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Your FAV new cookbook so far this year?

chubbyalaskagriz

chubbyalaskagriz

New member
My FAV selection so far from this year would have to be Jacques Pepin's "Chez Jacques".

This is a beefy, handsome volume chock full of recipes that make you want to get your apron on!

It's a huge, weighty book that's perfect not only in the kitchen, but also in the easy chair at the front room window, or on the pillow at bedtime.

It contains Jacque's memories, recipes, & menus but also lavish food styling & photography- including many lovely watercolors created at Jacques very own easel! Who knew he was not only chef but also painter?

This cookbook is inspiring and will bring out the creator in anyone- no matter what your preferred medium!
 
Hey thanks for the tip, I absolutley adore watercolor, and am a self-taught watercolorist myself! I will be "for sure - without a doubt" getting this one you have just recommended! Thank you so much for sharing!

By the way Kevin if you like watercolor and cookbooks, check this out:
Amazon.com: Basket Of Berries, A: Val Archer: Books

I even put in my 2 cents worth and did a customer review on it, I have not only her "Basket of Berries", but also another book she did called "Basket of Apples" unfortunatley it is no longer in print and is unavailable for purchase, I just really lucked out and got both.
 
Plus I forget TO MENTION my favorite new cookbook is...........
"Flavors of Morocco delicious recipes from North Africa" by: Ghillie Basan. Oh my goodness I am in LLLoooovvvveeee with Moroccan food how I went 51 yrs without ever having it I do not know but Thank God I finally discovered it, with the help of my forum buddies (KYH most notably talked alot about it) and I NEVER KNEW WHAT I WAS MISSING!!!

Over all it is now at this moment my favorite! I am sure that it will reamin a favorite, but I will probably fall in love with more to come!
 
Any other time that would be a hard one. But this time around it's a no-brainer: Where Flavor Was Born, by Andreas Viestad.

I don't remember if I've talked it up much over here. I know I did at the other site, before we all left. Technically published in 2007, it didn't come out until December. Far as I'm concerned that makes it one of this year's books.

It's part travelogue, part culinary history, part introduction to the cuisines of the Indian Ocean, part a primer on spices and their role in world events. All written by a chef and cookbook writer who brings the style and panache of a novelist to his passion for the region and its food.

Here, for instance, in one of my favorite passages, he's describing Stone Town, in Zanzibar:

"And it is all about secrets and semi-secrets, about what is hidden and what lies in the open, about lies that serve noble causes and truths that can hurt. There are rumors and gossip, more so than other places, one should think.... In the space between truths and lies, between what is public and what is secret, everything happens."

That quality writing is not unusual in the book. And the recipes are something else again. I've tried more than half a dozen of them, so far, and haven't had a bad one yet.
 
You just remined me KYH, I have just got to get that one too, it sounds fabulous!!!
Thanks for the little memory jog!

Plus I am just curious how long has it been since you discovered Moroccan cooking? I must have been WAY out of the loop for years, or is this a new and sudden phenomenon?

Cathy
 
First off, way-cool, Cathyl! This little book does indeed sound like a true treasure-find! And at only THREE CENTS per USED copy from Amazon, Amazon.com: Basket Of Berries, A: Val Archer: Books I plan to do as you mention in your review (great review, by the way!) and purchase TWO copies so that I may clip and frame pages of her little watercolors from one of the copies... (I have a ton of various-sized no-longer-used-frames... might be a great way to make some inexpensive gifts/stocking-stuffers... unless I decide to keep them all for myself!).

I love berries of all kinds. In Alaska wildberry picking is an art-form and just about every berry imaginable from low bush cranberries to blueberries and salmonberries grows up there. One of my fav Alaskan artists is Barbara Lavallee and she has several berry-picking themed prints that are colorful and charming.

Two other berry cookbooks I highly recommend: 1.) Lee Bailey's "Berries" and 2.) Linda Danneberg's "True Blueberry". Lee's book is tiny & cute & chock-full of pics and fun ideas... Linda's is larger, kind of a slim Ina-type book in size & style, loaded with fantastic photos.

Also- here's a surprise for you! Amazon currently has USED copies of the out-of-print "Basket of Apples" starting at just THIRTEEN CENTS a hardcover copy! Amazon.com: Basket Of Apples, A: Val Archer: Books
 
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Khrist, you guys! Hanging out w/ you all sure ain't gonna help my budget at all! Already I've got a list of new "must have" cookbooks! Darnit!

KYH, I do indeed recall you singing the praises of "Where Flavor Was Born" by Andreas Viestad over at EPI. I see the $40.00 book is now available at Amazon USED at $14.00! Also, his "Kitchen of Light: New Scandinavian Cooking" is a wonderful find too- great food-writing, lovely photos. One of my FAVS from 4-5 years back. Available USED at Amazon for like 7 bucks, or something ridiculous...

Amazon.com: Kitchen of Light: The New Scandinavian Cooking: Andreas Viestad, Mette Randem: Books
 
I hope Nan sees your post, Chubby. She told me she was going to order it to take aboard ship (she usually takes one new cookbook on a voyage). Seven bucks sure beats 40 any day of the week. But I don't understand those used copies. This is one book I'll never give up.

Let me now put in a plug from the shameless commerce division. Anybody ordering books (or anything else) from Amazon should first go over to the ChefTalk site (ChefTalk - Cooking Forums, Cook Book Review, Cooking Articles and Recipes by the chefs), open the forums, and use the direct link to Amazon from there. By doing so, ChefTalk earns a few pennies, and I get paid for being the reviews editor. A good deal for everyone!

Cathy, I've always had a casual interest in North Africa, as an outgrowth of my interest in Mid-Eastern and Turkish cooking (and, especially, the Turkish culinary influence on the whole region). It's only been the past two or three years that I've had a passion for Morrocan, though.

But you know what they say: Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.
 
Another Winner

A more recent book that I really like is Spain and the World Table, published by the Culinary Institute of America as an outgrowth of last years annual Worlds of Flavor International Conference & Festival---perhaps the most important professional event in the world. Last year's conference featured the foods, cuisines, and creative chefs of Spain.

I like everything about the book, from the tone of the text, to the historical notes, to the recipes, to the discussions about Spanish foods. And, of particular interest to Chubby, the photos are nothing short of incredible. Large, colorful, and doing justice to the food instead of highlighting the stylish.

And what food it is, ranging from classic dishes to the latest innovation from the "scientific" kitchen. Need some examples? In the chapter on Tapas alone we find classics like Tortilla Espanole, to Manchego Croquettes with Quince Sauce, to Mission figs stuffed with Spanish Blue Cheese, to Serrano Ham Cones with Migas and Quail Eggs. And lots more as well.

I heartily recommend this one.
 
Kevin I am so thankful you let me know about "Basket of Apples" I am def. going to get myself 1 more of each cookbook, I have not had the heart to cut mine up, even for the sake of good Art:eek: And thanks for the compliment on the review, just couldn't rave enough about it! I am going to get my own copies of the other two you've suggested.

KYH I must echo Kevin since hanging out with all you guys I am like in spend mode, "gotta have this, gotta have that" why heck at the rate I'm going I'll have it all by this time next year:D And I will be more than happy to place my order via the other site, and will gladly do so! And I am glad you mentioned the "Spain and the World Table" book as I was feeling drawn to it and well, now I know it'd be a great pruchase!

Kevin I know you'll love the "Baskets" cookbooks, I have this habit of sending everyone I love my books so they can see them first hand, and to date have been very fortunate in seeing all but one returned. My "basket" cookbooks have gone as far North as Vermont! I love the internet, as it helps me share without having to mail my own off. Have you ever heard of a book authored by Fannie Flagg called "A Redbird Christmas"? It was a copy I bought and she autographed, (on one of her book signings), that is the only one that never came back to me yet, but the reason I mention it is because she even put recipes in the back of the book, the story is such a heart warming tale and for me it was special because I lived very near the little community that was her inspiration for the story (Magnolia Springs, AL) I highly recommend the story if you ever get the time to get in a read! But I found it to be really unique in that she included recipes for some of the dishes in her story.

This has got to be my favorite topic today!!! Cookbooks YEAH!!!
 
It's amazing, when you think about it, how many authors seem to be obsessed with food, and work it in to their tales.

I've been researching food as it relates to detective stories, for instance, for an eventual book to be called The Gumshoe Gourmet. No matter how hard-boiled the main character, no matter how fast the action, there's always time to stop for lunch. Even Sherlock Holmes did it.

The ultimate in this, of course, was Nero Wolf, who only worked at all to support his three passions (food, orchids, and books). Rex Stout, the author of the series, went so far as to actually publishe The Nero Wolf Cookbook.

More recently there are several series going in which the protagonists are cooks, caterers, or the proprietors of gourmet food stores. And, in one case, she's the food writer for a major newspaper.
 
I have been meaning to ask you how that book is going, it sounds mighty interesting. And you are absolutely correct in that almost every book you read the detailed info is there about what that particular character is dining on! Gotta love it!
 
Did you all see the Johnny Depp movie...

a few years back "Chocolat"? The author of that book is Joanne Harris and she also wrote "Five Quarters of the Orange" which is a tale of the unique saga of a European mother w/ any number of angry & bitter dysfunctions, many of which stem from her WW2 childhood. The tale is busting apart w/ cooking & food- also mystery, intrigue, murder, betryal, lost love, long-unanswered questions, etc. I highly recommend it for folks who enjoy stories that include kitchen happenings very much in the style of Laura Esquivel's "Like Water For Chocolat".

Another fantastic food read that links cuisine & eros is Isabel Allende's "Aphrodite".
 
Could it be that so many novelists fit the "starving artist" image, that their food obsession just spills over into their work?
 
Thank you CAG for all the great suggestions, I love a good read---when I get the time, which is not often unfortunatley! But that is why I love good cookbooks they are many times perfect and just what we need to get a good quick read in!

Yes KYH..."starving artists": probably you hit the nail on the head with that one! My favorite dream is to live in Key West and just hang out at Sunset Pier and paint for a living selling all my works to the tourists.............aaahhhh. Probably why I wound up raising my grand - it keeps me grounded in reality, and a more favorable lifestyle to my likings! haha But hey as we all know it never hurts to dream a little!!!
 
I got my Where Flavor was Born

KYHeirloomer said:
I hope Nan sees your post, Chubby. She told me she was going to order it to take aboard ship (she usually takes one new cookbook on a voyage). Seven bucks sure beats 40 any day of the week. But I don't understand those used copies. This is one book I'll never give up.


from Amazon, used for $14 and change. Might be here tomorrow!!!!!!

Nan
Click to expand...
 
Still beats paying 40 bucks, wouldn't you say.

Let us know how you like it.
 
Nice, Nan... ENJOY! I'm itchin' to get a copy too! Gotta get my order in before the USED ones all go bye-bye!

KYH- I can't tell ya how many "USED" books I've gotten from both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Probably well over 50. And I tell ya- I've never received one that didn't look pretty pristine. The most unfavorable condition I have EVER received one in was a black marker "Water-Mark" on the Edge of the pages, opposite the spine. My hunch is that books that sit for a certain period on store shelves without selling eventually go to some "USED" warehouse where they're then offered for next to nothing. Although one would think thay'd have to take up shelf space for YEARS to be termed unsellable, but I've gotten some that were only a year or so old. I just got Martha Stewart's 12-18 month old, jumbo, lavish "Wedding Cakes" volume- a book I'd wanted since the day it came out, but I remained disciplined and forced myself to wait. Got the $60.00 book for only $19.80, but now I see they're offering USED copies for only $30.00, so I got LUCKY! (For anyone interested, this book is now available as one of the ONE DOLLAR BOOKS you can get as one of your 4 introductory volumes for starting-up a new membership at "The Good Cook"! (If I'd only waited a couple weeks longer!)
Items Ordered Price
1 of: Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes [Hardcover] by Stewart, Martha; Kromer, Wendy [Hardcover]
By: Martha Stewart (Author), Wendy Kromer (Author)
Sold by: texasabilene (seller profile)
$19.80

- 1 item(s) Gift options: None

Amazon.com: Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes: Martha Stewart, Wendy Kromer: Books
 
I have been enjoying The Ultimate Chinese & Asian Cookbook a friend got for me as a thank you for fixing his computer. Everything I have tried from it has been yummy. Lots of great pics and clear easy to follow instructions.
 
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