ONE SOUFFLE AT A TIME by Anne Willan

Not only a delicious memoir but a love letter to food, France and family One Souffle At A Time is a delight.  Celebrated food authority Anne Willan not only shares her life to date but 50 of her favorite recipes and the stories of such culinary greats as Julia Child, James Beard, Simone Beck, Craig Claiborne, all who forever altered the way we look at food.

Growing up in Yorkshire Willan describes herself as a “sturdy” girl who enjoyed good home cooking as her mother was an excellent cook, but at the time she showed no aptitude for preparing food herself.  Her road to becoming the proprietor of a famed cooking school in Paris was a circuitous but fascinating one.  Along the way she met and married Mark Cherniavsky, worked at Gourmet magazine and as food editor of the Washington Star.

As a young girl she attended boarding school where she seems to have subsisted largely on potatoes, food was not considered important and those who appeared to eat too much were thought greedy.  A healthy appetite was certainly not de rigueur.  Then at the age of 14 her parents took her to Paris where for the first time she tasted French cuisine.

For her graduation gift Willan was gifted with a summer course at a cookery and finishing school.  She later studied economics at Cambridge graduating with a third-class degree (in other words, not near the top of her class.)  Shortly thereafter she enrolled at the Cordon Bleu in London where after three months she was asked to stay and teach.  She had found her life’s work.

When in Paris she attended the original Cordon Bleu where she encountered a grumpy chef who refused to answer questions and nothing seemed to be written down.  So, when she and her husband returned to Paris for the second time she dreamed of opening her own cooking school where there would be a warm, friendly atmosphere and the students would receive written recipes - La Varenne was born.

This year Willan was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook Hall of Fame for “body of work.”  Her life’s journey to date has been fulfilling, and in “One Souffle At A Time” Willan relates it with warmth and wit.

Enjoy!

- Gail Cooke

SAUCES & SHAPES: PASTA THE ITALIAN WAY

Ever thought about the rather casual way Americans may treat pasta and its sauces?   So often we boil spaghetti, top it with a tomato sauce seasoned with garlic, sprinkle on Parmesan  and call it Italian spaghetti.  Truth be told there’s zero resemblance between this dish and authentic Italian cuisine.  Thanks to Oretta Zanini De Vita and Maureen B. Fant here are recipes not only authoritative but accessible.  The authors reveal how Italian cooks choose the pasta shape and the most taste-tempting,  interesting sauce to go with it.  Some 150 recipes are included with wine suggestions following each recipe.

Born and raised in Bologna De Vita learned the art of pasta-making as a child at a convent school.  Well respected as an Italian culinary historian, she has penned more than forty books on Italian food and its traditions.  She currently lives in Rome.

A native of New York Maureen B. Fant is a writer and translator who moved to Rome in 1979 to pursue her interest in classical archaeology.  Today she lectures on the food of Rome and ancient Rome and writes primarily about Italian food.  So grateful to both of them!

The recipes which come from all over the Italian peninsula and islands are arranged by ingredients rather than by regions as in so many other books.   Sauces & Shapes is specifically designed for North American home cooks who will be delighted to discover the myriad choices beyond spaghetti and lasagna.  A glossary of pasta shapes and other terms is included as well as a list of online sources for ingredients.

Sauces & Shapes is complete in every way from detailed easy-to-follow recipes with do-ahead notes when pertinent to mouth-watering full page illustrations.  It would be inaccurate to refer to this book as just a cookbook while it is that but so much more - Sauces & Shapes is also  rich with history, tradition and love.

Enjoy!

- Gail Cooke

DANIEL: MY FRENCH CUISINE by Daniel Boulud, et al

A feast for the eyes and the palette Daniel: My French Cuisine is one of the most beautiful books extant.  Already the author of seven cookbooks this is his most personal to date.  His love for and expertise in French cuisine is evident in every photograph and on every page.
It is a book (coffee table size) to savor over and over again enjoying Boulud’s commentary and essays by Bill Burford who reminds us that with Boulud in the kitchen it is “cooking as gift giving.”  So, treat yourself.

The book is divided into four parts - the opening section presents the best recipes from restaurant Daniel (surely on most people’s bucket list if they have not already had the pleasure).  Many will be surprised by the accessibility of the recipes, each marked by clear directions allowing us to create these fabulous dishes in our own homes.

Next, we find delightful and informative recipes that Boulud has written on various subjects.  For instance, regarding season and spicing he says that is the first thing a young cook should learn.  His preference for salt is sel de mer from La Baleine and he is fond of piment d’Espelette, “a pepper from the French Basque area.”  Notations such as these appear frequently throughout the book and make an enormous difference in what you are preparing.

Bill Buford’s comments about his experiences in the kitchen with Boulud make up the third section.  These narratives are rich with insightful remarks, information and rollicking  humor.  The two joined in preparing some 12 iconic French dishes from Pot-au-Feu to Canard a la Presse to a chartreuse which takes three days to make and Burford describes as a “game-bird confection that looks like a joke birthday cake.”  Find the photo on p. 303 - it is absolutely gorgeous.

The final (and this reader’s favorite section) is composed of four seasonal menus created by Boulud and intended for casual evenings.  He uses recipes from his favorite French regions - Alsace, Normandy, Provence and his native Lyon.  From Alsace comes Wild Mushroom Tarte Flambee, from Provence Grand Atoli, and so it goes - each a gastronomic delight.  These are foods that Boulud serves to guests in his home.

Daniel: My French Cuisine holds 125 eye-popping photographs of Boulud’s food, his New York restaurant and his home kitchen.  It is a book for dreaming and dining.  Enjoy!

- Gail Cooke

PICKLES, PIGS & WHISKEY by John Currence

Cleverly titled, entertainingly written Pickles, Pigs & Whiskey holds 130 Southern-inspired recipes from James Beard Award winning chef John Currence.  There’s a smile on every page.  No one describes recipes in quite the way Currence does - they’re not only laced with humor but  step-by-step detailed and include lengths of freeze times.  Can’t remember when reading a cookbook was so much fun.

However, to the matter at hand in a cookbook - the recipes, all Southern-inspired, of course, are different and delicious.  They are organized by technique including Slathering, Pickling/Canning, and Brining/Smoking.  Currence’s take on Southern food traditions is both playful and serious.  For instance he assures us that “Pork belly is a magical thing when handled the right way.”  He trims a good deal of the surface fat away to accomodate the general public.  This trimming results in more pure protein in the finished dish.  Currence is also quick to name his favorite ingredients and in the event they’re not available to the readers offers alternatives.  Such as with the pork belly he sings the praises of Steen’s Syrup Mill but offers good quality unsulfured molasses or fresh honey as substitutes.

Now, you know any fellow who lists “Pickles, Pigs & Whiskey” as his three favorite food groups enjoys cooking and he wants us to enjoy it, too.  To that end each recipe is paired with songs “to heighten the cooking experience.”  All of these songs are available through Spotify.

While it would be impossible to choose a favorite from among the 130 recipes for this reader the Pork Fat Beignets with Bourbon Caramel would top anyone’s list.  Of course, there’s also Peach Rice Pudding Brulee with Brandy Chantilly Cream.  I’m putting Currence’s restaurants in Mississippi on my bucket list!

Enjoy!

- Gail Cooke

THE TUCCI COOKBOOK

    Thoroughly enjoyed Stanley Tucci in films, especially his terrific Big Night.  We have the video and have watched it umpteen times, discovering something new and enjoyable with each viewing.  It is the story of two brothers who gamble on one amazing dish to save their failing restaurant.  The food scenes literally make your mouth water.  If you haven’t seen it I heartily recommend it just as I do this cookbook.

    Early on Tucci relates a story, “Throughout my childhood, almost every night in the middle of dinner, my father would shake his head and ask, ‘What does the rest of the world eat?’  That’s how good my mother’s cooking has always been - to my dad, it was inconceivable that anyone could possibly eat as well as we did.  And I always agreed with him.”  After trying just a handful of the 200 delicious recipes in this book it’s obvious that the Tuccis ate very, very well.

    The book opens with an introduction to the Tucci family.  This section is filled not only with biographical data but warm recollections and smile-bringing anecdotes.  We clearly see Stanley Tucci’s devotion to and respect for his forebears.  Next are some pages devoted to wine by Tyler Coleman, which includes clear descriptions of how to pair wine with food along with other more than helpful notations.

    Now, for the feast!  Recipes are arranged as the meal is served beginning with appetizers and salads or cicchetti, a Venetian term for “little bites.”  Here we’re reminded that the appetizers along with a green salad and bread makes a meal in itself.  This has become a personal favorite supper for us, especially utilizing the White Bean Antipasto.

    Tucci overlooks nothing in ensuing chapters which offer soups, bread and pizza, pasta, rice and risotto, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish and, of course, deserts - dolci!

    Both useful and delightful The Tucci Cookbook is a gem among many.  As the old adage reminds us, “Most of the world eats to live, but Italians live to eat .”  Indeed!

THE BRISKET BOOK

    Subtitled “A Love Story with Recipes” this collection of recipes and observations is so much more than that - it’s an enthusiastic guide to the best in briskets,  rich and juicy with recipes, stories, humor and tips.  You’ll find everything from Temple Emanu-El Brisket (page 91) to Aunt Gladys’s Brisket (page 92) to Barbecue Green Chile Brisket (page 124) plus a great many more, and you’ll want to try every one.

    There’s a list of 50 Things About Brisket That People Can Disagree About, and suggestions for what to read when you’re eating brisket.  There’s even a listing of suggested wines (high and low in price) for each brisket.  Nothing has been overlooked!

    Now that we’re speaking of wines, Pierson recommended Frog’s Leap Rutherford Merlot - superb pairing!  This is a marvelous wine with tempting notes of rich black berry and traces of cocoa powder.  There is a rumor of ripened red berries and cherries abetted by a tad of mocha, herbs, and spice.  Find it at www.frogsleap.com.

    It goes without saying that in order to achieve optimum results with any of these recipes you must have the best brisket to be found.  Again, we followed Pierson’s advice and found Brandt Beef (www.brandtbeef.com).  Amazing quality!  As noted by a Manging Partner of the Master Chef’s Institute, “When tested against competitors in their specific category, Brandt Natural Beef’s line rated highest in the flavor, texture and tenderness categories.”  We’ll second that!  Unlike past briskets, and we’ve had quite a few, Brandt’s brisket is vastly superior, ultra flavorful, juicy and fork tender.

    We’re always delighted when a cookbook includes sources and recommendations - we especially appreciate the above two that certainly added to our dining pleasure.

    Until reading The Brisket Book I never realized how many people thought they had the best brisket recipe in the world - do believe they’re all here.  One of these days I want to meet the fellow who said, “I gave up meat years ago, and I can honestly say that my mother’s brisket is the ONLY thing I miss.”

    Brisket reigns supreme in this 208 page volume enlivened with dozens of photographs and illustrations.  With this book author/journalist Stephanie Pierson has brought us the first and only book entirely devoted to brisket, and she’s done it with rare attention to details plus robust good humor.  Enjoy!   

    - Gail Cooke

Food From Many Greek Kitchens by Tessa Kiros

Some of my happiest memories of Greece are the colors - natural yet bold, bright, rich. Such are the colors of the gorgeous photos found in FOOD FROM MANY GREEK KITCHENS, whether they be pictures of food, the people or the country. Leafing through this volume is very much like a visit to a favorite land.

This lovely volume not only holds 115 authentic Greek recipes gathered from the author's friends and family but bits of that country's history and culture - it's truly a joy to read and use. Kiros has divided her recipes into sections beginning with Traditional Foods, Fasting Foods, Easter Foods, Shared Foods, Baker's Foods, Soups, Ladera + Salads, Ready-Cooked Foods, There + Then Foods, and Sweet Foods (my favorite, of course, ia an irresistible Ouzo Sorbet!)

What caught my attention was how very often the simplest ingredients were used to make the tastiest dishes. For instance, Poached Fish with Lemon Oil - in the authors words it is "delicate yet aromatic, not quite a soup. It is an easy, healthy, almost instant food that you could serve to any generation." In my words it's a taste treat filled with potato, carrots, zucchini, celery, a touch of green onions, and white fish (we used perch). It is both easy and quick to prepare.

This is my first book by Tessa Kiros, but it surely won't be my last. (Her other cookbooks include Venezia, Falling Cloudberries, and Apples for Jam.)

Enjoy!

Sheer Delight And Recipes, Too!

There's Stephen King whose "weapon of choice is the frying pan." As he says, "You can call it sauteing if it makes you feel better - but it's really just educated frying." It seems you can give him a fry pan, a hunk of butter, and he can cook anything. His tips on preparing an omelet are not only on target but as fascinating to read as his fiction. Mario Batali's kids are served monkfish liver and foie gras for breakfast - why not?

We thoroughly enjoyed every story from the dad who managed to cook with a toddler crawling around his ankles to the fellow who simply can't seem to get enough to eat and doesn't understand why everyone isn't the same way.

Each commentary is followed by a recipe or three. These range from the extremely simple to gourmet. Writer John Donohue is also a cartoonist of note and peppers his book with smile producing illustrations ( a favorite shows a torture chamber with the victim bound and at the mercy of a villainous looking fellow who says, "You can stop the pain, Marcel. Just show us how to crust a sea bass."

Don't miss "MAN WITH A PAN"!

Flavors and Faces of the Midwest

    The Heartland, referring to the Midwestern states is well named as those states are in the center of our country.  Of course, we’re currently speaking of 12 states - Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota, south Dakota, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.  For those of us who were born in anyone of these states, although we have moved far away, that home state is still held in our hearts.  We would agree with geographer James Shortridge who is quoted in the Introduction, “The Midwest is America’s pastoral face, etched into our consciousness as a permanent physical location, despite the presence of industrial cities.’  True for this reviewer.

    What is also true for me and perhaps for you thoughts of home in the Midwest bring to mind good, hearty, healthful food.  Not the kind we now find at drive-ins but the delicious homemade dishes we remember, and here they are again in this comprehensive, beautifully illustrated cookbook HEARTLAND.  However, the author has put a definite twist on these recipes as all are made with very modern cooking methods ensuring not only easier preparation but a much shorter preparation time than our mothers knew.

    You’ll find recipes for breakfasts and brunches, appetizers, salads and soups, main dishes and desserts.  There is 272 pages of pure enjoyment as in addition to recipes  Fertig has included anecdotes, historical data, and quotations - all with a Midwestern flavor.      In addition, for this reviewer much of the pleasure of opening a new cookbook is being introduced to valuable resources through the author’s noted references.  I discovered La Quercia in Norwalk, Iowa.  This is a gem of a shop offering artisan crafted dry cured meats and other mouth watering difficult to find items.  We’ve particularly enjoyed their prosciutto (wonderful on a crostino) and pancetta.  Our order was carefully packed and swiftly delivered.  You’ll find them at www.laquercia.us.

    Midwesterners are a diverse group so you’ll find many ethnically inspired dishes in HEARTLAND.    Plus, those wonderful quotations, such as “Moonlight butters the whole Iowa night.  Clover and corn smells are thick as syrup.” from one of my favorite authors W. P. Kinsella.
       
    Enjoy!

Let Everyone Eat Cake!

    Being recipient of the James Beard Foundation Cookbook Hall of Fame Award is just the tip of the accolades for Maida Heatter.  The New York Times dubbed her the “Doyenne of Desserts, queen of cookies, sultana of sweets;” Newsweek called her the Julia Child of desserts, Gourmet magazine said all of her books (9 classic dessert cookbooks) are delicious, and so it goes.  Plus, more good news  - she’s still baking.

    First published in 1997 MAIDA HEATTER’S CAKES is now available for the first time in paperback form containing 175 of Maida’s most popular recipes.  Cake lovers will find everything they’ve ever hungered for from Plain Cakes (as if any one of Maida’s cakes was ever plain) to Chocolate Cake to Layer Cakes to Fancy Cakes (the Paris-Brest on page 110 is pure bliss) to Fruitcakes and Nut Cakes, and more,

    The Doyenne of Desserts also includes recipes Sweet Breads (Peanut Banana Bread on page 287 is amazing), Muffins, Cupcakes and Tassies, and Ice Cream, Sauces, and More.  (We’re still dreaming about Little Havana Coconut Ice Cream on page 328.)

    MAIDA HEATTER’S CAKES is a must for every kitchen, a book you’ll turn to again and again never tiring of the delights you find.

    Enjoy!