The Cookbook Junkies

My review of The Elements of Pizza can be found at Eat Your Books.

Random Number Generator picked #40 Kathy Z. Congratulations!

My friend, Marc, was gracious enough to pick up an autographed copy of this title while attending an event. This generous gesture has allowed me to put up my copy for a giveaway. To enter this giveaway, please read the review at Eat Your Books and leave a comment here telling me something about the review. You may enter daily until a winner is chosen on August 22nd. The giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. Good luck!

 

When Signe Langford reached out to me about her book, Happy Hens & Fresh Eggs (winner of the Best Single Subject Book in Canada at the 2016 Gourmand Cookbook Awards), I wasn’t sure it was for me. There are no chickens in my back yard but I have been known to declare each and every time we pass farmland, “I want a farmhouse with a few chickens, maybe a goat.” My husband always laughs and while I love the conveniences of living in the city, I do long for rural life – some land, animals, and room to breathe (as long as I have an internet connection, cable and a large supply of Diet Pepsi, that is.)

When Signe’s book arrived, I was pleasantly surprised because not only does it cover everything you need to know to raise chickens from building a coop to egg production but it also contains many gorgeous recipes, 100 of them in fact. The photos are beautiful and while I can make the recipes now, I will have the author’s knowledge of chicken rearing at my finger tips when the farm dream ever becomes a reality.

The recipes are luscious – Sweet Lingonberry Jam Omelette, Cinnamon-Vanilla Baked Custard, Maple-Chipotle Ontario Pecans, Froufrou Chocolate Chiffon Cake and Golden Chinese Egg Cakes are all marked to try along with many others.

I started this post early Monday morning and took a trip to our local Sprouts where I met a beautiful woman with a lovely accent who was talking about her ducks and chickens and how she had to take her goat to the animal hospital early that morning. She runs an animal sanctuary in Larkspur and I volunteered to have my son and I come help her. She said she would pay me in all the fresh eggs I could use! We exchanged numbers and I’ll be calling her by the end of the week. We’ll be helping animals which is payment enough but the eggs will be perfect to create all of Signe’s recipes.

Special thanks to Signe and Douglas & McIntyre for sharing the recipe for Meeru’s Curried Devilled Eggs Recipe (which can be downloaded at the link). (I am a huge fan of Vikram Vij and this is Meeru’s recipe from their book Vij’s at Home.)

 

GIVEAWAY:  Signe and her publisher want one of you to win a copy of Happy Hens & Fresh Eggs! The giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. To enter leave a comment on this post. You may enter daily until a random winner is chosen on August 25th. For a second entry, you may share this post. Good luck.

Random Number Generator picked #27 Laurel Eden!

 

 

Cookbooktober is right around the corner! There are many great cookbooks that are coming our way that I’m excited about. This seems to be a recurring theme every year. (And I’ve already been peeking at Spring 2017). A cookbook lover’s job is never done.

My goal here is to make you aware of what is coming with a few words about each title. The last paragraph contains links to Amazon on other Fall releases that I am excited about but did not to overwhelm anyone with this list.

I did not include photographs of the covers of these titles, but you can check them out by clicking the link under each title. This should help the page load faster for everyone. While you are here, be sure to scroll through the posts and leave a comment on the other giveaways.

I’d like to apologize in advance for my abuse of the exclamation point. The post is organized with savory, restaurant titles first and baking bringing up the rear. Grab a snack, sit back and relax!

All Under Heaven Recipes from the 35 Cuisines of China – Carolyn Phillips’ long-awaited book is so close. 300 recipes and over 500 pages of Phillips’ vast knowledge of Chinese cuisine! (More details and a giveaway for this book here.) A must have. Immediately after this release will be her second title: The Dim Sum Field Guide: A Taxonomy of Dumplings, Buns, Meats, Sweets, and Other Specialties of the Chinese Teahouse. Truly it will be Christmas in August!

Taste & Technique I have been waiting for Naomi Pomeroy to release a cookbook forever – 140 recipes to elevate home cooking! This book is stunning. Totally upscale cooking that should be approachable to the home cook. Details on every aspect of cooking: ingredients, equipment, techniques and totally pop off the page photographs. Everyone needs this book and everyone needs to work through this book to hone their mastery in the kitchen. I’ll definitely be doing that! I expected greatness and I am not disappointed!

Victuals by Ronni Lundy is a glimpse into the people and food of the Appalachian Mountains with recipes. I love titles that explore a region in depth and brings us closer to understanding that area’s culture and people. This book is truly beautiful – gorgeous photos and beautiful narrative. This book is culinary greatness as its best. A James Beard award winner in the making.

Deep South New Southern Cooking by Brad McDonald. I’ll be reviewing this title for TasteBook and have seen the book! It’s great, beautiful and will make you crave Southern food with McDonald’s British twist!

Big Food Big Love – I love restaurant cookbooks, I love Seattle and I love Southern food – this book hits all three. Heather Earnhardt is known for her biscuits at her cafe, The Wandering Goose, and in this title, she shares 130 recipes that are geared for sharing with our family and friends!

Big Bad Breakfast – John Currence’s first title Pickles Pigs and Whiskey is a great book and now the acclaimed chef tackles breakfast! 75 recipes inspired by his restaurant in Oxford, Mississippi – this is a great one. It’s breakfast food ramped up and has me thinking I’ve been doing breakfast wrong for years. You can try three recipes from the book now at Eat Your Books and check that post for a giveaway link as well!

China The Cookbook– Touted as the definitive book of the world’s most popular and oldest cuisine. This title by Phaidon is another must have for those of us who love Chinese food and culture.

C’est Bon: Recipes Inspired by La Grand Epicerie de Paris 80 original recipes inspired by the gourmet ingredients at La Grande Epicerie de Paris – the famous gourmet food shop in Bon Marché department store. We visited this shop while in Paris and I wanted to take the shop home with me. Judging this book by its cover, it should be beautiful!

Tacos of Texas is a guidebook and cookbook all rolled into one. The authors visited taco establishments throughout Texas and share what makes each location a must try.

Alton Brown EveryDayCook Love Alton Brown? Want to know what he eats every day? This book is written for the Alton Brown stalker in all of us — Brown shares recipes that he makes frequently with his usual dash of humor and a nod to science.

Poole’s Modern Diner – we’ve all read about or tried the famous Poole’s macaroni and cheese. Now chef, Ashley Christensen, delivers the ultimate Southern food cookbook, diner style.

Simple by Diana Henry Effortless Food, Big Flavors – Diana Henry is a spark of brilliance who can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Nigella Lawson states: “This is everything I want from a cookbook”. We agree. Henry does it again – gorgeous book with beautiful recipes.

Donna Hay Life in Balance in typical Donna Hay style – stunning photographs that grab you and recipes that keep you turning pages – this book focuses on a fresher approach to eating. See my review and giveaway here.

Taste of Persia: A Cook’s Travels Through Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran and Kurdistan it’s Naomi Duguid – and I’ve enjoyed everything she has written. Her books with Jeffrey Alford are spectacular as well. There are 125 recipes in this 400-page book – her titles are exciting reads with the added bonus of recipes.

Cuba!: Recipes and Stories from the Cuban Kitchen. All things Cuban are hot right now – and I am truly looking forward to this title. I need to build up my Cuban food knowledge and this promises to be the book to do that.

The Saffron Tales – Recipes from a Persian Kitchen – Yasmin Khan visited Iranian home kitchens to share their stories through photographs and recipes that have been revamped for the modern kitchen. Very anxious to learn more about the rich culture of Persian cooking. Gorgeous photographs and beautiful narrative!

Herbarium – An encyclopedia that will be the go-to-guide for understanding herbs and their use. This isn’t your typical encyclopedia – this is a beautifully designed book that will enhance your knowledge of herbs which will transform your everyday cooking. See my review and giveaway here.

The Good Fork Cookbook for a decade The Good Fork in Brooklyn has been a favorite hot spot. Chef Kim shares her global fusion recipes in this new title.

Deep Run Roots – Vivian Howard – as long as we’ve been waiting for Carolyn Phillips’ cookbook – we have been anticipating Vivian Howard’s debut! 200 recipes and stories will make it worth the wait.

Everything I Want to Eat – Sqirl and The New California Cooking. The debut cookbook from Jessica Koslow, award-winning chef of L.A.’s hot spot, Sqirl, delivers 100 fresh, healthy, flavorful recipes.

Big American – Mario Batali and Jim Webster share 250 recipes from around the United States. Anything Batali and Webster serve up is always good.

Central – another Phaidon must have from Peruvian chef, Virgilio Martinez with recipes from his signature restaurant in Lima.

My Two Souths – Blending the Flavors of India into a Southern Kitchen. I’m a sucker for fusion food — Indian cuisine and Southern — I need not say more.

Red Rooster – Marcus Samuelsson’s famous Harlem restaurant in book form! Yes. Features Southern comfort food and multicultural dishes that the Harlem restaurant is known for. I will be reviewing this book for TasteBook soon.

Eataly – another must have from Phaidon – 300 recipes for Italian contemporary home cooking from the folks at Eataly.

Italian Street Food – Another  must have for me are cookbooks that celebrate street food. 85 recipes from Italy’s streets await us in this title.

Adventures of Fat Rice Recipes from the Chicago Restaurant Inspired by Macau. I was able to take a peek at this title and it looks fabulous – vibrant, exciting and unique! I will be covering this book for Eat Your Books soon.

Mozza at Home – Nancy Silverton’s next title features 19 menus with 150 recipes for eating and entertaining at home.

Far Afield Rare Food Encounters from Around the World – a stunningly photographed culinary travel book concentrating on food farming, fishing and herding methods – with 40 recipes written by a Saveur contributing editor. A must have for me – being able to travel the world of food all in one book.

The Del Posto Cookbook – Mark Ladner the celebrated chef of Del Posto releases his debut cookbook! A New York restaurant book – I can’t say no.

Land of Fish & Rice – it’s Fuchsia Dunlop. Must have. Every title she has written has been a keeper and her recipes always work. I just received this title and it is another title that you will have to squeeze on your bulging bookcases. In this title, Dunlop concentrates on the beautiful Lower Yangtze region. A travelogue and cookbook with in-depth details into the cuisine of this special location.

Food52 – Dinner – Food52 consistently puts out the best of the best. This book focuses on strategies for planning meals in advance.

Art of the Pie by Kate McDermott – This book is #1 in Pie Baking on Amazon and Kate is the ultimate pie lady. So excited for her book! It received rave reviews at Publishers Weekly, too! It’s a gorgeous book that will up your pie game to championship levels. Congratulations, Kate.

Butter & Scotch – Recipes from Brooklyn’s Favorite Bar & Bakery. “A Dominique Ansel’s meets Broad City”  book. I confess I had to look up Broad City (I am so not on fleek), but I didn’t need to Google the talented Ansel! I am drawn to New York titles and especially bakery books – the booze is just gilding the lily. Butter & Scotch is quirky, fun and exciting. Will be doing a full review and giveaway soon.

French Desserts – Hillary Davis is a beautiful recipe developer and expert on all things French. Each of her books has a special place on my shelf and there is always room for dessert! Update: I just received the book Monday – Hillary has outdone herself – full review, recipe and giveaway here!

The Rye Baker by Stanley Ginsberg is a must have for the serious baker according to Peter Reinhart. Reinhart knows his stuff. Seventy recipes from around the world with all the details you will need to make classic breads. Conversions tables, scalding instructions and master techniques along with stunning photos will have every baker’s oven turning out exquisite loaves in no time.

Bobbette & Belle Classic Recipes from the Celebrated Pastry Shop – the pastry queens from Toronto share 100 recipes from their acclaimed bakeries. Their website is beautiful, so I’m trusting this book will reflect that as well.

Soframiz: Vibrant Middle Eastern Recipes from Sofra Bakery and Cafe. So many baking books and I want them all – but I have a special place in my heart for baking books that focus on international flavors.

Classic German Baking – As I stated before, anything that deals with international baking – I must have. German baking is especially interesting to me as I don’t seem to have a great deal of knowledge in that field. I don’t need another recipe for Snickerdoodles — I want books that bring uniqueness to the table. Update: Wow, this book. I just received it 9/16 and haven’t reviewed it entirely but it is a must have in every baker’s kitchen.

Breaking Breads – Uri Scheft has two successful bakeries – one in New York, Breads Bakery, and another in Tel Aviv, Lehamim, his Israeli baked goods are featured in this book and it looks promising.

Dories Cookies – Dorie Greenspan – cookies! Dorie is the number one name that we all agree is one of the brightest stars in the baking field. This extensive tome devoted to cookies is a must have for any baker or wanna be baker. The perfect gift for this holiday baking season as well! Join the #cookiesforkindness movement.

Marbled Swirled & Layered  – Irvin Lin is a friend and I am really happy and excited for his debut book with “150 Recipes and Variations for Artful Bars, Cookies, Pies, Cakes, and More”. I’ve made a few of Irvin’s recipes and they work! Get this book!

The Italian Baker by Melissa Forti – 100 recipes with a modern twist – a beautiful book with recipes from Torta A Strati Cocco E Ananas (Coconut Pineapple Layer Cake), Torta Di More Alla Scozzese (Scottish Bramble Cake) to Loaf Alla Cannella (Cinnamon Loaf). Each dessert and photograph more beautiful than the next.

Golden: Sweet & Savory Baked Delights from the Ovens of London’s Honey & Co. – the U.S. release of their Baking book by the famous husband and wife team behind the wildly popular Honey & Co. Restaurant in London. This couple and their food won my heart back in 2014 with their first title, Honey & Co. Food from the Middle East. I reviewed this book (the U.K. version), Honey & Co. The Baking Book for TasteBook and am still making recipes from their books. If you didn’t nab the baking book, now is your chance!

Other books to check out that I am just as excited about but didn’t wish to go on and on: The Aleppo Cookbook (focusing on the beautiful food of Syria), Better Baking (wholesome ingredients and still decadent desserts), Ingredient, Gennaros Italian Bakery (also titled I believe Panetteria), Slow Dough, A Cooks Tour of France, A Kitchen in the Valley (Tazmanian cooking), Dinner at the Long Table, The Indian Cooking Course, Taco Loco Mexican Street Food from Scratch (I ordered this book and just received it – cool, fun and totally delicious recipes), Cinnamon Square (baking), The Italian Baker (absolutely gorgeous book!), The Pie Project, The London Cookbook, Grain Bowl, Brindisa True Food of Spain, Vij’s Indian (this looks like a paperback reprint), Cooking for Jeffrey (it’s Ina!), Appetites – A Cookbook (Bourdain) will be covering for TasteBook, The Chef’s Library: Favorite Cookbooks from The World’s Great Kitchens (this is wonderful more on it later!), Forest Feast Gatherings (just as beautiful as the first title), Curate Authentic Spanish Food from an American Kitchen,  My Abuelos Mexican Feast, Sweet Sugar Sultry Spice, and Black Trumpet.

Random Number Generator picked #17 Jesse – email has been sent.

GIVEAWAY:  Who wouldn’t love $25.00 to go towards ordering one of these titles. This giveaway will be open to U.S. and Canada residents – and the prize will be a $25.00 Amazon.com or Amazon.ca gift card via email. To enter the giveaway, please share this post on one of your social media venues. Leave a comment here letting me know you did. You may enter this giveaway daily (but only need to share once) until a random winner is chosen on August 25th. Good luck.

This giveaway is sponsored by The Cookbook Junkies. The links here are affiliate links and help to pay for giveaways and maintaining this site. I appreciate your support.