Food / Audiobook and Book Reviews by Audiothing

Salad in a Jar by Anna Helm Baxter. 5 STARS

Tuesday, 17 January 2017

Author: Anna Helm Baxter

Publisher: Ten Speed Press

EDITION: Paperback

ISBN: 9780399579370

Pub. Date: January 17th 2017

Source: Netgalley

Summary

A collection of more than 60 illustrated recipes for simple-to-prepare salads, dressings, breakfasts, and snacks to take on the go.

The solution to the lunchtime salad rut, Salad in a Jar provides healthy, easy alternatives to dissatisfying or overpriced grab-and-go meals. These nutritionally balanced recipes are perfect for making ahead. Anna Helm Baxter reveals the keys to layering ingredients to maximize freshness and texture for a hearty and satisfying dish or snack. Tips and tricks include instructions on designing salads in a jar with recipes for raw salads, side salads, meal salads, snacks, and desserts.

Review

I have been looking for a book about jar salads and this one is the best I have come across. Simple layout, easy to follow layering instructions and tasty, diverse recipes.

Each recipe also has an indication of the health benefits of the ingredients.

The beauty of salad in a jar is that it can compete with fast food, once you understand the basic rules, do a quick bit of prep, there it is in the fridge, ready to grab.

I shall be buying the book and I know it will be well used
Review copy via NetGalley

Taste of Persia: Naomi Duguid 5 STARS

Saturday, 17 September 2016

Hardcover

ISBN 9781579655488

Author: Naomi Duguid

Publisher: Artisan Books

Publication Date: September 2016

5 Stars

Description

Following up on Burma, her stunningly well-received exploration of another fascinating cultural crossroads, Duguid introduces us to the next place we want to visit with recipes for food we can't wait to make, and with tales that are memorable and moving. In the way that the Mediterranean has a common palate, so too do these nations: one centered on a love for the fresh and the green (beginning with the piles of fresh herbs that accompany every dish with abandon) and also the tart, as revealed in the ingenious use of sour plums, sour cherries, pomegranates, and limes. There are the delectable filled dumplings, flatbreads, and stuffed vegetables; plus gorgeous Persian rice dishes, grilled meats, and skewered kebabs. There are fresh cheeses, sparkly salads, spice blends, and spectacular sauces based on walnuts ground to a paste.

Taste of Persia is an adventure of discovery—not only of a fascinating region, rich with history and variety, but of a wealth of culinary traditions and innovations as well.

Review

Taste of Persia: A Cook's Travels Through Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, and Kurdistan

This book is absolutely gorgeous, my first impression is of beautiful high quality colourful illustrations of people places and food.

Interest is ramped up by the wonderfully descriptive travelogue and the fascinating anecdotes about a people I know so little about.

The layout is very well thought out everything I want in a cookbook as it includes Pantry Basics, the all important but too often omitted glossary, so necessary when attempting new and unusual dishes. There is even an annotated bibliography - perfect!

Then of course there is the food! I would feel confident to try these recipes, though maybe not the plor dish, that looks a bit complicated for me, but there are several delicious looking other stews

Many of the recipes are cooked on the stove top, even bread recipes, I loved the look of the cheese filled quick breads and the half moon hand pies. The recipes are well written with clear instructions for the nervous cook, so no excuses for not giving them a go.

This is a book that I would look at often, I imagine the recipes will be well used and, even if not in the mood for cooking, the illustrations are worth looking at over and over.

What a fabulous and welcome gift this would be for anyone interested in food.

ARC via NetGalley for unbiased review

Taste and Technique: Naomi Pomeroy 5 Stars

Sunday, 11 September 2016

Author Naomi Pomeroy

Publisher: Ten Speed Press

Cooking, Food & Wine

Pub Date 13 Sep 20

ISBN 9781607748991

Source: NetGalley/Ten Speed Press

Description

James Beard Award-winning and self-made chef Naomi Pomeroy's debut cookbook, featuring 95 lesson-driven recipes designed to improve the home cook's understanding of professional techniques and flavor combinations in order to produce simple, but show stopping meals.

Combining elements of Julia Child's classical aesthetic and ambition to teach the world how to cook with Naomi Pomeroy's own unique history, style, and verve, this book is an inspiring guide for home cooks who want to up their game in the kitchen. Pomeroy demystifies professional techniques by paring back complex recipes to the building blocks necessary to create them. Her "master lessons" approach will appeal to home cooks of all levels who want to improve their skills. And her nurturing, self-deprecating tone is a welcome change from the ethereal fine-dining tomes that home cooks can't actually cook from or the snapshots of a specific restaurant meant to celebrate the chef's cult of personality. Beginning with sauces, and working from straightforward to more complex recipes, Pomeroy presents a collection of dishes you want to eat every day, including salads, vegetables, fish, pork, meat, and desserts--along with the tools and techniques you need to make each meal shine.

Review

The first thing I noticed and liked about this book is the abbreviated history of the author including her path to becoming a chef and of both her business successes and failures, I like to know a little of the road people have travelled.

In the informative “How this book works” section Chef Pomeroy explains her cooking philosophy in a down to earth workmanlike way, from the building blocks of technique to how the mood you take with you to the kitchen can affect the taste and quality of the food you produce.

It has an easy to read layout, divided into sections with each section having a little “menu” of contents so the reader can easily see the recipes at a glance.

The techniques are built in to each recipe , a good example being the very detailed instructions for making consommé, a long and many staged process, but if you can master it you will learn some very useful techniques. However, many of the recipes are what most people would consider to restaurant standard and a little too challenging. Nevertheless, ambitious home cooks will find plenty to challenge and inspire them.

As for myself, I discovered a couple of recipes that I will certainly be trying, one being for aioli with variations. Another recipe I thought I might manage is Classic French Onion soup. I thought that the cabbage veloute with lemon confit creme fraiche and herb oil would be a bit too difficult and fancy for my taste!

Other useful sections include the choosing of equipment, a handy pantry guide and a most excellent glossary of techniques.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in food, even if the recipes are not exactly everyday cooking, there is something of interest for every food lover, no matter their level of expertise.

ARC provided by NetGalley and Ten Speed Press

Available from Amazon