Anyway, while I really like Deb Perelman's voice because she seems cool and fun, the recipes...just dSorry, I'm in a cookbook phase again. It happens!
Anyway, while I really like Deb Perelman's voice because she seems cool and fun, the recipes...just didn't really appeal to me. I think there were only 1 or 2 things in the whole book that caught my eye. The recipes don't seem too outlandish, but something about it just doesn't seem to be quite my style, you know? Maybe a little too close to traditional comfort food (bread, cheese, tomato sauce, rich dessert) when my comfort food is more Cajun/West coast (okra, rice and beans, salad, light fruit desserts. I fully own my comfort foods are weird, so I can totally recognize why so many people seem to love this book! I just...don't.
Also, the format is weird--there's so much text it's hard to find the actual cooking instructions (assuming I actually wanted to make anything out of here in the first place)!...more
Yeahhhh, this is really pretty, and I'd totally want to eat most of this food, but it's a little too intense for me home cooking-wise. Lots of unusualYeahhhh, this is really pretty, and I'd totally want to eat most of this food, but it's a little too intense for me home cooking-wise. Lots of unusual ingredients, recipes that take quite a bit of time or lots of prep or...I don't really have the energy.
That said, I like how it's organized, the photography is very nice, and, as I said, I'd eat pretty much all of this if someone else would just make it for me! ...more
This is another one where I would totally love to eat at JBC next time I'm in Oakland, but I'm not particularly inspired to actually cook anything froThis is another one where I would totally love to eat at JBC next time I'm in Oakland, but I'm not particularly inspired to actually cook anything from the book. Mainly because I'm lazy.
Although I am seriously considering getting some sort of spice grinder now, and I feel like if there's one thing people should take away from this book (other than, you know, be excellent to each other), it's that spices should be ground fresh. Mistry seems very, very big on that. I've heard that over and over again (I mean, I read an obscene number of cookbooks), but it might just be Mistry who pushes me over the edge. Plus the whole time I was reading the masala section I kept thinking of Hayama in Food Wars and you know how I feel about Food Wars, haha...
The other thing is that Preeti Mistry just seems super cool and I love her hair so much and I might have a little bit of a crush on her now.
Spied this on a shelving cart this morning and couldn't resist, and I'm so glad I didn't even try! I already read the entire thing!
So, first of all, Spied this on a shelving cart this morning and couldn't resist, and I'm so glad I didn't even try! I already read the entire thing!
So, first of all, I don't really watch a lot of movies, so it might seem weird that I'm so excited about a book full of them. I've seen/heard of about three of the movies in this book, but the way Rao talks about them is so engaging that I just added about twenty of them to my Netflix/Amazon Prime watch lists. There's a really wide variety of movies, and Rao goes into their histories and what makes them stand out, and then also offers three watch-alikes for every film featured. There's a lot I didn't know about Bollywood films, but he starts out with a Bollywood 101 and gives so much good background info in a very entertaining way. And then with the meal pairings, most of which sound suuuuper delicious? SOLD!
Anyway, I have not actually cooked anything out of this book, but the recipes mostly seem easy and healthy and not too fussy. It's not a vegetarian cookbook, but most of the recipes are vegetarian or could fairly easily be adapted, and he lists a bunch of info on ingredients and where to find them and what to substitute if you can't.
Just. So much great info, an entertaining writing style, and pretty pictures of both food and Bollywood stars. Ba-cha!...more
* The illustrations are lovely! There are very few photos (though many feature a cute dog) or even illustrations of fiReasons for rating this 5 stars:
* The illustrations are lovely! There are very few photos (though many feature a cute dog) or even illustrations of finished dishes, but all the colored pencil art here is so cute and cheerful and fun and frame-worthy. Mission accomplished there, Jade O'Donahoo!
* It brought back fond memories of my childhood in England by describing Mustard-Maple Baked Beans with Goat's Cheese on toast as "breakfasty." O'Donahoo is Australian, but either way, in America, this is not considered breakfasty AT ALL because America is super ridiculous about what is considered a breakfast food and what is not and people get very snobby about it. I want to make this recipe for breakfast ASAP and tell anyone who challenges me HA!
* I love how in pretty much all of her recipes she's like, "hey, just throw in whatever you have--it's fun!" This is how cooking is meant to be!
* It includes a recipe for labneh, which I used to be able to get from our favorite Mediterranean restaurant until they took it off the menu like a BUNCH OF JERKFACES! Ahem.
* Some of these recipes literally take like ten minutes to make. This is my 100% kind of meal.
* Also I got to brush up on my British/Australian with words like capsicum and yoghurt and dishy, BUT (v. important distinction after my Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall tragedy) all the measurements are in both metric AND non-metric!
* Did I mention lots of photos of a cute dog? I feel like me and Jade O'Donahoo could be good friends.
Anyway, I love it, and btw this book is on sale for like $3.00 new on Amazon right now, which is CRAZY cheap, so if it sounds like your thing you should probably go snap one up and then you can be my good friend too (especially if you also like dogs and eating "weird" things for breakfast).
April Fool's Day joke from Audible. I sort of love this idea, but I feel like most of the narrators didn't ham it up (ha) as much as I hoped they woulApril Fool's Day joke from Audible. I sort of love this idea, but I feel like most of the narrators didn't ham it up (ha) as much as I hoped they would, though Victor Bevine and Nick Podehl totally delivered (sadly just the narration, not the food they were describing, to me)! It definitely made me hungry!...more
I mean, OBVIOUSLY I loved this. Yukihira vs. Hayama, Nakiri hereditary secret powers revealed, lots of Kuga and his minions, getting to meet Alice's dI mean, OBVIOUSLY I loved this. Yukihira vs. Hayama, Nakiri hereditary secret powers revealed, lots of Kuga and his minions, getting to meet Alice's dad and his awesome eyebrows... I don't approve of the menu (view spoiler)[DON'T EAT MY BEARS!!! (hide spoiler)], but as always, it's super fun to see how Yukihira comes up with his dish, and how others respond to it. A decision is reached as far as the winner goes, but total cliffhanger as to the really important part--NOOOOOOO, now I have to wait until April 3rd to find out what happens!!!
Anyway, this series is ridiculous and awesome and stupid and wonderful and it makes me so happy whenever one arrives in my mailbox, ha!...more
Since I got an Instant Pot for Christmas, I've been trying to figure out what to do with it, and I figured an actual cookbook for it would be an easieSince I got an Instant Pot for Christmas, I've been trying to figure out what to do with it, and I figured an actual cookbook for it would be an easier place to start than with trying to translate regular cookbook instructions into pressure cooker instructions. So I was excited to find out how many awesome and totally lazy meals I can make in that thing! This book though? It's not the one.
First of all, it's one of those super annoying ones with select photos only in a section in the middle. The meals pictured look about like the one on the cover, which...meh. The photography's boring, I guess.
Also, the recipes are boring and fussy at the same time, and require a lot of weird ingredients. There's too much text and too many personal stories. And just...the recipes didn't appeal to me. The only one I got excited about was the basic risotto recipe because I'm already comfortable with risotto experimentation and really only needed to know how it would work in the pressure cooker.
I dunno. I just found it very underwhelming and I hope that the other pressure cooker book I'm in line for at the library turns out a little better than this one did....more
So, today after lunch we decided to stop by Half Price Books and while we were there I saw this and got really excited because I had read what I now rSo, today after lunch we decided to stop by Half Price Books and while we were there I saw this and got really excited because I had read what I now realize was the same book with a slightly different title in e-book format and really, really liked it. Then I got it home and started flipping through it and...wait a second. I've read this before! Only all the cooking instructions weren't in metric and there was no talk of swedes, or bonfire night or cadging things from Martha Stewart or yoghurt! This copy is all in British! Which made me nostalgic for my childhood, but which will also, unfortunately, make it difficult to actually cook anything out of it without a lot of maths. Or, you know, a metric conversion app or something.
Since it was kind of expensive used and is twice as expensive new, I'll probably go ahead and keep it and just translate all the courgettes and aubergines and Puy lentils into their American equivalents, not to mention all the measurements into ones that fit the cooking tools I actually own. But this makes me angry yet again that there was all that talk of us going metric back when I was in elementary school and then we never did it, and NOW I'M PAYING THE PRICE! Thanks, America....more
I like this one a lot. It's kind of centered around a number of different sauces and goes through a bunch of different recipes you can use each one inI like this one a lot. It's kind of centered around a number of different sauces and goes through a bunch of different recipes you can use each one in, and there are whole sections just devoted to different types of chili, for instance, or veggie burgers, or pizzas. Everything looks spicy and delicious, and there are really nice photos of everything.
My main hesitations are that most of the recipes take a little longer to prepare than I would prefer (generally around 45 minutes), and the dessert section is way bigger than I ever want in any cookbook (that's a personal failing of mine, I suppose--I almost completely lack a sweet tooth).
But I'm thinking this one might be worth spending more time with at some point, and there are definitely quite a few things I'm interested in attempting, despite the time commitment. I mean, 45 minutes is really not all that bad, especially since I'm mostly getting home from work before 5:30 these days......more
This is another book I adopted from the break room ARC cart awhile back. Someone else had clearly taken it home for awhile (this came out in 2013), anThis is another book I adopted from the break room ARC cart awhile back. Someone else had clearly taken it home for awhile (this came out in 2013), and a few recipes had dog-eared pages (shocking for someone who works in a library, the shame! J/k, I used to do that alllll the time), but I couldn't tell if whoever had it before me made anything from it or not (if it was someone I'm friends with on here, tell me what you made and if you liked it!). Anyway, I'm totally thankful to whoever didn't want it anymore, because I love this thing!
Everything is super easy, there aren't a bunch of weird ingredients, and even though there are no photos (I know, whaaat?!?) I don't even care because the recipe names are descriptive enough to make me totally hungry for pretty much every single thing in it. I like that Robertson includes suggestions to change things up using different ingredients you might have laying around, and shortcuts, and cheaper ways to make things at home that are kind of expensive to buy in the store. And it's just my style of cooking--fast, easy, pasta and grain-heavy (mmmm!), and embraces improvisation.
I'm super excited to try some of these ASAP!...more
Oh, man, this series just gets better and better and BETTER! Amazing friendships, hilarious dialogue and facial expressions, weird food (view spoiler)Oh, man, this series just gets better and better and BETTER! Amazing friendships, hilarious dialogue and facial expressions, weird food (view spoiler)[BEAR MEAT IS UNACCEPTABLE (hide spoiler)], crazy challenges... Plus, lots of Takumi, and a total surprise as far as Yukihira's next opponent goes (view spoiler)[Hayama, WHYYYY??? (hide spoiler)]. I love all these kids so much and every day that I get a new volume of Food Wars in the mail is the best day!
Overall, nothing really major happens in this one, except for (view spoiler)[Shiro deciding not to CHEAT ON KEN WITH KOHINATA (hide spoiler)]!!! It alOverall, nothing really major happens in this one, except for (view spoiler)[Shiro deciding not to CHEAT ON KEN WITH KOHINATA (hide spoiler)]!!! It also contains a number of moments I loved, like Kenji's hair rage and getting to see his family, Kayoko and Shiro and Kohinata all cooking together and the return of the baking powder, and Tabuchi's and Wataru's total ridiculousness. And there's also an interesting development right at the end that might make things interesting for Shiro at work. Not the best volume, but definitely not the worst either, and I'm glad we finally got this one in at the library! ...more
Well, I liked this a little more than I did the first one, but that's not really saying a lot. I don't know, guys, I think I must be totally broken noWell, I liked this a little more than I did the first one, but that's not really saying a lot. I don't know, guys, I think I must be totally broken not to love (or even really like) these cookbooks, but what can I do? I still feel like these recipes are waaaay too fussy for home cooking, and there were a number of ingredients that I've never even heard of (and...I kind of read a LOT of cookbooks), and the photography still...just really doesn't appeal to me.
That said, next time I'm in London (sadly, probably no time soon), I'll plan on giving it a try. As I said in my review of the first book, I think I'd enjoy this just fine if someone else is actually cooking it for me and I don't have to have my face right up in it. ...more
I can see how this would be good for a teen just starting to think about going vegan--there's definitely a lot of information here, and a few basic reI can see how this would be good for a teen just starting to think about going vegan--there's definitely a lot of information here, and a few basic recipes in the back. I didn't like the format though (everything looked super 80s to me, which was weird), and I also had trouble with the fact that one minute it would seem like there was recognition of the fact that not all people decide to be vegans for the same reasons, and then a few pages later it would be assumed that obviously if you're vegan you care about x, y, z. It got a little too preachy/judgmental for my liking at times, I guess. That said, I could appreciate the message of moving towards veganism and doing what you can as you're ready rather than jumping all in and then it being so difficult that you give up immediately never to return.
I don't know. I'm neither fully vegan, nor a teenager, and also I just picked this up idly awhile back as I was playing around with some of our library's ebook-related apps and wasn't really expecting to get much out of it to begin with. I think probably this is a decent starting point if you're never read anything about being vegan before, though....more
How have I made it through 20 volumes of this series without getting bored??? That never happens! Also, I know I am ridiculous for rating it 5 stars, How have I made it through 20 volumes of this series without getting bored??? That never happens! Also, I know I am ridiculous for rating it 5 stars, but you know what? I don't care. I love so much about this volume--getting more of the back story on Erina and Soma's dad, Soma's contest with Tsukasa, Megumi and Nikumi kicking ass, Soma's egg tempura (omg I want that!!!), Erina's evolution of character and seeing her leading everyone into battle...so, so good!
On the other hand, there are several major foodgasms, but I consider them a small price to pay (and many would not consider them a price at all, ha) for the entertainment this series otherwise brings me. And even the foodgasms entertain me at times, I will admit, although the ones in this volume are just kind of eh.
Anyway, so looking forward to volume 21. FIVE STARS, hahahaha!...more
I think this was my favorite volume so far--there's just so much that's endearing! Shiro and Kayoko's friendship, and his relationship with his parentI think this was my favorite volume so far--there's just so much that's endearing! Shiro and Kayoko's friendship, and his relationship with his parents, his dad freaking out about mushy food and Shiro's unexpected desire for a griddle, the pancake fight, Kenji's hair, more Kenji cooking, and the disastrous New Year's dinner and what resolves it... Plus there's this quote: "I didn't like you back then because you were hot, you know! I liked you because you made me so much delicious food!!" Haha, well said, Shino! This manga is pure comfort and perfect for today. ...more
Okay, I'm hooked--I love these guys. Shiro getting so frustrated he cooks two days' worth of everything--ha! Also there's actually some vegetarian fooOkay, I'm hooked--I love these guys. Shiro getting so frustrated he cooks two days' worth of everything--ha! Also there's actually some vegetarian food in this one and it sounded really good!...more
A much needed reprieve from Memories of Ice. I'm actually really enjoying that book, but it has not been easy to read in the midst of exhaustion and A much needed reprieve from Memories of Ice. I'm actually really enjoying that book, but it has not been easy to read in the midst of exhaustion and brain fog--there are a million characters and the thing weighs a million pounds. This is much more my level right now--thank you, Tsukada!
Aaaaanyway, this volume has some really great Kurokiba moments--I kind of love him a lot. And naturally Yukihira gets himself into yet another shokogeki with really high stakes that will (at least begin to) play out in the next volume. On the downside (at least for me), foodgasms everywhere! Every time I think we're mostly done with those they reappear with a vengeance. Ah, well....more
Shiro is really growing on me now that I'm starting to understand him a little better. And there are some super adorable moments in this volume.Shiro is really growing on me now that I'm starting to understand him a little better. And there are some super adorable moments in this volume....more