts, soups, “speedy” suppers, rice and grains, curries and chillies, casseroles and roasts, sides, desserts. Also, the preps seem to be a bit more upscale, with carrot and cashew hummus, sweet potato and pancetta frittata, cod in parma ham with lemon butter and veggies, veggie biryani, Thai chicken with cauliflower rice, Malaysian chicken, and lamb tagine. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes (it still had tablespoons and teaspoons), or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 90. * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 7.ON BOARDS (Appetite by Random House, 2018, 184 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-753114-8, $25 CAD hardbound) is by Lisa Dawn Bolton, a Vancouver food stylist and writer. As she says, these are simple and inspiring recipe ideas to share at gatherings. Bolton has 100 or so quick and easy preps and suggestions for creating a board of food that looks beyond being a charcuterie board or a cheese platter. Her 50 styling ideas are augmented by 52 recipes for both savoury and sweet additions such as beet hummus or mashed potato dip. The boards cover a range of occurrences, from everyday to seasonal to holiday to special occasion to international (Mexican, Japanese, Indian, Mediterranean, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, France, Holland, Bavaria, et al). The recipes are useful, but you can also use other preps that you might be more familiar with. Just play around. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart for the avoirdupois weights and measures. Audience and level of use: those looking for entertaining ideas. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chocolate salami; bourbon bacon ham; The downside to this book: I wanted more suggestions. Also, you'll need a few different platters for display. The upside to this book: a really good look at platter creation. Quality/Price Rating: 90 8.SEASON (Chronicle Books, 2018, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-6399-4, $35 USD hardbound) is by Nik Sharma, ace blogger (A Brown Kitchen) and print food writer. As a food photographer, he did his own pix for this book of big flavours and beautiful food. He's also got seven noted log rollers, including Nigella Lawson. He's a home cook, but his 100 preps here show a global sensibility of spices and herbs and international techniques. He grew up in India and traveled widely, cooking in the Southern US and photographing his experiences. It is a colourful book, part memoir, part cookbook, with good leading and spacing for easier readability. The primer part details a flavour glossary, and this is followed by sections on small bites, salads, soups, gains and veggies, seafood, eggs and poultry, meats, sweets, and some beverages. The preps are bookended with a section on pantry staples to keep on hand. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements (except for teaspoons and tablespoons with no equivalents), and there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: adventuresome cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: crème fraiche chicken salad; chile-sumac pomegranate nuts; spiced mango milkshake; cardamom iced coffee with coconut milk; bacon-guajillo salt; charred green garlic and yuzu ponzu sauce; turkey-mushroom handpies; spiced meat loaf; tandoori swordfish steaks; coriander gravlax. The downside to this book: maybe a little too much non-food material The upside to this book: excellent photography and layout Quality/Price Rating: 90 9.THE FAT KITCHEN (Storey Publishing, 2018, 290 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-913-6 $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Andrea Chesman in Vermont. Her many cookbooks specialize in traditional techniques such as The Pickled Pantry. Here she explores, in 100 recipes, how to tackle the rendering and curing of lard, tallow and poultry fat – and then how to cook with them. It's been over ten years since Jennifer McLagan's definitive “Fat” book (Ten Speed Press) and six years since Michael Ruhlman's “Book of Schmaltz” (Little, Brown). It is no secret that fat not only imparts flavour to regular food but also makes pastry more tender and flaky, cookies rise higher, and caramelizes fried foods without being greasy. Each type of fat is distinct, and Chesman tells us which type is best for which method of cooking or food. So – we have pork carnitas, Cornish pasties, duck fat french fries, and similar preps. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements (but fat is additionally expressed in metric), but there are tables of metric equivalents at the back of the book. Audience and level of use: home cooks, meat eaters Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: potato latkes; scallion pancakes; duck fat popcorn; duck confit with potatoes; onion confit; kale chips; red bean gumbo; kasha varnishkas; jam thumbprint cookies. The downside to this book: nothing really, fairly priced. The upside to this book: a good book for paleo and GAPS diets Quality/Price Rating: 89 10.BUILD-A-BOWL (Storey Publishing, 2018, 180 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-990-7 $18.95 USD paperbound) is by Nicki Sizemore, food blogger, recipe developer, and cooking teacher, All of these 77 preps are easy and infinitely adaptable by your mastering of the build-a-bowl formula: a whole-grain base topped with veggie, protein, sauce and crispy garnish (e.g., seeds). The beauty of it is that every bowl can be customized for picky eaters, gluten-free eaters, vegans and vegetarians, and any special diet – all at the same time (if you have enough diverse foods). These are all family-oriented and thrive on leftovers. The grains can be GF or mixed, they can be just one (e.g., brown rice) or mixed, etc. The grains should be at least lukewarm for tastiness. Fruit is useful for dessert bowls at brunch or breakfast. There is good advice for actually building each of the 77 bowls – and most of the ingredients can be made in advance, except last minute things such as fried eggs or warming things up. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: families, millennials, anyone in a hurry. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: millet muesli; pumpkin pie rice pudding; hardy greens and grains with pancetta and poached eggs; balsamic roasted mushrooms and Brussels sprouts with goat cheese and gremolata; grilled skirt steak with sweet corn and cabbage slaw plus roasted red pepper cashew sauce. The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes, maybe an even 100? The upside to this book: there is a resources list and an index to recipe type (e.g., eggs, legumes, fruit bowls, et al) Quality/Price Rating: 89. 11.ROAST REVOLUTION (Ryland Peters and Small, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-027-7 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Kathy Kordalis, a London-based food stylist and recipe writer. It's her sixth book, with plenty of light and accessible preps in the “heavy” field of roasts based on different cuts of meat. These are contemporary ideas for modern-day roasts. She emphasizes the “art of meat and heat” for perfect timings of tenderness. Veggies are included as well, such as the whole baked cauliflower with chimichurri sauce, and a farro bowl that also comprises favas and pistachios. Her sensibilities come from her Australian and Mediterranean heritages. After the primer, the arrangement includes classics, fast, slow, merry, and weekends, followed by sides and drinks. She also has a small number of menu suggestions for Father's Day, Summer Party, Valentine's Day, et al. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: those who like variations on a roast Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: gochujang roasted eggplant steaks; salmon inferno; soy and sesame baked monkfish; stuffed porchetta; braised beef cheeks; slow roast lamb leg; Middle Eastern spiced venison shawarma. The downside to this book: I would have liked more menus. The upside to this book: good idea, especially with a whole meal being planned. Sides suggestions are really in line. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 12.THE MAKE-AHEAD SAUCE SOLUTION (Storey Publishing, 2018, 196 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-959-4 $16.5 USD paperbound) is by Elisabeth Bailey, who has authored two regional cookbooks of Maritime cooking. She lives in Lunenberg, NS where she teaches classes on gardening and food. These 61 sauces can all be pre-made and then frozen, to be brought out when time is short. In addition to ragus and Thai sauces, there are also gorgonzola chive butter, coconut lemon, chimichurri, Parmesan leek and more. Each recipe has a quick-reference chart showing the best base combinations of proteins and veggies. After the primer there are chapters on regional sauces from the Americas, Asia, and the Mediterranean – followed by cheese sauces, wine sauces, pestos and salsas. Eleven bases (pork, fish, shrimp, chicken, et al) with 61 sauces leads to hundreds of different meals. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: harried homemakers; cooks wanting different flavours every night. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sun-dried tomato pesto; cheddar ale; creamy chipotle; creole; pumpkin coconut cream; Vietnamese dipping sauce; mustard greens anchovies; primavera; blue cheese, pear and hazelnut; corn and chile salsa. The downside to this book: I wanted more sauces. The upside to this book: Sauces really do dress up your meal. Quality/Price Rating: 89 13.POTATOES (Ryland Peters and Small, 2018, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-028-4 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Jenny Linford who has written other cookbooks in the UK. Here she gives us 65 potato preps ranging from soups to samosas, croquettes to chowders, curries to quesadillas, and pies to pierogi. Quite a wide range from the classics to the modern twists. It is a good basic little book emphasizing the range that potatoes can enjoy. The arrangement is useful: summery potatoes, then sustaining potatoes, followed by comfort potatoes and spicy potatoes. There are so many different things that you can do with the basic product so variables and spin-offs also come into play. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric equivalents, but there is no table of metric values. Audience and level of use: beginner cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: saffron mash fish pies; potato stuffed duck; goose fat roast potatoes; anchovy potato croquettes with salsa verde; potato chaat masala; potato wedges with romesco sauce. The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes The upside to this book: a useful single ingredient cookbook 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.EASY VEGAN BAKING (DK Books, 2018, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-8013-2, $17.99 USD paperbound) is by Jerome Eckmeier and Daniela Lais, both long-time vegans and bakers. He has an Internet cooking show and blog; she's a journalist who has also worked in a vegetarian-vegan Austrian restaurant. Here they present 80 easy preps for cookies, cakes, pizzas, breads, pies, tarts, frostings, etc. They've got the usual vegan primer of basics, plus a recipe distribution through dessert, entertaining, quiche, bread rolls, and holiday foods. Very useful, with that DK layout. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 85. 15.HEALTHY, QUICK & EASY SMOOTHIES (DK Alpha, 2018, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-7667-8 $16.99 USD paperbound) is by Dana Angelo White, RD, who specializes in culinary nutrition and recipe development. She's responsible for being a nutrition expert for foodnetwork.com as well as a founding blog contributor. She's got 100 quick preps under 300 calories each, and made with no more than five ingredients. Each prep has nutritional data such as carbs, fibre, protein, and fat. Most preps appear to be vegan in style (free of animal milk and honey) using coconut milk, almond or soy milk and maple syrup. But the remaining preps can be easily modified. Arrangement is by major ingredient: tropical, berry, green, and “combo” (e.g., pineapple and chia bowl with banana and orange). The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 16.TEA; history, terroirs, varieties. 3rd ed. (Firefly Books, 2018, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-2281-0027-0, $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 revised in 2016). This is the 2018 English translation. The four writers of this book own The Camellia Sinensis Tea House in Montreal and work as tasters, traveling the world looking for teas. 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). 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. Reference material includes a bibliography, scientific tables for the biochemical properties of 35 teas, and a directory of 42 teas. Throughout the book, there are profiles of tea growers. Travelers, tea lovers, food reference book collectors will undoubtedly love this book. Quality/Price Rating: 92. 17.VEGAN IN THE HOUSE (DK Books, 2019, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-8039-2, $25 USD hardbound) is a publisher's title from DK Books based in the UK. Material was first published in some 14 British cookbooks, starting with “Allergy-Free Cookbook” (2007) and moving on to “The Diabetes Cookbook” (2010), “Power Bowls” (2016) and “Sprouted” (2017) among others. The subtitles explains that these are flexible plant-based family meals to please everyone, with more than 100 preps with nutritional analyses. Many dishes are easily adapted for meat eaters and vegetarians, so the whole family can enjoy a dish that is basically made just once with additions for individual preferences. A good concept with an excellent introductory section on meal planning and selection and pantries, etc. Preps are arranged by course, from breakfast through to desserts, with about 20 pages for each. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 87. 18.THE KITCHEN GARDEN New. ed. (DK Books, 2019, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-7979-2, $24.99 USD paperbound) is by Alan Buckingham. It was originally published in 2009; this is the new edition of 2019. It's a month-by-month guide to growing your own fruits and veggies. As Buckingham says, homegrown fruits and vegetables are enjoying a huge renaissance. Growing your own food is more popular then it has been for decades; it is fresh,seasonal, and local. You can eat year round if you get the timing right. The most easy and popular veggies to grow appear to be asparagus, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, peas, broad beans, carrots, green beans, and Brussels sprouts. Fruits are mainly berries and cherries. This comprehensive book goes at it month-by-month with advice on what to do and how to do it. There is lots of guidance here with photos and large print, although the index itself is very teeny tiny in format. Quality/price rating: 88. 19.HOME CHEESE MAKING. 4th ed. (Storey Publishing, 2018, 368 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-867-2 $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Ricki Carroll who founded the New England Cheesemaking Supply Company in 1978. Her book was first published in 1992 and last revised in 2002. The publisher states that over 400,000 copies have been sold. The classics are here, such as mozzarella, feta, cheddar, and brie. Some of the more complicated preps are given for blues and gorgonzola, plus the harder halloumi and the melting raclette. Upgrades in the book include more cultured dairy products (sours, clotted), more recipes for goat's milk, plus a range of fresh-soft-hard cheeses. These are accompanied by about 50 new sweet and savoury recipes for cooking with cheese. All she needs now is a wine/beer guide for matching drinks. Additional material includes 15 profiles of international artisanal cheese makers, a glossary, a troubleshooting FAQ, record forms, resources, and a list of cheese recipes (35 new), about 90 which include some more complex and advanced cheeses such as baby swiss, tomme, toscano, gruyere and a few more. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in both the cheese and the food prep recipes; at least it had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. ---------------------------------------------------- N ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR DECEMBER 2018 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.WINE TRAILS: United States & Canada (Lonely Planet, 2018, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-7870-1770-2, $20 USD hardbound) is one of a new series from Lonely Planet detailing 40 weekends in wine country. Covered are the hot spots of California, New York, Texas, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Ontario, and Nova Scotia. There are single weekends in diverse US states such as Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Virginia, North Carolina – 40 weekends in 16 regions, with California being the most prolific at 14 regions. About 250 wineries are covered, so there is lots to do. With Ontario as an example, there is a snapshot description of the cool climate area, a basic map with numbers for seven wineries to visit on the weekend, and blurb about each winery and their wine specialties. All of them are either sustainable-natural or at the other end of the spectrum, biodynamic. Websites are given for more data, phone numbers, street addresses, time open, food, and price ranges. The end of the Ontario chapter lists a few places to stay, to eat, and what to do. Unfortunately, DevourFest Food Film Festival is not mentioned in the Nova Scotia chapter in the “what to do” section, despite it being around for eight years; it occurs in the heart of wine country at Wolfville. Small but useful photos are strewn about. Audience and level of use: travellers, especially those who want to spend many weekends at North American wineries. The downside to this book: 12 contributors are mentioned but it is unclear who contributed what. I assume the guy from Vermont covered that area, and maybe Treve Ring from Vancouver island covered all three parts of Canada. The upside to this book: there are multiple indexes to architecture and art, experiences, and to the wineries themselves. Quality/Price Rating: 92 * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.OTTOLENGHI SIMPLE (Appetite by Random House, 2018, 308 pages, ISBN 978-0-449-01703-6 $42 CAD hardbound) is by Yotam Ottolenghi, who co-owns an eponymous group of restaurants in London. His collaborators include Tara Wigley and Esme Howarth, who have assisted him on his other books. His theme is simplicity for busy cooks, emphasizing (not all together or at once) quicker cooking times, 10 ingredients or fewer, make-aheads, pantry-based, and ease. These are his Mediterranean flavours in 130 streamlined preps, described as “elemental Ottolenghi”. And it is all arranged by ingredient: raw veg, cooked veg, rice, grains, pulses, pasta, noodles, meat, seafood, dessert. There is also a lot of additional material on brunches, some menu suggestions, some feast menus, some pantry ideas for basics and spices. And there is a ribbon bookmark, lots of white space, and leading, and good use of bold type. But the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes for teaspoons and tablespoons, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: busy people, Ottolenghi collectors. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: vanilla custard with roasted strawberries and rhubarb; spinach- and gorgonzola-stuffed baked potatoes; Puy lentil and eggplant stew; whole roasted sea bass with soy sauce and ginger; lamb meatloaf with tahini sauce and tomatoes; cavolo nero with chorizo. The downside to this book: very heavy book weight-wise The upside to this book: great photography Quality/Price Rating: 92 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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 – 3.I AM A FILIPINO (Artisan, 2018, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-767-3. $35 USD hardbound) is by Nicole Ponseca, founder of Maharlika and Jeepney restaurants in NYC, and Miguel Trinidad, chef at both places. The amazing primer is the section Filipino Food 101 which defines the regional cuisines, the ingredients, the cooking techniques, and the spices of what makes Filipino food Filipino. These are both modern and classic preps, displaying Chinese influences (noodles and dumplings), Middle Eastern, Spanish, Mexican (tomatoes and tamales), and some American-styles (banana ketchup ribs, fried chicken and ube waffles). The range is from fatty and fried street foods through adobo, soups, salads, “burnt coconut”, and sweets. Superbly photographed. Try the balbacoa (hock and oxtails), piaparan manok (chicken wing stew), or the lumpiang sariwa (fresh veggie crepes). Metric and avoirdupois measurements are both employed, a plus. Quality/price rating: 89 4.DETOX KITCHEN VEGETABLES (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018, 304 pages, ISBN 978-1-4088-8446-1, $36 USD hardbound) is by Lily Simpson, who launched Detox Kitchen in 2012 in the UK, a food business with natural ingredients. This is largely a plant-based cookbook devoid of dairy, wheat and refined sugar. But it does include eggs and honey. The primer includes a larder/pantry. It's all arranged by ingredient, beginning with broad beans and moving through peas, asparagus, fennel, rhubarb, kale, okra, beetroot, tomato, squash and 23 more. There's broccoli carpaccio with homemade hoisin sauce, green salad with tahini and ginger, and cucumber and avocado coconut smoothie. Good British sensibility here. The book could have been improved if it also used all metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Tbsp and tsp are used but no mL. Quality/price rating: 88. 5.COCKTAIL CODEX (Ten Speed Press, 2018, 310 pages, ISBN 978-1-60774-920-7, $40 USD hardbound) is by the Death & Co. team of Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, and David Kaplan. It's a book of fundamentals, formulas, and evolutions. They believe that there are only six categories of cocktails, all based on one of “the old fashioned”, “the martini”, “the daiquiri”, “the sidecar”, “the whisky highball”, and “the flip”. A chapter is created for each. In the appendix there are a variety of preps for syrups and cordials, infusions, mixes and sodas, salts and rims, tinctures and concentrates. Plus a resources list and bibliography for additional reading. The martini section has the classic recipe for a gin martini, followed by a “root” recipe and a template. This is followed by the variations, including vodka martinis. But what happened to the Gibson? The Gimlet is here (under daiquiri), but there is no Gibson. It's also a useful and technical book for descriptions, and should bolster the knowledge appeal and controversy for any cocktail specialist. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 6.JOE BEEF: SURVIVING THE APOCALYPSE (Appetite by Random House, 2018, 335 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-753079-0, $50 CAD hardbound) is by Frederic Morin, David McMillan and Meredith Erickson, the authors of the well-received earlier cookbook,”The Art of Living According to Joe Beef”. Morin and McMillan are co-owners of a variety of Montreal restaurants, including Joe Beef. Morin was the first Joe Beef chef; McMillan is the current chef. Erickson is the collaborating food author. Their first book was personal (living life the Joe Beef way), and this one is an extension with 150 new recipes sourced from all of their restaurants plus summertime in the Laurentians and Sunday dinners at home. There is even a Christmas in July, should you wish to embrace it, with recipes. It's light and breezy, with marrow pilaf, pot-au-feu (both d'hiver and d'ete), Dutch babies, pickled tongues, greens cheesecake, and a variety of off-the-wall but workable dishes. This is a good fun book with lots of memoir family material and personal thoughts plus the obligatory photographs of the team at work. The opening section is called The Cellar, and this is what foods you put aside in case there really is an apocalypse. While it still uses teaspoons and tablespoons as sole measurements for that quantity, all the other measurements are in both metric and avoirdupois. A great book for the fans of Joe Beef. Quality/price rating: 90. 7.THE DEAD RABBIT MIXOLOGY & MAYHEM; the story of John Morrissey and the world's best cocktail menu (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-328-45187-3, $28 USD hardbound) is by Sean Muldoon, Jack McGarry, and Jillian Vose. The first two are the co-owners of The Dead Rabbit, and Jillian is the bar manager/beverage director (coming over from Death & Co.). The Dead Rabbit has twice been named the World's Best Bar, and now introduces a six-part graphic novel. “The story is centered around The Rabbit, a mysterious character channeling the reborn spirit of John Morrissey, leader of the notorious 1850s Irish street gang that gave the bar its name.” (publisher blurb). Along the way there are 90 Dead Rabbit cocktail recipes. Great, great fun for the millennials and fans of graphic novels. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 8.AVOCADERIA (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-328-49793-2, $19.99 USD, hardbound) is by Alessandro Biggi, Francesco Brachetti, and Alberto Gramigni who founded Avocaderia, and all-avocado cafe in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The first two men are owners, and Alberto is the chef. It's a straight forward book, emphasizing the healthy nature of avocados. Of course, there si descriptive material about handling avocados. And the five top varieties are discussed: Hass (95% of the market), Pinkerton, Fuerte, Reed, and Zutano. A range of courses are presented: breakfast, sandwiches, salads, bowls, mains, apps, sides, sweets, spreads, smoothies, dressings, and menu ideas. There's a listing of vegan dishes, vegetarian (ovo-lacto) dishes, and gluten-free dishes. Impressive single ingredient cookbook. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88 9.FESTIVE HOLIDAY RECIPES (St. Martin's Griffin, 2018, 226 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-14636-6 $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Addie Gundry, a Food Network regular and executive producer for RecipeLion which creates culinary content for multiple web platforms. She's been involved with 10 other books in this “103” series (e.g. Retro Recipes from the '50s and '60s). More are at www.recipelion.com/103recipes. These are all the more popular preps for the holiday season that begins with US Thanksgiving at the end of November and ends with New Year's Eve. But I think that we in Canada, who look at the larger picture, would think of this period as being from mid-October (Canadian Thanksgiving) through to Valentine's Day in mid-February. That's four months of sheer cooking bliss as opposed to just 6 weeks in the USA. And enough time to use every recipe in the book. It's all arranged by course, from brunch through apps, mains, sides, desserts and drinks. Pretty straightforward with no surprises but a lot of stress-free ease in cooking relatively simple food, e.g., easy garlic-parmesan knots, overnight cinnamon bread, easy cheese dip, pretty part pinwheels, loaded devil eggs, easy pecan pie bars, no-bake holiday fruitcake – even slow cooker peppermint hot chocolate. Terrific for young people getting to know about foods. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 85 10.HERITAGE BAKING (Chronicle Books, 2018, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-6787-9 $29.95 USD hardbound) is by Ellen King who runs Hewn Bakery, with Amelia Levin as the collaborating food writer. She believes in baking rustic breads and pastries using artisanal flour made from named wheat varieties, such as Red Fife. So she's got more than 45 preps described as having a toothy texture (my kind of bread!) and an excellent crumb. She believes in using freshly stone-milled flours from heritage varieties (Glenn, Warthog, Marquis, et al) and a natural sourdough-style starter. The primer covers all this plus the master starter recipe and the master heritage bread formula, followed by 16 other breads. Next up are 15 enriched heritage breads which include brioche, dinner rolls, and cornbread. Muffins and scones have their own chapter, as do cakes-cookies-brownies. And each prep has been scaled so quantities are exact. Kudos on a major accomplishment. Quality/price rating: 90. 11.COMPLETE WELLNESS (DK Books, 2018, 304 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-6392-0, $30 USD hardbound) is from the team at Neal's Yard Remedies in London. They've been in business since 1981, selling a wide range of herbal remedies and essential oils. They now sell certified organic health and beauty products in 20 countries. In the US they sell through a network of independent consultants. The range here begins with the holistic approach, rotating through the mind and emotions that have impact on skin, hair, nails, eyes, ears, mouth, and throat, moving on to the larger digestive system/urinary system/cardio system/brain and nervous system/respiratory system, and skeletal system. Other topics deal with systemic disorders, immunity, women's health, men's health, children's health, first aid, and more. There are recipes for wellness (overnight oats, smoothies, spreads, soups, dips, energy bites) as well as a supplement chart. Practical advice is given in how to make things such as a balm, a cream or a syrup or herbal infusion. Quite encyclopedic, but with a UK orientation. There are both metric and avoirdupois for listed ingredients, but the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes with regard to teaspoons and tablespoons. Quality/price rating: 90. 12.FOR THE LOVE OF CHEESE (Appetite by Random House, 2018, 214 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-753046-2, $24.95 CAD paperbound) is from Toronto's Cheese Boutique, written by owner Afrim Pristine. It's a four-generation fifty-year old cheese store with about 500 different kinds of cheeses. Plus upscale breads and biscuits, butters, charcuterie and other forms of ready-to-eat meats. Here Afrim delves into the basics of some 55 popular cheeses. He also presents 60 basic and easy recipes, with an additional 20 contributions from Daniel Boulud, Claudio Aprile, Anna and Michael Olson among others. There is also some family reminiscence, almost a memoir, and detail about the Cheese Boutique itself, with compelling photography by Steve Elphick. His primer tells us what cheese is all about and how to care for it. His top 16 cheeses are carefully explained, and this is followed by the 55 popular cheeses, a great starter selection before moving on. He's also got a recipe for each and some “fun facts”. The preps are arranged by course, from breakfast through to desserts. Do try cacio e pepe popcorn with pecorino Romano, drunken goat in a pot, slam-dunk sandwich, or the “I am not afraid of blue cheese anymore” caramelized cookies. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 90. 13.THE CURIOUS BARTENDER VOLUME II: The New testament of Cocktails (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-893-2 $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Tristan Stevenson, co-founder of Fluid Movement, a drinks consultancy; it is his sixth book. His first book was volume 1: The Artistry and Alchemy of Creating the Perfect Cocktail. He's got 32 of the classic cocktails here, followed by 32 “game-changing reinventions”. His book is loaded with tools and techniques, for cocktails have become more diverse and accessible lately. His are based on brandy, vodka, gin, rum, whisky and tequila. His re-invention of the Champagne cocktail is the Liar's Champagne, with Chablis, amontillado, Genever, green chartreuse and then carbonated. Wow. His take on the Americano includes cold coffee. He turns a sherry cobbler into a slushy. There's a buying guide and a list of suppliers plus a glossary. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 14.THE SELF-SUFFICIENT LIFE AND HOW TO LIVE IT. New edition. (DK Books, 1976-2009, 2018, 408 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-7735-4 $35 USD hardbound) is by John Seymour, who first wrote this now bestselling classic guide to living a more sustainable way of life in 1976. He died in 2004 at age 90. His book has been re-published many times with updated changes, and in this edition, it has been overhauled with a mixture of his words from the 1976 book, his 1978 book “The New Self-Sufficiency Gardener”, a 2018 foreword by Alice Waters, and some more changes since 2009 with regard to chemicals and pesticides, and the like, principally by disciple Will Sutherland who runs the School for Self-Sufficiency. There are also some words from Seymour's daughter Anne Sears about what it was like growing up “self-sufficient”. It is really good to have this fully updated and revised book back in print. As the publisher notes, “for more than 40 years, John Seymour has inspired thousands to make more responsible, eco-friendly life choices.” This current book tells you everything you need to know to go off the grid – basics such as gardening, milling, brewing, foraging, cheese making, raising and butchering livestock, preserving and freezing, chopping wood, et al. There are many sections here that apply to modern life in the big city. It's a timeless guide to green living, complete with colour drawings. Quality/price rating: 91. 15.GLAMOROUS COCKTAILS (CICO Books, 2012, 2018, 160 pages, $14.95 USD hardbound) is by interior designer William Yeoward. It was originally published in 2012 as WILLIAM YEOWARD’S AMERICAN BAR, an hommage to his favourite American-style bars in London. He selects some cocktails from each. Presentation is paramount here, so the photography adapts well. There are about 70 recipes, with tips and advice for each drink. These are fashionable mixes from iconic London bars, such as The Connaught Bar, Annabel's (members only club in Mayfair), The Berkeley Blue Bar, The Beaufort Bar at the Savoy, and The American Bar at the Savoy. Replete with good descriptions from various bartenders and lots of photography. Both metric and avoirdupois are used in the recipes. Quality/price rating: 87. 16.THE SWEDISH CHRISTMAS TABLE (Skyhorse Publishing, 2012,2014,2018, 199 pages, ISBN 978-1-51073820-1 $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Jens Linder, a Swedish chef, and Johanna Westman, a Swedish TV host. It was originally published in 2012 as DECEMBER in Sweden, and re-published in English in 2014 and 2018. The original title is more exact for Sweden as they celebrate Christmas all month long, beginning with Advent calendars for December 1. Here, then, are traditional holiday meals, side dishes, candies and drinks, in over 100 easy-to-prepare recipes. As Sweden is part of “Scandinavia”, many of the preps can be substituted back and forth for and from the other countries. The Christmas celebrations end up, of course, with New Year's Eve. So there is a whole month's worth of frolicking here. There's a glogg party with roasted and spiced nuts, bacon-wrapped dates, gingerbread nut cookies, fig and port wine marmalade, warmed wheel of Brie, plus – of all things – pissaladiere from southern France (which harkens back to the salt cod and spice exchange trade from centuries earlier). Several glogg recipes are also given. The book is great fun, but could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 86 17.WINE FOLLY: MAGNUM EDITION (Avery, 2018, 318 pages, ISBN 978-0-525-53389-6 $35 USD hardbound) is by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack. It was originally published in 2015 and was based on the www.winefolly.com website (itself founded by Puckette and Hammack in 2011). She is a sommelier and visual designer; he is a web designer. The main principles and rationales for the book have not changed: the material has just been updated and extended to move with the times of expanding wine information. The winefolly website is free, and is probably the #1 ranking wine education site on the Internet. The book is meant to improve one's knowledge of wine and refute intimidation and uncertainty. The book would help novices to assess wine quality, handle-serve-store-age wine, find new wines to taste, and make relevant food and wine pairings. And overall they should gain confidence. As the authors say, “your homework assignment each time you try a new wine is” -- to focus on tasting the wine, find the wine's grape variety, to learn about the region where the wine is from, and to match with food. Puckette has a wealth of infographics for the millennials, various graphic wheel charts for tasting and aromas, plus examples of wines to explore. Did you know that pinot grigio actually has a taste? Expect green apple, unripe peach, thyme, lime zest, and quince – okay, now who has actually tasted “green” apple (NOT Granny Smiths), “unripe” peach, or knows what a quince is? Get to it.... A terrific book for beginners! Quality/price rating: 89. 18.THE VENISON COOKBOOK (Skyhorse Publishing, 2011, 2018, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-3725-9, $15.99 USD paperbound) is by Kate Fiduccia, who hosts the Woods N' Waters TV series along with her husband. She is also an expert hunter. This book is the paperback reprint of the 2011 hardbound edition. Here are more than 125 recipes for hunters and non-hunters. Venison is relatively healthy, with only 3.6 grams of fat per four-ounce serving. The range here is from modest comfort home food to gourmet, with recipes for every meal and snack during the day. So at breakfast, try the venison veggie frittata or the venison asparagus delight. Lunch has venison tamale pie, dinner includes venison moussaka, baked pasta with venison, venison Wellington. Indeed, anything done with beef can be done with venison. Just don't let it dry out. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 86 19.THE GOURMANDS' WAY (Farrar, Straus AND Giroux, 2018, 435 pages, ISBN 978-0-374-53801-9 $30 USD hardbound) is by Justin Spring, who specializes in writing biographies. Here, in this paperback reprint of the 2017 hardbound book, he delves into six Americans in Paris (Julia Child, M.F.K. Fisher, Alexis Lichine, A.J. Liebling, Richard Olney, Alice B. Toklas) and the “Birth of a New Gastronomy” – the 1950s and 1960s is the timeline. And of course, Paris itself is prominent. Spring has tied together many different Parisian fragments of these Americans' writings: they crossed paths frequently as they knew each other, they ate at the same cafes and bistros, they wrote similar materials about the Parisian life and food and wine. “Bons viveurs” indeed. It all really wound down when Olney left for the Var in 1967. And the stage was set for a new confluence of Fisher, Child and Olney with James Beard, Simone Beck, Judith Jones, and others in Luke Barr's 2014 telling book “Provence, 1970”. So Spring's book is a vital precursor. Illustrated with many black and white photos. Quality/price rating: 90 20.DIABETIC LIVING DIABETES DAILY (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-328-49770-3, $19.99 USD paperbound) is from the magazine Diabetic Living (Meredith). They've got 130 recipes here to keep you on track with mindful ways to eat and live well. These include building a support team, reducing stress, fitness and lifestyle changes, overcoming emotional eating, and right-size portions. There are also two weeks of balanced menu plans. All courses are covered, from breakfast through lunch and dinner, and include snacks, desserts, “classics”, salad meals, bowls, and seafood. There's a lot of effective hand-holding here that works. The book could have been improved if it also used metric directly in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts at the back. Quality/price rating: 89 21.EATING WELL SOUPS (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-328-91103-2, $22 USD paperbound) is from the magazine Eating Well (Meredith), which has been around since 1990. I was once a Charter subscriber. Soups, of course, are the ultimate bowl foods. Here are 100 healthy recipes for the ultimate comfort food, all from numerous contributors and with full nutritional data, timings, and cook notes. For the most part, these are all hot soups. There were only five chilled soups – mostly gazpacho variations – and no chilled fruit soups (although fruits such as apples are used as a component of hot soups). There is even a chapter labeled “better-the-next-day soups” which allows for quantity cooking without being shy about it. The concluding section is soups by the formula: chicken soup, chowder, and pureed veggie soup. Each formula allows for quite a few variations, and there are also garnishes which can change the texture and taste. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89 22.SKILLET (Hardie Grant Books, 2017, 2018, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-156-6 $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Ann Helm Baxter. It was originally published by Hachette Livre (Marabout) in 2017. This is the English language edition. Her collection of 70 quick and tasty one-pan recipes are easily achievable for dinner after a hard pressed day at work. She envisions a beetroot tarte tatin or chicken & mushroom pot pie. But basically it concerns the tastiness of loving care towards burgers, curries, risotto, pizza, pasta, desserts, with specific chapters on vegetarian and fish & seafood. There is both metric and avoirdupois for listed ingredients, but the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes with regard to teaspoons and tablespoons. Quality/price rating: 86 FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR NOVEMBER 2018 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca Stocking stuffers should be at the very top of everybody’s gift list this Holiday season: something affordable from under $10 up to $25 CAD or so, and these can also double as host gifts, being something small and lightweight. Most of the books here are paperbacks. And of course, they can all stuff an adult stocking. A.Typical for food are: --SCANDIKITCHEN CHRISTMAS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 160 pages, $26.95 hardbound) is a foodbook by Bronte Aurell, Danish author and restaurateur at ScandiKitchen Cafe. This is her fourth eponymous cookbook for Ryland Peters & Small. These are traditional recipes from Scandinavia for the Christmas holiday season, competing with the Victorian and the Prussian holiday feasts at Christmas time. Typical are glogg (mulled wine) and hygge foods. She introduces the Sandi pantry, and goes into Advent gatherings (with historical context on how Advent is done in Scandinavia), biscuits and breads and cakes, Christmas Eve traditions, and the Yule smorgasbord. --KOMBUCHA (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 96 pages, $19.95 hardbound) is by Louise Avery of LA Brewery in the UK. She, as founder, uses all natural ingredients to brew health-boosting teas. The company supplies Selfridges, Whole Foods, Planet Organic, plus many cafes. Here are 30 preps for naturally fermented and sparkling tea drinks, arranged by four bases: flowers, fruits, veggies, herbs & spices. There is also a long and lengthy primer on brewing basics and kombucha, followed by a UK-US web resources listing. --CHEESE BALLS (Chronicle Books, 2018,112 pages, $24.95 hardcover) is by Dena Rayess. It takes me back to the 1960s. I must admit that I have never actually created a cheese ball from scratch. I've always made my creations from leftover cheeses after a party, adding cream cheese or some soft cheese, nuts and flavours to the basic leftovers. So here are 40 preps for making a cheese ball from scratch, plus advice on shaping and decorating . A very useful volume for party go-tos, game-day snacks, and picnics. --CHRISTMAS WITH DICKENS (Cico Books, 2018, 64 pages, $19.95 hardbound) is by Pen Vogler. It has been abstracted from her earlier Cooking with Dickens. This is the Christmas section, with lobster patties, pickled salmon, roast goose, orange and red currant jellies, smoking bishop and punch. There is even a recipe for hand-raised pork pie to keep in the larder for visitors (or escaped convicts). 22 preps in all, followed by a very food bibliography for further reading of Dickens and food. --THE ARTISANAL KITCHEN: BAKING FOR BREAKFAST, SWEETS & TREATS, PARTY CAKES (Artisan, 2018, 112 pages each, $17.95 each hardback) are three parts of a series by Cheryl Day and Griffith Day, co-owners of the Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah Georgia. Each deals with a specific theme -- there are 33 breakfast recipes for muffins, biscuits, eggs, and other sweet and savoury dishes; there are 33 sweets and treats recipes for cupcakes, brownies, bars and candies; and there are 36 decadent party cake recipes for festive occasions. Warmly illustrated, and with conversion charts. --I [HEART] PUMPKIN (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 144 pages, $19.95 hardbound) is a compilation from RP&S authors pulled together by Alice Sambrook. There are 60 preps, many by Brian Glover (17) and Hannah Miles (9), with the balance by 21 other UK cookbook writers. All are meant for the winter months, with soups, stews, pies and tarts. --THE OYSTER COMPANION (Firefly Books, 2018, 256 pages, $19.95 flexibound) is by Patrick McMurray, the world champion oyster shucker (Guinness) who owned Starfish in Toronto for over a decade before The Ceili Cottage. The work was originally published in 2007 as Consider the Oyster. It's a great field guide (now completely revised, expanded, and updated) to the complex nature of oysters where tastes will vary over the seasons and location of the beds. It is also a cultural history to the lore and call of the oyster. He compares the differences between some 50 of the more popular varieties found world-wide. With recipes. And it is small and flexible enough to be a portable guide. He's even got an amazing tasting wheel which would freak out the oenophiles. --FOODIE CITY BREAKS: Europe (Dog 'n' Bone, 2018, 144 pages, $19.95 paperbound) is by Richard Mellor, a UK travel and food writer. It's a succinct guide to 25 of the best cities in Europe for food, with about 10 recommendations for each. France is the heavyweight here with three cities, but Spain and Italy also have three each. So for Bordeaux, budget picks include Le Chien de Pavlov, fine-dining at Garopapilles, modern bistro at Miles, La Cagette for breakfast, bars, places for regional cuisine, wines, cafes, food markets, and so “local secrets” . This is an easily digestible summary of culinary scenes in Europe – the perfect host gift. --DINNER LIKE A BOSS (Hardie Grant Books, 2018, 152 pages, $28.99 paperbound) is by Katy Holder. It is a collection of some 50 recipes emphasizing quick and easy healthy meals for busy families. These are mainly one pots featuring meat or fish or just veggies with a global slant. There's the bibimbap rice bowl, smoky Mexican chicken burgers, and crunchy fruit crumble. --BACON BEANS AND BEER (Gibbs Smith, 2018, 128 pages, $22 hardbound) is by Eliza Cross who has written the prime reference work on bacon. This is a guy foodbook, so it should be suitable as a host gift. The intent is to merge bacon and beans into some dish and then pair it with a suitable beer. The range runs from apps through to sweet treats. --THE AUBERGINE COOKBOOK (Ebury Press, 2018, 112 pages, $$21.99 hardbound) is by Heather Thomas. The front cover promises 50 recipes to feed your obsession, while the back cover promises 60 brand new recipes. Maybe the truth lies in between...Serious cooks know that “aubergines” is UK-talk for “eggplants”. Typical preps here are eggplant fritters with honey, Sicilian eggplant pizza, Thai eggplant curry, and Szechuan-spiced eggplant. A good all-round collection gathered within one set of covers. --DIET CHEATS COOKBOOK (Vermilion, 2018, 128 pages, $21.99 paperbound) is by Heather Thomas who promises us that in this work all your fave meals are made healthier. She's got some easy to follow Green, Amber, and Red food lists, nutrition notes, and concise calorie data for each recipe. Just about every recipe is title “Cheat's something”, e.g. Cheat's Buffalo wings, Cheat's hummus, Cheat's tiramisu, and the like. Still, there are 100 guilt-free recipes here worthy of your attention to satisfy your cravings and maybe even lose some weight. You start the day right, go light in the meals, and spend less time in prep work. Hey, it works for me... --HOW TO SET A TABLE (Ebury/Clarkson Potter, 2018, 128 pages $21.99 hardbound) is a publisher's book, but this time it is a hardbound version of the previous paperback. While the rules for entertaining company have relaxed (but some may say “disintegrated”), you'll still want to know about placement of knives, forks, glasses, napkins, etc. The range is from a last minute get-together through brunches, picnics, and memorable dinners. Consoles and trays are covered, but not trolleys. --FLATBREAD (Gibbs Smith, 2018, 128 pages, $19.99 hardbound) is by Anni Daulter. The primer is mainly a few types of dough, such as “classic” pizza-like, unleavened pan bread, sourdough, sweet dough (for dessert flatbreads), and toasted nut gluten-free flatbread. Plus, of course, you can always buy naan bread, pita bread, lavash, tortilla, puff pastry, and layered phyllo pastry. But the essence of the work are the toppings, dips and drizzle, which includes a deconstructed BBT (bacon, basil and tomato). --STUDENT EATS (Ebury Press, 2017, 192 pages, $21.99 softbound) is by Rachel Phipps who promotes easy, affordable good food on a budget. Of course you don't need to be a student, just penurious. All meals are covered: breakfast, lunch, solo dinners, food for friends, drinks. Most food is homemade such as granola. There are chapters for leftovers, pantry meals, some menus for three meals under $20. Of course, it is all written by a former student, now a graduate, with a theme of “how I survived”. British orientation, but then, courgette sounds so much better than zucchini. Try the mushroom toasts with tamago ribbons. --KITCHEN CONFIDANT (Chronicle Books, 2018, 96 pages, $16.95 hardbound) is another publisher's title, being billed as “an indispensable guide for the baker, drinker, and cook”. Coverage includes ingredient substitution, metric and avoirdupois conversions, basic tool kits and equipment, and the like. I hate to tell them, but there is really no difference between Large eggs and Extra-Large eggs. At least, not anymore. Have you seen them lately? --SO YOU THINK YOU'RE A FOODIE? (Dog 'n' Bone, 2018, 128 pages, $19.95 hardbound) is by Alexandra Parsons. It was first published in 2012 and has since been re-titled as above. There are 50 entries looking into the icons of foodism. The range is from searching for the tastiest and most authentic food to elaborate gastro experiences to food bores. Topics include science, salt, Michelin stars, artisan produce, and “mystery” meats. Good for a laugh over the holidays. --FOR THIS WE LEFT EGYPT? (Flatiron Books, 2017, 2018, 130 pages, $27.99 hardbound) is a humour work by humourists Dave Barry, Alan Zweibel, and Adam Mansbach (“three of the funniest people I've ever created” -- G-D. It's a Passover Haggadah for the Seder. Note: of course, it is a parody. The tome itself is constructed from right to left, with the normal “front cover” being the blurbs on the back cover. As it says, good Jews will no longer have to sit through a lengthy Seder. The authors take you through every step, employing a kosher blowtorch and ending with a celebratory brisket. Lotsa fun reading. --THE WORLD'S BEST BOWL FOOD (Lonely Planet, 2018, 224 pages, $19.99 paperbound) written by a variety of people and collated by the publisher – it's a collection of 100 one-pot international recipes from bibimbap (Korea) to chicken soup (Algeria) and pozole (Mexico), bigos (Poland), and Eton mess (UK). It's all comforting home-style food, arranged by course. There's something for everyone here. --POULETS & LEGUMES (Rux Martin, Houghton Mifflin, 2018, 120 pages, $22.50 hardbound) is from Jacques Pepin. These are his favourite chicken and vegetable recipes, drawn from five of his previous cookbooks. The first half deals with chicken: roast, peking-style, supremes, bouillabaisse, chasseur, jardiniere – about 28 in all, ending with roast stuffed cornish hens. The parade of 39 veggie preps includes artichoke hearts, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, pumpkin, spinach – any of which can be used with poultry. A neat little production. --SIMPLY CITRUS (Gibbs Smith, 2018, 128 pages, $ 19.99 hardbound) is by Marie Asselin. It's a basic work on lemons, limes, orange, mandarin, grapefruit, kumquat, and other varieties, arranged by type after the primer. --THE PESTO COOKBOOK (Storey Publishing, 2018, 218 pages, $25 paperbound) is by Olwen Woodier, who has written other cookbooks such as the Apple Cookbook and the Peach Cookbook. Here she gives us 116 preps for creative herb combinations. Of course, any time you use herbs, you've maximized the flavour. It is basically a basil-based collection, but she does have 20 pages for making pestos from rosemary, scallions, cilantro, parsley, mint, lemon thyme, fennel, arugula – and others. And of course the adventuresome cook can mix and match and continue to experiment. --ASIAN TAPAS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 144 pages, $19.95 hardbound) has 60 recipes, with the major credits going to Jordan Bourke, Carol Hilker, Jenny Linford, and Loretta Liu (although 15 writers in all were involved). There is a primer on dough making, and then it is divided by form: parcels, rolls, dumplings, fritters, frys, pancakes, ribs, grills, wings. ,These are Asian small bites and apps, such as Vietnamese chicken and quinoa small bites, sashimi and cucumber bites, green chili bhajis, Chinese duck breast pancakes, beef bulgogi and rice noodle wraps. Something for everyone in the ultimate graze party. Sake anyone? --DOSA KITCHEN (Clarkson Potter, 2018, 144 pages, $24.99 hardbound) is by Nash Patel and Leda Scheintaub. It's all about a very popular street food in India: thin, rice-and-lentil-based pancakes that can be stuffed with a variety of fillings—even sweets. Dosas are naturally fermented and gluten-free; they can be vegetarian (even vegan) and dairy-free as well. They give us a master batter followed by 50 recipes for stuffings, chutneys, and cocktails. These are 18-inch dosas, although the couple do make 32-inch dosas at their food truck. --101 AMAZING USES FOR TURMERIC (Familius, 2018, 144 pages, $18.95 paperbound) is by Susan Branson. Turmeric appears to be yet another superfood, and the uses include alleviating illnesses and infections, such as allergies, asthma, cataracts, colorectal polyps, Crohn's disease, lung cancer, alcohol intoxication, common cold, depression, migraine, et al. It is also used for beauty (itchy skin, insect bites, bruises) and arts and crafts (temporary tattoos). Lots of footnotes with impeccable sources. --101 AMAZING USES FOR GARLIC (Familius, 2018, 144 pages, $18.95 paperbound) is by Susan Branson. Her divisions this time include health, wellness, expunging pests, and unexpected uses. In the latter category you can find its use as an aphrodisiac, disinfecting spray, fishing bait and lures, glue, seasickness, splinters and wreaths. Lots of footnotes with impeccable sources. --COOKING IN A SMALL KITCHEN (Picador Cookstr Classics, 2018, 257 pages, $21 hardbound) is by Arthur Schwartz. The new Picador series comprises reprints of cookbook classics, with a new foreword that explains why it is being republished. Schwartz's work was published in 1979 and was meant for cramped quarters. The cookbook is both practical and timeless, as Lidia Bastianich noted in her foreword. Schwartz, an amazing food writer and editor in NYC, went on to write six more cookbooks. --THE CONFIDENT COOK (Picador Cookstr Classics, 2018, 241 pages, $21 hardbound) is by Irena Chalmers, with a new foreword by Anne Willan. The 200 practical preps here use any or more of the five basic cooking methods. Once you've mastered those five, such as poaching, roasting, broiling, you can spin off. A simple beef stew can also become a Mulligan or a bourguignon. Chalmers wrote over 80 cookbooks, but this one is directed to new cooks. B.Other little books, for beverages, include those on coffee, beer, wine and spirits – and even water: --H2OH! (The Countryman Press, 2018 ,122 pages, $17.50 hardbound) is by Mimi Kirk, who has also written books about raw foods and smoothies. Water (and hydration) is great she says, but infusions help you drink that water. This all-organic work gives us the tastiest and healthiest infusions of veggies, fruits and herbs. Why pay $6 a bottle when you can make it for a nickel? Plus, you can produce infused ice cubes for other drinks as well. Basil water is a fave of mine, as is strawberry and thyme. Scores of recipes and variations. Neat book --NIGHTCAP (Chronicle Books, 128 pages, $24.95 hardbound) is by Kara Newman. She's got more than 40 simple cocktails to close out any evening, whether you are looking to keep the night going or soothe yourself to sleep, end a meal with a sweet or a digestif. I want to go to sleep, so I'd try the Deja Vu All Over Again (amaro – Aperol -- Lillet) or Pleasant Evening (creme de cassis – Champagne), Well worth looking at for ideas. --BEER HACKS (Workman Publishing, 2018, 158 pages, $24.95 hardbound) is by Ben Robinson. There are 100 tips, trick, and projects here, including a total beer vacation at Starkenberger Brewery in Austria, making authentic bratwurst by boiling in beer, and getting better sleep with hop flowers rubbed into your pillow. Some tips use wedding rings, others will eliminate coffee stains, yet another will give you luxurious beer hair. Chacun a son gout. This will be for the beer drinking guy.... --SESSION COCKTAILS (Ten Speed Press, 2018, 154 pages, $24.99 hardbound) is by Drew Lazor and the Editors of the Beard winning online drinks site, Punch. It's a worthwhile collection of more than fifty low-alcohol drinks for any occasion, all designed to highlight flavours. Very appropriate for brunches. Most of the drinks are based on sherry, amaro, vermouth, wine and liqueur. There is the Rebujito (sherry, mint, lemon, lime) and the Hop Skip Jump (Cynar, Punt e Mes, lemon, lime). Lazor also offers some tips on stocking the lo-al bar and recreating fave cocktails at low proof (eg., Negroni, Manhattan, Margarita). There are even some advices on making large drinks in batches. --STUFF EVERY BEER SNOB SHOULD KNOW (Quirk Books, 2018, 144 pages, $10.95 hardbound) is by Ellen Goldstein, who gives us a thumbnail coverage of just about everything in beerland. The basics describe what beers there are, the production process, glasses, tasting beers, storage, draught beer, hosting a tasting, and a large section on resources for further data. There's a lot of good stuff in these few pages – at an affordable price. --LEMON WITH ZEST (Chronicle Books, 2018, 96 pages, $22 hardbound) is by April White. She's got 40 thirst-quenching recipes for lemon juice and lemon mix refreshments (with or without alcohol). Extremely useful for lemonade stands, picnics, barbecues, and any get-together.. It's arranged by form: liquids, ice pops, sorbets, and granitas. --TEQUILA: shake, muddle, stir (Hardie Grant Books, 2018, 143 pages, $24.99 hardcovers) is by Dan Jones who has got a string of books on gin and rum. He's got 40 preps here for tequila and mezcal. There's the Teqroni (substitute mezcal for gin), Tequila Mockingbird, Mexican Mojito, and Frozen Mango Margie. Great fun. --TEQUILA BEYOND SUNRISE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 64 pages, $17.95 hardbound) is by Jesse Estes, a London bartender and son of Tomas Estes, European Tequila Ambassador for the Mexican government. He's got over 40 recipes here for tequila and mezcal-based cocktails on a global scale. Check out Horchata Borracha, Death Flip and Blue Daisy. Hola! --PROSECCO DRINKING GAMES (Dog 'n' Bone, 2018, 64 pages, $17.95 hardbound) is by Abbie Cammidge who, with her gal friends, have created or refashioned 29 drinking games for millennials. You just pick a game and pour some bubbles. My fave is the Raspberry Ripple where you have to toss berries into your opponent's glass – from a distance. Messy but effective. Any way – it is party time! --GREAT WHISKEYS. New edition (DK Books, 2018, 384 pages, $19 paperbound) was first issued in 2011 (and was based on WORLD WHISKEYS form 2009). This new edition is based on the 2016 edition of WORLD WHISKEYS. It's a collection of thumbnail profiles of more than 500 of the best whiskeys from around the world. Charles MacLean is again the editor of this user-friendly pocket guide He's got a core of six other global contributors for the tasting notes and photography: each drink has a current label photo and notes covering eligible quaffs. For example, The Glenrothes alone has four entries! The guide even has whiskey tours around producing areas to help plan any whiskey trip. --THE BARISTA BOOK (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 128 pages, $19.99 paperbound) is by Hiroshi Sawada, an award winning coffee barista and latte artist. It was originally published in Japan in 2013 as a coffee lover's companion with brewing tips and over 50 recipes for coffee drinks. Included are lattes, Americanos, cappuccinos, espressos, cafe au laits, and iced drinks (among the principal preps) . A great tool for that coffee lover relative or friend. --ROSE COCKTAILS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 64 pages, $17.95 hardbound) is by Julia Charles, a UK lifestyle writer-editor. She's got 40 pink-wine based drinks – another way to use rose wine, every style of drink from short to long, still to sparkling, sharp to sweet, and fun to fancy. Bartenders are using rose as a base for more complex drinks. This stocking stuffer is arranged by type: aperitifs, sparklers, spritzers, coolers, slushes, crushes, punches and pitchers. A nifty reference for the warmer times of the year. --THE WINE LOVER'S APPRENTICE (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 160 pages, $21.99 hardbound) is by Kathleen Bershad who runs a wine consultancy business, Fine Wine Concierge; they help clients buy, sell, taste, organize, and learn about wine. This is her WINE 101 book, which covers how to taste, grape varieties, reading restaurant lists and wine store shelves, and having a wine tasting. The rest of the work is a series of profiles for each of the major wine growing areas in the world, plus a useful glossary. Good stuff for the newbie. --DRINKING DISTILLED (Ten Speed Press, 2018, 170 pages, $22.99 hardbound) is by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, a bar director in Portland OR who has written The Bar Book. This is a basic work about “drinking” - with guidelines to toasting and drinking with a crowd, drinking games, glassware, drinking and driving, hangovers, and barfing. Then he examines what you are drinking: spirits and cocktails. This is followed by when you are drinking: breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, special occasions (with appropriate recipes). Next up is where you are drinking: work, bars, home, friend's house, on the road, sporting events. And these are with even more recipes. --GINSPIRATION (DK Books, 2018, 144 pages, $18.99 hardbound) is by Eric Grossman and Klaus St. Rainer. The material was previously published in larger books dealing with spirits and cocktails. This is the extraction of the gin pages, with the photography. As such, it's a nifty gift for a gin-loving host/hostess. These are some of the best preps for cocktails and infusions, including the martini, French 75, gimlet, gin fizz, gin sling, pink gin, London buck, and more. There is material on equipment, juices, sugars and syrup, as well as ice. The Gin A-Z section covers the wide world range of various styles of bottled gin, with bottle shots. As for the matter of bruising, I'll leave it up to you.... --THE CURIOUS BARTENDER'S GUIDE TO GIN (Ryland Peters & Small, 2016, 2018, 192 pages, $19.95 hardbound) is by Tristan Stephenson, It's an abridgement of his earlier 2016 work The Curious Bartender's Gin Palace. Most of the work is concerned with the history of gin and how gin is made, with about 45 pages of cocktail recipes. Good value for under $20. --FROM DRAM TO MANHATTAN (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 64 pages, $13.95 hardbound) is by Jesse Estes who concentrates on Canadian, Scotch, American, Irish and Japanese whiskys, with relevant local recipes for each type, a total of 40 preps. Covered are old fashioneds, sours, manhattans, juleps, highballs. Great price for a well-illustrated foodbook. --BEER AND FOOD MATCHING (Dog 'n' Bone, 2014, 2018, 222 pages, $19.95 hardbound) is by Mark Dredge, who goes after the finest foods and the finest craft beers in the world. This is a second edition. The first part of the work covers beer styles, from light through dark. The second part details matching food with beer, with notes on why that match, but no recipes. The last 50 pages is crammed with recipes to use in cooking with beer, such as scotch ale pork or stout beans. --HUGH JOHNSON’S POCKET WINE BOOK 2019 (Mitchell Beazley, 2018, 336 pages, $18.99 hardbound, $14.99 Kindle ebook) is a guide to wines from all around the world, not just to the “best” wines. It is in its 42nd year. Johnson claims more than 6000 wines and growers are listed. News, vintage charts and data, glossaries, best value wines, and what to drink now are here. His book is arranged by region, with notes on the 2017 vintage and a few details about the potential of 2018, along with a closer look at the 2016. He's got notes on what wines are ready to drink in 2019. Johnson is also moving into food pairing: there is a section on food and wine matching. He also has a listing of his personal 200 fave wines. The Kindle edition is digitally enhanced for word searching, so it often beats a printed index for retrieving data – and it is $4 cheaper! Great purchase.... --A YEAR OF GOOD BEER 2019 PAGE-A-DAY CALENDAR (Workman, 2018, 320 pages, $19.99) quenches the beer lover’s thirst: microbrewery recommendations, beer lore, trivia, labels, vocabulary, tasting notes, beer festivals, and more daily fun. Discover a Colorado ale whose smoky coffee notes lend an almost porter-like aroma profile; a hoppy Brooklyn lager; and a perfect summer aperitif in the burgundy-hued Brombeere Blackberry Gose. Includes beer drinking games (like Buffalo Club, in which you must never be caught drinking with your right hand), recipes for refreshing beer cocktails, and “Hop Lookout” notes (like the smoothly bitter Cashmere, developed by Washington State University in 2013). Some of the beers appear as imports in Canada, but otherwise there are few Canadian brews included. Lights, wheat, lagers, ales, porters, stouts, seasonal beers, and lambrics – they’re all here, 165 or so craft beers. If you buy any of the PAD calendars, then you can go online to the website and pick up other, free stuff, at www.pageaday.com. --A YEAR OF GOOD WINE 2019 PAGE A DAY CALENDAR (Workman, 2018, 320 pages, $19.99) is similar in set-up. This is from Karen MacNeil, “America’s missionary of the vine” (Time magazine). It's like a year-long wine course in a calendar. Adapted from the New York Times bestselling The Wine Bible, with 650,000 copies sold, it features recommendations for the best bottles from around the world, tasting notes, in-the-know wine facts, mouth-watering recipes, and more (Loire-valley French whites, like Sauvignon Blanc, which has an herbal, lime-scented freshness, crisp Gruner Veltliner with grilled fresh asparagus for a light summer dish, tips on spectacular bottles within a budget, wine horoscopes that match each sign with the right wine, and an Ask Karen section—Q&As that address wine queries and curiosities. --A YEAR OF GOOD WHISKY 2019 PAGE A DAY CALENDAR (Workman, 2018, 320 pages, $19.99) adapted from A Field Guide to Whisky by Hans Offringa, It features 313 entries, including advice on choosing, buying, and drinking whisky like a pro, trivia about the process of aging, distillation, and history. Plus whisky-related quotes (“There is no bad whiskey. There are only some whiskeys that aren't as good as others.”—Raymond Chandler); tasting notes; and recommendations—like Macallan 12 Year Old Double Cask, characterized by vanilla, citrus, and light oak, combined with rich fruit, sherry, and spicy wooden notes. It’s the perfect gift for anyone with a taste for whisky’s ineffable appeal. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR OCTOBER 2018 [published monthly since 2000] ============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.GOOD BETTER BEST WINES; a no-nonsense guide to popular wines. 2nd ed. (Alpha Books, 2010, 2018, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-7666-1, $12.99 USD, soft covers) is by the wine- experienced Carolyn Evans Hammond, currently the wine writer for the Toronto Star. 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. It was originally published in 2010, and this is the second edition (with 18 more pages and a price rise of four cents). She has categorized the wines by grape variety such as Merlot or Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay 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 preference 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. In Canada, this cut-off would be $20 to $25. And of course, know that American stores widely discount best-selling wines as loss-leaders, and also give case discounts and close-out sales. Not much of this happens in Canada because of the provincial monopolies. Quite a few of the wines in the book 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. And there are no Canadian wines. 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 coloured 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 priced slightly higher. Its pocket/purse size makes it very convenient to take with you into a wine store when you want to spot a sale. A quick check through an index makes it easier to correlate with a wine that is on sale. Some interesting or unusual facts: The quality of everyday wines has never been better. The downside to this book: just a few global brands are included, primarily because Americans drink mostly domestic wines. 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: 92. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.HEALING CANNABIS EDIBLES; exploring the synergy of power herbs (Healing Edibles Co., 2018, 252 pages, ISBN 978-1-7753903-0-5, $27.95 CAD paperback) is by culinary herbalist Pat Crocker (with 22 published cookbooks) and journalist Ellen Novack (who specializes in research on plant medicines that complement Western allopathic health care). Together they work well in presenting a “can-edibles” book that is an educational primer and health-oriented cookbook geared to helping people of all ages make informed decisions about can-edibles to improve their health. Currently, there will be no sales of edibles in Canada until a year from October 2018, so one will have to cook one's own edibles at home. The cookbook icon is still the High Times Cookbook, but that book dealt primarily with just adding cannabis to existing preps. Other powerful herbs are also covered: gentian, hawthorn, rose, mullein, gotu kola, skullcap, ashwagandha, et al. Eight major medical conditions are covered: appetite loss, athletic enhancement, anxiety, epilepsy, inflammation, memory, pain, and sleep. Suggestions have been based on herbal research for best health benefits obtained by consuming food, beverages, tinctures, and spa producers. Bear in mind can-edibles are not yet legal, so you'll have to make the foods yourself. Each prep comes with calculations for a standard dose of THC/CBD in every serving. You can experiment safely with this food, but do avoid buffets. The drawbacks to wine pairing with cannabis is twofold – THC remains in body longer as the liver gives top priority to metabolizing alcohol, and if you have side effects from cannabis consumption, then these are intensified. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart (there is one but only for carrier amounts, and the same one is repeated throughout). Audience and level of use: those wanting to make can-edibles, and how about those cannabis canapes??? LOL Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: smoothies for a variety of conditions; breakfasts; banana bites; mac and cheese minis; quinoa salmon cakes; no-bake energy bars; nerves buster tea blend; raisin oatmeal cookies; calming jellies; “cannamole”; baked chicken wings with canna hot sauce. The downside to this book: no discussion on effects when mixed with alcohol. The upside to this book: there is good material on being cautious with the use of cannabis and other herbs, particularly with side effects that come about because of existing medical conditions. Quality/Price Rating: 90 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS 3.ESTELA (Artisan, 2018, 304 pages, $50 hardcover) is by Ignacio Mattos, who worked with Mallman and chefed at various places in NYC until he opened Estela. He now has several other bars and cafes in New York City. His collaborator is food writer Gabe Ullas. Log rollers include Mallman, Waters, Tanis, and Ruth Rogers. Estela specializes in playfulness and boldness, emphasizing the unexpected and surprising such as shaved thin button mushrooms over ricotta dumplings, or fish sauce and pickling broth as accent points. His forte is layering where you can dig down to the most emphatic flavours. The 133 recip3s here come from the restaurant (lamb ribs with chermoula and honey, cherry tomatoes with figs and onions, or mussels escabeche on toast). Arrangement is by course, with salads followed by raw and/or cooked seafood, mains, desserts, and brunch. I loved the veal sweetbreads with onions. 4.LET'S EAT FRANCE (Artisan, 2018, 432 pages, $75 hardbound) is mainly by Francois-Regis Gaudry, French food critic, journalist, and broadcast host; there are about 120 other contributors as well, all sourced, and identified with pix. It was originally published last year in French as “On va deguster La France”. At 10 inches by 13.5 inches it certainly is a coffee table unto itself. It's a treasure trove for Francophiles. with compelling infographics and stories to flesh out the encyclopedic nature of covering 1250 specialty foods, 375 classic recipes, 350 broad topics, 260 personalities, and of course the hundreds of maps, charts, tips, and anecdotes that make the tome come alive in the post-Larousse era. It's historical, so you'll get mini-bios of Brillat-Savarin, Bocuse, Troisgros, Curnonsky, et al. There are poster-size guides to the breads, wines, frites, figs, oysters – and more -- of France. This book's arrangement is random which makes it easy to read and appeals to millennials, but there is a comprehensive index and cross-references to tie it all together. Minutiae here includes the tar baby leg of lamb, for which you will need a construction site. Most illustrations are in colour and are historical, with some advertisements. The work concludes with a bibliography of French food cookbooks and articles. Very impressive indeed. This is one of those books you buy for someone else...but you read it first yourself! 5.THE WINE TABLE (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 497 pages, $75 hardbound) is by Vickie Reh. This is a good collection of recipes and advice, with memoir-type materials. It is all about recipes and wine pairings from the kitchens of winemakers. We've seen these kinds of books before, but mostly done about California/Oregon winemakers. Here, the emphasis is European wine countries of France and Italy. There is some introductory material on the principles of wine tasting and pairing, followed by visits to 18 wineries (Weinbach in Alsace, Lo Sparviere in Franciacorta, Arianna Occhipinti in Sicily, Sulauze in Provence, Champagne Legras & Haas, among others). Each is described and the recipes begin to flow. Reh also has material about farm markets, wine bars, restaurants, and wine shops. This is a real collector's tome, weighing in at 2.6 kilos! 6.THE JEWELLED TABLE (Hardie Grant Books, 2018, 272 pages, $50 hardbound) is by Bethany Kehdy. She's got over 80 Middle Eastern recipes, reinterpreted for the modern cook . Events covered include simple weeknight suppers, brunches, celebratory feasts, and more. Other material includes the pantry items needed, menu plans and techniques needed, plus some memoir-type material about food from the Middle East (she's Lebanese). There's a bibliography to other Middle East food reference books, including of course her earlier introduction to Middle East food,' The Jewelled Kitchen”. Good food photography. 7.FROM THE EARTH (Hardie Grant Books, 2018, 249 pages, $86 hardcovers) is by the multiple award-winning Australian chef Peter Gilmore. It's an oversized tome (13 inches by 9.5 inches), perfect for covering an entire coffee table all by itself! He celebrates the diverse world of heirloom veggies. These are some of the world's unique and almost forgotten foods. Each has a recipe plus detailed profile and photograph. Also featured are like-minded growers that Gilmore collaborates with. He does have a substitution list for recipes, being aware that “unique' and “forgotten” vegetables are not really available universally. There's “Country Gentleman Corn” with its milky white haphazard kernels, “Kyoto Red Carrot”, “Black Chick Pea”, “Gete Okosomin Squash”, and about 45 or so more. 8.BASQUE COUNTRY (Artisan, 2018, 326 pages, $50 hardcover) is by Marti Buckley; it comes loaded with log rollers who run Basque restaurants. Which is a good thing since this work is a culinary journey through a food lover's paradise, on the cusp of Spanish and French cooking plus its own Basque style. Preps are derived from family tables, dining societies, restaurants, bars, and Basque country grills. It begins, of course, with “pintxos” (pintxoak) the small plates, followed by soups (zopak), fish and shellfish, other mains, sweets and drinks. The major regions are covered with notes and photos plus some recipes. At the back of the cookbook there are resources listed and a translation guide. The drink section is very small, with only such as vermouth, Basque sloe liquor and sangria. 9.COPENHAGEN FOOD (Quadrille, 2018, 288 pages, $50 hardcover) is by Trine Hahnemann, Danish food writer and cookbook author centred in Copenhagen. These stories, traditions and recipes come from her top places to eat, drink, and socialize in Copenhagen: bakeries, markets, cafes, bars, and restaurants. She's got historical background as well as personal vignettes, plus, of course, 70 recipes – all arranged by 8 districts (which also include the suburbs). Lots of good travel and food photography makes this a winner for ex-pats. 10.ATELIER (Figure.1, 2018, 248 pages, $55 hardbound) is by award-winning chef-owner Marc Lepine with Ottawa food writer Anne Desbrisay. These are the signature recipes of Ottawa's Atelier restaurant. As the promo says, “Designed for foodies and chefs with an interest in modern cuisine, this impressive volume is an exciting tribute to one chef's unique culinary philosophy.” The beginning highlights the origins and the visions; this is followed by the inventive recipes. Throughout there is stunning photography by Christian Lalonde. Book ribbons help you keep your place. I was impressed by the thoroughness of the preps. One example was “Mossy Trunk” which is a combo of specific smaller recipes for ramp persillade, beef shanks, soft-boiled quail eggs, lemon confit, green asparagus ribbons, green asparagus puree, morel mushrooms, and topped with a variety of flowers, tendrils and sprouts. 11.THE NOMA GUIDE TO PERMENTATION (Artisan, 2018, 456 pages, $60 hardcover) is by Rene Redzepi and David Zilber. Redzepi is the chef and co-owner of Noma in Copenhagen, many times recognized as the best restaurant in the world. He has appeared twice on Time's cover and been profiled in two feature-length documentaries. His “ Noma” cookbook was both an IACP and a James Beard winner. Zilber (from Toronto) is a chef and photographer from Toronto who has worked at Noma since 2014 and has served as director of its fermentation lab since 2016. Together they have created the basic work on fermentation (the basic pillar of Noma) in food, with koji, kombuchas, shoyus, misos, vinegars, garums, lacto-ferments, and black fruits and vegetables. It may appear to be esoteric to most cooks and home artists, but for the fermentation lover it is a treasure. There is a lot of science here, but the recipes and techniques are invaluable, such as the “coffee kombucha” made from the remains of coffee grounds, the pearl barley koji, and the butternut squash vinegar. Both chefs believe that fermentation is responsible for making food more complex, nuanced and delicious. Plus of course the health and digestive benefits. Over 100 recipes. 12.LITERARY LIBATIONS (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 212 pages, $24.99 hardbound) is by Amira Makansi who concentrates on what to drink with what you read. There is a subject heading at the Library of Congress for this, “Drinking of alcoholic beverages in literature”. She starts with the classics from Europe, moves on to the classics from the USA, and thence to mysteries, science-fiction, drinks for lovers, contemporary books, magic potions for swords and spells, and then kiddie drinks for kid lit. She's got them all covered. There's an explanation of the genre and of a specific title, followed by a pairing and rationale. Some are obvious, such as Bloody Mary with Dracula and old vine Zinfandel with The Grapes of Wrath. The Great Gatsby gets a French 75. A great tool for a book club. 13.YOU AND I EAT THE SAME (Artisan, 2018, 216 pages, $29.95 softbound) has been edited by Chris Ying. It also comes with a Foreword by Rene Redzepi of Noma. It is one of a series of books from MAD Dispatches (MAD is Danish for “food”), a non-profit founded by Redzepi. It is “dedicated to bringing together a global food community with an appetite for change”. Here is a collection of stories and interviews edited by the co-founder of the late “Lucky Peach”. There are 19 sections, each dealing with how we are connected to food, what we have in common, and each written by a different global food writer. One chapter is titled “Everybody Wraps Meat in Flatbread” (tacos to dosas to pancakes to crepes), another is “Much Depends on How You Hold Your Fork” (an interview with Margaret Visser), a third is “Fried Chicken is Common Ground”. Cuisine is a shared experience, and immigration is the key to creating good food. 14.MENUS (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018, 174 pages, $25.99 hardcover) is by Jacques Pepin. It has no recipes, and no actual menus. Instead, it is a technicolour work based on Pepin's artwork for blank menus and guest lists. He calls it “a book for your meals and memories”. These are for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and weddings. His fave 75 drawings with borders can be used with guests signing in, wines consumed, music played, space for comments, etc. It's a novel idea at an affordable price (the tome is 12 inches by 10 inches). Visit www.jacquespepinart.com. 15.BEST AMERICAN FOOD WRITING 2018 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018, 288 pages, $22.99 papercovers) has been edited by Ruth Reichl. It is a new annual entry in HMH's “The Best American Series”, ignoring any mention of Holly Hughes' “Best Food Writing” annual which has been around since 2000. The latter covers globally, while Reichl's is USA only. There are 28 essays here, reprinted primarily from periodicals that published in 2017. What I like about it is that there are several pages at the back listing “other notable food writing”, so you can actually track them down via a public library or the Internet. It also has one of the last writings of the late Jonathan Gold of the LA Times. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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 – 16.SOUTHERN BAKED; celebrating life with pie (Gibbs Smith, 2018, 200 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-4898-7 $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Amanda Dalton Wilbanks, who opened her first retail bakery in Georgia in 2012: Southern Baked Pie Company. It now has three retail outlets and ships nationally. But why order, when you can bake at home with this very book!! Wilbanks gives us the signature pastry recipe for the sweet and savoury pie creations, plus some special-day meal ideas for all seasons. The book is arranged by month, beginning with January, and we celebrate New Year's Day. In February, we celebrate Valentine's Day. Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are next, with “game day”, “summer picnic”, “girls' night” and “birthday” in-between. Her simple pie doughs rely on cold ingredients. She goes into pre-baked dough, partially-baked dough, and lattice tops. She had me at lemon chess pie...Large typeface for the aging (like me). The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes (for international sales), but at least it had a metric conversion chart (but small typeface). Quality/price rating: 87 17.CHARRED & SMOKED (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 205 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-3157-8 $22.99 USD hardbound) is by Derek Bugge, currently chef at Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi in Washington State, after a long career through the Pacific Northwest working in a variety of situations (bars, oyster houses, country clubs, and more). His collaborator is James O. Fraioli who has 28 cookbooks and a James Beard Award to his credit. The book has more than 75 preps and cooking techniques for the grilled set. They open with cooking methods, equipment, rubs, dressings, marinades and sauces. Everything is “charred & smoked”: roasted small bites, caramelized soups and salads, grilled and charred feats, blistered and grilled sides, charred and toasted desserts – and even some “smokey” drinks. Smoked bacon pepper jelly anyone? Burnt ash aioli, smoked fig with foie gras moose, grilled frisee with bacon vinaigrette, grilled lamb with charred rapini and mint chimichurri, blistered corn with mayonnaise and queso and chile. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes (for international sales), but at least it had metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 89 18.RICH TABLE (Chronicle Books, 2018, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-5637-8 $35 USD hardbound) is by Sarah and Evan Rich. “Rich Table” is the name of their restaurant, Carolyn Alburger is the collaborating writer, and Kate Williams is the recipe developer. Heavy duty log rolling here includes David Chang and the late Anthony Bourdain. It's arranged by course: bites, appetizers, pastas, mains, desserts, cocktails. The bites and the apps (35 preps in all) could easily be a bar menu on its own. The Richs try to make every dish a combination of salty, acidic, fatty and savoury, with different levels where appropriate or intuitive. They have multiple uses for baby greens and lettuces, bone marrow, Champagne vinegar, Douglas fir powder (!), EVOO of course, kosher salt, organic Greek yogurt, mustard seed oil, popped sorghum, and dashi. Lots of memoir-type material about the restaurant life, photos, and banter prevail. It is also great to see both metric and American measurements being used in the recipes, except there is no metric listed for teaspoons. Never the less, 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 19.CHARCUTERIE; how to enjoy, serve and cook with cured meats. Rev ed (Ryland Peters & Small, 2014, 2018,160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-037-6, $14.95 US hard covers) is by Miranda Ballard, who co-owns the UK ethical beef concern Muddy Boots. This is the 2018 revised edition. Charcuterie and salumi are discussed, especially in the creation of a charcuterie board (French, Italian or Spanish). Layouts are noted, as well as choice of meats and sausages. The Italian board would have olives and crostini, as well as a pecorino and olive oil and sun-dried tomatoes. The French board would also have tapenade, baguette, and a soft cheese. The Spanish board would also have olives, marinated red peppers, rustic breads, Manchego cheese, and almonds. The the rest of the book concerns small bites, apps, salads, light lunches, larger dishes, and side dishes with accompaniments. Home curing is part of the primer. It is a good start. Presumably, you could also end the meal with a cheese board, although this is not discussed. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 89. 20.NORDIC BAKERY COOKBOOK Rev ed (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2011, 2018, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-044-4, $14.95 US hard covers) is by Miisa Mink, a partner in the bakery. The Nordic Bakery opened in Soho, London in 2007. This is the revised edition of the 2011 book. 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 both metric and avoirdupois measurements. 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: 88 21.RISOTTO; delicious recipes for Italy’s classic rice dish Rev ed (Ryland Peters & Small, 2005, 2018, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-035-2, $14.95 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 over 60 recipes here (expanded from 50), including a few desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. 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. 22.EASY TAGINE; delicious recipes for Moroccan one-pot cooking (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2012, 2018, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-045-1, $16.95 USD paper covers) is mostly by Ghillie Basan, cookery writer specializing in Middle East cookbooks and articles. Some of the preps here are from six other writers. It’s a timely book, one of the “Easy” series from this publisher and it fits in the “one-pot” mode of ease, although there are other recipes here for traditional or classic accompaniments. Of course, there’s a primer on tagines. Lamb tagine is traditional, but she also has preps for beef, kefta, sausage, chicken, duck, vegetable, fish and seafood tagines. That’s half the book. There are also a range of couscous, skewers, roasts, pan fries, sides, salads, soups, sweets, and drinks. So all of it is almost a Moroccan cookbook. And you can always use a heavy-based casserole dish instead of a tagine. Preparations have their ingredients listed in partial metric and full avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Do try kefta tagine with eggs and roasted cumin; oven-baked tagine of red mullet, tomatoes and lime; tagine of beans, cherry tomatoes and black olives; chorizo tagine with lentils and fenugreek; tagine of lamb with veggies and mint; fluffy pistachio nougat. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 23.EASY COMFORT FOOD (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2008, 2018, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-042-0, $16.95 USD paper covers) is a publisher's collection of more than 100 “feel-good” recipes for indulgence: warming soups, stews, baked goods, desserts. Twenty writers from the RPS stable were involved, although not equally. The lion's share of the preps come from Maxine Clark and Ross Dobson. Topics also include savoury snacks, broad supper dishes, and teatime treats. If you really want something comforting and stress-reduced, then try those foods with the most umami such as Parmesan cheese or mushrooms. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87. 24.SOUPED UP (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-034-5 $14.95 USD hardbound) is a publisher's collection compiled by Miriam Catley, with recipes from nine different food writers in the RPS stable. Belinda Williams has the lion's share of these preps; the others have six or fewer preps each. Recipes are sorted by chapters into smooth, light, hearty, and luxurious, pretty evenly (although smooth and hearty seem to have a few more). The soups are internation (Vietnam, Morocco, Italian, French, etc.). Some interesting ones: watercress soup with nashi pear, scallops and pancetta; citrus broth with king prawns, chilli and ginger; callaloo with sorrel and crab; pheasant soup with mushrooms and port. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88 25.VEGETARIAN PARTY FOOD (Hardie Grant Books, 2018, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-185-6 $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Jessica Oldfield. It was first published by Hachette Livre Marabout in 2017; this is the English translation. The publisher describes the preps as “delectable vegetable-forward bites for entertaining”. So these are ready-to-eat foods for a party or gathering. It has four main sections: basics, dips, vegetarian, and vegan. The 80 meat-free dishes include simple no-cook bites through to complex which require cooking. Typical are basics such as cashew ricotta, dips such as pesto or romesco sauce, veggie such as za'atar popcorn cones or crispy delicata squash rings, and 27 vegan preps such as caprese stacks, portobello pizzas, sweet potato crostini, or artichoke tapenade. Excellent photography emphasizes layout beyond the plated dish. Prep times are indicated in the recipes, but the book could have been improved if it also used all metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. 26.RUSTIC FRUIT DESSERTS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-033-8 $14.95 USD hardbound) is a publisher's compilation of recipes from the RPS stable of 20 cookbook authors, pulled together by Alice Sambrook. Here are 55 easy and comforting recipes from cobblers to pies, and including crisps, crumbles, tarts, strudels, slumps, puddings and dessert cakes for all occasions. Most authors here have 1, 2, or 3 preps, but Hannah Miles has ll and Maxine Clark has 10. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 86. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SEPTEMBER 2018 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca 1.SANDWICHES WITHOUT BREAD (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 214 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-3236-0 $16.99 USD hardbound) is by Ukrainian food writer Daria Polukarova. It is touted as “100 low-carb, gluten free options”. No bread is used, but remember – the original Sandwich from the Earl himself was constructed as a platform to absorb moisture and liquids from the spread itself, as well as give it portability away from a table. Neither works well here except for maybe rice cakes (which when I eat tend to splatter puffed rice). So you will need a fork, a plate and a table. She's got the arrangement right: closed sandwiches; open sandwiches; rolls and wraps; one-bit sandwiches; skewers; and sweet sandwiches. Most of it is meatless. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Unfortunately there is no index, just a table of contents. Audience and level of use: flexitarians, gluten-free dieters Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sweet and sour tofu lettuce wraps; halloumi bruschetta; onigirazu nori sandwich; sweet potato bolognese sliders; vegan ramen burgers; potato cakes with creamy mushrooms; peanut butter banana bites; polenta sandwiches; hummus and olives crispy chicory bites. The downside to this book: no index The upside to this book: good idea, with a minimal amount of flesh (chicken, salmon, tuna) Quality/Price Rating: 82 2.LANTANA CAFE BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 144 pages ISBN 978-1-84975-972-4 $14.95 USD hardbound) is by Shelagh Ryan, who set up the Lantana Cafe in 2008. It was London's first Australian cafe, now with three locations. It's a nifty brunch-breakfast book, arranged by preps as at the Cafe: fruit, oats, grains; eggs; mains; sandwiches, salads; breads and bakes; preserves; and drinks. The subtitle is “relaxed recipes to start each day”. That may be, but the list of ingredients in most preps says otherwise. For example, the first prep of “toasted muesli” is much like granola, and calls for 17 ingredients. Unless you have them all at hand (as at Lantana) you'll be busy mixing and baking in the morning. Bircher muesli is a lot better. Grilled halloumi with roast shallots, beetroot & vin cotto is adventuresome with its 17 ingredients. My fave is the slow-braised beans with ham hock, but it needs to start a day in advance. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 86. 3.FEED YOUR PEOPLE (powerHouse Books, 2018, 310 pages, $39.95 hardbound) is from too packager Leslie Jonath. It begins with concepts of larger cooking, with dishes by Alice Waters, Dennis Lee, Gonzalo Guzman, and others who know ehow to feed a crowd. This is big-batch, big-hearted cooking and recipes to gather around. Most preps are scaled to feed groups of 10 – 20, with make-ahead strategies, equipment data, and serving suggestions. A lot here is ethnic and rustic, just perfect for a community gathering: tamales, minestrone, chili, paella (big-pan), gnocchi, Korean bossam, seafood boils, Grand Aioli with roasted salmon,. Gorgeously photographed. Takes sharing plates to a new level. 4.COOKING FOR FRIENDS (Whitecap, 2018, 250 pages, $34.95 paperbound) is by David Wood, who ran the David Wood Food Shop in Toronto between 1984 through 1990. In 1987 he wrote “The David Wood Food Book” (Whitecap), a recipe collection based on his shop's and his catering firm's preps. In 1990 he moved to Salt Spring Island in BC where he eventually co-owned the Salt Spring Island Cheese Company. This current book represents both a re-think and an updating of the earlier work (which I had bought). So there is some duplication or changes in recipes (the tomato, artichoke, and feta salad remains, but the flank steak with red wine aioli is now flank steak with anchovy aioli). The older work had no photos, but this one is loaded with them. And metrics have been added to the 150 classical, regional and domestic recipes. Terrific stuff, just as in 1987 - - 31 years ago. 5.CHINESE STREET FOOD (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 316 pages $42.99 hardbound) is by Howie Southworth and Greg Matza who have been eating their way through China for over two decades. This giftbook is a collection of small bites, classic recipes, and stories from China, with anecdotes from folklore and culture, and interviews with cooks and vendors. Photographed and printed entirely in China. Logrollers include Chinese cooks such as Martin Yan and Ken Hom who encourage us to eat our way through China street by street. Each prep has a transliterated title, English equivalent, and pictograph, such as the huixiang jiubing (fennel frond garlic chive pancakes), xiangchang juanbing (hand-rolled sausage pancake), and beijing kaoya (Beijing-style roasted duck breasts). American measurements are used but there are conversion charts. 6.VANCOUVER EATS (Figure.1, 2018, 240 pages, $38.95 hardbound) is by Joanne Sasuri, food and drink journalist living on the West Coast. It's one of a series from Figure.1; the others have involved Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, et al. There are 100 recipes here from the city's leading chefs and bartenders, all tested for the home cook. These are the signature dishes from Vancouver's fave foodie spots. Included are Araxi, Cibo Trattoria, Dirty Apron Cooking School, The Flying Pig, Guu, Hy's Steakhouse, Ocean Wise, Wildebeest, and 38 others – about 2 preps each. There are descriptions of each restaurant as well as pix of personnel and of the finished plate. 7.SEATTLE EATS (Figure.1, 2018, 214 pages, $37.95 hardbound) is by Julien Perry, a Seattle-based food and lifestyle writer. It's one of a series from Figure.1; the others have involved Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, et al. There are 100 recipes here from the city's leading chefs and bartenders, all tested for the home cook. These are the signature dishes from Seattle's fave foodie spots. Included are some 40 restaurants of varying type (.g. Jack's BBQ, Single Shot, ChefSteps, and Oddfellows Cafe – all with about 2 or so preps apiece. There are descriptions of each restaurant as well as pix of personnel and of the finished plate. 8.CASABLANCA (Firefly, 2018, 224 pages, $39.95 hardbound) is by the UK food writer Nargisse Benkabbou, a native of Morocco (www.mymoroccanfood.com), and features 100 preps for family and entertaining. The primer has elements for ras el hanout spice mix, preserved lemons, harissa paste, couscous, Moroccan tea, and, of course, the tagine. Typical are sweet potato and feta maakouda, artichoke and baby potato and preserved lemon tagine, zucchini and thyme and beef shin tagine, kefta and olive toast, and chicken mchermel. Great photography of the finished plates with (thankfully) few or no touristic photos. 9.APERITIF (Quadrille, 2018, 160 pages, $33.99 hardbound) is by Kate Hawkins. It's a guide to the drinks, history, and culture of the aperitif, with index. Also included are some 33 chic drinks, such as the martini, the manhattan, boulevardier, and cardinale. In a true sense, each drink is only consumed once – after all, it is an aperitif before a meal. You don't need to drink any one of them all night long. They refresh the palate, and include gin (of course), Campari, Champagne, pastis, vermouth, sherry, and other palate cleansers. A very smart book. 10.THE BOOK OF VERMOUTH (Hardie Grant Books, 2018, 208 pages, $42.99 hardbound) is by bartender Shaun Byrne and winemaker Gilles Lapalus. It's a fairly comprehensive survey about the aperitif vermouth. As they say, there are five things to know about vermouth: it is a wine, it tastes great neat, it's the essence of a Negroni, it's not a martini without it, and it should be kept in the fridge. There's some great text here on the history and cultural appreciation, as well as vermouth from around the world, the rules of production, the use of sugar and wormwood, plus traditional botanicals. It has an Australian slant, so there is material about Oz botanicals and finished products. The preps are arranged by season, beginning with spring, and then moving on through pre- and post-dinner activities. A bibliography finishes it all off. Great stuff. 11.FLAWLESS (University of California Press, 2018, 226 pages, $38 hardbound) is by renowned wine author and features writer Jamie Goode. He looks at the main causes of faults in wine, ranging from (as indicated in the contents page) brettanomyces through oxidation, volatile acidity, cork taint, and others – about 13 in all. Some faults are more like taints – it all depends on your tasting palate's level of enjoyment. Even good tastes have their limits – too much oak? Too much sugar? Too much acid? So they can not realistically be called faults, but rather “flaws” or “taints” or weaknesses. I love a good dose of brett, but I've had it at times where it is overwhelming and off-putting. I love oak – my neighbour abhors it and claims to smell it on my breath. I like oxidation too, but there are limits. However, definite flaws are corkiness, heat damage, volatile sulphur, ladybug and mousiness. So far as I can tell, nobody likes even a smidgin of these flaws. Goode does a good job of explaining; it's also great breakfast reading. 12.RECIPES FOR VICTORY (Whitecap, 2018, 216 pages, $24.95 paperbound) has been edited by Elizabeth Baird and Bridget Wranich, with research and testing by the Volunteer Historic Cooks at Fort York National Historical Site. This is “Great War” food from the front and the kitchens back home in Canada; it grew out of a Fort York-Culinary Historians of Canada symposium in 2014 which was called for the centennial of the start of the War. This cookbook has been published (with much added research and preps) in time to celebrate the 1918 conclusion of that War to End All Wars. The teams deal with three distinct kitchens: the war front, the gifts from the home front in the trenches, and the kitchens at home. They cover the role of the army cook, alcohol, food packs from home, problems of surplus, home gardens, and some special topics such as the Children's Potato War Plot Fund. Of course, there are recipes: each has an original taken from a notebook and a modern equivalent. Usually there are illustrations of drawings and photos. A dynamic work, well-written and well-worth reading over the holidays. Bravo! ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SUMMER 2018 [published since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.BREWING EVERYTHING (The Countryman Press, 2018, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-68268-174-9 $21.95 USD paperbound) is by Dan Crissman, an editor who was formerly editor at The Countryman Press. He's a longtime homebrewer/fermentation enthusiast. This is one of the publisher's “Know How” series. It is a very accessible book dealing with every type of brewing project: beer, mead, cider, sake, kombucha, and other fermented drinks. It concentrates on the sparkling, low alcohol side, and is best for those who like ease and bubblies with little aging. Grape wines are not included because they take a slightly different process and do not involve bubbles. There is a large chapter on beer, ranging from pilsner to a variety of IPAs and dark ales. Cider is next, followed by mead and sake. Then there is kombucha, kefir, and kvass, tonics and switchels. He interviews experts in every chapter, and also gives us some easy brews and some hard-to-do brews. Crissman ends with resources lists and URLs for bloggers and supplies. Audience and level of use: beginners and other curious readers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sarsaparilla; ginger beer; caraway rye kvass; fuji apple sake; watermelon mead; wild honey pale ale; dandelion wine; West Coast IPA; dry-hopped farmhouse ale. The downside to this book: Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. The upside to this book: Crissman takes great pains to emphasize sanitation, freshness of ingredients, and exploding bottles. I used to make a lot of this stuff, but stopped as I aged and could not carry the volumes of weights. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.THE NEW RUM (The Countryman Press, 2018, 333 pages, ISBN 978-1-68268-000-1 $25.95 USD hardbound) is by Bryce T. Bauer, an award winning drink journalist who has also written often about bootleggers. It's subtitle is “a modern guide to the spirit of the Americas”; the book expands on a previously written article entitled “Rum's Revenge”. Bauer tells a historical and cultural history of rum, from its origins in the Caribbean to its value as an inexpensive vacation seaside drink to its modern day craft revival. This is a producer-focused drink guide covering dozens of the best producers in the world” Martinique rhum agricole to Barbados aged sippers and the Dominican aged sippers. Bauer makes sure that rum now has its time. Good quality colour photos. Audience and level of use: rum fans and those who like spirit cultural histories. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: rum punch, el dorado mai tai, rum negroni, rabo de galo, and navy grog. The downside to this book: I wanted more cocktails. The upside to this book: because it is time. Quality/Price Rating: 89 3.THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BEER COCKTAILS (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 114 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-2821-6 $16.99 USD hardbound) is by Jon and Lindsay Yeager, founders of PourTaste a Nashville bar consulting firm and festival organizers. Here they have 50 creative recipes for combining beer and spirits. There is a history of this mixture, and they present it well, followed by a two page description of each of the cocktails, with photos. For example, Southern Drum calls for Woodford Reserve rye, Woodford Reserve Sassafras & Sorghum bitters, and Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout. Sounds intriguing but difficult to do in Canada. More reasonable is Mississippi Porter Punch which uses bourbon, VSOP cognac, dark rum, Angostura bitters, and Samuel Smith Taddy Porter. You can fudge on the porter and use almost any dark thick beer, if you have to. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: the curious and the specialized cocktail pursuer. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: seersucker, printers alley punch, frozen brandy crusta, fancy Tokyo tippler, sunset kingdom. The downside to this book: particular beers are specified, and if you don't have it, then you must substitute or do without somehow. The upside to this book: great conversation piece. Quality/Price Rating: 86 4.NOW & AGAIN (Chronicle Books, 2018, 304 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-6492-1 $35 USD hardbound) is by Julia Turshen, author of cookbooks Feed the Resistance and Small Victories. It comes with log rolling by Yotam Ottolenghi and others. The emphasis here is on recipes and menus that can for the basis of endless ideas for reinventing leftovers. For example, shrimp with tequila and lime can be shrimp kimchi pancakes next time. 150 preps are sorted into 20 menus built around easy to do food that can then convert any leftovers to yet another menu. In our house, any remains after leftover use are known as “holdovers”. The book is arranged by season, with five menus for each. There is an index to recipes by type (e.g. breakfast, salads, soups, sauces, etc.), further menu suggestions, a kitchen primer on tools and ingredients, plus a general index. Preparations have their ingredients listed mainly in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginners, those who want ideas for leftover usage. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: roasted red cabbage with anchovy and pine nuts; steak and kimchi quesadillas; lamb burgers with grilled red onions; chicken tikka tacos; mango with cardamom syrup and pistachios; champagne and honey-poached pears. The downside to this book: each menu comes with a time line for what has to be done a month ahead, a week ahead, etc. This can be a problem without kitchen rigour. The upside to this book: good philosophy that also cuts own on food waste. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 5.HAPPY FOOD (Hardie Grant Books, 2018, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-157-3 $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Bettina Campolucci Bordi, who grew up in Tanzania with Norwegian, Danish and Bulgarian heritage. Over her catering/event management career as a freelance chef she had some health problems that seemed to go away when she shifted to a gluten-free plant-based diet. She now writes about and only deals with largely vegan foods. Here she calls it “Happy Food” since all of it is fresh and fast and you feel so good after eating. It's divided into categories of breakfast, home alone (smaller portions, less wasteful, fewer leftovers), quick and simple, feast and sharing, dips and sides, and sweets. Her pantry is called “favourite basics”, for dishes that can be made from scratch and stored for a long period of time. Menu plans are given at the back. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: vegans, vegetarians. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: spicy Thai noodles with creamy peanut dressing; pasta pesto and nut parmesan; sweet potato cakes with dill and cashew yoghurt; marinated maple and turmeric-roasted cauliflower with yogurt sauce; rosemary and garlic focaccia; Italian stuffed veggies. The downside to this book: no conversion charts The upside to this book: lots of icons for each dish (batch cookable, freezable, lasts for 3+ or 5+ days in the fridge, nut-free, etc.) Quality/Price Rating: 87 6.CAULIFLOWER (Hardie Grant Books, 2018, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-178-8 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by food writer Oz Telem of www.thekitchencoach.co.il. He's got 70 preps to roast, rice, mash, bake, steam and fry one of the world's healthiest veggies. One of its features is its ability to substitute for other ingredients, such as a low-carb replacement for rice, mash up like potatoes, or be part of meaty main dishes. It can give tofu a run for its money in emulation: cauliflower wings, cauliflower pakoras, cauliflower ragu, and gluten-free dishes. The book is arranged by type of food – salads, pickles, starters, sides, patties, fritters, soups,, and international specialties. The book was originally crowd-funded and published in Hebrew – this is its first commercial publication. The index is arranged by food groups, so there are plenty of vegan recipes, fast recipes (under 30 minutes), dairy recipes, egg recipes, and gluten-free recipes. There are four meat preps and three fish recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed mainly in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: cauliflower lovers, vegetarians Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: braised cauliflower greens; cauliflower and spinach shakshooka; cauliflower tabbouleh; kohlrabi and apple slaw; seared cauliflower with lemon butter; creamy cauliflower mash. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.MAZI; modern Greek food (Firefly, 2018, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-2281-0034-8 $35 USD hardbound) is by Christina Mouratoglu and Adrien Carre, co-founders of MAZI in London UK in 2012. They concentrated on sharing plates of small dishes (meze). The word “mazi” itself means a gathering, a combination, a mixture. The majority of the dishes here, as in the restaurant, are small family-style dishes for sharing. There is a lot of description about the restaurant, with memoir-like material and photos. The 115 recipes are mostly traditional with modern interpretations. Many dishes are GF or vegan. The food, while quick and easy to make, should be prepared in a lot of different dishes – no roast with two vegs here. There are chapters on breads and condiments, salads, raw foods, hot plates, desserts, and some signature dishes from the restaurant. There's some lobster pasta with Metaxa brandy, braised octopus, shiitake mushroom and potato dauphinoise moussaka, lamb shank, and imam bayildi eggplant with stilton. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 8.TRULLO: the cookbook (Square Peg Vintage, 2017, 2018, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-910931134 $53.95 CAD hardbound) is by Tim Siadatan, owner of Trullo restaurant and Padella pasta bar in London. It comes with heavy-duty logrolling from Jamie Oliver and Nigel Slater and Fergus Henderson. A trullo is a 19th century Apulian hut with a conical roof. Here's a fresh take on Italian cuisine as presented at Trullo, along with plenty of notes about the restaurant and how it handles food. Topics include antipasti, BBQ, pan and oven, garnishes, feasting and desserts. Little on wine. Some emphasis is on the whole approach: whole baked turbot with poached leeks, whole lamb shoulder (both BBQ and roast), whole lemon sole (both pan-fired and roasted), and whole beef shin with bone marrow. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. 9.THE ULTIMATE GRAIN-FREE COOKBOOK (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 310 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-2949-0 $24.99 USD hardcovers) is by Annabelle Lee, a former fashion model who has had auto-immune arthritis and lupus. By changing her diet, she could change her health and life. She has a line of Real Food Baking Mixes and a website californiacountrygal.com. This is a nifty collection of preps that are sugar-free and gluten-free. Her emphasis is to eat real without dieting – just give up sugars and gluten grains as a beginning. Later, dairy products can be scaled back as well as fats and oils. Eventually, you'll keep your gut healthy and maybe lose weight. Her sweet and savoury preps include sweet yam gnocchi with brown butter and sage, garlic cheese drop biscuits, spicy salsa wraps, and German chocolate cake. Her arrangement by type (basics, breads, buns, biscuits, breakfast, brunch, crackers, wraps, legumes, pizza, pasta, sweets) is complemented by a bibliography and metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 87 10.MASTERING PIZZA (Ten Speed Press, 2018, 262 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57922 $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Marc Vetri, owner of Philadelphia's Vetri Cucina, Osteria, Amis, and Pizzeria Vetri. He's a Bear Award winner, and he has written three other Italian cookbooks. (One is Mastering Pizza – can Mastering Pasta and Mastering Panini be far behind?). His collaborator is David Joachim who has worked on more than 40 other cookbooks plus magazine articles on food. The late Anthony Bourdain furnished a blurb: “Speaking as someone with a long-time fear of dough, this is the only book I'd rely on with confidence”. Vetri's secret for making good dough: hydration levels. There are various levels for various styles (Naples dough, Roman dough, al taglio, et al) and various ovens. Also covered are flour types, pizza stones, baking steels, calzones, rotolos, and focaccia. If you want more, there is a sharp bibliography of writings. And kudos for the insertions of metric measurements right into the recipes themselves! Quality/price rating: 89 11.CIDERHOUSE COOKBOOK (Story Publishing, 2018, 222 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-940-2 $19.95 USD paperbound) is by Jonathan Carr and Nicole Blum, cidermakers and owners of Carr's Ciderhouse in western Massachusetts. They make mainly ciders (hard and sweet, syrups, and vinegars. The collaborator is Andrea Blum, food writer, chef and culinary artist at Montalvo Arts Center (California). Here are 127 recipes for the sweet, tart, and tangy flavours of apple cider. It's all arranged by course, from salads, soups, through mains and desserts and drinks. There is a lot of illustrated and photographic material on how they make the diverse ciders, and how you can make your own ciders (both hard and sweet), followed by making vinegars and cider syrups and molasses. Fruit shrubs and fruit vinegars, switchel syrups, apple membrillo (similar to quince), baked apple butter, jellies, and jams complete the primers. What to do with them all? For starters, try candied nuts using apple cider syrup or cider vinegar pickles – and then move on through a range of pork dishes. Resources lists complete the work. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 89. 12.KRICKET (Hardie Grant Books, 2018, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-158-0 $35 USD hardbound) is by Will Bowlby, heads chef and co-owner of Kricket in London UK. He's got a collection of 80 Indian-inspired recipes which emphasizes seasonal availability of ingredients in the UK. There's smoked haddock kichri, keralan fried chicken, and elderflower and rhubarb kulfi. The full range of food here includes cocktails, breads, pickles, sides and snacks for the modern kitchen. For further excitement, there is cardamom kheerkheer with rhubarb puree and carom seed crumble, jersey royal aloo chaat, and burnt garlic tarka dal. At the back there are 20 menu plans, five for each of the seasons. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87 13.BATCHED & BOTTLED (Quadrille, 2018, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-155-3 $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Max and Noel Venning, brother owners of Three Sheets cocktail bar in London. These are cocktails to be made ahead, after they have been blended or stirred or shaken. We've got two going at home in the fridge: Negroni and White Negroni. To both we may (or may not) add ice cubes or fizzy water. There are 50 preps here in this book, plus tips and advice for the make-aheads. The guide is a boon for those who entertain with cocktails but want to relax and converse without having to take the time to mix the drinks. So these cocktails can be batched a month ahead or an hour ahead – you will be completely free to laugh along with everybody else...Under “gin” in the index, there are a dozen preps that are doable and welcoming. But do watch out for the measurements: use only the metric OR the imperial. If you use both, you will screw up the ratios and might even have liquid left over (750 mL is NOT 30 oz). But kudos for listing both forms of measurement with the ingredients. Quality/price rating: 87 14.CHEFS EAT MELTS TOO (Hardie Grant Books, 2018, 166 pages, ISBN 978-1-74379459-3 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Chef Darren Purchese, a pastry chef-owner (Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio) in Melbourne Australia. Here he writes on melts made with cheese and toasted bread as he reinvents the hot sandwich game. You will need a variety of sauces: harissa, tamari, mayo, vinaigrette, mustard dressing, 1000 Island, yogurt, chimichurri, piccalilli, pear and walnut chutney, mango chutney, caramel cream, romesco, and more!! After that come the breads: pita, brioche, Turkish bread, baguettes, sourdough, ciabatta, wholemeal sandwich, bagels, and more!! After that come the fillings: BLT, chicken, pastrami, ham, bacon, pork belly, jamon, lamb shoulder, pork shoulder, beef, prosciutto, sardines, anchovies, chorizo, crayfish, turkey, and more!! In each sandwich, there is also some variation of a few cheeses (gorgonzola, swiss, cheddar) and/or a few egg styles (omelettes, fried). Add to any of the sauces and place between two slices of any of the breads …. and voila!! Maybe gout sufferers should avoid this book. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 15.EAST THAI COOKBOOK (Nourish, 2007, 2010, 2018, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-84483-893-6 $19.95 USD softbound) is by Sallie Morris. It was previously published in 2007, and is here reissued with some updated material. Morris has written many books on Southeast Asian cookery. She's got 70 simple preps here, each described step-by-step and accompanied by a photo. In addition to the prime on techniques, equipment and pantry, she has 12 menu plans with timings for create a wide assortment of meals, from a simple lunch for two to a dinner for eight, and even. The menus have preps indicated with page references and a countdown clock. Recipes in the book are arranged by course, from apps through soups, salads, curries, stir-fires, steams, grills, BBQ, and then desserts. It is all indexed by Thai name and by English translated name. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. But still a very handy book, well-worth reissuing. Quality/price rating: 88 16.THE JOY OF MIXOLOGY; the consummate guide to the bartender’s craft (Clarkson Potter, 2003, 2018, 334 pages, ISBN 978-0-451-49902-8 $30 USD hardbound) is by Gary Regan, a magazine writer in spirits, and author of “The Bartender’s Bible”. It was originally published in 2003; this 2018 edition has been revised and updated. The 350 recipes have been grouped by families of drinks; this allows for substitutions and the creation of new drinks. There are the usual details on histories of mixed drinks, the art of blending, equipment, ingredients for the bar, etc. The section on garnishes is particularly good. Recipes cover all the popular drinks of martinis, highballs, snappers, sours, juleps. No pictures, which is a good thing. What I also do like about this book are the charts and the extensive bibliography (despite a lack of listed number of new books or many Internet resources). Quality/Price Ratio: 85. 17.THE GUT HEALTH COOKBOOK (Ryland Peters & Small, 2015, 2018, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-970-0, $19.95 USD paper covers) is by Dunja Gulin, a chef who runs fermented foods workshops, and is the author of several vegan cookbooks such as The Vegan Pantry. It was originally published in 2015 as FERMENTED FOODS FOR VITALITY & HEALTH, but has been slightly revised for 2018. Naturally fermented foods boost the digestive immune system with pro-biotics, and appear in just about every culture (Japan's miso, Korea's kimchi, everybody's sourdough, beer, wine). Pro-biotics increase energy levels, stabilize blood pressure, improve sleeping patterns, and promote healthier skin. Gulin here has 60 ways to make fermented foods part of a normal meal pattern. It is all sorted by course (breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, salads, breads, condiments, drinks), concluding with an international list of sources and resources. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly avoirdupois with some metric measurements, but there still is no table of equivalents. Some interesting preps: vegan yogurt; water kefir grains; probiotic gazpacho; sauerkraut with quinces; sourdough grissini; spicy leek and miso condiment; Scandinavian chanterelle salad; purple sauerkraut with dulse and caraway seeds. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 18.KITCHEN BREWING (Hardie Grant Books, 2017, 2018, 108 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-183-2 $22.99 USD hardbound) is by Jakob Nielsen and Mikael Zetterberg. It was first published in Sweden in 2017 as “Kokosbrygging”. This is the translation for the English language market. They believe that you can create quality beers on a budget in just a few hours, without losing any taste. They use everyday kitchen equipment plus a basic home-brew starter kit for small volumes such as 5 litres. The 20 beer recipes make brews that are ready to drink in just 4 weeks. The arrangement is by season, so something like oatmeal stout is not attempted in the summer, nor is wheat beer or steam beer particularly useful to make in winter. There is a lot of hand-holding here, but that is how it should be for beginners. There are lagers, IPAs, stouts – and surprisingly there is even an apple cider. The most valuable lesson to be learned here is simply to use clean sanitized equipment. I've done all this over thirty year ago, and it is a very pleasant and worthwhile exercise with a big fat reward at the end. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 19.HOW TO COOK WITHOUT A BOOK, completely updated and revised (Clarkson Potter, 2000, 2018, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-5247-6166-0 $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Pam Anderson, who has authored eight cookbooks and was the former executive editor of Cook's Illustrated magazine. It was originally published in 2000 and this is its second edition. New material includes modern flavours and new techniques for the home cook. The colour photos are all-new and original. Anderson believes that these are recipes and techniques that every cook should know by heart. But first off, the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. All the world uses metric now except for the USA. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_weights_and_measures Key approaches to food here include stocking and re-stocking a pantry/larder (she gives extensive lists), shopping wisely and seasonally, and remembering important formulas and techniques. Chapters are divided into individual techniques and formulas with a step-by-step approach to showing how they all work, illustrative photos, a simple recipe and simple variations, and the main points at a glance. Home cooks are encouraged to explore further variations on the theme. First up is vinaigrette, followed by a pan of veggies (roasted, grilled, steamed, sauteed). On to a loaded frittata, a cup of soup, hearty grains, simple tomato sauces, pasta, pizza, ending with “shove-it-in-the-oven stew”. Quality/price rating: 87. 20.THE WORLD ATLAS OF COFFEE. 2D ed.(Firefly Books, 2014, 2018, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-2281-0094-2 $35 USD hard covers) is by James Hoffmann, 2007 World Barista Champion. It was originally published in 2014, and is here revised with updated coverage of seven additional coffee-growing countries: Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, China, Philippines, Thailand, Haiti, and Puerto Rico. Almost a half-billion cups of coffee are consumed daily in North America; 125 million people around the world depend on coffee production for their livelihood. Behind each cup is an explanation by this book, a global tour of 29 or so coffee-growing countries, with colour photos. So for Malawi, for example, there is detail on cultural and business history, a taste profile of the coffees, an interconnection with other countries, a description of the main growing regions, and pictures of pickers. The countries are grouped by continent: Africa, Asia and the Americas. Both organic production and the fair trade movement are discussed. He's got full tasting notes for over 500 different beans and grinds. Detailed maps (with updated detail for the new edition) locate growing areas and worldwide trends. A great book to look at and to delve into, for you to explore beyond your fave coffee. Quality/price rating: 89. AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR JUNE 2018 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.THE TRADITIONAL NEWFOUNDLAND KITCHEN (Boulder Publications, 2017, ISBN 978-1-927099-92-6 307 pages $34.95 CAD softcovers) us by Roger Pickavance, a professor of biology at Memorial from 1968. At the time of his arrival, Newfoundland was just opening up with new roads and the beginning of the slow decline of the cod fishery. Ease of transport (through election roads) meant access to supermarkets in larger towns and the decline of the small community store. He quickly thought that local cooking traditions would change, so he explored what he could of available items such as saltfish, cod tongue, britches, partridgeberries and bakeapples. So this is an exploration of Newfoundland's culinary history by an inspired cook and academic. Other typical products and foods of the time were pork buns, turrs, watered fish, and damper bread. Each is carefully explained by Pickavance who interviewed hundreds of cooks, especially those who grew up in the colonial period before 1949. This collective memory is augmented by more than 300 recipes from the families. There are also some primer sections on food preservation and prep techniques. Chapters are arranged by course and/or ingredient: breads, soups, dumplings, cod, other fish, shell fish, fresh meat, preserved meats, wild meats, dairy, vegetables, puddings-pies-cakes, and other desserts. He's got a list of formal names of animals and plants with their common names. There is also a concluding bibliography of other cookbooks and memoirs. Scattered throughout are good archival black and white photos of people and places and also of adverts. An appendix details the contents of community stores up through 1918 (based on adverts), and includes fruits, veggies, dried foods, tinned foods, breads, dairy, cheese, eggs, flours, meats, bacon, beer and wine. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are some tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: Newfoundlanders, culinary historians, libraries. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: stuffed lamb hearts, fillet of sepia and macaroni, one-two-three-four cake, orange and m=lemon marmalade, pan-fried cod cheeks, beef and kidney pie, Jiggs' dinner, Indian meal cake, white bread leavened with barm. The downside to this book: The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, notwithstanding that metric was not really used before 1970. Today's cook still needs conversions. The upside to this book: well-written and express, never a dry style. A major contribution to Canadian culinary history. Quality/Price Rating: 93. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.THE GIFT OF THE GREEK (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 158 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-2557-7 $17.99 USD hardbound) is by the UK's Yiota Giannakopoulou, a Peloponnesian who grew up with an extensive garden plot in Greece. She's got 75 recipes for the Mediterranean diet, all with a healthy dose of EVOO. She's arranged it all by type of course, beginning with apps and salads, mains, dips, breads, and sweets. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginner Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the classics include butter beans, dolmas of vine leaves and rice, seafood salad, bulgur wheat and feta cheese salad, chickpea coup, lemon chicken with rice, puy lentil stew, pasta pie, sea bream, harissa dip. The downside to this book: too short – I wanted more, maybe 110 total? The upside to this book: large typeface (even the index). Quality/Price Rating: 86 3.THE CAMPOUT COOKBOOK (Artisan, 2018, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-799-4 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Portland OR food writers Marnie Hanel and Jen Stevenson, IACP Award winning authors of “The Picnic”. They return to the outdoors for an extended overnight picnic and more. There are about 100 preps here, from wood-fired skillet pizzas to mug cakes and s'mores. All are suitable for deep backcountry cooking under the stars or just your backyard. Maybe your balcony too. It's a mix of make ahead meals and meals to cook on-site. There are also trail snacks and “fortifications”, all leading up to the morning meal. Lots of lists. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts. Audience and level of use: campers, picnic lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: figgy pecan crackers and whipped feta; roasted garlic parmesan monkey bread; smoked kielbasa, swiss chard, and Yukon gold potato hash; rib-eye with shallot butter. The downside to this book: still, somebody has to do cleanup, and even more of it if this is two-nighter. The upside to this book: useful preps for kids and vegetarians too Quality/Price Rating: 89 4.TACO! TACO! TACO! (Hatherleigh; distr. Penguin, 2018, 243 pages, ISBN 978-1-57826-752-1 $20 USD paperbound) is by Sara Haas, a Registered Dietitian and professional chef who also writes about food for magazines and is a cookbook author. Here she promotes healthy eating with recipes concerning chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, pork, fish, seafood, veggies, and taco salads. There are about 100 preps in all. Her book also has large print and diagrams, plus techniques. The assumption is that you might not know a lot, but if you do, skip it and head for the recipes. Most preps have an option for either corn or flour tortillas, but some do specify just one or the other. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: taco lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: ropa vieja tacos; sesame soy chicken tacos; fried egg tacos with dukka; cherry almond cheesecake tacos; brown sugar chili salmon tacos; curry cashew chicken salad tacos. The downside to this book: sopes and gorditas are not covered. The upside to this book: a good collection, very well detailed. Quality/Price Rating: 87 5.THE BOATER'S COOKBOOK (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 426 pages, ISBN 978-1-944824-28-0 $29.99 USD papercovers) is by Sylvia Williams Dabney, who has lived aboard a boat full-time for over 15 years. She's sailed, cruised and chartered 60,000 offshore miles. She has cooked virtually every meal for family and friends during that period, in her galley. So there is lots of experience here, along with advice and tips for cooking in a small space. The book is also useful, of course, for apartment/flat rentals. She's got a list of gadgets and equipment (everything has multiple uses), as well as a pantry of essential supplies. 450 easy galley-tested recipes are extremely useful here, arranged by course or ingredient (apps, breads, breakfast, poultry, meat, pasta, rice, salads, seafood, soup, veggies, desserts and drinks). Every chapter is loaded with advice. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts. Audience and level of use: boaters, renters, students. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: so fast chicken thighs, blue cheese popovers, baked crab dip, banana walnut snack cake, kale pesto, meyer lemon pesto with mint, pumpkin mousse, johnny cake. The downside to this book: the book itself is enormous and heavy – take that into consideration for the galley. The upside to this book: there are tables of food equivalents and substitutions. Quality/Price Rating: 87 6.FRENCH GRILL (The Countryman Press, 2018, 288 pages, ISBN 29.95 USD hardbound) is by Susan Hermann Loomis, who has written many other cookbooks detailing French foods. She teaches culinary workshops in Normandy and continues to write for food magazines. Here she investigates the art of grilling through 125 refined and rustic recipes. For a heavy-hitter well-selling French food cookbook author she still brings along top logrollers such as David Lebovitz, Steven Raichlen, Laura Shapiro, and Patricia Wells. Obviously the publisher feels that she needs them in order to sell. This is all neither here nor there in context of a cookbook review, but it does seems to be indicative of the approach by publishers. So too the book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes to cover teaspoons and tablespoons, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Chapters are all arranged from apps (amuses bouches) through first courses, poultry, fish, rabbit, lamb, beef and veal, with pork getting its own separate section. Side dishes include veggies and grains and then there are the desserts. What makes French BBQ different? Mainly the use of typical French cuts and beasts (rabbit, lamb, game) and herbs and spices (garlic, bay leaf, Esplette peppers, olive oil, quotes from French writers, a well-defined menu outline, and, of course, French words in the recipe titles (eg, les huitres grilles au pommeau), unfortunately only indexed with English words. Audience and level of use: French food lovers, libraries. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: aioli with autumn veggies from the grill; curry beef and zucchini brochettes; strawberry shortcake from the grill with coconut whipped cream; rabbit with mustard and crispy bacon; Syrian spiced lamb chops; sweet potatoes with quail eggs; smoky pork shoulder a la Francaise. The downside to this book: needs better metrication The upside to this book: a virtually unique approach to BBQ, able to match Cajun and Creole BBQ. She also points out that grilling in France appears to be a male's job (p14 – 15, and indexed with the recipes) Quality/Price Rating: 88. FOOD AND WINE BOOKS TO PONDER OVER THE SUMMER – these are not really light reads!! Prices are Canadian... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 7. THE MODERN KITCHEN (Quadrille, 2017, 2018, 208 pages, $41.99 hardbound) is by Tim Hayward, also author of “Knife”. It's a guide to the house kitchen. Every item in the kitchen has a story: he's got 70 of them, and tries to answer questions such as: has the accumulation of electrical appliances led us to cook and eat differently? The home kitchen is a snapshot of modern life with its notions about class, gender, wealth and health, design, set-up and contents. These are the objects that changed the way we cook, eat and live. He begins with the basics (potato peeler, kitchen knife, meat mallet, et al) moving through the non-stick frying pan, the wok, the timer, the kitchen appliances, and on through the environment. A really great read! 8.THE FLAVOR MATRIX (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018, 310 pages, $42 hardbound) is by James Briscione with Brooke Parkhurst. It's a tome detailing the art and science of pairing common ingredients to create upscale dishes. He got turned on to taste profiling by working on the IBM Watson supercomputer to make inventive dishes using big data. Here he reduces about 150 of the most common ingredients to their local chemistry with infographics (the new millennial visuality). This promotes the compatibility among various foods to suggest new pairings such as “Garlic Honey” or “Lemon Curd with Crunchy Olives”. A good tool for the adventuresome, although it only covers food pairing and not wine and food pairing. Maybe that's the sequel...A fab too for the jaded or bored cook looking for new thrills! 9.THE ULTIMATE KETOGENIC COOKBOOK (Castle Point Books; St. Martin's Press, 2018, 160 pages, $25.99 paperbound) is by cookbook author Ella Sanders, who manages here to give us the ketogenic diet in a nutshell. She's got some “easy to read” primer pages which describe what the diet is all about, including advice on seeking out a doctor first. This is the important part in which you trick your liver to burning ketones in fat instead of glucose. It's not for everyone as it is basically a paleo diet on “speed”. But it does work effectively if you are trying to lose weight but not eventually change your lifestyle. Its one drawback is that you must stick to it or else the body reverts back to glucose burning – and you must start all over again. She's got 100 low-carb high-fat Paleo recipes to get you started. As her work is just about a process, then you can go on to other related recipes in the same mode from other sources. 10.APPRECIATING OYSTERS (The Countryman Press, 2018, 272 pages, $33.95 hardbound) is by Dana Deskiewicz, creator of “Oystour”, an oyster guide and appreciation app. This is just what we need now: with the continuing emphasis on fresh seafood, the oyster's time has come. The handbook part tells you how to shuck (and how not to shuck), drink pairings, and tasting notes to about 85 types of oysters (there are some visual references here). As the subtitle says, It is an eater's guide to craft oysters from tide to table. So for the ubiquitous “Malpeque”, the one most often seen in Eastern Canada, there is a tasting note with profile, some classification of texture, and a note about how the PEI cold waters give these oysters their wonderful flavour. Plus, an infographic on shell size and meat-to-shell ratio (very high). The recommended mignonette here is a pear and pickled ginger one, and the drink is a molasses-rich Caribbean rum. 11.HOW TO TASTE (Sasquatch Books, 2018, 223 pages, $22.95 hardbound) is by Seattle-based food writer-chef Becky Selengut. It has been subtitled as “the curious cook's handbook to seasoning and balance, from umami to acid and beyond -- with recipes”. The preps illustrates the tastes. The text is a balance of hard science and wit as she explores the basic principles behind tasting, noting sweet, salt, bitter, acid, fat, umami, bite (heat), aromatics and texture in separate chapters. The most important thing about the work -- after understanding what taste and balance is all about – is how to determine and then identify when something might be missing and how to adjust for it, such as correcting a dish that may be too acidic or too salty or too sweet. Each chapter concludes with a section “Experiment Time” and this is where the recipes are kept. Great little reference tool. 12.SHARP (Chronicle Books, 2018, 256 pages, $37.50 hardbound) is by Josh Donald, who owns Bernal Cutlery in Frisco. It is a carefully crafted reference work that appears to be a definitive guide to knives, knife care, and cutting techniques, with some recipes from chefs. He tells us which knives to buy, how to care, how to sharpen, and the dozens of precise cuts. Chefs are mainly local and include Armando Maes, Melissa Perello, Jesse Kolde, and Tim Ferron – 15 in all with one recipe apiece. The world of knives seems to be evenly split between Europe (46 pages) and Japan (38 pages). Just pay attention to the differences in angle degrees. An excellent reference tool. For the more literate person, there are the histories, “memoirs”, polemics and humour of writers, chefs, and wine people. Some have called these memoirs “creative non-fiction”, some with embellishments and gilding. And many of them may suffer from a lack of indexing, which makes it difficult to find what the writer said about another person or subject. But this also avoids the potential for lawsuits and disjointed noses. Nevertheless, they are rewarding to read. Who cares about poetic license? Here then are some that stood out from this year’s run, and any of them would make great gifts for the reader. Here we go, in no particular order… 13.IN THE RESTAURANT (Pushkin Press, 2018, 220 pages, $33.95 hardbound) is by Christoph Ribbat,an academic specializing in American studies. It was originally published in German in 2016, He addresses the issue: what does eating out tell us about who we are? This is a cultural history exploring celebrations and dining pleasures. He begins with the 18th century Paris establishments offering “restorative” food right through to modern day Nordic cuisine. Covered are Viennese cafes, obsessive chefs, lunch counters, fast food diners. The style is eclectic with page glosses of real stories. There are extensive end notes for sources and for further reading, plus an index. 14.THE ETHICAL CARNIVORE (Bloomsbury, 2017, 320 pages, $24 paperbound) is by Louise Gray, who decided to be an ethical carnivore for more than a year and learn to stalk, shoot, and fish. She begins with shucking oysters, catching trout, shooting pigeons, rabbits, and then deer. She looks at meat processing, including burgers, cheap chicken, supermarket bacon, and farmed fish. She goes to abattoirs and also looks into halal slaughter. She sources road kill (squirrel stir-fry), in vitro meat, insects, and plant foods. This is a well-researched tome, a Guild of Food Writers Award winner in 2017, a Guardian Book of the Year, a BBC Book of the Year, and has appeared on shortlists of other awards. 15.BEST BEFORE (Bloomsbury Sigma, 2018, 272 pages, $36 hardbound) is by Nicola Temple, who was raised on a farm in Ontario but now lives in Bristol UK. She's the co-author of Sorting the Beef from the Bull, which is about the forensics of food fraud. Here she continues in that vein by exploring food processing...as Francis Percival says, “from fresh cut vegetables to nanotechnology”. It is all about the influence of convenience on today's modern eating habits. The ability to process food, to save it for future consumption, is the mark of an intelligent group that can overcome its environment. But it is one thing to leap ahead in civilization by preserving by fire or fermentation; it is another to exploit weak people by using chemicals and other science to extend a shelf life for a couple of months or years. Her work explores how processing methods have evolved in many foods, but at the hands of big business, consumer demand, health concerns, waste and war. Large type makes it easy to read, and there are selected references and even an index. 16.EATING WITH PETER (Arcade Publishing, 2018, 201 pages, $35.99 hardbound) is a gastronomic journey by Susan Buckley, a US young-adult and children's author. She was married to writer-photographer-gourmand Peter Buckley until his passing. This is her tribute to him: a series of wonderful memories and recalls of adventurous dining in Michelin-starred French restaurants, the souks of Morocco and the Middle East, plus the Caribbean and NYC. They looked at farmers' markets, French farms and Italian cheese makers. She's got 28 recipes of Peter's fave food. It's a good-looking and funny memoir of a life with food. An entertaining personal narrative gift. 17.MILK! (Bloomsbury, 2018 , 385 pages, $39 hardbound) is by Mark Kurlansky who has written a ton of books over the past decades (20 non-fiction). Here he returns to the topic of food (his previous books were on Salt, Cod, WPA food, Oysters). I could joke that the topics salt and cod are related (salted cod) to milk in that milk is used to soften the cod as in “brandade de morue”, thus continuing the food theme perhaps for a fourth title – but I won't. This is a culinary, cultural, and economic history of all things dairy, with some 100 or so recipes from all time periods. “Milk became the first food to be tested in laboratories, and is now the world's most regulated food. Today milk is at the centre of food politics, raising questions about everything from industrial farming and animal rights to GMOs, the locavore movement, and advocates for raw milk. He's got a bibliography, and index, plus a recipe index. 18.BUTTERMILK GRAFFITI (Artisan, 2018, 311 pages, $39.95 hardbound) is by Edward Lee, author of Smoke & Pickles, and an Emmy winner for The Mind of a Chef. He owns several restaurants. He's a Korean-born, Brooklyn-bred chef who found his soul in Kentucky. Here in 16 chapters and 40 recipes he's travelled around the USA over a period of two years, exploring the cultural differences of the American foodways. This is a record of his journey to find the new melting-pot cuisine. Exceedingly well-written, covering recent migration food from Cambodia or Lebanon or Morocco, the inherent heritage Creole cuisine, and foods such as slaw dogs, kibbeh, pastrami, shrimp, cornbread, and more. 19.THE WANDERING VINE (Bloomsbury, 2018, 333 pages, $34 hardbound) is by Nina Caplan, a multiple Roederer winner in the UK. She's written on wine and travel for New Statesman, Times, decanter, Guardian, Time Out, and others. Here she follows the vine backwards into the past, back to the Romans via England, Champagne, Burgundy, Rhone, Catalonia, Andalusia, Sicily, Campania and thence to Rome. There are some black and white photos but no index. A full bibliography and more can be found at www.thewanderingvine.co.uk (although I am not sure why it was not printed in the book since there are 9 blank pages at the end). 20.TASTING THE PAST (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2018, 277 pages, $38.95 hardbound) is by Kevin Begos, formerly science writer for AP, It comes with eight log rollers, including Alice Feiring. Begos spent a decade seeing the origins of wine: the whole world of forgotten grapes, each with its own distinctive taste, Along the way he converses with a variety of archaeologists, geneticists, paleobotantist, and chemists. One of them is decoding the DNA of every single wine grape in the world, including clones. Another tries to pinpoint ancient vineyards. A third one is looking into what wines great historical figures drank. Begos explores the original wine routes, beginning with the Caucasus Mountains of 8,000 years ago, down to Israel, across the Mediterranean to Greece, Italy, France and Spain, and then to America. He's got end notes and a bibliography, plus a resources list, but no index. 21.A LITERARY TEA PARTY (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 146 pages, $29.99 hardbound) is by Alison Walsh who writes at www.wonderlandrecipes.com which is a food blog dedicated to book-inspired recipes. Tea and books are an apparently perfect pairing: sitting down to a good too on a great afternoon with a cuppa beside you. So here are 55 portioned inspired preps for teas, including customized tea blends and beverages to set up an elaborate tea party. You'll get Turkish delight while sipping on the White Witch's hot chocolate from “The Chronicles of Narnia”, or Hannah's sweet potato bacon pastries and Jo's gingerbread from “Little Women”. Walsh also has many photos and literary glosses from books such as “Vita Merlini”, “The Hobbit”, 'Wizard of Oz”, “The Secret Garden”, “The Phantom of the Opera”, and more. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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 – 22.THE SPICE TREE (Ebury Press, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-78503547-0 $42.95 CAD hardbound) is by Nisha Katona, founder of Mowgli Street Food, a UK food writer and television presenter. Its subtitle is “Indian cooking made beautifully simple”. The spices and finishing flavours use in Indian cooking are not that unusual. These familiar spices are re-arranged and sorted into a formula, a spice tree infographic that shows what spices and ingredients always go together. For example, with veggies, you pick one cluster, such as the “gujrati quartet” (cumin seed, mustard seed, dry red chili, and asafoetida) and fry in oil, then add your veggie and some (to taste) turmeric, chilli powder, salt and sugar. After that, add one or more of English mustard paste, lemon, garlic, white poppy seed, coriander powder, tomato, green chilli, garam masala, coriander leaf, or amchoor. Then you are done. In addition to veggies, she's got the infographic formula for pulses, meats, and fish. They all move through the turmeric-chilli powder-salt-sugar area. It seems quite simple but it will be okay through practice. She has lots of technique notes. The book is arranged by type of food: brassicas, green veggies, root veggies, squashes, light lentils and dals, heavy pulses and grains, fish and shellfish, red meat, game and offal, chicken and eggs. The Spice Tree approach may work well in her restaurants where many different dishes are cooked every day; the at-home meals would be fewer but the large pantry must still be maintained. But of course you would not need a whole pantry if you don't cook flesh or don't cook veggies. The book could have been improved if it also used both metric and avoirdupois for all of the ingredients in the recipes, or at least had a conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 86 23.THE ACADIAN KITCHEN; recipes from then and now (Whitecap, 2018, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050313-7 $34.95 CAD paperbound) is by Alain Bosse, AKA The Kilted Chef. He's a strong Atlantic Canada culinary ambassador with a track record of promotional appearances throughout the world. This is his second cookbook (the first dealt with mussels), and he celebrates over 400 years of Acadian history and culture. It's from Champlain and the Order of Good Cheer through the Cajun and French Canadian dishes. There are classic preps and modern updates: fricot, rappie pie, jambalaya, festive desserts. It is all arranged by type of courses, from salads and apps through to desserts, with some chapters such as “Cajun recipes” and “French-Acadian fusion” dealing with overlaps. There is an Acadian food glossary (hands up if you know bocouite, eplan, tompinambour) and also a bibliography. A big round of applause too for the support of Experience Acadie. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, with no table of equivalents needed. Quality/price rating: 91 * 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 24.THE RIVER CAFE CLASSIC ITALIAN COOKBOOK (Penguin Michael Joseph, 2017, 416 pages, ISBN 978-0-71818906-8 $53.95 CAD paperbound) is by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers. It was originally published in 2009. and this is a paperback reprint of that edition. It's got all the major “classic” dishes, over 300 of them. The book has been a rarity for some time, with high prices in the resale market. The paperback is sturdy enough but it may become a bit frayed as time goes by. However, it is an essential book. With one large type recipe per page it should be well-used until the spine cracks open. At which point, you can safely separate all the pages (but do retain the index) for a binder. It is arranged by food type, from soups, through pasta, risotto, polenta, bread, pizza, fish. Meat, veggies, and desserts. Wine is not discussed, but it is used in 15 dishes. This book has always been a winner, with preps based on the restaurant and service mainly for six. It is good to see it back in print again. Quality/price rating: 90 25.A TASTE OF ADVENTURE (Ebury Press, 2017, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78503724-5 $35.99 CAD hardbound) is from Exodus Travels, a UK travel firm. It was originally published in 2016 by the company, and then reprinted last year by Ebury. It is an assortment of recipes meant for adventurers with appetites: the global scope allows you to recreate your travels at home. The preps come from a wide-range of sources, mostly in situ. It is arranged by continent, with Europe up first, followed by Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Each chapter is divided into “dishes” and “drinks”. Thus, we have tagine, larb, cevapi, ajvar, tiramisu, kjotsupa (Icelandic lamb soup), sahlab (hot milk drink), beetroot curry. Something for everyone. There's a mix of avoirdupois and metric in the recipes, which needed some conversion charts – but these were not available. While there are pix of food, there are also pix of travel. Still, a decent book, especially for Exodus Travels customers. Quality/price rating: 84. 26.SUPERFOOD BOOST (Skyhorse Publishing, 2017, 2018, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-8=5017-3159-2 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Erica Palmcrantz Aziz, a Swedish raw-food educator who has authored or co-authored several other raw food books. This one was originally published in Sweden in 2017; this is the English language translation. It has more than 70 gluten-free and dairy-free recipes for immunity building smoothies, bowls, green drinks, energy bars, and others. The belief is that food is medicine and superfoods contain maximum nutrition in every serving. They can easily replace anything else you have as “snacks”. All the preps are based on raw food, and this also helps keep it simple and saves time (no cooking). Results? Balanced blood sugar levels. How about a strawberry coconut smoothie bowl? Or zoodles (made with zucchini or spaghetti squash) with sun-dried tomatoes and pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate puffs, and avocado nice cream. Inventive. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 87 ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR MAY 2018 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.WHEN CONCORD WAS KING! (Tellwell Talent, 2018, 163 pages, ISBN 978-1-77370-991-8 $27. 43 CAD Amazon.Ca papercovers) is by Jim Warren, a good friend of mine (hence: a conflict-of-interest). Jim was born in Hamilton, graduating with an M.A. in Roman History. While teaching languages in a local high school, he became an acclaimed amateur winemaker. So: in 1985 with his wife Charlotte he founded Stoney Ridge Winery. In 2000 he joined the faculty of Niagara College and assisted with the development of the Vineyard and Winery Management Program, acting as both instructor and winemaker. In 1997 Jim was selected as Ontario winemaker of the year (Ontario Wine Awards) and 10 years later received the Cuvee Award of Excellence for his contribution to the wine industry. As a consultant Jim has assisted with the creation of numerous new wineries and wines in Ontario. "When Concord was King" is a book exploring the early beginnings of the wine industry in Eastern North America, focusing on Ontario. It's more than just Concord grapes of course – it looks at all the “foxy” tasting grape wines not made from V. vinifera (European varietals). V.labrusca is the most prominent; indeed, it is called the fox grape. Cultivars and hybrids here include Concord, Catawba, Delaware, Dutchess, Niagara, and Isabella. He begins with the “southern fox” – North America's first wine – from Muscadine. He moves through the centuries and arrives in Upper Canada in 1790. A big chunk of the book deals with Ontario developments 1880 – 1980. He walks us through Prohibition, the start of the LCBO, the Depression, the Second World War – and Harry Hatch with Brights. It took until 1951 for vinifera to be planted, when chardonnay was grafted onto phylloxera-resistant root-stock. It was later marketed as Pinot Chardonnay. This is a compelling read, made more vivid by Warren's writing style. He's got his reference material cited, a series of glosses in each chapter, and some critical notes and histories of many early Eastern North American grape hybrids. There is no index, which is unfortunate, but if you can get hold of the PDF or ebook version, then word searching should be no problem for all the names and places. Quality/Price Rating: 90 * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.SOUTHERN FROM SCRATCH (Roost Books, 2018, 248 pages, ISBN 978-1-61180-331-0 $35 USD hardbound) is by Ashley English who has authored a number of cookbooks dealing with canning, keeping chickens, keeping bees, home dairy, pies, and picnics. Here she deals with basic pantry essentials and “down-home” recipes from the American Deep South. She's got 50 essential recipes for the larder, and then 100 more for traditional Southern food. The range covers pickles, relishes, jams, spreads, sauces, vinegars – for the likes of fruits and veggies, fats and meats, and dry goods. There is also a hefty amount of bio-memoir scattered throughout the book. The basic pantry starts with country ham, cornmeal, grits, pickling salt, smoked sea salt, sorghum syrup, and sumac. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. It would sell Southern US cuisine to the rest of the world which uses metric. Audience and level of use: aficionados of southern cooking. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Pies include buttermilk cherry pie, sweet potato pie, and sorghum bourbon orange pecan pie. Country ham dishes include cheese crisps with green tomato pickles, grit cakes with country ham and applesauce, ham biscuit with mustard compound butter, peaches and cream tartines, southern benedict and southern reuben. Sorghum recipes include BBQ sauces, Bourbon bacon jam, fried dill pickles with sorghum mayo. The downside to this book: I really wanted more such as Chess Pie!!! The upside to this book: there is a resources list. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.THREE INGREDIENT BAKING (Michael Joseph, 2018, 208 pages, ISBN 978-0-718-18479-7 $27.99 CAN paperbound) is by Sarah Rainey, who spent a considerable amount of effort trying to save us time in the baking kitchen. These are quick and easy baking recipes using only three common ingredients. She's got a hundred simple recipes for cakes, biscuits, breads, desserts, savoury bakes, and frozen treats. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents for the American cousin. Audience and level of use: home cooks; those looking to save time. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: naan bread; bacon breakfast cups; chewy granola cookies; very berry sorbet; cinnamon crispies; chocolate pizza; baklava; magic scones; lemon posset. The downside to this book: some use of pre-made products such as phylo sheets, but in many instances this is forgiveable. The upside to this book: handy hints given Quality/Price Rating: 87. 4.FINDING MEZCAL (Ten Speed Press, 2018, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57900-4 $30 USD hardbound) is by Ron Cooper, founder of Del Maguey Single Vineyard Mezcal and a Beard Award winner. With him is the travel-wine-food writer Chantal Martineau, who previously had written “How the Gringos Stole Tequila”. The subtitle pretty well says it all: “a journey into the liquid soul of Mexico with 40 cocktails: you don't find mezcal, mezcal finds you.” It's a memoir about his love affair with the spirit, and his commitment to the cultural traditions of Oaxaca, mezcal's spiritual home. Each chapter covers a new mezcal, its producer, its place of origin, and the distillation process from the maguey plant. The 40 recipes come from chefs and bars around the world. The sharp photography also makes it a great gift for the spirit traveller. Cocktails have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/Price Rating: 89 5.SECRETS OF THE SOUTHERN TABLE (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018, 314 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-93254-8 $30 USD hardbound) is by Virginia Willis, a southern US food authority and cookbook author. “Lighten Up, Y'all” won a Beard Award. It comes with some advanced log rolling, including the ubiquitous Nathalie Dupree. As Dupree says, the book “sings with the stories of the diverse South”. Southern comfort at its best, which now includes the Chinese Americans living on the Delta, the Italians of New Orleans, and “Seoul of the South” in Atlanta. There's a discussion on the African culinary influence, the Greek and Hispanic influences in Alabama, and aquaculture as it affects catfish, crawfish, oysters, and shrimp. The chapters are arranged by product, with veggies, grains, seafood, meats, poultry, soups and stews – all followed by biscuits and breads and desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents (although there is plenty of room to add it). Audience and level of use: lovers of southern food and cooking Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: peanut stew; black pepper Cornish game ens with Alabama white sauce; apple and onion gravy; spicy Asian Cajun BBQ shrimp with baguette; baked farro and mushrooms; almond jelly with blueberry ginger compote; Cuban-style pork chops with mojo sauce. The downside to this book: I am still looking for my chess pie recipe. The upside to this book: good selection Quality/Price Rating: 87 6.EATING MY WAY THROUGH ITALY (St. Martin's Griffin, 2018, 290 pages, $34.99 CAD paperbound) is by Elizabeth Minchilli, who has written many books about Italian culture, including “Eating Rome”. Here she takes on the rest of the peninsula and islands. These are the back roads and Italian farmers. Scattered throughout are regional recipes that incorporate scampi and vongole from Venetian suburbs, balsamico from Emilia-Romagna, risotto and cassoeula from Milan, farinata in Florence, truffles in rural Umbria, olive oil, pizza, anchovies, capers in Pantelleria, and the Sardinian rusticity. Lots of photos, lots of restaurants described, tourist attractions, and the like. This book is jam-packed. 7.THE WICKANINNISH COOKBOOK (Appetite by Random House, 2018, 290 pages, $45 CAD hardbound) is another sumptuous travel-cookbook from an Inn/Hotel/Lodge, this time in Tofino, British Columbia. It's an award-winning Relais & Chateaux property, known for its rustic elegance on nature's edge (between the forest and the Pacific). The highlight, of course, is the Wick's sophisicated The Pointe Restaurant, open since 1996. These preps come from a variety of chefs over the years, and range from breakfasts, soups, breads, salads, grills, seafood and meats, desserts and more casual fare. There are also some cocktails plus a large selection of pantry items. Everything was created by opening Chef Rod Butters and then at least seven other chefs. There's a history of the Inn and gorgeous photography, mostly by Makito Inomara. As is common with all Appetite by Random House cookbooks (these are Canadian published), there are dual metric and avoirdupois measurements for the ingredients. Good price for a gift cookbook. 8.MARGARITAVILLE; the cookbook (St. Martin's Press. 2018, 338 pages, $42.50 CAD hardbound) is compiled by Carlo Serbaglia and Julia Turshen. It's a paean to Jimmy Buffet's “Margaritaville” [Buffet did a foreword here] and incorporates relaxed recipes for a taste of paradise – a good state of well-being with many illustrative photos of the seascape and beaches and food and drink. It's arranged by course, from breakfast through apps, soups, salads, sandwiches, mains, sides, desserts, and, of course, drinks. The authors have 20 party and menu suggestions plus 10 practical party tips. There is, in addition to a general index, an index to recipes organized by fun: food for the boat, food for tailgating, food for the grill, food to make on the beach, food for large crowds – all with page references so you don't have to look anything up. 9.COCKTAILS ACROSS AMERICA (The Countryman Press, 2018, 236 pages, $33.95 CAD hardbound) is by Diane Lapis and Anne Peck-Davis, the former being a local history researcher and the latter being a collector of vintage bar artifacts. It's a postcard view of US cocktail culture from the end of Prohibition to the end of the 1950s. All the postcards come from Peck-Davis' collection. It is arranged by region, from US East Coast through the South, the Midwest, the Southwest, the West Coast, and even some from Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico and Cuba. But not Canada, except for the Mart Pickford cocktail. Good looking postcards can be found here (it also comes with four detachable retro postcards from this time period, good to mail out to friends) to match the local cocktails (Margarita, Brown Derby Cocktail, Santa Fe Cooler, Palm Beach Special, Red Snapper, Salty Dog, Pink Squirrel, and others... 10.THE CONNOISSEUR'S GUIDE TO WORLDWIDE SPIRITS (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 210 pages, $46.99 CAD hardbound) is by Richard Carleton Hacker, a prolific writer and editor in spirits, wines, cigars, gourmet cuisine, and luxury lifestyle. The range is wide, which makes it a perfect gift: aperitifs, vodka, gin, single malt scotch, blended scotch, Irish, bourbon, Tennessee, rye, brandy, cognac, rum, tequila, mezcal, port, armagnac, liqueurs, grappa, absinthe, pisco, other spirits, and cocktails. Each gets a thumbnail sketch, photos, production notes, and tasting notes. A nicely wrapped package. 11.COCKTAIL ITALIANO (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 237 pages, $29.99 CAD hardbound) is by Annette Joseph. It's a guide to aperitivo, drinks, nibbles, and some stories and photos about the Italian Riviera. Here we are talking about Liguria, from the French border through to Lerici, neatly divided into the Riviera di Ponente (itself sub-divided into Riviera delle Palme and Riviera dei Fiori) from east of Menton to Genoa, and the Riviera di Levante from east of Genoa to Lerici. This is all Beach Club territory, and she goes on to describe lifestyles with stories, recipes for food bites/snacks, and cocktails. More good fun on the Riviera! 12.THE BEER BUCKET LIST (Dog 'n' Bone, 2018, 224 pages, $26.95 CAD hardbound) is by Mark Dredge, who is an international beer judge and acclaimed/awarded beer writer. This is his fifth beer book. It is a collection of over 150 “must try” beer experiences featuring the planet's best beers, bars, breweries, and beer events. It is indeed a “beer bucket list” to try before you die. He manages to combine city guides, travel, food and history via pubs, bars, brauhauses, hop gardens, beer festivals, and others. For the shorter version, his top ten includes seeing the Burton Unions at Marston's Brewery in UK, drinking in the Pilsner Urquell brewery cellars, visiting the brewing Trappist monasteries in Belgium, Oktoberfest in Munich, drinking Guinness in Dublin, et al. Each occurrence has photos, description “lowdown” directory-type data, and visiting tips. A great book for travelers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.UNICORN FOOD (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 202 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-3235-3 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Cayla Gallagher, host of the YouTube cooking show “Pankobunny”. These are colourful rainbow treats to create, to enjoy, or just admire. Apparently, to maintain their magical glow, unicorns must stick to a diet of sugar, sparkle and rainbows. This book will do just nicely if you have a pet unicorn, and it must be fed. Just don't ask about road apples (well, okay, here they are called “unicorn poop marshmallows”). It's a mythical world, of course, but there are 80 realistic recipes to try out (mostly cakes and cookies). Multi-coloured layers come through on the surprise crepe cake, the rainbow-filled doughnut, the rainbow confetti cookies – even rainbow sangria. But I would not want to go near a drunk unicorn. Gallagher's YouTube show teaches her subscribers how to turn everyday re4cipes into edible cuteness. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 87 14.TURNIP GREENS & TORTILLAS (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018, 310 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-61882-4 $42 hardbound) is by Eddie Hernandez, executive chef of Taqueria del Sol. His recipes have appeared in Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, and Southern Living. He's assisted by food writer-editor Susan Puckett. It comes with nine log rollers such as Jacques Pepin, the Lee Brothers, and Nathalie Dupree. This is where a Mexican chef (Eddie is from Monterrey) spices up the Southern kitchen. Personally, I would have thought that that was something related to Tex-Louisiana food. He covers the pantry, snacks, tacos, soups, stews, chilis, breads, beans, corn, rice, salsas, sauces, salads, slaws, veggie sides, drinks, and desserts. I keep waiting for someone to pickup “chess pie” with chili, but it has not yet happened. No sopes, which would actually go well with turnip greens. I like his preps for both red or green posole. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 15.BOQUERIA (Absolute Press, 2018, 286 pages, ISBN 978-1-63286-494-9 $35 USD hardbound) is by Yann de Rochefort, founder of Boqueria in Manhattan, and Chef Marc Vidal from Barcelona. It is a collection of their fave recipes, arranged by “The Classics”, followed by salads, eggs, veggies, rice/noodles, seafood, meat/poultry, desserts, and drinks. There is some memoir material about the restaurant and the owners with plenty of photos. A great souvenir of the establishment. The classics have been slightly reworked to make them more tasty to tough New Yorkers: a hotter potatas bravas, a drop of truffle aioli on the mushroom croquette, pickled shallots added to grilled lamb skewers. These preps are Boqueria's and they should work at home. Try the pork meatballs stewed with shrimp and black trumpet mushrooms. Or the panceta rustida. At the end there is a large chapter on the pantry they use. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89 16.FLAVOR BOMBS (Rux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018, 255 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-78489-5 $25 USD) is by Adam Fleischman who is the creative force behind Umami Burger and 800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria – 40 locations in California, New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Dubai and Japan. Tien Nguyen is the focusing food writer. These are the umami ingredients that make taste explode. Adam began experimenting with every Japanese packet, bottle, bag that looked like it contained umami. His original burger was a Port and Stilton burger. You will need glutamate-rich ingredients (cheese, seasonings, pantry, produce, flesh protein), inosinate-rich (beef, chicken, dried and fresh sardines, pork, shrimp, et al), and guanylate-rich (dried mushrooms, nori, and truffles). The you mix away (he gives principles) and also apply some techniques to amplify umami. As he says, cook without fear. It's a hard book to read because it is white text on black. Certainly it is difficult to photocopy a recipe, which I always do when I am testing a recipe from a real book (I tend to be messy). Thankfully the basic pantry and the principles and all of the primer material is black on white. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 86 17.HOW TO GRILL EVERYTHING (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018, 568 pages, $30 USD hardbound) is the latest “everything” book from Mark Bittman. These are simple recipes for flame-cooked food. He gives us the primer, followed by the courses: apps, snacks, seafood, poultry, meat, veggie mains, veggie sides, sauces and condiments, breads and desserts. No hidden fillers. Paraphrasing Bittman, “The hundreds of variations in the book are unique dishes which treat the main recipe as a template, then spins it into different ingredients and flavour directions.” Some of these include okra skewers, halloumi cheese, hot-smoked fish spread, grill roasted duck legs, and grilled potato skins. There are well-positioned photos and a decent typeface that is very readable, with white space and logos for direct fire, indirect fire, make ahead, and vegetarian option. It is hard to go wrong here. The book could have been improved if he also used metric in the recipes, but at least he had metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 91. * 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 18.PERFECTLY CREAMY FROZEN YOGURT (Storey Publishing, 2014, 2018, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-880-1 $19.95 USD paperbound) is by Nicole Weston, Los Angeles-based pastry chef and food writer. She has written a variety of frozen dessert books, including and earlier version of this book, “How to Make Frozen Yogurt” (2014). She's developed a Meringue Method with eggs, and coupled it with Greek-style yogurt into 56 flavours. She also has preps for pies, cakes, and other frozen desserts, Essentially, there are three styles: fruit based, sugar and spices (caramel), and chocolate and nuts. Plus of course, cookie and brownie sandwiches and sauces. For the adventuresome, there are popsicles, semifreddos, terrines and bombes – all using yogurt. Try the avocado frozen yogurt for a treat (p51). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87 19.SO FRENCH SO SWEET (Hardie Grant Publishing, 2012, 2017, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-74379301-5 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Gabriel Gate, who for more than 40 years was a French chef, teacher, writer and TV presenter, selling over 1 million books. This title was first published in 2012 as “100 Best Cakes & Desserts”. He does a nifty job in presenting cakes, tarts, pies, mousses, cremes, fruits, sherbets, ice creams, hot desserts. The classics include flamed bananas with rum, Black Forest roulade, caramel Paris Brest with chocolate cake and raspberries, lemon cheesecake, tiramisu, and sponge finger biscuits. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is one small table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR APRIL 2018 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.TABLETOP DISTILLING (Schiffer Publishing, 2018, 176 pages, ISBN 978-0-7643-5511-0 $34.99 USD hardbound) is by Kai Moller, who wrote it for the German market in 2016. This is the English translation. In Germany, private distilleries are prohibited, and this applies to all systems between 0.5 and 5 litres boiler volume. So the book is useful for the 500 mL capacity “nano”-distilleries. Table-top distilling at its best! Given the nature of the setup and the lack of aging potential, it might be more useful to just make essences and essential oils, perhaps the odd infusion or two. If so, then this is the book for you. In this detailed book Moller applies the tools and techniques and procedures to safely distill raw materials. He covers the step-by-step nature of mashing, fermenting, distilling, and refining spirits. It's a lot of work for basic vodka or moonshine, but it is an extremely useful book for essential oils (which cost an arm and a leg on the open market). Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: those looking to widen their scope of alcohol experiences, and make their own essential oils. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: “Distill whenever you feel like it. It always works...I have heated a still without a condenser and steamed water with orange peel and cloves in the chamber....This is not any more complicated than putting a tea light under a fragrance lamp.” The downside to this book: no index The upside to this book: good for making small lots of medicinal herbs and oils. Quality/Price Rating: 88. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.THE BERKELEY BOWL COOKBOOK (Parallax Press, 2018, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-941529-96-6 $34.95 USD hardcovers) is by Laura McLively, an RD and food writer based in Oakland. She created a blog, “My Berkeley Bowl” about cooking with unusual fruits and veggies. So here she has an equivalent print version of recipes inspired by the produce of a major California food market, the Berkeley Bowl, which specializes in rare fruits and veggies principally from Latin America and Asia. And no, the title name does not refer to the current trend towards food bowl layering, although of course, you could make bowl dishes from the Berkeley Bowl produce, as in “Berkeley Bowl bowl”. Log-rollers include Deborah Madison. The photos are very useful in identifying produce, and many come from off the shelf so we have a price indication as well. There are 1200 varieties of fruits and veggies here, an awesome number to those of us in the North. Much of the food is grown in California, and its location is in a former bowling alley (ah yes, that “bowl” word again). There is a brief historu of the market and then some Kitchen Notes before the recipes. It's alla arranged by physical shape: leaves, flowers-seeds-pods, spores and succulents, stems, roots and tubers, savoury fruits, and sweet fruits. At the end, she's got some seasonal menus with page references, and some ingredient key photos. These foods may be difficult to find outside of large metropolitan areas, but you should begin by looking into Asian or Latin American markets or farmers' markets that specialize in heirloom varieties (the owners of Berkeley Bowl are of Japanese descent). The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: collectors of unusual cookbooks, vegetarians. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: moqua pisto with fried egg; chayot pozole; bunuelos de yuca; burdock root pizza; guava with cotija and honey; breakfast pea shoots and polenta; shiso limeade; toasted salad savoy with pears and goat cheese; summer salad with rau ram chimichurri. The downside to this book: I really wanted some metric measurements for the rest of the world (ROW). The upside to this book: it is important because of her recipe contributions for exotic fruit and veggies. Quality/Price Rating: 91 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.OPEN SANDWICHES (Quadrille Publishing, 2018, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-125-5 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Trine Hahnemann, a Danish cookbook author with over a dozen titles. Here are 70 smorrebrod ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner. She4's got the primer and the basics in two different places, followed by two chapters “everyday” and “special” (most are everyday). Smorrebrod can be special. It can be a large cold table buffet of topings to put on food, a sort-of DIYA to eat for hours. In winter one could try herring followed by duck with chicory and apple and then salted beef with horseradish. In summer, it is shrimp, soft leeks with eggs and vinaigrette. With all the flavours, a buffet may be hard to pair with wines. Nevertheless, you-as-host can enjoy the relative ease and leisure of other people creating the food. For one thing, nothing becomes soggy because it is eaten just after creation. Christmas pork with cabbage is another winner. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: those looking for entertaining ideas. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: there are rules based on traditions, such as rye bread, then salted butter, then the main topping of protein, followed by garnish and decorations. The correct order of eating is always herring first, then other fish, then meat or veggies, and cheese is last. The downside to this book: no author bio...who is she? I had to use Amazon. The upside to this book: here are nice notes on the herbs Quality/Price Rating: 89. 4.BEAUTIFUL BUNDTS (Robert Rose, 2017, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0576-2 $27.95 CAD paperbound) is by Julie Anne Hession, a competitive cook, photographer, blogger and cookbook author in Las Vegas and Wyoming. She's got 100 recipes for Bundts with their unique ring shapes. The range is from retro classics (babas au rhum, gugelhupf) through modern twists for every occasion. The Bundt pan can be used for many other dishes: sweet and savoury casseroles, cornbread, whole meals. She discusses the different designs of Bundt pans, including mini Bundts. The preps are arranged by format: basic, breakfast, filled, layered & swirled, pull-apart, holiday, international, mini, and savoury. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: home cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pull-apart pretzel Bundt (with a smoky cheese dipping sauce, retro cranberry mold, funfetti birthday Bundt, savoury caprese brunch strata, mini mushroom risotto, baked Italian sausage rigatoni Bundt. The downside to this book: there are still many people who own a Bundt but are uncertain what to do with it. The upside to this book: it is easy to make gluten-free and vegan Bundts Quality/Price Rating: 87. 5.THE ALASKA FROM SCRATCH COOKBOOK (Rodale, 2018, ISBN 978-1-63565-063-1 $27.99 USD hardcovers) is by Maya Wilson, food columnist for Alaska Dispatch News and chief blogger at “Alaska from Scratch”. The cookbook and the photos (which also include some landscape) are derived from her website. It's arranged in traditional fashion, with breakfast upfront followed by soups, seafood, mains, beverages, and desserts. It's a very good description of Alaska life and food, a nifty regional cookbook. But the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: Alaskans, home cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: blueberry basil lemonade; ginny weasley; hunter's pie (ground game or beef); king crab pasta with sourdough bread crumbs; scallop tostadas with corn salsa and chipotle crema; slow-roasted king salmon with cucumber dill sauce; black cod over udon; salmon burgers. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 6.FEAST BY FIRELIGHT (Ten Speed Press, 2018, 202 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57991-2 $22 USD hardbound) is by Emma Frisch, owner of Firelight Camps in Ithaca NY. These are everyday foods created by fireside cooking shared with friends and family. She's got menu planners, handy illustrations, equipment lists, and advice on how to prepare for any trip, even one to a local park during the week (and no need to pitch a tent). There are 80 recipes here plus memoir material about the joys of camp cooking. But the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: happy campers, those who look cooking in the outdoors (not all BBQ) Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: spiced sweet potato and kale tacos; red pepper-fennel kraut; Campari sangria spritz; praline bacon; crispy lemon-thyme skillet chicken with green beans; grilled stone fruit with bread crumble; honey-coriander glazed pork chops with roasted corn salsa. The downside to this book: nothing, really. It is pretty thorough, although I think that cleaning up could use its own chapter. The upside to this book: it is all about sharing food at the campfire Quality/Price Rating: 89 7.THE BODY BUILDER'S KITCHEN (Alpha Dorling Kindersley, 2018, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-46546-997-7 $19.95 USD paperbound) is by Erin Stern, a professional bodybuilder and competitor who has won over 14 titles. Www.erinstern.com has more about her and her kitchen. Her book is intended to give bodybuilders a foundation of 100 recipes plus meal plans to help develop a nutrition plan that works. These are the preps that have given her successful results. The are all easy, contain a minimum number of ingredients, and each prep includes totals for calories, protein, carbos and fat. She has five main meal plans that use the recipes: all of them are for seven days each – bulking, cutting, ketogenic, calorie cycling, and carb cycling. Each one of these plans comes with s shopping list. The preps promote muscle-building and fat-burning. But the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: bodybuilders, dieters. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: broiled cod with tomatillo salsa; egg white custards; reverse-seared sirloin steaks; slow cooker BBQ pulled chicken; overnight mocha oats; Tex-Mex fajitas; Canadian bacon and egg cups; turkey and veggie rollup. The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes. The upside to this book: here is guidance on how to eat, what to eat, and when to eat it. Quality/Price Rating: 87 8.A BAKER'S YEAR (St. Martin's Griffen, 2018, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-12738-9 $25.99 USD hardbound) is by Tara Jensen, who has a wood-fired bakery in North Carolina. Previously she had spent a decade as a professional. This is her story of a year of baking and living the simple life at the Smoke Signals Bakery. It ius all arranged by month, from January through December. Half of each chapter describes her life at the bakery for that month; the other half are the preps that are relative to that month. February is devoted to sourdough cultures. Most of the March recipes deal with pancakes while April has waffles. I like then presentations and style of the book. The book could have been improved if she also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart, and did more scaling. Audience and level of use: home bakers, pastry chefs Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: savoury pancakes; shooting star cake; full moon cake; broken down berry pie; coalfield cake; stenciled loaves in a pan; cornmeal chess. The downside to this book: I would have liked more bread recipes, and some gluten-free alternatives. The upside to this book: her antry porridge includes whole spelt and whole barley Quality/Price Rating: 88 9.THE CHICKPEA REVOLUTION (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 196 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-2640-6 $17.99 USD hardbound) is by the team of Scarborough blogger Heather Lawless and Jen Mulqueen, a Toronto nutrition expert. The have given us 85 plant-based recipes; it's a vegan book centred around chickpeas as a way of cutting back on animal agriculture (responsible for 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions). Chickpeas are good because they are versatile, affordable, rich in protein (and fibre, iron, phosphate, et al), and they contribute to the soil by absorbing nitrogen from the atmosphere. In addition to the chickpea itself, there are many cooking uses for chickpea flour, aquafaba (the vegan egg white), and chickpea pasta. The eight chapters here run through the mealtimes: breakfast through weeknight dinners, plus entertaining and cocktails. Kids are included too; this is a family book. This is also a good book for vegans and flexitarians. If you must need meat/fish/dairy/eggs – just add them as garnishes to most of the preps. This can expand the scope of the book. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts. Audience and level of use: vegans, chickpea lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: morning glory muffins; socca bread; fish-less tacos; falafel dog; garbanzo joe (vegan sloppy joe); Moroccan stew; acorn squash salad; roasted grapes and lemon-tahini dressing; chickpea pot pie. The downside to this book: needed a cross-reference from socca to panisse and vice versa. The upside to this book: good single ingredient cookbook, but I was looking for more recipes. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 10.PROJECT FIRE (Workman Publishing, 2018, 326 pages, ISBN 978-1-5235-0276-9 $22.95 USD paperbound) is by Steven Raichlen. It's his annual (or so it seems: this is #31) BBQ book – the others have won five Beards and three IACPs. He's also done three PBS food shows (Project Smoke, Primal Grill, Barbeque University). So he needs no introduction. Here he concentrates on “cutting-edge techniques and sizzling recipes from the Caveman Porterhouse to Salt Slab Brownie S'mores”. He's documented live-fire cooking in over 60 countries. His current book has 100 preps with many reinventions. There are reverse-seared beef tomahawks, fry-brined filet mignons, ember-charred porterhouses, and T-Bones enriched with melted beef fat. Unique items include spit-roasted beer-brined cauliflower, blowtorched rosemary veal chop, hay-fired mussels, peppery chicken under a brick, and herb-crusted salmon on a shovel. Live-fire of course needs an audience, and this is indeed top level showing off!! Also covered are breakfast, cocktails, desserts and veggies. A great book to be used for entertaining friends. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 90. ---------------------------------------------------- SOME TOP NEW HOST/HOSTESS GIFT BOOKS TO ENJOY OVER THE SUMMER !!! ============================================================== All of these books are recommended values for their intended purposes...Prices are in Canadian dollars... --EATING LOCAL IN THE FRASER VALLEY (Appetite by Random House, 2018, 264 pages, $24.95 paperbound) is a food guide by Angie Quayle, owner of a gourmet food store, Well Seasoned. She's got over 70 recipes from farmers, producers and chefs who work in the valley. These are stories and anecdotes from the region, along with maps and itineraries for day trips. There are mini-profiles of the major players, and as such, forms a perfect gift for anybody having an interest in British Columbia food and wine. --THE STORY OF FOOD (DK Publishing, 2018, 360 pages, $45 hardbound) is a heavily illustrated history of everything we eat. The audience level is anyone over the age of 10 who is interested in great food. As with agricultural history, it begins with nuts and seeds, moving through veggies and fruits, meat, fish and shellfish, grains and pulses, dairy and eggs, sugars and syrups, oils and condiments, then herbs and spices. There are overall sections dealing with the nature of food followed by the type chapters. So for nuts and seeds, there are sections on nutcrackers, hoarding, almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios, sesame seeds, coffee, etc. Very entertaining for a mid-day read. --THE LATIN TABLE (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 168 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-2866-0 $38.99 hardbound) is by Isabel Cruz, chef-owner of three US west coast restaurants plus a farm near Portland. Her debut cookbook (Isabel's Cantina) was a bestseller. Here she delves into “Latin fusion cuisine” which celebrates the chili, but with innovative and healthy twists on traditional foods. She's got “three piggie tacos” (carnitas, bacon, chicharron), blackened salmon with pineapple jicama salas, and rack of lamb with cumin, cinnamon and cardamon rub. Drinks are covered too. Preps come from California, Mexico, Puerto Rico, znd down into South America. She's got memoirs and family archives and recipes plus a “Latin pantry” -- ending with a sources list. --A TABLE IN VENICE (Appetite by Random House, 2018, 268 pages, $40 hardbound) is by Skye McAlpine, who blogs about living and cooking in Venice (www.frommydiningtable.com). These are her recipes and photos; she's lived there since she was six. About 100 recipes are here, including bigoli with creamy walnut sauce, grilled radicchio with pomegranate, and scallops with pistachio gratin. The photography embraces the gastroporn of markets, plated dishes, and Venice. As the back cover says, these are the “markets, meals and afternoon spritzes from the floating city”. A good job, made even better by including both metric and avoirdupois measurements in the listing of ingredients. --TASTING PARIS (Clarkson Potter, 2018, 256 pages, $40 hardbound) is by Clotilde Dusoulier, who has written four other cookbooks and runs the blog chocolateandzucchini.com. Here she give us 100 recipes to eat like a local. It's all arranged by time of day, beginning with morning, noon, afternoon, early evening, through to late night. It is also a stroll through Paris with a tour of Parisian cuisine and what local people do during the day, a day in which food forms the centrepiece. Recipes have variations, and there are mini-profiles of food artisans, such as La Maison Poilane (bread) and La Maison Berthillon (ice cream). Markets are also covered, as well as her favourite shopping streets. Truly a delightful too for the lover of all things Parisian. --CUBAN FLAVOR (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018, 228 pages, $46.99 hardbound) is by Liza Gershman, food-lifestyle-travel photographer. As was noted, it is a well-researched combination of a cookbook, scrapbook, travel guide and “love letter” to Cuba. 78 recipes have been gathered, from apps through mains to desserts and drinks. She's got some general information on travelling and what to take plus a suggested eight-day itinerary. Major food topics (all with great photography) include (to give them their Spanish names) carne, pollo, pescado y marisco, huevos, vegtariano, dulce and bibidas. And yes, there is the usual “Moors and Christians” as well as so many others. A good souvenir gift book. --TUSCANY (Grant Hardie, 2017, 2018, 272 pages, $ hardbound) is by Katie & Giancarlo Caldesi who have been working their way through Italian food and travel: with preps from separately published books dealing with the Amalfi Coast, Venice, Rome, and Sicily. Now it is Tuscany's turn, one of the most food-obsessed regions in Italy. So it's a culinary journey beginning with breakfast, and following through with lunch, dinner and the weekend feast. It is a diverse landscape of simple meals and fab feasts from Tuscany, and the Caldesis do it well. Excellent photos blend plating, techniques and travel illustrations together. --TOKYO NEW WAVE (Ten Speed Press, 2018, 296 pages, $54 hardbound) is by writer Andrea Fazzari, a Tokyo-based international food stylist, restaurant consultant, and photographer. Here she has gathered notes and recipes (plus, of course, her photos) from 31 chefs that are defining Japan's next generation – 30 men and 1 woman. Profiles illuminate their techniques and philosophies, and how they feel about their country's food. If you cannot get to Tokyo (or would like a visual remembrance), this is the next best thing. Each chef is given a separate chapter, and at the back there is a listing with advice about websites and Japanese fluency. Interviews are summaries, with Qs and As. Delicious, and well-worth looking at. --BETWEEN HARLEM AND HEAVEN (Flatiron Books, 2018, 272 pages, $48.99 hardbound) is by J.J. Johnson and Alexander Smalls. “JJ” is a James Beard nominee working in NYC kitchens and in Ghana (Villa Monticello). Smalls is an award winning chef-owner in NYC, and together they have operated The Cecil, which is now part of Minton's. Veronica Chambers is the focusing coauthor (she's done other books with Ripert and Samuelsson). This is Afro-Asian-American fusion cooking for big nights, weekends, and every day. The openers are collections of memoirs by the authors, with a careful explanation of Harlem and where they had their roots. This is followed by chapters dealing with salads, meat and poultry, fish, vegetarian, rice and sides, desserts, and more profile material about Bengali Harlem, sauces, Minton's Playhouse, and the Afro-Asian flavour profile. The range includes BBQ brisket egg roll, king mushrooms with harissa vinaigrette and roasted carrots, roti with black-eyed pea hummus and eggplant/carrot puree, charred okra, collard green salsa verde, gullah shrimp mini burgers, and green apple curry. AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR MARCH 2018 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.APPALACHIAN COOKING (The Countryman Press, 2018, 196 pages, ISBN 978-1-68268-100-8 $22.95 USD paperbound) is by John Tullock, who teaches food gardening courses for the University of Tennessee. These are both new and traditional recipes for a specific USA region: mountains of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina (also known as Southern Appalachia. Here the greens are cooked with ham hocks, but they may be turnip greens rather than collards. More local black walnuts are used than Georgian pecans. Pintos are more common than black-eyed peas. BBQ is different. It's a cuisine reflective of local ramps, berries, greens, nuts and game as used by both the Indigenous and the Scotch-Irish traditions. Tullock has 100 or so classics with new variations. Arranged by food groups – preserved foods (such as jams and pickles), beans-squash-corn (Three Sisters), potatoes and other veggies, meat from sticks and cricks, and desserts. And of course, biscuits. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: collectors of regional cuisine cookbooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: summer vegetable casserole; bread-and-butter sweet pepper relish; blackberry crumble; sweet whiskey butter; Knoxville full house beef; ultimate meatloaf sandwich; cracklin corn bread; hog-jowl and black-eyed peas; peppercorn pork roast with mornay sauce. The downside to this book: I really wanted more The upside to this book: a good assortment of foods, coupled with excellent illustrations. No photos. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.EVERYONE LOVES TACOS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-933-5 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Felipe Fuentes Cruz and Ben Fordham, partners in Benito's Hat (2008) and Every Juan Loves Tacos (2017) in London. Felipe also has Dona Nata Mexican Kitchen in Los Cobos, Mexico. There are 65 preps here; most use both flour or corn tortillas. It's arranged by filling, such as meat, seafood/fish, vegetarian, with chapters on antojitos apps, breakfast/brunch, salsas, desserts, and drinks. They even have a list of substitutions for ingredients hard to come by (especially in the UK). Noteworthy are beer-battered avocado dippers, avocado stuffed with shrimp,tacos de carnita, tacos de atun, and tacos de papa con curcuma. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 86. 3.GIADA'S ITALY (Clarkson Potter, 2018, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-98722-8 $35 USD hardbound) is by Giada de Laurentiis, the Emmy winner from the Food Network multiple series, a TV food judge, and author of many Italian food cookbooks. These are her recipes for La Dolce Vita – the comfort/sweet life. The book is filled with her recipes, photographs of in and around Rome, family photos, and stories of life. The arrangement is pretty well standard, starting with “starters” and moving to lunch, in-betweens, weeknights, “la dolce vita”, sides and sweets. Something for everyone at feeding time. She's got some good notes on the Italian pantry which can easily double for a Mediterranean pantry. The main part of the book is the “mains” of “la dolce vita”, and includes such basic preps as penne with parmesan pomodoro, ziti stufati, creamy lobster linguine, lamb osso buco, veal saltimbocca milanese-style, and hazelnut chicken. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. They could have easily dropped one of the many photos of Giada and put in equivalent tables. Her fans will enjoy this book. Quality/price rating: 85 4.SALADISH (Artisan Books, 2018, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-695-9 $24.95 US hardbound) is by Ilene Rosen, co-owner of a specialty grocery shop in Brooklyn who had previously spent a decade-and-a-half as the savoury chef at City Bakery where she crafted her famous salad bar. Those deets are impressive. The associative food writer is freelancer Donna Gelb who also develops and tests recipes. Their main premise is to make a “salad plus”, hence “saladish”, something like a salad. The book comes with some log rolling, but that is needed to sort out one salad book from another. We've just gone through a whole variety of books on “salad bowls”, where salads are augmented by grains and beans and assorted protein sources. This one is, according to the subtitle, “a crunchier, grainier, herbier, heartier, tastier way with vegetables”. There are five basic principles: use best ingredients; contrast texture and flavours; taste throughout the recipe creation to balance the seasoning; add some surprise; and if it needs something extra, diced red onion is the secret fix. The basic difference between the preps in this book and the salad bowl books is simply a wider range of ingredients, contrasting flavours, and the red onion trick. They've got 100 recipes here, organized seasonally, and with a range of aromas, textures of heartiness, party menus, timelines for prep work, and charts to show placement on the table. So you CAN have your own salad buffet at home...For winter, they present slightly spicy carrots with buckwheat honey, broccoli rabe with roasted oyster mushrooms, acorn squash with green olives and curry dressing. Some meat is involved, such as bacon and chorizo, but only as garnishes. The appendix lists all the vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free recipes. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87. 5.MICHAEL SYMON'S PLAYING WITH FIRE (Clarkson Potter, 2018, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-8041-8658-2 $30 USD hardbound) is by the chef and co-owner of three restaurants in Cleveland and also the host of many food shows on TV. He's got 5 other restaurants around the US plus the B Spot chain of burger joints. He's authored four other cookbooks, mostly dealing with meat. Here he delves into meat again, but this time it is BBQ from his newest restaurant, Mabel's BBQ in Cleveland. It's also a live-fire place, and hence this book has both BBQ and freshly cooked foods from the fireplace. Douglas Trattner assisted him. It's divided into types of animals – pork, beef, chicken, seafood, lamb, veggies and sides, completed by BBQ sauces, relishes and rubs. Scattered throughout are profiles of various pit-masters that he consulted in a swing around the United States. It's another great book for his followers, well-written and virtually complete. My faves are smoked pork butt, Mabel's Hungarian smoked kielbasa, fireplace chicken on a string, and cedar-planked salmon. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. But very few American books are doing this today. Quality/price rating: 89. 6.THE GREAT SHELLFISH COOKBOOK (Appetite by Random House, 2018, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-753057-8 $29.95 CAD paperbound) is by Matt Dean Petit who started the Rock Lobster Food Co which showcased, of course, lobster, making it accessible to inland Canadians. He had authored The Great Lobster Cookbook, and now he is back with a new collection of 100 or so preps for all kinds of shellfish, including lobster. It's a complete book that shows where and how to buy fresh shellfish, how to store and how to cook it. He's got crab, oysters, mussels, scallops, squid, octopus, clams, and prawns. In addition to the classics, there are Thai curry crab, fried squid pintxo peppers, spot prawn dumplings, et al. This is also a good reference book for the home cook, and includes a large typeface index. Bravo. The book was improved by also using metric in the recipes. Quality/price rating: 89 7.AT MY TABLE (Appetite by Random House, 2018, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-753106-3 $45 CAD hardbound) is by Nigella Lawson. It's labeled in the subtitle as “a celebration of home cooking”. But then, aren't just about all of her cookbooks concerned with “home cooking”? (e.g. How to Be a Domestic Goddess; Nigella Express; Nigella Christmas; Nigella Kitchen; Simply Nigella). The contents seem to be arranged by course, beginning with breakfast, moving through to lunch and dinner, followed up by dessert choices and cocktails. I say that because there are no chapter headings, just a table of contents with page indications for each and every recipe (waffles on p16, hake with bacon, peas and cider on p120, roast top round on p194, double chocolate and pumpkin seed cookies on p265, and a dirty lemon martini on p272). It is a good selection, g=headed up by lamb shanks and polenta-fried fish. And worth your consideration if you are a home cook. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. There are separate make-ahead and storage notes for most recipes. The index has principal ingredients in bold face with designations for vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free (just missing soy-free and nut-free). Quality/price rating: 88. 8.EASY CHICKEN RECIPES (St. Martin's Griffin, 2018, 228 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-14628-1 $19.99 USD paperbound) AND 9.HOME MADE SOUP RECIPES (St. Martin's Griffin, 2018, 228 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-16172-7 $19.99 USD paperbound) are by Addie Gundry, a culinary arts master's grad who has worked for Boulud, Keller, Stewart, and others on management, restaurant openings, brand development, editorial, marketing, and sales. She won a Food Network competition, and now creates culinary content for web platforms: http://recipelion.com/103recipes She's got 103 preps here in her latest collections of recipes. She explains that 103 recipes were used just to be different from everybody else. Her other books had subtitles with “103 easy etc.”, “103 best etc.”, “103 fuss-free etc.”, and “103 inventive etc.” – all concentrated on ease and comfort with regard to casseroles, desserts, dinners, cookies, slow-cooker, and chicken. In the first book she goes after poultry in her arrangement of appetizers, soups, stews, slow cooker, skillet, oven-baked, BBQ, and casseroles. Her second books has soups, stews, chilis, bisques and chowders – all sorted by “chilled”, “slow cooker”, “main course”, “vegetarian”. It is all good food with a flair, mostly on the Martha Stewart side. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 10.GOAT: cooking and eating (Quadrille, 2018, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-118-7 $29.99 USD hardbound) is by James Whetlor, who has worked as a chef in London and latterly at River Cottage in Devon. He also set up a company to supply kid and goat meat to chefs and shops throughout the UK. There is a primer on goats and Farm Africa (half of the royalties from this book will be donated to Farm Africa). The 90-plus recipes are arranged by time and format: slow, quick cooks, over fire, roast, and baked. Plus some basics dealing with dips and sauces and spice blends. There is a general index and a recipe index. The latter has two sections: recipes suitable for goat (e.g., curry goat) or kid, and recipes suitable for kid only (e.g., herb-crusted rack of kid). A lot of the book can also be used for lamb/mutton, which enhances its value. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric (for the most part) and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 11.KOREAN BBQ (Ten Speed Press, 2018, 232 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-58078-9 $28 USD hardbound) is by Bill Kim of Chicago's “bellyQ” restaurants, with food writer Chandra Ram. He's taken the art of Korean BBQ and come up with a matrix of 10 rubs and sauces (3 spice rubs and 7 master sauces) with which one can command the art of Korean BBQ. As he says, “you are the master of your grill”. Even logroller Daniel Boulud agrees. While the magic 10 are carefully explained and photographed in almost 30 pages, the end papers of the back cover have listed the basic recipes for preparation: a neat device, worthy of notice. Preps call for the sauces and rubs on a mix-and-match basis, or as straight up. The book is arranged by topic – the magic 10, snacks, BBQ meats, BBQ poultry, BBQ fish and shellfish, BBQ vegetables and tofu, sides, and desserts. There is also a special chapter on leftovers, which is actually my fave chapter here. He gives us a guide to using up leftover master sauces into such as kimchi potluck stew, grilled shrimp egg foo yung, and chicken-corn salad. Then he turns it around and gives us a “salad matrix” to use up the leftovers, followed by a “bowl matrix”, a “sandwich matrix”, and a “pesto matrix”, all with appropriate page references. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. This fault might slightly diminish international sales. Quality/price rating: 90. 12.KEVIN BELTON'S NEW ORLEANS KITCHEN (Gibbs Smith, 2018, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-4894-9 $24.99 USD hardbound) is by the PBS Chef Kevin Belton, with freelance New Orleans-style food writer Rhonda K. Findley. Belton is a Creole who has been teaching New Orleans cooking for over 20 years, and has devoted his PBS TV shows to the genre. This book is drawn from and accompanies his latest show, “Kevin Belton's New Orleans Kitchen”. He offers tasty New Orleans classic dishes like crawfish pie, fried oyster po-boy with blue cheese and Buffalo sauce, and duck and andouille gumbo with potato salad, as well as foreign favorites with a little New Orleans twist, like Cuban paella, Vietnamese wonton soup with shrimp dumplings, and Greek souvlaki with tzatziki. Belton’s flavours and engaging writing alongside the fab photographs make this new cookbook of Creole and Cajun food very enjoyable. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents on the last page of the index. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 13.SEASONED WITH GRACE (The Countryman Press, 1987, 2018, 161 pages, ISBN 978-1-68268-186-2 $19.95 USD paperbound) is by Eldress Bertha Lindsay, the last Eldress in the Shaker Society (she passed on in 1990). This is the 1987 book containing “recipes from my generation of Shaker cooking”, along with a current day foreword by Lindsay's collaborator Mary Rose Boswell, curator or executive director for many heritage groups in New England. She brings us up-to-date with developments at the Canterbury Shaker Village. There is material about the Shaker communities and lifestyle, resources on biographies and a bibliography (through 1986), as well as many end notes. Sandwiched in between are the prep, arranged by form such as soups, stews, meats, casseroles, omelets, veggies and salads, and desserts of various kinds. Good large print, and a real find for historical cookery and customs, featuring classics such as New England Clam Chowder, Shaker horehound candy, and maple sugar cake. Quality/price rating: 94. 14.MEZZE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2015, 2018, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-935-9, $14.95 USD hardbound) is by Ghillie Basan, a cookery writer and journalist specializing in Middle East cuisine. She has written other Middle East books for Ryland Peters & Small. This book is a trimmed down version of her 160 page book published in 2015. Here are some 70 recipes of dips, bites, salads and other small plates to share, or apps or even mains. The Persian word “maza” means to relish and savour, accompanied by tea, sherbet or yogurt, occasionally wine or beer. Spanish tapas are the Middle East Moorish-influenced dishes, but with alcohol. I always love a whole meal of little plates. This book is arranged by cold mezze, hot mezze, and sweet mezze. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. It's very useful for those looking for a small dish or two, or entertaining ideas. Try olives with harissa and preserved lemon; sweet melon with feta; spicy beef tartare and bulgur balls; hot hummus with pine nuts and chilli butter; spinach and feta pastries with pine nuts; roasted meat-stuffed onions with tamarind and butter; or pears in saffron and cinnamon syrup. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 15.FERMENTATION REVOLUTION (Robert Rose, 2017, 2018, 208 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0593-9 $27.95 CAD paperbound) is by Sebastien Bureau and David Cote, both a scientist and a businessman involved with sustainable food development, especially at RISE Kombucha. It was originally published in French in Quebec in 2017; this is the English translation. Here are 70 easy, healthy recipes for sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi, and more. Fermentation of food is a hot kitchen trend: you can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, such as pickles, olives, ginger beer, and make your own foods multiple their nutritional properties tenfold. Plus it's great for your digestive and nervous systems, reviving immune systems and regulating metabolisms. The range here (after the primer) is from fermented veggies through fruits, sugars, milks, grains, and legumes. Hey 10,000 BILLION beneficial bacteria inhabit the gut – and we gotta do something for them. Resources lists, explicit easy instructions, and innovative preps for fermented seitan jerky, dragon bowl, umeboshi plums, fermented garlic scapes and Brazil nut bruschetta tapenade, and lemon confit meringue pie – it's all here for the avid and curious beginner. In Robert Rose fashion, the book also used metric and avoirdupois in the recipes. Quality/price rating: 88. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR FEBRUARY 2018 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.JULEP (Lorena Jones Books, Ten Speed Press, 2018, 214 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57941-7 $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Alba Huerta, an experienced Houston bartender who was the featured mixologist at the Southern Foodways Alliance 2013 and 2015 Symposia which explores the food culture of the American South. She owns Julep, a bar in Houston. She's assisted by Marah Stets, writer-editor. It's an interesting book of crafted cocktails based on Southern USA influences. There's the usual primer on bar equipment and techniques, followed by chapters dealing with juleps, liqueurs, drinks in the rural areas and the Gulf areas, plus the classics such as Ramos gin fizz. She's even got some preps for bar snacks such as fried anchovy-stuffed olives, deviled eggs, pickled shrimp, crab-curry salad, and lobster ambrosia. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. At the end, there is a Resources page listing websites. Audience and level of use: those who like some culture with their cocktail books. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: for food, try lemon icebox pies. For drinks, try the farmhouse Gibson or the amethyst flip or even vinegar and rye. The downside to this book: no metric or even conversion charts. The upside to this book: very easy to get enthusiastic about this book. Quality/Price Rating: 90. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.JUST ADD SAUCE (America's Test Kitchen, 2018, 318 pages, ISBN 978-1-945256-24-0 $29.99 USD paperbound) will pretty well sell itself. It's the 40th book they've published in the non-chronological series. This time they attack sauces: 175 simple and modern sauces that can be paired with 100 easy recipes – or make up your own!! There are small sauces, such as a dollop on veggies or drizzled on steaks, and large sauces, such as curries. All done with the American avoirdupois measurement system. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts. The arrangement is, in fact, done up by size. The first chapter starts with drizzles and dollops, plus dips. Then it moves on to relishes and salsas, then vinaigrettes, pasta sauces, stir-fry, simmering sauces, and then dessert. Audience and level of use: fans of the TV show Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: za'atar-rubbed chicken with yogurt-tahini sauce; roasted bone-in chicken breasts with leek and white wine pan sauce; sauteed pork chops with port-cherry pan sauce; arugula salad with pears and apple cider-sage vinaigrette; spring rolls with hoisin-peanut dipping sauce; Thai green curry with kale and squash. The downside to this book: it can be dogmatic, but give it a chance – do it their way FIRST. The upside to this book: their books are fairly comprehensive with notes on why the recipe works. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.THE CURRY GUY (Quadrille, 2017, 161 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-143-9 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Dan Toombs, who runs a website www.greatcurryrecipes.net which draws about 130,000 visit a month. His book concentrates on “Indian restaurant cooking” in the UK, that is, foods you are most likely to encounter in a restaurant setting. Many people are happy enough with ethnic food to merely replicate a fave dish or two at home. Here are 100 such recipes, headed by butter chicken. It is arranged by base recipes, appetizers, classic curries, grilling and BBQ, popular side dishes, and accompaniments and breads. Preparations have their ingredients listed a bit haphazardly in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: those who eat out in Indian restaurants. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: butter chicken is derived from leftover tandoori marinades in a curry, ostensibly created by the first tandoori restaurant in India (1947). The downside to this book: a bit short, I wanted more The upside to this book: good idea for sticking to basics that people are familiar with. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 4.DOCTOR'S ORDERS (Hardie Grant Books, 2017, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-137-5 $14.99 USD hardcovers) is by the team of Chris Edwards and Dave Tregenza who are both deep into UK bar consultancies. It's a collection of 50 preps of classic cocktails, medicinal tonics, and contemporary concoctions to cure whatever ails you. Typical ailments are broken hearts, hangovers, and lack of energy. There is the usual primer for a home bar (glasses, base recipes, equipment, bottles) and then the preps are arranged by remedies, comforters, revivers, and restorations. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, with no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: those looking for a basic catch-all book of cocktails. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Beets by Wray (root-based daiquiri), apple a day, watermelon G & T, citizen cane, last word. The downside to this book: a bit short The upside to this book: good value for the price. Quality/Price Rating: 86 5.LAGOM (Quadrille, 2017, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-037-1 $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Swedish food stylist and writer Steffi Knowles-Dellner. She develops recipes for several Scandinavian brands and teaches Nordic cooking classes. This is the Swedish art of eating harmoniously; “lagom” means just the right amount, as in moderation or balance. In cookbook-land it is related to the Danish “hygge” (comforting, cozy food). Her book is arranged by course (breakfast, lunch, light bites, mains, desserts, baking) with Swedish titles. There are about 100 preps here, emphasizing moderation (as developed in her opening comments and introductions). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: those looking for a new twist in food preps. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: buckwheat, chive and lemon pancakes with smoked salmon; wholemeal scone muffins; autumn salad; almond milk=braised pork belly; pearl barley risotto; spelt pizza; rye crispbreads; salmon burgers with corn salsa; coconut semolina cake. The downside to this book: to complete the balance theme I think I would have appreciated menus and menu ideas for a whole meal, not just the one dish. The upside to this book: the cuisine is global. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 6.POSH PANCAKES (Quadrille Books, 2018, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-803-6 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Sue Quinn, a UK recipe writer and food stylist. This book is one of a series – first word titled POSH – and dealing with TOAST, EGGS, KEBABS, and RICE (they have been reviewed here before). PANCAKES is new. Here are 70 easy recipes for everything from hoppers to hotcakes. The main intent is rise about the mundane and show some pancakes with pizzaz. It's arranged by course, from breakfast through to dinner (no reason why you cannot have pork-fennel-chili baked pancakes, cheesy pancakes with creamed greens, or chicken and sweetcorn pancakes). Just a modest amount of prep work, and many basic forms can be cooked up in advanced and reheated with added sauces, etc. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: millennials Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: rye crepes with lardons and goat cheese; oatmeal pancakes with fruit salad and lime syrup; ham hock and rose harissa crepes; pears and walnuts, salted caramel crepes. Quality/Price Rating: 88 7.ON THE SIDE; a sourcebook of inspiring side dishes (Bloomsbury, 2017, 336 pages, ISBN 978-1-4088-7315-1, $28 USD) is by Ed Smith, a UK food writer with articles in the Independent and the Guardian, plus his own award-winning website “Rocket & Squash”. This is his first book, and it comes loaded with A-list logrollers such as Nigel Slater and Yotam Ottolenghi. It is a collection of side dishes (which can easily be expanded to mains or for sharing platters), arranged by type: green leaves and herbs; veggies plus fruits, flowers and bulbs; roots, squash and potatoes; grains, pulses, pasta and rice. At the end there is a great recipe directory with suggested accompaniments (and page references) for mains such as roast beef, stews and casseroles, BBQ, cheeses, souffle, cold cuts, duck , seafood, lobster, etc. This is followed by two other handy indexes (with page references) to WHERE the food is prepared (counter, oven) and HOW LONG it will take (less than 15 minutes, 15 – 30, 30 to an hour, etc.). And of course, the main index itself. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric and avoirdupois measurements, which can be confusing since it is one or the other, and not both. But there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: those looking for a different kind of cookbook. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bulgur wheat salad; quick romesco; lemon and olive oil fregola; runner beans with bacon and walnuts; bread sauce and parsnip crisps; butter-braised chicory; nutmeg neeps; steamed marinated fennel; white wine and dill carrots. The downside to this book: ingredient quantities mixed units of measurement. The upside to this book: the indexes. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 8.150 BEST WAFFLE MAKER RECIPES (Robert Rose, 2018, 192 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0589-2, $19.95 CAD paperbound) is by cookbook author Marilyn Haugen and home economist Jennifer MacKenzie (who also writes cookbooks). At home, we don't have many single purpose pieces of equipment. Just a blender, a food processor, and a Kitchen Aid – which do many of the things we need to do in the kitchen. However, we do have a waffle maker because my wife does love waffles, and they are very hard to cook in a Kitchen Aid. Waffles are the kind of food you tend to eat out, much like french fries: they're a lot of work and need specialized equipment. Here the team expands on the usefulness of the waffle maker beyond the traditional waffles. The classics are here, but there are also preps for vegan and gluten-free waffles, plus sandwiches, pizzas, mains, and snacks. And it's a very useful book to have the kids cook from. There are resourceful sections here on how to buy a waffle maker (we have both stovetop and electric at home); the grids are useful for grilling, like a panini maker. The layout is typical Robert Rose with both metric and avoirdupois measurements in each recipe, plus tips and service and variations. Audience and level of use: families Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Club Wafflewich, crispy crab cakes with chipotle aioli, pico de gallo chicken quesadillas, stuffed pepperoni and olive pizza pies. The downside to this book: I wanted more The upside to this book: a good book for family. Quality/Price Rating: 86, 9.SERIOUSLY GOOD FREEZER MEALS (Robert Rose, 2018, 368 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0591-5 $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Karrie Truman, a blogger (happymoneysaver.com} who can actually make 50 freezer meals in a day. Her blog appeals to those on a budget who cook from scratch. And of course, storage in a freezer is the best thing. We've had a freezer at home for over 40 years now (actually, the first one lasted 25 years and we are now on to another one) and it is full of single items and prepared meals such as ragu or pot pies. So this is another Robert Rose single equipment book, chock full (150 preps) of freezer meals. She's got preps for the whole family: dietary needs, small and large families, time constraints. Freezer bags are the main containers: they can be reused. Of course, all freezer meals will lose their taste after awhile, so they need to be used up by rotation. There's a lot of primer material here on the hows and whys of freezing, followed by the preps. Most recipes have a bulk batch guide so you can increase or decrease the serving size (the servings are mainly for 6). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: families Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: smoky pulled pork sandwiches; pad thai; tikka masala; sun-dried tomato and bacon chicken; chili; coconut cashew basil curry soup. The downside to this book: the book is over-sized and heavy, but I guess if you can prep many dishes a day for the freezer, then you can lug around the book. The upside to this book: a useful freezer book with an international scope. Quality/Price Rating: 88 10.THE COMPLETE PLATE (Figure 1, 2018, 307 pages, ISBN 978-1-77327-015-9 $29.95 CAD paperbound) is by Lauren Klukas, a certified personal trainer with a heart problem. This led her to establish a website – The Complete Plate – dealing with nutrition and cooking. She's been endorsed/logrolled by three RDs, and her contributing authors include Janine Elenko RD, and Ashlee Gillespie, a pastry chef specializing in gluten-free cooking. It's a massive book well-worth your attention, with 120 recipes and 30 meal plans. Her tome concentrates on weight maintenance and weight loss through a balanced diet of ingredients that meet both nutritional and calorie demands. The meal plans are for 1500, 2000 and 2500 calories. The recipes tend to be on the appetizing side, which is a good thing. The opening 30 pages give the primer basics, which is followed by the menus and then the recipes, all with nutrient analyses. Attention is given to gluten-free and special dietary matters. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there are also tables of equivalents. Audience and level of use: families, those wishing a healthier lifestyle. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: green bean, feta, walnut, and pomegranate salad; grilled squash salad; roast chicken with veggies; Arctic char and wild rice; tuna quinoa bake; yellow bell pepper and chicken fajitas. The downside to this book: small print, especially for the ingredients, and a grey (not black) ink tone – hard to read! The upside to this book: the conversion charts are listed in the table of contents! Quality/Price Rating: 89. 11.PLATTERS AND BOARDS (Chronicle Books, 2018, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-6415-1 $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Shelly Westerhausen, a vegetarian food blogger, and Wyatt Worcel who was responsible for the meat platters. It is a great book for grazers and snackers, and for parties, and the like. I find it also works for groups of two people sharing a bottle of sparkling wine. Here are all the essentials for creating a small smorgasbord or spread – all on a platter. The chapters are arranged by time: morning, noon, afternoon, evening, and “anytime”. In the beginning the primer directs you to the types of boards and assembly points. There are serving forks and spoons. There are condiments. And, of course, there is the arrangement. They've got layouts for you, as well as drinking tips. Near the preps there is “A Board for Every Occasion” with listings of appropriate boards for baby showers (with page references), girls night, weekend dinner, and dinner party starters (i.e., apps). At the end there are recipes for the essentials, such as crostini, smokey sweet mixed nuts, cheese straws, cheddar crackers, lager whole-grain mustard, compound butters and pestos. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no conversion tables of equivalents. Audience and level of use: millennial, party goers and party givers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: lazy Sunday brunch board; park picnic spread; teatime spread; movie night board; grill out platter; mainly meat charcuterie board; pickle platter; Southern-style board. The downside to this book: not enough of it!! The upside to this book: a great idea whose time has come. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.PASTA REINVENTED (DK Books, 2018, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-6994-6 $19.95 USD paperbound) is by Caroline Bretherton, who has worked in the food industry for two decades. She has authored or co-authored a dozen books. She's had a successful restaurant and a career with the Food Network in presentation and hosting. Here she delves into alternative noodles that are gluten-free, through 80 recipes. The range includes GF grains, legume pastas, nut pastas, veggie noddles, and others. Her primer explains all, including how to create your own vegetable noodles. She has specific preps for beet and rice flour dough, spinach and millet flour dough, sorghum and squid ink flour dough, almond and tapioca, spelt and chestnut, chickpea, buckwheat, and corn. There are many notes on shaping hand cut doughs, then she moves on to pasta soups, pasta salads, pasta bowls, and pasta bakes. Typical are sweet potato and rosemary noodle kugel, lamb and feta pastitsio, almond fettuccine with crab and lemon sauce, and then black sesame and coconut curry bowl. At the back there are pages on substitutions and swapping. Truly an innovative book with many new ideas for the jaded cook or chef. The book could have been improved if it also used volume metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 13.GOOD FISH (Sasquatch Books, 2011, 2018, 326 pages, ISBN 978-1-63217-107-8 $29.95 USD paperbound) is by Becky Selengut, a Seattle-based cooking teacher and private chef. It was originally published in 2011; this edition has been updated and expanded. Much has changed in the previous 8 years regarding Pacific fish: limits to overfishing has brought back stock and acquaculture has much improved. The 15 species covered in the first edition are still “good fish”. The new varieties include mahi-mahi and wahoo (Hawaii), herring, razor clams, pacific cod, and lingcod. Some of the originals got expanded and re-organized, such as wild salmon (moist-heat and dry-heat) and halibut. Her basic “good fish” rules are F (farmed is OK with verification), I (investigate provenance), S (smaller is best fish), and H (home domestic fish are best for the economy). She's got 100 recipes, and in addition to techniques, she has a bunch of URL links for her free videos which show you “how to” – fillet a fish, wok-smoke fish, clean a geoduck, sear a scallop, and more. This is a good assortment of sustainable seafood recipes from the Pacific coast. Now, time for something from the Atlantic. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 89 ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR JANUARY 2018 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! [even though it has been a short month's worth of books] * FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.THE BOOKLOVERS' GUIDE TO WINE (Books and Books Press, 2017, 390 pages, ISBN 978-1-63353-606-7 $19.95 USD paperbound) is by Patrick Alexander who teaches a six week program at Books & Books in Coral Gables Florida. He's done it for the past six years, so he put out his “notes” in book form. It's an introduction to the history, mysteries, and literary pleasures of drinking wine. He's got a nifty literate accompaniment to the traditional wine and food pairings. It's a global wine tour, with pairings such as Charles Dickens with cabernet sauvignon, Jane Austen with chardonnay, Shakespeare with sherry (Falstaff's dry sack), and JRR Tolkien with albarino (the newest hot white grape from Portugal and Spain). Very entertaining package that begins with tasting wine, making wine, wine history, continues with old world and new world (Canada gets icewine, but not in the index), grape varieties, and food matches. Reference material includes lists of Bordeaux appellations, the Grand Crus of Burgundy, and the standings in the two 1976 Judgment of Paris smackdowns. Audience and level of use: beginning wine lovers, millennials. Some interesting or unusual facts: “I can see you that you know your wine. Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret” - John Cleese as Basil Fawlty. The downside to this book: it arrived too late for my annual holiday book gift issue. The upside to this book: very readable account. More details at info@mango.bz. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.THE PLAGIARIST IN THE KITCHEN (Unbound, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 9781783522408, $42.95 CAD hardbound) is by the redoubtable Jonathan Meades, the UK journalist, TV personality, and filmmaker who also specializes in food. He says that this book will be the only cookbook he will ever write. Meanwhile, as this book does exist, it is his take in praise of the unoriginal recipe. Very very entertaining and provocative. It was funded by readers through the writer website “Unbound”. You pledge for it in advance, and it gets published once it receives critical mass. This particular title was distributed in Canada by Penguin Random House. He says it “is an anti-cookbook, a recipe book that is also an explicit paean to the avoidance of culinary originality, to the daylight robbery of recipes, to hijacking techniques and methods, to the notion that in the kitchen there is nothing new and nor can there be anything new. It's all theft.” So: ultimately, it is a basic book of workable standard classic recipes with his pithy and enlightening comments. Because it is British, it is all in metric, with no tables of equivalents or conversion charts. There is a an index, plus four pages of three columns each which feature the names of contributors/subscribers. There is a short bibliography of “books referred to” and presumably borrowed from. Most of the books are old, and most of the authors have since passed on. So there. The book could have been improved if it also used US volume measurements in the recipes; this would improve sales in the last remaining country on the planet to ignore metric. Quality/price rating: 88. 3.RETRO RECIPES FROM THE '50S AND '60S (St. Martin's Griffin, 2017, 228 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-14632-8 $19.99 US paperbound) is by Addie Gundry, a chef who has worked for Boulud, Keller, Stewart, et al in management, restaurant openings, editorial, brand development. She also won a cooking match on the Food Network. Here she give us 104 vintage appetizers, dinners and drinks from the past – 60 years ago. She also has some historical notes, such as sourcing the first printed recipe for a party cheese ball to the Minneapolis Star-Journal in 1944. Or the brunch stalwart Monte Cristo, first offered in southern California in the 1950s. This is the stuff that North Americans grew up with at that time, the food that millennial grandparents ate at home. Yes, people ate at home then, in families gathered around the table with no phones, TV sets, or other distractions. Expect “classics” such as crab puffs, shrimp cocktail, meatloaf, cheese fondue, deviled eggs, quiche, SOS, Waldorf salad, ambrosia salad, grasshopper pie, and more. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87. 4.STIRRING SLOWLY (Square Peg, 2016, 280 pages, ISBN 978-0-22410165-3 $42.95 CA hardbound) is by Georgina Hayden, a food writer who worked in the kitchens with Jamie Oliver for a decade. And of course it comes with an endorsing foreword by Oliver. The book was originally published in late 2016 but is now available to the North American market via Penguin Random House. It is a basic book on comforting food for those who love to cook, that is, the preps are not slapped together just before consumption and the preps are nourishing and healing as well. Major topics include bowl food, quick & light, slow & hearty, veggies, and baking. Meat is included. Typical dishes include chilled avocado soup with ginger, Jerusalem artichoke with thyme barley risotto, caraway honey and buttermilk buns, sticky harissa carrots and beets with dates, pomegranate chicken skewers, chorizo and tomato and chickpeas on toast, and green chili greens with cashews. One my faves is “pho for one”. Readers of my reviews know I excoriate publishers for lack of metric data, but in this case, the book could have been improved if it also used avoirdupois in the recipes, or at least had a conversion chart for the American market. Quality/price rating: 87. 5.CANADA'S CULINARY HERITAGE (Klorifil Editions, 2017, 229 pages, ISBN 978-2-9810783-7-7 $39.95 CA hardbound) is a publisher's collection of some 100 recipes from 100 celebrities in celebration for Canada 150, for the benefit of Breakfast Club of Canada (and helping to provide 165,000 daily breakfasts to children). Too bad they couldn't make it 150 recipes since it is Canada 150, but of course that would have increased the price. Preps are divided into apps, entrees, “this and that” and desserts. There is an index to personalities and their contributions, which includes k.d.lang (Canadian s'more), Premier Kathleen Wynne's ginger snaps, Lisa Laflamme's family cheesecake, Susur Lee's Singaporean style slaw, Lynne Crawford's honey whiskey glazed chicken, Ron James' moose meat marinade, Brian Orser's beer can chicken, and Wayne Gretzky's grandmother's perogies. An interesting mosaic of Canadian food. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 87. 6.CULINARY TREASURES FROM AROUND THE WORLD (Klorifil Editions, 2017, 213 pages, ISBN 978-2-9810783-5-3 $39.95 CA hardbound) is a publisher's collection of some 92 recipes from 92 countries in celebration for Canada 150, for the benefit of Hire – Embauche Immigrants Ottawa. The source materials are authentic recipes from diplomats posted in Canada. From Afghanistan (kabuli palau) to Vietnam (fowl congee), with stops along the way for Estonian Lenten breads, Indian samosa, Italian panforte margherita, Jamaican ackee and saltfish, South Korean kimchi, Peruvian ceviche and Egyptian fattah. Another interesting mosaic of food that immigrants bring to Canada. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 87. 7.HOW TO ROAST EVERYTHING (America's Test Kitchen, 2018, 406 pages, ISBN 978-1-945256-22-6 $35 US hardbound) is from the creative team at the TV show America's Test Kitchen. It is also a guide to building flavour into meat, veggies, fruit, and other roasted items. Like all the ATK books, it is a definitive reference tool There are many years of experiences here. The primer start with roasting basics and then moves on to “ten essential roasts”, which is just about the most that regular people at home would do: these are the classics of bone-in chicken breasts, butterflied chicken, roast chicken, roast turkey breast, roast beef with gravy, slow-roasted beef, roasted pork tenderloin, glazed pork roast, roasted bone-in pork rib roast, and roasted salmon fillets. Plus some 15 variations of rubs and sauces. But no leg of lamb, or any lamb roast. You'll have to see the pork & lamb chapter for that, and there are just a half dozen. The really engaging chapters deal with grill roasting, veggies and fruits. It's a well-priced nifty book full of details, tips, and photos, and includes the equipment needed – the usual ATK approach. The book could have been improved and have had wider sales if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 8.THE QUINTESSENTIAL QUINOA COOKBOOK; eat great, lose weight, feel healthy (Skyhorse Publishing, 2011, 2018, 223 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-2223-1, $14.99US papercovers) is by Wendy Polisi, with photos and nutritional info for every recipe, gluten-free desserts, and quinoa recipes for kids. It's a reissue of the 2011 book with updates. She’s given alternative ingredients and prep methods for many dishes, including vegan, sugar-free, and quick and easy. She’s got two recipes for gluten-free flour blends – an all-purpose quinoa flour blend and a quinoa cake flour blend. These can be used without fear. The book is arranged by course, breakfast through apps and snacks, salads, wraps and tacos and sandwiches, mains, baking and desserts. About 100 dishes are here, but there is more at www.cookbookquinoa.net. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Some interesting preps include quinoa pizza; broccoli quinoa salad; Mediterranean lettuce cups; and smoked chile rellenos. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 9.ROSE MURRAY'S COMFORTABLE KITCHEN COOKBOOK. Rev. ed. (Whitecap, 1991, 2018, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050301-4 $29.95 CAD paper covers) is by Rose Murray, a Taste Canada Hall of Famer and award-winning food writer appearing in print (over 10 cookbooks and scores of articles) and broadcasting in both radio and TV. It was originally published in 1991 (McGraw-Hill Ryerson). As the subtitle notes, this is “easy, feel-good food for family and friends”. It's been modernized and with new food shots and layouts. It's an easy going classic for the home cook, with 230 preps, from apps to soups to sides, salads, and desserts, all wrapped around “comforting main courses”. Typical dishes include upside-down pear gingerbread, veal and onion ragout with gremolata garnish, dandelion salad, warm lamb salad, wild rice lemon pilaf, homemade BBQ sauce, Thai thighs, cheesy meat loaf, and sweet potato party flan. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. There are multiple recipes on each page, and only a few of the preps have photos – both of which help keep the book's price low. Quality/price rating: 89. 10.FIX-IT AND FORGET-IT COOKBOOK. Revised & updated. (Good Books, 2012, 2018, 702 pages, ISBN 978-1-68099-301-1 $29.99 US hardbound) is by Phyllis Good, who has sold over 12 million such books for the slow cooker. This is a revision of the 2012 book, which was already a revision of an earlier book. Her 2012 book had sold more than 5 million copies, but there are changes and additions here: 100 new recipes for slow cookers; “Prep Time,” “Cooking Time,” and “Ideal Slow-Cooker Size” are included for each recipe; new data on “Substitute Ingredients for When You’re in a Pinch”, “Equivalent Measurements”, “Kitchen Tools and Equipment; new tips and tricks for making the most of your slow cooker, spread throughout the book; and a revised and improved Index. So here are 700 slow cooker recipes to fulfill every need. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least there is a large type page of metric conversions. Quality/price rating: 88. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR OCTOBER 2017 [published monthly since 2000] =============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.WINE & FOOD; perfect pairings every time (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-825-3 $21.95 USD hardbound) is by Jane Parkinson, a UK wine writer with experience on magazines (eg, Decanter) and BBC TV. She's also a Roederer Award winner in 2009. Here she covers the newest wine trends with deets on grape varieties and wine styles. Red, white, rose, fortified and dessert wines plus sparklers combed over. But the emphasis is on what goes with what, using practical examples. She is au currant with cheeses, moving on from the default red wines to white wines (soft cheeses) and fortified wines (hard cheeses). Goat cheese? Savvies and Rieslings. Sweet wines are needed for blues. Cheesy pasta? Depends on weight, moving from Italian white to Merlot. There are sections on matching cheeses with a country's wine (eg, brie and Loire rose, comte and Pinot noir from Alsace, Roquefort and Sauternes). She also does this for English, Italian, and Spanish cheeses and wines. Ultimately, though, there is more material on describing wine as food-friendly and what that means – and not enough on food textures and tastes (just the last 40 pages). Most people I know, especially dining out, really have a food dish in mind before contemplating wine choices. Audience and level of use: millennials, wine beginners. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: “countries like Italy, Spain, France and Portugal; have raised their game in the face of stiff competition from New World winemakers...there are tons of delicious European wines, with high-quality local grape varieties” and terroir. The downside to this book: the index is mostly to wine. The upside to this book: there is a resources list. Quality/Price Rating: 87. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.FARM TO CHEF (Penguin, 2017, 338 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-319360-9 $40 CAD hardbound) is by Lynn Crawford, former Exec Chef at Four Season hotels in Toronto and NYC. She's appeared on TV and has also written two other cookbooks. Currently, she is chef at Ruby Watchco in Toronto. Here she's got log rolling from Samuelsson and Jamie Oliver. She has 140 preps from all seasons featuring farm-fresh produce for just about every occasion. It begins with Fall, moves through Winter, Spring, and then Summer. Each season has a breakdown by a share of the total 42 major ingredients. Thus, for Fall, there are apples, beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery and celery root, “fall greens”, grapes, leeks, mushrooms [ears, and sweet potatoes – with an average of 3 – 4 preps each. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: Canadians, millennials Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: the apple range covers hot buttered bourbon cider, apple mostarda, spiced apple butter, pork chops and apple-braised cabbage, harvest apple pie. The downside to this book: typeface is a bit small and the ink impression is grey/light. The upside to this book: a nifty collection of preps. Quality/Price Rating: 88 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.EASY SOUPS FROM SCRATCH WITH QUICK BREADS TO MATCH (Chronicle Books, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-5502-9 $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Ivy Manning, cookbook author and free-lance food writer. The title pretty much says it all: 70 recipes to pair and share. There are meaty stews and bisques, each one paired with a quick bread such as blue corn and maple skillet bread (with a BBQ pork ramen). The soups are arranged by type (veggie-centric, bean and grain soups, seafood soups, meat and poultry soups. The bread types are flatbreads, soda breads and skillet breads, muffins, rolls and biscuits. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly avoirdupois measurements with some erratic metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: millennials would find this useful Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: zucchini, feta and dill muffins to pair with either Persian yogurt, lentil and bulgur soup or egg and lemon soup with toasted orzo and kale. The downside to this book: I wanted more... The upside to this book: each prep tells you the quantities, the service, the active time and the total time. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 4.SUPERFOOD SLOW COOKER (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-843-7 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Nicola Graimes who specializes in vegetarian cooking. She's authored 26 or so books. It's with Cathy Seward, a consultant home economist and cookery writer. An electric slow cooker is great for a busy lifestyle (and millennials love it too). Here are 60 preps, using mainly grains, beans and pulses, along with superveggies and lean meats. So it is not strictly a vegetarian book. Fresh herbs and relevant spices also contribute. Each prep gives a nutritional breakdown. She's arranged it by course, beginning with breakfast and brunch, light bites, weekday meals, and slow weekends. All dishes are made in the 3.5 Litre slow-cooker. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: millennials Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: winter beef and prune pot roast; piri piri lamb salad; bone broth pho; Spanish octopus with white beans and lemon; sea bass in chile tomato sauce; beet falafel with lemon tahini sauce. The downside to this book: I wanted more... The upside to this book: good use of slow cooker. Quality/Price Rating: 86 5.A TASTE OF LATIN AMERICA (Imagine! Books, 2017, 168 pages, ISBN 978-1-62354-521-5 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Patricia Cartin, from Costa Rica and caterer to the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations in NYC. These are the culinary traditions and classic recipes from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. There is also a bit of fusion here, and the regions do share common foods such as sweet potatoes, squash, corn, chocolate, and chili peppers. The arrangement is by country with about eight preps each. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: Latin American food lovers, libraries Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: coxinhas; farofa; curanto; chimichurri; empanadas; brigadeiro; manjar; almojabanas; tamales; perico; arepas; lucuma; nachos. The downside to this book: The Mexican section has already been well-documented by countless books, so there isn't really nothing new from that country. The upside to this book: a good collection of regional dishes that (apart from Mexico) have not really surfaced in North America – terrific sampler! Quality/Price Rating: 88 6.CHICKEN AND RICE (Fig Tree Penguin Books, 2016, 288 pages, ISBN 9780241199077 $42.95 CAD hardbound) is by Shu Han Lee, UK freelance food writer and stylist and at www.mummyicancook.com These are mainly dishes from Singapore and Malaysia with a Hokkien China influence – her background in culinary development. The range embraces weeknight food, weekend foods, snacks, celebrations, and others. The Southeast Asian foods are arranged by type, from rice through noodles, soups, seafood, meat, eggs/tofu, veggies, snacks and sweets. Her book was originally published in the UK last year but is now making its way into North America. At the back, she has 10 suggested menus (quick midweek suppers for one or two) through brunches, veggies, through dinner parties and BBQ – plus some ideas for DIY parties. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: SEA food fans, millennials Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: congee with preserved radish omelette and cabbage; Hokkien prawn noodle soup; fennel pad ka prao with fried egg; peach on sticky rice with sweet and salty coconut cream; barbecued sambal lemon sole; nasi ulam; nyonya achar; lamb shank adobo. The downside to this book: the currency exchange rate bringing the book over makes it a bit pricey, but it is worthwhile overall. The upside to this book: she's got an interesting pantry selection plus a glossary of ingredients and kitchen equipment needed. Quality/Price Rating: 89 7.AUTENTICO (St. Martin's Griffin, 2017, 364 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-12497-5 $35 USD hardbound) is by Rolando Beramendi, an importer (Manicaretti). The 120 preps here are classic, and explore regionalisms. Several important writers on Italian food provide the log rolling (e.g. Lebovitz, Jenkins). The subtitle is “cooking Italian, the authentic way”. Rolando (with Rebekah Peppler) takes some family preps and others from his suppliers, and has arranged them by chapters dealing with the pantry (la dispensa), the prepared and ready to use food, the primo course, the secundo, the accompaniments, ending with dolce. It's a vividly written book sure to appeal to food book collectors. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and US avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: Italian food lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: zuppa di farro; boiled veal tongue with green sauce; broken fresh tomato halves; poached baby pumpkins with traditional DOC Balsamic of Modena vinegar; fennel braised in Chianti; orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabbe. The downside to this book: Physically, it is a very heavy book and the gutters are hard to deal with when looking at text near the spine. The upside to this book: a good accomplishment, with lots of head-notes for background. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 8.FIX-IT AND FORGET-IT HOLIDAY FAVORITES (Good Books, 2017, 338 pages, ISBN 978-1-68099-330-1 $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Hope Comerford. It is one of a best-selling series of cookbooks centered around the slow cooker. Hope Comerford has taken over the FIFI franchise. Here she presents well over 150 slow cooker recipes suitable for holiday hosting, including such as eggnog bread pudding, cranberry brisket, and orange cheesecake. Once again, it has larger print (including the index) and conversion charts for the measurements. Of course, everything here can be braised on top of the stove the old-fashioned way. But if you have a slow cooker (or an instant pot), you could do worse than “chicken broccoli rice casserole”. This prep comes from Gloria Julien in Michigan (all preps are sourced), and gives the time as 30 minutes prep, 2 – 3 hours cooking, 5 quart slow cooker size. It's an easy-peasy recipe, slightly upscale for any holiday feast. It is useful for potlucks or friendship dinners, especially for people who are not terribly big meat eaters. And, as usual, there is a photo of the finished product. The 150 preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents and conversions. All courses are covered, and the print is large. Audience and level of use: beginners, slow cooker aficionados. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: slow cooker turkey and dressing; ham with sweet potatoes and oranges; gingerbread puffing cake; creamy chive and onion mashed potatoes; cranberry pork loin. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 9.HOW TO INSTANT POT (Workman Publishing, 2017, 280 pages, ISBN 978-1-5235-0206-6 $16.95 USD paperbound) is by Daniel Shumski, who has authored “Will It Waffle?” and “Will It Skillet?”. He currently lives in Montreal. Here he tells us about the Instant Pot: a slow cooker, pressure cooker, steamer, yogurt maker, rice cooker. It's just about perfect for the single person, making a variety of dishes with leftovers for other meals. Over 1.5 million have been sold to date in the USA. It is organized with a primer at the front, followed by function, with measurement conversion tables, general times for pressure-cooking, recipe conversion formats, high altitude modifications, and so forth. His 100 recipes include a six minute no-stir risotto, five kinds of yogurt, soups with dried ingredients from scratch, quick pickles, even “baked” potatoes. He's also got quite a few instant pot shortcuts. Preps are meant for the six quart IP models. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are also tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: Instant Pot fans Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pork shoulder ragu; French onion soup; Korean short ribs; French toast casserole; beef barbacoa tacos; chocolate lava cakes with dulce de leche; faux cassoulet. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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 – CHEESE (Quadrille Publishing, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-966-8 $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Michel Roux, who has held three Michelin stars for over 30 years (The Waterside Inn at Bray UK). He's had many awards including OBE, and has been a TV personality. He's authored five other books for Quadrille, selling 2.5 million copies. Here he delves into cheese. It also includes about 100 preps for canapes, soups. Starters, snacks, salads, fish and meat dishes, pasta, rice and veggies, plus desserts. He's got some new classics, such as pear/Roquefort/honey/almonds pizza, halloumi with roasted peppers, phyllo wrapped feta and watermelon, and more. The recipes encourage substitution so that you can use whatever cheese you have around, within reason. It is arranged by course, not by cheese, beginning with a cheeseboard. Apart from quality classifications, there are few categories for cooking: fresh cheese, soft cheeses, hard cheeses, and blue cheeses. Flavoured cheeses are on the rise, those with the addition of spices, herbs, dried fruit, and smoked cheeses. They need to be examined before actual cooking and melted integration. The book could have been improved if it also used avoirdupois in the recipes, or at least had a conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 90. HOME GROWN (Artisan, 2017, 342 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-674-4 $35 USD hardbound) is by Matt Jennings, formerly of Farmstead in Providence RI, opened Townsman in Boston in 2015. He's co-founder of the Northern Chef Alliance and has collaborated with numerous Canadian chefs such as Rob Gentile of Bar Buca in Toronto. It's a book of New England cuisine, updated through his contemporary feel for reworking the classics. Basically, he renovates the meat-heavy boiled dinners and the cream-laden chowders. He uses more molasses and cider and maple syrup for sweetening. And he includes Quebecois food such as tortiere pie, but with seafood. Along the way, he explains why he updates in a sort of memoir type retelling of his path to New England cuisine roots. Log rollers include Batali (“simple, approachable, and delicious recipes”) and Boulud (“inspired compilation” among eight or so others. It's arranged by terroir: dairy, ocean, farm, garden/orchard, and forest, with typical dishes such as fish stew, clam cakes, cider donuts, fried pike, and pan-roasted venison. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes for international sales. But it does have metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 88 SHEET PAN SUPPERS MEATLESS (Workman Publishing, 2017, 250 pages, ISBN 978-0-7611-8993-0 $16.95 USD paperbound) is by Raquel Pelzel, a food editor and test kitchen director who has authored over 20 cookbooks, and has been a TV judge for Food Network shows. Here she concentrates on vegetarian/vegan and gluten-free sheet pan meals – 100 of them straight out of the oven. It's another cooking treat for the millennials: quick and easy yet nutritious. She's got the technique of cooking pasta in a sheet pan, and then cooking soups and stews in a sheer pan, and then making kale and veggie chips in a sheet pan, pot pies, veggie braises, risottos, polenta, and of course both granola and desserts (pear galette, dulce de leche pumpkin squares, and a vegan sticky toffee pudding. As she says, sheet pan cooking is convenient, versatile and tasty. One for the plant-based food lovers. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. SHEET PAN MAGIC (Quadrille Publishing, 2017, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-048-7 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Sue Quinn, an award-winning food writer and author of several cookbooks. Here she looks at “one pan, one meal, no fuss” dishes. The basic arrangement is by course: breakfast, brunch, snacks, light bites, lunch, warm salads, dinner, and sweet things. It is basically one-pot roasting, using a heavy 8 x 12 x 2 inch sheet pan. And it is a breeze to clean up: just soak it overnight. The preps are straightforward enough, with roast pear and rhubarb compote; classic full English breakfast (all in the one pan); ricotta-asparagus and mint tartlets; creamy baked leeks with apple, theme and goat cheese;sea bass with stewed summer veggies; orange and caraway slices with orange blossom glaze. Something for everybody, 70 recipes in all. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING VEGETARIAN; simple meatless recipes for great food. 2D ed. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017; John Wiley, 2007, 832 pages, ISBN 978-1-118-45564-7, $35 USD hard covers) is by the ubiquitous Mark Bittman, multiple award winning cookbook author (Julia Child, IACP, Beard). Notable logrollers include Alice Waters and Yotam Ottolenghi, although at this point (as I said 10 years ago), I don’t think that Bittman needs logrollers. This is the tenth anniversary edition “completely revised” and tightened up, apparently, because it is 160 pages shorter. Here, simple dishes are emphasized, along with tips, advice, cook’s notes, charts, sidebars, and lists. It has been updated with new information and new photography, along with new recipes. The database is over 1000 recipes and variations. It is all straightforward, from apps through desserts, and he embraces meat substitutes such as tofu, and eggs and dairy. There are special icons to identify recipes that can be made in 30-minutes or less, recipes that can be prepped in advance, and vegan recipes. There are also “how to” line drawing illustrations but the menus are gone. US volume measurements are used, but there are tables of metric equivalents. He concludes with notes on meal planning plus a special index to appetizers and essential recipes. There is no indication of which preps are new, and if you don't have his 2007 book, then this is the one to get. Quality/Price Rating: 90. SEAWEED (Grub Street, 2017, 184 pages, ISBN 978-1-910690-51-2 $36.95 CAD hardbound) is by Claudia Seifert, Zoe Christiansen, Lisa Westgaard, and Hanne Martinsen. It was originally published in 2016 in Norway as Tang & Tare Et Hav Av Mat. This is the English translation, and the book is selling in the UK, USA and Canada. It is, of course, all about seaweed. The four authors give us the primer of harvesting, drying, storing, with discussions on texture and flavour and nutritional values. Seaweeds can be oarweed, sea lettuce, winged kelp, sea spaghetti, thong weed, dulse, laver, and seabelt. There are 130 pages of recipes plus a directory of resources. It is also a well-photographed book and it is a unique ingredient book. The book has mostly metric measurements with just a few avoirdupois such as volumes in teaspoons and tablespoons. But it should be easy to follow. One of my faves is the polenta sticks with paprika dip and almond sticks, plus the black rice salad, some dim sum, and celeriac potatoes with aioli and green salsa. I have found seaweed, such as sea asparagus, to be extremely salty. So check first. Quality/price rating: 90. ---------------------------------------------------- FAMILY-STYLE COOKBOOKS – This is a roundup of cookbooks meant for family enjoyment, whether workday eating or family participation, or just plain eating together.... MASTER THE ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKER (Skyhorse Publishing, 2017, 258 pages, $25.99 CAD hard covers) is by Marci Buttars and Cami Graham, both family specialists and bloggers at TIDBITS. As the publisher says, this is NOT your grandma's pressure cooker. Here are more than 100 preps, with tips, for grains and yogurt and tender veggies, soft meats, and so forth, with a range from breakfast to dessert. My kind of tool with large type (including the index) and metric conversion charts. Quality/price rating: 87 SECOND HELPINGS, PLEASE! (Whitecap, 2017, 292 pages, $29.95 CAD paperbound) is a fundraiser project from the Mount Sinai Chapter of Act to End Violence Against Women. It was originally published in 1968; this is its 17th printing with some new material on quick and easy, low-calorie, microwave recipes, and new tips. The last edition was previously in 2008. It's a basic community cookbook touching all the bases, perfect as a gift for showers, weddings, anyone moving and setting up a kitchen, or a holiday like Hanukkah (Dec 12 – 20 in 2017). Of particular value are the chapters with a lot of recipes for appetizers, party treats, soups and veggies, and Jewish Festivals. Quality/price rating: 87 THE BEST OF AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN 2018 (America's Test Kitchen, 2017, 320 pages, $45 CAD hardbound) features the best recipes, equipment reviews and tastings from the 2017 episodes of the popular PBS television series (and some of their magazines and books too). Out of 1000 preps developed for their media, more than 150 are here as “best of the best”. It comes with the usual step-by-step photos and opinionated equipment/ingredient thoughts. Newish topics for the 2017 year include porchetta, panettone, sausage ragu, and frozen yogurt. Quality/price rating: 89 GRAVITY CAKES! (Robert Rose, 2017, 272 pages, $27.95 CAD paperbound) is by Jakki Friedman and Francesca Librae, and utilizing Jakki's business as a Manchester UK baker of gravity cakes (they create an illusion of something pouring mid-air into the cake). These 45 projects can be worked on by the whole family. The book has 650 step-by-step colour photos to guide you. The preps are simple and the ingredients are accessible. The designs (Christmas, Valentine. Easter, Halloween, etc.) are easy to construct; gluten-free preps are also available. Neat-o. Quality/price rating: 87 BAKING CLASS (Storey Publishing, 2017, 144 pages plus stickers, $28.95 spiralbound) is by Deanna F. Cook who has written dozens of award-winning books for kids. Here she builds on an earlier title, “Cooking Class”, to present a way to get kids back into the kitchen and learn baking skills. There are 50 recipes with step-by-step instructions so kids can follow on their own. Classics include chocolate chip cookies, brownies, cupcakes, pizza, cheese crackers: all made from scratch with wholesome ingredients. At the back are stickers for colourful gift tag, labels, bake sale signs, and cutout stencils for decorating cookies and cupcakes. THE COMPLETE SOUS VIDE COOKBOOK (Robert Rose, 2017, 416 pages, $29.95 CAD paperbound) is by the world renowned chef, Chris MacDonald (Avalon and Cava in Toronto). It's another in a long line of "single-equipment" cookbooks (e.g.,food processor, crockpot, toaster), here concentrating on using sous vide equipment and techniques to achieve restaurant-quality results at home. Low temperature controlled food is sealed in containers immersed in water. It works well if you have a lot to do, and can be prepared in advance. But of course you do need the equipment. A nicely done book that indeed can replicate restaurant food, with you controlling the seasoning. The 175 recipes embrace the globe. Quality/price rating: 87 A GRANDFATHER'S LESSONS (Rux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, 196 pages, $42 CAD hardbound) is by Jacques Pepin – and what could be more family than Pepin cooking with his granddaughter Shorey. He's been doing this since she was six; she is now 12 and capable of cooking on her own. So here are meals that she enjoys as a young person, and meals that are not always French-inspired. These are important life skills, and they are illustrated with his renowned drawings. They open with setting the table and good table manners – nice appreciations. Then they move on to hors d'oeuvres [SIC from a Frenchman!] soups and salads, eggs, sandwiches, pizza, fish, poultry, light meat, pasta, quinoa, veggies, followed by 40 pages of desserts (hey, kids like to eat these things). Large type in both the text and the index is a great bonus. Quality/price rating: 89 BUTTERCREAM BASICS (Robert Rose, 2017, 256 pages, $27.95 CAD paperbound) is by Carey Madden, whose cakes and cupcakes have been featured in Vogue. She operates Violet, a custom cake bakery in Philadelphia. This is buttercream decorating, and is the best gift for the cake baker in your life. It's topically illustrated with step-by-step techniques and loaded with tips, covering the major aspects of cake and icing recipes, borders and inscriptions, embellishment, blossoms, concluding with a final chapter on cupcakes. Quality/price rating: 87 NO EXCUSES DETOX (Ten Speed Press, 2017, 208p, $25.99 CAD paperbound) is by nutritionist Megan Gilmore who specializes in detox at www.detoxinista.com. She's got 100 preps for a more healthy eating plan – gluten-free, quick and easy, relatively inexpensive, and meant for families. Of course there's a plan, followed by courses: shakes, salads, soups, sides, snacks, stir-fries, sweets, and staples. Ah yes, the “S” word dominates. Quality/price rating: 87 EVERYDAY DIABETES MEALS (Robert Rose, 2017, 288 pages, $27.95 CAD papercovers) is by Laura Cipullo, RD, CDE, CEDRD, CDN and Lisa Mikus, RD, CNSC, CDN. Together they have three decades of clinical experience. The 150 preps are for meals with 45 to 60 grams of carbos. The arrangement has easy consistent carbo dietary planning by choosing from breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes, and then adding sweet or savoury snacks within preset carb ranges. There's a 14 day meal plan. It's a lifestyle change. Quality/price rating: 88 THE 7 WONDERS OF OLIVE OIL (Familius, 2017, 200 pages, $23.95 CAD paperbound) is by Alice Alech and Cecile La Galliard. It comes loaded with lots of references, some quizzes, a handful of recipes, but no index. Still, it is a useful read. Olive oil is discussed in a healthy sense: stronger bones, some cancer prevention, higher brain function, some stroke and heart attack prevention, reduction in diabetes risk, Alzheimer's disease prevention, skin rejuvenation, and the Mediterranean diet. Each chapter is succinctly titled. Quality/price rating: 88 THE LOW-FODMAP SOLUTION (Robert Rose, 2017, 268 pages, $27.95 CAD paperbound) is by Montrealer Cinzia Cuneo and others at SOSCuisine, a group which designs specialized meal plans. Here they concentrate on IBS. Research has shown that a low-FODMAP diet is effective in three-quarters of IBS cases. You could be able to avoid intestinal cramps, bloating, diarrhea and gas through the elimination of FODMAPs: fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols – carbohydrates that are poorly digested in the intestine. Here she has meal plans, shopping lists, and 130 preps (many vegan). There are also comprehensive lists of allowable foods and avoidable foods. Quality/price rating: 89 THE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DIABETES COOKBOOK (CICO Books, 2017, 160 pages, $29.95 CAD paperbound) is by Karin Hehenberger, MD, PhD., who is well-versed in diabetes care. It's a guidebook for those who are pre-diabetic, diabetic, and support groups. She covers the challenges of living with diabetes, eating in and dining out, living on one's own, and travelling. She's got 70 preps tailored to those with diabetes, including vegan and vegetarian options. It may not be everything you'll need to know but it is a good beginning. Quality/price rating: 86 HOW TO HYGGE; the Nordic secrets to a happy life (St. Martin's Griffin, 2016, 2017, 208 pages, $27.99 USD hardbound) is by food writer Signe Johansen; it was originally published in 2016 by Bluebird in the UK. “Hoo-ga” (pronounced) usually translates as “comfort” or “coziness” implying warmth, conviviality, and kinship. Nature sets the pace and provides health benefits; the outdoors is better than the indoors. Try to be active at all ages; try “fika” (collective restoration, eg, teas). Be minimalistic. There are more principles scattered about the book. And there are more than a handful of recipes. Quality/price rating: 89 FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SEPTEMBER 2017 [published monthly since 2000] ============================================================================ By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.MODERN CIDER (Ten Speed Press, 2017, 186 pages, ISBN 978-1-60774-968-4, $23 USD hardbound) is by Emma Christensen, author of “True Brews”. She makes her own, of course, and this guide, with simple recipes to make ciders, perries, cysers, shrubs, fruit wines, vinegars, and other drinks. Hard ciders are incredibly easy to make. I used to do cider for 10 years, using unpasteurized apple cider juice from the supermarket. I only stopped doing it when, for PC reasons, the supermarket decided to pasteurize it. This actually killed any yeast I would be adding...for shame! The book comes with six heavy-duty log rollers. The primer takes the first 60 pages, followed by such topics as beginner ciders, cider family (perry and cysers), modern ciders, ciders for beer lovers (my fave chapter), apple wines, traditional (UK, Breton) ciders, and even soft non-alcoholic ciders and vinegars. There's a resources list and a glossary to complete the reference package. Well worth a look since cider is the current thing these days, being led by the millennial charge. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: those who want to make their own cider Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cysers are ciders fortified with honey. Quality/Price Rating: 95 * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.COOKING WITH THE WOLFMAN; INDIGENOUS FUSION (Douglas & McIntyre, 2017, 274 pages, ISBN 978-1-77162-163-2 $29.95 CAD paperbound) is by David Wolfman and Marlene Finn. He's a member of Xaxli'p First Nation and a culinary arts prof at George Brown College in Toronto since 1994. He's also host of the TV show “Cooking with the Wolfman”. Finn is Metis, and with the Wolfman she does cooking demos and workshops on Indigenous food and family nutrition, as well as consulting for First Nations restaurants. Over the years Wolfman has been asked by First Nation members (and others) for recipes dealing with any of their occasional surplus of game, fish, and wild edibles. He's now an internationally recognized expert in wild game and traditional Indigenous cuisine. Many preps have been worked out and/or demonstrated via his TV show and workshops. And the reader gets the benefit of this. The book is an interesting weave of storytelling behind the recipes, classical cooking techniques, traditional ingredients, cultural history, and relationships with food. He's got some step-by-step photos for techniques. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: the adventuresome, those wishing to learn more about Indigenous cooking from a master teacher. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: campfire bear onion balls with mole sauce; curried caribou in pastry with blackberry dip; elk carpaccio on salad greens; chestnut and prune turkey roulade with Saskatoon berry compote; breaded cod tongues; dandelion and pepper stuffed salmon; sea asparagus crab cakes; fried coconut breaded smelts. The downside to this book: while the index has pages noted in bold-face, the words are in tiny typeface. The upside to this book: a unique cookbook, great gift book. Quality/Price Rating: 94. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.THE COMPLETE COOK'S COUNTRY TV SHOW COOKBOOK (America's Test Kitchen, 2017, 691 pages, ISBN 978-1-940352-93-0 $32.95 USD paperbound) is from the America's Test Kitchen team. Every recipe from all ten seasons of this popular PBS show is here, along with played photos. This is US regional home cooking. Everything has been tested and retested to arrive at the best version. Included also are tests of kitchen equipment and supermarket ingredients: to see which brands offer the best value and performance. There are bonus variations and accompaniments, tips and advice, shopping guides, and stories behind the recipes. There is an index to the shows themselves, so you can spot some of the recipe titles. The extensive index also covers courses and photos; it is in big type with some bold lines. Audience and level of use: beginners, staunch lovers of US regional cooking Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: it is arranged by type of food, eg. Grandma's food, diner food, steakhouses, Sunday best food, Tex-Mex faves, Italian, grilling, breakfasts and breads, cakes and cookies, other desserts and pies. The downside to this book: the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had conversion and equivalents charts. The upside to this book: good clinical work Quality/Price Rating: 90. 4.DUTCH FEAST (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2017, 263 pages, ISBN 978-1-55152-687-4 $32.95 CAD hardbound) is by Emily Wight, a writer and recipe developer. This is her second cookbook for Arsenal. The publisher notes that this is the first extensive Dutch cuisine book to be published in North America in three decades. Dutch food has been characterized as local and seasonal with international flavours, lots of sugar and dairy with cheese and breads not far behind. Many foods have been brought to America, such as pancakes and waffles, apple pie, doughnuts, and coleslaw. Overall, these foods are also upfront in Dutch cuisine, with apples, potatoes, endives, onions and kale being most important. The 120 preps are arranged by course (breakfast, coffee time, dinner), with side chapters for borrels (Dutch small plates), rijsttafel, gezellig (comfort food), and Christmas. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes along with the avoirdupois, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: beginners, those interested in Dutch food. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sauerkraut stamppot; semolina pudding with rose and honey; cranberry and persimmon pastechi; farmer's cheese soup; hutspot; prune tart; spicy prawns with green beans; marinated herring; meatball curry. The downside to this book: I wanted more on the rijsttafel since there could be some 30 or so dishes. She lists 16 and two are ice cream desserts. The upside to this book: a good primer on Dutch food history and resources. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 5.SMORGASBORD (Ten Speed Press, 2017, 170 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57909-7 $17.99 USD hardbound) is by Johanna Kindvall, a Swedish illustrator and cook based in Brooklyn. She had previously authored Fika: the art of Swedish coffee. She's illustrated her own books, and quite deftly too. This is the art of Swedish breads and savoury treats, as found throughout all of Scandinavia (but is more commonly associated with Denmark; no matter). It is a basic primer at an affordable price, which separate chapters on breads, everyday smorgasbord, outdoor seasonal spreads, smorgasbord celebrations, and condiments and sides. Baking preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but overall it is mostly US volume measurements. There is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those wishing to expand their repertoire or wish to do a buffet. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: butter-fried chanterelles with walnuts; smoked fish salad with horseradish; elderflower-cured rainbow trout; quick pickled veggies; Christmas malt bread; stinging nettle pesto; orange marmalade with thyme. The downside to this book: I wanted more The upside to this book: affordable introduction to smorgasbords. Quality/Price Rating: 87 6.THE NEW NOURISHING (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-859-8 $21.95 USD hardbound) is by wellness lifestyle food editor Leah Vanderveldt. She believes in plant-based comfort food to feed the body and the soul. It is all arranged by course, beginning with breakfasts, and then moving on to soups and stews, big bowls, entertaining, savoury snacks, and sweet snacks. She doesn't count calories or believe in guilt-free foods. Veganism, for the most part (honey is used), is the way to go, and through plant-based foods one can promote a sense of well-being and find a feel-good point. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: vegans, vegetarians, millennials Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: crispy chickpeas, garlic greens, sweet potato noodle bowl, mezze bowl, winter veggie bowl, sweet potato falafel, pesto winter squash pizza, farro risotto with green peas, vegetable-loaded nachos. The downside to this book: I wanted more. The upside to this book: good themes. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 7.DINNER WITH DICKENS (CICO Books, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78249-449-2 $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Pen Vogler, food historian author of Dinner with Mr. Darcy and Tea with Jan Austen. She has also recreated recipes from the past for the BBC. This is the food of Victorian England, and is inspired by the life and work of Charles Dickens. His books have included a grand wedding breakfast, a bread-and-butter tea, and of course the day-to-day gruel of the children and workers. Each chapter here comes from a book, such as the family dinner in Little Dorrit, Guppy's dining house treat from Bleak House, Christmas matters from both Great Expectations and A Christmas Carol, and drinks from The Pickwick Papers. There's a bibliography of relevant additional cookbooks and of cultural histories from this time period. Each prep comes with background from the Dickens' book, an historical recipe (not from Dickens) and a modern updated version, plus a photo of the plated product. Christmas pudding, punch sauce, French plums, Leicestershire pork pie – it is all here. This is pop culture of cooking at its best. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: Dickens lovers, pop culture, Victorian times. Some interesting or unusual facts: Dickens was fascinated by what connected people, and food was at the top of his list. His characters give, share, steal or long for beefsteak pudding, a morsel of pickled salmon, and sip of currant wine – which tells us something about the giver, the receiver, and the relationship between them in terms of their moral, economic, or social life. The downside to this book: I wanted more The upside to this book: a good representation of the theme. Quality/Price Rating: 88 8.MUSHROOMS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-880-2 $21.95 USD hardbound) us by Jenny Linford, a UK freelance food writer and multiple cookbook author. Here she celebrates mushrooms and truffles, from folklore to foraging. There are 65 preps here, covering all savoury courses: apps, soups, stews, grains, rice, pasta, meats, fish, salads, veggies, eggs and cheese. She opens with a primer on cultivated and wild mushrooms. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: mushroom lovers, umami enthusiasts. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: jamon and mushroom croquettes; mushroom and bean chili; Thai mushroom soup; beef and porcini ragu with pappardelle; pan-fried fish fillets with wild mushrooms; mushroom and goat cheese and lentil salad. The downside to this book: The publisher states in a denial of liability “There is an element of risk to ingesting wild mushrooms.” I say unless you really know what you are doing, trust a “professional” forager. The upside to this book: a good collection of recipes, augmented by terrific photos on a matte finish. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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 – 9.LIDIA'S CELEBRATE LIKE AN ITALIAN (Appetite by Random House, 2017, 386 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-752977-0 $45 CAD hardcovers) is by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich (restaurateur, Emmy-award winning TV show, cookbook author) and her daughter Tanya Bastianich Manuali. The celebration, one of the few cookbooks today wrapped in a dust jacket, is explored in 220 recipes, suitable for a formal event, a picnic, or a family dinner. It is sort-of a greatest hits book; she's written over 14 other books on Italian food. Is there a need for another Italian cookbook on the market? Well, yes there is always room for one more, especially if the author is the irrepressible Lidia. Of value are the passages dealing with BBQs, party planning, doing a cheese platter, setting a table, choosing wine or constructing a salumi board. It begins with 22 alcohol aperitifs, followed by the apps, salads, soups, veggies and sides, polenta, risotto, pasta, fish and seafood, poultry and meat, and then dessert. “I chose these particular recipes because they are delicious and easy to make, and they serve and fit any celebration.” The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart – there's a whole blankety-blank blank page just before the index! Quality/price rating: 86. 10.LOLA'S; a cake journey around the world (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-809-3 $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Julia Head, a UK-based caterer who once worked for Lola's Cupcakes in London. It has since expanded to cover regular cakes. Here Head gives us 70 global recipes for cakes: classic sponge cakes, traybakes, layer cakes, pastries and gateaux of all sorts. Rare in cookbooks these days are her icons for levels of difficulty, from easy through intermediate and advanced. There are some gluten-free and dairy-free cakes as well. It is all arranged by region, beginning with Northern Europe (the home of the cake), Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa, the Americas, and Australasia. All cakes are featured at Lola's: stollen, strudel, tiramisu, olive oil cake, baklava cake, peanut and banana loaf cake, sesame seed cake, mango cake, et al. All of them are colourfully illustrated with a combo of finished plated product and tourist-type photos. Preps are scaled, which is the way it should be with ratios. Conversion charts could also have been useful. Quality/price rating: 86 11.FOR THE LOVE OF PIE (Gibbs Smith, 2017, 200 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-4769-0 $27.99 USD hardbound) is by Cheryl Perry and Felipa Lopez. Both are co-owners of Pie Corps in NYC. It is a guide to both sweet and savoury pies, staring off with a primer, moving through to the crust, and then to the sweet (fruit, custard and cream, mousse and pudding, nut) and then to the savoury (chicken, meats, fish, veggie). Finally, there are some interesting hybrids in the sugar-salt-bitter continuum, such as apple crumb pie with rosemary-caramel sauce, lavender honey and peach hand pies, pear galette with mascarpone and salted sage brown butter, and fresh fig with blue cheese and walnut mini galettes. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but it at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87. 12.MYERS+CHANG AT HOME (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, 320 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-83647-1 $32 USD hardbound) is by Joanne Chang, a Beard award winner and owner of Flour in Boston/Cambridge. She also co-owns, with her husband, Myers+Chang, since 2007 in Boston. This is her forth cookbook, emphasizing the reconstruction of many of her preps for home use. Karen Akunowicz helped her; she's executive chef and partner in Myers+Chang. There's also a lot of log rolling, with six endorsements (including the ubiquitous Ottolenghi who must be tied with Batali by now). This is Asian food (some of it South Asian street food), beyond the Taiwanese cooking that Chang also does. There are stories and photos from the restaurant. It's arranged by major ingredient or format, such as dim sum, dumplings, wok, noodles, rice, sauces, with chapters on salads, grains, sides, family meals and desserts. Typical are dan dan noodles, dragon sauce, tamarind-glazed cod with Vietnamese mint & jicama, chocolate tofu mousse, and kung pao chickpeas. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88 13.SATURDAY PIZZAS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-882-6, $21.95 USD hardbound) is by Philip Dennhardt (Ballymaloe Cookery School in East Cork Ireland) and Kristin Jensen, freelance food writer. He started as a pop-up restaurant with gourmet pizzas, and then became more involved with butchery and sausages at the Ballymaloe. Here are 90 preps of dazzling pizzas, best made with a wood-fired oven but here adapted for home use: just turn the oven up to as hot as it gets and preheat for one hour. If there is a fan, use it. There are lots of memoir material here as well as a primer for high heat pizza-making. And a great trouble-shooting section. A basic pizza is dough and sauces: there are almost no real rules, just techniques. His primer is about 50 pages, and is followed by pizza recipes divided by solid toppings – sausage pizzas, cured meat ones, roast meat, seafood, and veggie. Then come the calzones and panzerotti, ending with fruit and dessert pizzas. From the latter, you could try banoffee pizza (biscuit/cookie base with bananas, whipped cream and toffee) or pear pizza with feta/walnuts/arugula, or even caramelized apple with blue cheese and candied walnuts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 14.NIGHT+MARKET (Clarkson Potter, 2017, 320 pages, ISBN-0-451-49787-1 $35 USD hardbound) is by Kris Yenbamroong, chef of Night+Market in LA. It comes with log rolling by Gwyneth Paltrow, David Chang, and Wolfgang Puck. Kris has re-imagined classic Thai cooking for the modern tastes, food that can be enjoyed with alcoholic beverages. He comes from a Thai restaurant background via his family's place, but he has also explored the rural cooking of Northern Thailand. According to the blurb to the part-memoir, part-cookbook, “he came to question what authenticity really means and how his passion for grilled meats, fried chicken, tacos, sushi and wine” influenced the style of good living at his restaurant. The major wine of choice is Chenin Blanc from anywhere, which I approve of. The emphasis is on having fun, which you can do at home with friends, but there are too many non-food photos for my tastes. The arrangement is by themes in his life: a chapter on “grandma” to cover the basics and classics, followed by “tourist in Thailand” for the rural materials, a chapter on dips and sauces, some leftover foods, and party night (TGIF, which used to mean Thank God It's Friday, but now means Thank God It's Fun – so any night will do). Dishes include Thai puffy omelet, scallop tostada, Thai-style Korean short ribs, salmon poke, stir-fried greens with garlic and chiles, and kung pao eggplant tacos. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. 15.MY RICE BOWL (Sasquatch Books, 2017, 320 pages, ISBN 978-1-63217-078-1 $35 USD hardbound) is by Rachel Yang, who, with her husband, owns/operates/chefs at four Pacific Northwest restaurants in Seattle and Portland. They've had three Beard Award nominations for their Asian-flavoured food. Jess Thomson is a co-author; she's a freelance food and travel writer with seven cookbooks and many articles. The preps are mainly Korean fusion with a global twist applied to noodles, dumplings, pickles and pancakes. The book is arranged thus, beginning with a chapter on banchan, then kimchi, BBQ, rices. Hot pots and stews, with four desserts. The first one hundred pages deal with memoirish material on her style of cooking and their restaurants, plus a primer on stocks, sauces, pastes, and the basics of dumplings and noodles (but there doesn't seem to be any indication of gluten-free dough, although there is a chapter on rice and another on pancake batter with mung bean batter). Try arugula and corned lamb, or mung bean pancake batter, broiled mackerel, and a smoky pad Thai (with purchased rice noodles). The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87. 16.THE MOOSEWOOD RESTAURANT TABLE (St. Martin's Griffen, 2017, 402 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-07433-1 $35 USD hardbound) is by the Moosewood Collective of 19 members who do all the jobs necessary to run the Ithaca NY restaurant. Some have worked there since the place opened in 1973. Their latest cookbook – the 14th – has 250 brand-new recipes never published before. But it is no longer hand-lettered. Instead, it has a larger typeface with good leading and a in index that is readable. The restaurant is still a vegetarian operation, stressing plant-based foods but also using tofu/tempeh as a protein replacement, eggs, and honey. Chapter topics include breakfast and brunch , apps, spreads and dips, sandwiches, soups, side salads, main dish salads, grain bowls, entrees, stews, pasta, burgers and beans, breads and pizza, sides, sauces, and a huge selection of desserts. Typical are sunbutter bites, butternut squash latkes, Indonesian rice bowl, sugar snap peas with coconut and lime, white bean and olive sandwich, roasted beet and walnut dip, black rice and spinach salad, and fresh rhubarb cake. Everything seasonal, of course. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Nada to both. Quality/price rating: 88. 17.GUERRILLA TACOS (Ten Speed Press, 2017, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57863-2 $30 USD hardbound) is by Wesley Avila (professional chef who turned to running Guerrilla Tacos) with Richard Parks III (food writer). These are recipes from the streets of Los Angeles, augmented by serious logrolling headed by Mario Batali. Avila's Guerrilla Tacos was named Best Taco Truck by LA Weekly. While these preps are Avila's personal touches, he draws on his Mexican heritage to create variations. Along with the recipes there are memoirs and photos. The book is arranged by themes, beginning with Pico Rivera (where he grew up), forklift food, the taco cart and truck, and then the pop-up style. Typical choices are the Mexican-style guacamole, green bean and egg taco, roasted pumpkin taco, razor clam tostada, pork sparerib taco, and mushroom escabeche taco. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 18.HOME SAUSAGE MAKING. 4th ed. (Storey Publishing, 1981, 1987, 2003, 367 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-869-6 $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Charles G. Reavis and Evelyn Battaglia (who has completely revised and updated this book with new text and 120 new recipes out of the 200 total). It has been around since 1981 and has sold more than 277K copies thus far. The recipes cover fresh, cooked, smoked, dried and cured sausages, and include andouille, linguica, chorizo, bangers, kosher salami, breakfast sausage – about 100 recipes for beef, poultry, pork, lamb/goat, wild game, seafood, and veggies. Then there are 100 preps for sausage-based recipes such as skillet strata with greens and sausage, savoury quinoa breakfast bowl with vegetarian sausage, Scotch quail eggs, Spanish tortilla and mortadella mousse. Of course, there's the basic primer and some 20 profiles of professional sausage makers (including Blake Royer of Toronto who is listed as a “hobbyist”). The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, but at least it had metric conversion charts. Maybe next revision? Quality/price rating: 89. 19.HOW I COOK (Quadrille Publishing, 2010, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-950-7 $22.99 USD paperbound) is by Skye Gyngell, an Australian chef who has worked in Sydney, Paris and London, opening her UK restaurant Spring in 2014. It's a paperback reprint from 2010 and now available in North America. She has a basic collection of 100+ recipes dealing with her home cooking, ranging from breakfast and brunch through afternoon teas, weekday suppers, celebrations, and meal planning. There is also a large 40 page section on alfresco eating. It's an engaging book with an Oz-UK sensibility (huge prep for Christmas pudding). Try chicken with rice and basil, meringues with strawberries and cream, or cucumber sandwiches. Home life is the great life. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 87 20.CANADIAN WHISKY; the new portable expert. Rev and Updated 2d ed. (Appetite by Random House, 2012, 2017, 236 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-753075-2 $20 USD paperbound) is by Davin de Kergommeaux, a sommelier and whisky expert who has been writing for more than decade about whisky through print and his award-winning blog at . This book is a revised paperback edition of the 2012 edition. At the time, it became a finalist of the 2013 Taste Canada Food Writing Awards, and then went on to win IACP Award for wine, beer and spirits. As a basic book, it covers what Canadian whisky contains (grains, water, wood), how it is made, flavours and tasting techniques, plus a concise history of the industry, with extra notes on the eight large distillers of Canadian whisky. There have been some changes here, including ownership and name changes, since 2012. And there is more material on micro-distillery bottling. About 100 new tasting notes have been added. A great basic book about Canadian whisky and the industry, made better for most people by the inclusion of a section about tasting techniques. There is a bibliography, a glossary, and two indexes: a general one and an index to the tasting notes. Quality/price rating: 89. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR AUGUST 2017 [published monthly since 2000] =================================================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.TASTING CIDER (Storey Publishing, 2017, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-837-5 $19.95 USD softbound) is by Erin James, editor-in-chief of Cidercraft and Sip Northwest magazines. It has the subtitle “the Cidercraft Guide to the distinctive flavors of North American hard cider”. And of course, it is extremely useful in that regard of North America. Fourteen Canadian ciders are featured, with 8 from Quebec, and 3 from each of Ontario and British Columbia. In all about 100 ciders have been tasted, and there are more than 60 recipes for food and cocktails. Cider covers a wide range, much like beer and wine, from the light to the dark. And it also includes pear as “orchard fruit” cider or even an icewine pear cider. Ciders can be tasted in eleven categories: orchard-based, single-varietal, dessert ciders, hopped ciders (much more attractive to guys), rose ciders, barrel-aged, fruit-infused, and specialties with spices and botanicals. She's got lots of history and culture here, plus interviews with cidermakers. The book is a good accomplishment, and comes with a reading list for further information. But I would have liked more details on European ciders...The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes (especially since it was also directed to a Canadian audience), or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: cider lovers, or as a beverage reference book Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: from Toronto – Caledon Fizz from the Black Hoof and Grey Gardens, using Spirit Tree Estate draught; Fruity Pot of Tea, from Le Lab Comptoir a Cocktails in Montreal, using Ciderie CRYO Mi-CRYO Ice cider; oven-roasted salmon with neige onion jam, sunny eggs, and buttered toast (from La Petite Maison, using Domaine Neige Neige Premiere). The downside to this book: my biases are actually in favour of Breton/Norman ciders, which are the finest in the world, followed by some Irish/English ciders. The upside to this book: a good looking guide to North American ciders, very useful. Quality/Price Rating: 92 * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.OFFAL GOOD: cooking from the heart, with guts (Clarkson Potter, 2017, 304 pages, ISBN 978-0-7704-3512-7 $40 USD hardbound) is by Chris Cosentino, chef-owner of Cockscomb in San Francisco. Log rollers include Harold McGee, Rene Redzepi (Noma), and Anthony Bourdain. It's a big book arranged by animal, to wit: cow, pig, sheep, and fowl, with adaptations according to species. Specific forms include pig ears, lamb head, calf brains, cow liver, cow foot, duck head, lamb tongue, chicken heart, and lamb sweetbreads. Generically, there is also skin, lungs, blood, stomach, spleen, kidney, fat, feet, bones/cartilage/tendons, tail, and intestines. Even more animal-specific are cow udders, testicles, gizzards, and cockscomb. There's a small primer on each. You are not going to find most of these in supermarkets, but rather you can find some at butchers or by special orders. But I've gone to specialized butchers and even some of them cannot get things like pig tails, pig and chicken livers, even pork hocks. You'll have more luck if you deal with an organic farmer, and I personally wouldn't touch any organ meat unless it is organic and free of chemicals. On p132-3 there is a fabulous picture of a cooked head-to-tail pig split in half and including lentils and chiles strewn about the kidneys, blood sausage, red sausage from pig stomach, brain and brainaise, and tongue. The closest to regular meats here are pig feet (10 preps), jowls, and lamb necks (pork necks have a rich history in Korean cuisine). The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: adventuresome cooks, reference tool, libraries. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: fried pig's tails, Marco Polo style; oxtail and skate; bloodtarga; smothered lamb's head with onions and lamb fat; pig stomach a la tauntaun; cordedda, peas, mint and sheep's milk polenta; pig's head and snails. The downside to this book: nothing really, except perhaps more detail on “bridge meats” (necks, feet, jowls). The upside to this book: a very good reference work, even if you don't cook from it. Quality/Price Rating: 92. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.GRAZE (Rodale, 2017, 206 pages, ISBN 978-1-62336-753-4 $27.50 USD hardbound) is by food stylist Suzanne Lenzer, author of “Truly, Madly Pizza”. It comes with some heavy-duty logrolling via Jacques Pepin and Mark Bittman. The subtitle says it all: “inspiration for small plates and meandering meals.” She begins with a larder/pantry plus a fridge and freezer and then moves on to grazing menus (with page references) from simple items to entertaining buffets. There are 15 of these, including the charming “dalliance with North Africa”. Most of these are small plates which are simple and expandable. She's got some notes on pairing foods and shopping. Materials range from purchases (such as smoked salmon) to chopping foods and laying them out. For the most part there are a lot of room temperature dishes here, great for the guy cook. She normally just drinks wine, but she does present four cocktails, such as the Negroni Fizz. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: home cooks, guys. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cheddar biscuits with tomatoes and peaches; zucchini ribbons with herbed goat cheese; lemon-tarragon chicken skewers; Spanish shrimp with chile; lemony hummus; curried carrot and coconut soup; fruit crumble; ricotta-stuffed medjool dates wrapped in bacon. The downside to this book: I thought that the use of the word “grazing” or “graze” had died a decade ago, The upside to this book: the menus are very helpful. Quality/Price Rating: 89 4.BERRIES (Gibbs Smith, 2017, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-4459-0, $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Eliza Cross. Although the book doesn't say anything about her, she's the author of thirteen books, including "101 Things To Do With Bacon" "101 Things To Do With Beer”. She also writes about food for magazines. Berries have long held a reputation as choice ingredients for delicious jams, pies, muffins, smoothies, and cobblers (the book is arranged this way). Berries the theme of every course, and thus savoury dishes are included as well. Recipes feature tart cranberries, sweet strawberries, tender blueberries, raspberries, and boysenberries. Many recipes are interchangeable. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginner level Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: raspberry-lime sparklers, warm brie with blueberry mango salsa, boysenberry-ginger glazed salmon, huckleberry buckle, and blueberry cheesecake fudge, The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes. The upside to this book: a good single product cookbook. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 5.POSH KEBABS (Quadrille Books, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-995-8 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Rose Reynolds, a UK recipe writer and food stylist with chef credentials in magazine and BBC TV work. This book is one of a series – entitled POSH – and dealing with TOAST, EGGS, and RICE (they have been reviewed here before). KEBABS is new. Here are 70 easy recipes for everything from brochettes to shawarmas to skewers to shashliks to souvlakis – the whole range. Chapters deal with gloabal meat dishes (lots of lamb), poultry, seafood, veggies, and even sweets. Plus, there is a range of sauces and flatbreads. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart (which it doesn't). Audience and level of use: beginners, those who love skewered food, BBQ, grilling. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: classic Moroccan spiced lamb; curried goat with rice and beans; jerk pork with apple slaw; harissa sardines; kale crisps and zucchini; fig and halloumi skewers. The downside to this book: I wanted more The upside to this book: lots of lamb dishes (10). Quality/Price Rating: 89. 6.ADD A PINCH (Clarkson Potter, 2017, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-553-49641-3 $25 USD hardbound) is by Robyn Stone (from the state of Georgia) who blogs at the eponymous website, specializing in Southern US food. These are fresh and fast new takes on Southern cuisine. In previous years, the southern US kitchen was awash with “helpful” processed foods such as canned soups. Stone encourages us to lighten the load and be quick about it, emphasizing slow cooker meals, casseroles, one-dish dinners, plus the usual salads, soups,snacks, desserts. Some classics, such as pimento cheese, have been totally redesigned, using Greek yogurt for mayo and cauliflower “rice”. Chapters cover the courses plus biscuits, breads, and sides. And there are 20 pages on the southern patry, loaded with freezer jam, spicy BBQ sauce, dill pickles, sweet tea concentrate, and the like. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: home cooks, intermediate level. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: buttermilk praline cheesecake; Georgia peach crisp; apple raisin slaw; roasted okra; one-pan parmesan crusted chicken with broccoli; white chicken enchilada stuffed shells; slow cooker honey glazed ham. The downside to this book: I didn't see any chess pie. The upside to this book: separate categories have been highlighted in the index – those preps with fewer than 10 ingredients, 30 minutes or less cooking time, freezer friendly, and slow cooker faves. Quality/Price Rating: 87 7.THE LITTLE BOOK OF CRAFT BEER (Hardie Grant Books, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-115-3 $14.99 USD hardbound) is by Melissa Cole, UK beer and food writer. Here she guides us through about 100 of the world's finest craft brews. He range begins with lagers, moves through session beers, wheat, ambers, spice, fruit, farmhouse, wild ferments, stouts and porters. There are a few recipes here for accompanying foods or cocktails. But unless you are in the country of origin, just about all of these beers exist only in bottle and not “on draught” which is where I find all the action. Audience and level of use: beer lovers Some interesting or unusual facts: she also has a few no alcohol, low alcohol, and gluten-free beers. The downside to this book: for each beer, she mentions alcohol content, but does not give IBUs (International Bittering Units scale), a guide to hops and bitters. IBUs on the label are the hottest thing in North America. The upside to this book: the index lists beers by name and by country. So for Canada she's gotm three beers (Dieu du Cief Peche Mortel, Gluentenberg APA, and Unibroue. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 8.OVER EASY (Clarkson Potter, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-385-34575-0 $27.50 USD hardbound) is by Joy Wilson, blogger since 2008 at “Joy the Baker”. Her content recipes have been floated about on many sites. This book is a good collection of her preps, arranged by course or format: cocktails and coffee (great openers, lovely way to start the day); eggs; griddle; sides; sandwiches and salads; and then baked goods. She's got 125 or so recipes, all appropriate for brunch. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginners, those with time on their hands to enjoy the food. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: banana bread granola; buttered grits and toppings; jam pinwheels; beer-braised kielbasa, potatoes and onions; waffle sandwiches of fried chicken and maple; shortcake doughnuts; dill pickle bloody mary; quiche. The downside to this book: the emphasis is on leisurely days, but the dishes are good for dinners too. The upside to this book: good craftsmanship. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 9.PIMP MY NOODLES (Hardie Grant Books, 2017, 144 pages $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Kathy Kordalis, a London-based food stylist and recipe writer. Here she tries to turn instant noodles and ramen into comparable dishes. You can pimp your noodles by using condiments, adding peanut butter or Nutella, some veggies, some protein or tofu, quick broths, and eggs. She tells you how to get a quick meal by adding some of these extras in just a few minutes. She's got 50 recipes. And you don't really have to use the instant noodles if you wanted to start from scratch, but maybe that could only happen on the weekend …. depends on your time available. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois volume measurements with some metric for weights, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: millennials Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: butternut noodle pancake; lime dragon rice noodles; bang bang chicken; miso salmon with ribbon-cut veggies and cellophane noodles; Korean wonder pots; lemongrass larb; nuoc cham vermicelli salad; mugestroni. The downside to this book: too short – I wanted more The upside to this book: a good idea, easy to carry over to other foods: the act of dressing up! Tart it up! Pimp the food! Quality/Price Rating: 86. 10.PARTY FOOD TO SHARE (Ryland Peters and Small, 2017, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-862-8 $21.95 USD hardbound) is by Kathy Kordalis, a London-based food stylist and recipe writer – and also author of book number 9 above. Her she gives us small bites, platters and boards for sharing. It is food for a gathering, with some emphasis on purchased items such as cheese, cold cuts, nuts, diary products, and the like. Party planning is important, and so it too is covered from the basics through to pantry development and the larder: what to have on hand. You'll also need a variety of platters (which can be rented or borrowed from friends). Menu topics include brunch bonanza, vegetable fiesta, craft beer and cheese night; fish fest; pizza party; banquet Parisien; and others. And, of course, drinks are included. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, for the most part. Audience and level of use: millennials Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: kale and sweet potato frittata; buttered mushrooms; orecchiette with brussels sprouts and burnt butter; sundae station; fruit and nut spice soda bread; griddled shrimp and baby leek skewers with tamari lime glaze. The downside to this book: I wanted more The upside to this book: menus are given, but you could plan others on your own. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.DELICIEUX (Hardie Grant Books, 2016, 424 pages, ISBN 978-1-74379195-0 $40 USD hardbound) is by Gabriel Gate, a Loire-born French chef who has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants. He's also been a TV host for in Australia for decades and leads gourmet tours to France. This book (one of his 23 cookbooks) on French food covers recipes from all regions, Normandy to Provence and the Mediterranean back up to Alsace. He also covers local markets, cafes, patisseries, and fine-dining places. It is arranged by course: starters, salads, veggies, seafood, poultry (and rabbit), meats, cakes, desserts and tarts. Little on wine. Veal gets covered by blanquette de veau, cotes de veau panes, and veau saute. Flan de courgettes au Saint Marcellin is a good zucchini cheese dish. Preps are sourced as to region, and both French and English titles are used. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 12.GATHER COOK FEAST (Fig Tree, Penguin, 2017, 352 pages, ISBN 978-0-241-21609-5 $53.95 CAD hardbound) is by Jessica Seaton (and Ann Colquhoun). These are recipes from land and water by the co-founder of Toast (UK fashion and lifestyle brand). Colquhoun is a food anthropologist looking at local cuisines, and author of “Eat Slow Britain”. It's a collection of recipes subdivided by landscape types: freshwater, saltwater, home ground (yard gardens), pasture fields, and heath and wood (foraging). This is the food that one could expect to find, for the most part, in temperate regions. And, of course, if you do not want or cannot forage, then there is always the local market or a supplier of unusual ingredients (they've got a list). Typical are duck in apot with spring veggies, wild weed pasties, watercress salad with blood oranges, bitter green orecchiette, roast partridge with smoky lentils and damsons, herbed rice with saffron pike-perch. A good selection of recipes. The book could have been improved if it also used avoirdupois in the recipes, or at least had a conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 13.THE OKANAGAN TABLE (Figure 1 Publishing, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-773270-002-9 $37.95 CAD hardbound) is by Rod Butters of RauDZ Regional Table and a number of other places in the Okanagan Valley. The book is hailed as “the art of everyday home cooking” but in the Okanagan area of fruit orchards, vineyards, and food artisans. In that case, it is quite similar to the Sonoma and Provencal landscape, especially now with global warming. The chapters are arranged by time of day: sunrise, midday, sunset, twilight. This is food from the region: whatever is grown or raised, such as duck eggs at brekkies, potted smoked salmon, halibut pastrami, turkey wings, venison carpaccio, pork roast with apples an potatoes, et al. The Okanagan Valley is indeed rich. Here are 80 recipes for use at home, with mains such as bamboo steamed fish in curry, beer-braised short ribs, braised oxtail, honeyed quail, root veggie torte, and wild boar meatballs. There are also supplier lists, principally useful if you live in the region. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 14.THE MODERN JEWISH TABLE (Skyhorse Publishing, 2017, 220 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-1718-3, $24.99 USD hardbound) is by www.thejewishprincesses.com (Tracey Fine and Georgie Tarn, both in the UK). They've gone the promo route through TV, radio and the prss, plus cooking demos. They've updated and extended about 100 Jewish recipes from the around the world, maintaining the kosher status. The results include sephardi saffron chicken soup instead of just plain chicken soup, and princess pita instead of matzo. Other modernized dishes include Chinese chicken sesame toast, street food gefilte fish bites, and Kunafa Middle Eastern cheesecake. Pareve desserts are a specialty here, and many other items can be part of a Passover feast. It is all arranged by course: small plates, soups, green salads, fish, meat, veggies, and desserts. The book is well-laid out with leading and nice large print, and this continues with the large print index. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there conversion tables to metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87 15.PETER CALLAHAN'S PARTY FOOD (Clarkson Potter, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-553-45971-5 $35 USD hardbound) is by the owner of NYC's Peter Callahan Catering. He's created food for both corporations and for celebrities, as well as contributing to Martha Stewart Weddings. His first cookbook was “Bite by Bite”. Here he expounds on serving food in style for celebrations: tablescapes, buffets, family gatherings, plated dishes, mini hors d'oeuvre, seated dinners, and bar carts. He's got stories about his career and business with anecdotes of some of his dinners. He simplifies as much as can be and organizes well with his shortcuts. There are 100 original party tricks and recipes. It's all arranged by format, from passed small plates to plates, family style, and bar carts. There are some really good ideas here, along with excellent display photos (Con Poulos). The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. 16.I LOVE INDIA (Quadrille Publishing, 2017, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-563-9 $29.99 USD hardbound) is by the UK's Anjum Anand who has hosted “Indian Food Made Easy” (BBC TV), and has written seven other Indian cookbooks for Quadrille. She's also been busy with her own range of Indian sauces (plus chutneys and pickles) sold internationally as The Spice Tailor. Here is a collection of recipes and stories from Indian cities and coastal shorelines, for eating morning to midnight, and created from the past to the present. Most regions of India are covered, as well as stories of traders/settlers/immigrants. She's got street food, app bites, curries from the coast, holidays and high days' food, comfort food, and regional classics. Sample Delhi papri chaat, potato burger, hot lamb sandwich, tandoori-style sea bream, sindhi-style grilled fish, chana masala, even classic butter chicken. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart for the avoirdupois elements. Quality/price rating: 86. 17.BACO (Chronicle Books, 2017, 320 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-5468-8 $35 USD hardbound) is by Josef Centeno and Betty Hallock. He's the chef-owner of five LA restaurants; she's a food writer formerly at the LA Times. These preps come from his first restaurant, Baco Mercat, and represent both Turkish and Tejano (Texas) heritage. It's a chef cookbook from his collection of recipes, and it does have international inspirations, arranged for the home cook as – chapter 1 spicy/salty/pickled/preserved; chapter 2 fresh/green/snappy/light; chapter 3 bright/citrusy/zesty/hardy; chapter 3 buttery/crispy/tangy/herbal; chapter 5 earthy/sharp/velvety/savoury; chapter 6 creamy/nutty/crunchy/floral; chapter 7 tender/juicy/peppery/rich; chapter 6 flaky/fruity/caramely/tart, plus 11 drinks (mash, shrub). A nice way to deal with food distinctions. Try roasted golden beets with radishes, cucumbers, hazelnuts, and creamy poblano-feta dressing, or lebni with eggplant puree, fava “hummus” and za'atar, or hamachi crudo with adjika, yuzu-dashi vinaigrette, avocado, and potato croquettes. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Still, a fab production with photos and lots of notes about his cooking philosophy, and a great looking index with large typeface and lots of leading. Quality/price rating: 90. 18.SUPPER LOVE (Quadrille Publishing, 2017, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-049-4 $22.99 USD hardbound) is by David Bez, who currently owns and operates a London cafe serving his fave bowls for breakfasts, salads, and suppers. He began five years ago with Pride Kitchen, a blog dedicated to creating a new salad every work day. This led to the cookbook “Salad Love” followed by “Breakfast Love”. Here, he's got comfort bowls for quick and nourishing suppers. It is in two parts: soups and nourishing bowls, and each prep can be adapted for diets such as vegan or vegetarian with clearly marked alternative symbols. His primer covers about 50 pages and just about tells you everything you'll need to know to make your own, inventive bowls. Typical are blue cheese, radicchio, sweet potato and broth or shrimp, brown rice, broccoli and fish broth. A bowl of solids would have roasted pepper, parsnip, quinoa and dulse or smoked ham, Jerusalem artichoke, kale and yogurt. There's some metric measurements in the recipes, but it is just weights only. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 86. 19.FARM-TO-TABLE DESSERTS (Skyhorse Publishing, 2017, 185 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-1692-6 $22.99 USD hardbound) is by Lei Shishak, pastry chef working in Sun Valley and Los Angeles. She's authored two other cookbooks: the award-winning “Beach House Baking” and “Beach House Brunch”. Here she shares her local farmers' market locally sourced organic foods and gives recipes for creating desserts from them. Eighty sweet recipes are divided by season (beginning with spring), so everything is fresh and seasonal. She's got key lime bars, quince brown butter tarts, fried fuji apple pies, dulce de leche cheesecake with fuji apples, cantaloupe soup, cherry ice cream sandwiches – an amazing variety. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 20.HONEST TO GOODNESS (Whitecap, 2017, 200 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-302-1 $29.95 CAD papercovers) is an oversized book from Christine Tizzard, Newfoundlander food stylist and host of YouTube Channel and CBC TV (Best Recipes Ever). She shares over 100 nutritious preps along the line of comfort food for the family mealtime. It's all very practical and creative, and involves the whole family. It is arranged typically, from breakfast to “packed lunches” to supper (with its soups, salads, sides, mains, and desserts). There are separate chapters on theme nights, snacks, and even bake sale recipes good for the whole year's roster of celebratory sales-in-need-of something. One of my faves is the yummy spatchcock piri piri chicken, not too spicy yet still full of flavour. Or try the pole and bush bean salad with crispy chickpeas. Food is global, with Korean Asia, Indian, Mediterranean, etc. She makes cooking fun. She's got symbols for GF, V, NF (nut-free), LS (low-sugar). On page 4 there is a detailed anatomy of a recipe. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, and there is no tables of equivalents. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 21.THE PUMPKIN COOKBOOK. 2nd ed.(Storey Publishing, 2005, 2017, 248 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-833-7, $16.95 USD softbound) is by DeeDee Stovel, a cookbook author, caterer, and teacher. It was previously published in 2005, at a dollar more (!) but with 125 (now 139) recipes. Pumpkins, of course, are good for you: vitamins A and C plus potassium and protein. She emphasizes that you can use fresh or canned pumpkin. For example, she says it might be better to use canned pumpkin in her Thai pumpkin soup. She has variations, such as six different pie recipes. And there is something for each course. Useful sections show you how to make a pumpkin serving bowl, the differences and uses for roasted pumpkin, steamed, raw, canned and pepitas (seeds). The recipes are indexed, but the the canned and fresh pumpkin also have their separate entries on page 19. Some useful preps include pumpkin chutney, black bean quesadillas, roasted pumpkin parmesan polenta, pumpkin corn pudding, BBQ chicken thighs and pumpkin sauce, and pumpkin-pear galette. Winter squashes, known for their thicker skins, include acorn, butternut, buttercup, and hubbard. In many cases they can be interchangeable, paying attention to flavours. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 22.MADE IN VIETNAM (Hardie Grant Books, 2014, 2017, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-74379290-2 $29.99 USD paperbound) is by Tracey Lister and Andreas Pohl. It was originally published in 2014 as “Real Vietnamese Cooking”; this is the paperbound reprint that has also been revised. The authors have lived in Hanoi for years, and their cooking is the ease of family style. It's arranged by course: rice and bread, veggies and salads, seafood, poultry, meat, condiments and sweets. There's baby chicken chargrilled with kaffir lime leaves, tofu and banana flower salad, bitter gourd with duck eggs, fish cakes in young green rice, and smoky eggplant with young jackfruit salad. Good coverage in then almost 200 preps. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both avoirdupois and metric measurements, but there is no table equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR JULY 2017 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.THE DIRTY GUIDE TO WINE; following flavors from ground to glass (The Countryman Press, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-58157-384-8 $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Alice Feiring, a major force in the wine writing world with award-winning articles, books, and a blog (alicefeiring.com, since 2004). She's assisted by Pascaline Lepeltier Master Sommelier (MS) who strongly believes in terroir. For years there have been nothing really new in wine books except biographies, regional analyses, and tasting notes. What keeps it all fresh is that there are new vintages every six months (above and below the Equator) that require updating. However, this book is both new and DIFFERENT. It is all about TERRAIN: the wines discussed here are organized by bedrock, and include vines grown over igneus bedrock (basalt, granite), sedimentary (limestone, shale, mudstone, clay, gravel) and metamorphic (slate, schist, gneiss). There are select tasting notes that illustrate differences, and cheat sheets for the three major forms of bedrock. Bravo, well done! Audience and level of use: jaded wine lovers looking for new snob points. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Alsace stands alone with a variety of bedrocks. The downside to this book: not all the world is covered, but all of the largest producing regions are. The upside to this book: something unique, although there have been a few books about “volcanic” wines. Quality/Price Rating: 92+. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.ON THE ROAD WITH THE COOKING LADIES: LET'S GET GRILLING (Whitecap Books, 2017, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-297-0 $29.95 CAD softbound) is by Phyllis Hinz and Lamont Mackay, both former caterers, restaurateurs, consultants, and food writers. Now they are two RV-travel companions going through North America and gathering great grilling recipes – there are over 100 of them here, ranging from Philly cheesecakes to smoked Memphis-style dry ribs (see more below). It's part travel book too, with travel stories and photos (but not as many as some books have). It's not arranged by region but by food ingredient or plate: snacks, starters, sandwiches and burgers, pizza, pork, beef, poultry, seafood, lamb & game, veggies, and fruit and dessert. Plus a chapter on condiments. Still, I am not sure I'd like smoked bologna; I had enough of it while still a child. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: travelers, grill cooks, home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bacon-infused Malpeque oysters, paprika catfish, sesame-crusted scallops, teriyaki salmon tails, reverse-seared New York strip, smoked pork steaks, smokey squash bisque, mini-parsnip pancakes, smoked venison roast. The downside to this book: physically, the book is very tall and heavy, and I find this awkward in the kitchen – and this is why I usually make photocopies of the recipes to try. The upside to this book: great, fresh travel book as well as a source of North American grills. Quality/Price Rating: 91 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.WINE. ALL THE TIME; the casual guide to confident drinking (Plume, 2017, 294 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57416-0 $20 USD paperbound) is by Marissa A. Ross, a writer and humourist and the main wine columnist for Bon Appetit. She's had a blog (Wine. All the Time) since 2012. Here, it's a sassy book, full of her wit, with personal anecdotes scattered among the chapters. It's this year's wine primer, designed to give you some attitude if you know little about wine. The ten chapters cover the basics of winemaking, natural/bio/organic wines, how to taste wines, looking for the basic wines, regions, wine labels, buying/ordering, entertaining, and where to drink wine. I grew up with a book like this, the first Bluff Your Way in Wine (mid-1960s) from the David Frost empire. It was pocket-sized, very tiny at 64 pages: there was not much wine knowledge in the world at that time. Now, I can only imagine the weight on the mind of a newbie attempting to find out about wine without some kind of system. Back then, we only had Bordeaux, Burgundy, Chianti, Rioja, and Mondavi – maybe also New York. Anyway, a lot of what you need will be in the index and the glossary. I am disappointed, though, that vegan is not covered, nor is there a mention of Demeter as the biodynamic certification body. Audience and level of use: millennials The downside to this book: I never liked making light of alcohol, such as her “day drinking and night drinking”. The upside to this book: it will reward all the newbies. She introduces the natural wines early on in the book, for the benefit of millennials. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 4.TOSS YOUR OWN SALAD (St. Martin's Griffin, 2017, 248 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-09920-4 $19.99 USD softbound) is by Eddie McNamara, a recipe developer who runs “Toss Your Own Salad” on Tumblr. He's got over 100 preps for tasty salads that are all meatless. Coming from a guy who's a former police office, the recipes are bound to also appeal to other guys, especially the ones named “Green Inferno Salad” or “Nihilistic Frittata”. It's a do-it-yourself book, full of attitude – and certainly useful. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 86. 5.FIERY FERMENTS (Storey Publishing, 2017, 264 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-728-6 $24.95 USD softbound) is by Kirsten K. Shockey and Christopher Shockey, who had previously written “Fermented Vegetables”. This time they've added heat, with 70 international preps for hot sauces, mustards, pickles, chutneys, relishes, and kimchis. Chilies are here, of course, and also horseradish, ginger, and peppercorns to play with any of the 40 cultured vegetables and krauts. The hot preps basically cover brekkies, snacks, mains, and beverages. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: lovers of fermented foods. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chocolate-cranberry mole, spicy onion-mango ferment, Caribbean salsa, habanero relish, kumquat chutney, Thai dragon mint-cilantro paste. The downside to this book: I wanted more. The upside to this book: excellent unique topic for a cookbook Quality/Price Rating: 89. 6.THE NO MEAT ATHLETE COOKBOOK (The Experiment, 2017, 276 pages, ISBN 978-1-61519-266-3 $24.95 USD softbound) is by vegan Matt Frazier, author of “No Meat Athlete” and yoga teacher Stepfanie Romine, journalist and recipe developer for plant-based foods. The aim is to make athletes healthier and fitter by switching to whole plant foods. There's 125 vegan preps here, covering the full-range from breakfast to dinner, with salads, sides and small plates. There's a chapter on fuel and recovery, for before-during-after workouts. There's another chapter on upbeat sauces and salsas, dips, etc. to add flavour boosters. And some sweet desserts. It's a life changer for non-vegans, so there are some pages on meal planning for the rest of your life. Good ideas and good tips. Preparations have their ingredients listed mainly in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: athletes, those looking to change their lifestyle eating habits. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: jerk kidney beans; creamy herbed hemp dressing; Buddha bowl; green beans tahini; winter sunshine salad with grapefruit; “better than bone broth” mushrooms; garlicky rosemary potato soup; cilantro-coconut pesto. The downside to this book: it's a busy book, but I'm sure many athletes could handle the style. The upside to this book: lots of good advice Quality/Price Rating: 88. 7.THE WILDCRAFTED COCKTAIL (Storey Publishing, 2017, 234 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-742-2 $18.95 USD hardbound) is by Ellen Zachos, who teaches foraged mixology workshops via Remy Cointreau USA. She's written six books, including “Backyard Foraging” – see also www.backyardforager.com Seasonal foraged food will extend your cocktail horizons. She's got 50 recipes for bitters, garnishes, syrups, infusions, and juices using plants that may be readily found in backyards or farmers' markets, roadside fields, and even in the deep dark forests. These are berries, fruit, flowers, leaves, roots, and seeds which can be added to 45 cocktails. So she's got a total of 95 preps here – and a good section on muddling. The book could have been improved – at least for the international market – if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Audience and level of use: bartenders, at-home mixologists, the curious Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sassafras twig syrup; while strawberry shrub; quick pickled daylily buds; quick pickled Japanese knotweed stems; prickly pear jelly; wild ginger syrup; chanterelle-infused rum. The downside to this book: nothing really. The upside to this book: good topic, and fulfilling. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 8.THE HARVEST BAKER (Story Publishing, 2017, 304 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-767-5 $19.95 USD softbound) is by Ken Haedrich, author of more than a dozen cookbooks and a winner of the Julia Child Cookbook Award. The main intent of the book is to provide 150 preps for incorporating fresh produce into both savoury and sweet baked goods. So he's got savoury quiches, tarts, pot pies, pizza, calzones, yeast breads, buns, muffins, and scones. In sweets, he delivers cakes, pies, cookies, and bars. It's arranged by breads, mains and desserts, with added chapters on sauces and glazes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents (as there should be with scaled ingredients). Audience and level of use: home bakers, those with lots of veggies to use. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: spaghetti squash and parmesan quiche; brown sugar rhubarb tart; sweet potato buttermilk biscuits; Swiss chard galette; roasted beet, spinach, and feta cheese flatbread; spiced green tomato pie; pane ripieno; delicata squash dinner rolls; green pea and parmesan tartlets. The downside to this book: I wanted more herb recipes and fewer “sweets”. The upside to this book: good selection of savoury veggies. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 9.PASTA SECRETS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-818-5 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Laura Santini, an award-winning food writer for “Easy Tasty Italian” and “At Home with Umami”. Her newest on pasta uses fresh pasta, so she's got the basics on how to make past and gnocchi, as well as tips and advice through one-quarter of the book. The rest is all about the sauces (not all are Italian), which she has conveniently isolated into four parts as quick and easy, funghi and veggies, fish and seafood, and meat and poultry. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: new cooks, family cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: quick pad Thai; Singapore style; ricotta, green olive and basil; raw avocado carbonara; mushroom ragu; classic pesto genovese. The downside to this book: do we actually need another pasta book, even if it is fresh pasta? The upside to this book: good layout and photography. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 10.COOK LIKE A MAN (Skyhorse Publishing, 2017, 261 pages, ISBN 978-1-63450-737-0 $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Fritz Brand, a writer-photographer who documents his cooking on www.realmencancook.co.za which is based in South Africa. Brand believes that any self-respecting man should be able to cook, so the book is part guide and part cookbook. It's just a matter of getting your hands dirty, so to speak. He seems to feel that every guy can grill, but that's outside. Once inside, the man-cook shrivels. OK, so he starts with kitchen basics about what works and what doesn't. Faking it is included. There are 78 simple recipes with an emphasis on three themes: impressing a woman, feeding the boys on game night, and using leftovers. I know lots of guys who don't want to eat leftovers, but here these tasty bits of food are appealing. Cooking 101 here includes how to make mayo, brown meat, deglaze, anchovy butter, dice an onion, poach eggs – just the basics. Yet everything is heavy on the protein, but at least the guy at home can cook. Paleo, anyone? Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: men, maybe men only Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: basic food includes bacon cheeseburgers, spaghetti carbonara, Guinness beef short rib, beer battered fish and chips, and buttermilk pancakes. The downside to this book: the ingredients listing is in tiny print – why? There's lots of white space around. The upside to this book: it can get certain guys started. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.JUNK FOOD JAPAN (Absolute Press-Bloomsbury, 2017, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-4729-1992-2 $40 USD hardbound) is by Scott Hallsworth, who has worked at Nobu London, Park Lane, opening Nobu Melbourne, and then opening Mirai in Dubai. In 2013 he opened Kurobuta, now with two London locations. It's not really junk food here, but it does have elements of both Japanese and junk cuisine: lobster and chips, Jerusalem artichoke chopsticks, crab crunchies, iced sweet and sour nasu, wagyu beef sliders, and flamed edamame. All of it tasty – and you can see the junk elements in the plating. Excellent layout in the index. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric measurements, but there are tables of conversion equivalents. Quality/price rating: 90. 12.MARY BERRY EVERYDAY (BBC Books, 2017, 320 pages, ISBN 978-1-78594-168-9 $53.95 CAD hardbound) is by the star chef of her latest BBC series which ran in 2016. Here are 120 new preps from that TV show, meant to accompany her series, ranging from family dinners, entertaining, sweets, and weekend comforts. She hits the highlights of just about every food ingredient, and also adds her own special twist in concocting surprising flavours. The range: meats, game, poultry, fish, veggie, sides, salads, desserts plus teatime, sharing apps, first courses, and lunches. Interesting twists include more herbs and spices plus inspirations from Asia and Mexico, wines and spirits, condiments of oils and vinegars, lemons and limes. She's got a recipe finder apart from the index, for 30-minute meals, prep-ahead crowd pleasrs, low-prep winter warmer deserts, and easy teatime treats, And for entertaining, there is a locator for quick nibbles, express mains, and speedy desserts. There's a nicely chosen package of recipes too. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 13.JULIE TABOULIE'S LEBANESE KITCHEN (St. Martin's Griffin, 2017, 296 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-09493-3 $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Julie Ann Sageer with Leah Bhabha. The book accompanies the PBS show of the same name. She was also the host of the Emmy-nominated “Cooking with Julie Taboulie”. The theme, of course, is home-cooked Lebanese food, emphasizing the aromatic/flavourful side of Mediterranean cooking. She's got 125 family preps from her heritage, ranging from street food, mezze, skewers, sandwiches, seasonal salads, pickles, veggies, soups, stews, mains and sides, and sweets. Typical are labneh and ajin (yogurt and bread), atar (rose water syrup) and my faves sheikh el mahshi and kabis batenjen, both stuffed baby eggplants. At the end, there's a chapter on the Lebanese pantry and a resources list. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 14.RECIPES FROM THE HERBALIST'S KITCHEN (Storey Publishing, 2017, 304 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-690-6 $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Brittany Wood Nickerson, an herbalist who owns Thyme Herbal and offers cooking classes, lectures, conferences, and so forth. Her preps offer unexpected combinations such as lavender and dandelion flower muffins or rosemary/olive oil tea cake, or red grape chimichurri with dill and oregano. Every dish uses a large amount of culinary herbs to emphasize some healing properties. Her own arrangement is by a spiritual form with empowerment, awakening, nourishing, invigorating, comforting, challenging, transforming, adapting and sharing as the main theme chapters. It is all bound together by the index, which covers the herbs, the recipes, and the unhealthy conditions (acne, acid reflux, anemia – a wide range). Most of us get tired now and again, and for that she has some preps to enliven and energize: spinach and grapefruit salad with toasted pumpkin seeds, thyme and jalapeno pickled carrots, mint and feta bruschetta with chive blossoms, vital roots kimchi, and more. About 100 good recipes with lots of details. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 15.ALCHEMY OF HERBS (Hay House, 2017, 358 pages, ISBN 978-1-4019-5006-4 $24.99 USD paperbound) is by Rosalee de la Foret, a teacher and author of online courses at LearningHerbs [www.herbswithrosalee.com] She's got a whopping big crew of 21 log rollers endorsing the book, including Susun Weed. There is a lot of herbal info here as well as herbal healthful hints. Through this book, you'll find something about cinnamon tea to soothe your throat, ginger lemon tea for cold symptoms, cayenne salve to relieve sore muscles, and even an anti-oxidant such as spiced cold brewed coffee. It's arranged by taste of the herb: pungent, salty, sour, bitter, and sweet...just as our taste buds are. Twenty-nine herbs and spices are covered this way, along with a primer chapter. Each herb is described along with photos, properties, immune support possibilities, how to use, and a few recipes. There's a glossary and endnotes, plus a resources chapter. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 16.VEGETABLES ON FIRE (Chronicle Books, 2017, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-5824-2 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Brooke Levy who develops food pairings for Winemaker Salon and has cooked at Delfina Restaurant. She's also a food/travel writer and editor. Here she has 60 preps for veggies cooked on the grill, from cauliflower steaks to beets slow-cooked like brisket. It's arranged by type of vegetable with tomatoes/brassicas/squash up front, followed by green veggies (e.g., peas and beans), grains, corn, mushrooms, and roots. There's an opening primer on dips and drizzles and basic rubs, and a closing chapter on breads. Well-worth a look, for such as patatas bravas fries, charred leeks with blue cheese and walnuts, or coconut curry squash. However, I found the book difficult to read with its white on black typography; the listing of ingredients in red gets a bit lost in the black background. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there are no tables of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85 17.30 MINUTE CURRIES (Absolute Press Bloomsbury, 2017, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-4729-3777-3 $36 USD hardbound) is by Atul Kochhar, an owner of multiple restaurants around the globe, including Benares in Mayfair. He's also appeared on British TV cooking shows. Here he sums up the UK's most popular dish: curry – which may or may not be better if eaten out. He's simplified things for a regular kitchen, virtually promising a finished product in 30 minutes. It will call for a pantry (which he itemizes) and pre-bought ingredients, as well as a mis en place. But after that, it's quick to do, and even quicker when you get proficient at it and it becomes routine. Veggies and pulses cover most of the book (82 pages), followed by eggs and cheese, seafood, poultry, and meat. There's pyaz ki tarkari (onion stir-fry), shalijam kori (turnip curry), kacang bendi (stir-fried okra and eggs), and the classic kairi ka murgh (mango and chicken curry). Each prep has a photo of the plated food. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both avoirdupois and some metric measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 18.TAQUERIA (Hardie Grant Books, 2016, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-74379231-5 $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Paul Wilson, an Australian chef who also wrote “Cantina” about Mexican food. It comes with log rolling by Anthony Bourdain. It's a book of “new-style” fun and friendly Mexican cooking all based on taco culture. The 80 preps here are all classic and modern, utilizing fresh ingredients. There are five basic chapters: the important Latin Larder/Pantry, salsas/dips, salads and veggies, tacos, and beverages such as a variety of margaritas. It is also a very colourful book. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric (limited) and avoirdupois measurements, but there are no tables of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 19.LEMONS AND LIMES (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-806-2 $21.95 USD hardbound) is by well-known Ursula Ferrigno, who has written over 18 cookery books most emphasizing Mediterranean foods. She's been on UK TV quite a lot, does restaurant consultations, and runs classes at all Sur La Table stores. These 75 preps emphasize the freshness and vivacity of lemons and limes, with one excursion to pink grapefruit. The range is from small bites through soups/salads, meat/poultry, fish/seafood, veggies, and sweets plus drinks. Lemon mushroom arancini, pork dumplings in lime-leaf broth, spaghettini with calamari and lemons, and a smashing gin and tonic cake with lemon syrup. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87 20.NADIYA'S KITCHEN (Michael Joseph, 2016, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-71818451-3 $42.95 CAD hardbound) is by Nadiya Hussain, winner of Great British Bake Off in 2015, She's also a columnist and a TV host in the UK. It was originally published in 2016 in the UK; this is the North American release of the original book. Here are 100 simple family preps, ranging from brekkies to teatime to dinners to cakes. Chapters deal with Sunday brunches, snacks, small plates, a “dinner date”, midnight feasts, and sharing plates. The theme is UK family, with an emphasis on baked goods such as scones, pancakes, sausage rolls, za'atar and lemon palmiers, bakewell macaroons, parsnip and orange spiced cake, mushroom and cheese croissants. Classics and contemporary styles as well. But, the book could have been improved if it also used avoirdupois in the recipes as well as metric, or at least had a conversion or equivalents chart (this could limit sales in the USA). Quality/price rating: 86. 21.VINEGAR REVIVAL (Clarkson Potter,2017, 160 pages, ISBN 978-0-451-49503-7 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Harry Rosenblum, co-owner of the Brooklyn Kitchen, co-founder of the Meat Hook and Bierbox. He's also host of an old-time podcast on radio. The book turns back the clock in presenting heritage artisanal recipes for brightening dishes and drinks with homemade vinegars. Topics include making the vinegar master (and a primer on pasteurization, clarity, determining pH, testing, alcohol fermentation, and aging), infusions, shrubs, drinks and cocktails, and moves on to pickles and preserves. Then it is over to sauces, condiments, and vinaigrettes. After that, the dishes start: apps, mains, sides, desserts. It's an amazing resource through 50 recipes plus some experimentals. Try rosemary maple shrub, dashi mayonnaise, saucy piquant pork chops, or a vinegar compote. One for the sour lovers! But the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 22.FAVORITE RECIPES WITH HERBS. Revised and Updated Good Books, 2017, 337 pages, ISBN 978-1-68099-204-5 $17.99 USD paperbound) is by Dawn Ranck Hower and Phyllis Good. It was last published in 2003 as a spiral bound book. Here it is revised, with an additional author, Phyllis Good (both ladies are responsible for selling millions of cookbooks). Hundreds of easy preps have been enlivened with full colour photos. Not every herb is here, but those you will most likely encounter include basil, parsley, rosemary, bay leaf, lemon balm, thyme, lovage, chives, mint, sage, tarragon, oregano, marjoram, dill and cilantro. I did not run across any savory. The 14 herbs are all discussed separately, while the recipes are arranged from apps to desserts. There is an alphabetical index to the recipes and an index to the foods by name of herb, subdivided by course. Typical are lemon thyme cookies, rosemary garlic stir-fry, and tarragon chicken salad. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 23.FABULOUSLY FRENCH COOKING (Skyhorse Publishing, 2015, 2017, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-2113-5, $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Cathleen Clarity, a professional chef from the US Midwest who now lives in Paris and offers cooking classes. It comes with some heavy duty log rolling (including Alice Waters). The bok was originally published in Germany in 2015; this is it's first appearance in North America. She's got a dozen menus with 70 classic but simple and elegant preps. Presumably these are from her classes as she gives instructions and professional advice on prepping, cooking, and entertaining. Menus include a spring family lunch, a ladies' lunch, lunch for teens, Saturday night dinner from the fish market, other Saturday night dinners for meat lovers and autumn harvests, and one menu for “The French Chicken” (caramelized chicken wings, chicken consomme with dumplings, stuffed chicken thighs, and a rice pudding for dessert). Very readable with good leading, type font and white space. A good book for beginners or those who need a menu for ideas for a special meal. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86 24.SUSHI; taste and technique (DK Books, 2002, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-2984-1 $20 USD hardbound) is by Kimiko Barber and Hiroki Takemura. Kimiko specializes in writing about Japanese food and culture; Hiroki has been a sushi chef for decades and now works as one in Turkey. DK originally published the book in 2002; this is the revised edition, some 15 years later. It's a basic book covering definitions, etiquette, beverages, utensils, ingredients, and the prime preps. Other basic chapters cover fish, shellfish and roe. Then there are six sections on the basic sushi: scattered sushi, stuffed, pressed, rolled, hand-formed, and sashimi. There is a two page glossary which is mainly translations for ingredients or equipment (e.g., gari = pickled ginger). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86 25.SALADS & DRESSINGS (DK Books, 2017, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-6199-5 $14.95 USD paperbound) is a publisher's series book, with reprinted preps from 16 previous books, such as The Cooking Book (2008) through to Plant-Based Cookbook (2016). There are 100 salad dishes here, including a range of salad bowls and salad jars. On page 186 we are advised to re-invent any of the salad recipes in the book by mixing it up with an entirely different dressing. On this page, there is an index to 45 such dressings and sauces – all of this really extends the book. After a salad primer, it is arranged by ingredient: fish/seafood, poultry/meat, cheese, grains/pulses, fruit/veggies – with lots of yummy photos. The book could have been improved if it also used more than minimal metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR MAY 2017 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.THE PERFECT OMELET (The Countryman Press, 2017, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-58157-366-4 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by John E. Finn, professional chef and a professor emeritus of government. Much of his writing has appeared in academic pubs. Here he seeks the “perfect” omelet (he was raised by an omelet-obsessed mother). He describes what “perfect” is in this context, with chapters on cultural history and techniques. The he moves on to breakfast and brunch, luncheon and dinner, international (frittata, tortilla, but no okonomiyaki [Japanese omelet-pancake]), and sweets. All of this is followed by a good detailed bibliography and end notes. It is a good reference book. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: singles, beginning cooks, homemakers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: tamagoyaki with scallions; omelet with lobster, shrimp, truffles and tomatoes; Persian eggplant omelet; creamed shrimp and crab omelet; fiddlehead frittata; stuffed Thai omelet with veal; chocolate souffle omelet. The downside to this book: metric conversion tables would be useful The upside to this book: he has a series of master techniques: Folded, Souffle, Flat, Rolled. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.A FARMGIRL'S TABLE (Gibbs Smith, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-4218-3 $24.99 USD hardbound) is a second book on US farm life by Jessica Robinson. She grew up on a Connecticut farm, married and then moved to a North Carolina farm. She writes and photographs for her blog, Carolina Farmhouse Kitchen. It is all homespun and fancy-free, with chapters dealing with the seasons, BBQ, pantries, summer celebrations, hearty meals and desserts at harvest time, breads and pastries, and cooking from scratch. The book is part memoir too. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those interested in the farm life, homemakers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sausage gravy; berry-swirled pops; red velvet marble cake; tangy farmhouse coleslaw; Gorgonzola-bacon stuffed mushrooms; blueberry-pecan salad; lemon-blueberry scones. The downside to this book: it's a bit too general in tone. The upside to this book: a good sequel to The New England Farmgirl. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 3.HOMEGROWN PANTRY (Storey Publishing, 2017, 320 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-578-7, $22.95 USD paperbound) is by Barbara Pleasant, who has written many books on organic gardening. Her articles appear regularly in Mother Earth News/Living. It's a basic guide to planning a garden that will not only feed you through the year but also provide materials for creating a pantry. She's got a gardener's guide to selecting the best varieties and planting the perfect amounts: 55 popular veggies, fruits (berries and tree fruits) and herbs (kitchen and tea). There are also preservation techniques such as canning, pickling, root cellaring, fermenting, and dehydrating. So for corn, there is how much (50 row feet per person), stellar varieties (Luscious, Ambrosia, Bodacious), and best ways to preserve (freeze, can or dry). Very nicely laid out. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: beginning gardeners Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: there's usually one recipe per plant, just the basics to get it all going. The downside to this book: I'd like at least two recipes per plant. The upside to this book: an excellent reference book Quality/Price Rating: 87. 4.WILL IT SKILLET? (Workman, 2017, 208 pages, ISBN 978-0-7611-8743-1, $14.95 USD paperbound) is by food writer Daniel Shumski, and a followup to his WILL IT WAFFLE? Book. Here he explores one pan with a variety of different uses. The basic techniques are charring, roasting, baking, and toasting. No need to grill if the skillet can char; no need to toast if the skillet can do it. You can cover it for a braise, do a small paella, make a tortilla, and do a variety of one-pot meals for singles or doubles at home. He has 53 recipes to make in a cast-iron skillet, although many can be made in a stainless steel skillet too. There are many other skillet cookbooks, but this one has a lot of variations, allows you to develop your own skillet recipes, and is also affordable at under $15 US. He covers the range of breakfast, brunch, snacks, sides, mains and desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: students, beginning cooks, singles Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: okonomiyaki; Parmesan tuiles; gnocchi with goat cheese and skillet roasted tomatoes; potato-crusted ham quiche; pluot clafoutis. The downside to this book: I wanted more The upside to this book: confidence and conversion tables. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 5.LOVE YOUR LUNCHES (Hardie Grant Books, 2017, 144 pages ISBN 978-1-78488-095-8 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Bec Dickinson, cake baker, food stylist, and Melbourne OZ blogger. She concentrates on the lunch box “al desko” with 50 riveting lunch bags. She's got some handy tips for lunch on the go, desk drawer essentials, communal feasts and potlucks at work, and healthy snacks for later in the day. It's arranged by format: frozen ahead, the night before preps, the morning preps, the afternoon slump, the leftover-holdover-madeovers, and the sharing. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: students, workers, singles. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: miso salmon parcels with Asian noodles; light and creamy green spelt penne pasta; cajun-spiced sweet potato quinoa fritters; zucchini ribbons with pea mint salad; pearl barley, halloumi and pickled veggie salad. The downside to this book: I wish there were more recipes. The upside to this book: good selection for all manner of tastes. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 6.YUMUNIVERSE PANTRY TO PLATE (The Experiment, 2017, 312 pages, ISBN 978-1-61519-340-0 $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Heather Crosby, a recipe developer and wellness advocate of plant-based foods. She has created www.glutenfreebakingacademy.com and is the author of YumUniverse: Infinite possibilities for a Gluten-Free, Plant-Powerful, Whole-Food Lifestyle. That book's website offers more than 500 free recipes. Here the stress is on improvising meals from you have around you at home. No real recipes are required. The classic example is putting together some vegetables, some protein, a binder and some herbs/spices to create – veggie burgers! She's got 30 recipe templates to freestyle plant-based, gluten-free meals and snacks, plus 100 preps that show the templates in action. A classic is: flour + sweet + puree + oil + acid = muffins. Well worth looking at. After a primer, chapters begin on page 35 with breakfast, moving on to lunch, mains, and sweets. If you are not vegan, then add-ons are possible (eggs, honey). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric and some conversion tables (by ingredient) at the back. Audience and level of use: plant-based eaters, vegans (with a honey caveat) Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: seed-powered acorn squash fries; Chinese five-spice lentil and pecan crunch; buckwheat and chickpea bites; lots-a-noodles red curry soup. The downside to this book: honey is used in three recipes, but can be omitted. The upside to this book: There is an cook-by-ingredient index 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.PRAISE THE LARD (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, 336 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-70249-3 $25 USD hardbound) is by Mike and daughter Amy Mills. They own 17th Street Barbecue restaurants in Illinois; Mike is also a partner in Blue Smoke in NYC. Mike is in the Barbecue Hall of Fame; Amy is a BBQ consultant for branding, marketing and pr work. Their previous BBQ book was a Beard nominee. It is a thorough and comprehensive work, coming with some heavy-duty logrolling as well. Their premise is the holy trinity of Esses: seasoning, smoke and sauce. It's a heavy-duty book featuring classic pit-smoked meats, but there are adaptations to backyards and casual family dining. Still, the feed-a-crowd preps are in one of the largest chapters. You can get more details at www.17bbq.com/resources They've got 8 basic useful rubs and 7 basic sauces (blackberry and raspberry and apricot, mustard and chipotle and habanero, et al). They've got temperature guides and lots of tips. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. 8.SO GOOD (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-66331-2 $30 USD hardbound) is for the fans of Richard Blais who has appeared many times on Top Chef, Food Network, MasterChef, and other shows (besides owning restaurants in Atlanta, Nashville, Birmingham, San Diego and Los Angeles). These are about 100 of his home-style preps for families (no liquid nitrogen) but rather leg of lamb roasted in hay with rosemary and garlic potatoes, sweet-and-sour ham hocks with mustard greens, and spicy green pozole. There are also some memoir materials here to emphasize the family connections, and Rachel Ray and Emeril Lagasse lead off the logrollers. Once again, the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87. 9.MASTERCHEF STREET FOOD OF THE WORLD (Absolute Press, 2017, 304 pages, ISBN 978-1-4729-0916-9 $35 USD hardbound) is by food writer Genevieve Taylor, with sourced contributions from MasterChef TV champions such as Ping Coombes (UK), Christine Ha (USA), Simon Wood (UK), and others from Australia, France, and Denmark – 13 in all. This is a pretty full collection, arranged by continent. Canada turns up with butter tarts; bacalaito comes from Puerto Rico. Venezuela has arepas, Peru has ceviche, El Salvador has pupusas. There's also Cajun shrimp po' boy, tamales with pulled pork, fricasse Tunisienne, and socca Nicoise wraps. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly metric measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 90. 10.SIMPLY FISH (Skyhorse Publishing, 2017, 209 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-1750-3 $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Matthew Dolan, owner-chef of Twenty-Five Lusk in San Francisco. Here he concentrates on the plenitude of West Pacific Coast seafood – so it is more than just fish. The 75 preps include such as Bay scallop fish tacos, various tuna (albacore, yellowfin), salmon, petrale, rock cod, ling cos, mussels, halibut, prawns, et al. Sustainable seafood is the theme, and here it is arranged by season beginning with winter. There is even a chapter on the whole fish and larger gatherings. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 11.SHAKE SHACK (Clarkson Potter, 2017, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-553-45981-4 $26 USD hardbound) is by Randy Garutti and Mark Rosati. Randy is CEO of Shake Shack; Mark is Culinary Director of Shake Shack. The roadside burger-and-shake stand has locations around the world. Part cookbook, part memoir stories, the package includes a format designed to keep millennials happy. There's lots of material on how Shake Shack came to be and spread. The original menu had a variety of burgers and dogs, with the works for each and crinkle cut french fries. For dessert there was frozen custards with housemade toppings, cookies, donuts and beverages. The preps are all given separate chapters. The burger chapter has immense detail on the hamburger in the USA, along with the anatomy of a ShackBurger. The hot dog chapter is similar, as is the crinkle cut french fries. Th come all the shakes. A fun book, well worth reading, and as a gift. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 86. 12.KNIFE (Flatiron Books, 2017, 246 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-07917-6 $29.99 USD hardbound) is by John Tesar, who has opened two restaurants in Dallas and had appeared on Top Chef TV show. He's with Beard Award-winning food and wine writer Jordan MacKay. Can this be a slasher cookbook? Well, the subtitle does say “Texas steakhouse meals at home”. There are some details about his cooking life, about beef, and about equipment. The emphasis is definitely on steak but there are other cuts in other chapters as well, including beef sandwiches and burgers, charcuterie and tartares. Anything that involves a knife – so those skills need to be emphasized. The unusual also appears, such as bacon-crusted bone marrow or pork blood sausage or octopus with chorizo. Sides are covered, and the last chapter is called “One Dessert” – which is chocolate coffee tart. But you'll need the book for the steaks and their sauces/rubs. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 13.HOME COOK (Guardian Books Faber and Faber, 2017, 320 pages, ISBN 978-1-78335096-4 $53.95 CAD hardbound) is by Tomasina Miers, who was the winner of BBC MasterChef 2005, and has gone on to cheffing about and co-founding UK's Wahaca group (Mexican food). She's also written a pile of cookbooks, including two dealing with Mexican food. These 300 recipes have probably been published in the (Manchester) Guardian's Weekend Cook series. It's a family oriented book, fuss-free and easy to do preps for the home. She's got bowls (who hasn't these days?), bites and salads, weekends, daily dinners, kids' food, some sweet items, and a pantry to pull it all together. Try her black bean and chorizo soup or chestnut and spelt with chorizo soup. Very tasty is her sobresada, avocado and pecorino pizza. The for dessert there is coconut and jasmine rice pudding. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 14.FULL MOON SUPPERS AT SALT WATER FARM (Roost Books, 2017, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-61180-332-7, $35 USD hardbound) is by Annemarie Ahearn, who owns Salt Water Farm cooking school in Maine. These are 12 seasonal dinners derived from more than 100 sold-out dinners at the farm. Each supper includes details of the month on climate and kitchen tasks. This is followed by a menu based on that description. It's arranged by month, beginning with January (sea urchin butter on toast, potato gnocchi, roasted beets, poached cod, cinnamon rice pudding) to December (oysters Rockefeller, chestnut soup, bitter greens, rib eye, linzer torte). She gives full details on how to prepare, of course, but also a primer on the general nature of entertaining. Wine recommendations might have been useful, particularly the of the fruit variety. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 15.FABIO'S 30-MINUTE ITALIAN (St. Martin's Press, 2017, ISBN 978-1-250-10995-8 $27.99 USD hardbound) is by Fabio Viviani, who has appeared on Top Chef and now has a chain of restaurants – 16 in all nationally. A perfect fan-based audience for his latest book. He had earlier written Fabio's Italian Kitchen. The log-rollers here are other chefs and restaurant owners. The emphasis is family food in 30 minutes or less. The secret, of course, is the mise en place and the pantry/larder. Get everything together and away you go. Just no socializing if you want to get the job done. Over 100 recipes include such as 15-minute seafood cioppino, baked gruyere/grana padano and caramelized onion tart, white chocolate souffles, orange and calabrian pepper sauce, and chunky pork and veal bolognese sauce. Stories and memories also abound within the covers. The arrangement of the book is from apps to desserts. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 16.THE NEW AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION COOKBOOK. 9th ed. (Harmony Books, 2017, 536 pages, ISBN 978-0-553-44718-7 $35USD hardbound) was first published in 1973. Since then it has been regularly revised and updated about every 6 – 7 years. This edition has more than 800 preps, 100 of which are all-new recipes and 250 have been updated. These are preps that emphasize the heart-smart life. There have been useful spinoffs, such as the AHA book for low-salt cooking, healthy family meals, low-cholesterol cookbook, slow cooker meals, grilling/braising, and more. Nutritional data is supplied for each recipe, but appears to be at odds with the American style of listing quantities with the ingredients. The book could have been improved if it also used or included metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Still, food doesn't get much healthier than this...Quality/price rating: 88. 17.HOW TO DRINK FRENCH FLUENTLY (Ten Speed Press, 2016, 2017, 160 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-58029-1 $18.9 USD hardbound) is by Drew Lazor, a food and drink writer for Punch, Conde Nast Traveler, Bon Appetit. It was originally published in 2016 by Punch, and here it has wider distribution. This is billed as a guide to joi de vivre with cocktails made with St. Germain, an elderflower liqueur that is extremely popular now in North America. Contributions here come from a variety of mixologists in the USA; there are 30 cocktail recipes here. The arrangement is by category: brunch drinks, daytime, aperitif, dinner, and nightcap. He's also got material on food pairing and syrups. Each prep is sourced as to contributor. There are a wide variety of spirits but most appear to be vodka or gins. Appeals to the millennial include Nudie Beach with its syrups (ginger, honeydew), passion fruit puree, rose water and lime juice. But is a fairly flexible book with variations possible. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 18.THE MEDITERRANEAN TABLE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-813-0 $24.95 USD hardbound) is a publisher's book collecting some 150 Mediterranean-style preps that are fresh/simple/delicious for lunch, BBQ, al fresco. The range is all around the basin, and from veggies through meats to desserts. Everything here is meant to be eaten by the “sea”, with small plates, summer soups, salads, lunches, grills and drinks. Miriam Catley was the editor; 17 contributors (part of the RP&S stable of writers) range from Ghillie Basan, Maxine Clark, Ursula Ferrigno, through the prolific Jenny Linford. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 19.GOOD VEG (The Experiment, 2016, 2017,322 pages, ISBN 978-1-61519-286-1 $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Alice Hart. It was originally published in 2016 as The New Vegetarian by Square Peg in the UK. She deals with bold international flavours as appeal to non-vegetarians. Here are veggies, fruits and grains, arranged by categories of “mornings”, “grazing”, quick, thrifty, gatherings, grains, raw, and “afters”. She's got a pantry with preps for pickles, jams, mustards, dressings, sauces, relishes, and pastes – all full of flavour and spicy (not necessarily “hot”). Try the spiced buckwheat waffles with mango, bhel puri, the lemongrass banh mi, or the quinoa and fava bean falafel. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some slight metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents. “Have the perfect supper on the table daily” as Nigella Lawson log-rolled. Quality/price rating: 88. 20.YOGURT EVERY DAY (Appetite by Random House, 2015, 2017, 198 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-753042-4 $24.95 CAD paperbound) is by Hubert Cormier, registered dietitian and Ph.D. Candidate in nutrition. It was originally published in Quebec and in French by La Semaine in 2015; this is the English translation. The 75 recipes (including making your own) cover the bases of breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts and snacks. Preps for lunch include lentil patties, soft-boiled eggs and green pea salad, cauliflower cream, and a variety of sandwiches. Each recipe has a photo of the plated dish. Try the avocado lassi or the crunchy corn guacamole. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, with nutritional value data per serving. Quality/price rating: 88. 21.MY GREEK FAMILY TABLE (The Countryman Press, 2009, 2017, 234 pages, ISBN 978-1-68268-078-0 $29.95 USD hardbound) was originally published in 2009 by Penguin Australia. Its author Maria Benardis founded the Greekalicious cooking school in Sydney, but now lives in NYC and still teaches Greek cooking classes. This is another Greek cookbook with a family get-together orientation; it is good to have these books as a sort of way to preserve Greek heritage cooking. The categories include salads, messes, veggie dishes, seafood, meat and poultry, and sweets. The book has been updated with more material about the healing properties of Greek greens; the photos are the originals from 2009. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 85 22.A FIELD GUIDE TO WHISKY (Artisan Books, 2015, 2017, 320 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-751-2 $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Hans Offringa, contributing editor for Europe for Whisky Magazine, tasting judge, and lecturer on whisky. It was originally published in 2015 in the Netherlands; this is the translation for the English-language market. It's a gift package with black-gilded pages and 230 colour photos. He begins with the top five whisky nations, goes through the distillation process, and then tastes the spirit and matches up with food pairings. So there is stuff on how to get the most out of your glass, how to read a whisky label, which whiskies to try first, investing in whisky, and more. There are maps, travel and festival resources. A lot of the book is in Q & A format. It's a great book for beginners or millennials who wish to advance their knowledge. Quality/price rating: 86. 23.175 BEST SMALL-BATCH BAKING RECIPES (Robert Rose, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0561-8 $27.95 CAD paperbound) is by Jill Snider, which has written seven baking books. She managed the test kitchen of a flour company for 25 years. Here she offers us 175 preps for small-baked goods. These are all treats for one or two people. Some of the recipes in this book appeared in a different form in “Bake Something Great” (Robert Rose, 2011). Treats include cookies (drop, refrigerator, pressed, shaped, biscotti, shortbread, chocolate), bars and squares (including no-bake), quick breads and muffins, cakes, mini pies and tarts, and “spoonable desserts”. There is even a chapter on gluten-free desserts. An excellent book for those who do not have a lot of storage space or who use hand mixing: perfect for singles, seniors, couples, small families. The book is also enhanced by variations. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 87. 24.EATING WELL QUICK AND CLEAN (Houghton Mifflin, 2017, 272 pages, ISBN 989-0-544-92550-2 $22 USD paperbound) is drawn from the pages of Eating Well magazine. 26 contributors are cited, including Carolyn Casner, Carolyn Malcoun, and Breana Lai who seemed to have contributed the most number. For over two decades, EW has worked on new ways to make exciting the healthy choices for eating. There are 100 achievable and easy recipes, each with a short list of ingredients and each with whole foods ready for dinner in under 45 minutes (there is also a chapter on under 20 minute preps). Covered too are breakfasts, lunch, and snacks. Typical are asparagus tabbouleh, braised cauliflower and squash penne pasta; chilly dilly cucumber soup, cashew and three-seed chocolate bark, and cornbread- topped chili casserole. Family dining at its finest! Special-interest indexes include gluten-free and vegan. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 89. ---------------------------------------------------- ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR APRIL 2017 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.THE BOAT DRINKS BOOK (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-47293-066-1 $20 USD paperbound) is by Fiona Sims. Hey it's even out by summer! She promotes a different tipple in every port, thus giving you the opportunity to come up with an excuse to do some real sailing. This is the drinking culture in key sailing spots around the world. She notes the region and the drinks that are relatively unique to that area, what the locals drink, how it is made, where to go and enjoy it, and what to eat with it. Her coverage embraces distilleries, breweries, and wineries within a short taxi ride of the harbour. She's also got 30 cocktail and drink recipes for local bartending on board. Plus some bar snack suggestions. The arrangement is by region: Atlantic, Mediterranean, Baltic, Pacific, and Caribbean. Canada is included too, but just the West Coast in the Pacific section, and just Okanagan wines. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: especially boaters Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: for the west coast of France there are nibbles of artichoke/feta/ham tart; Florida Keys' nibbles are black bean salsa; in Sweden, try a gravadlax and beetroot. The downside to this book: I wanted more The upside to this book: great idea Quality/Price Rating: 90 * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.PORRIDGE (Quadrille Publishing, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-903-3, $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Anni Kravi, a Helsinki-based recipe developer and food artist concentrating on meditative preparation of bowl food. Here she looks at oats, seeds (quinoa, amaranth, raw buckwheat), grains, and rice for sweet dishes, savoury, breakfasts, bowls and snacks. All the recipes are free of dairy, sugar, and meat and are vegan-friendly with options. Porridge, of course, is more than just oats. They can be cooked for winter and raw-soaked for summers. Variations abound, so there are more than just 50 preps here. This is not your mother's muesli...Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: vegans and others into bowl-culture. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: all of these come with toppings of various berries and more: double chocolate and quinoa; spiced apple-peanut butter and jelly; blueberry and cardamom; carrot, honey (with vegan options) and rye. The downside to this book: too short – I wanted more. The upside to this book: what a great looking book! Quality/Price Rating: 91 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.SIMPLE GREEN SUPPERS (Roost Books, 2017, 250 pages, ISBN 978-1-611-80-336-5 $24.95 USD paperbound) is by cook/farmer/writer Susie Middleton, former chief editor for Fine Cooking magazine. She now lives year round on Martha's Vineyard and contributes free-lance articles and award winning cookbooks. Here she promotes a fresh strategy for one-dish vegetarian meals. It's arranged by meatless add-on, so there are separate chapters for “veggies + noodles”, +grains +beans +toast +tortillas +eggs and +broth. Nice deal. The strategy is sort of like a bowl, with the food being prepared around 30 minutes, plus or minus. Some of the fundamental techniques here means that some food is prepared, such as pre-cooked veggies and pre-made (by you) salad dressing. This gets the food on the table quickly. So a larder/pantry is necessary, as is the make-aheads of cooked grains, cooked chickpeas, toasted nuts, sauces, and roasted veggies. About 200 recipes with variations and pantry. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: vegetarians and even meat-lovers for that hearty veggie plate. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: little greens quesadillas; plum-tomato with fresh ginger salsa; spicy lime chili oil; spiced lentil and sweet potato soup; savoury french toast with spinach and strawberry-maple balsamic sauce. The downside to this book: no metric The upside to this book: good concept for one dish meals Quality/Price Rating: 88. 4.GREEN KITCHEN AT HOME (Hardie Grant Books, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-084-2, $35 USD hardbound) is by David Frenkiel and Luise Vindahl, authors of three other veggie books for Hardie Grant. Their award-winning blog is “Green Kitchen Stories”, complemented by two best selling apps for iPhone and iPad. The family currently lives in Stockholm; he does graphic design, such as the food photography for this book, while she is a nutritional therapist. The 100 vegetarian preps here stress family dining at home, from breakfasts through diners to elaborate entertaining. Much of it is easy to make by the whole family having hands in it, and some of it is gluten-free. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: vegetarians or those seeking healthy family food. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: baked fennel, watermelon and goat's cheese summer salad; strawberry and pesto pasta salad; banana and spinach pancakes; Middle Eastern cauliflower and lentil salad; cauli fish and chips; farinata with roasted grapes and ricotta; raspberry mousse and chia parfait; no recipe curry. The downside to this book: a few too many photo shots of the family. The upside to this book: there are sections on larders and prepping for fridge storage. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 5.VEGETARIAN ANY DAY (Penguin Books, 2017, 216 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-319049-3 $24 USD paperbound) is by Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming, both sisters who wrote the stunning Quinoa 365 a few years back. They return with seven more quinoa recipes plus about 100 other healthy meatless preps. It's arranged by topic, from small plates and sides through soups and stews and salads, sandwiches, pizza, baked casseroles and one-pots, and pasta. And nice to see some Canadian log rollers too with their endorsements. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: new cooks, vegetarians and good food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chipotle sweet potato tacos with grilled pineapple salsa; warm cauliflower and chickpea mixed green salad with white balsamic vinaigrette; watercress, lentil and beet salad with pomegranate molasses; oyster mushroom and rosemary ragu on polenta; creamy curry, chickpea, broccoli and red pepper salad. The downside to this book: I wanted more. The upside to this book: excellent selection of preps, complete with bibliography. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 6.THE VEGETARIAN ATHLETE'S COOKBOOK (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-63286-643-1 $20 USD paperbound) is by Anita Bean, registered nutritionist and health journalist with some bestselling cookbooks in the sports field. Her book “The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition” is now in its eighth edition. Here she gives us 100 or more recipes for active living. All of it is fast and easy, and quite appealing to vegetarians and vegans. The preps are divided by topic: breakfasts, soups, salads, mains, desserts, sweet and savoury snacks, smoothies and shakes. There is an extensive section on source references and websites. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: vegetarians, vegans Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: avocado toast; carrot soup with quinoa; butternut squash with cannellini beans; apricot and almond cookies; walnut burgers; “ultimate” veggie soup; spicy chickpea and spinach stew; rainbow salad with goat's cheese. The downside to this book: I was expecting more recipes The upside to this book: there is an extensive section on source references and websites. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 7.EAT MORE GREENS (Quadrille Publishing, 2016, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-916-3, $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Zita Steyn, founder of UK's Food Fights and consults on incorporating healthy food into everyday life. She wants us all to eat more greens. So she's created a pile of recipes that will be tasty and beyond greenness. There are new ways to incorporating greens into the daily food; creative ways to encourage children to eat more greens; and some suggestions for plant-based diets in general (often leading to veganism). The 90 preps here concern leafy greens, green veggies and herbs, scattered among soups, mains, dips, salads, and dessert cakes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: vegetarians Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: oat and kale breakfast biscuits; Belgian endive and shallot tarte Tatin; chard and feta savoury muffins; collard greens and pumpkin seed rye sourdough; raw lemon and lime curd tartlets; sweet potato and nettle coconut loaf. The downside to this book: I was hoping for a tourte de blettes (sweet dessert with Swiss chard, from Provence) but there was not even a mention here. The upside to this book: good concept, baking section is best. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 8.FERMENT FOR GOOD (Hardie Grant, 2017, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1243792094, $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Sharon Flynn, who now has an Australian business called The Fermentary which makes and sells unpasteurized fermented foods and drink to the land of Oz. Fermented food has been characterized as being the slowest and oldest fast food. This is a good handbook,loaded with references and help from others. She's got a basic primer and a recommended reading list, as well as descriptions and techniques. The book is in four sections: vegetables, milk and dairy, drinks, and Japan (which explores that country's lifestyle in fermenting). This is ancient food for the modern gut. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: those looking for fermented foods Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: carrot, turmeric and ginger kraut; continuous brew kombucha or jun; fermented honey and garlic; kefir dough; maple syrup shrub; gateway mead; yogurt from chili stems; kefir pancakes; assorted brine ferments. The downside to this book: very small type for the index, which makes it hard to see because of the light inking on the mauve paper. Lots of text to wade through but it is very productive. The upside to this book: very handy bookmark ribbon for cross-referencing. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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 – 9.GRILL SMOKE BBQ (Quadrille, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-715-2 $35 USD hardbound) is by Ben Tish, chef-director of UK's Salt Yard Group of restaurants. It opens up the 2017 season of BBQ books with “we were determined to make it [this book] different (hopefully) from other barbecue books out there, and to show you how versatile barbecuing can be”. He emphasizes the big fat smokey flavours. His book is arranged by topic: breakfast and brunch, tapas and small plates (largest chapter in the book), large plates, sides, and desserts. His suppliers list embraces both the UK and North America. His preps include some basics such as brines and cures of smoked salt and butter, chorizo ketchup, mojo verde, plus crunchy shallot and garlic salsa cruda. Desserts include charcoal-grilled peaches with lavender honey and mascarpone ice cream, carmelized oranges with orange flower yogurt and honeycomb, and smoky rice pudding with pomegranate molasses. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89 101.JAPANESE PATISSERIE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-810-9 $24.95 USD hardbound) is by James Campbell, head pastry chef at many UK restaurants (including Michelin-starred ones). Currently, he;s a product development manager for Marks & Spencer specializing in Japanese food. So here are 50 elegant recipes for desserts and confectionery with a contemporary Japanese twist: cookies, macarons, tarts, gateaux and savouries. Fusion at its finest, arranged by form (small cakes, sweet tarts, large cakes, “desserts”, cookies, savouries). Try furikake popcorn, gyoza chicken wings, yakitori chicken, match-pink peppercorns-wild strawberry madeleines, or apricot-tahini-sesame donuts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 87. 11.GLUTEN-FREE COOKING FOR TWO (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-82868-1, $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Carol Fenster, a food writer who has written many GF books and articles. She has also appeared on PBS. Here she has 125 downsized preps for two people, divided as to breakfast-brunch, soups-stews-sandwiches, mains, sides, breads and desserts. She's also got the basics of shopping and stocking and planning for the smaller household, which makes the book more valuable for any couple who are eating less of almost anything, not just GF foods. Every prep has details on kitchen equipment and kitchen waste, plus of course the usual nutritional data. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Very useful as a couples' cookbook. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements as noted, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87 12.FOOD SWINGS (Ballantine Books, 2017, 276 pages, ISBN 978-1-101-96714-0, $32 USD hardbound) is by Jessica Seinfeld, food author of three other cookbooks. She's also the president and founder of GOOD+ Foundation which supports more than 100 anti-poverty programs in the US. It's a mixed book of some 125 preps ranging from healthy through indulgent: virtue and vice. It's divided into two: Virtue is up first, with breakfast, meals, and dessert, followed by Vice, with breakfast, meals, and dessert. It's a good concept. There's no real nutritional data, but the ingredients clearly let you know what is a vice and what is a virtue. Virtue is celebrated with quinoa and date muffins, ginger salmon with sesame cucumbers, and whole roasted cauliflower with tomatoes and garlic. Vice is celebrated with fluffy buttermilk pancakes and roasted berry syrup, lasagna bolognese, and chocolate fudge cake. You're probably safe if you just indulge at lunch times. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87. 13.THE PRESERVATORY (Appetite by Random House, 2017, 260 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-753005-9, $32 CAD hardbound) is by Lee Murphy, who owns and operates The Preservatory and Vista D'oro Farms & Winery in South Langley BC. She makes artisanal west coast preserves that are sold internationally, including Harrods of London. She's got 80 “simple” preps for creating and cooking with preserves all year long. Part One has 40 recipes for the seasons, beginning with spring. Part two has recipes for using preservatives in courses: brunch, aperitvo, dinner, and dessert. She's got a resources list for buying foods and equipment, and notes for making gifts. Just ahead of the index there is a list of 101 uses for jam, none of which involve toast. It's a first rate book with detailed food styling and photography by Janis Nicolay. There are savoury Dutch (bouncing) babies, brandade croquettes, and cheesy grits. Preserves include rhubarb and vanilla, strawberry with pistachio and vanilla, and raspberry with merlot and peppercorn. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes; at least it had metric conversion charts at the back. Quality/price rating: 86. 14.THE GREENHOUSE COOKBOOK (Penguin Canada, 2017, 294 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-319828-4, $24 USD, paperbound) is by Emma Knight, co-founder of Greenhouse Juice Co. in Toronto. With her are Hana James (also a co-founder), Deeva Green and Lee Reitelman (the latter two are product developers at Greenhouse). There are 100 recipes here from the company: 50 to eat with a fork, spoon or fingers, and 50 to drink. It's a boon at breakfasts, and the food is sturdy enough to make lunch last 'til dinner. Some heavy logrolling helps push the book along. The material on plant-based eating and DIY juicing is first rate: sun-dried tomato tapenade; vanilla bean cheesecake with coconut whipped cream; and chocolate hemp peanut butter balls. For drinks, try The Good (spinach, romaine and cuke), East of Eden (romaine, kale, celery), TKO (butternut, zuke, celery), or Brazil Nut Milk. At the end there are a series of cleanses, with some pre- and post-cleanse menus to enjoy. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 87. 15.A NEW WAY TO BAKE (Clarkson Potter, 2017, 319 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-95471-8, $26 USD paperbound) is From the Kitchens of Martha Stewart. These are classic recipes updated with better-for-you ingredients from the modern pantry. It's loaded with high reference value data, mostly at the end under The Basics chapter. The book is not really about any new techniques of baking. It's mainly using higher nutritional whole gains and gluten-free flours. There are ingredient listings for the flours and the sugars plus some valuable advice on grinding your own flour. It's arranged starting with breakfast and then moving on to cookies, brownies, bars, pies, tarts, crisps, cobblers, cakes, cupcakes, breads and rolls. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Baking is exact if it is scaled, and metric is the lingua franca of scaling. Quality/price rating: 86. 16.EVERYDAY SEAFOOD (Quadrille Books, 2016, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-915-6, $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Nathan Outlaw, who has five restaurants in the UK. One of them is the only seafood restaurant in the world to hold two Michelin stars since 2011. His previous cookbook was awarded “Cookery Book of the Year” in 2013 at the UK Food and Travel Magazine Awards. Here he has 100 recipes for both fish and seafood, with an endorsement by Jamie Oliver. He begins with apps, moves to the sea with raw foods, then on to pickled/marinated seafood, soups, salads, baked seafood, broiled and BBQ seafood, and then some 9 desserts for those Brits who refuse to leave the table without their pudding. This is an engaging collection of preps, but of course the UK orientation means that it might be a little hard to find sea robins for your BBQ. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 17.THE HAVEN'S KITCHEN COOKING SCHOOL (Artisan, 2017, 376 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-673-7, $35 USD hardbound) is by Alison Cayne, founder of Haven's Kitchen (cafe, cooking school, event space). She's also involved with Edible Schoolyard. Her log rollers include Tom Colicchio, Amanda Hesser, and Gail Simmons. These are recipes and inspiration to build a lifetime of confidence in the kitchen. There are about 100 recipes, all the basics, with some movement in the variations to allow for creativity. Everything seems to be covered by “masterclass” topics: grains/beans, fritters, veggies, soups, eggs, salads, animal protein, sauces, and desserts. It's a good layout with varying typefaces and nice leading. There are many photos of techniques. For example, the chapter on fritters includes all the technique basics and descriptions, plus preps for quinoa broccoli patties, latkes, veggie tempura, pakora, falafel, arancini, and apple beignets. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 18.THE BOOK OF GREENS (Ten Speed Press, 2017, 318 pages, ISBN 978-1-60774-984-4, $35 USD hardbound) is by Portland's Jenn Louis, chef and TV cooking competitor with a string of awards. The award-winning (IACP, MFK Fisher) focusing food writer is Kathleen Squires. There are more than 175 recipes here for 40 varieties of greens from agretti, arugula to watercress, and water spinach. Along the way we are introduced to celtuce, minutina, several varieties of spinach, red orach, spigarello, and some wild and foraged greens (extending the list beyond 40, to include fiddlehead, burdock, ramp greens (don't pick too many), lemon balm – ten of them, plus some recipes following. From the main section there is braided bok choy with apples and bacon, bagna cauda, kale with anchovy, moong dal and basmati rice kitchari with beet greens, salt-roasted Yukon gold potatoes with radicchio and crème fraiche, and dandelion greens with prosciutto and olive picnic cake. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both avoirdupois and metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 19.NOPALITO; a Mexican kitchen (Ten Speed Press, 2017, 242 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57828-1 $30 USD hardbound) is by Gonzalo Guzman who is a chef-partner with two San Francisco locations of Nopalito. Food and travel journalist Stacy Adimando is the focusing food writer. It comes with some strong logrolling, including Rick Bayless, who declares the salsa chapter as “so much joy to be had”. There are about 50 pages of basics (food, pantry, equipment) followed by small plates (platillos pequenos), big plates, drinks and desserts, and 17 salsa recipes. He's got adobo-rubbed trout in banana leaves, salsa-dipped griddled chorizo and potato sandwiches, short rib stew, tamales with red spiced sunflower seed mole, sliced cabbage salad, and smashed shrimp with eggs and salsa. About 110 preps in all. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 20.SPANISH MADE SIMPLE (Quadrille Publishing, 2016, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-760-2, $24.99 USD hardbound) is by chef Omar Allibhoy, once with Ferran Adria, then his own restaurant in Notting Hill London, and now he has six Tapas Revolution restaurants across the UK. He gives us the basics in family-style for 100 classic Spanish dishes, each one full of Mediterranean-type sunny flavours. His chapters are arranged by course, beginning with nibbles, meat, game, fish, seafood, eggs, poultry, veggies, salads, soups, stews, pulses, paella, rice,and ending with desserts. Begin with salt cod fritters, mushroom gratin with ham mayonnaise, grilled cuttlefish, scallop and serrano ham gratin served in the shell, or rice with sausages, ribs and cauliflower. All very tasty, with good upfront plated photography. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 21.THE LOST KITCHEN (Clarkson Potter, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-553-44843-6 $32.50 USD hardbound) is by Eric French, owner-chef of The Lost Kitchen in Freedom, Maine. It's located in an 1834 gristmill. In fact, French grew up in Freedom, working at her father's diner. But now – “Each spring, the day the phone line opens to accept reservations, the restaurant books up fore the entire year”. There are about 100 recipes here, mainly from the restaurant itself, with notes about Maine and its food. The arrangement is by season, spring through winter, with three sub-categories of firsts, mains, and sweets, and 7 – 8 recipes for each category. This can also serve as a three course menu for several days of the season. As with most restaurant books of this type, it is certainly stylish and useful to the adherents. It also makes for quite a useful gift to anyone from Maine. And some cookbook collectors specialize in restaurant cookbooks for their non-recipe stories about the place and the region and the people/suppliers/employees. Hers is about 16 miles west of Belfast, a midcoast Maine town. Expect razor clam seviche with from-scratch saltines, rhubarb spoon cake, Maine shrimp roll, ramp and fiddlehead fried rice, halibut nicoise, skillet mussels, and elderflower fritters. The book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88. 22.CASA MARCELA (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, 266 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-80855-3, $30 USD hardbound) is by Marcela Valladolid, co-host of The Kitchen on Food Network, and host of five seasons of Mexican Made Easy, also on FN. This is her third book, and based on what the eight log rollers say (including an Iron Chef, Rachel Ray, Eva Longoria) it is all about family traditions and family life that intersect with Mexican food. It ranges from apps through salads, soups, sides, salsas, mains, with breakfasts, drinks, and desserts. For salads, typical are chickpea and bean, kale and cilantro, pomegranate and chicken with lettuce cups, watermelon-mint with queso fresco. It's a combo of California and Mexican food, as would be found on the Tijuana-San Diego stretch. Red chile lamb stew is a winner, as is huita waffle salmon. But, meaning no disrespect, there are far too many personal family pix of her and her family at the expense of finished plates of the food. The stories are fine, and offer insights, but not the photos. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 23.SIX SEASONS; a new way with vegetables (Artisan, 2017, 400 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-631-7 $35 USD hardbound) is by Joshua McFadden, executive chef/owner of Ava Gene's and Tusk in Portland OR. It comes with log rolling by David Chang and Alice Waters. His collaborator is Martha Holmberg, former editor of Fine Cooking and CEO of the IACP. He believes that there are six seasons for veggies: spring (tender), early summer (fresh and green), midsummer (colour and variety), late summer (lush textures), fall and winter (storage roots). Each has a coloured margin for differentiation. From earlier stints at Momofuku in NYC through Four Season Farm in coastal Maine, McFadden cultivated a further love of veggies. His book is part memoir, beginning with basic recipes and larders. It goes in seasonal order, from asparagus and peas in spring to carrots and celery in early summer, through broccoli and summer squash in midsummer, and corn, eggplant, tomatoes in late summer. Fall has cabbage family greens, while winter has root veggies. Life is full. The 225 preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are table of metric equivalents. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 24.CHEESECAKE; 60 classic and original recipes for heavenly desserts (Ryland Peters & Small, 2013, 2017, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-831-4, $19.95 US hardbound) is by Hannah Miles, an early winner in UK's MasterChef – in 2007 she was one of three finalists. She continues to make TV appearances for the BBC and has written other cookbooks on popcorn, whoopie pies, and doughnuts. Here, in this reprint of the 2013 edition, she tackles 60 cheesecakes, very easy to make. She begins with a primer. The classics here include chocolate chip and baked vanilla. Then there are the fruity (champagne rhubarb), the candy bar (peanut brittle), the gourmet (salty honey), the party (trifle cheesecake, baked Alaska), and the global (cardamom bun, Japanese cherry blossom). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no separate table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 25.GRAINS; the definitive guide to cooking seeds & legumes (Hardie Grant Books, 2013, 2016, 304 pages, ISBN 978-1-74379216-2 $24.99 USD paperbound) is by Molly Brown. It was originally published in French by Marabout Hachette in 2013, and then in hardbound by Hardie Grant in 2013. This is the paperback reprint with the same material. Brown is a chef and food writer. But it is still pretty hard to cover all this material in just 150 recipes. It is all arranged by course: breakfast, soups, stews, salads, pilaffs, risottos, paellas, dinners, sides, sweets and breads/crackers. Into those 12 divisions there are eight seeds (sesame, chia, hemp, pumpkin, et al), twenty legumes (lentils, beans, peas at al), and twenty grains (oats, rices, wheat, barley, corn, quinoa, millet, er al). So that's 48 types, possibly times 12 courses. Of course, the book must be manageable and there are close dupes in all categories, plus variations. Nevertheless, it is fairly comprehensive, with prep and cooking times, metric and avoirdupois measurements (but no conversion tables). But at the very end of the book, just ahead of the index, there are two statements: eggs are large unless stated otherwise; If not specified, butter should be salted. Both need to come earlier in the book, in a larger typeface. Quality/price rating: 85 26.A WORLD OF DUMPLINGS (Countryman Press, 2007, 2017, 292 pages, ISBN 978-1-68268-017-9, $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Brian Yarvin, who is a teacher of food and commercial photography as well as the author of five cookbooks. His book was originally published in 2007; the 2017 version has been revised and updated, principally with newer access to “exotic” ingredients. These are filled dumplings, pockets, and global little pies, all arranged by region of the world (Asia, Central Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia, Western Europe, and the Americas. It starts with Japan (gyoza fried dumplings) and ends with Quebec (apple dumplings with mincemeat and cheddar). In between there are more than 100 preps embracing ravioli, pot stickers, samosas, empanadas, Cornish pasties, pierogies, etc. He's got a GF dough for wrapper, but also says in many recipes that you can just leave off the wrapper and cook the inside as a meatball for GF friends, in a separate pot of water. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 27.BARBECUE SAUCES RUBS AND MARINADES (Workman, 2000, 2017, 346 pages, ISBN 978-1-5235-0081-9, $17.95 USD paperbound) is by Steven Raichlen, who has been BBQing over at barbecuebible.com for years. He's published a multitude of award-winning IACP and Beard cookbooks over the years. Portions of this current book were originally published in 2000 as “Barbecue Bible Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades, Bastes, Butters & Glazes”. It's been revised and updated and added to in line with the third season of his PBS show “Steve Raichlen's Project Smoke”. It's a good book because he's got over 200 preps for chile-fired ribs, lemony marinades, buttery bastes, flavourful sauces, brines/cures/glazes/salsas/relishes/chutneys. New techniques include cider sprays and dry brining, with many more exotic international flavours such as char siu chicken, smoked venison jerky, Persian saffron lamb, and smoky whipped cream. You'll have fun with this one. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 90. 28.POSH RICE (Quadrille Publishing, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-902-6 $19.99 USD hardcovers) is by Emily Kydd, who's a recipe writer and a food stylist for Quadrille (verso of the title page). The copyright is in Quadrille's name, and they have published two similar books, one on Nourish Bowls and one on Posh Toast. Here are over 70 recipes for all things rice, from pilaff to pies, puddings to snack bars, arranged by topic of salads, bowls, soups, snacks, supper dishes, sides, and desserts. There's a lamb biryani, a Gruyere zucchini gratin, jeweled rice, and mango with coconut sticky rice. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 86 29.VEGAN ON THE GO (DK, 2016, 2017, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-6183-4, $17/95 USD papercovers) is by Jerome Eckmeier and Daniela Lais, both vegans for over a decade and actively involved in veganism in Germany. The book was originally published by DK Verlag in Germany; this is the English translation for North America. The stress is on fast, easy, affordable, anytime, anywhere. So there are 100 preps here, arranged by soups, snacks, salads, mains and sweets. The opening chapters give an overview of the vegan life with strategies for planning ahead, packing and storing food, finding quick options and tactics for eating out. Most of the dishes are very appetizing, and I liked the fact that there were only seven tofu recipes. Try juicy mandarin and chia seed muffins or semolina slice with apple and pear puree, or even a range of spaghetti frittatas. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 30.RISOTTO! RISOTTO! (Absolute Press, 1998, 2017, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4729-3320-1 $30 USD hardbound) is by Valentina Harris, well-known food author with more than 30 cookbooks to her name (since 1984, and principally Italian cuisine). This current book was originally published in 1998 by Cassell in the UK. It has been revised and extended, now 20 years later. Risotto has been around in Italy since about the eighth century, and is one of its more famous dishes. She's got pages on making risotto and eating risotto, followed by an illustrated history of risotto and a discussion on the types of rice. Ten varieties are used (arborio, carnaroli, vialone, et al) and their differences are noted. Chapters include making stock, the use of wine, and more. Typical classics are here, such as risi e bisi, Gorgonzola, Parmigiana, Siciliana, orzotto alla primavera (made with barley), and pesto. Milanese is also here, but for some reason, it is not indexed. Leftovers, of course, become arancini, but she also provides a few more uses. Some of the preps call for adding wine measured as a “wineglass”, and she specifies that this volume is about 200 – 250 mL, which to me is too wide a range of some two ounces from the low to the high: another example of having to use a calibrated eyeball in the kitchen. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR MARCH 2017 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.THE SECRETS OF MASTER BREWERS (Storey Publishing, 2017, 294 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-654-8, $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Jeff Alworth who has been writing about beer and brewing for two decades. His most impressive book is The Beer Bible. Here, this latest tome is an essential beer book because we get insights from the professionals. There are behind-the-scenes tours of 26 European and American breweries, with details on processes, equipment, and ingredients for each style of beer. There are, of course, details on Czech brewing traditions for pilferers, Belgian agricultural history for saison. It is arranged by major style: British, German, Czech, Belgian, French-Italian, and American – with a chapter on brewing wild yeast. In the Brit style, there are chapters on cask ales, strong bitters, mild ales, Irish stouts, old ales, and strong Scottish ales. Beer recipes have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: beer lovers, homebrewers, professionals. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Beer can use the Spanish solera system to keep alive an ecosystem that has produced an especially tasty batch of wild ale. It can replicate a great batch of beer and add texture when different flavours are blended together. The downside to this book: I wanted more! The upside to this book: there is a bibliography and a glossary. Quality/Price Rating: 91. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.THE OXFORD COMPANION TO CHEESE (Oxford University Press, 2016, 849 pages, ISBN 978-0-19-933088-1 $65 USD hardbound) has been edited by Catherine Donnelly, a food scientist at the University of Vermont and co-director of the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese. She is well-known for her investigations into microbiological safety of raw-milk cheeses. 1400 named cheese varieties and styles are found throughout the world: they are all here, from basic fresh cheese through Brie to washed rinds to blues. Coverage begins with cheese on the farm, moves to the microscope, and then on to the shop and the home plate. The Companion has about 855 entries for the cheeses, for the countries, for the production from cow-goat-sheep through to yak-reindeer-camel, with some important breeds within each being noted. Of 325 names (from 35 countries) in the Directory, Kathy Guidi was a major contributor from Canada, as are Laura Shine, Janice Beaton, Mary Ann Ferrer and others. For Canada, there is a Canada article plus separately signed articles on Quebec and Ontario. Most articles are signed; the rest are by the editor or editorial board. Material includes a lot of information on microbiology and the chemistry of cheese. There are 150 black-and-white images plus some 16-page full-colour inserts. And a concluding directory of cheese museums from around the world! Audience and level of use: cheese lovers, cheesemongers and cheesemakers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: under Cantal, in a column and a half, we find a description based on raw cow's milk. The name itself comes from the departement in south-central France which is loaded with grassland for daily grazing. It's one of the oldest French cheeses, with records going back over 2000 years. It is traditionally served as “aligot” (Cantal Jeune and mashed potatoes). The downside to this book: there was a lot of technical details, of major value to cheese producers but marginal interest to consumers. Nevertheless, that's the whole point of the Oxford Companions. The upside to this book: very comprehensive. Quality/Price Rating: 94. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.FEEDING A FAMILY (Roost Books, 2017, 279 pages, ISBN 978-1-61180-309-9 $29.95 USD hardbound) is by Sara Waldman, food writer and recipe developer (Fine Cooking, Food 52, et al). It's a real-life plan for making dinner work for a family. She covers busy schedules, long work days, and picky eaters. There are 40 complete meals here in a series of menus from Winter through to Fall (after the opening pantry sequences). The main benefit of a family dinner is, of course, the chance to sit down together, hopefully minus the social media bit (texting etc. is not covered in the book). Nevertheless, “nutrition together” is stressed. The menus are uncomplicated and simple enough, but never boring. Certainly pizza night is a hit, as are slurpee noodle bowls. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: families Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: baked apple cider donuts; broccoli slaw; autumn meatball subs; cheesy butternut squash; creamy tomato and spinach soup with grilled cheese croutons; diner-style smashed beef burgers. The downside to this book: too many family pix and not enough food pix. The upside to this book: the 40 complete meals Quality/Price Rating: 88 4.BREAD TOAST CRUMBS (Clarkson Potter, 2017, 257 pages, ISBN 978-0-553-45983-8 $30 USD hardbound) is by Alexandra Stafford, a blogger (Alexandra's Kitchen) and contributor to Food52.com. Log rolling is by Dorie Greenspan and David Lebovitz. Her book is a collection of preps for no-knead loaves and meals to savour and use the breads. Her mother's peasant bread recipe is for a non-knead dough that can be combined in five minutes, rises in an hour, and after a second but short rise, bakes in a buttered pan or bowl. She's got variations for the bread, from sweet and savoury through to rolls and forms. Then she covers leftovers, such as panzanella, bread soups, and no-bake cookies. Everything is used, even the crumbs. Arrangement is as described in the title: master recipe, bread, toast, and then crumbs. There are 39 recipes for breads (plus some variations), toast has 30 (salads, soups, sandwiches), and crumbs has 40 (salads, soups, meatless, pasta, sweets). There is also a valuable gluten-free peasant bread recipe on page 56. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: families, bakers, millennials Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: beet-cured salmon with herbed cream cheese and radishes; frangipane toasts with broiled pears; pull apart buttermilk rolls; bulgur bread; peasant pizza; baked pasta with mushrooms, fontina, and crumbs; grilled olive oil toasts with mussels. The downside to this book: the book is physically heavy and can be awkward. The upside to this book: there is a FAQ and trouble-shooting chapter. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 5.HOME AND AWAY (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2017, 184 pages, ISBN 978-1-55151-673-7, $24.95 CAD paperbound) is by Randy and Darcy Shore. Randy writes about food for the Vancouver Sun. He met Darcy when she worked at restaurants. Here they have traveled around the world in cafes, bistros and diners and have brought us those recipes. They have 140 recipes for casual eating of entrees, appetizers, soups, salads, and so forth. For example, they do a homemade white miso ramen but in under one hour. They've also got some interviews with Mario Batali, Michael Smith, and Vikram Vij, plus others. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no overall table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: millennials Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: diner-style Salisbury steak with garlic mash; duck poutine; caldo de gallina from Peru; confetti corn; spaetzle; The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes. The upside to this book: good selection of world cuisine for the home kitchen. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 6.A YEAR OF PICNICS (Roost Books, 2017, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-61180-215-3, $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Ashley English, principally a cookbook author but also an activist committed to agricultural and food issues in the US. These are your higher end picnics, divided by season, mainly Spring and Summer – but also Fall and Winter are covered with eight themed picnics if you live somewhere warm year round. She's in North Carolina, so it is doable there. There's a table to farm picnic, a sacred tree picnic, and afternoon tea picnic, a movie night picnic, and a rooftop picnic among others. The “winter picnic” can be held by the Polar Bear club, but not by me. Each picnic comes with a set of non-food ideas (site selection, activities, nature appreciation and exploration). The index is arranged by major subject so they are all collated together: activities, apples, beef, beverages, cakes, cardamom, cheese, chocolate, etc. through to sites, veggies and walnuts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: millennials, families, outdoor types. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: zucchini gratin; spring onion and chicken liver pate; Swedish cremes with rhubarb compote; cheesy kale chips; ratatouille; mojito slaw; gazpacho. The downside to this book: is it politically possible or correct to have pickled eggs at a bird-watching picnic? The upside to this book: there are listings of special equipment for some of the themes. Quality/Price Rating: 88 7.FLAVOUR (Chatto & Windus, 2016, 368 pages, ISBN 978-0-7011-8932-7 $42.95 CAD hardbound) is by Ruby Tandoh, one time on the Great British Bake Off at age 20 but now a food writer (Guardian) and cookbook author (Crumb, 2014). Her philosophy here is flavour: “I've paired banana and thyme in a soft teatime cake, while coffee deepens a sticky rib glaze and cinnamon adds fragrant sweetness to a comforting couscous dinner.” So here are 170 sweet and savoury preps for every day and budget, organized by ingredient. It all begins with veggies and herbs (eggplant, zuke, pepper, tomato, greens, etc.) moving on to fruit (apples, pears, rhubarb, tropical fruit) and then to cheese and eggs and dairy, meat and fish, and ending with dry goods (legumes, nuts, seeds). Preparations have their ingredients listed mainly in metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: jaded eaters, millennials Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: soft spiced apple cake; deep-fried anchovy-stuffed sage leaves; pearl barley, mushroom and taleggio risotto; red lentil cottage pie with cheesy mash crust; pink lemonade crush with mint. The downside to this book: physically it is very heavy with narrow gutters. The upside to this book: the British orientation is quite useful for us in Canada. Quality/Price Rating: 87 8.THE YOGA KITCHEN (Quadrille Books, 2016, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-899-9 $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Kimberley Parsons, a naturopath and chef who believes in aligning one's physical and mental energy to boost overall happiness. She believes in nutritious and balanced dishes in the home. She's got over 100 preps that are all gluten-free and refined-sugar-free vegetarian dishes. It is arranged by the seven chakra (ground, flow, vitalize, nurture, strengthen, calm and pure). Then each chakra chapter is further divided into three: breakfast and snacks, lunch and supper, then drinks and desserts. It begins with activated nuts and goes to minted passion fruit lollies. It's a good looking system. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: yoga fans, millennials Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: maca and lacuma popcorn; pick-me-up licorice toffee; middle east mezze (falafel, hummus, tzatziki, tabouli); spring greens and mung bean salad; high-jacked sweet potato with avocado, pomegranate and coconut. The downside to this book: the book is difficult to lie flat The upside to this book: a perfect book for the yoga practitioner. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 9.BOWLS! (Chronicle Books, 2017, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-5619-4 $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Molly Watson, a San Francisco food writer (magazines and cookbooks). Her theme here is the bowl: over 40 preps are described for healthful one-dish meals. It is all arranged by category. First up are the basics: grains, legumes, proteins (eggs, tofu, seafood, meats), veggies, sauces, toppings. The bowl is some of each, so you've got to have six different items to make up a combo. After that, it's mix and match. Lots of variations too. Part two is “easy combinations”, which is just a few of the items – there are 31 of these from different countries (bibimbap, grand aioli, nicoise, taco) and courses (breakfast, lunch, dinner, seasonal). Then there are 26 “full bowls”, again international (Inca bowl, Spanish shrimp, Minnesota hotdish bowl, rice-free Korean grill, Budapest bowl). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: families, millennials Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Bowls are flexible. If a bowl sounds good except for one element, then substitute like with like (grain for grain, meat with meat). The downside to this book: I wanted more preps for bowls in a larger book (of course I'd pay more money, no problem) The upside to this book: easy as pie Quality/Price Rating: 89 10.MY MODERN INDIAN KITCHEN (Ryland Peters and Small, 2017, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-814-7 $21.95 USD hardbound) is by Nitisha Patel, a professional chef now doing recipe development for Faccenda Foods and Tesco in the UK. These are her family recipes from India, for over 60 preps of home-cooked Indian food. She has some cultural notes in her primer on spices and then moves on to street food, curries, vegetarian dishes, sides, rice, chutney, raita, and desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mostly avoirdupois measurements (except for the desserts which are scaled, for the most part), but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: Indian food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: amritsari fish pakoras; keralan seafood curry; malabari mussels; tandoori spatchcock poussin; veg manchurian; goan sausage and king prawn pilaf. The downside to this book: a little thin on the number of recipes The upside to this book: colourful, good memoir material in each recipe. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.AMAZING MALAYSIAN (Square Peg Penguin Random House, 2016, 253 pages, ISBN 978-0-224-10154-7 $42.95 CAD hardbound) is by Norman Musa, owner of Ning in Manchester UK. He serves Malaysian food at his place, such as the classics Roti Canai, Rendang, Spicy Baked Haddock, Char Kuey Teow fried noodles (all recipes found in this book). He opens quite rightly with street food and snacks – which Malaysia is well-known for – that can also serve as apps before the main dishes. He's got chapters for seafood, meat, veggies, rice/noodles, desserts, and drinks. There are also chapters on the pantry and condiments used. Eating in Malaysia is 24/7. Try steamed wild sea bass with lemongrass and ginger or nyonya kapitan chicken curry, or even eggs in chilli sambal. Preparations have their ingredients listed with both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 12.JACK'S WIFE FREDA (Blue Rider Press Penguin Random House, 2017, 248 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57486-3, $30 USD hardbound) is by Maya and Dean Jankelowitz, co-owners of the two restaurants named Jack's Wife Freda in New York City's West Village. The recipes are by Julia Jaksic, She's a chef and restaurant consultant who has done work with this restaurant among others in NYC. It's all Jewish comfort food with a mix of South African and Israeli flavours. The book is a collection of faves from the restaurant with some other versatile preps for breakfast/dinner and drinks. There are a lot of stories here, some memoirish details, and archival photos. A good book for their patrons and for anyone else interested in the cuisine. Try the veggie curry with apple-raisin chutney or the sweetbreads with peri-peri sauce or the green shakshuka. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. A fun book, particularly with the line drawings. Quality/price rating: 87. 13.THE NUT BUTTER COOKBOOK (Quadrille, 2016, 160 pages, ISBN 978-184949-901-9 $32.99 CAD hardbound) is by Pippa Murray, founder of Pip & Nut in the UK. They make nut butters strictly from just the nuts, no other added ingredients. So here are over 70 recipes that, according to Pipp and the publishers, “puts the 'nut' in nutrition”. The range is from almonds through brazils through peanuts, macadamias, walnuts – 10 in all, followed by the seeds sesame, chia, sunflower, pumpkin, etc. Nut butters are useful for breakfasts, snacks, smoothies, savoury dishes, desserts, and anything baked. Try cacao protein balls, almond butter smoothie, and peanut cheesecake. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 14.TARTINE ALL DAY (Lorena Jones Ten Speed Press, 2017, 374 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57882-3 $40 USD hardbound) is by Elisabeth Prueitt, co-founder of Tartine Bakery in San Francisco and a Beard Award winner. She also wrote the original Tartine cookbook. Here, backed by log rollers Ottolenghi and David Lebovitz (among others), she's got some 200 modern recipes for the home cook to prepare all day long. Included are some 30 gluten-free desserts and six menus for celebrations (picnic, vegetarian, taco night, porchetta, Thanksgiving). After a primer, it is arranged by course or major ingredient, ending with desserts. There's pan bagnat, sticky date pudding with hot toffee sauce, Catalonian rice pudding, pissaladiere, kale and cucumber salad, and eggplant parmesan gratin. Preparations have their ingredients listed mostly in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87 15.THE MALAYSIAN KITCHEN (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, 340 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-80999-4 $35 USD hardbound) is by Christina Arokiasamy, an expert in Malaysian cooking who cooked in various Four Seasons resorts throughout Southeast Asia. This is all simple home cooking, with cultural and food roots through China, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Portugal. There are also many other European influences since Malaysia was on the spice routes. Types of food here include stir-fries, fried rice, tandoori, fresh seafood, noodle bowls, satay, and curries. Coconut milk is used a lot. The 150 preps are arranged by course, with an opening chapter on all the condiments (sambals, pastes, chutney, dressings). Soups come first, then salads, veggies, rice/noodles, seafood, meats, and desserts. There is even what is now an obligatory chapter on “street food” (here, for home use). An extremely colourful book, with penang oyster omelette (“or chien”), Portuguese debal prawns, tamarind fish curry, five-spiced barbecue-roasted pork, chicken and lentil dalcha. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 16.BURMA SUPERSTAR (Ten Speed Press, 2017, 258 pages, ISBN 978-1-60774-950-9 $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Desmond Tan and Kate Leahy. Kate is a multiple award-winning food writer; Desmond is co-owner of the three Burma Superstar restaurants. He's also launched a company which imports Burmese ingredients such as “laphet” (fermented tea leaves). There's a recipe here for a tea leaf salad. The subtitle says it all: “addictive recipes from the crossroads of Southeast Asia”. All of the food is nicely layered and textured for flavours. It's arranged by course, including curries, stir-fries, veggies, noodles, soups, salads, snacks/sweets, and rice dishes. There's a section on the pantry and various tools and techniques. You could try kebat, chili lamb, rakhine mohinga or nan gyi thoke. Everything has been scaled to the home since these are preps from the restaurant. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 17.TASTING BEER; an insider’s guide to the world’s greatest drink. Revised and updated. (Storey Publishing, 2009, 2017, 368 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-777-4 $19.95 USD paperbound) is by Randy Mosher, a drinks writer who specializes in beer (he also wrote “The Brewer’s Companion”). It was originally published in 2009, sold over 200K copies, and now has been revised and updated. 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, yeasts, fermentation, 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. It is similar in Belgium – all those Belgian ales only account for 15% of domestic 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. The revision is a colourful and a useful compendium, especially for those taking the Cicerone courses (beer sommeliers). Quality/Price Rating: 90. 18.THE NORDIC WAY (Pam Krauss Books/Avery, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-451-49584-6 $24 USD hardbound) is by the team of Arne Astrup (nutritionist), Jennie Brand-Miller (glycemic researcher), and Christian Bitz (hospital researcher). It was originally published in Denmark; this is its North American release in an English translation. The authors had done a massive study to identify ratio of carbs to protein for maintaining a healthy body weight. The key was to eliminate the “deprivation” that lead to binging and backsliding, and then emphasize low-GI foods, great flavours, and textures. It's like the Mediterranean diet but for up North: the Nordic diet emphasizes the ratio of carbs to protein using ingredients found in cooler climates. Two-thirds of the book is a collation of engaging recipes, with carb-protein ratios and nutrition data clearly stated. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 19.THE PALOMAR COOKBOOK (Appetite by Random House, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-753044-8 $40 CAD hardbound) is from the Michelin Bib Gourmand-winning restaurant The Palomar (in London's Soho 2014- ) with more than 100 dishes from modern-day Jerusalem covering Moorish Spain, North Africa and the Levant. It was originally published by Mitchel Beazley in 2016. The preps and stories come from Layo Paskin and Tomer Amedi. Typical are shakshuka two ways, fattoush salad, kubenia, spinach gnocchi, and hake with deep-fried cauliflower. Terrific layout and photography. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 20.DUCK SOUP (Chronicle Books, 2016, 2017, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-6179-2, $35 USD hardbound) is by Clare Lattin, co-founder of a number of restaurants in the UK (Ducksoup, Rawduck) and Tom Hill, chef at Ducksoup and other places. It's a restaurant book that was orgiinally published in 2016 in the UK by Square Peg; this is its American release. The preps concentrate on simple details of garnishes such a bunt lemon, toasted nuts, fried curry leaves. There is good material on entertaining at home, and it is all done in a stylish manner, but emphasizing ease of delivery. Typical are charred fennel, roasted hake, shaved fennel with favas and peas, orzo pasta, and rhubarb gelatin. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mostly metric with some avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 21.ALL ABOUT EGGS (Clarkson Potter, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-8041-8775-6, $26 USD hardbound) comes from Rachel Khong, contributing editor to Lucky Peach, and the editors of Lucky Peach. It uses preps from the magazine (which, at last notice, is folding in May). There may be other books in the series to preserve the Lucky Peach recipes and commentaries. It states on the title page “everything we know about the world's most important food”. Halfway through the book there is a section “recipe picture menu” where the plated dishes are collated, followed by the book's index. There are also a handful of preps from other sources, and these have been noted, as well as about 50 named contributors. Great, great illustrations and fine cooking materials. This reference work has about 100 recipes in all. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86 22.EAT BETTER NOT LESS (Hardie Grant Books, 2015, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-092-7, $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Nadia Damaso. It was originally published in Germany by Fona Verlag AG in 2015; this is the English language translation and publication. Nadia also did the photography and some of the art direction. Her philosophy is that we all need to be eating the right ingredients. She's got 100 quick and easy recipes, emphasizing meat dishes, vegetarian dishes, and vegan preps. There's a black rice paella with shiitake and wheatgrass aioli, avocado and zucchini pizza, mango and salmon tacos, sweet potato and veggie crisps with guacamole, or couscous and hemp heart-crusted chicken with lemon honey sauce. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and some avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85 23.SAVAGE SALADS; fierce flavors filling power-ups (Gibbs Smith, 2016, 2017, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-4492-7 $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Davide del Gatto and Kristina Gustafsson, who run the Savage Salad food truck in the UK. It was originally published in 2016 by Francis Lincoln; this is the North American reprint debut. Savage Salads believes in salads that taste amazing, look beautiful, and leave you full. It is all done by interesting flavour combinations, creative use of many grains, and lots of protein. It's also a sort of salad “bowl” meal with a variety of complementary foods and sauces. The authors say the book is not really meant for vegetarians or dieters. Typical are venison carpaccio with pickled mushrooms, cauliflower and broccoli; cracked wheat with figs, blue cheese, and pecans; rabbit terrine and leek; seared tuna filet with cherry tomatoes, capers and red onion. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 24.HARVEST (Hardie Grant Books, 2016, 200 pages, ISBN 978-174379011-3 $19.99 USD paperbound) has been edited by Paul McNally as a publisher's book; there is no tracing of where the preps came from. The 180 recipes follow the seasons from summer through spring. Typical are spezzalino with root veggies, pasta with bacon and broccoli, Thai chicken and broccoli stir-fry, and lemon olive oil cake with raspberry curd. Really good watercolours and stylish photography complete the book, but there is no introductory matter, the print is tiny, but there is an index. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 85 25.BURGER LAB (Hardie Grant Books, 2015, 2017, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1743792759 $24.99 USD hardbound) was originally published in 2015. This is the reprint by Daniel Wilson who examines the precise elements that make up the ultimate hamburger: the soft bun, the pickle, the mayonnaise/ketchup, the beef patty (here, wagyu). It appears to be a thorough in-depth analysis, with a variety of beef burgers and 18 others: soft-shell crab, tonkatsu pork, and Reuben, plus more. For the burger fan who also likes graphs and charts and illustrations of burgers. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric with some avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 26.MIGHTY SALADS (Ten Speed Press, 2017, 146 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57804-5, $22.99 USD hardbound) is by the folks at Food52 (founded by Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs in 2009. Since then Food52 has won many awards, including Beards and IACPs for its cookbooks, cooking and home shop, podcast and cooking hotline, all found through food52.com. There are 60 salads here, ranging from traditional small sides through to one-meal wonders. Lots of variations too. The arrangement is from leafy salads to grain and bean salads, pasta and bread, fish and seafood, and meat. Typical are spicy chicken salad with rice noodles, bloody Mary steak salad, seared scallop salad with black lentils, bagna cauda egg salad, and freekeh with fennel and smoked fish salad. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois and metric measurements. Quality/price rating: 89. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR FEBRUARY 2017 [published monthly since 2000] ============================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.A SPOT AT THE BAR (Hardie Grant, 2016, 224 pages, ISBN 978-174379131-8, $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Michael Madrusan and Zara Young who together run The Everleigh Bar in Melbourne. This is “the art of good drinking in three hundred recipes”. The stylish book covers aperitif hour, beer, wine, savoury drinks, digestifs, nightcaps, and various specialties. There is also memoir material about bar life in Melbourne and about the drinks themselves. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both avoirdupois and metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: drinkers looking for a bar book. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: palma fizz; rumble; blue collar cocktail; andy shandy; drowsy girl; fog cutter; diamond fizz; Toronto [rye & fernet-branca] The downside to this book: a bit too much about Australia, although it is an Australian book. The upside to this book: a welcome addition to bar literature. Quality/Price Rating: 86 * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.FEAST (Appetite by Random House, 2017, 296 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-752971-8, $35 CAD hardbound) is by Lindsay Anderson and Dana VanVeller who decided in the summer of 2013 to take a road trip across Canada to experience and write up Canada's food culture. They also turned it into an award-winning blog. And now they have turned it into a book, after 37,000 kilometres through five months, one car, eight ferries, two flights and a 48-hour train ride – all complete through every province and territory. They've got 100 recipes plus stories and eight log rollers (one without ID – somebody named Peter Mansbridge). Over 80 contributors (farmers, chefs, indigenous elders, nanas) shared their regional dishes. It's as diverse as is Canada, or course, and one book to celebrate the 150. (Also: don't forget the stories – they are everywhere in this handsome book). The arrangement is by course: brekkies, apps, veggie mains, meat mains, seafood mains, sides/salads, desserts, and drinks. Contributors are named and an ID given at the back. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Enough here for two meals a week for the rest of the year. Audience and level of use: Canadian cooks celebrating Canada and 150 years. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: eggs galiano; curried shrimp; sour cherry and ricotta perogies; spicy haddock and snow crab cakes; giant lobster roll; East coast seafood chowder; venison loin; cauliflower steaks with roasted bone marrow butter. The downside to this book: in line with the new form of computerized guest lists, all contributors are ranked by their first name and not their last name. Pfui. The upside to this book: a celebration of the great 150. Quality/Price Rating: 90. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.100 WEIGHT LOSS BOWLS (DK, 2017, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-6159-9, $19.95 USD paperbound) is by Heather Whinney, cookbook author for DK Books, specializing in healthy books such as this one. Here she writes about how to build a calorie-controlled diet plan. Her preps have recipes under 300, 400, and 500 calories. And of course are self-contained in a bowl. You only eat what's in the bowl, chosen from a long list of satisfying ingredients. The book is arranged by course: quick-start brekkies, weekend brunches, meals to go, speedy bowls, and comforting bowls. Each section is sub-arranged by the level of 300, 400 and 600 calories. She's got some good notes on planning and prepping. The recipes are a model: for example, mackerel and potato hash with lemon and harissa yogurt lists the prep time, the cook time, the nutritional data, the ingredients/techniques section, the build (start with..., add in...,finish with...), and of course a photo of the plated bowl. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: dieters, millennials, those looking for a contained bowl. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: buckwheat and honey porridge with kiwi, mango, and goji berries; date and cocoa smoothie with apricots and chia seeds; cabbage, carrot and apple slaw with wasabi dressing and trout. The downside to this book: the typeface the for index is teeny tiny. The upside to this book: a useful book for weight control. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 4.SUPER CLEAN SUPER FOODS (DK, 2017, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-5629-8, $22 USD hardbound) is by Fiona Hunter and Caroline Bretherton, both food writers and cookbook authors (Hunter is also a nutritionist, while Bretherton was also a caterer/cafe owner). This is just the latest book on superfoods (here, 90 of them) with preps for 250 easy ways to enjoy them. It is all arranged by type of food: grains, nuts and seeds, fish/meat/dairy/eggs, veggies, fruits, herbs & spices. There is a lot of nutritional information along the way, as well as a glossary. Each food gets a few pages: lentils, for example, has a discussion on why eat it, what's in it, where is it from, and how to eat it (salad, pilaf, dhal, and how to maximize the healthy benefits (use dried). Preparations have their ingredients listed mainly in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents (you have to dig for this in the nutrition know-how section). Audience and level of use: beginners, millennials, those looking for answers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: coconut and mango chia pudding; gluten-free Brazil nut brownies; raw energy bars; grilled salmon with kale pesto The downside to this book: more tips for each food could have been useful. The upside to this book: the layout is superb and engrossing. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 5.ONE PAN & DONE (Clarkson Potter, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-101-90645-3, $17.99 USD paperbound)is by Molly Gilbert,cookbook author and blogger, and former recipe tester for Saveur. These are meals from the oven to the table, and the range of possibilities goes from frittatas, breads, baked pastas, seared meats, and various desserts. The 130 recipes show how the oven can do most of the work and using just one pan. So it embraces sheet pans, Dutch ovens, skillets, baking dish, muffin tin, Bundt pan, and loaf pan. There's enough here to keep us all busy, but quick and easy as we do it. It is all arranged by type of food or course, starting with brekkies, brunch, starters, snacks, sides, going on to mains of veggies, poultry, fish, meat, and ending with sweets. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: basic beginners, those pushed for time, millennials. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: easy jerk chicken with peppers and pineapples; cod with olives and cipollinis in tomato sauce; sea bass with fresh succotash; apricot-glazed drumsticks with quinoa; baked spring risotto; pigs in polenta cake; Asian turkey burgers with sugar snap peas. The downside to this book: basic regular preps which have been around for sometime. The upside to this book: good solid material to get you thinking about how to deal with food and that one pan, motivation and a new mindset. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 6.THE PHO COOKBOOK (Ten Speed Press, 2017, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-60774-958-5, $22 USD hardbound) is by Andrea Nguyen, author of multiple cookbooks and magazine food writer specializing in Vietnam cuisine. Here are some easy preps for Vietnam's pho. She's got a few log rollers, including the acclaimed David Chang of NYC. I avoid pho in Vietnamese restaurants because I find them too salty; I keep checking by sampling my friends' orders. So this book has value to me in that I can control how much salt and spicing I can add. The book is also a short history of pho (=feu in French, as in “pot au feu”) and how to make a basic version: with water and broth, with one of at least six different kinds of noodles, a variety of spices/seasonings/herbs, and garnishes such as Hoisin, chiles, bean sprouts. She's got some master recipes, and most else is a variation on these. The simple ones serve two and take 40 minutes from scratch. The fast ones serve 4 and take 1.5 hours with a pressure cooker. The old school ones serve 8 and take 5 hours with a stockpot and some Asian market foods. Usual platforms include beef, chicken or veggies. After you have mastered the “master” preps, it is time to move on to the adventurous pho (see below for dishes). She's also got some add-ons, stir-fried pho, pan-fried, and deep-fried pho as well. Suggested sides are covered too. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginner, millennials, the curious. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: beef pho broth and bones; chicken pho noodle salad; vegetarian pho sate fried rice; lamb pho; seafood pho. The downside to this book: there's only one pork recipe, and that's for a rice paper salad roll as a side dish appetizer, not pho. The upside to this book: she uses L Baleine sea salt, but tells you how to adjust for table salt, kosher salt, and other sea salts. But always taste first. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 7.BACK POCKET PASTA (Clarkson Potter, 2017, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-553-45974-6 $28 USD hardbound) is by food writer Colu Henry, formerly of Bon Appetit. There are some heavy-duty log rollers as well. She believes in a well-stocked pantry and a few seasonal ingredients for weeknight meals. Staples will provide ideas for a quick pasta dish. Everything is relaxed and stress-free. This is cooking on the fly, with many dishes being sauced before the water boils. She gives us plenty of ideas for quick sauces, and there is a review of the different pasta shapes. Then it is off to a family history as she explores all the different pasta in her life, from the tenements through to latter-day travels. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: lovers of Italian food and memoirs, those seeking many quick dishes. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: tonno and tomato with sweet onion; crab fra diavolo; tortellini en brodo; Sicilian escarole and sausage; radiatore with potatoes, kale and bacon; chestnut pasta with red cabbage and pancetta. The downside to this book: the drink/wine section could have been better. The upside to this book: a good way to present pasta dishes. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 8.COCONUT, GINGER, SHRIMP, RUM (Skyhorse Publishing, 2017, 136 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-1493-9, $17.99 USD hardbound) is by Brigid Washington, former editor of the CIA's “La Papillote” who was raised in Trinidad and Tobago. It's a celebration of Caribbean flavours for every season: a mix of East Indian, West African, French and Spanish influences. And each of her preps use at least one of the ingredients in the title (although rosemary and lemon brick chicken does not). It is all arranged by season, opening with spring and moving forward through winter (the latter is not really cold on their terms). Each season has some light fare (or apps), mains, some drinks, and some desserts. It is a good topic and lovingly presented with some memoirish material about the islands. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are conversion tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: Caribbean food lovers, shrimp lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: from Spring – rhubarb ginger challah, cajun shrimp and Greek yogurt cornbread, Szechuan ginger stir fry, Creole bouillabaisse, a Bloody Mary with bacon, shrimp and jalapeno; and old school bananas Foster. The downside to this book: I wish there was more. The upside to this book: large print (even larger in the index) Quality/Price Rating: 88. 9.COOKING WITH COCKTAILS (The Countryman Press, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-58157-397-8, $29.95 USD hardbound) is by Vancouverite Kristy Gardner, food writer to Edible Vancouver and blogger at SheEats.ca. Personally, I thought the book's title meant cooking with a cocktail in one's hand. But it is actually a series of recipes involving food plus wine, beer or spirits. The range is from apps and small plates through mains and desserts, with stops along the way for soups/salads/sides. She's got 100 preps plus a primer on kitchen needs. She follows Julia Child's dictum: “The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude”. In some of the preps, the alcohol mostly burns off; in other preps, it doesn't (ice cream, guacamole). Some preps use alcohol sparingly. But it is a good selection overall, with an emphasis on a well-stocked larder/pantry (cheeses, nuts, gains, herbs, spices, preserved items, spirits, beer, wine. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those who want to use alcohol in their cooking, millennials. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sherry ragu with rabbit and pappardelle noodles; parchment baked grappa halibut; smoked trout and brandy melt; cachaca grilled avocado; peach schnapps blueberry crisp; drunk grilled pear and brie salad; cheese and rum marinated pineapple sticks. The downside to this book: there is a bit of coarse language here that is not attractive, but chacun a son gout...it's a bit like the Cursing Mommy of the New Yorker. The upside to this book: she emphasizes that one should read the recipe, use Google if you are unsure, and season everything. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 10.THE PULSE REVOLUTION (DK, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-5919-0, $25 USD hardbound) is by Tami Hardeman, food stylist and recipe developer for print and broadcast sources. It's the latest entry in the beans sweepstakes: 150 vegetarian recipes with both vegan and meat variations, covering all manner of pulses (dry beans, lentils, dry peas, and chickpeas). Included too are pulse flours. Techniques of cooking are covered, as well as sprouting and cooking methods for different varieties. It's also arranged two ways: by course and meal. There are chapters on breakfast and brunch, snacks, soups, salads, stews, sides, spreaded pastes, sandwiches. Braises and curries are included, as well as baked dishes and casseroles. Desserts conclude the pattern. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: pulse lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: mung bean gado gado; hoppin' john soup; beluga lentil and olive tapenade; chickpea fries; black-eyed pea hummus; chickpea and peanut cookies; white bean crepes with apricot sauce. The downside to this book: I would have liked more recipes, although the vegan and meat variations are extremely useful. The upside to this book: great detailed layout and nutritional data for each recipe. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 11.CITRUS (Quadrille, 2017, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-900-2 $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Catherine Phipps, a UK food writer and broadcaster. She's got 170 preps covering a variety such as lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, yuzu, kumquats, and relatives. It is a basic arrangement by course: soups, small plates, salads, mains, sides, and desserts (the largest chapter). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: citrus lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sauteed chicken livers with Marsala and orange; black-eyed peas with lime and chipotle; early summer veggies with lime and tarragon; orange-roasted root veggies with herb and lemon pesto; lemon ice cream with almond and fennel praline; orange and pistachio cake; citrus risotto. The downside to this book: the book is tightly bound, hard to pin back the pages. The upside to this book: a good basic collection of citric recipes, Quality/Price Rating: 87. 12.BITES ON A BOARD (Gibbs Smith, 2017, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-4574-0, $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Anni Daulter, a food stylist and food author. She also founded a baby food company (Bohemian Baby). Here she starts with a type of serving board, loads it up with food, and arranges the recipes by type. There's a primer followed by the types: [pickled boards, charcuterie boards, lush boards, rustic boards, and culture boards. For example, her Mexican board has griddled lime zucchini, carne asada street tacos, stuffed Mexican chile peppers, horchata and classic salsa – all nicely displayed and laid out with a terrific photo. It's all finger food, and meant for a larger crowd (say, four each), but it can be a whole meal for one person. It's the ultimate grazing but brought before you as you are seated. Another example: surf and turf (sliced filet mignon, brown buttered scallops, blue cheese and chevre arugula salad, fried capers). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are conversion tables. Audience and level of use: those wishing new forms of presentation for dinners or appetizers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: try Island Days (grilled pineapple, huli huli salmon skewers, poke avocado salad with edible flowers) or the Wild Unknown (roasted asparagus spears with garlic sauce, kale cumin chips, peppered aged cheddar cheese, pan-fried wild mushrooms with walnuts and rustic toast). The downside to this book: cheeses are parts of different boards, but there is no distinct solo cheeseboard. The upside to this book: good photography and food styling. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.NATURALLY NOURISHED (Appetite by Random House, 2017, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-449-01646-6, $32.95 CAD hardcovers) is by Sarah Britton, who had previously written the My New Roots cookbook. She's a prominent holistic nutritionist and writer, born in Canada but now living In Copenhagen. These are easy to prepare vegetarian dishes, with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options. In addition to the text and preps, she also did the photography. It's arranged by course: soups, salads, mains, sides, small plates, savoury and sweet snacks – all along with a pantry and further ideas. There's harissa-dressed massaged kale, roasted sweet potato and butter beans, grilled eggplant and mushrooms, and baked feta with olives, peppers and tomatoes. Yummy stuff. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric (mostly) and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 14.RICK STEIN'S LONG WEEKENDS (BBC Books, 2016, 320 pages, ISBN 978-1-78594092-7 $53.95 CAD hardbound) is by Rick Stein, owner of four restaurants in Cornwall and presenter for many BBC TV travel-cookery shows. This book is meant to accompany his latest, with the same title: Rick Stein's Long Weekends. It's a collection of 100 recipes from 10 European cities, for a weekend at home with food from the region. There is photography of food and the locations with travel tips for each city. You can replicate “the magic of a long weekend in your own home”. While it is arranged by course, there is an index by city so you can pull out the relevant recipes. Apart from the obvious capitals, there is also Bordeaux, Cadiz, Bologna, and Palermo. And the book actually has a dust jacket!Good ideas. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 15.WHOLE NEW YOU (Ballantine Books, 2017, 303 pages, ISBN 978-1-101-96735-5, $20 USD paperbound) is by Tia Mowry, who has an eponymous show on The Cooking Channel. As an actor, she ate catering spreads and eventually was diagnosed with endometriosis. With two years in recovery she changed her diet by eliminating dairy, sugars and processed foods. Her book covers whole plant foods, inflammation and gut flora. She's got a 10-day menu plan with over 100 recipes (including lighter versions of fried chicken), some preps for your kids, how to eat on the go, and some relaxants such as acupuncture and yoga to help shape up the body. The first 100 pages deals with “her story” while the next 200 contain the recipes arranged by course, with a chapter on fermented foods and another on the pantry needed. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 16.THE GENIUS GLUTEN-FREE COOKBOOK (Vermilion, 2016, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-78504070-2 $31.99 CAD paperbound) is by Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne, chef and founder of Genius Gluten-Free. Her idea is to spice up all the foods – tarts, pies, soups, salads, pasta, pizzas, pancakes, toast, crepes, including tarte tatin, rosemary sable, and French toast. 120 preps in all. Very tasty with lots of gluten-free grains. Arrangement is by course. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 17.THIS IS GLUTEN-FREE (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2017, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-811-6, $21.95 USD hardbound) is by Victoria Hall, owner and founder of 2 Oxford Place, a gluten-free restaurant in Leeds. She also sells a range of GD kits. These are 70 or so preps for mainly baking: cakes, pastry, fillings, sauces, savoury bakes, and others. In her preps she uses purchased GF flour which is usually a blend of tapioca, potato, corn, rice, buckwheat and sorghum flours. Some American all-purpose GF flours have bean flours. She doesn't do breads, but there is a recipe for scones. The one bread recipe is for bread pudding, which uses scones (although the photo of this dish seems to show “bread” rather than scones). But all the preps are sure to please; we've tried out a few. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 18.FOOLPROOF COOKING (BBC Books, 2016, 320 pages, ISBN 978-1-78594051-4 $53.95 CAD hardbound) is by the renowned Brit cookbook author and TV presenter, Mary Berry. It is meant to accompany her TV show: Mary Berry's Foolproof Cooking. It has all the recipes, which stress simple weekday suppers, impressive dinner parties, comforting desserts, and more. Arrangement is by food, from apps to desserts, with fish, poultry, meats, pasta and rice, salads and veggies. And there are lots of tips as she explained on her TV show. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric measurements, but there are tables of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 19.LOW AND SLOW (Ebury Press, 2016, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-78503087-1 $53.95 CAD hardbound) is by Neil Rankin, owner-chef of UK's Smokehouse (2013 and a second in 2015) and Bad Egg (2014). It's a basic book on how to cook meat: “low and slow is the way to go”. Here is a guide to cooking various meats at temperatures and times that get the best results. And without a lot of equipment too. Preliminary pages include notes on meat quality, colouring meat (saute), ovens, reheating, and fallacies about resting/standing. His first section is on steaks, followed by roasts, braises, and then BBQ/slowing-smoking. All manner of meats and cuts are covered (pig's head, lamb belly, chicken wings, etc.) There's a small section on accompaniments that smacks of guy food and a short glossary. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 20.ROOKIE COOKING (Skyhorse Publishing, 2017, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-1165-5, $17.99 USD paperbound) is by Jim Edwards, chief instructor at Chef Central, culinary superstore. It's a textbook type of work, with most of the pages dealing with with the primer of cooking: sanitation, equipment, tools, type of foods, pantries and larders, cooking techniques. This is followed by a selection of preps to build confidence and six complete menus. He then moves on to plating, preservation, table settings and service, again with menus for specified occasions (cocktail parties, winter menu, summer menu). The appendices cover herbs and spices, plus conversion tables. It is at the beginner's level because, as he says, “every great cook has to start somewhere”. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 21.BREDDOS TACOS; the cookbook (Quadrille, 2016, 166 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-799-2 $22.99 USD hardbound) is by Nud Dudhia and Chris Whitney, owners of Breddos Tacos which produces Mexican street food in the UK. Here are more than 100 preps for tacos and condiments, from many parts of Mexico. Nud dos the recipes; Chris does the stories for such as Baja fish tacos, Yucatan chicken and mango habanero sauce, octopus al pastor, and beef cheeks. It's arranged by meat type, with a concluding chapter on veggies and sides, followed by drinks. Pork belly croquettes really worked well for me, as did cauliflower al pastor. Good stuff here. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. A fun book, very colourful in the graphics. Quality/price rating: 87. 22.GATHER (Quadrille, 2016, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-917-0 $35USD hardbound) is by Gill Meller, chef and food writer. He has been part of River Cottage for over a decade. Here he celebrates nature and the seasons. He's got 130 preps emphasizing the garden, the farm, the field, the seashore, the orchards, the harbour, and the woodland, made from seasonal foods. Log rolling is by four British food chefs-writers, including Nigella Lawson who states “Gather does for contemporary British food what Ottolenghi has done for contemporary Middle Eastern cooking”. That's a fair, if somewhat hyperbolical, assessment. Each of the landscapes noted above covers about five types of typically British foods. For the Moor, there is rabbit, partridge, trout, wild boar, and venison. You can easily adapt these to domestic meats in your local kitchen. Closer to home is the Orchard with its apples, pears, quince, damsons and blackcurrants. It's also a well-photographed book. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly avoirdupois measurements with some metric equivalents, but there are no conversion tables. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 23.WINE; a connoisseur's journal (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2013, 2016, various pagings, ISBN 978-1-84975-787-4, $19.95 USD spiral-bound with flaps) is a nifty publisher's package for those who like to keep a personalized reference of wine-buying. Andrew Jefford provides the wine advice. And there are lined pages within themed sections for the user to add his own notes. This way he could keep a record of all the great table wines tried for investment or enjoyment, for private dining or for parties – or even a larger wine tasting. Tabbed dividers have pockets for storing reviews, there is a 64-page rule mini notebook, and there is even glue for mounting wine labels. Quite a nice package for the price. Quality/price rating: 89. 24.ESSENTIAL CHINESE COOKING (Quadrille, 2015, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-837-1 $34.95 CAD hardbound) is by Jeremy Pang, owner of School of Wok cookery school in London. It was first published in the UK in 2015, and is now available in North America. He's developed a technique called the Wok Clock which is a way of organizing ingredients before actually cooking. He's got a comprehensive pantry listed, along with a primer on techniques and equipment. The book is arranged by these techniques: stir-frying, deep-frying, steaming, poaching and braising, roasting and double cooking. There is also a chapter on sides and condiments. Try glass noodle chicken salad, mustard green and bok choy salad, zing zing tempura sea bass, or pork belly and yam with hoisin scallion sauce. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 25.ECLAIRS (Robert Rose, 2017, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0567-0, $24.95 USD papercovers) is by Christopher Adam, a pastry chef who now owns his own eclair boutique (15 locations worldwide). One is coming to North America in 2017, and this book looks to support it. It's been published in France in 2015; this is the English translation. It is basically a book with “easy, elegant and modern” preps for the busy but curious homemaker. There are 35 recipes with over 500 step-by-step photographs: 15 basic plus 20 inventive. I've always wondered about storage, and while “storage” is not indexed, he does answer it on page 25. The layout is typical Robert Rose with good leading and expression of ingredients and their quantities. I was most attracted to caramel eclairs, pistachio orange eclairs, and lemon eclairs. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 89. 26.THE CANCER-FIGHTING KITCHEN 2d ed (Ten Speed Press, 2009, 2017, 228 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57871-7, $32.50 USD hardcovers) is by Rebecca Katz (consulting wellness chef), along with Mat Edelson (science writer). It was originally published in 2009; this is its second revised edition. It is a good resource showing how to control disease and optimize health through nourishing food. The original edition in 2009 won two IACP awards. It is now updated with the latest medical research, new recipes, and new photos. The 150 preps are also easy to prepare, and stimulate the appetite and try to counter the side effects of medically fighting cancer (fatigue, nausea, dehydration, mouth and throat soreness, and changes in palate-tasting). It has a primer dealing with menu planing and flavour enhancements, and cultivating culinary preferences. It's arranged by topic of soups/broths, veggies, protein foods, tonics, sweets, and “anytime” foods. There's a resources list and a bibliography (which unfortunately only goes up to 2008 except for one 2013 reference: why?). Preparations have their ingredients listed only in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 27.PIMENTOS & PIRI PIRI; Portuguese comfort cooking (Whitecap Books, 2013, 2017, 376 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-190-4, $39.95 CAD hardbound) is by Carla Azevedo, a chef grad from George Brown College and a grad from Ryerson’s Journalism school. It is a hard cover reissue of a substantially updated, revised, expanded and extended version of her first book, Uma Casa Portuguesa which dealt with home style Portuguese food, but largely Azorean. Here, she concentrates more on the mainland and some transition elements in North America to account for the tastes of the waves of Portuguese immigrants over the past 20 years since she wrote Uma. She spent time with Portuguese women and came up with this book of new preps and stories from the Portuguese kitchen. There is a primer on the essential of Portuguese cuisine, 330 recipes from apps to desserts, engaging photos, and both metric and avoirdupois measurements in the ingredient lists. Anyone for grilled octopus in red pepper and olive relish? Or caldo verde, piri piri, and bolo de natal com figos? Quality/price rating: 88. 28.FEED YOUR LOVE (Skyhorse Publishing, 2007, 2017, 152 pages, ISBN 978-1-63220-490-5, $16.99 USD hardbound) is by Guillermo Ferrara, author of 19 books on personal growth. It was originally publish in Spain in 2007, and this is the 2017 translation. He turns everyday meals into an invitation to play and to pleasure: cooking promotes life and joy. He's got scores of suggestions to turn your mealtime into a sensational event, with preps such as a sparkling wine sherbet, peaches in cinnamon and cardamom syrup, chicken curry with ginger veggies, guava peals, min-chocolate souffles. His text includes material about sex and food, yin and yang foods, balanced eating, cooking and the chakras, and rituals. Recipes are arranged by region: Greece, Mexico, and Hindu. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mostly avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there are also tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 29.REAL MEXICAN FOOD; authentic recipes for burritos, tacos, salsas and more. Rev. ed.(Ryland, Peters and Small, 2012, 2017, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-819-2, $19.95 US hard covers) is by Felipe Fuentes Cruz and Ben Fordham. Together they run Benito’s Hat Mexican Kitchen in London England, now in several locations. Ben runs it and Felipe devises all the dishes. Check out www.benitos-hat.com. These are largely family-style recipes, with an emphasis on home. There’s a chapter on starters (antojitos), sopas and ensaladas, mains, sides, salsas, desserts and drinks. There’s roasted pumpkin with chard and mushrooms, baked sea bream with garlic butter, corn tortillas dipped in black bean sauce with queso fresco, coriander-lime rice, salsa brava, and shrimp tacos. The photography, like most Ryland books, is gorgeous and appetite-provoking. Certainly this is a sure winner book for fans of the restaurant and for those who like to cook uncomplicated Mexican food at home. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 30.FARM-FRESH RECIPES FROM THE MISSING GOAT FARM (Cico Books, 2013, 2017, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78249-451-5, $19.95 US hard covers) is by Heather Cameron, who bought an organic blueberry farm outside Vancouver, BC renaming it, Missing Goat. This is a straight reprint of the 2013 book. She now has her own line of organic jams which she sells to 50 or so shops, and in her spare time she is also a food writer. Here are over 100 recipes for a range including pies, snacks, soups, breads, and preserves. These farm faves are arranged by season beginning with Spring, and sub-arranged by time of day (breakfast, snack, main, dessert). As such it is also part memoir. She details the trials and tribulations of a newbie running a farm, emphasizing the field to table aspect. It is an all-occasion book, with such recipes as baked beans with salsa, blueberry pie, salmon with blueberry chutney, chicken kale soup, zucchini cakes with apple sauce, mini jam pies, perogies, chicken and veggie wrap with quinoa, and gingerbread cookies. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 31.MARKET VEGETARIAN; easy recipes for every occasion (Ryland Peters & Small, 2008, 2017, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-808-6, $21.95 US hard covers) is by Ross Dobson, a Sydney, Australia-based food writer with ties to the UK and USA. It was originally published in 2008; this is the revised edition. The earlier work had the word “organic” in the subtitle; it has now disappeared for there was no compelling reason why you had to use organic food (Dobson does not make a case for it). Nevertheless, the book is attractive for its reliance on fresh market food. He opens with how to buy food at such a market, but then this will also depend on where you live. The arrangement is by course, from appetizers to desserts. The recipes are easy to follow, although it would be useful too if you had a pantry. Websites and mail order firms are listed, but all are UK and US. The pix, as always, are great. Some interesting recipes – potatoes and parsnip croquettes; vegetable potstickers; braised fennel with polenta; chile- roasted vegetables with soft goat cheese; paella of summer vine vegetables with almonds. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 84. 32.EVERYDAY DELICIOUS (Hardie Grant Books, 2014, 2016, 208 pages, ISBN 978-0-1-78488-025-5, $29.99 USD paperbound) is by Izy Hossack, a recipe developer and blogger. It was originally published as a hardbound in 2014, but titled “Top with Cinnamon”. It has been re-titled and reprinted in paper covers here. It is a collection of her ideas from the blog and contributions to other publications. These are sweet and savoury preps for lazy weekends and impromptu get-togethers. You'll need a pantry of sorts to have the basic ingredients on hand. All courses are presented. Typical are tiramisu, Spanish olive oil tortas, prawn and corn soup, fig and walnut parmesan crackers, and herby kale pesto. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 33.A MOVEABLE FEAST (Hardie Grant Books, 2014, 2016, 180 pages, ISBN 978-174117621-6, $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Katy Holder, multiple cookbook author and food writer-editor. It was originally published in 2014 but now makes its re-appearance under a slightly different imprint. This is a basic picnic (or al fresco dining) book dealing with a variety of circumstances. It is arranged by form: breads and muffins, flaky and crumbly, minis, leafy, wraps, bites, moveable, sweets and drinks. All with British and Australian influences. Typical are tandoori prawns, chicken tortillas, tuna and egg pain bagnat, salmon-avocado sushi, and baked ricotta with roasted veggies. Stylish tips for presentation abound. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric measurements, but there is no table of avoirdupois equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR DECEMBER 2016 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.BESOTTED (Sonderho Press, 2016, 82 pages, ISBN 978-0-9917484-6-4, $25 CAD paperbound) is by Larry Horne, who works as sales manager for Calamus Winery in Niagara. He has spent 30 years in the broadcast sales business and then moved to St. Catharines in 2005. He began his quest for truth in wines in 1984, and this book is a cumulative memoir/diary of his adventures around the globe, subtitled: “My Love Affair with Wine”. It's one person's account; your life may have varied...He's been motivated by his passion for all things wine, and thus has written a rich and zesty memoir that documents his status as a beginning wine taster, wine collector, amateur winemaker, grape grower and the Noble Rotters. Plus the Ontario Wine Society. Wine has also been the basis for his many international travels with his wife and wine-drinking partner, Alice (many food and wine writers seem to have wives named Alice). They have traveled to Kiwiland, Oz, Left Coast, Finger Lakes, Napa, Germany, France, and Tuscany in search of the ultimate wine-tasting experience, and these adventures figure prominently in his memoir/diary. If you want a paper copy of the book, send a cheque for $25 CAD (includes postage) to Larry Horne at #37-275 Pelham Road, St. Catharines, ON, L2S 3B9, and be sure to include your return address. The e-book is available via - Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/besotted-6?utm_source=indigo&utm_medi%C3%A2%E2%82%AC%C2%A6 Chapters – https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/besotted/9780991748471-item.html?ikwid=besotted&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0 Kindle - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Besotted-My-Love-Affair-Wine-ebook/dp/B01M5GFPM7 Audience and level of use: Canadian wine lovers. The downside to this book: too quick a read that may end up in the john genre. The upside to this book: it is actually a worthy contribution to the literature of the Canadian wine industry and history – there aren't too many memoirs like this one. Quality/Price Rating: 88. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.MEALS FOR ME (Quadrille, 2015, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-734-3, $29.95 USD hardbound) is by Sam Stern, who has written seven other books. His lifelong mission is to show that anyone can make good food from scratch. This current book, now available in North America fir the first time since its publication last year in the UK, suggests that by cooking a main menu item, you can be halfway to preparing a second dish for the next day. Basic supermarket packages are for two or more, and what Stern proposes is that you can make two meals from one for less time and less money and f]less food waste. OK, so it is basic stuff: one core ingredient, two meals. There is the technique, the primer (kitchen essentials, pantry items, equipment), and the arrangement. Chapters deals with meats, from chicken through duck, beef, pork, lamb, fish, veggies, and sweets. It is a male approach (left brain analysis) that calls for proper organization. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: men, students, those who cook for one or two. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: beer and orange chicken can be used for Asian chicken salad in its second coming; chicken teriyaki can be chicken-cheese nachos later; chicken saag curry becomes chicken tikka kabobs; beef and tatties can be cottage pie. The downside to this book: I wanted more variations for the second dish. The upside to this book: a good hook to have a book on cooking. Quality/Price Rating: 89. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.SCANDINAVIAN COMFORT FOOD (Quadrille, 2016, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-859-3, $35 USD hardbound) is by Trine Hahnemann, who has written 14 cookbooks, mostly in Danish. She embraces the art of “hygge” (Danish for coziness) for comforting foods. This book is just one of many Scandinavian cookbooks published this year. She's got 130 preps dealing with home life, such as family meals, veggie love, soups for every season, condiments, breads, and sweets. Along the way she has notes on long summer nights, cooking in her kitchen, and Christmas (lunch and dinner). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: families for the most part, light entertaining with friends. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: barbecued langoustines with lemon mayo and chilli cream; asparagus soup; buckwheat-zucchini-tomatoes and lovage salad; kale and pancetta tart; chicory with red onion and grapefruit; baked rhubarb and strawberries with ice cream and toasted flakes. The downside to this book: there is a lot in here that needs exploring. The upside to this book: good theme, family and quality food. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 4.THE UNEXPECTED CAJUN KITCHEN (Skyhorse Publishing, 162 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-1044-3, $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Leigh Ann Chatagnier, a food blogger who currently lives in Texas and is now married to a Cajun. These are 70 classic bayou recipes using fresh Louisiana ingredients that could or should be available in the larger urban marketplaces – or by mail. It is all arranged by course, beginning with brunch, lunch, everyday dishes, date night, small bites, sweet tooth,and happy hour. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: family style, easy to learn. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bourbon butterscotch bread pudding; Cajun breakfast fried rice; couche couche; crawfish butternut squash mac 'n' cheese; jambalaya pot pies for two; pecan praline cinnamon rolls; chicken and andouille sausage gumbo with fried okra dippers. The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes The upside to this book: conversion charts. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 5.ADVENTURES IN CHICKEN (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, 288 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-55820-5, $30 USD hardbound) is by Eva Kosmas Flores, who manages to combine food writing with food photography. She's a free-lance Portland-based writer with a blog adventuresincooking.com. These 150 preps are derived largely from that blog, and perfectly illustrate the diversity of poultry from the Mediterranean to SouthEast Asia. There are ideas for drumsticks (the forgotten part of the chicken) and for mixing up meats. A primer includes material on deconstructing the chicken, using up leftovers, using bits and pieces, and creating a variety of stocks. It's arranged by form, first with apps and then followed by style: whole and roasted, grilled and fried, soups and braises. After that there are pastries, noodles, casseroles, and various sandwiches. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: some interesting ideas for chicken necks (nectarine and orzo, maybe a nec and neck salad! Sorry, I had to use that), slow-cooked gizzards, popcorn chicken hearts, fried chicken feet, glass noodles with chicken and leek, roast chicken with apricot-habanero glaze, chicken sumac with beets and feta, chicken souvlaki. The downside to this book: it is a good package but a bit pricey. The upside to this book: everything is tasty, Quality/Price Rating: 88. 6.BUT MY FAMILY WOULD NEVER EAT VEGAN! (The Experiment, 2016, 322 pages, ISBN 978-1-61519-343-4, $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Kristy Turner, a recipe developer and food stylist with a vegan blog. She has also written “But I Could Never Go Vegan!” Here she promotes 125 recipes to wine everyone over. It's a mixture of the veggie aspect and the faux, meant for picky eaters who would learn to enjoy vegan food at the table. She has a huge section on the vegan pantry and substitutions, followed by breakfast (no eggs) and family dinners (no meats), kid-friendly meals, sports games munchies, homestyle and entertaining meals, and made over classics. There are icons for gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, advanced planning required, and lunch leftover/options. As well, there are variations and other suggestions. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: vegans, vegetarians Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: vanilla french toast with strawberry sauce; date nut bread; dill yogurt sauce; cheesy quinoa and zucchini; grilled veggie kebabs; bean and cheese quesadilla; lasagna soup; blue cheese dip. The downside to this book: nothing much really, well-priced. The upside to this book: good collection of classics reinterpreted. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 7.UPSCALE DOWNHOME (St. Martin's Griffen Thomas Dunne Books, 2016, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-07884-1, $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Rachel Hollis, and event planner who now tests casserole recipes – among other things – for free-lance food pieces and her blog TheChicSite.com. Here she concentrates on family recipes “all gussied up” for parties and entertaining. These are twists on American classics, including buffets and BBQ events. It's arranged by theme: snacks, dips, casseroles, slow cooker, potluck, leftovers, sweet, sips, and parties. Lots of ideas here. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: families Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: The downside to this book: it is pretty basic but serviceable for the novice cook. The upside to this book: lots of photos showing the mise en place. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 8.ONE PAN, TWO PLATES: vegetarian suppers (Chronicle Books, 2016, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-4583-9, $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Carla Snyder, a caterer and cooking school operator in Ohio. Chronicle Books had previously published her “The Big Book of Appetizers”. These are 70 weeknight vegetarian meals for two people, using one pan. It's all arranged by course: soups and stews, eggs and cheese, garden-fresh, grains and beans, pasta, and pizzas/tartines. She dedicates the book to all those who like to cook, like to eat but hate to wash dishes and tidy up. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: couples, although meals can be expanded. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: bibimbap; vadouvan-spiced cabbage; latkes with rutabagas and rapini; polenta dishes; bow ties with Brussels sprouts; migas. The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes. The upside to this book: there is a separate index “find it fast” with sections on gluten-free, dairy-free, summer meals, autumn meals, winter meals, spring meals, and dinners in under 30 minutes. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 9.SMASHED MASHED BOILED AND BAKED AND FRIED TOO (Workman Publishing, 2016, 250 pages, ISBN 978-0-7611-8547-5, $16.95 USD paperbound) is by Raghavan Iyer, a Beard and IACP Award winner. He's written a number of Indian food books, such as “660 Curries”. Here it is all about potatoes: tidbits, finger foods, soups, salads, mains, small plates, and sweets. There are 75 preps in all, put together and laid out in that world-famous Workman style. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Variations come under the category of “Tater Tips”. Audience and level of use: potato lovers, exploratory cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: stuffed crispy flautas; sweet potato-peanut stew; Irish lamb stew; twice-baked potatoes with bacon; vegan mozzarella potato stacks; water chestnut potato potstickers; papas a la huancaina. The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes. The upside to this book: there is a separate index to special diets (GF, vegan, lacto-veggie). Quality/Price Rating: 89. 10.STIR, SIZZLE, BAKE (Clarkson Potter, 2016, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-553-45966-1, $25 USD hardbound) is by Charlotte Druckman, a food writer associated with Food52 and co-author of “Cooking Without Borders”. Here she promotes the idea of the only pan you will ever need: the cast-iron skillet. She comes with log rolling from Christina Tosi and Dorie Greenspan and a few more. This is a very elegant book, but it does have to compete with manmy other skillet books out there. She's got good notes on caring for the skillet and the pantry needed for skillets. Her arrangement is by category: no-bake, easy-bake, on-the-rise bake, make-the-most-of bake, and condiments (giardiniera, pan-fried sage pesto, charred green pea hummus, and chocostachio spread). Excellent photography, of course. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: newish cooks, small kitchen cooks Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: tomato pie; sesame brown-butter cornbread; crumpets; pineapple-pine nut buttermilk cake; rosemary-olive oil brownies with sea salt. The downside to this book: I think the market has now been completely saturated this year for cast-iron or one-pan skillets. The upside to this book: pretty definitive. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.STORM THE KETTLE (Whitecap, 2016, 200 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-299-4, $29.95 CAD paperbound) is by Elaine Feore, who did catering and ran a restaurant in Windsor ON. Now she's in Newfoundland with Joanne Goudie, running The Blue Fish Bistro and Cafe. They've got some classic dishes and local foods, and some contemporary international offerings as well as Newfoundland stews and seafood dishes (salt cod soup, cod tacos, poached cod with mixed veggies). There are additional sidebars on Newfoundland's heritage and culinary evolution. It is all arranged from apps to sweets, with courses also in sections (lunch, dinner). There is a pantry, of course, with lots of food and local colour photos. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois. Quality/price rating: 89. 12.GOOD TASTE (New American Library, 2016, 180 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-58337-7, $30 USD hardbound) is by Jane Green, bestselling author of The Beach House and Falling. It is her collection of simple and delicious recipes for her family and friends. The arrangement is by beginnings, middles and endings (starters/soups, mains, desserts). Along the way there is some good photography and memoir-like materials. It's pretty basic, such as French Onion soup (not sure why she needed to add sugar) or sweet corn and chili soup, mild green fish curry, warm chocolate and banana cake. Many preps come from her mother. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. A nice book for her fans. Quality/price rating: 86. 13.RAO'S CLASSICS (St. Martin's Press, 2016, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-00628-8, $35 USD hardbound) is by Frank Pellegrino Sr and Jr, with Joseph Riccobene. Senior had written two previous Rao's books; Junior had written Rao's Grill book, is the fourth generation owner, and runs the Western operations (Hollywood and Las Vegas). Log rolling comes from Bobby Flay and Drew Nieporent. Their book has more than 140 Italian faves from the New York restaurant in East Harlem since 1896 – with ten red-checkered tables for service. The range here is from antipasto through dolci, highlighted with pasta, seafood and meats. And there is a good history of the restaurants and of the people (lots of portraits at the back). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. This is definitely one for the fans who need their fix. Quality/price rating: 86. 14.FIREHOUSE CHEF (Whitecap, 2016, 196 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-306-9, $34.95 CAD paperbound) is by Patrick Mathieu, a firefighter and a cook, owning a catering company while also teaching culinary management, writing about food for a firefighting magazine, and appearing on TV's Chopped Canada. This book is part memoir as Mathieu describes his 15 years as a firefighter-cook. He's got some preps of his own as well as contributions from firehalls across Canada (but no calendar). The range is basic, from apps through sweets, with lots of photos of food and firetrucks, etc. It is a little bit on the guy side as firefighters want extra protein, so there is pulled pork, wings, elk chili, goulash and other stews. Hearty food for the winter. Anecdotes abound, woven in with the memoir material. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 15.BREAKING BREADS; a new world of Israel baking (Artisan, 2016, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-682-9, $35 USD hardbound) is by Uri Scheft, owner of Tel Aviv's Lehamim Bakery (2001) and NYC's Breads Bakery (2014). He deals with classics such as babka and pain de mie. He has recipes for Yemenite kubaneh. His focaccia is topped with shakshuka (eggs poached in tomatoes). His poppy seed hamantaschen turns savoury with beets and potatoes. There are also 130 colour photos as well, to complement the 100 preps for flatbreads, stuffed breads, challahs, and cookies. Preparations have their ingredients scaled and listed in both metric weights and avoirdupois volumes, but there are also tables of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 16.THE ENCHILADA QUEEN COOKBOOK (St. Martin's Griffin, 2016, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-08291-6, $27.99 USD hardbound) is by Sylvia Casares, owner of Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen in Houston. It was recently chosen by USA Today as in “The Top 10 Great Mexican Restaurants” in the USA. A lot of the food, of course, is Tex-Mex in style, with enchiladas, fajitas, tamales, tacos and other classics. Strangely, tortas are missing, and there is no pozole or lamb dishes. There's a quail recipe for the grill, chili gravy, slow-fried pork, stewed chicken breasts, and stacked enchiladas. Great looking food, filling for the colder seasons ahead. This is typical food from the restaurant, along with some of their fave drink and cocktail recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 17.SCRATCH (Rodale, 2016, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-62336-643-8, $35 USD hardbound) is by Maria Rodale, CEO of Rodale. She's the granddaughter of the founder. She's authored many books on organic food and gardening, but this is her first recipe book. These are 215 recipes developed from “scratch” (I have a whole roomful of scratch beside our freezer). Farm-to-table is the main theme of “home cooking for everyone made simple, fun and totally delicious” (subtitle). Melanie Hansche is the editor, recipe tester, and food stylist. The arrangement is typical: breakfast, salads, noodles, soups and sandwiches, snacks, mains (56 pages), sides, and baked desserts. And she endorses Michael Pollan: “East food, Mostly plants. Not too much”. Try roast pork with sauerkraut, three-bean salad, panisse, escarole-farro-chicken soup, or celery with brown butter and toasted almonds. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 18.ANNA MAE'S MAC N CHEESE (Square Peg, 2015, 144 pages, ISBN 978-0-22410121-9, $27.99 CAN hardbound) is by Anna Clark and Tony Solomon; they run a food truck in London UK with that theme. They've been nominated for several BBC Good Food awards. It is an open and shut book: there are 50 preps for exotic mac 'n' cheese, sides, desserts and beverages. Mac 'n' cheese fries starts with leftover mac 'n' cheese and adds panko crumbs. Leftover mac 'n' cheese? Not in my house...Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric with few avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 19.LAYERED DESSERTS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2016, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-763-8, $21.95 USD hardbound) is by Hannah Miles, who competed on the BBC MasterChef series. She's published other niche cookbooks for RP & S, including ones on popcorn, cheesecake, and milkshakes. Here she zeroes in on 65 “layered cakes” which are retro but enjoying a revival: trifles, tiramisus, ice cream cakes, black forest, strawberry shortcake mousse and other similar goodies. It is arranged by themes: classic (mille-feuilles), fruity layers, frozen layers, and international. Preparations are scaled and have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 20.PERFECTLY PALEO (Ryland Peters & Small, 2016, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-770-6, $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Rosa Rigby, a UK chef who now regularly hosts Paleo pop-up dining events. These are some 60 recipes for clean eating on a paleo diet. There is a wide-range of ingredients here, designed to provide sustainability and vitality. No processed foods, dairy or grains. Instead, nuts, seeds, eggs, quality meat and fish lead the way. It is not a diet so much as it is an approach. Typical arrangement includes breakfast, snacks, salads, soups, sandwiches, sides, mains and “tasty treats” (sweets). Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 21.SCANDIKITCHEN FIKA & HYGGE (Ryland Peters & Small, 2016, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-759-1, $21.95 USD hardbound) is by Bronte Aurell, a Swede who runs the ScandiKitchen Cafe and shop in London UK. Her food has also been featured on BBC and Danish TV. FIKA is a Swedish tradition for meeting for coffee. HYGGE is Danish for “coziness”, as in comfort food. Together, these are the themes of the ScandiKitchen, and this is the resulting cookbook: comforting cakes and bakes. Arrangement is by form: biscuits and cookies; traybakes and no bakes; little fancy cakes; celebration cakes; breads and batters. Spices used include caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, ginger, saffron, orange peel. Grains are mostly oats and rye, with spelt and potato flour. Try custard tarts, blueberry stud muffins, honey cake, or hazelnut and mocha square. * 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 22.THE ULTIMATE STUDENT COOKBOOK FROM CHICKEN TO CHILI (Firefly, 2010, 2016, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-55407-602-4, $14.95 CAD paperbound) 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 re-figuring: 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. 23.COCKTAILS MADE EASY (Firefly Books, 2010, 2016, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-77085-775-9, $19.95 CAD paperbound) is by Simon Difford, an award-winning spirits writer in the UK. It was last out in 2010. It is exceedingly useful for its 500 recipes, with new ones since the last edition. Many recipes have been modified one way or another: different brands are used, different proportions adapt to modern times, recipes are simpler. There are four basic ways to mix a cocktail: stir, shake, blend, and build, and there is an order in which to mix the ingredients. His preps show those things, along with appropriate garnishes, a correct glass, and information on origins. He has a listing of 14 key alcoholic ingredients for 450 cocktails and essential staples. Most of the book is, of course, an A – Z dictionary style arrangement of the cocktails, using the best known name of the drink. There is no real ingredient index, but there are highlights to some suppliers used as ingredients. He has no overall print index to, say, rye or rum. You can always search cocktail recipes by ingredients at Diffordsguide.com. Quality/price rating: 89. 24.THE NEW VEGETABLES, HERBS & FRUIT; an illustrated encyclopedia (Firefly, 2013, 2016, 704 pages, ISBN 978-1-77085-798-2, $45 CAN hardbound) is by Matthew Biggs, Jekka McVicar, and Bob Flowerdew. Separately, they had written books dealing with vegetables (Biggs, 1997), herbs (McVicar, 1994) and fruit (Flowerdew, 1995), and they had last been revised in 2002. Here they have been collated into three distinct sections, with glossary, bibliography, seed sources, yearly calendar, and practical gardening matters. Each botanical plant has been identified, illustrated, given a variety of names under which it is known (“species”), some cultivation notes, some culinary uses, some medicinal uses, and some warnings and other uses. So for example, parsley has three zone 5 species, it propagates by seed, pests are notes, gardening and harvesting are noted, two preps (fine herbes and fish bouquet garni) are given, diuretic use and poultices are mentioned, and other uses include killing head lice. The warning is to not use parsley for medicine during a pregnancy. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Caution: the book weighs more than 3 kilos. Quality/price rating: 88. 25.101 MEATBALLS (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2016, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-774-4, $19.95 USD hardbound) is a publisher's collation of recipes from RPS cookbook authors. “Meatballs” in this context also means fish and veggies, and almost anything spherical, including the great arancini. This is universally adored comfort food, and here are 101 versions plus variations. Most of the preps came from Cathy Seward, Ghillie Basan and Laura Washburn, and the many others contributed about three each on average. Just about all the balls are spicy and international. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 26.ARTISAN BREADS; practical recipes and detailed instructions for baking the world’s finest loaves (Skyhorse Publishing, 2004, 2011, 2016, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-65107-1252-2, $19.99 USD paperbound) 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. This is the paperback edition. 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. 27.THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO FRYING; how to fry just about anything (Skyhorse Publishing, 2010, 2016, 264 pages, ISBN 978-1-63450-709-7, $14.99 USD paperbound) is by Rick Browne, a food writer specializing in BBQ. It's an all-purpose fry book, with a healthy dose of macho attitude. It seems like a safe purchase for that male in your life. It's a new edition with a new chapter on game day fried snacks. There’s sections, anecdotes and stories for such as lobster and pork. Chapters cover appetizers, beef, fish, shellfish, pork, poultry, side dishes, sauces, marinades, veggies, game, desserts and batters. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Try fried salmon egg rolls, alligator marinade, oysters 'n' bacon, chicken-fried steak, or shark with fresh mango salsa. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 28.100 WAYS WITH EGGS (Ryland Peters and Small, 2016, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-773-7, $19.95 USD hardbound) is a publisher's book with recipes contributions from 32 different cookbook writers. But mostly they are from Miranda Ballard, Tonia George, Shelagh Ryan, and Laura Washburn. These are eggs 100 ways (boiled, baked, fried, scrambled)from breakfasts to salads, hashes, desserts and cocktails. There is also included the usual food safety notice for when dealing with raw eggs. Pea, basil and feta fritters with roast tomatoes caught my eye, as did matambre (Argentine stuffed flank steak). Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 29.TINA NORDSTROM'S SCANDINAVIAN COOKING (Skyhorse Publishing, 2013, 2014, 2016, 384 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-0614-9, $22.99 USD paperbound) was first published in Swedish in 2013 as “Tina”. The next year it was translated and published in English in hardbound in the US. This is the jumbo paperback version. She's got 234 recipes that are mainly Swedish in taste but applicable to the whole region. Typical passions are for au gratin potatoes, salmon with warm grapes and capers, grilled watermelon and peanut sauce. She's hosted 14 seasons of cooking shows on TV, after qualifying as a finalist for Swedish Chef of the Year in 2001. Of note is the spiced bread with butternut squash puree, or marinated artichoke hearts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements for the most part, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 30.AUSTRIAN DESSERTS (Skyhorse Publishing, 2010, 2013, 2016, 447 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-0646-0, $29.99 USD paperbound) is by Toni Morwald (pastry chef) and Christoph Wagner (food writer). It was originally published in German in 2010, and then in English in 2013 by Skyhorse. This is the 2016 paperbound edition. Here are more than 400 recipes for cakes, pastries, strudels, and candies. The range, all in separate sections, also includes puff pastes, tarts, schnitten, compotes and sauces, creams and mousses, souffles and puddings, dumplings, noodles, gnocchi, pancakes, doughnuts, ice creams, cookies, and parfaits. As such it is fairly comprehensive. Preparations have their ingredients scaled and listed in metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. ---------------------------------------------------- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR OCTOBER 2016 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.THE CANON COCKTAIL BOOK (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, 338 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-63103-8, $28 USD hardbound) is by Canadian-born Jamie Boudreau, who opened the multiple-award-winning Canon in Seattle in 2011 and now has a 100-drink basic menu, and James O. Fraioli, who is an award-winning (including Beard) cocktail and cookbook author. Indeed, the bar is only 450 square feet, with seven tables for 32 people – they need the unseen space for bottle storage. Three menus support the bar: a bi-monthly seasonal menu, a 100 page long cocktail menu, and a 165 page long spirit menu of 3500 bottles. These are recipes from the bar. He's got a special section on Canada, honouring the west coast and even Toronto. These are his takes on the classics and the contemporaries. Extremely useful and a great souvenir. Preparations have their ingredients listed only in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 80. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.THE BAKER IN ME (Whitecap, 2016, 478 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-242-0, $45 CAD hardbound) is by Daphna Rabinovitch, a pastry chef, TC personality, and director of Canadian Living Test Kitchen. She's also the co-author of two cookbooks. Baking is tough to improvise, especially when ratios are involved. Scaling is useful, such as with ingredients in breadmaking or weighing butter. She encourages you to do more and more weighing (scaling). The book is arranged by product: cookies, bars, chocolate items, muffins, biscuits, breads, cakes, and pies plus fruit desserts. She's also got stories behind each recipe, and tales of how long it took to perfect a recipe. She confesses that she's a home baker at heart. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents provided. Audience and level of use: those who aspire to become home bakers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: alfajores; shortbread; apple cake with pecan glaze; plum cornmeal cakes with rosemary; Passover chocolate chip cookies; chocolate pots de crème; blueberry pie with sour cream pastry; multi-seed bread; pumpkin pie. The downside to this book: with all the colour photos and heavier paper, it comes in at a whopping 5.3 pounds in weight! The upside to this book: homebaking at its finest. Quality/Price Rating: 89. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.THE CORNERSHOP COOKBOOK (Square Peg, 2015, 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-22410104-2, $38.99 CAD hardbound) is by Sophie Missing and Caroline Craig, both food writers, principally with Guardian Cook. Its hook is using your local shop and their recipes to create meals. There are about 100 preps here, based on easy ingredients found in the local shops that can make you avoid supermarkets. It is arranged by category, from the “quiet night in” through takeaway alternatives, catch-up dinners, unplanned dinner parties, comfort foods, and leftovers. Plus, of course, the sweets. Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: those cooks looking to do something new but easy and simple. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: croque-person a cheval, tuna melt, vegetable rice bowl, spicy Asian-style turkey and greens soup, sardine pasta with lemon breadcrumbs. The downside to this book: there is a distinctly UK orientation which works well in Canada, but may bot go over well in US. The upside to this book: it uses metric measurements, which is more precise. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 4.BRITISH COLUMBIA FROM SCRATCH (Whitecap, 2016, 312 pages, ISBN 978-1-77050-234-5, $40 CAD hardbound) is by Denise Marchessault, who had a cooking school in Victoria. She now writes and photographs in Vancouver. The gorgeous photographs in the book are attributed to Caroline West. These are a total of 111 recipes for every season, a celebration of BC food – as the publisher says, “through a cook's palate and a photographer's lens”. It's arranged by season beginning with spring, and then further subdivided by savoury and sweet. This is a strong regional cookbook, but certainly most of the ingredients should be found nation-wide: apples, local cheeses, salmon, duck, seafood. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: nationalists, BC residents and lovers, home cooks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: poached salmon in a tomato wine broth; cranberry-fig pulled pork; potato rosti; apple cranberry bread pudding; chunky seafood stew; crispy oysters. The downside to this book: a few wine notes might have been useful. The upside to this book: it is a bit of a memoir too, with detailed description of the local scene. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 5.VEGETABLES (Quadrille, 2016, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-752-7, $35 USD hardbound) is by Antonio Carluccio, a leading authority on Italian food. He's written two dozen book on Italian food, including one on veggies. He felt it was time for a re-visit. Here he has 120 recipes for veggies, mostly done up in Italian-style. He covers leaves, shoots, pods, seeds, roots through squashes, pulses, grains, herbs, spices, nuts and mushrooms. It's arranged by greens, followed by roots, vegetable fruits, pulses and grains, herbs and nuts. ending with mushrooms and truffles. There is a lot of impressive material about Italian veggies and the manner of cooking them, as well as illustrative watercolours. Deets are given for each veggie, with botanical info. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with mostly metric, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: Italian veggie lovers, all vegetarians. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: farinata; pomodori farciti; avocado pera e gamberetti; frittata de peperoni e mandorle; risotto con zucca; piatto di vegetali con salsa olandese. The downside to this book: It weighs a lot and can be awkward to use – most times I photocopy recipes that I cook from. The upside to this book: everything sounds so good and makes me hungry, with the Italian names highlighted by bold caps. Quality/Price Rating: 90. 6.SALT (St. Martin's Griffen, 2016, 214 pages, ISBN 978-1-2650-08871-0, $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Leslie Bilderback, a pastry chef who has worked around California restaurants. She's written four other well-received cookbooks (e.g. Mug Meals). Here she provides a discourse on salt: history, lore, culture, medical aspects. There's about 100 recipes, with details on how to make infused salts, how to hold a salt tasting, how to cook with salt blocks, and a market guide to artisanal salts. First up is the primer material, followed by salt infusing, curing, and apps to sweets, with a heavy emphasis on the section “sauces, condiments and dressings”. There is also a listing of specialized salt purveyors. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are multiple tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: salt lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: rabbited stewed with IPA; Mexican chocolate; fruity ice cream; harissa sauce; herbed cheese lined with fig leaves; pickled rhubarb. The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes. The upside to this book: good discussion on types of salt. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 7.CRAFT PIZZA (Ryland Peters & Small, 2016, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-761-4, $19.95 USD hardcovers) is by Maxine Clark, prolific UK food writer and cooking coach/teacher. Here, in her latest RPS book, she covers mainly “classic” pizza, Sicilian, sourdough, calzone and focaccia made at home. She's also got pizzette and small bites. It is pretty thorough, with a primer on equipment and flours. About 80 plus recipes in all. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: pizza lovers, Italian food freaks looking for new ideas. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: focaccia with crispy kale with whipped ricotta, roasted garlic and chipotle; parmesan soda bread; rolled pesto and olive and garlic bread; rustic country pie; potato and mozzarella calzone. The downside to this book: gluten-free is not covered The upside to this book: good layout. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 8.FOR THE LOVE OF LICORICE (Skyhorse Publishing, 2016, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-1293-5, $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Elizabeth Johansson, a Swedish pastry chef who competed at the Culinary Olympics. She's also known as the Queen of Licorice. This is an English translation of the Swedish book, and it covers 60 preps for candies, desserts, and full meals. While there are three recipes using fennel and none with anise, the book focuses on licorice roots, granules, and pastilles. There's a primer and some cultural history about licorice; she also describes a licorice factory in Calabria. The book is arranged by dish: candy, ice cream, pastries, desserts, “food”, and drinks. She covers a licorice tasting, licorice festivals, use in beverages (make your own liqueurs), and the like. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric conversions. Audience and level of use: licorice lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: licorice gratineed lobster with fennel salad; fish soup with ground licorice root and fennel topping; Belgian licorice waffles; white chocolate cake with lime marinated berries; salty licorice caramels. The downside to this book: I would have liked more recipes, and perhaps something about anise. The upside to this book: a good single ingredient cookbook, whose time has come. Quality/Price Rating: 9.MY ABUELO'S MEXICAN FEAST (Hardie Grant Books, 2015, 128 pages, ISBN978-1-7427-0678-8, $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Daniella Germain, who was taught Mexican home food styling by her grandparents. Her first book (My Abuela's Table) paid homage to the culinary skills of her grandmother. This time, it is her grandfather's turn, and more of an entertaining style. It's got a lot of memoir material and family photos. The preps are sorted as regalos del mar (seafood), comida callejera (street food), tortas (sandwiches), nieves (sorbets), colosinas y dulces (candies and sweets), panaderia (sweet breads), and comida del rancho (ranch food). A passionate cookbook. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois with some metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: Mexican food lovers; memoir lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: ensalad de nopales; arroz a la mexicana; chicharron; barbacoa; caldo xochitl; pavo en mole negro; cabrito en cerveza; arroz con chorizo. The downside to this book: I wanted more! The upside to this book: excellent watercolours by the author, a graphic designer. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 10.FOOD 52 A NEW WAY TO DINNER (Ten Speed Press, 2016, 280 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57800-7, $35 USD hardbound) is by Amanda Hesser and Merill Stubbs, both co-founders of Food52 and former writers/test kitchen/editors, etc. at the New York Times. Hesser won a Beard Award for The Essential New York Times Cookbook. This current work is described as “a playbook of recipes and strategies for the week ahead”. It is an organizing manual of some 16 chapters, divided into the seasons and further divided into two parts – one by Stubbs (with two weeks of organizing), and one by Hesser (with two weeks of organizing). There are game plans, pantries, and shopping lists. Perfect for the millennial, to reduce everything to a plan. And even to have home delivery of the food! As with most American cookbooks, preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: Millennials, frazzled homemakers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: as we head into winter, I should be doing Amanda's winter: oxtails, rice porridge, brussels sprouts, mustard greens, coconut, hot {chili] honey. Or maybe Merrill's (pork tacos, fish, rice, beans, soup, cabbage, chiles,ginger, grapefruit, lime ice cream). The downside to this book: you can become too reliant on the recipes that work into their scheme. The upside to this book: organizing is always a good idea. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.MOZZA AT HOME (Knopf, 2016, 415 pages, ISBN 978-0-385-35432-5, $35 USD hardbound) is by Nancy Silverton, co-owner or founder of five restaurants and author of nine cookbooks. As a chef, she has also won two Beard Awards. Carolynn Carreno, her focusing food writer, is a Beard Award journalist and co-author of many cookbooks. Here, Silverton gives us 19 menus of recipes that can mostly be prepared in advance with the purpose of entertaining (a main, apps and sides). And of course all of these can be mixed and matched. At the end, she has 17 desserts in a separate section. Typical menus include “Umbrian tavola”, “Nicoise deconstructed”, “Sicilian swordfish spiedini”, lamb and chicken tikka kebabs, flattened chicken thighs, “Southern-style Korean cut short ribs with vinegar onions”. The book is a real treat with innovative groupings for the home cook. I loved the avocado salsa. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but unfortunately there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 12.MOLLY ON THE RANGE (Rodale, 2016, 284 pages, ISBN 978-1-62336-695-7, $32.50 USD hardbound) is by Molly Yeh, food writer and blogger. It is a celebration of family roots, cultural exchange, and the “meaning of home” – an extension of her blog. She is currently a farmer on the North Dakota-Minnesota border, but her story goes from Chicago through New York to her current sugar beet farm – along with her photography. It is self-referential and memoirish but then most food blogs tend to be that way, although there is more permanence about them when they are published on hardbound paper. Among the eight log rollers are Amanda Hesser and Marian Bull, prominent food writers. It is arranged by course, beginning with breakfast and brunch, moving through mains, snacks and desserts. She's got 120 preps to suit all manner of talent, including schnitzel bao with sriracha mayo and sesame pickles, black sesame milk, quinoa carbonara, Asian Scotch eggs, latkes, and marzipan. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 13.THE RYE BAKER (W.W. Norton, 2016, 368 pages,ISBN 978-0-39324521-9, $35 USD hardbound) is by Stanley Ginsberg, co-author of the 2012 IACP award winning “Inside the Jewish Bakery” and owner of The New York Bakers website which sells supplies, equipment and rye flours. There is some impressive log rolling from Peter Reinhart, Tartine Bakery, and King Arthur Flour. He's got 70 recipes dealing with the classics of rye breads from both the Old and the New Worlds: alpine Austria, upper Italy, Scandinavia, Germany, Baltics, Poland, Russia, immigrant breads of North America. There's Swedish gotland rye, Russian Borodinsky, Westphalian pumpernickel, Old Milwaukee Rye, plus Austrian country boule. The range embraces the nearly black colours to the lighter shades, and many include caraway seeds. Good detail. Of course, everything is scaled, with Baker's Percentages, and great directions for the home cook. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, and there are also multiple tables of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 14.CURATE (Flatiron Books, 2016, 290 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-05944-4, $35 USD hardbound) is by Katie Button, chef-owner of the Spanish tapas bar Curate in North Carolina, as well as Nightbell, an Appalachian restaurant/bar. She interned at elBulli (Ferran and Albert Adria are two of her eight log rollers). Genevieve Ko is the focusing food writer and recipe tester. It's arranged by course, beginning with starters, soups, moving through seafood, meats, veggies, rice and beans, brunch and lunch, desserts – and then drinks. There is also lots of material about Curate along with the photos. Tapas from Curate have been adapted to be larger dishes for the home cook, and Button also gives us other Spanish cuisine dishes. She carefully explains the principles of Spanish cooking (food shopping, meat treatment, pantry/larder, et al) and also re-creates the meals that she has at home with her family in North Carolina. The photography is extensive. Typical are artichoke salad with radishes and salted yogurt, grilled sardines, marinated lamb skewers, blood sausages with rice, sherried mushrooms, quail in escabeche. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 15.THE MOON JUICE COOKBOOK (Pam Krauss Books/Avery, 2016, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-8041-8820-3, $30 USD hardbound) is by Amanda Chantal Bacon, founder of the US Moon Juice wellness brand. The subtitle indicates “cook cosmically for body, beauty and consciousness”. There are 75 preps for the cult brand's most popular healing beverages and foods. The pantry needs to be stocked with milks, juices, doughs and cultured foods – which can be combined together to create power meals. It is arranged by liquid: juices, well milks, moon milks, lattes, kefir, followed by cheeses, fermented veggies, and raw chocolate. There's a well milk chart, which details how to make almond milk, walnut milk, Brazil nut, hazelnut, pumpkin seed, lait de coco, hemp and coconut milk, and sesame butter milk. She's got some good notes on how to become an alchemist. First rate photography. If you need this, you've got it. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 16.COOKING WITH MARY BERRY (DK Books, 2016, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-5951-0, $25 USD hardbound) is by Mary Berry, well-known British cookbook author who has appeared as a judge on UK cooking shows and competitions in the American market. This is one of her first books for US viewers, although she has written over 70 (seventy!) cookbooks in the UK. Here are 150 everyday recipes “that my American viewers will love”. There are also some UK specialties in the mix as well, such as Chelsea buns. Bath buns, It is a standard arrangement: breakfasts, soups & starters, mains, sides, breads, and desserts. It is international, with curries, enchiladas, hummus, salade nicoise, focaccia, Persian pilaf. Standard and classic Mary Berry. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 17.THE SAFFRON TALES (Bloomsbury, 2016, 240 pages, ISBN 978-1-63286-710-0, $35 USD hardbound), is by Yasmin Khan, a UK food-writer-cook who runs classes and pop-up supper clubs. It began with a Kickstarter campaign in 2013; 277 people backed her. She's got log rollers Yotam Ottolenghi and Nigella Lawson on board for this book of recipes from the Persian kitchen. It's arranged by course, breakfast to mezze and sides, salads, soups, mains, and desserts. There are separate indexes for gluten-free and dairy-free recipes, and six menus (Iranian new year, vegan feast, Persian picnic). There is also a list of some eight quick and easy weekday suppers. Persian names for dishes are given alongside English titles and a photo of the plated dish. Cook notes and chapter outlines provided generous detail of her travels, and who she spoke to and the kitchens she visited: rice paddies, tea plantations, coffee shops, spices and seafood. Try the spicy lentil and tamarind soup, the chicken livers with pomegranate molasses, spiced beef with eggs and spring onions, or the grilled mackerel with a spicy pomegranate salsa. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 18.THE RED ROOSTER COOKBOOK (Rux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, 384 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-63977-5, $37.50 USD hardbound) is by Marcus Samuelsson, who owns Red Rooster Harlem and other Manhattan restaurants. He's a Beard Award winner for “The Soul of a New Cuisine”, and is a TV cooking show judge. Even with all these credits the publisher wanted some log rollers, including Leah Chase of New Orleans and Daniel Boulud of Manhattan. The text has been done with April Reynolds; the recipes with Roy Finamore. It is also a collection of stories from the locals of Harlem. Recipes relate to soul food (of course), but also to other aspects of Harlem: bread from Jewish emigrants, Latin food, Caribbean food, Italian pasta, Korean rice. A lot of the book has engaging personal photos and nicely written memoirish stories. It is a tome to study and contemplate. Some ingredients may be hard to source, and some dishes will need an experienced cook. But ultimately it is also a cookbook to read cover to cover, perhaps by the armchair traveller. For the musically inclined, he's also listed some playlists. Try bird funk and chicken liver butter or catfish with blackening rub or roasted turnips dduk. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 19.LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS (Bloomsbury, 2015, 336 pages, ISBN 978-1-4088-6925-3, $35 USD hardbound) is by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall from River Cottage in the UK. It was originally published in the UK in 2015, and here has its North American debut. As he says, these are “recipes for the resourceful cook”, with primers on planning for leftovers, pantry/larder stocking, and some platforms for usage such as soups, salads, frittata, pies, curries, pastas – all of which can utilize leftovers in some capacity. Then come the recipes for meat, fish, roots, greens, breads, rice, dairy, eggs, and fruit. There is even a special section for Christmas, which apparently generates the most leftovers of all time. With its international scope, it is also a very colourful book. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mostly metric with just a few avoirdupois volume measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. This may not sit well with the US cook. Quality/price rating: 87. 20.COOKING FOR JEFFREY (Clarkson Potter, 2016, 256 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-46489-7, $35 USD hardbound) is by Ina Garten, possibly the world's best selling cookbook author and host of Barefoot Contessa. This is her tenth book, and here she cooks for her husband of almost 50 years. It is part memoir, with stories of their life together. But otherwise it is a straightforward family cookbook of Jeffrey's fave foods, such as brisket with onions and leeks or roasted salmon tacos. She's also got a chapter on bread and cheese. Good heavy typeface draws out attention to the recipes and the ingredients – hard to miss. The layout, of course, is standard Ina, and concludes with a basic pantry and basic kitchen equipment. Of special note is the listing of 12 of Jeffery's all-time fave dinners, and includes scallops provencal, bolognese, herb-roasted fish, parmesan chicken, spiced pork, et al. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 21.10-MINUTE RECIPES (Hay House, 2016, 294 pages, ISBN 978-1-4019-4970-9, $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Liana Werner-Gray, who was very sick until she turned her life around with her “The Earth Diet” (the name her first book, her blog and her company). Here she concentrates on fast food, clean ingredients, and natural health. She's got more than 350 recipes that can be done in 10 minutes or less. It covers a range of goodies such as juices, shakes, smoothies, breakfasts, salads, raw vegan mains, cooked vegan mains, meat eater dishes, sides, desserts, and condiments. With such a range of preps, she's also got some meal planning ides and guides. These do include plans for specific goals, such as breaking the addiction to junk food, alkalizing your body, detox, weight loss, anti-inflammatory, high-protein, skin guide, and kid-friendly guide. This good resource continues with recommended resources and a bibliography. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 22.BETTY CROCKER COOKBOOK. 12th Edition (Betty Crocker, 2016, 688 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-64892-0, $29.99 USD loose leaf binder) is an updated old classic and standby, last seen here as the 11th edition in 2011. Over 75 million copies have been sold. This is a five-ring loose-leaf binder with regular magazine stock paper. There are 1500 or so easy to follow recipes, plus more than 500 variations illustrated with 1000 photos. There are new chapters on casseroles and one-dish dinners, beverages, whole grains and vegetarian cooking. Other new features incorporate international flavours, make-ahead ideas and essential kitchen techniques. Prep and cooking times are clearly indicated; it has been updated to reflect today’s lifestyles. The covers have a few emergency substitutions listed, as wells as yields and equivalents. The pages are easy to rip apart: they’ll need reinforcing at some point. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 23.POWER VEGETABLES! (Clarkson Potter, 2016, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-5534479-8 $35 USD hardbound) is by Peter Meehan and the editors of Lucky Peach. These are vegetarian recipes with highly charged flavours, such as the root veggie tagine with red chermoula and couscous. The emphasis here is the “meatiness” of the meat-less dishes – as the subtitle states, “turbocharged recipes for vegetables with guts”. What ever it takes...It is arranged by course, from apps to salads to soups to mains, and ending with bread and cake (zucchini bread, parsnip cake, potato rosemary cake). There is butternut squash with piquillo crema, memelitas, spanakorizo, malfatti, falafel (of course), eggplant marinara. Lots of choices for “guys”. Not so much a vegetarian book as a “meatless” book. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 24.FIRESIDE FEASTS & SNOW DAY TREATS; indulgent comfort food for winter eating and entertaining. Rev. ed. (Ryland, Peters & Small, 2012, 2016, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-777-5, $24.95 USD hard covers) is a project from the publisher. More than 150 recipes and ideas for eating during the colder months have been assembled from a dozen or so cookbook authors who regular write books for Ryland. The largest collection of recipes comes from Laura Washburn with 41. It is all arranged by snacks, comfort homey food, feasts, some indulgences, and cheery drinks for a cold night. It’s a good book to take to your ski chalet. Typical preps include chicken liver parfait, cheese and basil soufflés, spicy pork satay, salt cod, meat balls, Vietnamese beef pho, seafood and yellow split pea curry. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85 25.LUNCH ON THE GO (Ryland Peters & Small, 2016, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-771-3, $19.95 USD hardbound) is by the publisher's team, with recipe credits going to 16 writers who do books for RPS. There are 75 preps here, the largest number coming from Amanda Grant, Laura Washburn, and Louise Pickford. The intent is to create a lunch box, for both adults and children. This can both save a lot of money on purchased lunches and give us more nutrition and fewer preservatives. It is win-win, which adults recognize, but it might be hard to convince the offspring. This could have been developed a bit more in the text. It is arranged by form of lunch: sandwiches, wraps, salad jars, bowls, bentos, soups, savouries, snacks, and sweets. Something for everyone – sweet potato, spinach and goat cheese quesadilla; couscous salad; Mexican bento box; chicken and red pepper stew; Indian tiffin box. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois with some metric measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 26.WEEKEND COOKING (Skyhorse Publishing, 2014, 2016, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-0967-8, $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Tina Nordstrom, once at the Culinary Olympics but now a solid food columnist and cookbook author. It was originally published in 2014 in Swedish; this is the 2016 translation. As she says, these are “old and new recipes for your Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays”. Indeed, the book is divided into three chapters of about 25 preps each, and titled after those days. Friday's recipes are fast and simple, Saturday's are more challenging with entertaining ideas (appetizers, wine pairing, decadent desserts), while Sunday appears to be a sleep=in followed by brunch. Large print and sharp photography. Saturday has a large number of small plates, so it may be an all day thing (edamame fired in sumac and chili oil, beet tartlets, warm tomatoes and grapes with parmesan breadsticks, deep fried avocados, etc.). Preparations have their ingredients listed in metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 27.MORE THAN MEATBALLS (Skyhorse Publishing, 2014, 2016, 187 pages, ISBN 978-1-51071147-1 $16.99 USD paperbound) is by Michele Anna Jordan, who has written two dozen books. It's a reprint of 2014 edition with new recipes. You could also call them “round morsels of bite-sized savoury food”. Here are about 70 recipes, from arancini to zucchini fritters. The range is from “classic” Italian polpetti, French boule de viande, Spanish/Mexican albindigas, Moroccan merguez, and Sicilian arancini. There's a meat section and a meatless section, plus a pairing section with sandwiches and salads. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. And it has the world's smallest typeface for the index. Quality/price rating: 85. 28.OCEAN GREENS (The Experiment, 2015, 2016, 180 pages, ISBN 978=1=61519-352-3, $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Lisette Kreischer and Marcel Schuttelaar. It was originally published in the Netherlands in 2015; this is the English translation. And it is a great idea for a book: the world of edible seaweed and sea vegetables. These are superfoods with Omega-3s, iron, calcium, essential vitamins and nutrients. There are 50 vegan recipes here, including creamy spirulina sauce, piccalilli, warm dulse and fava bean salad, “fishless soup” (a natural) and pumpkin salad with sea spaghetti. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Just don't eat seaweed found loose on a beach. Quality/price rating: 88. 29.THE COMPLETE GLUTEN-FREE BAKER (Ryland Peters & Small, 2011, 2013, 2016,192 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-762-1, $21.95 USD hardbound) is by Hannah Miles, a MasterChefUK finalist and prolific cookbook author for RPS. The recipes had been previously published in two separate volumes, “The Gluten-free Baker and “The Savoury Gluten-free Baker”. So that explains the use of the word “complete” in the title, in that it collates these two books. The range is cookies, brownies, cakes, muffins, scones, pies, tarts, party bites, breads and doughs. In general, gluten-free baking is different from wheat-barley-rye in that there is no gluten (obviously) – but gluten is not really required for non-breads and buns. The “chew factor” is what determines a good gluten-free bread. However, if doesn't work, you can always use it for breadcrumbs in cooking. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 88. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SEPTEMBER, 2016 [published monthly since 2000] ================================================================= By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.SHRUBS (The Countryman Press, 2016, 255 pages, ISBN 978-1-58157-388-6, $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Michael Dietsch who has also written Whiskey. He is bringing back an old-fashioned drink for newer times. Shrub in North America is a drink from the 13 Colonies, a concentrated syrup made from fruit, vinegar, and sugar that is later mixed with water to make a refreshing drink that is both tart and sweet. Later, brandy or rum was added. Earlier in England the shrub was made from alcohol, sugar and fruit, with no vinegar. So that is the basic difference between US and English shrubs. Dietsch has re-created the shrub, favouring the cold process of extracting fruit flavours as that concentrates the fresh raw flavours of the fruit. There is an easy technique that he gives, and so you'll just need to substitute fruits and vinegars to create your own. He's got 50 shrub recipes plus 30 cocktails. But of course you can take a non-alcoholic shrub and just add brandy or rum. He's got some classic shrubs attributed to Benjamin Franklin and Martha Washington, but the rest of the book is divided as to “sweet shrubs”, “savoury and sour shrubs”, “cocktails” and updated classics (gimlet, martini, kir, sangrita). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: cocktail lovers, those craving non-alcoholic refreshing drinks. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: rhubarb shrub, strawberry-peppercorn shrub, pear-ginger shrub,cherry-mint shrub, cranberry-apple shrub, red beet and peppercorn shrub, shrub float, gin genie. The downside to this book: I wanted more history. The upside to this book: He profiles three shrub makers, and includes a resource list. Quality/Price Rating: 90. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.THE CHILE PEPPER BIBLE (Robert Rose, 2016, 448 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0550-2, $29.95 CAD paperbound) is by Judith Finlayson, longtime food journalist and cookbook author. Her book covers every aspect of chile peppers, including history, cultural features, and international signature dishes. “Chile” refers to capsicums in general, whether they are hot or not: the concentration of capsaicin depends on a wide range of variables and are covered with Scoville units. She's got 250 recipes covering an international range of classics, and from sweet peppers to fiery and stuff in between. Richly illustrated with compelling photos. Preps come from Mexico, Middle East, China, and Thailand for the most part, although Italy, France, Spain, Africa, India also get their due. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Audience and level of use: Indonesian fried rice, Castilian garlic soup, paella, Cuban hash, Cape Verde sausage stew, kimchi, chile chocolate pots, spinach and tomato dal. The downside to this book: nothing much really, but I hope that the paperbound book stands up to the wear and tear that it will see. The upside to this book: the index entries are coded for G (gluten-free), V (vegetarian), and Vg (vegan). Quality/Price Rating: 89. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.SWEET POTATO LOVE (Skyhorse Publishing, 2016, 163 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-0966-9, $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Jackie Garvin, who blogs about Southern food (Syrup and Biscuits). She earlier wrote a book titled “Biscuits”; this one continues the Southern march with sweet potatoes. There are 60 recipes, arranged by season of Fall through Summer, about 15 per quarter. She shares some memoir-like material about her life with sweet potatoes, emphasizing their versatility. Sweet potatoes are perfect for that “salted sweet” tone so popular these days – their natural sweetness complements any savoury cooking technique. There are the usual cooking instructions with straight forward tips on preheating, yields, and treatments. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginner cooks, fans of sweet potatoes. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: mainly southern, with sweet potato cornbread, pulled pork tacos with sweet potato slaw, maple sweet potato granola, sweet potato apple butter, cornish hens with sweet potato cornbread dressing, and sweet potato lentil pepper chili. The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes (check her blog). The upside to this book: a nifty collection. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 4.MASHED (Gibbs Smith, 2016, 184 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-4447-7, $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Holly Herrick, a multi-awarded food journalist with eight published cookbooks. Here she tackles the basic technique of simple mashing. While the subtitle says “beyond the potato”, there are still 42 pages on the potato itself, followed by 55 pages of chapters on veggie mashes, summer crops, autumn/winter and spring, with material about everything else (eggs, fish, meat, grains, legumes, fruits, nuts and berries) in 55 pages. Her basic mashing tools are the food mill, the food processor, the mixer, and the blender, as well as the rustic hand version. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginner cooks, those needing soft foods. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sweet potato macadamia nut ice cream; roasted tomato pizza panzanella; sweet potato Indian pudding; ricotta, lemon and basil potato cakes; butternut-baby kale shells and cheese bake. The downside to this book: I think it needed fewer potato recipes and more ground up meat dishes for variety. There are at least four sweet potato recipes but only two are indexed under sweet potato. The upside to this book: I can see a need for this book as we all get older and want soft food. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 5.PURELY PUMPKIN (Skyhorse Publishing, 2016, 271 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-0965-2, $24.99 USD $35.99 CAD hardbound) is by Allison Day, Taste Canada Food Award-winning blogger (YummyBeet.com) who crafted a cookbook, “Whole Bowls”. She's got more than 100 seasonal pumpkin recipes here, enough to last you all year long. There is more to pumpkin than just flesh: try frozen puree, seeds, and seed oil. She's got them all arranged by course, beginning with beverages, moving on to breakfast/brunch, soups, snacks, salads, sides, mains, and desserts. Remember, pumpkin is (botanically) a fruit. There is a description of some 26 pumpkin varieties, not all photographed. But still the book has overall good photography (she takes own pictures). Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: pumpkin lovers, Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: salted caramel pumpkin spice latte; morning glory pumpkin muffins; pumpkin Caesar salad with sage sourdough croutons; firecracker stir-fried pumpkin with bok choy and cashews; gingerbread pumpkin cheesecake with pecan oat crust. The downside to this book: no descriptive photographs for most of the varieties. The upside to this book: nice large print Quality/Price Rating: 88. 6.BEER MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER (Skyhorse Publishing, 2016, 158 pages, ISBN 989-1-5107-0881-5, $19.99 USD hardbound) is by John Lemmon, who gives us 101 recipes for using beer to make your fave happy hour grub. So here's how to recreate the happy hour experience at home, saving yourself tons of money. Of course, you 'll need to self-prep, but maybe if you had a few friends helping out...He's got material on making beer at home, plus making food (mostly sandwiches, chilis, pizzas, wings, burgers, fries). Some of the dishes call for the addition of beer, such as “beer batter”. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those who would enjoy a quiet and cheap happy hour. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: pale ale pub fries, boozy Brussels sprouts, shroom burger, beer battered fish, beer baked wings, nacho beer cheese dip. The downside to this book: a bit short. The upside to this book: extremely useful for limited people. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.THE ITALIAN BAKER (Quadrille, 2016, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-761-9, $29.95 USD hardbound) is by Melissa Forti, who has a tea room on the Italian Riviera close to Tuscany (Sarzana, Liguria – Melissa Tea Room and Cakes). This is a collection of 100 tarts, cakes, loaves, coffee style cakes, and sweets, using olive oil, almonds, mascarpone and other Italian ingredients. Some North American classics have an Italian makeover, such as the ubiquitous brownie or carrot cake. Recipes are listed by their Italian name, but of course are also indexed by an English language name. Try torta de grano saraceno (buckwheat cake) or torta al limone lamponi e rosmarino (lemon, raspberry and rosemary cake). There are some stories about her tea room: it is a very elegant place. Recipes are scaled. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 8.NATURALLY, DELICIOUS (Avery: Pam Krauss Books, 2016, 239 pages, ISBN 978-1-101-90530-2, $30 USD hardbound) is by Danny Seo, founder/editor of “Naturally, Danny Seo” magazine. He designed a line of lifestyle products and appears regularly on TV, now with his own show. Here, in his first cookbook, he takes a grab-bag of 100 preps that make you both healthy and happy from his magazine and arranges them by course: breakfast, lunch and dinner, with juices and snacks in separate sections. But of course nothing is guaranteed. The dishes do have nutritional value, but happiness is a relative thing. He's got matcha chicken noodle soup, halva bars with sorghum, and saffron cauliflower rice paella. Glazed eggplant and black sesame fried rice with optional fired eggs can easily become a house fave of mine. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 9.BIG BAD BREAKFAST (Ten Speed Press, 2016, 258 pages, ISBN 978-1-60774-736-9, $30 USD hardbound) is by John Currence, founder of City Grocery Restaurant Group. They have a number restaurants, most serving breakfasts, including (of course) his iconic restaurant Big Bad Breakfast. He's won multiple awards such as a Beard (Best Chef: South) and one from the Southern Foodways Alliance. The preps here come from his resto, include all the traditional southern elements plus local ones from Oxford, Mississippi: hillbilly eggs hussarde, shakshouka, spicy boudin and poached eggs, pain perdu, hoecakes, and monkey bread – just over 100 in all. Each recipe comes with a story and a photo. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 10.HATTIE'S RESTAURANT COOKBOOK (Countryman Press, 2016, 271 pages, ISBN 978-1-58157-346-6, $29.95 USD hardbound) is by Jasper Alexander, chef and co-owner of Hattie's in Saratoga Springs NY. These are classic Southern US and Louisiana recipes. It's a bit of a memoir too as he recounts the history of the restaurant and the land of the Deep South. After the introductions, it is arranged by course, beginning with starters and moving through soups and stews, fish, meats, sides, breakfasts, cocktails, and surprisingly few desserts (pies such as Key Lime, Pecan, Sweet Potato). It is typical food, done homestyle (as it will be prepared at your home), with such popular items as brisket chili, crawfish etoufee, chicken and dumplings, pecan-crusted trout, crab cakes, deviled eggs, ribs, meat loaf, and more. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 11.POOLE'S (Ten Speed Press, 2016, 296 pages, ISBN 978-1-60774-687-4, $35 USD hardbound) is by Ashley Christensen, chef and owner of seven restaurants in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. She has a Beard for Best Chef: Southeast in 2014. Even for a diner book there are nine logrollers here. Poole's is known for its comfort food, and that is here in abundance. There are also a dozen or so go-to techniques for the best cornbread, foolproof vinaigrettes, and roasted tomatoes for dish enhancements. The modern diner has well-prepared food such as black pepper parmesan popcorn or fried eggplant with burnt honey aioli. For veggies, she's got oyster mushrooms and asparagus with sherry and cream or cornmeal-fried okra with Tabasco mayo. There are cocktails, bowls, counter snacks, plus meat and fish as well as desserts. It is a full table, especially the benne seed toffee ice cream and the challah bread puddings with whiskey apples and crème fraiche. It is an over-sized book, so it weighs a lot. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 12.THE HOMEMADE CHEF (New American Library, 2016, 324 pages, ISBN 978-1-101-99041-4, $30 USD hardbound) is by James Tahhan, two-time Emmy award winner and chef/cohost of Telemundo's morning show Un Nuevo Dia. He is the owner of Sabores by Chef James in Miami. He grew up in Venezuela but through his restaurant he cooks Latin American fusion food, both from within the Latino range of foods and with blending to non-Latino food. So you have fish a la veracruzana and flank steak with coffee crust and salsa criolla. There's green gazpacho and there's grilled corn with chipotle may and cotija cheese. There's lasagna enchilada and there's lentil soup with chorizo. It's a good mix with a considerable amount of memoir-like material. The range is from apps to sweets with drinks. The best dishes are the Latin fusion and the Mediterranean fusion. What's there not to like here? Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 13.COCKTAILS (DK Books, 2016, 2016, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-5338-9, $22 USD hardbound) is by Klaus St. Rainer, one of the most successful bartenders in Germany. He has opened many bars and has been awarded many bartending honours. He adjudicates internationally and runs training sessions globally. He owns a cocktail shaker manufacturer and sells his own bitters and tonic water. Details are at www.goldenebar.de It is a basic book at an affordable price, and deals with the art of mixing perfect drinks. There's a primer, and then a three-fold listing of recipes, from the simple through the classics and then the spectacular. The appendix is valuable with its material on alcohol, indexes for celebrations, and supply sources. There are more than 70 recipes here, and the author promises that they all have attitude. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both avoirdupois and metric measurements. Quality/price rating: 88. 14.SMALL VICTORIES (Chronicle Books, 2016, 304 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-430905, $35 USD hardbound) is by Julia Turshen, a writer and recipe developer, and a coauthor with Mario Barali, Gwyneth Paltrow, and others in a long series of cookbooks. It comes with log-rolling by Reichl, Coppola, Sheraton, Batali, and Ina Garten. Those should be enough to sell the book. She's also hosted two years of Radio Cherry Bombe. Here she gives us 95 recipes plus a huge number of variations, and much advice with hundreds of ideas for home-cooking. It's a general cookbook ranging over breakfast, soup, salad, veggies, grains and legumes, meat, poultry, seafood/fish, and desserts. There is, of course, a pantry for items to keep on hand: various sauces, vinaigrettes, pickles, preserves. She's got some menu suggestions too, such as a low-key breakfast for a group on Sunday, your best friend's birthday, or a Jewish holiday. Variations can include seven things to do with a can of chick peas, what to do with leftover chicken or ground meats, seven things to do with mussels or pasta dough. Great photography throughout by the team of Gentl + Hyers. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mostly avoirdupois with some metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 15.THE HOMEBREWERS ALMANAC (Countryman Press, 2016, 205 pages, ISBN 978-1-58157-349-7, $22.95 USD flexibound) is by Marika Josephson, Aaron Kleidon, and Ryan Tockstein, all co-founders of Scratch Brewing company, a brewpub using seasonal ingredients and farm-to-table food and beer. It's a practical guide for incorporating fresh and foraged fruits/veggies/herbs into your beer – with no hops. Repeat: no hops. The chapters are arranged by season, and profile ingredients offering tips on how to grow, to harvest, and to preserve specific plants to be used in beer. There are preps, then , for such as “cedar IPA”, “basil ale”, “horseradish stout”, and “sweet potato vienna”. It is a book not-for-the-faint-of-heart. And there are even recipe conversions for extract brewers. There are two apple beer recipes that are interesting, especially since they seem relatively close to ciders, but of course, they contain malts. At the other extreme, there are now quite a few commercial apple ciders that have been hopped. So the apples are really getting exposed to change – at both ends of the spectrum. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 16.CHOCOLATE (DK Books, 2016, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4654-5406-5, $22 USD hardbound) is by Dom Ramsay, award-winning chocolatier with the longest running blog about chocolate and his own company, Damson Chocolate. It's a basic book about chocolate, one of the very few published this year (has it run the course?). So there is the basic primer about chocolate history, culture, politics, trade, and so forth. Chapters deal with choosing chocolate, tasting chocolate, making your own chocolate (bar, ganache, truffles, et al), and the act of enjoyment in s social setting, which includes 50 pages recipes covering stout cake, Swiss brioche, piano key cookies, duck ragu with chocolate, fondues, ice cream, and more. There is also a glossary. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 17.CHOWGIRLS KILLER PARTY FOOD (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2016, 148 pages, ISBN 978-1-55152-645-4, $22.95 CAD paperbound) is by Heidi Andermack and Amy Lynn Brown, co-founders (in 2004) of Minneapolis' Chowgirls Killer Catering. These are 85 bites (apps and small plates) and cocktails for every season and every occasion, inspired by seasonal ingredients (also local, organic, and sustainable) and a flair for entertaining. Try the whiskey-ginger cocktail meatballs or the saffron-lemon shrimp bruschetta. Dips and spreads are also here, as well as a range of paleo and vegan dishes, diary-free and gluten-free. Arranged by season, but no separate index to the cocktails. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 18.SOUP CLEANSE COOKBOOK (Rodale, 2016, 212 pages, ISBN 978-1-62336-731-2, $24.99 USD paperbound) is by Nicole Centeno, founder of the online business Splendid Spoon (wellness and nutrition). She's cooked in restaurants and has managed a catering business. Here she promotes “soup cleanses” as a modern quick way for diets. It combines smoothies, juices, and nutrient-dense veggies into an enduring puree (for the most part). It is simple and tasty. There is also a lot of material her on how to incorporate more veggies into your diet. There are 75 plant-based and gluten-free recipes plus several weekly plans for a better body. Try beet balsamic bisque, plant based tagine, green chili or fall ratatouille. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 19.CLEAN SOUPS (Ten Speed Press, 2016, 152 pages, ISBN 978-0-399-57825-0, $22 USD paperbound) is by Rebecca Katz (founder of Healing Kitchens and author of other such healthy cookbooks) with health writer Mat Edelson, who co-authored Katz's books. Together they present a range of 60 simple, nourishing recipes. Unlike the Soup Cleanse Book, most of the soups here use meat stock – so they are not really any good for vegetarians or vegans. Still, you could use veggie stock (they have a Magic Mineral Broth) or just water. And unlike juicing, nothing is lost in the stockpot. The authors are firmly convinced that everyone can enjoy making and consuming soup, whether for a cleanse or for weekly consumption. They've got a weekend jump-start cleanse that covers three pages of detail, plus a comprehensive guide to soup making of any kind. Typical are springtime asparagus and leek soup, avocado citrus soup, kinpira gobo, and hot-and-sour shiitake mushroom soup. There are also recipes for garnishes and drizzles, as well as polenta croutons. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 20.SPOON (Hardie Grant Books, 2016, 144 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-055-2, $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Annie Morris and Jonny Shimmin, founders of Spoon Cereals in London UK, a breakfast establishment. The book details simple and nourishing breakfast bowls that can be enjoyed any time of day. There is a collection of preps for granola, muesli, porridge, bircher (overnight oats), savoury bowls, and smoothies – along with some breakfast accompaniments. There's avocado with savoury granola crunch, blackberry and apple bircher, banana yogurt bowl, and herbed cottage cheese with poached eggs and pickled beetroot. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87 21.SOFRAMIZ (Ten Speed Press, 2016, 260 pages, ISBN 978-1-60774-918-9, $35 USD hardbound) is by chef-co-owner Ana Sortun and pastry-chef-co-owner Maura Kilpatrick. Separately they had worked for or opened some restaurants in New England before coming together with Sofra Bakery and Cafe in 2008 in Cambridge MA. Their book is entitled “soframiz” which means “our table” or “our hospitality”, a spin on Sofra. It is a Middle Eastern cookbook with the classics and contemporary refinements plus spins on the traditional regional cuisine. Logrolling includes Alice Waters and Yotam Ottolenghi. The emphasis is on foods and baked goods from Turkey, Lebanon and Greece. It is arranged by breakfast, meze, flatbreads, savoury pies, cookies and pastries, beverages, and a pantry for stocking. The latter are essential ingredients in order to cook in the Middle Eastern food style. You may want to try carrot kibbeh with golden raisins and pine nuts, apricot halawa with white chocolate ganache and pistachios, syrup-soaked semolina cake (revani), or stuffed simit. Everything looks pretty good too. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. 22.BAKE WITH ANNA OLSON (Appetite by Random House, 304 pages, ISBN 978-0-14-753021-9, $35 CAD hardbound) is by Ann Olson, well-known host of Canadian TV food shows, including the eponymous “Bake with Ann Olson”. She's also authored seven books on baking and cooking. Here she has 125 fave simple preps from her TV show, complete with food styling photos. It is arranged by type: cookies, pies, cakes, other pastries, other desserts, breads, and sauces. It is a beautifully presented book, with eye catching items such as langues du chat, tart lemon roulade, salted caramel pear tarts, the inevitable croquembouche and gateau St. Honore profiteroles, and chocolate mousse cups. There is also a baking primer, a series of foundation recipes (pastry doughs, cakes, frostings, fillings) and a listing of 19 gluten-free recipes. All preparations have their ingredients listed fully in both metric and avoirdupois measurements with no need for conversion tables. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 23.BETTY CROCKER FRESH FROM THE FREEZER (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, 304 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-81624-4 $19.99 USD paperbound) is 150 recipes from the magazine's cooking labs. These are all freezer-friendly plates, ranging from frozen slow-cooker preps to easy casseroles and baked dishes. There are some Special Freezer Essential preps that have dishes such as turkey meatballs and ground beef, that can be used to make Freezer Short-Cut recipes. There is full nutritional info for each recipe. Just pop into freezer and then thaw and re-heat in most cases. It works best with meat/seafood dishes and baked goods. Hey, and the publisher has been reading my reviews for there is a metric conversion guide!! Quality/price rating: 86. 24.MARTHA STEWART'S VEGETABLES (Clarkson Potter, 2016, 328 pages, ISBN 978-0-307-95444-2, $29.50 USD hardbound) is from the editors of Martha Stewart Living. There are 150 recipes, mostly vegetarian, with an emphasis on colours: greens, reds, yellows, oranges. They've been tested in the cooking labs, The book is arranged by the physical nature of the plant: bulbs (lily family), roots (beets, turnips, jicama), tubers (potatoes), greens (chard, kale, bok choy), stalks & stems (asparagus, fennel), pods (edamame, fava), shoots (microgreens), leaves (lettuces, cabbages), flowers & buds (artichokes, broccoli), fruits (avocados, tomatoes, eggplants), and kernels (corn). There are notes for seasonality, buying and storing, and prepping and cooking, followed by flavour pairings and some recipes – with plated dishes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 25.ANDREW JEFFORD’S WINE COURSE. Rev. and updated. (Ryland Peters & Small, 2008, 2016, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-778-2, $24.95 USD hardbound) is by the winner of eight Glenfiddich writing awards and six Roederer Awards. Jefford, a UK wine writer, has also collected many other awards, such as for best wine writer of the year in 2006 and 2007. This is another basic primer, structured much like a class. Contents are threefold: first up are “The Tools” of how to taste, drink and learn, wineglasses, decanters, and so forth. There are three projects that you must do here. After that, you move on to the next level, “The Elements”, with its five projects revolving around grapevines and styles. It is here that we learn Zinfandel is a third-level grape, like Vermentino. The last – “The Journey” – is the pilgrimage, with its 12 projects on countries and regions. So that’s 20 projects in all, enough for a month. There is just one page on Canada, and that is mostly Ontario and mostly icewine. Sidebars are used extensively, but no question-answer formats. It is all from a UK perspective: Jefford does not go overboard about USA wines, so that keeps everything in balance. There is a glossary and an index, but although reading about wines is encouraged, there are no lists of recommended books or even suggested readings or websites. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 26.BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS SKILLET MEALS (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, 304 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-80087-8, $24.99 USD hardbound) is from their test kitchen, and displays more than 150 recipes for almost everything: pizza, steak, brownies, pies. There are special icons for preps that can be made in 30 minutes or less, icons for healthsmart reduced calories and/or fats, and icons for dishes that are prefect for cast-iron skillets. Cast-iron is to be preferred with its heavier bottom, lower purchase price, seasoning ability, and imparting tiny bits of iron into the food. If you are on an iron-restricted diet, then you'll need a stainless steel-lined or a tri-ply. The range is from apps to desserts (but with only two for fish: salmon). A really goof basic book, full of principles and tips. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 27.FLAVORS OF MOROCCO; tagines and other delicious recipes from North Africa (Ryland, Peters and Small, 2008, 2012, 2016, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-784-3, $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Ghillie Basan, cookery writer specializing in Middle East cookbooks and food articles. This cookbook is revised from two earlier tagine books published in 2008 and 2012. There is a primer on tagines. Lamb tagine is traditional, but she also has preps for beef, kefta, sausage, chicken, duck, vegetable, fish and seafood tagines. That’s half the book. There are also a range of couscous, skewers, roasts, pan fries, sides, salads, soups, sweets, and drinks. So it is a full Moroccan cookbook. And you can always use a heavy-based casserole dish instead of a tagine. Some interesting recipes include kefta tagine with lemon and coriander; Berber lentils and coriander; tagine of lamb with veggies and mint; fluffy pistachio nougat. Preparations have their ingredients listed in partial metric and full avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 28.A COOK'S TOUR OF FRANCE (Hardie Grant Books, 2013, 2015, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-74379018-2, $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Gabriel Gate, French author of 22 cookbooks. This latest comes from his TV series “Taste Le Tour with Gabriel Gate”, which extended over 9 seasons. He's been to France for two months every spring to shoot the series, and most of the preps are contributed from the French chefs, pastry cooks and charcutiers (eight are especially named). It is a bit of a travel book too, but the arrangement is not by region but by courses, from apps through veggies, fish, poultry, meats, and sweets. Material comes from all the main regions including Pyrenees, Burgundy, Loire, Nice, Normandy – all from the previous 4 years of the TV series: Lyonnaise cheese dip with herbs, baked haricot beans with bacon, beef cheek stew, duck with turnips, crunchy almond biscuits. Each prep is sourced with some detailed notes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both avoirdupois and metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 29.BROWNIES, BLONDIES AND OTHER TRAYBAKES (Ryland Peters & Small, 2016, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-765-2 $19.95 USD hardbound) is a publisher's compilation from RP & S cookbook authors. This time the theme is 65 traybakes, mostly brownies and blondies, with credits going mostly to Annie Rigg, Linda Collister, Sarah Randall, and Victoria Glass. 14 other authors were involved; they were all co-ordinated by Alice Sambrook. The preps are quick and easy, such as apricot flax seed bars, lavender shortbreads, chocolate marshmallow brownies, and spiced pear cake. Preparations have their ingredients listed mostly in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 30.101 ONE DISH DINNERS (Storey Publishing, 2005, 2016, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-61212-841-2, $16.95 USD paperbound) is by Andrea Chesman, prolific author of cookbooks. She teaches classes and demos at fairs and festivals across the USA. This book was originally published in 2005 as “Mom's Best One-Dish Suppers”. Here are 101 preps for filling just one utensil (skillet, Dutch oven, soup pot or salad bowl) with a complete meal. Mac 'n' cheese comes to mind, as well as a Thai noodle salad. International flavours are stressed. Typical are sausage and kale with garlic roasted potatoes, seafood paella, corned beef and cabbage. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 31.BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS MAKE IT DON'T BUY IT (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, 480 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-80086-1, $29.99 USD loose leaf three ring binder) is from their test kitchen. The emphasis is on making foods yourself, and not buying processed products. Their stress: real food, real ingredients. As the editors say, this is really serious stuff – made-from-scratch basics include Greek-style yogurt, crackers, pretzels, marshmallows, salad dressings, seasoning mixes, ketchup, mustard, pickles, etc. It is better for you and cheaper! 300 recipes also cover cured salmon, pasta, preserving (jams, jellies, veggies) – even fermenting sriracha sauce, sauerkraut, and kombucha. Contemporary items include nut butters, cold brew, and coffee creamers. Nutrition information comes with every recipes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 89. ---------------------------------------------------- AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS --- FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR SUMMER 2016 [published monthly since 2000] ====================================== By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca But first, these words: Most prices listed below are in US currency as printed on the cover. I do this because MOST of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In these times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations about parity AND online bookstore discount (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day. ALLEZ CUISINE!! * DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.TRUE BEER (Skyhorse Publishing, 2016, 199 pages, ISBN 978-1-63450-642-7, $16.99 USD paperbound) is by Timothy Sprinkle, a business journalist and editor living in Denver. His tome is a major work in American beer history by concentrating on the neighbourhood nanobreweries making extremely local beers. There are about 4000 craft breweries in the US (more if you factor in Canada) making hundreds of different styles of beer that are sold locally. In my own part of the High Park area of Toronto, there are a half-dozen microbreweries within easy walking distance. They all serve good, well-hopped beers, with seasonal variations. Sprinkle's work concentrates mainly on Colorado, which has long been known as the Napa Valley of beer (I heard that phrase back in the early 1970s when I was there).The business part and the names may be of Colorado, but the techniques and the ingredients are global. So apart from the sense of beer community, there are good chapters on styles of beer, the process of beer-making, the ingredients, the flavours, and the need for its local nature. I actually avoid all bottled beer, and prefer draught (or, as in the USA, “draft”) beer for its freshness, nonpasteurization, and low carbonation. Audience and level of use: craft beer lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Most nanobreweries are run by owner-operators who control labour costs by absorbing them as the brewers and owner-operators themselves. This justifies higher consumer costs due to the exclusivity of their product. And well worth it!! Quality/Price Rating: 92. * FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! * ++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.ULTIMATE APPETIZER IDEABOOK (Chronicle Books, 2016, 408 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-4019-3, $19.95 USD hardbound) is by Kiera and Cole Stipovich, both food and portrait photographers with a penchant for cooking. And it is a photographic Book, with a picture page for every app. Here are 225 simple, all-occasion recipes, with icons for “make ahead”, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free. It has been inspired by the multitude of weddings that they have attended, with vast variety of apps on display. There is both an index and a detailed table of contents here. It is arranged by categories: nibbles, dips and spreads, crostini, fruits and veggies, protein of eggs, seafood, poultry and meat, and sweets. At the end there are 25 pages of building blocks for layering, with recipes for chicken wing brine, stove-top popcorn, aioli (and variations with curry, lemon, caper, horseradish), peanut dipping sauce, and more. Superb photography throughout. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. The authors give us plenty of cross-references to other layered preps that can be used as variations to basic apps. Audience and level of use: those who love small bites or who entertain a lot. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: roasted broccoli with garlic; spaghetti squash nests with browned butter and sage; parsnip fries; grilled squash with prosciutto rosettes; baked jalapeno poppers; spicy shredded chicken mini-tostadas; salmon sliders on multi-grain toasts with lemon-caper aioli. The downside to this book: I wanted more! The upside to this book: Book is fat and squat, holdable and easy to flatten. Quality/Price Rating: 91. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.HOW TO MAKE SOURDOUGH (Ryland Peters & Small, 2016, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-704-1, $24.95 USD hardbound) is by renowned baker Emmanuel Hadjiandreou who had worked with Gordon Ramsay and organic food shops. His bread creations have won him several awards such as the Soil Association Organic Food Award for his sourdough. This is his third book, and of course it covers natural bread making. The primer details the sourdough process, and then it is on to the pre-ferment or biga. He's got 45 recipes, divided into types of grains; the same grain is used in the starter. There are chapters on rye sourdoughs, gluten-free sourdoughs, spelt sourdoughs, and some specialty ones. The hardest part of the whole procedure is getting the sourdough to do an initial ferment; the rest is basic breadmeaking of kneading, shaping and baking. There are plenty of technique photos. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. And of course, everything is scaled – as it should be. Audience and level of use: bakers looking for new ideas, sourdough lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: prune and pepper rye sourdough; sprouted spelflour sourdough; red quinoa sourdough; chickpea and potato focaccia. The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes! The upside to this book: preps for rye and spelt and GF. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 4.CRISPS, COBBLERS, CUSTARDS & CREAMS (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, 302 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-23075-0, $30 USD hardcovers) is by Jean Anderson, who has written a score of cookbooks over the years, including The food of Portugal and The Doubleday Cookbook. She's been a multiple Beard Award winner and a senior editor at Ladies' Home Journal. Here she visits a love of custards, et al: 150 recipes divided equally. These are what the Brits call “puddings”, the real goods. An excellent resource tool, with many variations and some gluten-free alternatives. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: comfort food lovers, home cooks, dessert lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: heirloom betties, crisps, baked custards, stovetop creams, dulce de leche, souffles, bread puddings, Bavarians, Charlottes, whips, moulds, mousses, sauces, toppings, puddings. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 5.ONE PAN TO RULE THEM ALL (Good Books, 2016, 265 pages, ISBN 978-1-68099-130-7, $19.99 USD hardbound) is by Howie Southworth and Greg Matza. The two guys live and die by their iron skillets, and this book gives us 100 cast-iron skillet recipes for indoors and out (grill and campfire). It's a guy book, so men can extend their repertoire from the BBQ to the camp and to the home kitchen. No excuses. For the mechanic in the family, there is a thorough section on buying, seasoning, cleaning, repairing, and general care – all once you've kicked the tires. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: guys. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chopped pork and red slaw sandwiches; mega-tamales; Creole jambalaya; baked ziti; campfire burritos. The downside to this book: actually needs more pix of skillets. The upside to this book: good large print, and an even larger-sized index! Quality/Price Rating: 87. 6.BREAKFAST LOVE (Quadrille Publishing, 2016, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-714-5, $22.95 USD hardbound) is by David Bez, who, four years ago, challenged himself to create a new salad every workday. This resulted in “Salad Love”, a collection of lunch salads. Now he has created salads for breakfasts. In essence, these are one bowl meals, mainly sweet but also savoury in some cases. His main criteria are: to be quick and easy to prepare, to give energy for the day, to be filling, and to be healthy. There are 150 here, clearly marked vegetarian, vegan, raw, omnivore or pescatarian. And they can be adapted to fit different diets. The basic layering for each bowl includes two fruits or veggies, a cereal, a protein, a liquid, and a one teaspoon garnish. There are 100 pages on sweets and 50 pages on savouries. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginners, breakfast lovers, rushed people. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: blood orange, avocado, brown rice and shrimp; lychee, pineapple, oats and walnuts; blackberries, melon, oats and chia seeds; pomegranate, grapes, quinoa and coconut yogurt. The downside to this book: I actually wanted more preps. The upside to this book: well-illustrated with one pix per bowl. Quality/Price Rating: 89. 7.SOUTHERN HEIRLOOM COOKING (Good Books, 2016,349 pages, ISBN 978-1-68099-131-4, $24.99 USD hardbound) is by Norma Jean McQueen Haydel and Horace McQueen. Norma Jean cooked her family preps but never measured or wrote things down. Her brother Horace decided that she should, and together they produced this “family” collection of 200 recipes. The food is traditional and straight forward, and the preps are arranged by type such as apps, snacks, salads, soups, sides, mains, breads, desserts, and preserves. There's a concluding chapter on game. It is all easy enough, using a series of prepared mixes or single canned ingredients such as water chestnuts or artichoke hearts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those looking for a traditional southern US cookbook. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chess pie; poblano cream soup; stuffed corn bread; baked catfish; Cajun rice jambalaya; no-bake ground beef squash casserole; pecan-stuffed pheasant. Quality/Price Rating: 85. 8.FOOD WITH FRIENDS (Clarkson Potter, 2016, 208 pages, ISBN 978-0-8041-8709-1, $25 USD hardbound) is by Leela Cyd, a food and travel writer in California. Here she compiles preps for brunch, teatime, happy hours, picnics, potlucks, desserts – all those non-timed non-BLD meals of the day. These are small bites and treats to share, as she says: they are for small gatherings. She lists her “secret ingredients”, a flavoured pantry for when people drop by or the unexpected happens. In addition to produce, eggs, dairy, and EVOO, there are hard cheeses, flavoured salts, nut oils, preserved lemons, harissa, mustards, and preserved fruits. Table settings and food stylings are considered. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: those looking for spectacular food that is simply made. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: chocolate sandwiches with caramel and peanut butter; rose flan; cotija, apricot and rosemary crisps; South Indian kesari bhath with toasted cashews, sultans and saffron; matcha egg cream. The downside to this book: From my experience, she makes it sound a lot more easy than it is. The upside to this book: more great photography! Quality/Price Rating: 87. 9.MY HEALTHY DISH (Skyhorse Publishing, 184 pages, ISBN 978-1-5107-0343-8, $24.99 USD hardbound) is by My Nguyen, who learned about cooking while working in her family's restaurant. She now has the extremely popular My Healthy Dish blog. These are 60 fresh and easy preps for the whole family, including picky eaters. She takes comfort food and makes them healthier, with new ingredients to help people choose real foods over processed ones. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there are tables of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: beginner Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: strawberry and cream waffles; chicken cauliflower nuggets; watermelon slushies; nachos; slow cooker chicken sausage jambalaya; slow cooker vegan chili The upside to this book: large typeface, bold fonts for the ingredients. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 10.SOUP SWAP (Chronicle Books, 2016, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4521-4836-6, $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Kathy Gunst, multiple cookbook author and Bear award winner who is also a food writer and broadcaster on NPR. These are recipes to make and share, very easy to do, and relevant to small community groups such as churches and schools, neighbours and local friends. 60 recipes are provided, covering a range of vegetable soups, poultry soups, meat soups, seafood soups and chowders, plus some garnishes for all manner of soups. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: families, those dealing with quantity cooking. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: escarole and white bean soup with parmesan cheese; corn and sweet potato chowder with saffron cream; lamb and farro soup; sausage, cabbage and root vegetable soup; black bean and chorizo soup. The downside to this book: I wanted more recipes. The upside to this book: portions are for six to eight, very manageable and useful for large families to eat entre nous. Quality/Price Rating: 86. 11.NORDIC LIGHT (Hardie Grant Books, 2016, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-74379144-8, $39.99 USD hardbound) is by Simon Bajada, a food writer and photographer based in Stockholm. It's a great name for a cookbook, with the word light referring to the daytime and to the filling nature of the food. Bajada has tried to lighten up traditional foods from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Norway, incorporating foods from abroad. Most of the work is vegetarian, with a handful of meat dishes such as milk-poached chicken or rhubarb-braised pork. It all begins with a Nordic brunch, followed by mid-morning snacks, lunch plates, fika [tea time], bowls, family-style, weekend entertaining, and late night foods and drinks. It is very well laid-out and described (he is a photographer). Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: Scandinavians and others looking for lighter fare. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Christmas spiced plums, ricotta, and coffee ice; grilled fennel with roasted black beans and jaffa dressing; black radish, salmon and dill tartare; farro, chestnut and Brussels sprout slaw. The downside to this book: just a few too many non-food pictures. The upside to this book: well-framed plated final dishes. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 12.MILK. MADE (Hardie Grant Books, 2016, 288 pages, ISBN 978-1-74379135-6, $39.99 USD hardbound) is by Nick Haddow, Tasmanian cheesemaker at Bruny Island. It is a basic tool on cheeses, along with 75 preps that use cheese. As the subtitle says, “how to choose it, serve it and eat it”. The first 100 pages deals with “from the dairy”, and covers the basics of milk, butter, and yoghurt. And then it is on to cheeses, with fresh cheese, surface-ripened, blues, semi-hards, and cooked curd cheeses. Along the way there are recipes, interviews with other cheesemakers, photos, and single-page stories. There are also resources pages and a bibliography for further reading. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Audience and level of use: cheese lovers Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: cured ocean trout, grapefruit and goat's curd; yoghurt-marinated BBQ chicken; whey hot toddy; whey pops; ricotta shortcake; Bengali yoghurt fish curry; ricotta gnudi with buttery peas. The downside to this book: too many photos strewn about, cuts down on space for text. The upside to this book: resources list and bibliography. Quality/Price Rating: 87. 13.BREW (Quadrille Publishing, 2016, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-727-5, $24.95 USD hardbound) is by James Morton, a UK author who has also written Brilliant Bread and How Baking Works. As he says, “This book is for those who have never considered brewing and want to understand a bit more about beer”. And it is also for those who want to move on from kits and explore other possibilities. He starts off with kits, which are eminently satisfactory for most people who like to have a good beer without going too deep into tasting notes and definitive answers. It's much like driving a car: you can be a regular driver or you can advance to racing – you just need new vehicles. So he starts with the basics, which applies to everyone: what brewing is, sterilizing, principles of fermentation, different forms of equipment, different types of hops and grains, troubleshooting. Then he moves on to the major categories for kits or doing it yourself – British/Irish ales; American beers; European beers; beer specialties and sours. It's really easy – I did it for a few years until I started putting on weight. Now I just drink the occasional draught beer. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. As brewing is related to baking (yeast, exactitude), everything is scaled. Audience and level of use: those looking to make their own beer or to understand the principles. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: Broon ale; clansman ale; Scottish export; saison; hefeweizen. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 14.PRESERVING ITALY (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, 304 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-61162-7, $23 USD paperbound) is by Dominica Marchetti, a former reporter turned Italian cookbook author and food writer. Here she concentrates on canning, curing, infusing, and bottling Italian flavours and traditions, both sweet and savoury. And it comes with log rollers including Nancy Harmon Jenkins. After some details on safety, water-bath canning, and pressure canning, she has arranged her material by form: foods preserved in oil, in vinegar, sweets, tomatoes and tomato sauces, infused oils/vinegars, fresh cheeses and cured meats, syrups and fruits preserved in alcohol, ending with confections. She also includes a wide-ranging list of sources and a bibliography. It is a great package, covering different regions of Italy. She's also got some nice tips and backstories for each recipe. As well, there is a large typeface and good use of white space. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Audience and level of use: home preservers, Italian food lovers. Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: sweet, sour and spicy pickled melon; grilled summer veggies with zucchini and savoury mint sauce; spiked peaches in grappa; tramezzini roasted tomatoes, spicy salumi, artichoke and provolone; nocino; orzata; tropea onion jam; calcionetti. 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 best 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 at home, but how could that be? The books 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 photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases 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.COCONUT OIL (Quadrille, 2015, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-838-8, $22.95 USD hardbound) is by Lucy Bee, founder of the leading UK brand of coconut oil: it is raw, organic, extra virgin, cold pressed, and Fair Trade. As a celiac, Lucy found coconut to be extremely useful. The book was originally published in the UK last year, and this is its Canadian release. She's got over 100 recipes, mostly on ingesting but also on beauty ideas to feed one's skin. It's arranged by mealtime and by course, apps to desserts, with material on a pantry. There's a glossary and nutritional information; there are also icons for gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, lactose-free, vegetarian and vegan. Try lentil and vegetable moussaka, blackberry and lemon sauce pudding, or sweet potato nachos. One drawback: the index has a teeny tiny type font. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 16.DEEP SOUTH: new Southern cooking (Quadrille Books, 2016, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-720-6, $35 USD hardbound) is by Brad McDonald, Mississippi-born career chef who now explores Southern foodways as a chef outside of North America. The book is loaded with pix of Southern life and plated dishes. It's arranged with a larder/pantry first, followed by apps, fish, meat, veggies, sides and sweets. The range is thorough and comprehensive, from pickled watermelon rind through chess pie, collard greens, grits, shrimp, crawfish boil, and pork rinds. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 17.ALIMENTARI (Hardie Grant Books, 2016, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-74379129-5, $29.99 USD paperbound) is by Linda and Paul Jones, owner-operators of two Mediterranean eateries/delis in Victoria, Australia. These 100+ dishes are they ones that they serve (among many), scaled to home use. It is arranged by time of day (morning, midday, and later) with sweets. The first two emphasis a diner with takeouts; the later meal is the substantial dinner. Lots of pix and memoir-words describe the feel and history of the place, as well as how they do food. It is all very engaging, with smoked salmon, Persian feta, and cherry tomato tarts or saffron rice with chickpeas, lentils and baharat salad. Larger dishes include sambusic, whole snapper, roast chicken with harissa or slow-cooked lamb shoulder. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 88. 18.LOVELY LAYER CAKES (Quadrille Publishing, 2015, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-729-9, $24.95 USD hardbound) is by Peggy Porschen, who has prepared cookies and cakes for many A-listers such as Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow. Many of her preps and commissions have been written up in a variety of UK celebrity watch magazines. Here she gives us thirty recipes for such as passion fruit and mascarpone cake, cheeky monkey cake, mad hatter's checkerboard cake, and pina colada cake. Instructions are detailed and go for pages, with pix of final product and slices and techniques. At the inside back cover there are two cake decorating stencils that can be useful for budding cakers. This is a well-thought through tome for home use. Needless to say, all the baking preps are scaled. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 19.PEACE & PARSNIPS (The Experiment, 2016, 328 pages, ISBN 978-1-61519-321-9, $25 USD hardbound) is by Lee Watson, an experienced chef who has also hosted and worked on the Fox TV show “Meat v Veg”. He now works as a vegan chef in Snowdonia National Park in Wales. This current tome has 200 plant-based recipes in an adventuresome mode for both the committed and the newly arrived. Four years ago he went completely vegan, and has adapted many of his earlier influences into strong flavoured foods: Mexican street food, Turkish bazaars, French country food, Spain, and India. It's arranged by course, beginning with breakfast and moving through juices, soups, salads, sides, small plates, big plates, curries, burgers, stuffed, and sweets. Typical are turnip and spinach kashmiri curry with beet raiti, clay-baked potatoes and parsnips with roasted garlic and date masala, smoked tofu sausage sandwiches with red onion marmalade, and dark chocolate and beet brownies. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of equivalents. 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. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an “easy” format. Here are some recent “re-editions”... 20.THE NAKED COOKBOOK (Ten Speed Press, 2015, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-60774-994-3, $24.99 USD hard/softbound) is by Tess Ward. It was originally published in the UK by Quadrille, and this is the North American printing. Ward is a London-based food blogger who has worked at Ricer Cottage and The Ritz. The preps are for you to eat: raw, pure, stripped, bare, nude, clean and thus detox. Even down to the physical book itself (just boards for covers, no spine at all (just stitching) – to emphasize how serious it all is. Clean eating will give you more energy. Help you to lose weight, and ultimately purify (detox) your body. It is a good lifestyle with uncomplicated and simple recipes. Her “naked” yogurts include such as basil yogurt dressing, cumin yogurt dressing, and cilantro yogurt dressing. He naked dips include goat milk ricotta, wasabi crème fraiche, and a cucumber-radish-goat cheese raita. Along with sauces, they add a huge variety of flavours to basic everyday food such as molasses and ginger pork balls with bok choy, or avocado boats with peas-feta-mint. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Lots of pantry advice. Small typeface is used for the index. Quality/price rating: 87. 21.THE SOUTH OF FRANCE COOKBOOK (Weldon Owen, 2015, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-68188-053-2, $35 USD hardbound) is by Nina Parker, a London-based chef and caterer. It was originally published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in the UK in 2014; this is the North American printing. It is arranged by meal, from breakfast through lunch, teatime, canapes, dinner and dessert. The subtitle confines it by saying “recipes and stories from St. Tropez”, although the dishes are evocative of the region (eg, “le sticky bun”, apricot and almond jam, or provencal tomatoes). The stories/memoirs are hers of course. But while the picture of the ruby red roasted duck La Verdoyante (from the nearby restaurant in Gassin) is phenomenal, there are also many pix of just her in various settings. Preparations have their ingredients listed mostly in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 22.PICNIC IN PROVENCE (Back Bay Books – Little, Brown and Co., 2015, 2016, 368 pages, $15.99 USD soft covers) is by Elizabeth Bard, a US journalist based in Provence. She had previously written “Lunch in Paris”, and continues the French theme of memoirs + recipes with this volume about Provence. This is a memoir about love and marriage and family, moving from Paris to Provence and setting up an artisanal ice cream shop. Local recipes are included (and indexed), such as broiled whole sea bass with lemon and herbs, or salade composee au foie de volaille. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 87. 23.VARIETAL WINES (Hardie Grant, 2015, 308 pages, ISBN 978-1-74270860-7, $44.95 CAD hardbound) is by Oz wine critic James Halliday who has been at it for 45 years. He has written or contributed to more than 70 books on wine. This book was originally published in 2004, profiling 84 varieties of grapevines grown in Australia. Since that time, more have been added to the viticulture in Oz, and the book's coverage has grown to 130 varietal wines. Every varietal in Oz still remains set in an international context here. These are the classic (cabernet sauvignon, shiraz, chardonnay, riesling), second tier, and alternative varieties currently grown in Australia. He's got histories for all, along with diversity of regional styles, the best producers, and production stats from Oz and the ROW. Details of the lesser 95 red and white varieties are also given, although a case could be made for also separating these “lesser” into two tiers by at least name recognition. Aucerot? Biancone? In the same listing as Pedro Ximenez? As Silvaner? Or Prosecco? The public's fancy seems to dominate, as Prosecco will surely ascend in the rankings, which is how Pinot Grigio (a second tier white if there ever was one) got to be a “classic” of the same ranking as chardonnay or sauvignon blanc. And whatever happened to Malbec? There is not a mention of it in his book, yet it has been grown in Australia for decades. Just check out www.vinodiversity.com/malbec.html#inoz Quality/price rating: 84. 24.VEGETABLES; the essential reference (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, 516 pages, ISBN 978-0-544-71528-8, $35 USD hardbound) comes from the editors of Eating Well magazine. I was once a charter subscriber while the magazine was part of the Canadian cooking landscape situated in Vermont. It is now owned by Meredith Corporation, home of Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, Martha Stewart Living, and many others dealing with home life. Most of the preps here have appeared in Eating Well, and contributors are noted. You could try Bruce Aidells' Bavarian leek and cabbage soup or pork & shrimp stuffed eggplant, Lidia Bastianich's braised greens and cannellini bean panini, or Mario Batali's penne alla primavera. Alice Waters contributes a sauteed Brussels sprouts with bacon and onions, while Deborah Madison encourages us with roasted sweet potato wedges. Even Toronto's own Naomi Duguid is here (fish sauce with chiles). Even an impressive book such as this one required some log rolling. There are 101 veggies, arranged A – Z with 200 recipes (some use meat too, so the book is not all vegetarian). There are basic descriptions, cooking technique styles, nutritional data, colour photos and recipes for each. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. There are special interest indexes for gluten-free, heart-healthy, and vegan. There is even a short section on how to read an Eating Well recipe! Quality/price rating: 90. 25.BROOKS HEADLEY'S FANCY DESSERTS (W.W.Norton, 2014, 2016, 273 pages, ISBN 978-0-393-35238-2, $24.95 USD paperbound) is by Brooks Headley, former executive chef at Del Posto now chef-owner of Superiority Burger. He has also written food articles for the press. The preps here were created while he was running pastry at Del Posto's. This is the paperbound reprint of a 2014 hardbound book; he has left Del Posto in the meanwhile. Still, he won a Beard while at Del Posto. His approach: fruit is king, veggies can be used in desserts, acidity is the key, and simplicity is the goal. So he has 50 pages on such as cucumber creamsicle, candied cucumber, avocados and strawbs, carrot sauce, and: fried Roman artichokes with ricotta gelato, honey and matzo chocolate. He's got tips, photos of techniques, stories about other pastry chefs in NYC, and a variety of eclecticisms. As Bill Buford said, Headley is “brave, extreme and wacky. It is the best anti-cookbook cookbook I have ever read.” Throughout, there is a trail of salt, vinegar and breadcrumbs. In true baker style the ingredients are scaled: preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 89. 26.THE HAPPY COOKBOOK (St. Martin's Griffen, 2015, 2016, 248 pages, ISBN 978-1-250-09227-4, $24.99 USD paperbound) is by Lola Berry, an Australian nutritionist who devised a 20/20 Diet based on her years of experience helping people to shed excess pounds. Her book was originally published in Australia last year by Pan Macmillan, and this is its US debut. The subtitle says it all: 130 wholefood recipes for health, wellness, and a little extra sparkle. Some preps are sugar-free, others are gluten-free, and there are some paleo delights as well. It is all arranged by form, with chapters on smoothies, loaves, salads, veggies, brekkies, surf and turf, and ending with desserts and sweets. It concludes with a series of festive menus, and the dishes listed have page references. Her biggest contribution is the happy thoughts that one needs for a stress-free existence. The 20/20 diet, not really given here, is a way to lose 20 kilos (44 pounds) over 20 weeks. I think all the preps here are part of that diet, but there is no rigour involved. Typical are spiced roasted sweet potato with pecans and creamy tahini dressing, quirky carrot salad, poached chicken salad with maple-roasted pumpkin, feta and pepitas, and broccoli and chickpea patties with tahini and lime dressing. But too many pix of Lola deter from an interesting book. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 27.POSH – EGGS (Quadrille, 2016, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-788-6, $19.95 USD hardbound) is one of a publishers cookbook series. Here it celebrates upscale uses for eggs, ranging from advocaat to zabaglione. The publisher says that the egg is the original superfood, and they are right. Here are over 70 recipes: kedgeree at breakfast, green shakshuka at lunch, crab souffle at dinner (with iles flottantes for dessert). Preps are mainly quick, come with a photo, have a somewhat British/Australian twist, and easy to read instructions. Lucy O'Reilly did the writing and the food styling. It's arranged by mealtime. Try bacon salad with beetroot and quail eggs, or sole maltaise. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 28.POSH – TOAST (Quadrille, 2015, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-84949-700-8, $19.95 USD hardbound) is one of a publishers cookbook series. Here it celebrates upscale uses for toast, which it claims is the ultimate fast food. Platforms will vary, but toasts can be made from sourdough, corn tortilla, spelt, seeded, rye, and then made into open faced sandwiches, crostini, even panini. Over 70 recipes are arranged by mealtime, from breakfast through snacks to dinner. Preps are mainly quick, come with a photo, have a somewhat British/Australian twist, and easy to read instructions. Emily Kydd did most of the the recipe writing and the food styling. The range is from anchovy spread to white bean puree. You may want to try mozzarella and kale pesto, spiced potted crab, or chipotle prawns and corn avocado crème tostada. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements with some metric, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 85. 29.THE ILLUSTRATED KITCHEN BIBLE (DK Books, 2008, 2016, 544 pages, ISBN 978- 1-4654-5155-2, $24.96 USD paperbound) is by a book packager, with Victoria Blashford-Snell as editor-in-chief. She runs her own catering firm, teaches, acts as a presenter on UK TV, and has written eight popular cookbooks. Here she assembles 1000 preps plus some 3,000 colour instructional photos for techniques. She has menu planners, shopping lists, easy step developments, an idea of what can be made ahead, and ideas for both leftovers and holdovers. All courses, all foods, and all seasons are covered here. Each prep has an indication of serving numbers, prep times, and equipment needed, and storage time lengths. Each of the three categories (starters, mains and sides, desserts) has a special table of contents that lists the title of the recipe, a short one or two line description, a small picture, prep times, and storage times, and of course the page reference. Sub-categories for the three larger groups include a breakdown by topic. For example, for starters, there are topics like seafood starters, snacks on toast, weekend brunch, healthy snacks, party bites, hearty soups, etc. Some interesting or unusual recipes include herbed fish goujons, anchovy and olive bruschetta, sesame shrimp toast, sausages with lima beans, and ginger cream sauce. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mostly avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents. Quality/Price Rating: 88. 30.CANADIAN LIVING MAKE IT AHEAD! (Juniper Publishing, 2016, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-988002-27-9, $19.95 CAD paperbound) continues the mega-output from this magazine: I think that this is the 24th book in the series. There are 100 plus recipes for batch cooking, freezing, and other storage. Their Tested-Till-Perfect approach ensures a consistency for a variety of situations, such as weeknights or emergency entertaining. This is stuff you could always have on hand. But of course it also depends on the right storage containers. There are good tips her to prevent freezer burns. It's arranged by course, from apps through pastas, burgers, mains, sides, condiments, and desserts. Each prep has nutritional data and some tips, along with timings. Preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois for volumes and metric for weight measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Try cheeseburger spring rolls or mini Cubanos. Quality/price rating: 85. 31.POSTCARDS FROM GREECE (Hardie Grant Books, 2014, 2016, 256 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-061-3, $24.99 USD hardbound) is by food and drink writer Rebecca Seal, who has also written “Istanbul: recipes from the heart of Turkey”. Her Greek tome was originally published in 2014 as “Islands of Greece” , and for some reason was re-titled on its reissue. So all of the preps here come from places such as Milos, Santorini, Rhodes, Crete, and other islands. These are regional specialties, presented in order of breads, mezedes, seafood, meat, veggies, and desserts. It is also part travel too with some memoir-type material and photos from her life partner. I was disappointed that Greek wines were not covered since they are approaching now on the mainstage...Try sweet Ester bread, olive oil chocolate mousse, volcanic lamb with egg and lemon sauce, and salt cod fritters. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both avoirdupois and metric measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 32.GRAIN BOWLS (Hardie Grant Books, 2016, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-048-4, $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Anna Shillinglaw Hampton. It was originally published in hard covers; this is the paper cover reprint. She says that the only tools you will need for this book are: bowl, wooden spoon, knife, frying pan, and saucepan. She introduces “grain bowls”, which are (as in the subtitle) mainly bulgur wheat, quinoa, barley, rice, and spelt. And then she tells how make the perfect grain bowl by layering. Other grains employed include the now-popular cracked freekeh, buckwheat groats, and kamut. It is a “build-a-bowl”, similar to other books which also deal with salads and soups in this build fashion. 80 recipes cover salad grain bowls, vegetarian grain bowls, meaty grain bowls, and diverse dressings and toppings. Well-worth a look for its variety. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of equivalents. Quality/price rating: 86. 33.SOUPS (Hardie Grant Books, 2015, 2016, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-038-5, $19.99 USD paperbound) is by Anna Helm Baxter. It was originally published in hardbound; this is the paperbound reprint. It's a companion book to Grain Bowls (above). These are quick and easy soups for every