Although my feelings about Ruth Reichl's books have been somewhat mixed since her first memoir, Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table, I will saAlthough my feelings about Ruth Reichl's books have been somewhat mixed since her first memoir, Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table, I will say that this book actually had a lot to recommend it. It's kind of halfway between a cookbook and a memoir, with some touching sections about Ruth's emotional struggles after the abrupt termination of "Gourmet" Magazine and her editorship and how cooking, and eventually turning her cooking experiences into this cookbook, comforted her. Ruth writes poignantly as well as sensuously about the experience of cooking, to the point where some poetic lines would come back to me as I shopped and cooked for my far more mundane meals and actually made me appreciate how mindful this process can be. Additionally, the photographs were absolutely gorgeous and enhanced the overall effect of the book.
Why only three stars, then? Once again, I'm being entirely subjective. As a kosher cook of family-friendly meals who really can't devote my days to finding and using exotic ingredients, most of the recipes (appealing though they sounded) were truly impractical for my lifestyle. Also, this may simply be my anal nature but I get annoyed with cookbooks that are organized thematically rather than practically -- I just want to know where to look when I want to choose a soup, a side dish, etc. So this book was a bit schizophrenic in that it wasn't really a memoir -- the memoir pieces were relatively brief and broken up regularly by recipes -- and it also wouldn't work for me as a cookbook, given the incompatibility of the recipes with my realities.
Still, though, the process of leafing through this was actually quite enjoyable for me and, while I wouldn't purchase it for myself, I could see it making a nice gift for someone who's a devoted gourmet cook or foodie as well as a reader....more
Sorry guys -- yet another curmudgeonly review. I just couldn't stay interested in this story. Ruth Reichl is a seasoned writer, but definitely not a nSorry guys -- yet another curmudgeonly review. I just couldn't stay interested in this story. Ruth Reichl is a seasoned writer, but definitely not a novelist.
Somewhere on the TV tropes website where it lists all the various subcategories of Mary Sues, there's probably a name for that wish fulfillment main character who's awkward and self-doubting but instantly loved by all who meet her (despite the absence of any notable personality), and needs only to take off her glasses and change her hairstyle/wardrobe to go from ugly duckling to beautiful swan. That was this main character, Billie (a.k.a. Wilhemina) Breslin.
As if we weren't already solidly in the land of cliches, Billie has a Unique Gift as well as a Secret Trauma which challenges her ability to use this gift. The Unique Gift is a palate which allows her to correctly identify all kinds of obscure ingredients as well as advise cooks on how to make their foods even more perfect. But because of the Secret Trauma, Billie simply can't bring herself to cook.
We first learn this when Billie, having dropped out of school, applies for a job at a gourmet magazine. Um, interesting choice for someone who's thrown into trepidation at the thought of cooking. Billie is desperate for the job and just dying to write, but panics when asked to cook as part of her interview process. Well, naturally Billie's creation just wows the entire jaded magazine staff despite her panic. Still, we're reminded repeatedly that Billie is afraid to cook and continually refusing to tell any of her earnestly supportive friends the reason for this. I stopped feeling any kind of tension about the secret pretty early on and chose to read some spoiler-containing goodreads reviews to see what the heck this was already, and let me tell you, I would have had to strain my already suspended disbelief to the breaking point to buy this traumatic experience as one that would result in fear of doing any and all cooking.
Other issues: the magazine Billie works at has a guarantee that if one of their recipes doesn't come out well when followed as directed, they'll refund you the cost of your ingredients. Part of Billie's job is to field calls from these disgruntled cooks, who invariably have failed to follow the recipe's directions in some glaringly obvious way. These callers tend to be old ladies who are clearly meant to charm the reader with their cuteness; I just kept rolling my eyes. And finally, although I love to cook and do have a certain amount of food geekiness to me, it seems I don't actually care that much about food. Certainly not nearly as much as Ruth Reichl does, or her characters. The food raptures, well-written though they were, quickly got boring.
It's pretty clear that romance is in store for Billie (how could it not be? Is there a cliche we've left out?), but I decided to just give up. You know it's bad when you're driving to work and would rather jump around among mediocre radio half-songs than keep listening to your book....more
Huh. Somehow I always expect to enjoy culinary memoirs more than I do.
I mean yeah, this book was kind of interesting. Von Bremzen seamlessly flits arHuh. Somehow I always expect to enjoy culinary memoirs more than I do.
I mean yeah, this book was kind of interesting. Von Bremzen seamlessly flits around between history of the Soviet Union from 1917 on, her own family's experiences under the various regimes, and description of various Soviet foods that reflect the times. Von Bremzen includes several interesting-looking recipes at the end, although I agree with reviewers who felt these recipes would have been better placed throughout the book.
Von Bremzen is a good writer with subtly caustic tongue-in-cheek humor that occasionally sneaks up and takes you by surprise. I found many of the history and personal memoir sections interesting, and her writing about the food fit nicely as opposed to being tacked on. I felt she did a good job of using food as a lens through which to view the Soviet experience.
Unfortunately, though, I found my interest waning as the book progressed. Some of the later chapters felt disjointed and stream-of-consciousness, and I wasn't sure what she was trying to portray exactly. In truth I was also rushing to finish the book so I could give it back to the library, but I still think it could have been a more enjoyable experience than it was.
I'll give her three stars -- it's a nice idea, mostly well done. My feelings overall remain in the lukewarm range though....more
Yes, I'm reviewing another cookbook. But I didn't buy this one. I actually won it in a cookbook giveaway, of all things. Can you imagine? I never win Yes, I'm reviewing another cookbook. But I didn't buy this one. I actually won it in a cookbook giveaway, of all things. Can you imagine? I never win anything!
Of course, I was very excited about this and tempted to give the cookbook a higher rating just to reflect that. But integrity won out, and I can really only give it three stars. Here's why.
First of all, although organizing the recipes by themes rather than courses is arguably cute and original (romantic dishes, kid-friendly food, food for barbecues, etc.), it's really not as useful for me. I don't usually open a cookbook thinking, hmm, let me see if I can find something romantic. I'm far more likely to open a cookbook thinking, let's see if I can find an appetizer or dessert that I haven't already cooked ten times. A quest like that would require me to look through each section of this book individually or thumb through the long index, a far less efficient way of finding what I'm looking for than simply having a section devoted to my specific need.
Second, wow, does this woman ever like salt. I thought I was bad, but she heaps it on by the tablespoon. It got to the point where I wondered whether she had made some consistent typos of substituting tablespoon for teaspoon when it came to writing the amount of salt. Sometimes I added the amount of salt in the recipe and found myself gasping and looking for ways to water things down. Other times I was smart enough to reduce the salt and still felt it might be a bit too much.
Finally, although many of the recipe were for dishes I've enjoyed in Israeli restaurants and was excited to prepare at home (kibbeh soup, turkey patties with okra, etc.), I was unpleasantly surprised by how labor-intensive many of them were. I don't know if Einat's love for cooking completely outstrips mine (which is entirely possible), or if as the owner of several restaurants she's used to having a team of sous-chefs and has forgotten what it's like when you have to chop all those vegetables yourself. The food was decent for the most part (as long as I managed to successfully adjust the amount of salt), but I think I know now why I've seen those dishes more often on restaurant tables than at the homes of my Israeli friends. Ironically, Einat claims that most of the dishes in the books are for home cooks rather than restaurant style. Although the results are homey and unpretentious, the amount of hands-on time was really more than I want to spend preparing dinner.
I'll still give the book three stars because the recipes did come out okay for the most part, if a little anticlimactic after the labor I invested. But unfortunately I don't think it's going to turn into one of my go-to cookbooks....more
I'm someone who has way too many cookbooks; it's a bit of an addiction for me which makes me feel a bit embarrassed when I review them. With that saidI'm someone who has way too many cookbooks; it's a bit of an addiction for me which makes me feel a bit embarrassed when I review them. With that said, my household chores can be pretty monotonous and having a new cookbook every once in a while is a way for me to change it up. I end up donating some of my lesser-used cookbooks to the library after a while so my collection doesn't get unmanageable. So I may be profligate, but at least my bad habits end up benefiting others.
Now that I've apologized, I'll say that reviewing this cookbook is a bit more embarrassing because it makes me feel like a groupie. In addition to the recipes, there are many inserts of what I might describe as beautifully photo-illustrated blog posts by the author about her day-to-day experiences with her family. I could sort of take or leave these inserts; some will find them charming, others may feel like they're a little silly and beside the point. For me, it's really about the recipes.
In any case, although I felt guilty buying this for myself as a gift (even though I made sure to donate two old cookbooks to the library and got a good price on Amazon -- just so you know!), I ended up feeling happy I did. Jamie has definitely evolved as a cook since her first two cookbooks, which relied heavily on convenience ingredients and processed foods. These recipes, in contrast, feel more like cooking from scratch but as advertised, are non-fussy recipes designed to "get you out of the kitchen" which is a goal I can get behind. It felt great to prepare an entire Shabbos (two multi-course meals prepared in advance) from this book and feel like each recipe took about five minutes of hands-on prep, and then I could move on. Most of the food actually tasted pretty good, too.
Another thing I liked about this cookbook was that each recipe had a "Dress it up/dress it down" option and most had suggestions to "make it a meal." Surprisingly, this feature ended up being a major selling point for me. It was actually nice to be able to choose between fancier and simpler versions of each recipe (I usually went with the simpler versions, which were still pretty good). It was also nice to have the guesswork taken out of menu planning; although I sometimes see it as a creative challenge, more often I get tired of trying to think of which side dishes to pair with which main dishes and Jamie's ideas for rounding out meals were nicely simple and doable.
When I reviewed Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us, I paraphrased a movie quote to describe food options: "cheap, fast, tasty, healthy -- pick two." The recipes in this cookbook tend to be fast, and are mostly pretty tasty. They're not necessarily cheap or healthy, though, which is something to keep in mind if those qualities are important to you.
Overall, I'm happy I bought the cookbook (and, as the old Frusen Gladje commercial used to say, enjoying the guilt). I don't think it's one of the ones that I'll end up donating to the library in a few years, although you never know....more
So here's a paradox -- can a book teach you how to cook without using a book?
I enjoy cooking and love trying out new recipes. Sometimes I'll even imprSo here's a paradox -- can a book teach you how to cook without using a book?
I enjoy cooking and love trying out new recipes. Sometimes I'll even improvise on an existing recipe, adding or substituting here and there, and feel creative as I do it. But I've never had the confidence to be completely spontaneous in my cooking. I've always wanted to be one of those people who can go through the pantry or fridge and invent something on the spot, and actually have it taste good. I've watched other people assemble wonderful dishes without cookbooks, making it look so easy. That's never been me.
In this memoir, Kathleen Flinn, a Cordon Bleu graduate unsure of how to use her newfound knowledge and skills (does she really want to open a restaurant?), finds her calling. She decides to teach a collection of people who rely excessively on convenience food how to prepare their own simple, healthier, cheaper, and tastier meals using a few basic skills -- knife skills, an understanding of flavor profiles, improved knowledge of ingredients, etc. When Kathleen follows up with her former students, she finds that many of them report improvements in their shopping habits, health, and quality of life although she is honest in reporting that some of them continue to fall back on some of their old habits.
I enjoyed this book about three stars' worth. It was an easy read, and as someone who always wanted to be a more spontaneous cook, I was mildly interested in and engaged by the story and by some of the information Kathleen imparted to her students. I did pick up some useful tips, even if some chapters were more interesting and useful than others (Kate did fall into the classic memoirist's trap of including some things that were probably more interesting to live through than they were to read about).
At the same time, I felt that the book understated the drawbacks of preparing all of your own food from scratch (or close to scratch). And I speak as someone who relies far less on convenience food and takeout than most people I know, because I do like to cook and believe in avoiding processed foods. Still, I'm the first to tell you that cooking from scratch is time-consuming and clean-up is a pain. For all Kathleen's protestations to the contrary, opening a box is faster, less labor-intensive, and a lot easier to clean up. I agree that with cake mixes it's not a huge difference and you may as well bake from scratch. But cake is also something you bake once in a while for an occasion. Dinner needs to be on the table every night, often after a long day of work and a commute. And many convenience foods do make cooking faster, easier, and neater. There's a reason they're so popular.
Maybe it's because Kate doesn't have kids, or didn't at the time of her writing the book -- if I were coming home to an empty house, or to an adult who wasn't necessarily relying on me to feed him, sure, I could rest for a few minutes after work and then take out a couple of things and whip up something small and simple if that was what I wanted to do (when my kids are away, actually, I'll usually just make a sandwich and call it a day). But when you come home to a houseful of hungry kids and you're tired after a long day of work, it's just not realistic to start chopping vegetables for something that will then require 20-30 minutes of stove time at least, and that's just the main dish or soup. My current practice of cooking several dinners on Sunday and serving them over the course of the week does circumvent the need to rely on convenience food or takeout, and I do pat myself on the back for feeding my family in a healthier, cheaper, and tastier way. But it really kills my Sunday, and I wouldn't blame someone who made other choices.
With that said, I'm not sorry I read the book and I did pick up some interesting tidbits. We'll see whether I actually incorporate them into my cooking repertoire. I would only recommend the book, though, to someone with a preexisting interest in the topic.
1. I almost never enjoy food writing as much as I think I will. I certainly don't enjoy it enough to compensate for basic flaws in a book.
2. TMI memoirs are car accidents but vague, guarded memoirs are boring and confusing which is arguably worse. (I still don't get why Gabrielle was so mad at her mother, how she made the transition from untrained catering assistant to successful chef/restaurant owner, what the heck was up with her marriage, etc.)
3. Just because you write good sentences doesn't mean you should write a memoir.
4. You can come from a working class background, priding yourself on your work ethic and humble origins, and still be a huge snob. Your blood sugar can run dangerously low and you'll still turn your nose up at a restaurant that doesn't meet your standards, making everyone around you crazy in the process (for God's sake, just order some french fries or something and the heck with it!).
5. Don't get your hopes up about a book on goodreads that has a high average rating initially when it's billed as an up and coming book (this book once had an average rating of 4.13 or so). Wait until more people have read it and then check the rating (in this case, closer to 3.6 which is far more indicative)....more
I have read way, way too many books like this. Several random individuals end up meeting regularly (in this case for a cooking class) and gradually boI have read way, way too many books like this. Several random individuals end up meeting regularly (in this case for a cooking class) and gradually bonding. Each character comes with his own set of traumas and in each chapter we meet a different one and learn his story, interspersed with the teacher's deep philosophical food musings as she demonstrates cake, turkey, or whatever (such pithy gems as, the flour is like the guy at the party who you don't realize is sexy until the end -- huh?). The teacher is clearly meant to be the almost magically insightful and prescient voice-of-wisdom character that every book like this must have. The characters and storylines are clicheed, a flaw which no amount of lyrical waxing about food can camouflage. Which, incidentally, was way over the top. Honestly, I like to cook at least as much as the next person and probably more than many. I even enjoy food writing sometimes. But when all is said and done it's just food, people. It's enjoyable in the moment at best; it won't solve your deepest problems.
As a fan of cookbooks and cooking memoirs, there was a lot for me to like here. Molly's writing is very engaging; her recipes looked interesting althoAs a fan of cookbooks and cooking memoirs, there was a lot for me to like here. Molly's writing is very engaging; her recipes looked interesting although most probably don't suit my lifestyle; there were some touching moments as she described her father's death. There were some other things I liked less. I'm ambivalent, at best, about the whole blog-into-book genre; invariably, I find myself wishing I could have read the book as a blog -- in installments -- rather than as a whole book. The love story was cute at first, but quickly became cloyingly sentimental and overly perfect -- not my thing.
Overall, a decent read if you like cooking memoirs and especially if you like sentimental love stories. I prefer Ruth Reichl's books myself, but this wasn't bad. ...more
I felt so guilty buying this cookbook -- I justified it by calling it an early Chanuka present from my husband. I felt guilty because I was sure SusieI felt so guilty buying this cookbook -- I justified it by calling it an early Chanuka present from my husband. I felt guilty because I was sure Susie was all played out, and I also don't like buying what I call "genre cookbooks" -- full-length cookbooks that limit themselves to one type of recipe, e.g., low-fat, quick & easy, desserts only, etc. My prejudice against these types of cookbooks comes from my assumption that it's impossible to fill a full-length cookbook with only one type of recipe and have all, or even most, of the recipes be excellent.
I was pleasantly surprised on both counts with this cookbook. First, I didn't feel that the recipes I tried were repeats of Susie's other recipes -- or if they were, they were scaled down to be more nutritious without sacrificing taste, which is a good reason to try the new version. These recipes were tasty, relatively easy, and surprisingly kid-friendly without being boring. Although they didn't come with a calorie count, which raises my suspicions, it was evident that efforts had been made to cut calories (egg whites instead of whole eggs; lower fat quantities, etc.) and I'm really not a fanatic about these things. I wanted good results, which I got, and was satisfied to simply feel that nutritionally I could be doing worse.
Are these the most amazing recipes I've ever tried? No. But does this cookbook offer some tasty, easy, recipes that are well-received by the kids and grown-ups in my life and are at least trying to move in a healthier direction? Yes, and yes....more
This is truly a beautiful cookbook with good, tasty, simple recipes, and it was so nice of Miriam to give it to me as a gift. I love receiving beautifThis is truly a beautiful cookbook with good, tasty, simple recipes, and it was so nice of Miriam to give it to me as a gift. I love receiving beautiful cookbooks as gifts, especially when they contain interesting recipes worth trying. The salads are particularly appealing – the chicken, roasted red pepper, and green bean salad was great! And although I haven’t had a chance to try a lot more recipes at the time of this writing, I will definitely be trying more of the salads.
It was interesting to be trying out this cookbook in tandem with “Kosher by Design Lightens Up,” because while these cookbooks appeared to have a similar mission and even some recipe overlap, they were very different. The Williams-Sonoma cookbook concentrates on simple, straightforward flavors. There’s not a whole lot of ancillary spicing – just various combinations of different foods. There’s something to be said for this, especially since it really simplifies the cooking process. I wasn’t expecting to find easy recipes in a snooty Williams-Sonoma cookbook.
On the other hand, when I tried the Kale, Sausage, and White Bean soup, it kind of felt like I had taken hot dogs and beans, boiled them in water with a few vegetables, and called it soup, as opposed to just eating hot dogs and beans, but basically, it was hot dogs and beans (although maybe that’s just because I don’t have access to fancy sausage in Israel and had to use what I could find). So that’s where I sort of prefer Susie Fishbein’s recipes, because I think they’re a little more interesting in that way. Of course, they’re also more patchkedig which is the flip side.
The other advantage of Susie’s books is that the recipes are more conducive to a frum family’s lifestyle. The Williams-Sonoma cookbook had some nice omelet recipes, and pasta recipes, and baked vegetables with cheese kind of things, but it was hard for me to figure out where these recipes would fit into my life. If I decide to make scrambled eggs or pasta for my family for supper, it’s because I’m feeling lazy – not because I want to start with the basil and the cheddar. A lot of the recipes seemed a bit fancy for a weeknight supper, but inappropriate for a Shabbos or yom tov (especially since many were milchig – this is a problem with non-kosher cookbooks). Even when I appreciated the cooking results, my family sometimes didn’t. When I tried the pasta with goat cheese and tomatoes I actually thought it was great, but my kids begged me to go back to regular baked ziti. So much for that.
So anyway, I really don’t want to sound negative because I do think it’s a good cookbook with good recipes. I may not end up using as often as I would like because it’s not so compatible with my lifestyle. But for a non-kosher cook with either very sophisticated children or no children, I recommend this cookbook, and the recipes that did work for me were winners that I will pass on to my friends.
I was actually embarrassed to put this up, because it feels so decadent to have two new cookbooks at the same time, but I cThis one's for you, Rivkie!
I was actually embarrassed to put this up, because it feels so decadent to have two new cookbooks at the same time, but I couldn't resist. I ended up buying this for myself as a little gift before I knew Saadia was buying me the other cookbook (some unexpected editing work came my way, and I decided to treat myself), and it was a great choice. So far, the recipes I've tried have been really tasty -- exactly the way I remember my wonderful Syrian neighbor's food from my high school years. In addition, I love the book's beautiful photos and lush history sections -- I really love cookbooks that offer history and culture as well as recipes.
I considered taking off one star because some of the recipes are, predictably, quite labor-intensive. This cuisine developed at a time when women did not work, and probably had servants to help them with the shopping, cooking, and cleaning. I have a husband who occasionally acts as my sous-chef when it comes to peeling, chopping, and dishwashing, but I can just imagine the look on his face if I asked him to sit and stuff little meatballs!
However, I ultimately decided against taking off the star for two reasons. First, not all the recipes are prohibitively labor-intensive; some of them are quite doable. Second, to Poopa's credit, even the more labor-intensive recipes are often made more manageable by providing instructions as to when you can stop and freeze what you have, and easily finish up later when you want to serve the dish.
Of course, it's still something of a commitment to sit and make little stuffed things, even with the option of freezing them and quickly cooking them up when you need them. I can't see doing it on a regular basis. I still enjoy the cookbook, though, and decided to give it full marks, especially since my kids (surprisingly) love this food too! ...more
I've tried several recipes from this cookbook now, and the results were edible but nothing spectacular. Most of them were pretty simple to make, so atI've tried several recipes from this cookbook now, and the results were edible but nothing spectacular. Most of them were pretty simple to make, so at least I didn't feel like I put all this effort into a mediocre recipe. However, I was a little disappointed considering Levana's reputation and the rave reviews on the internet. Maybe, as my husband suggested, she doesn't want you to cook as well as she does because then there'll be no incentive to visit her restaurant. I tend to discount this theory, but maybe there's something to it. I did like her carrot cake, which was apparently rated "best carrot cake in New York City" by New York Magazine once upon a time. But don't buy the cookbook for it -- I'll give you the recipe and save you the $35....more
I told a friend of mine at work that I've been craving a new cookbook, and she was kind enough to bring this one to lend me. I guess I would compare iI told a friend of mine at work that I've been craving a new cookbook, and she was kind enough to bring this one to lend me. I guess I would compare it to "Kosher by Design Entertains" in that it's more fun to look at than to actually use.
I appreciate the author's efforts to revamp traditional Jewish cuisine with new twists while trying to stay somewhat true to the original. However, it feels to me like she's trying a bit too hard. Recipes like "Black Grape, Goat Cheese, and Noodle Latkes with Fragrant Honey," "Lentils 'Hummus Style' with Pomegrante and Mint and Toasted Za'atar Matzohs," and "Chicken Soup with Asparagus and Shiitakes, Served with Roasted Fennel Matzoh Balls" almost seem like a parody to me of efforts to take Jewish cuisine and make it less Jewish while still reminiscent of tradition. A microcosm of Jewish history, I guess. Not to mention major patchke, with expensive and hard-to-find ingredients.
All in all, I'm really glad I borrowed this cookbook rather than buying it. I'm not against cooking fancy, unusual dishes, but I think I'll stick with Kosher Palettes I & II, Gatherings, and even the first Kosher by Design....more
I love this book, less for its recipes (although the ones I tried were actually pretty good, if written in a less user-friendly way than I'm used to) I love this book, less for its recipes (although the ones I tried were actually pretty good, if written in a less user-friendly way than I'm used to) than for the many well-written and enjoyable history sections throughout. I really enjoyed reading about how Jewish cuisine developed in different world regions. It's a fun book to take out on a long Friday night and flip through, reading whatever section interests you at the time. It was an expensive book, but I really love it and I think it makes a beautiful gift....more
This was disappointing, although I loved the photography. I found many of the recipes unnecessarily patchkedig with mediocre results. A lot of the recThis was disappointing, although I loved the photography. I found many of the recipes unnecessarily patchkedig with mediocre results. A lot of the recipes were for dishes I already know how to prepare, with less fuss and often better results. There were a few good ones, like the cookie crunch brownies, but not worth the price of the book....more
The second Kosher Palette volume didn't disappoint. Although some of the recipes were a little less original and unusual than those in the first KosheThe second Kosher Palette volume didn't disappoint. Although some of the recipes were a little less original and unusual than those in the first Kosher Palette, they were still very tasty and reliable....more
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