"101 Cookbooks" news and stories

101 Cookbooks was one of the very first blogs I started reading, way back in the fall of 2004, when I was first discovering the wonderful world of the blogosphere. I was thrilled when Heidi released her gorgeously photographed and thoughtfully written book, Super Natural Cooking, in 2007.

If you're looking for a way to incorporate more whole grains into your diet (as all the studies say you should), this is a great book to turn to. Not only are there lots of recipes that include whole grains (as well as natural sweeteners, super foods and greens), Heidi is careful to tell include an exhaustive section that details the benefits, cooking times and flavor palates of the different grains that she uses.

If that bowl of soup on the cover of the book looks tasty to you, you're in luck, as the recipe for it appeared on Design*Sponge a couple of weeks ago. It's for Spring Minestrone (how appropriate!) and sounds delicious.

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All the comments I've gotten on the Autumnal Casserole post have led me to believe that there are a lot of you out there looking for alternatives to the traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. So I thought I'd post another one of my favorites. This one originally came to me via 101 Cookbooks. Heidi found it in Artisanal Cooking by Terrance Brennan. It is a sweet potato puree that is flecked with vanilla and orange zest and it so good that you might think it belongs in a pie instead of along side your turkey.

I first made it two years ago to take along to my family's Thanksgiving buffet. I put the bowl down on the table and got hijacked into a conversation with my aunt. When I finally got back to the table half an hour later, the bowl was nearly empty. Last year I made it for Christmas dinner. While we were waiting for my dad to carve the turkey, my mom and I stood in the kitchen together and scraped the bowl of the food processor clean with our fingers, just so as not to let any of this puree go to waste.

Give up your sweet potato casseroles and try this puree. It will convert even the most devoted of the mini-marshmallow fans.

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What exactly is a meringue? Would you consider it a cookie because technically you "bake" it? Or is it candy because it's mostly all sugar?

Whichever you call it, I'm including a photo of tiny little meringue ghosts from 101 Cookbooks because they're too cute to pass up on Halloween. Not only are meringues relatively easy to make with just a few ingredients, but this photo of white ghosts is spooky-cute against a black background, and with a hint of their reflection in front of them.

Then again, I didn't think ghosts cast shadows or made reflections!

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I started reading blogs sometime around the beginning of 2003 (looking back, it seems inconceivable that there was ever even a time when I wasn't reading blogs, so thoroughly have they become part of my life). One of the very first food blogs I discovered and read consistently was 101 Cookbooks. Heidi's writing, creative recipes and gorgeous pictures kept me enthralled and I still shout a little internal 'yay!' when a new post from her pops up in my RSS reader. When her book, Super Natural Cooking, came out I tried to hold out for a major gift-giving holiday, but didn't last a week before placing my order.

I think the picture (that you see above) that she posted on Tuesday of a pan of madeleines, some of the molds empty and all the cookies flipped to show off their ridges is just gorgeous. I admit that my fascination with her (actually, her friend Lanha's) madeleines might have something to do with the fact that I read Swann's Way last semester for my Narrativity Theory class and so am very conscious of the madeleine's ability to evoke a taste memory. Proustian references aside, this recipe confirms what my next kitchen tool purchase will be. The only question is, do I buy the classic size, or the mini?

The 2007 Bloggies - more formally known as the 7th Annual Weblog Awards - have just been announced and, in amidst categories for the best sports blog, best regional blog (British, Australian, Asian, etc), best community blog and the best Weblog of the Year, is the best food blog category. I won't try to bias your with who I think should win in any of the categories, food blogging or otherwise, but I will run down the nominees for the food blogs here.

• 101 Cookbooks - Heidi Swanson's amazing collection of recipes, food photography and cooking adventures - and probably one of the most bookmarked food blogs there is, especially considering it's been running for about four years!
• Kathy Maister's Start Cooking - part blog, part business venture, K.M. offers recipes and video how-to's in this relatively new site
• Smitten Kitchen - another blog that is less than a year old, but brimming with recipes and tempting photography
• Help! I Have a Fire in My Kitchen - yet another newish blog, focusing on kosher home cooking. No pics from this one.
• Matt Bites - often cited for his pictures, this LA-based blogger has stories that are at least as appealing as each mouthwatering shot on the site.

Ok, perhaps I am a little bit biased in favor of my favorite from this list, but I won't judge if your favorite is different than mine.

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