A Skinnytaste Kind of Week

Do you know Skinnytaste? It's a blog, it's a cookbook, it's everywhere on social media ... it's Gina Homolka. She is known for slimmed down recipes which are generally easy to prepare and always made from natural, readily available ingredients. I've tried quite a few and they always  turn out well.

When she released a cookbook last year, I bought my daughter a copy for Christmas. And last spring I finally got a copy for myself, too. I've cooked from it sporadically since then, but this week turned out to be all Skinnytaste, all the time.

It began with Thai Coconut Mussels. Mussels are a relatively recent addition to my culinary repertoire, probably because I only began eating them a few years ago.  My husband and I got into the habit of splitting the mussels appetizer at our favorite (though, sadly, now closed) farm-to-table restaurant. I wanted to duplicate those dishes at home, so began experimenting with several recipes.

Mussels are generally steamed, and the cooking liquid seems to be the most important factor in flavoring the dish. I've tried various stocks/broths, beers, and wines. This recipe is unusual in that the liquid is light coconut milk. Adding diced tomatoes, scallions, red bell pepper, ginger, chiles, and cilantro imparted the Thai flavor.

We both thought it was a nice change of pace, but Ina Garten's (The Barefoot Contessa) Mussels in White Wine recipe remains my favorite.

Next up were the Make Ahead Western Omelet Muffins. That's right, omelet muffins. I've been skeptical of that whole concept for a long time, but finally got around to actually trying it and was pretty impressed. I used shredded taco cheese instead of swiss because that's what I had on hand and omitted the scallions.

These were amazing! The best part was having a delicious breakfast already made for the rest of the week. I learned from my friends on Instagram that they also freeze well. There will now be a batch of these "muffins" in my freezer at all times!

And finally,  Baked Chicken Parmesan... I can't even tell you how many recipes and methods I've tried over the years, but this is the best! Gina's lightened up version starts with baking breaded chicken cutlets at a very high temperature, then placing them in a pan with warmed marinara sauce, topping with mozzarella, and letting it melt. (Note: the linked recipe says to put it back in the oven, but that was changed for the cookbook) This is the only way I will prepare chicken parmesan from now on!


What is your favorite Skinnytaste recipe?

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

Chowderland by Brooke Dojny

Chowderland: 
Hearty Soups & Stews with Sides & Salads to Match
by Brooke Dojny
Storey Publishing, 2015
144 pages
source: from publisher via Netgalley

CHOWDER (noun)  :  a soup or stew of seafood (as clams or fish) usually made with milk or tomatoes, salt pork, onions, and other vegetables (as potatoes); also :  a soup resembling chowder <corn chowder> 

That's the definition of chowder according to  Merriam-Webster, but to me it means much more. Chowder conjures up images of the New England coastline. It makes me think of weather-beaten waterside restaurants serving up comfort-in-a-bowl on outdoor decks, oversized oyster crackers, and family vacations in Maine. I love Maine.

3 reasons I requested Chowderland:

• The cover. It makes me want to pull up a spoon.
• I only have one good seafood soup recipe in my repertoire.
• My FIL orders New England Clam Chowder every time we go out to dinner. Every time.

3 things I loved about the cookbook:

• Gorgeous photography
• Visually appealing graphics
• Informative ingredient discussion - which variety of potato, whether to use salt pork or bacon...

3 things about the Boston-Style Creamy Clam Chowder I made:

• It takes some effort. I mean, no throwing ingredients into a crockpot and having soup appear six hours later.
• It tasted even better the second day.
• Heavy cream and bacon grease are scary, but that's probably why it tasted so good.

3 reasons I recommend Chowderland: 

• Clear, concise instructions
• Non-seafood chowders, accompaniments, and dessert recipes are also included
• All the chowders!

3 more recipes I want to try (make that 4):

• Lobster and Sweet Corn Chowder
• Mussel Chowder with light curry and colorful vegetables
• Penobscot Bay Scallop Stew
• The Real Deal Lobster Bisque

The recipe:

4 ounces salt pork or bacon, cut into 1/2 inch dice or ground in the food processor, (about 1 cup)
6 tablespoons melted butter, more if needed
1 large onion, chopped
1 large celery stalk, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups bottled clam juice
2 cups water, plus more if needed
1 pound all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
2 teaspoons dried thyme or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf, broken in half
3 cups chopped hard-shell clams with their liquor
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Cook the salt pork with the butter in a large heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat until crisp and the fat is rendered, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the cooked bits with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and reserve. If you don't have 8 tablespoons of fat in the pot, make up the difference with additional butter.

2. Add the onion and celery and cook over medium heat until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle on the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the clam juice and water and bring to a boil over high heat, whisking until smooth.

3. Add the potatoes, thyme, and bay leaf, and cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the potatoes are tender, about15 minutes. Add the clams and cream, cook for 5 minutes, and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the chowder sit at cool room temperature for at least an hour or, better yet, refrigerate for up to 2 days.

4. Reheat over low heat, adding more broth, cream, or water if the chowder is too thick. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with parsley, and pass the reserved pork bits (reheated in the microwave) for sprinkling on the chowder if desired.

Bottom line: If you love chowder, this cookbook belongs in your collection!

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

A Taste of Upstate New York by Chuck D'Imperio

A Taste of Upstate New York: 
The People and the Stories Behind 40 Food Favorites
by Chuck D'Imperio
Syracuse University Press, 2015
288 pages
source: from publisher via Netgalley

Publisher's summary:
Upstate New York is the birthplace of many of America's favorite food treats. The chicken wing was born in a bar in Buffalo, the potato chip was born in the kitchen of a ritzy hotel in Saratoga Springs, the salt potato got its start along the marshy shores of a Syracuse Lake and Thousand Island Dressing was born in a hotel along the St. Lawrence Seaway. Add to these items black dirt onions, chicken riggies, pink striped cookies, sponge candy, spiedies and the ice cream sundae and many more. This book also introduces the reader to the human faces behind these edible legends. Their stories are inspiring and fun! Each of the 40 plus chapters includes restaurant directions, photographs and other pertinent information to make your self-guided "all you can eat" tour around Upstate New York a sumptuous journey for sure.

My thoughts:

Chuck D'Imperio is no stranger to Upstate New York. He has written several previous books including Unknown Museums of Upstate New York: A Guide to 50 Treasures  and Monumental New York!: A Guide to 30 Iconic Memorials in Upstate New York  and now turns his attention to the "wonders and quirky food facts" of Upstate New York.

In  A Taste of Upstate New York, D'Imperio divides the area into eight regions - from Chautauqua/Allegany in the southwest corner to the Thousand Islands/Seaway in the north, and south to Catskills/Hudson Valley - and regales us with each area's delicacies, lore, and sometimes even a recipe or two.

I was delighted with the inclusion of Turkey Joints (a beloved holiday season confection of chocolate and Brazil nuts coated with spun sugar and shaped to look like - you guessed it - a turkey joint), salt potatoes, Chicken Riggies, and famous Utica Greens. My husband's hometown is mentioned as the the birthplace of pie-a-la-mode... a fact which has always made him inordinately proud.

Cornell Chicken (another personal favorite) is a New York State Fair tradition served at Baker's Chicken Coop since 1949. Dr. Bob Baker was a former chair of Cornell's Department of Poultry and Avian Sciences. D'Imperio shares the famous recipe:

Dr. Baker's Cornell Chicken Marinade 

1 egg
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups cider vinegar
3T coarse salt
1T poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 

Beat the egg, add oil, beat again. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Use the sauce for basting. While barbecuing, brush sauce on chicken each time you turn it. Makes enough sauce for 10 halves.

In addition to foods from my childhood, I found a few new favorites, like Bread Alone in Rhinebeck, NY. 

D'Imperio also highlights local cookbooks and foodie celebrities, including Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge ( The Fabulous Beekman Boys) and The Moosewood Collective. Iconic restaurants and "fun food festivals" are listed, too, and have provided ideas for countless day trips or weekend getaways.

Bottom line:
This book is chock-full of local food lore, fun food festivals, and legendary restaurants. There are even a few (locally) famous recipes! It's entertaining, nostalgic, and a must read for anyone who has spent time in Upstate New York.

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

Sheet Pan Suppers by Molly Gilbert

Sheet Pan Suppers
by Molly Gilbert
Workman Publishing Company, 2014
304 pages
source: publisher via NetGalley for review consideration


Everybody has a sheet pan, but who knew you could do so much with it? In Sheet Pan Suppers, Molly Gilbert gets creative with one pan meals as she shows us how to bake, roast, and broil our way to delicious dinners and snacks. With an attractive layout, amazing photographs, and clear, concise directions, I had trouble deciding which recipes to try first.

Gilbert begins with a primer covering the basics of sheet pan cooking. Other chapters include Appetizers & Small Bites, Bird's the Word, Hold the Meat, Please, Fish Business, I Love Brunch, Dessert (There's Always Room) and more.

I began with Pesto Chicken Turnovers. This easy weeknight dish was further simplified by using prepared pesto and rotisserie chicken. With a green salad on the side, I put a tasty dinner on the table with minimum effort. The turnovers made a delicious lunch the next day, too.

After that success, I moved on to Classic Roast Chicken with Mustardy Potatoes. Now I've roasted plenty of chickens over the years, but this particular mix of fresh herbs and butter on the chicken combined with mustard, lemon, olive oil, and fresh herbs on the potatoes and onions was the best ever!

I've bookmarked several recipes in every chapter to try later. These include Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Orange Dipping Sauce, Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas, Lemon-Herb Sole on Crispy Potato Rafts, and Orange Cardamom Pound Cake. Since I'm not a huge fan of cooking from e-books, I plan to purchase a print copy.

Sheet Pan Suppers is recommended for both novice and experienced cooks.
For more about Molly and her recipes, check out her blog Dunk & Crumble.

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

Cook It Up: Weber's Real Grilling

Summers are short in central New York, so we take advantage of every moment - boating on the lake, relaxing on the patio, grilling, and eating outdoors. That made choosing an August project for Trish's Cook It Up! cookbook challenge a cinch. Weber's Real Grilling has been on my shelf for years. I bought it to go with a Father's Day grill so long ago that the grill is history. The cookbook, however, remains on the shelf, woefully underutilized.

Now it's decision time. Should I keep it or donate it to the library book sale? The first think I did was look through the book for comments on recipes we've already tried. I found just two:

• Halibut with Grill-Roasted Lemon and Caper Dressing - very good! try with swordfish, too
• Bottle o' Beer Chicken Thighs - pretty good

I would have sworn there were others. Since I almost always make some sort of notation, perhaps they weren't worth a comment?

Anyway, the book is printed on very high-quality paper and each recipe is accompanied by a color photograph. There is an introduction to grilling, tips on choosing a grill, and a discussion of basic techniques and handy tools. Chapters include starters, red meat, pork, poultry, fish, veggies and sides, and even desserts. Each chapter offers additional information specific to the category - for example, cuts of meat, what to look for in purchasing beef, how to tell if its done, etc. There are even post-it flags in the back so you can mark your favorite recipes.

Armed with my own supply of post-it flags, I marked nearly 20 recipes to try. In the end, one fish, one red meat, and one chicken recipe made the cut.

Halibut a la Tunisia

Halibut is one of my favorite types of fish. This recipe calls for making a paste of lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, paprika, coriander, cumin, garlic, kosher salt and pepper. It is spread on the fish, refrigerated for an hour or so, and then grilled. The recipe was okay, but there are so many tastier ways to prepare halibut I doubt I will make it again.

New York Steaks with Corn and Avocado Salsa

We used a filet and a strip steak, and rubbed them with the mixture of chile powder, paprika, garlic, kosher salt, oregano, and pepper as directed. After the steaks were grilled, they were topped with the corn and avocado salsa, made according to the recipe. The result...meh. I prefer the spice mixture my husband has perfected over the years, and the salsa wasn't that great either.

Tandoori Chicken Kebobs

After seeing The Hundred Foot Journey, we were craving Indian food and this marinade of plain yogurt, fresh ginger, and several spices including turmeric and cumin sounded perfect. It was good, but not great. I wouldn't make it again.

My final verdict:
Three mediocre recipes. There are still several more I want to try but, given the track record, I think this one goes to the library. Besides, I need to make room for Ina Garten's new cookbook!

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

Beyond the Pasta by Mark Leslie

Beyond the Pasta; Recipes, Language & Life with an Italian Family
by Mark Donovan Leslie
Gemelli Press LLC, 2010
352 pages
source: borrowed from the library

Summary (from goodreads):

Several years ago, on a break between theatrical gigs in Alabama, Mark traveled to Italy and fell in love with the people, food and culture. Armed with just enough courage, minimal Italian language skills, and a certain proficiency in the kitchen, he enrolled in a full-immersion cooking and language program. He would travel to Viterbo, Italy and live with an Italian family. His teachers were beyond his wildest dreams-he learned to cook from the grandmother, or Nonna, of the family, who prepared every meal in a bustling, busy household, as women in her family have done for generations. Her daughter, Alessandra, taught him the language with patience and precision. Besides culinary secrets and prepositions, they opened their lives to him, and made him a real part of their extensive family. Though the book contains authentic, delicious family recipes Nonna shared with Mark, Beyond the Pasta delves into food memoir subject matter not found in a typical cookbook. It was the day-to-day shopping with Nonna, exploring the countryside and le gelaterie, where he truly developed his language skills, and a new, more joyful and uniquely Italian way of looking at the world.

My thoughts:

There's nothing better than a good foodie memoir, except maybe one combined with travel and recipes. And if it happens to involve Italy, all the better.

In Beyond the Pasta, Mark Leslie was looking for a different kind of Italian vacation experience, and found it with the Stefani family. It took the form of a total immersion language and cooking course. Mark stayed with the family for a month, cooking with Nonna (the grandmother) and learning Italian from her daughter, Allessandra. He participated in nearly every aspect of family life - daily trips to the market and food preparation with Nonna, afternoon language lessons, family dinners, and frequent postprandial strolls... invariably involving gelato. Mark also spent several days in Rome and attended social events with the family.

The book is set up in a journal format, with every day a separate chapter. Of course food (planning, shopping, preparation, and eating) plays the most prominent role. Each day/chapter concludes with a recipe or two. The easy, conversational tone makes this memoir immensely readable.

 I enjoyed reading about Mark's trips to the market and detailed scenes from the kitchen... although less description of proper squid cleaning technique would have been fine with me! I cheered his increasing language proficiency, and especially appreciated discussion of the culture, and general philosophy surrounding food and eating - la dolce vita.

Growing up with my very own Italian grandmother, this book made me nostalgic for childhood days spent in her kitchen. Nearly all the recipes are familiar and I look forward to trying several:

• Pasta e Fagioli alla Veneta (Venetian Pasta and Beans)
• Minestra di Patate, Piselli e Tubettini (Potato, Pea and Pasta Soup)
• Cuppa, Cuppa, Cuppa (Yogurt Cake)

I suppose I must mention a couple of downsides, too.  First, the author does not use the oxford comma. I always do and never imagined its absence would bug me so much, but it really did - starting with the title, in fact. Second, the photography could have been better. Granted, pictures aren't the main attraction, but the black and white photos weren't very clear. I also would have appreciated pictures of the food.

Favorite Passages:

With Italian, you always pronounce all of the letters in the word. The only silent letter is "h"; otherwise, each and every letter gets pronounced. For example, ciao - hello and goodbye - is pronounced "chee-ah-ow." It is starting to feel that the way to succeed in speaking Italian is to chew on the words. Every syllable, every bite!  p.25 

The cutlets - le cotolette - were not prepared until after we had finished eating the pasta... I am learning the importance of this type of preparation. First, the food always come sot the table hot and perfectly prepared. Second, it gives you some time between courses to digest your food, drink some wine and feel as if you have eaten a lot when actually, because the portions are smaller, you have eaten less than you would sitting at an American table.  p. 102 

La dolce vita celebrates the fact that life is not only about a paycheck ... Life is about savoring the sunset, taking a rejuvenating nap in the middle go the day, pausing to appreciate the beauty of a rose on the side of the road, having your children's laughter fill your soul - letting those moments inspire your life. That might be more of a romantic perception than the exact truth of the situation, but it is certainly the truth I have come to witness, embrace and appreciate while living in Viterbo.   p.170 

For me, the "Sweet Life" is going into the kitchen, preparing food and serving it to the people I love and cherish. La Dolce Vita is found in those moments of life around a table where stories are told - old memories are relived and new memories are given life. It is where food ultimately unites us through the juxtaposition of laughter, tears, joy, sorrow, happiness, pain, and ecstasy.  p. 311

Bottom line: A very enjoyable read - probably the next best thing to a trip to Viterbo.

My rating:

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist by Tim Federle

Is that the best title ever, or what? I've never been especially interested in mixology (we prefer wine around here), but I had to borrow Tequila Mockingbird by Tim Federle from my library. Just to read it, I mean...

The table of contents had me in hysterics - drinks named The Last of the Mojitos, Gin Eyre, Howards Blend, The Sound and the Slurry.  By the end of the introduction, I knew this book belonged in my permanent collection.


Gentle Drinker: 

Congrats. You fought through War and Peace, burned through Fahrenheit 451, and sailed through Moby-Dick. All right, all right, you nearly drowned in Moby-Dick, but you made it to shore - and you deserve a drink! Hang tight, undergrad. A beer's not going to cut it. Not this time. 

To pay proper homage to the world's greatest stories and storytellers, we've carefully crafted a library's worth of literature-inspired cocktails. Scholarly sips for word nerds, if you will - and the people who love them...

This little book begins with the basics - tools, techniques, and terms - before getting down to the business of recipes. Each recipe begins with an entertaining paragraph about the specific book/drink pairing. Ingredients and directions follow, many with full-page (comical) illustrations.

Since The Picture of Dorian Grey  was one of my recent Classics Club Spin reads, I decided to try The Pitcher of Dorian Grey Goose at a recent family gathering. It was delicious, people - dangerously so! I know you can't make out the recipe from the photo, so...

           Makes about 8 drinks 

10 sprigs fresh mint, washed
1 (12-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate
2 cups vodka (like Grey Goose)
Cucumber, sliced into wheels, for garnish 

Tear mint, then place in the pitcher. Add the lemonade concentrate and stir until thawed. Pour in the vodka and 3 cups cold water and stir. Serve over ice, garnish with the cucumber wheels, and remember: age before beauty - if anyone will fess up.

Last night (TGIF, right?) we tried Infinite Zest. Not quite as delicious, but just as potent. A little extra limoncello made it more palatable.

Whether you enjoy mixed drinks or not, Tequila Mockingbird is a very entertaining read!

Cook It Up: A Cookbook Challenge is hosted by Trish at Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity. Find links to other posts here.

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

Real Irish Food by David Bowers

Real Irish Food: 150 Classic Recipes from the Old Country
by David Bowers
Skyhorse Publishing, 2012
source: library copy

"In the same way Italian food is about more than spaghetti and meatballs, real Irish food is a far more complex and exciting thing than the corned-beef-and-cabbage caricature we tend to think of in North America."



Real Irish Food by David Bowers is not a new title for the Weekend Cooking crowd. After reading other blogger reviews (I should have made a note so I could link back), I requested the title from my library. The first thing I noticed was the stunning photography - not just food, but gorgeous landscapes, towns, and markets, too.

The book begins with a brief introduction to Irish cuisine and its history, then continues with a pantry section. Special attention is paid to stocking an Irish kitchen in America and Bowers, quite helpfully, provides sources for obtaining many of the basics.

Chapters are divided by dish and include Breakfast Foods, Starters and Snacks, Stews and Chowders, Meat and Game, Vegetables and Side Dishes, Cakes and Tea Things, and many more.

Quite honestly, I would never consider trying many of the recipes (4 cups of fresh pig's blood is the first ingredient in Black Pudding), but who can resist Potato Cakes? I just happened to have leftover mashed potatoes on hand, so I made some for breakfast. They disappeared instantly!

I bookmarked several other recipes to try later:

• beef and barley stew
• mustard roasted chicken
• cauliflower cheese (Barbara Pym Reading Week is coming!)
• old-fashioned spicy gingerbread
• shortbread

Bowers also includes plenty of background information with the recipes. I can't tell you how many times I've read about potted meats in novels without understanding precisely what it meant. Alongside the Potted Shrimp recipe, I found a straight-forward explanation.

"Potting" fish or meats was an old way of storing them. Leftover meats such as chicken or ham or seafood such as fish or shrimp were pounded together with nearly an equal quantity of butter...to make a rough paste, then seasoned with salt and mace, nutmeg, or another warm spice. The paste was then poured into a small container and covered with clarified butter, sealing out air so it could be stored in a cool pantry." 

Bottom line:
While not a cookbook from which I would regularly cook, Real Irish Food  by David Bowers was very interesting to read. I learned a lot about traditional Irish cuisine and the gorgeous photography made it a feast for my eyes.

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has a food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up over the weekend

Happy Birthday, Fannie Farmer!

image credit

Today we remember the woman responsible for starting a cooking revolution in America. For centuries, words like "dash", “pinch,” “handful,” or “heaping cup” were used when preparing and sharing recipes. In 1896, the newly published Fannie Farmer Cook Book began to change all of that. It was the first cookbook which applied a standardized measurement system to cooking, and is still popular today, more than a century after its original publication.

From The Writer's Almanac:

It's the birthday of Fannie Merritt Farmer (books by this author), born in Boston (1857). She's known for publishing the first cookbook in American history that came with simple, precise cooking instructions. 

She compiled all the recipes she had ever learned, along with advice on how to set a table, scald milk, cream butter, remove stains, and clean a copper boiler. At first, all the publishers turned her down because they reasoned that these were all things young women could learn from their mothers. Finally, Little, Brown agreed to publish the book if Fannie Farmer would pay for the printing of the first 3,000 copies. It has sold millions of copies since.

Strangely enough, I don't think I've ever owned a Fannie Farmer Cookbook. Nor do I remember my mother using one. I was raised in a Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens kitchen. How about you - did you grow with Betty or Fannie?

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has a food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up over the weekend.

Those Fabulous Beekman Boys

While Beekman mania seems to be sweeping the county, my own personal Beekman obsession surfaced last Saturday when I had the opportunity to meet Josh and Brent at a local tasting/book signing event.

Before I get to that, let me back up a little. Early last fall Sandy (my ultimate audiobook recommendation source) posted a review of Josh Kilmer-Purcell's memoir The Bucolic Plague. Since Sandy is never wrong, I downloaded the title to my iPod and began listening.  I loved it just as much as Sandy and when I raved about it to my book club, they chose The Bucolic Plague for our December selection. After a lively discussion, we even made tentative plans for a spring road trip to Sharon Springs

However, thanks to a blogger debacle (I hit the "delete" button by mistake and could not recover my post), the review never published. I can't face writing it again, but I will tell you that I actually considered converting the garden shed to a barn and raising a few goats! My husband nixed that idea.

Fast forward to last Saturday. Josh, Brent, and over two hundred of their fans (including six members of my book club) gathered at a local Inn for a tasting event which featured five recipes from The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook. Stations were scattered throughout the main rooms and displayed the recipe, along with a gorgeous floral arrangement, next to each dish. It was a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.

Both books were available to purchase and, at one point, the signing line extended out of the main dining room and into the lobby. Josh and Brent were wonderful, as expected... very friendly and witty. The Macaroni and Cheese with Mushrooms and Kale was pretty amazing, too.  I also have it on good authority that the recipe for Butternut Squash-filled Lasagna Rolls is excellent. I can't wait to try a few of these recipes for myself.

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has a food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up over the weekend. 

Weekend Cooking: Party for Two

Perhaps it was our recent twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, or maybe the renewed efforts to resurrect date night, but the offer of a review copy of Party for Two by Bruce Cadle caught my eye. With two high school seniors and a third daughter away at college, my husband and I seem to be eating more dinners alone and this sounded like a cookbook that would be useful for preparing smaller, more intimate dinners.

I quickly discovered Party for Two is not just a basic cookbook. It also offers the author's recipe for a strong marriage. Bruce Cadle is a food writer, seminar speaker, and pastor. At the foundation of his own thirty-five year marriage, is an ongoing commitment to Friday date night. Bruce and his wife Valerie make cooking a special meal and spending time together a priority.

Part One of Party for Two features practical advice for couples interested in starting their own date night tradition. It begins with the whys and hows of logistics (especially helpful for those with young children), discusses basic pantry supplies, stresses preparation and planning, and ends with tips on plating and presentation.

Recipes take center stage in Part Two with sections devoted to:

• sauces, vinaigrettes & dressings
• appetizers
• salads
• entrees
• pizzas & paninis
• vegetables
• desserts

To give the book a more personal feel, most recipes begin with a story or anecdote. However, the lack of photographs proved to be a major drawback. Readers are directed to the website (datenightchef.com) for photos, videos, and tips, but I definitely prefer pictures in my cookbooks.

Our winter date nights often involve a favorite local restaurant, but as the weather gets warmer (and it's bound to soon) we'll be cooking and eating almost exclusively home. There is nothing better than a delicious meal outdoors by the lake. I can't wait to try the Grilled Brie, Japanese Radish Salad, Smoked Salmon Martini (pictured on the cover), and Chardonnay Chicken with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto.

Source:  review copy.

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone with a food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button, head over to Beth Fish Reads, and link up anytime over the weekend.

Table of Contents by Judy Gelman & Vicki Levy Krupp

 Most of us already know that good food is the perfect complement to a good book, and Judy Gellman and Vicky Levy Krupp have published a unique cookbook that offers us the best of both. Table of Contents features recipes drawn from the work of today's bestselling authors, along with intimate insights that help bring their books to life.

The fifty authors involved in the project were given  a series of prompts: inspiration, readers should know, readers frequently ask, authors who have influenced my writing, etc. Many also provide additional background on their chosen recipes. The book is arranged alphabetically by author, and features a chart with book/recipe pairings, along with a recipe index and general index.

From breakfast to dinner, and cocktails to dessert, a wide variety of recipes is included.  With Enzo's Pancakes from Garth Stein (The Art of Racing in the Rain) and Blue Sky Bakery's Chicken Garlic Dog Biscuits courtesy of Jill Ciment, even our canine companions will find something to love.  It was a pleasure learning more about authors I already "know" while perusing recipes from their books or lives.

Last year I enjoyed the audio version of The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper (my review). In Table of Contents, I read about Cooper's first attempt at hosting a dinner party in her one-bedroom Notting Hill flat. Her mother assisted in planning the 'Liberian' menu, and I chose to try her Shrimp Creole recipe on my family.

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SHRIMP CREOLE

1 pound raw large shrimp, shell on, deveined (see note)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (such as Lawry's)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion
1 green bell pepper
1 habanero chile
2 cups whole okra (can use frozen)
1 cup diced carrots (can use frozen)
1 cup water or chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas
white rice, for serving

1. Season shrimp with paprika, salt, seasoned salt, and pepper, and toss to coat shrimp evenly.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat, and saute shrimp on both sides until opaque, about 5 minutes.

3. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil, onion, bell pepper, and chile, and saute until softened , about 5 minutes.  Add okra, carrot, and water or broth.  Simmer, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.  Add peas, adjust seasoning, and simmer another 10 minutes.

4. Serve over white rice.

Note: You can buy fresh shrimp, or pick up frozen shrimp and thaw them.  We leave the shell on for cooking and serving shrimp because that helps retain the flavor.  It's peel and eat while on your plate, but I highly recommend first licking all the lovely Creole juice off the shrimp before peeling it.

Wear plastic or rubber gloves while handling the chiles to protect your skin from the oil in them. Avoid direct contact with your eyes and wash your hands thoroughly after handling.
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Last summer, as a variation on our annual pot-luck dinner, my book club read A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg and each of us prepared a recipe from the book. The meeting was a huge success (read about it here) and we have decided to follow that format again this summer.  Table of Contents will definitely be one of the books up for consideration.

I received a review copy of Table of Contents from the authors.

Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone with a food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button, head over to Beth Fish Reads, and link up anytime over the weekend.