Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com/media/feedlogo.gif Slashfood http://www.slashfood.com en-us Copyright 2009 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/'Everyday Food: Great Food Fast' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/07/01/everyday-food-great-food-fast-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/07/01/everyday-food-great-food-fast-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/07/01/everyday-food-great-food-fast-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

everyday food
Amazon.com
'Everyday Food: Great Food Fast'
From the Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living
Clarkson Potter -- 2007
Buy it on Amazon

Launched in 2003, "Everyday Food" was designed for home cooks who didn't have a lot of time on their hands to make elaborate weeknight dinners but did have a desire to make high-quality, satisfying meals.

The diminutive magazine, which was put out by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, gained a devoted following thanks to its practical recipes, approachable ingredient lists and low-fuss food that yielded great flavor.

"Everyday Food," the cookbook, offers these same qualities, with 250 recipes that put both the seasons of the year and multiple variations on favorite foods front and center.

See what we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>cookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlighteveryday foodeveryday food magazineEverydayFoodEverydayFoodMagazinemartha stewartMarthaStewartRebecca Flint Marx2009-07-01T14:00:00+00:00'Mix Shake Stir' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/29/mix-shake-stir-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/29/mix-shake-stir-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/29/mix-shake-stir-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

Mix Shake Stir, recipes from Danny Meyer's New York City restaurants'Mix Shake Stir'
Recipes from Danny Meyer's Acclaimed New York City Restaurants
Photos by Jo Franco
Little, Brown and Company -- 2009
Buy it on Amazon

A great cocktail can transform any gathering; menus can even be formed around them. Danny Meyer, one of the country's most outstanding restaurateurs, has finally released the recipes to his restaurants' most infamous cocktails. According to one of his bartenders from Blue Smoke, "a really great cocktail doesn't need a lot of ingredients, just a combination of tastes that balances the drinks." By the time readers are done flipping through this book, they will be inspired to pick up a shaker and create something they will truly be proud of.

Along with uncomplicated cocktail recipes, Meyer also includes recipes for bar fare such as Dried Cherry, Bacon and Pecan Mix, Thai Trail Mix and Blue Smoke Deviled Eggs; tips for rimming a glass with salt and sugar; and instructions for how to create an elegant garnish.

Cocktails are broken down into several sections: Favorite Classics, New Classics, Inspired Flavors, Elegant Sips and Casual Libations. While the cocktails in these sections are laid out clearly, it might have been easier to separate them by restaurant; fans of Meyer's restaurants would be able to find their favorites a lot more easily.

See what we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>blue smokeBlueSmokecookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlightdanny meyerDannyMeyermix shake stirMixShakeStirunion square cafeUnionSquareCafeSarah Christine2009-06-29T14:00:00+00:00'The Beach House Cookbook' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/26/the-beach-house-cookbook-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/26/the-beach-house-cookbook-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/26/the-beach-house-cookbook-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

The Beach House Cookbook by Barbara Scott-Goodman'The Beach House Cookbook'
Recipes by Barbara Scott-Goodman
Photos by Rita Maas
Chronicle Books -- 2005
Buy it on Amazon

Summer is a time for relaxing. It's also -- for those lucky enough to live on the beach or near enough one to be within arm's reach of it -- an opportunity to cook up some fresh seafood. But what to do with it once you have it?

Barbara Scott-Goodman has made a substantial mark in the flooded market of seafood cookbooks with her show-stopping "Beach House Cookbook," packed with delectable sounding recipes like Tomato-Basil Soup with Mussels, Lobster Rolls and Cornmeal-Crusted Soft-Shell Crabs. Using fruits and vegetables at peak freshness, Scott-Goodman offers up simple yet flavor-packed meals well-suited to the seaside.

What we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>barbara scott-goodmanBarbaraScott-goodmancookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlightfourth of julyFourthOfJulysummersummer cookingSummerCookingthe beach house cookbookTheBeachHouseCookbookSarah Christine2009-06-26T14:00:00+00:00'Lee Bailey's Southern Food' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/22/lee-baileys-southern-food-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/22/lee-baileys-southern-food-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/22/lee-baileys-southern-food-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under: ,

lee bailey's southern food
Photo: Amazon.com
'Lee Bailey's Southern Food & Plantation Houses'
Recipes by Lee Bailey and the Pilgrimage Garden Club
Photographs by Tom Eckerle
Clarkson Potter -- 1989
Buy it at Amazon

Lee Bailey is a Louisiana native, home-furnishings store owner and the author of several books on food and entertaining. So he comes to this, his seventh book, quite naturally: both a compendium of Southern recipes and tour of the plantations in and around Natchez, Miss., it's part "Antiques Roadshow," part Southern Foodways Alliance, part National Lawn & Garden Show.

It's elegant, faintly -- and winningly -- eccentric, and imbued with unaggressive charm. Reading it is like taking a courtly stroll through a vast garden, bottomless mint julep in hand. You can almost smell the clematis -- and the gumbo.

Takeaway Tips: This is as much a celebration of Natchez as its food: the book begins with a self-explanatory section entitled "Natchez Bouquets" (remember, the tome was co-written by the town's Garden Pilgrimage Club) and recipes are organized into menus that are paired with particular plantations. "Informal Dinner at Stanton Hall," for example, provides readers with a brief history of the towering antebellum estate.

See what we tested and whether it's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>cookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlightlee baileyLeeBaileymississippinatchezsouthern foodSouthernFoodRebecca Flint Marx2009-06-22T14:00:00+00:00'The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/19/the-farm-chicks-in-the-kitchen-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/19/the-farm-chicks-in-the-kitchen-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/19/the-farm-chicks-in-the-kitchen-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen by Teri Edwards and Serena Thompson'The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen'
Recipes by Teri Edwards and Serena Thompson
Hearst Books -- 2009
Buy it on Amazon

Teri Edwards and Serena Thompson, a pair of stay-at-home moms who are also contributing editors to Country Living Magazine (with whom this book was co-produced) have been sharing simple, good food with their families and friends for years. With the release of their first book, comprised of 80 percent recipes, 10 percent family stories and 10 percent kitchen crafts, readers get an open door into the lives of these two women.

Both residents of the state of Washington, these gals aren't milking cows and herding sheep, they're "farming" for antiques, which are many times found in old barns. They quickly became famous for their finds and homemade goods and now hold yearly antique shows.

Filled with recipes like Apple Puff Pancakes, Sour Cream and Onion Zucchini Cakes, Savory Sweet Potato Soup and Butterscotch Pie, the book will make you feel at home with classics that won't keep you slaving over a hot stove.

What we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>cookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlightserena thompsonSerenaThompsonteri edwardsTeriEdwardsthe farm chicks in the kitchenTheFarmChicksInTheKitchenSarah Christine2009-06-19T14:00:00+00:00'Craig Claiborne's Southern Cooking' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/17/craig-claibornes-southern-cooking-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/17/craig-claibornes-southern-cooking-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/17/craig-claibornes-southern-cooking-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under: ,

'Craig Claiborne's Southern Cooking'
Craig Claiborne with foreword by John T. Edge and Georgeanna Milam
University of Georgia Press -- 2007 (originally published in 1987 by Clamshell Productions, Ltd.)
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"It is not a question of chauvinism, but I have always averred that Southern cooking is by far the vastest and most varied of all traditional regional cooking in this country," wrote Craig Claiborne in the foreword to this pan-Southern paean to the cuisine of his childhood.

While Claiborne fled the physical South -- and his legendarily smothering mother, Miss Kathleen -- in favor of a stint in the Navy, hotel school in Switzerland and a multi-decade tenure as food editor of the New York Times, his palate remained staunchly attuned to the servant-cooked colloquial fare he'd enjoyed at his mother's boardinghouse.

What we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>craig claiborneCraigClaiborneGeorgeanna MilamGeorgeannaMilamjohn t. edgeJohnT.Edgekat kinsmanKatKinsmanpete wellsPeteWellssouthern foodsouthern foodways allianceSouthernFoodSouthernFoodwaysAllianceKat Kinsman2009-06-17T14:00:00+00:00'The Soul of a New Cuisine' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/12/the-soul-of-a-new-cuisine-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/12/the-soul-of-a-new-cuisine-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/12/the-soul-of-a-new-cuisine-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

the soul of a new cuisine book cover'The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa'
By Marcus Samuelsson
Photos by Gediyon Kifle
Wiley -- 2006
Buy it on Amazon

Known for his inventive Swedish creations at Aquavit, Marcus Samuelsson tackles the food of his birth continent in "Soul of a New Cuisine." (Born in Ethiopia in 1970, Samuelsson and his sister were orphaned and adopted by a Swedish couple.)

While this is a cookbook, "Soul of a New Cuisine" acts more like a coffee table centerpiece with lush photos of markets and Samuelsson on his adventures to discover African cuisines.

Samuelsson writes, "from the start [I] had a clear idea that this book would not be a definitive encyclopedia of African cooking. Rather, this cookbook is a reflection of the Africa I've seen, experienced and appreciated."

What we tested and whether its worth buying after the jump.

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]]>africamarcus samuelssonMarcusSamuelssonsoul of a new cuisineSoulOfANewCuisinesouth africaSouthAfricaSara Bonisteel2009-06-12T14:00:00+00:00'Burger Bar' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/10/burger-bar-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/10/burger-bar-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/10/burger-bar-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

Burger Bar: Build Your Own Ultimate Burgers by Hubert Keller with Penelope Wisner'Burger Bar: Build Your Own Ultimate Burgers'
Recipes by Hubert Keller with Penelope Wisner
Photos by Bill Milne
Wiley -- 2009
Buy it on Amazon

Chef Hubert Keller, owner of the Burger Bar restaurants in Las Vegas and St. Louis, is known for turning an ordinary burger into an extraordinary culinary affair. The "build your own" phenomenon has taken off across the country and within his book is a collection of burgers organized by type of meat, poultry, fish, vegetable and even sweets. Keller also shows how "DIY" burgers can easily be disassembled and reassembled to suit individual tastes.

Filled with recipes like Burger au Poivre, Mustard Seed Chicken Burger, BLT Turkey Club Burger, homemade sauces and ultra thick milkshakes, this book will have you craving a burger 'round the clock.

What we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>burger barBurgerBarcookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlighthubert kellerHubertKellerpenelope wisnerPenelopeWisnerSarah Christine2009-06-10T14:00:00+00:00'Vegetables Every Day' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/08/vegetables-every-day-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/08/vegetables-every-day-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/08/vegetables-every-day-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

vegetables every day'Vegetables Every Day'
Recipes by Jack Bishop
HarperCollins -- 2001
Buy it on Amazon

Part cookbook, part reference book, 'Vegetables Every Day' is an A to Z guide to produce that includes everything from familiar favorites like carrots, mushrooms and onions to more exotic selections like malanga, cardoons and kohlrabi. The book's 350 recipes are geared proudly towards the home cook: They're practical, down-to-earth and ideal for a busy weeknight. The only lavishness is found in the flavors that author Jack Bishop coaxes from simply yet lovingly prepared vegetables.

Takeaway Tips: Bishop organizes his vegetables alphabetically, with a few recipes for each utilizing different cooking methods. The okra section, for example, includes Grilled Okra, Sautéed Okra with Garlic and Hot Red Pepper Flakes, Stewed Okra and Tomatoes and Cornmeal-Crusted Okra. Each veg comes with an introduction that covers its history, common names, seasonal availability, best cooking methods and tips for selection, storage and basic preparation.

See what we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>cookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlightjack bishopJackBishopvegetablesvegetables every dayVegetablesEveryDayRebecca Flint Marx2009-06-08T14:00:00+00:00'Pure Simple Cooking' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/05/pure-simple-cooking-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/05/pure-simple-cooking-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/05/pure-simple-cooking-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

Pure Simple Cooking by Diana Henry'Pure Simple Cooking'
Recipes by Diana Henry
Photos by Jonathan Lovekin
Ten Speed Press -- 2008
Buy it on Amazon

Simple food done right can be delicious and memorable. Author Diana Henry decided that "quick" cooking was no longer the answer, and wanted "effortless" cooking done well.

Filled with recipes like Chicken and Chorizo, Smothered Pork Chops with Mustard and Thyme Butter and Roast Cod with Smoked Bacon, "Pure Simple Cooking" can help even the busiest person create a meal that is tasty and unique despite being unadorned.

Takeaway tips: While many of the recipes require only 15 minutes of prep time, all of the cooking is done from scratch (no pre-cut vegetables or prepared-food mix-ins), which would make Michael Pollan happy. The chapters are broken down by ingredient (chicken, chops, pasta, etc.), then seasonal for fruits and vegetables, with a final tidbit of a section on the basics of rice, couscous and bulgur wheat.

What we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>cookbook splotlightCookbookSplotlightdiana henryDianaHenrypure simple cookingPureSimpleCookingSarah Christine2009-06-05T14:00:00+00:00'Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It: And Other Cooking Projects' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/03/jam-it-pickle-it-cure-it-and-other-cooking-projects/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/03/jam-it-pickle-it-cure-it-and-other-cooking-projects/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/03/jam-it-pickle-it-cure-it-and-other-cooking-projects/#commentsFiled under: ,

rustic fruit desserts'Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It - And Other Cooking Projects'
By Karen Solomon
Photography by Jennifer Martine
Ten Speed Press -- 2009
Buy it on Amazon

Recession? Schmecession! No matter the country's economic straits, Karen Solomon's guide to DIY kitchen staples and handmade gourmet gifts is a must for crafters, armchair chemists, budget-conscious chefs, curious kids (and their parents) and anyone who's ever popped open a jar of processed preserves, a tub of watery ricotta or a plastic tube of sausage and thought, "I could do better."

The book is jam-packed with simple, flawless instructions for making marshmallows, bacon, cheese, pickles, lard, smoked fish, ketchup, olives and several dozen other edible treasures, entirely worth the effort and for a fraction of the cost of their store-bought counterparts.

See what we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>book reviewBookReviewcookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlightjam it pickle it cure itJamItPickleItCureItkaren solomonKarenSolomonKat Kinsman2009-06-03T14:00:00+00:00'Martha Stewart's Cupcakes' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/02/martha-stewarts-cupcakes-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/02/martha-stewarts-cupcakes-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/02/martha-stewarts-cupcakes-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

'Martha Stewart's Cupcakes'
Recipes from the editors of Martha Stewart Living
Photographs by Con Poulos and others
Clarkson Potter -- 2009
Buy it on Amazon

If there's one thing in the food blogosphere that provokes as strong a reaction as the words "Martha Stewart," it's "cupcake." So when we heard that Martha was busting out a brand-new book containing 175 of the suckers, we knew we had to get behind the scenes.

Martha's test kitchen cooks are both notoriously talented and fussy about their recipes, so we went straight to the top of the editorial food chain to find out which of the tome's 352 pages contained the best palm-sized cakes. (If you just can't wait, it's after the jump).

As with "Martha Stewart's Cookies," this is a thorough, imaginative and utterly vibrant paean to a beloved member of the baked goods family. The title truly does say it all: there's nothing but cupcakes as far as the eye can see. There's cupcake frosting, cupcake decorations, cupcakes for every season and occasion -- there's even a recipe for "Creepcakes" for, yes, Halloween. It's a candy-colored rebuke to the cupcake haters, those who view the craze as an infantile indulgence or see the diminutive desserts as the cloying, edible equivalent of those tiny dogs who travel around in handbags. Cupcakes, as done by Martha and her team, are a force to be reckoned with. The cover photo says it all: Cupcakes are here and they're not going anywhere, except maybe to your mouth.

See what we tested, what a top test-kitchen toque recommends and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>cookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlightcupcakesmaple syrupMapleSyrupmartha stewartMarthaStewartRebecca Flint Marx2009-06-02T14:00:00+00:00'Rustic Fruit Desserts' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/01/rustic-fruit-desserts-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/01/rustic-fruit-desserts-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/01/rustic-fruit-desserts-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under: ,

rustic fruit desserts"Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies and More"
By Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson
Photography by Sara Remington
Ten Speed Press -- 2009
Buy it on Amazon

James Beard Award-winning chef Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson of Baker & Spice in Portland, Ore., team up for this delicious ode to seasonal fruit baking.

Divided into the seasons, "Rustic Fruit Desserts" offers a juicy array of cobblers, grunts ("similar to a cobbler but ... cooked on top of the stove"), crisps, betties, pandowdies and other delights. And the stars of the fruit world are all here: rhubarb, cherries, apples, pears, raspberries, nectarines, apricots and even relative newcomers like pluots.

See what we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>Sara Bonisteel2009-06-01T14:00:00+00:00'Simply Mexican' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/29/simply-mexican-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/29/simply-mexican-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/29/simply-mexican-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

Simply Mexican by Lourdas Castro'Simply Mexican'
Recipes by Lourdes Castro
Photos by Lucy Schaeffer
Ten Speed Press -- 2009
Buy it on Amazon

A back to basics cookbook for South of the Border fare, "Simple Mexican" demystifies Mexican meals and recipes so anyone, especially new cooks, can make them at home. Delicious recipes like Chile-Glazed Pork Chops with Fresh Tomatillo Sauce, Red Mole Chicken with Chorizo and Rice Pudding call for ingredients that are widely used throughout the entire book and commonly found in grocery stores.

Takeaway tips: Mexican food isn't just refried beans, rice and heavy cheesy dishes. Castro showcases genuine recipes that aren't difficult to prepare and don't have readers searching for rare ingredients. For each recipe, there are "Cooking Notes" that break down ingredients, serving suggestions, techniques and, when necessary, advanced preparation.

See what we tested and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>cookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlightlourdes castroLourdesCastrosimply mexicanSimplyMexicanten speed pressTenSpeedPressSarah Christine2009-05-29T14:00:00+00:00'Carmine's Family-Style Cookbook' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/27/carmines-family-style-cookbook-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/27/carmines-family-style-cookbook-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/27/carmines-family-style-cookbook-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under: ,

carmines'Carmine's Family-Style Cookbook: More Than 100 Classic Italian Dishes to Make at Home'
Recipes by Michael Ronis with Mary Goodbody
Photographs by Alex Martinez
St. Martin's Press -- 2008
Buy it on Amazon

In the increasingly refined and innovative world of New York Italian restaurants, Carmine's remains proudly devoted to its red-sauce roots. It's a loud place with large portions and a complete lack of pretension: you'd just as soon find a foam or amuse bouche on its menu as you would a loaf of Irish soda bread or bowl of borscht. The focus is on Southern Italian food like grandma used to make -- think meatballs the size of a baby's head, shrimp scampi and garlic bread, not bruschetta.

It follows that the restaurant's laid-back, welcoming style would translate to its companion cookbook: "We hope," the introduction states, that the book's pages "will soon be stained with red sauce, dribbles of olive oil and sticky fingerprints, all happy accidents as you discover our recipes."

This is a cookbook meant for weeknight family dinners and large gatherings, or any event, really, that calls for large helpings of comfort food. Flipping through it is a bit like visiting the Italian American Culinary Hall of Fame: Look, it's Meatball Heroes! And over there, Penne Alla Vodka! Long time, no see, Shrimp Fra Diavolo! They're all here, and they're all eager to please.

See what we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>carminescookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlightitalian americanItalianAmericanRebecca Flint Marx2009-05-27T14:00:00+00:00'A Homemade Life' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/22/a-homemade-life-cookbook-of-the-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/22/a-homemade-life-cookbook-of-the-day/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/22/a-homemade-life-cookbook-of-the-day/#commentsFiled under:

orangette'A Homemade Life - Stories and Recipes from my Kitchen Table'
Recipes by Molly Wizenberg
Simon & Schuster -- 2009
Buy it on Amazon

Molly Wizenberg, the woman behind award-winning blog Orangette, has become a literary heroine of the food blogosphere, with a writing voice suffused with a clear-eyed intelligence about -- and tender affection for -- food. Her fans adore her simple and complicated recipes alike, since they come with a side of her lush but earthbound prose: "Lately, I've been thinking a lot about cake. This is not an unusual condition for me, but it happens particularly often when I'm feeling frazzled or tired or harried, right around the same time that I start listening to the easy listening station on the car radio and feeling genuinely soothed by it."

Since Molly (whose old-timey photos we also admire) just announced a break from blogging to help her husband start his new restaurant, those seeking a fix could do worse than her new book, 'A Homemade Life.' A memoir shot through with recipes, it tells how she fell in love via her blog (with a New Yorker, and she lives in Seattle, but we won't go there), chronicles the food-loving life of her late father, and has all the hallmarks of a bang-up cooking memoir.

See what we tested, whether you should buy it, and Molly's incredible French toast recipe after the jump.

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]]>a homemade lifeAHomemadeLifecookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlightorangetteseattlesleepless in seattleSleeplessInSeattleAlex Van Buren2009-05-22T14:00:00+00:00'Baking: From My Home to Yours' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/20/baking-from-my-home-to-yours-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/20/baking-from-my-home-to-yours-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/20/baking-from-my-home-to-yours-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

'Baking: From My Home to Yours'
Recipes by Dorie Greenspan
Photographs by Alan Richardson
Houghton Mifflin - 2006
Buy it on Amazon

Dorie Greenspan is something of a goddess to home bakers: not only are her recipes unfailingly delicious, but the directions that accompany them are both reassuring and authoritative.

Greenspan possesses an ease and charm as generous and homespun as her desserts: she's not afraid to admit past mistakes (as she does in a humorous remembrance of a cake that got her fired from a restaurant), and you can imagine that she'd be tolerant of yours, too. Given her mastery of traditional French pastry and love of more down-home delights, the book offers something for everyone, whether you're craving a Parisian apple tartlet or poppy seed muffins.

Takeaway Tips: Greenspan organizes her chapters by baked good genus: chapter titles like "A Cache of Cookies" and "Breakfast Sweets" hint at the wonders contained within. All of the recipes include helpful serving and storage tips, and many have a "Playing Around" sidebar that provides ideas for recipe variations.

See what we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

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]]>baking from my home to yoursBakingFromMyHomeToYourscookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlightdessertsdorie greenspanDorieGreenspanRebecca Flint Marx2009-05-20T14:00:00+00:00'Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/18/giadas-kitchen-new-italian-favorites-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/18/giadas-kitchen-new-italian-favorites-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/18/giadas-kitchen-new-italian-favorites-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites'Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites'
Recipes by Giada De Laurentiis
Photos by Tina Rupp
Clarkson Potter -- 2008
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Giada De Laurentiis, known for her simple fare on the Food Network's "Everyday Italian," brings new light into America's kitchens with her fourth cookbook. De Laurentiis redefines the classics with dishes like Linguine and Prosciutto Frittatas, Pastina with Clams and Mussels, Turkey Osso Buco and Prosciutto Lamb Burgers.

Takeaway tips: Cooking and eating are meant to be shared experiences. Whether you're gathering your family at the table for a week night dinner or having guests over for a special occasion, the meals should be easy to prepare, enjoyable and delicious. Kids are increasingly helping out in the kitchen, and De Laurentiis dedicates an entire chapter to the little ones that features simple, easy meals they won't be able to resist.

See what we tested and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

Continue reading 'Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites' - Cookbook Spotlight

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]]>amazoncookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlightgiada de laurentiisGiadaDeLaurentiisgiadas kitchen: new italian favoritesGiadasKitchen:NewItalianFavoritesSarah Christine2009-05-18T14:00:00+00:00'Made in Spain' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/15/made-in-spain-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/15/made-in-spain-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/15/made-in-spain-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

'Made in Spain'
Recipes by José Andrés with Richard Wolffee
Photos by Thomas Schauer
Clarkson Potter -- 2008
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Culinary powerhouse, restaurateur and cookbook author José Andrés has put out a second cookbook surpassing basic Spanish tapas and bringing flavors and traditions from all over Spain to the American kitchen. The book is organized by region and the special type of food for which each is best known. Dishes like shredded salt cod with tomatoes and olives, fried egg with chorizo, olive oil pancakes and traditional paellas will have your mouth watering.

Takeaway tips: Some of the ingredients that the recipes call for are not easily available to everyone. Andrés understands this and offers great substitutes like flat-leaf parsley for watercress, along with wine pairings and valuable cooking tips with almost each recipe. It is worth the time to seek out some of these special Spanish ingredients; a resource guide in the back of the book lists some of the chef's favorite online shops.

See what we tested and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

Continue reading 'Made in Spain' - Cookbook Spotlight

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]]>cookbook spotlightCookbookSpotlightjose andresJoseAndresmade in spainMadeInSpainSarah Christine2009-05-15T14:00:00+00:00'The Jewish Heritage Cookbook' - Cookbook Spotlighthttp://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/13/the-jewish-heritage-cookbook-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/13/the-jewish-heritage-cookbook-cookbook-spotlight/http://www.slashfood.com/2009/05/13/the-jewish-heritage-cookbook-cookbook-spotlight/#commentsFiled under:

jewish heritage cookbook'The Jewish Heritage Cookbook'
Recipes by Marlena Spieler
Photographs by William Lingwood
Lorenz Books -- 2004
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A rebuke to those whose idea of Jewish cooking is limited to such gut-busting fare as kugel and knishes, "The Jewish Heritage Cookbook" is an eye-opening and mouthwatering survey of the traditions and recipes of the global Jewish Diaspora. While the more recognizable stalwarts of Ashkenazi (or Eastern European) Jewish cooking do get their due (there are no less than six recipes for kugel), Spieler also dedicates ample space to the foods of the Sephardim, Jews who settled in Spain, Portugal and North Africa, paying particular attention to the rich culinary heritage of Moroccan Jews.

Spieler also provides plenty of context for her recipes: a lengthy introduction delves into the history of Jewish migration across the globe, dietary traditions and laws, the culinary significance of various holidays, and the definitions and usage of traditional foods and ingredients. Spieler's book is as much reference guide as cookbook -- not only will you learn how to make something like like lamb with globe artichokes, you'll also learn about the significance of artichokes to the Italian Jews who created the dish.

See what we tested and whether it's worth buying after the jump.

Continue reading 'The Jewish Heritage Cookbook' - Cookbook Spotlight

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]]>cookbook of the daycookbook spotlightCookbookOfTheDayCookbookSpotlightjewish heritageJewishHeritageRebecca Flint Marx2009-05-13T14:00:00+00:00