Cookbook Review: In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite

I'm nearing my 35th birthday and I finally know what I want to be when I grow up. I want to write a cookbook like this one. This book is everything a cookbook should be. The recipes are appealing, delicious and very do-able. And it's written like a work of fiction. A fantastic work of fiction.

You see, when I read a cookbook, I don't read it for the recipes. Or at least not only for the recipes. I read it for the narrative and the stories. I love the morsels that the author throws in giving the history or background of the recipes she's sharing. I know, I'm weird, but I have cookbooks on my night table. I read cookbooks for pleasure.

Whether you're weird like me, or just looking for a good source for easy new recipes, please buy this book! It's just wonderful to read, and the recipes are lovely.

Favorite Recipes

I've only tried a few, but couldn't wait to blog about this amazing addition to my collection. The Zucchini with Mint and Garlic is a classic and the Roasted Spiced Cauliflower is wonderful. I'm looking forward to trying the Creme Brulee French Toast soon. (I'll let you know when I do.) 

What I like about this book

I love a cookbook that reads like fiction. This one really does. While the recipes are the focus of the book, each one is prefaced by a beautifully written story that tells you how the recipe came to be. Delightfully written. 

What I don't like about it

I don't have much to criticize. I'm a real stickler for food photos, so it was disappointing not to have any.

My ratings

	1	2	3	4
How’s the food?	Yuk.	Nothing to write home about.	Good enough to make again.	Wow. I’d eat it every day.
Are the recipes easy to follow?	Nope.	Pretty much.	Yes, the instructions are clear.	Terrifically written, even for a novice cook.
Is it a good read?	Yuk.	Readable but nothing special.	Sure.	Great reading. I’d keep it on my night table.
How do you like the design of the book?	Yuk.	Alright.	Good.	Flat out fantastic.

Cookbook Review: The Essential New York Times Cookbook

Last I counted, I owned 69 cookbooks. It's hard to know if that's an accurate count because I've run out of space on the standing bookshelves that I bought several years ago, never dreaming I would need more than six shelves for this hobby. But there you have it. I have outgrown the bookshelves and now the books spill over onto the couch, windowsills, and night table. Last week I found one in the pantry. (True story.) 

I think my love of cookbooks has officially moved from a hobby into an obsession. If I started with the first cookbook on my shelf and worked my way through, one recipe at a time, it would take approximately 26 years to make my way through the lot of them. 

So, I definitely didn't need another cookbook. I definitely didn't need a compendium of recipes, a book that would add 1,400 (four years worth of) recipes to my bookshelves. But this one was just too tempting to resist. None of my other cookbooks have the recipe for Rum Omelets (this one does, on page 808) or for 19th century Rice Pilan (page 309). This cookbook is an absolute treasure trove. 

Favorite Recipes 

I have to confess that I had a hard time selecting recipes to try. There are SO many to choose from, and so many appeal. The Brownies are great, and so is the Fennel and Blood Orange Salad. Those are two keepers for us. I'll keep working my way through. There's no shortage of interesting recipes in this publication. 

What I like about this book

It reads like fiction! Each recipe tells a story of its own. It also feels great to prepare and serve these well-known recipes, exposing my family to slivers of American culinary history.  

What I don't like about it

I don't have much to criticize but I will say that the design could be more engaging. I also would appreciate some photos, even if it was just a smattering of them (I can't imagine including pictures of all 1400 foods!). 

 My ratings

	1	2	3	4
How’s the food?	Yuk.	Nothing to write home about.	Good enough to make again.	Wow. I’d eat it every day.
Are the recipes easy to follow?	Nope.	Pretty much.	Yes, the instructions are clear.	Terrifically written, even for a novice cook.
Is it a good read?	Yuk.	Readable but nothing special.	Sure.	Great reading. I’d keep it on my night table.
How do you like the design of the book?	Yuk.	Alright.	Good.	Flat out fantastic.

Cookbook Review: New Complete Vegetarian

Please don't take the start of this review the wrong way. Although Rose Elliot's New Complete Vegetarian is brand new (this edition was published in 2010), it reads and feels like it was written years ago. It isn't modern or state-of-the-art. It doesn't use many trendy ingredients or new up-to-date techniques. But in my opinion, that's a good thing.

I so dislike cookbooks that rely on weird, trendy ingredients and techniques, things I never heard of growing up. That's not to say that I don't enjoy expanding my horizons every once in a while, but for everyday meals, it's so refreshing to read a book that showcases simple, healthy ingredients.

Favorite Recipes 

You get your money's worth with this cookbook! It has 1,000 recipes and most of them look wonderful. We've enjoyed every recipe I've tried so far. The Roasted Potatoes, Spanish Chickpea Stew and Honey and Cider Dressing are already favorites.

What I like about this book

It's a great reference book because it has recipes with almost every vegetable, bean, and grain you can think of!  We could eat for a year off the recipes in this tome (without repeating even one). Another great thing: the food is tasty, simple and uses very few unusual ingredients or complicated techniques. Plus, most of the recipes are really inexpensive! If you're a vegetarian, this is a must-have. But even die-hard meat-eaters will appreciate it as a source of side dish and salad ideas.  

What I don't like about it

When I buy a cookbook, I buy it as much for the reading pleasure as I do for the recipes. This book is little 'dense' if you're looking for a joyful reading experience. There are very few photos, and the recipes are packed onto the pages in a way that doesn't really invite pleasure reading. 

 My ratings

	1	2	3	4
How’s the food?	Yuk.	Nothing to write home about.	Good enough to make again.	Wow. I’d eat it every day.
Are the recipes easy to follow?	Nope.	Pretty much.	Yes, the instructions are clear.	Terrifically written, even for a novice cook.
Is it a good read?	Yuk.	Readable but nothing special.	Sure.	Great reading. I’d keep it on my night table.
How do you like the design of the book?	Yuk.	Alright.	Good.	Flat out fantastic.

Cookbook Review: Moosewood Cookbook

I am starting my first cookbook review (the first of many to come, I hope!) with a writeup of one of my favorite cookbooks: Moosewood Cookbook by Molly Katzen. It's near and dear to my heart because it was one of the very first cookbooks I owned, but also because it was the cookbook that first turned me on to healthy, mostly-vegetarian cooking.

This cookbook was originally published in 1978 but it is, by all definitions, a true classic. According to the New York Times, it's one of the ten best selling cookbooks of all time.

Favorite Recipes 

I personally have made dozens of recipes from this cookbook and they are WONDERFUL. I have not met one that I didn't like. My favorites are Hungarian Mushroom Soup, Multi-Bean Salad, Tahini Lemon Sauce, and Tabouli.

What I like about this book

• It has an old fashioned charm. The recipes are hand-written and the illustrations are sketched by hand. It is simply a pleasure to read and to cook from.
• The food is FANTASTIC. Healthy, delicious, and never complicated. 
• No fancy or unusual ingredients. Basic vegetables, beans, grains and pantry staples.  (Plus everything can be found KOSHER! A real plus for me!)

What I don't like about it

I was hard pressed to come up with anything I don't like about this classic. Just one small point: it doesn't have photos of the finished dishes, which I've gotten so accustomed to in newer cookbooks.

 My ratings 

	1	2	3	4
How’s the food?	Yuk.	Nothing to write home about.	Good enough to make again.	Wow. I’d eat it every day.
Is it a good read?	Yuk.	Readable but nothing special.	Pretty good.	Great reading. Keep it on your night table!
How do you like the design of the book?	Yuk.	Alright.	Attractive and appealing.	Flat out fantastic.

If you don't own this cookbook yet, go out and get it! If you do, what are you doing reading this review? Get the cookbook off your shelf and USE IT!