(Mostly) new cookbooks I’ve been hearing good things about/am intrigued by/love the author/have fallen for the cover:
Of course I’m going to be interested in this book. As I may have mentioned one or two or 50 times, Cook’s Illustrated taught me how to cook. And this book brings together 2,000 “landmark” recipes from the magazine’s 20-year history. It will almost certainly be added to my shelf!
Another retrospective collection, this one from one of the acknowledged masters. I adore Jacques because 1. he is French, 2. I met him once and he was delightful, 3. His memoir is one of my all-time favorites, and 4. his recipes tend to work.
This was such an influential book for so many people, including my bff Mo. She has been making the breadsticks from this book as long as I’ve known her (and that’s longer than I’ve known my spouse). This revision will introduce the book to a whole new audience and bring a welcome reminder to the rest of us to cook from it again.
If for no other reason, I want to buy this book to endorse a woman who handed the inflated Mario Battali his butt on a platter on Iron Chef. She also has some other distinctions including a little something called a Michelin star for her restaurant Annisa.
I am so drawn to this book despite the fact that I fear I would be signing up for a Thomas-Keller-style beating. As in: this is a cookbook from the proprietor of a high-concept, impossible-to-get-into restaurant, who claims to have re-interpreted the recipes for the “home cook” but who has obviously never met a home cook and envisions her as someone who lives across the street from both Balducci’s and D’Artagnan and just completed a successful IPO. When Grant Achaz and Keller and Daniel Boloud endorse something you know you’re not in for 30-minute meals.
Which brings us to someone who does, more or less, promise 30-minute meals. I have never cooked a Jamie Oliver recipe and I’m always highly skeptical of a cuisine that is primarily defined by its speed. But I would try this book just because I so believe in and support of Mr. Oliver’s crusade to upgrade the slop we feed to our children via the public school system. Plus how can you resist a muppet with a British accent?
I really enjoy reading your blog – you are talking my language. I am also cooking many of the books you are cooking and I love your comments about the recipes you are trying (not to mention I think you are a woman after my own heart at least in terms of baking!!). That carrot cake and the cupcakes are gorgeous. You are obviously a woman who knows her way around a pastry bag. So…have you seen/tried the brand-new Flour cookbook by Joanne Chang? She is a pastry/bakery goddess in Boston and I think you will love her book. So many cakes/cookies/pastries, so little time. Oh, well.
Thanks for your blog.
Hi Susan, thanks so much for your nice comments!
And thank you for reminding me about Flour; it is definitely a book I have been meaning to look into and I’m going to add it to the “Cookbook buzz” section.
Again, thanks for reading and taking the time to comment!
Do Ina’s new one next! I just read about this new book of hers coming out and i am intrigued!
I vote for Baked Explorations…. it would be great to have it reviewed in time for the holidays. I’m always looking for fabulous desserts to bring to parties and if it turns out to be a winner would make great holiday gifts for some of my baking buddies
My vote is for Baked Explorations. Thank you so much for reviewing cookbooks for us!
I posted in another area (in error), but I’d love to see you review the new Saveur Cookbook!
I wanted to recommend a great book and author – My Sweet Mexico by Fany Gerson and she also recently released another book about Paletas.
I have looked at both of those books and I’m very intrigued. Thanks for the recommendation!
Hi Kate! Have you seen this one? We got it from the library and made a few DELICIOUS dishes before it had to go back. Highly recommended! http://www.amazon.com/Cook-This-Now-Delectable-Dishes/dp/1401323987/ref=sr_1_16?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324393076&sr=1-16
Have a wonderful holiday! Do you still host an office holiday party at your house? I’ll always have very fond memories of those events!
Elizabeth