Book Review: Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook

Saturday 20 November, 2010 By 4 Comments


Title: Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook: Breakfast, Brunch & Beyond from New York’s Favorite Neighborhood Restaurant
Author: DeDe Lahman and Neil Kleinberg
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: November 8, 2010
Hardcover: 224 pages
ISBN: 978-0316083379
Genre: Cooking

From the Publisher:

The Clinton St. Baking Company is one of the hottest brunch spots in a city obsessed with brunch. A tiny thirty-two-seat eatery on Manhattan’s trendy Lower East Side, the restaurant draws long lines of customers who come from far and wide to sample fresh-baked goods, hearty omelets, sugar-cured bacon, and light-as-air pancakes with maple butter.

In the Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook, owners DeDe Lahman and Neil Kleinberg share more than 100 treasured recipes that have made their restaurant a sensation. Learn the secret to their house-made buttermilk biscuits and tomato jam, irresistible muffins and scones, delicious soups and sandwiches, and their decadent, eye-catching desserts. Helpful techniques, like Neil’s
patented omelet “flip and tuck,” and gorgeous color photographs throughout will have readers cooking like pros in no time, and sharing the delicious results.

My Review:

People from all over the world visit and eat at the Clinton St. Baking Company, a small restaurant which seats 32 patrons at a time, and DeDe Lahman and Neil Kleinberg share their story, their success and Neil’s signature recipes in the Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook: Breakfast, Brunch & Beyond. They open by telling how the two met and finally how they decided to open the Clinton St. Baking Company. Their goals were simple: to provide the best food with the finest ingredients available. I can honestly say this is the first cookbook I have looked at where there is not one thing I would not eat, it is simply that good. Neil introduces the sections with tips, suggestions, and a story or two and proceeds with not only the recipe accompanied by beautifully photographed food, but also tips and hints to making and preparing each dish. I am very pleased Neil did choose to make muffins and scones as he has perfected Crumb Muffins (the cherry are my favourite) and Neil’s Chocolate Chunk Scones are divine. I have not been brave enough to try Neil’s omelet recipes, however, he does provide exquisite instructions, pictures included, on how to construct the perfect omelet. While I am about ten hours away from their restaurant, I can at least experience a bit of their food in my home. If you only choose to own one breakfast/brunch cookbook, make it the Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook. I personally plan to give a few of these as gifts this holiday season.

I received a complimentary copy of Clinton St. Baking Company by DeDe Lahman and Neil Kleinberg from Hachette to review. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.

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Book Review: James Beard’s American Cookery

Saturday 13 November, 2010 By 3 Comments


Title: James Beard’s American Cookery
Author: James Beard
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; Reprint edition
Publication Date: October 25, 2010
Hardcover: 896 pages
ISBN: 978-0316098687
Genre: Cooking

From the Publisher:

James Beard was the “dean of American cookery” (New York Times), and he put practically everything he learned about cooking into this single magnificent–now classic–cookbook. JAMES BEARD’S AMERICAN COOKERY includes more than fifteen hundred of his favorite and most successful recipes, as well as advice on dozens of cooking questions, from choosing meats and vegetables to preserving fruit and making real cheeseburgers. A celebration of the roots of cooking in the American style, this repackaged edition features the original text and color illustrations, and a new foreword by Tom Colicchio.

My Review:

James Beard’s American Cookery is a tome of a cookbook just shy of 900 pages filled with recipes, a fabulous reading selection, and reference and index. This book truly impressed me which takes quite a bit as I am a disaster in the kitchen and would be hard pressed to name more than three famous chefs. As an avid reader, and I realize one does not usually look to cookbooks to be read, I found James Beard’s American Cookery to have a fabulous selection of historical stories regarding American cuisine. American Cookery is a beautiful cookbook as well as informative and filled with every type of American recipe anyone could ever want. Each section begins with the history of the particular food, such as the tradition of cheese, the differences in salads, and when the meat sections come up one learns so very much before ever getting to the recipes. I cannot imagine needing another cookbook than James Beard’s American Cookery. If you enjoy cooking, are just learning, or know someone who truly enjoys cooking, James Beard’s American Cookery is the cookbook to buy.

About the Author:

Until his death in 1985, James Beard was the nation’s most acclaimed chef and food writer. The founder and director of the celebrated cooking classes in New York that still bear his name, Beard wrote James Beard’s New Fish Cookery, The James Beard Cookbook, Menus for Entertaining, Beard on Bread, Beard on Food, and other works on the gastronomic arts.

I received a complimentary copy of American Cookery by James Beard from Hachette to review. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.

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Book Review: 5 Ingredient Fix by Claire Robinson

Saturday 23 October, 2010 By 5 Comments


Title: 5 Ingredient Fix: Easy, Elegant, and Irresistible Recipes
Author: Claire Robinson
Publisher: Grand Central Life & Style
Publication Date: October 6, 2010
Hardcover: 240 pages
ISBN: 978-0446572095
Genre: Cooking

From the Publisher:

Claire Robinson, the hot new Food Network star of 5 Ingredient Fix and Food Network Challenge, helps people get dinner on the table with little fuss and a few great ingredients. The quest for simple, affordable, and fresh, mouthwatering food is over. 5 INGREDIENT FIX helps put delicious and sophisticated meals on the table in a snap. With people struggling to simplify, streamline, and budget, the Food Network’s Claire Robinson is here to help. Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated to be impressive; simplifying the process with fewer ingredients saves time, frustration, and ultimately, money.

My Review:

5 Ingredient Fix: Easy Elegant and Irresistible Recipes by Claire Robinson is a well laid out cookbook with impressive pictures of both the food and the chef, an easy to navigate index and a selection of menus. The recipes stayed primarily around 5 ingredients, some did have a few more, and the directions appeared relatively straightforward. I definitely agree the recipes are elegant, but would beg to question easy and irresistible. Robinson’s cookbook is probably not for the beginner cook nor one for picky eaters as her cookbook contains a wide range of foods, for example; Zucchini-Tinis (page 54), Sake and Lemongrass Steamed Sea Bass (page 117), Fig and Blue Cheese Tart (page 144) not typical family fare in my household. Robinson’s 5 Ingredient Fix appears to me to be more of an entertainment cookbook and as such it is wonderfully done. If it is meant to be used nightly in a family home, I do not think it would be as great a success, at least not in this home. If one were looking for elegant, quick, and inexpensive ideas for entertaining I would recommend 5 Ingredient Fix: Easy Elegant and Irresistible Recipes.

About the Author:

Claire Robinson is the host of Food Network’s 5 Ingredient Fix and the daily primetime series Food Network Challenge. Claire cites her French-speaking grandmother as a major influence on her love for food. Claire graduated from the French Culinary Institute, is an accomplished private chef, and has produced several cooking series, including Food Network’s Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello.

I received a complimentary copy of 5 Ingredient Fix by Claire Robinson from Hachette. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.

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Book Review: The I Hate To Cook Book by Peg Bracken

Sunday 4 July, 2010 By 6 Comments

Title: The I Hate to Cook Book: 50th Anniversary Edition
Author: Peg Bracken
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; Anv edition
Publication Date: July 26, 2010
Paperback: 224 pages
ISBN: 978-0446545921
Genre: Cooking

From the Publisher:

“There are two kinds of people in this world: the ones who don’t cook out of and have NEVER cooked out of THE I HATE TO COOK BOOK, and the other kind…The I HATE TO COOK people consist mainly of those who find other things more interesting and less fattening, and so they do it as seldom as possible. Today there is an Annual Culinary Olympics, with hundreds of cooks from many countries ardently competing. But we who hate to cook have had our own Olympics for years, seeing who can get out of the kitchen the fastest and stay out the longest.”

- Peg Bracken

Philosopher’s Chowder. Skinny Meatloaf. Fat Man’s Shrimp. Immediate Fudge Cake. These are just a few of the beloved recipes from Peg Bracken’s classic I HATE TO COOK BOOK. Written in a time when women were expected to have full, delicious meals on the table for their families every night, Peg Bracken offered women who didn’t revel in this obligation an alternative: quick, simple meals that took minimal effort but would still satisfy.

50 years later, times have certainly changed – but the appeal of THE I HATE TO COOK BOOK hasn’t.

This book is for everyone, men and women alike, who wants to get from cooking hour to cocktail hour in as little time as possible.

My Review:

On July 26, 2010, the 50th Anniversary edition of Peg Bracken’s classic, The I Hate To Cook Book will be released. Bracken’s book would have made for a brilliant wedding gift for me twenty years ago, yet is one I am thrilled to own and will be using on a daily basis from now on. Let me be upfront, I am an extremely lazy cook, which is to say I avoid it at all costs much to the delight of the takeaway places near me. When I heard the title I just knew I had to give the book a try and I am pleased I did as not only is this book useful and helpful, Bracken’s wit is written into each recipe, making them fun to read. The I Hate To Cook Book is exactly what I have been looking for, not only does Bracken provide simple meals to prepare, she has a nutritious menu planned out, perfect for lazy cooks such as myself. This book would also be superb for anyone moving out on their own, newly married, or too busy to spend hours in a kitchen each day. The recipes are clear, concise, with ingredients easy to find locally and without breaking one’s budget. So far my family has enjoyed everything we have tried. My personal favourite, beside the entire dessert section is her Hashkabobs recipe (page 40). I also enjoy Bracken’s helpful and witty household tips. I definitely will be using this book for years to come and to give as gifts. I recommend everyone who wants simple, fast, nutritious and enjoyable meals to take a look at The I Hate To Cook Book.

I received a complimentary copy of The I Hate To Cook Book by Peg Braken from Hachette. Receiving a copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.

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Holiday Cooking Simplified by Mary Ann Esposito: Guest Author Post

Thursday 10 December, 2009 By 3 Comments

Holiday Cooking, Simplified
By Mary Ann Esposito,
Author of Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites: Quick and Delicious Recipes from an Italian Kitchen

Not to appear to be a Scrooge, but the holidays are coming faster than the next app for the iPhone and for many, the nemesis of the holidays is simply procrastination. There is just so much to juggle to make the merriest time of the year . . . merry. Gifts to buy and wrap, cards to write or email, cocktail parties to attend, trees to buy and decorate, cookies to bake, and . . . and . . . and.

But that’s just the icicle on the tree; what about the big feast? This is where a lot of people have their greatest stress for the holidays; there is just no time to cook. But wait a minute. I have a plan for you; think of it as a personal gift — below are four tips on how to simplify your holiday feast.

1. Take Survey of The Pantry: One of the first things I do, right after Thanksgiving, is take survey of the staples in my pantry and make a list of things to stock up on now for the holidays. You can lay in healthy snacks like dried fruits, drinks, wines, nuts, flour and sugar for cooking, and all the other dry staples you need.

2. Decide on a Menu: Next, I make a menu by deciding now if I want to do an easy buffet of hot and cold foods that everyone can help themselves to or do I want a sit down meal that will be served. Make a decision and then make a plan on the food items to be cooked, and keep it simple.

3. Involve Your Family and Guests in Preparations: Maybe it’s time for new traditions like inviting your guests to participate in the preparation by bringing a neighborly dish to share. You might ask for sides, salads and desserts while you provide the main course like a baked ham studded with cloves and surrounded with sautéed apple rings. So doable, and the ham and apples will require minimum effort on your part.

4. Keep Things Simple: If that has no appeal, consider going the route of doing a number of make-ahead casseroles that can be prepared now and frozen, or made several days before and held in the refrigerator. Casseroles have the advantage of serving a lot of people inexpensively. Tried and true items like lasagna, shephard’s pie and chicken tetrazzini are perfect foods to serve. Add a couple of interesting salads, platters of fresh fruit and cheese and a little bubbly, and you have a party!

Just recently my latest book, Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites, hit the bookstores and the premise of less is more is perfect for the holidays as well as any day of the week. I show you how with only five ingredients you can turn out some pretty nifty gourmet looking dishes without worrying if the stock market is going to crash. For instance, how about serving a sausage and lentil soup from the book and make it in a crock pot. Use the crock pot as your serving piece and let everyone ladle out their own. Or make the pork roast in Barolo wine in a slow cooker. The best part is that these recipes, and more like them in the book, can be made ahead, refrigerated and reheated. They will taste even better.

So simplify the holidays by starting early to make a plan, stock your pantry, decide on a menu, involve your family and guests in the preparations and above all, keep things simple. After all, this is meant to be the merriest time of the year and even Scrooge finally saw the bigger picture of what “merry” really means.

©2009 Mary Ann Esposito, author of Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites: Quick and Delicious Recipes from an Italian Kitchen

Author Bio

Mary Ann Esposito, author of Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites: Quick and Delicious Recipes from an Italian Kitchen, is the creator and host of the long-running PBS series Ciao Italia, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2010. She is the author of eleven successful cookbooks, including Ciao Italia Slow and Easy and Ciao Italia Pronto! She lives in Durham, New Hampshire.

For more information, please visit.

My gratitude to FSB Associates for providing me and my readers with this wonderful piece written by Mary Ann Esposito.

My Review of the cookbook can be found here.

Photobucket

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Today Is the Dreaded Baking Day

Saturday 20 December, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Today is the family baking day. It should be filled with fun, laughter, and good memories. Yet our baking days historically do not usually end up that way. Trying to be optimistic I am hoping this year’s baking day goes much more smoothly than last year. Time will tell.

For the moment, before the flour starts flying, my friend Deb is hosting a cookie exchange, so here is my cookie recipe:


Candy Cane Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring OR 3/4 teaspoon peppermint flavoring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy
1/2 cup white sugar

Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix butter sugar, egg, and flavorings thoroughly. Add flour and salt, Mix well. Shape dough into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap; chill for at least 2 hours or until easy to handle. Roll into 4 inch strips; place on baking sheet. Curve top down to form handle or cane. Bake 9 minutes. While still warm, remove from pan and sprinkle with candy and sugar mixture.

Dough may be divided in half and colored with 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring if desired. Roll each color into strips, place side by side, press together lightly and twist like a rope.

I will update how our family baking day goes later today, however it is not looking good.

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A Real Recipe, I Know, It Is Unlike Me

Thursday 4 December, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Ask anyone who has known me for even a brief period of time and they will tell you I do not like to bake. Christmas time is really no exception. However, as a mom, I do give in and make cookies with the boys. A few years back we made a Yule Log and that experience has left me rather hesitant to step out of the world of sugar cookies.

What is even more rare is for me to actually post a recipe. I usually intend to, then I forget. This year we are having company for Christmas. My In-Laws will be here. We have not had Christmas with relatives in 15 years, so I guess I shall need to bake.

The following recipe is quick and easy (of course it is easy, I hate baking) and taste delicious, however the appearance is not as pretty as frosted cookies. My DH loves these and fondly refers to them as “barf in a cup”. Yes, I know, he is still a kid at heart, ignore him. BTW, this is his mother’s recipe. :)

Candy Cookies
makes 100
(no idea of the calorie count as homemade sweets are healthy and should be consumed in large quantities)

Buy the itty bitty paper cups in the baking isle (like mini Reese’s Peanut Butter cups are in) Not that I eat sugary things. ;)

40 Graham Crackers rolled fine (we smash them in a Zip-lock bag)
1/2 Cup melted butter
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Half and Half
12 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips
1 1/2 Cups Chopped Pecans (I prefer to buy them chopped, but I am lazy)

Mix everything together and fill the paper cups 3/4 full.

Bake at 375* for 10 minutes on cookie sheet.

My MIL says these freeze very well. They never last long enough here to freeze.

Visit Mommay’s Mayhem Virtual Cookie Exchange for more wonderful cookie recipes!

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