Comments on: An Upcoming Party and a Giveaway

By: The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook – A cookbook review blog - Kitchlit

The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook – A cookbook review blog - Kitchlit — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:07:03 +0000

[...] When all’s said and done, The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook just isn’t earning its spot on my bookshelf. In an effort to cull my cookbook collection before it takes over the flat, I’ll likely give this away to a friend or local charity shop. (Incidentally, Dana, a fellow food-bloggin’ vegetarian, also found this book too meaty and had a giveaway for her copy.) [...]

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 17:18:12 +0000

Dana –

I, too, have a cookbook issue, and I am wondering if all of this feedback is going to help or will it make the problem worse? I try to restrain myself by borrowing from the library instead of buying. My current favorite cookbook is Peter Berley’s “Fresh Food Fast”. He used to run Angelica’s in NYC, and his cookbook is full of easy beautiful vegetarian meals which are organized seasonally. As on your website, the photos in his book are good enough to eat. Enjoy!

By: hungrygrrl

hungrygrrl — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:03:03 +0000

Well I am definitely a meat eater so would love to take it off your hands. Big Sur is one of the most breathtakingly gorgeous places in the country…how can a cookbook from there not be good?

My recommendations…

1. Everyday Mexican (Rick Bayless). Simple, delicious, lots of new flavor combinations. He has a fair amount of meat, but quite a bit of veggie too (just made swiss chard and cotija tacos the other day).

2. Culinary Artistry (Dornenburg and Page). This is not a recipe kind of cookbook, instead it’s all about flavor pairings. It is a fabulous jumping off point to innovating in the kitchen.

3. Ratio (Michael Ruhlman). So fun, can’t even describe it. With this book you can learn how to whip up pancakes or popovers anytime you want without a recipe.

Happy cooking! Enjoy the sunshine.

-Sara

By: Panda Foodie

Panda Foodie — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:54:06 +0000

Favorite cookbook so far: How to Cook Everything by Bittman. I like it because it’s a great resource except that it doesn’t have colored pictures.

Thanks!

By: Sonia Cargile

Sonia Cargile — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 19:46:51 +0000

I love to bake bread and until last week, my favorite cookbook was LaBrea Bakery which is all about sourdough. However, I just go the Artisan Bread in 5 minutes and it is fabulous!!

By the way………I do have place for a new cookbook!:))

By: Michael-Ann

Michael-Ann — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 18:18:37 +0000

Ohhh. This is hard. I have a lot of magazine subscriptions and a lot of printouts from Epicurious and blogs like yours-those have become the “cookbooks” that I have been cooking from lately. I like to pick up cookbooks when I am on vacation to remind me of all the good food we had but I hardly ever make things from those. Probably the best ones are the Ina Garten books and the Junior League of Seattle Simply Classic-everything I’ve made from those is alway good. I also have this really old book called “Kindergarten Cooks”. It’s all handwritten and has simple drawings and ingredients. The recipes are for things like no-bake cookies, peanut butter playdough and frybread-I remember making all of these with my mom and sister when I was little and now I make them with my girls.

By: Megalie

Megalie — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:05:56 +0000

Right now, “Eating Cuban” – it has a lot of the classic recipes, but also some great updates. Even though there are plenty of meat dishes, there are plenty of vegetarian recipes as well! And Cuban food is perfect for the summer weather… I’m trying to make my way through all of the good stuff before it gets cold again! But if I had to pick a classic, it would probably have to be the original Moosewood, which someone gave to me earlier this year. Everything that comes out of that book (so far!) is delicious.

By: Dana Zia

Dana Zia — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:57:25 +0000

Must be a party weekend! We are having an al fresco dinner up river, on our property where we are growing all those crazy zucchini. Maybe we should just call it zucchini heaven! I’m thinking about starting the blueberry chutney from “Luna Cafe,” with rosemary crackers and goat brie. More to be continued…..
I don’t have a favorite cookbook, there are too many to love. Depends on my mood. Right now, my fav is “Hali’imaile General Store.” Cookbook. It is from one of my favorite restaurants in Maui, and it has such amazing recipes in it that you don’t generally make at home. The drawback is all the recipes are so high in calories it is insane! So probably a good thing you don’t cook from it often!
The cookbooks I used the most are all of Mollie Katzen’s. (Moosewood, etc.) She is probably my all time favorite cooks. I bet you love her too, since you aren’t a big meat eater.
That’s my take on cookbooks for now. Might change tomorrow. Have a delicious day!

By: Sue A.

Sue A. — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:29:50 +0000

Hi Dana,

In all honesty, my favorite “cookbook” is all of the recipe blogs (just like yours!). If I had to pick an actual book, I really do like the annual Taste of Home or Southern Living cookbooks. I also love the Dallas Cowboy, Junior League and church/community cookbooks. Nothing like a good story with a recipe.

Thanks for the opportunity!
Sue

By: Lynn D.

Lynn D. — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:44:18 +0000

In the second grade my (now grown) son, said that he would like to be a vegetarian. His dad and I enthusiastically respected his decision. A vegetarian friend gave me Verdura by Viana La Place. It was a godsend and my son is still a vegetarian. She has other wonderful books as well. I am currently loving Simon Hopkinson’s Roast Chicken and Other Stories and Second Helpings of Roast Chicken. I know, I know–chicken– but there are other good recipes as well and he is soon to come out with a book called The Vegetarian Option. Do try the Hide bread recipe before you send Big Sur off!