Pages, Pucks and Pantry

Current Cookbook - Cook With Jamie

COOK WITH JAMIE - My Guide to Making You a Better Cook - Jamie Oliver

This cookbook has a copyright of 2007. I got this as a Christmas present this past year. I have never cooked from this before.

Jamie says that this should have been the first book he wrote as it is his guide to making one a better cook, whether you are twenty and just starting out or, ahem, older and needing to learn. All the promo's of this book when it first came out at the end of last year had one line that stuck with me "If you are going to eat three times a day for the rest of your life, you might as well learn to cook properly and enjoy it". This is his book on the "basics' of cooking. All proceeds from the sale of this book go to the training of kids through his Fifteen Foundation.

There is a lengthy introduction, a bit about the Fifteen, a page on equipment and in the back a more detailed description of herbs, spices and Jamie's cooking tips and tricks. The index is pretty good and he highlights vegetarian recipes.

Chapters are standard...Salads, Fish, Desserts. Each chapter starts with some basic information. For example the fish chapter talks about the types of fish, tells you how to shop for it and general instructions for cooking it. What I liked about the recipes is that they are pretty descriptive. Oh you might find "Greek Salad" but more often you'll find "Pan-Roasted Salmon with Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Anchovy-Rosemary Sauce" or "The Ultimate Fruit Meringue with Vanilla Cream, Hazelnuts and Caramel". Makes it easy to see what the recipe is really made of. Recipes sound pretty straight forward with easy to find ingredients. If you've watched any of his food shows, the book is written like Jamie talks. Each recipe comes with a full page photo of the dish.

There are some great sounding recipes in this book I'd like to try. "Perfectly Cooked Crispy Duck with Spiced Plum Chutney", "Lovely Easy Caramelle with Ricotta, Basil and Black Olives", "Delicious Roasted White Fish Wrapped in Smoked Bacon with Lemon Mayonnaise and Asparagus" (I told you the names were descriptive!). I'm thinking if I started at the beginning of this book and worked my way through, I just might become a better cook!

Current Cookbook - Retro Happy Hour

RETRO HAPPY HOUR - Drinks and Eats with a 50's Beat - by Linda Everett

This cookbook has a copyright of 2003. I don't know where I got this book. I have never cooked from this before.

I have a feeling that when I picked up this cookbook I probably did it more for the drawings than for the recipes. It has some really cool 50's drawings. Amusing in the fact that the women are all shown wearing dresses, with perfectly coiffed hair, not to mention the pearls around the neck. And they all have the tiniest damn waists! The men of course are usually shown wearing suits and ties.

I wouldn't say that any of the recipes listed scream to me "50's food". There were quite a few recipes for "popcorn ball" variations which did seem very "retro". The names of the recipes are fun like "La-Dee-Dah Crepes", Mad Russian Rick's Appeteasers or Boise Babe's Tater Skins. The book seems to be geared for throwing a nice cocktail party. There are chapters for both alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks and a larger chapter on food. Food recipes consist of little bites and appetizers with a few desserts thrown in. The first chapter deals with things like choosing a party theme, invitations, quest lists and general tips for throwing a party. The Index is divided by type of recipe (Dips for Chips, Luau Tastes, Vegetarian, Coffee and Tea).

I've book-marked a lot of the non alcoholic drinks as they sound pretty good. Most of the recipes sound pretty good and look easy to make without a lot of fuss and time.

This book is one of a series of "retro" books like Retro Pies, Retro Housewife, Retro Luau. I may buy some of the other books just for the drawings.

Current Cookbook - The New Steak

THE NEW STEAK - Recipes for a Range of Cuts plus Savory Sides - by Cree LeFavour

This cookbook has a copyright of 2008. I got this book from my Mom for my birthday this past May. I have not cooked from this before.

I like steak. Pretty much any kind. If I go to a restaurant I'm going to order a steak dish before I order fish or pasta. If you put an elaborate chicken dish in front of me along with just a nice, plain, dry aged, medium rare rib eye...yep, I'd pick the steak. So when I saw this cook book I knew it had to have a place in my collection.

The book starts out with a section on "Steak Basics" where I found a very liberating sentence..."Please don't meticulously measure every little item I call for". Who is this woman and I love her already for letting me be more of a pot cook than a knife cook. The basics also gives some wonderful information on cuts of beef (their different names for the same cut, how to best cook it etc.), what to look for in buying different types (wet or dry aged), cooking and handling (charcoal, gas, pan frying, doneness). There is also a section on kitchen essentials (from meat thermometer to hot sauce). The chapters with recipes are divided into American, Bistro, Latin and Far East. Each steak recipe comes with a recipe for a side or two (usually a starch and a vegetable). Not all the steak recipes have photos (maybe a fourth do) and there are a couple of photos of some of the side dishes.

I pretty much want to try every steak recipe in this book: Sherry-Chanterelle Sauce over Hanger Steak, Strip Steak with Tequila-Avocado Sauce, Tamarind-Marinated Flank Steak. Though sometimes it seemed like a lot of ingredients just to cook a steak, recipes seemed easy. Most steaks come with a sauce or seasonings, some are stuffed, some cut into strips. There are recipes for expensive filet mignons and for cheaper flank. Even some of the sides look good: Gingered Squash, Mango Salad, Robinson Bar Potatoess. I'm definitely going to be looking to this book the next time I'm looked to cook a steak!

Current Cookbook - The Silver Palate Cookbook

THE SILVER PALATE COOKBOOK - Delicious recipes, menus, tips, lore from Manhattan's celebrated gourmet food shop - by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins

This cookbook has a copyright of 1982. I don't know where I got this book. I have cooked from this book before.

I think this was one of the first "big" cookbooks I bought. Big in that everyone seemed to be buying it and cooking from it back in the early 80's. Except me of course. But I remember all the cooking magazines talking about it and of course I had to have it in my collection. It was fascinating to me because there were all these tips and tricks tucked into sidebars on each page. Like a  little blurb on chives, telling you how to select them and how you should use scissors to cut them or a description of the differences of colored peppercorns. There were also lots of quotes about food which are still fun to read today. It was one of the first cookbooks I got that I actually "read". All sorts of interesting information was between it's covers. I dreamed of having fancy dinner parties cooking from this book. I believe I have pretty much any cookbook that either of these women have written.

Though back then, some of the ingredients might have seemed a bit "out there"....freshly grated imported Parmesan cheese (you mean I can't just use the stuff in the green can?), Szchuan hot chili oil, Kalamata olives, Creme Fraiche...today these things can be found in pretty much any grocery store and yes, even in my pantry.

The chapters are divided into standard sections with each chapter subdivided a bit more (under Soups On you find  a section on Soups to Start, Soups of the Sea, Summer Soups and Sunday Night Soups). The instructions have always seemed pretty easy to follow and with the sidebars there are lots of tips to help you understand what's going on. There are more complicated recipes in the book but most I think are doable for the not so experienced cook. And though the Chicken Marbella seems to be legendary, I have yet to make it.

The new 25th Anniversary edition came out last year. I understand it's the same book I have only with photos. Even though I've only made a couple of dishes from this book, it's worn and looks like I've cooked from it a lot. It's one of those books I can get lost in, looking at all the recipes and thinking when I will make them!

Current Cookbook - The South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook

THE SOUTH BEACH DIET QUICK & EASY COOKBOOK - 200 Delicious Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes or Less - by Arthur Agatston, MD

This cookbook has a copyright of 2005. I don't know where I go this book. I have cooked from this book many times.

I'm not going to get into talks about diets or whether the South Beach Diet works. I will say if you are on the South Beach Diet or think you want to try South Beach, buy this book.

I find that eating low carb or "good carb" can be a bit tricky. It usually means eating a lot of fresh foods which means many trips to the grocery store and time to prepare all that fresh food (don't tell me to cook stuff on Sunday to prep for the coming week, that would entail being home on Sundays). This means I can't stick some pre-made frozen dinner in the microwave to be ready in five minutes nor is stopping by the local fast food place usually part of the diet. If you are busy or get home late after errands or the gym, getting dinner on the table quickly with fresh foods can be time consuming. That's why diet books that deal with quick meals are my favorites. And yes, I can hear you now. "But Mrs. L, fresh foods are quick to throw meals together". You are not me and I take twice as long to prepare a 30 minute meal...sometimes even longer.

Mr. L and I have tried quite a few recipes in this book and not only are they pretty quick, but they don't taste bad either. Remember, South Beach isn't a low fat, tastes like cardboard, no sauce, all you are allowed to eat is celery, type of diet...it's full of a variety of tasty fresh foods.

The front of the book gives an extensive list of ingredients that work for the diet (like which cheeses are best) and some info on quick meals you can make without a recipe. Unlike most of the other books of his, there is not a lot of info on the diet in general.

Chapters are pretty general (breakfast, poultry, desserts etc.) with each recipe giving which Phase of the diet it's okay for, along with some nutrition information (calories, saturated fats etc.). No really out there ingredents. There are some recipes that require "packaged" foods (like pesto from a jar, canned beans, low fat shredded cheese).

If you are on the South Beach diet and have a life I highly recommend this book. I've already posted a couple of recipes from this book like Baked Pesto Chicken and Beef and Bean Chili.

If you are not on South Beach but on Atkins, Somersize, Mediteranian or any other "healtly carb" lifestyle, this book would probably work for you too.

Current Cookbook - The San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market Cookbook

THE SAN FRANCISCO FERRY PLAZA FARMERS' MARKET COOKBOOK - A Comprehensive Guide to Impeccable Produce Plus 130 Seasonal Recipes - by Christopher Hirsheimer and Peggy Knickerbocker

This cookbook has a copyright of 2006. I don't know where I got this book. I have never cooked from this before. I have used the book for reference in buying produce.

Though I have perused the Ferry Buildings permanent marketplace, I have never actually made it to the Saturday Farmers Market. I remember buying this book thinking I would get up there soon. Maybe someday.

This book has a forward by Alice Waters, a section on the history of the market and Ferry Building, an introduction that kind of tells you about the current running of the market and a page of websites of vendors you might find at the market (which is now two years old).

The book is divided into Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Each section lists those products you would possibly come across during those seasons. Each produce (or item) is then broken down with general information, what is the optimum season (say early May until mid-July), how to choose the vegetable, how to store, prepare, and if applicable, how to freeze. The book then gives you two or three recipes using that produce. Lots of good photographs so if you have no idea what Swiss Chard looks like there is a photo.

Though the "seasons" part of the book probably wouldn't work for someone in a Northern cold region, the info on buying and storing will work for any area. I buy most of my produce from a grocery store and this book has helped me choose the best available. I admit, since I live in an area where we can pretty much get any fresh produce all year round, I don't exactly follow the "season" part either (I am going to try to do better...buy in season and locally). Most of the recipes are pretty straightforward, don't call for a lot of weird ingredients and seem fairly easy to make. Though a majority of the recipes are vegetarian, there are a few for things like Sorrel-and-Rice Meatballs or Beef Stew with Carrots. Since you can find some non-vegetable items at the market you will find a brief section on lamb, poultry etc.

There are many books (just by checking amazon) that deal with buying produce. If you live in the bay area, I would say this would still be a good book to buy. If you live out of this area, you might want to get a general produce book.

Current Cookbook - 200 Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes

200 Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes: Healthy Dinners That Are Ready When You Are! - Dana Carpender

This cookbook has a copyright of 2005. I have no idea where I bought this book. I have never cooked from this before.

I bought this book several years ago when I was trying to eat low carb. I wanted the convenience of using a crock pot without the standard crock pot staples of lots of potatoes, rice and carrots. This book still uses carrots but it's not in every recipe. Some of the recipes aren't exactly low calorie. Some of the meats used aren't friendly to South Beach, Somersize or Atkins.

The introduction section gives some tips on how to use slow cookers. One section about timing mentioned something I learned the hard way when I first started using crock pots....just because the recipe says to leave in the pot for 7 or more hours, doesn't mean it will actually taste good if you leave it heating for more than the 7 hours  listed. There is an ingredient section that goes over ingredients that some people might not be familiar with. The chapters are divided into standard sections: Poultry, Pork, Soups, Desserts etc.

To me there really weren't any "out there" ingredients...if she lists things like "rice protein powder" she'll tell you where to get it or what to substitute. Most of the recipes call for poultry/meat/fish and herbs or veggies. She does use turnips and carrots in some recipes which doesn't work for some low-carb diets. If she lists a low carb ingredient (like low carb ketchup) I figure I'll just use regular (or non sugar). She does give recipes in the back  of the book (non crock pot recipes) for low-carb ketchup, barbecue sauce etc.

The one thing I don't like about the recipes is that a lot of them call for guar or xanthan as a thickener. I'd probably just leave this out (and I did in the recipe I cooked).

Lots of good sounding, easy recipes to make. Except for browning the meat or chicken before putting it in the crock pot, you usually just have to put the measured ingredients into the pot before turning it on. I really like the convenience of using the crock pot and having the meals low-carb friendly. If you're trying to eat low-carb, I think this book would have quite a few things to try that might work for whatever diet you are on (most of the reviews on Amazon were positive taste wise.) That being said, if you don't care about carbs, you can always make the recipes and serve them over rice, noodles or potatoes :)

Note: She has written many other low-carb cookbooks.

Current Cookbook - Thai

THAI - A Culinary Journey of Discovery - Judy Williams

This cookbook has a copyright of 2007. I bought this at Barnes and Noble for $6.98 (bargain section) in February. I have never cooked from this before.

This is one of those impulse buy books. I was looking at books in the bargain section (something that I always do) and just happened to pick this up and open it to a dish that I had to make. It was something fried. Trust me, you'll see.

There is a small introduction that lists kinds of equipment used in Thai cooking and some of the key ingredients used. This is a small hardback cookbook so there aren't a lot of recipes (maybe 37). I have no idea if the recipes are authentic or not, but at least there is a photo of each recipe so you have an idea as to how it is supposed to look. Each recipe title is in both English and Thai. Obviously there are some ingredients that might be hard to find for some but I think I could find most in various specialty markets in my area.

Recipes seem pretty straightforward and easy to follow. Maybe not the best for beginner cooks. Some of the recipes sounded really good and I hope to someday soon try the Roast Pork with Pineapple, the Chicken Curry with Fried Noodles, and Roasted Sticky Chicken Wings.

One thing I did find interesting. This book was published in the UK. On the page with the copyright info and the ISBN number, you know, the back side of the title page? There is s a little blurb, in really small text,  sandwiched in between picture acknowledgments and who the home economist is called are some "Notes for the Reader". There they tell you that milk is assumed to be whole, pepper is freshly ground black and recipes using raw or very lightly cooked eggs should be avoided by infants, the elderly, and pregnant women. Oh and that's also where they talk about how you should handle the chilies. Seriously, if I hadn't been looking for the copyright info for this post I would have completely missed it. One would think something like that would be a little more prominent!

Current Cookbook - Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals 2

RACHAEL RAY 30-MINUTE MEALS 2 - Rachael Ray

This cookbook has a copyright of 2006. I don't know where I got this book. I have never cooked from this before.

I will be honest here. Rachael Ray? I'm so not into her. There are only two cooks/chefs on The Food Network that I cannot watch an entire show of...and she's one (Emeril is the other). No matter how hard I try, I usually end up turning the channel to something else when she is on. Heck I'll even watch infomercials before watching her.

That being said, I own two of her cookbooks. Not sure why. Anytime I've seen her 30 minutes meals I realize there is no way I can make what she does in 30 minutes. Yes, if I spend a fortune and buy precut foods or spend the night before preparing foods and making sure I know where every single item (utensils included) is located. But I probably bought this book looking for great, simple, fast recipes. I even own an Emeril cookbook so not liking the show usually doesn't influence my not liking the cookbook.

This book is written with "menus". Rachael provides a complete menu (two or three dishes) which are to be cooked within the 30 minute period. The recipes/menus come in chapters like "Dinner Specials" or "Healthy Hunger Busters"...a bit difficult if you are looking for say, a pork main dish...you need to check the index to find recipes for specific ingredients. A weird thing is that not all recipes are in the index. If you are looking for "Great Grilled Vegetables" you would only find it under "vegetables". What I don't see for the menus is a sort of chronological list of 'what to do when' to get it all done in 30 minutes.  She does say to start on the first recipe and when you have "pockets of time" start on the second etc. For an advanced cook, this may seem easy, for someone who already has trouble getting three dishes to come out on time, this seems...not beginner cook friendly. There are no photos in this book.

The recipes seem pretty straight forward and easy to follow. I still get very intimidated when I see a "menu" with four recipes (say Roast Potatoes, Green Beans and Mushroom Saute, Steaks with Cheese and an Orange Liqueur Dessert)...reading the recipes and directions I'm completely flabbergasted that it can all be done in 30 minutes. After reading reviews of the book, I also agree you need to have some pretty good knife skills to accomplish the menus in the 30 minute timeframe. Some reviews also stated you could get a better idea of how to "stage and time" the recipes if you watch the show. Um...not happy that I have to watch the TV show to figure out how to cook her recipes.

Taken individually, I like the recipes much better. Hey, I can make Portuguese Chicken and Chorizo in 30 minutes (and serve with a packaged salad) or I can grill a steak and serve it with Mom's Oil and Vinegar Potato Salad and 3 Bean Salad.  Once I got over the "make the entire menu" idea I found the recipes much more appealing. There are actually quite a few recipes I'd like to try. And yeah, maybe one of these days I'll try an entire menu.

Current Cookbook - Shots

SHOTS - The Diminutive Guide To A Little Big Drink - Erikka Haa

This cookbook has a copyright of 2006. I have no idea where I got this book . I have never cooked from this before.

This is a cute little book, that, in case you haven't already guessed, just has alcohol shots. The start of the book has a few bartender tips (like how to layer drinks) and a page on choosing the "right shot for the job" (Obliterators can pack a wallop!). The other chapters are divided by alcohol...Cordials, Vodka and Gin, Whiskey, Tequila, Rum, Holidays and Summer Haze (shots that would work for Christmas or Valentines Day), and One More for the Road (not sure why they call them that).

It's a fun book with awesome drink titles...Grapes of Bath (gin and purple grape juice), Armadillo Tracks (white tequila and rye whiskey), Sacrelicious (Bacardi Limon, Midori, Rose's lime juice). Though not every shot has a photo, the ones they show are pretty cool...the layered drinks are amazing (The Candy Cane for Christmas which is layers of Grenadine, Vodka and Green creme de menthe is beautiful).

Nothing looks hard to make. A well stocked bar would have most of the ingredients, but there will be some alcohol that you might not use for more than these shots...I say then you figure out how to use the leftover alcohol in cooking :)

This would be a great book if you usually have themed parties and wanted a cute little shot to go with your theme. Parents going on a cruise? Serve them an Alaskan Oil Slick (Blue Curacoa, Peppermint Shnapps and Jagermeister layered in a shot glass) at their going away party. It would also be a great book if you were young and a partier and wanted to impress your friends and get really drunk with cool looking (and sounding ) shots! Or like me, every once in a while, you just want to drink something fun.