Reviews of Great Cookbooks

Perfect Pasta & Sauces

by Jean Pare

Companys Coming Pub Ltd
Spiral-bound
ISBN# 978-1-897069-63-9
Suggested Retail Price: $16.99 or as low as $16.99 from Amazon.com!

Jean Pare shows us how to make splendid meals with the basic building blocks of Italian cuisine - pasta and sauce. She covers the basics - raviolis, lasagnas, linguinis, and tortellinis, but she expands the usual fare with great cheeses, spices, and meats to give you something new to present to your friends and family. Then you get to the good part - the sauces! There are dozens of different sauce recipes that really let you soar in the kitchen. There's a Thai Curry Sauce, a Tofu Pesto Sauce, a fun Fennel Orange Tomato Sauce, and many more. The recipes are jam-packed into this small spiral-bound cookbook, so each page is a new delight.

Mom's Big Book of Baking

by Lauren Chattman

Harvard Common Press
Spiral-bound
ISBN# 978-155832395-7
Suggested Retail Price: $21.95 or as low as $2.69 from Amazon.com!

Lauren Chattman gives us over 200 recipes for the aspiring baker. Baking naturally brings up thoughts of desserts, of course, and this notebook-style cookbook features dozens of luscious recipes for cakes and cookies that range from the simplest sugar cookies to biscotti. The book actually begins with breakfast fare, offering the obligatory recipes for pancakes and waffles. Then we proceed to some real baking with a section devoted to muffins, biscuits, and quick breads. Then we go through the cookies, bars, and brownies. That's followed by the sorts of recipes that give home cooks trepidations - pies, quiches, and cobblers. Then comes the graduate-level work with yeast-based recipes for things like bread and pizza dough.

This is almost more of a textbook than a regular cookbook. The author is showing you how to bake, rather than simply presenting an array of baking recipes to try. There's lots of easy-to-follow instructions with a great section on what the well-stocked pantry should include. I also appreciated the fact that most of the recipes tell you how long the food should keep, even though few desserts last more than a couple of days in my house. I always like cookbooks like this one that include the classic dishes, so I can find references when I'm trying something new. Just a superb cookbook for anyone who wants to learn how to bake from scratch.

Party Snacks!: 50 Simple, Stylish Recipes

by A.J. Rathbun

Harvard Common Press
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-1-55832-347-6
Suggested Retail Price: $12.95 or as low as $6.29 from Amazon.com!

A.J. Rathburn shows you 50 different recipes that you can use to satisfy those late night munchies or for hors dourves at your next party. From finger foods like Caprese Pizza Puffs to more substantial fare like Cannoli, you'll find so many lucious choices that you won't know where to start. There's simple ideas like making finger sandwiches or your basic onion dip, but there's also more elaborate recipes like the Grilled Honey Teriyaki Chicken. But take heart, all of these recipes are very simple and usually only require a half dozen ingredients. Take the Caprese Pizza Puffs, for example. All they take is a can of refrigerated biscuits, some marinara sauce, fresh basil, and your choice of cheese. 10 minutes to make and 10 minutes to bake and you're done! Bah-da-bing, bah-da-boom! All of the recipes are accompanies by gorgeous color photographs and many include suggestions for complimentary libations that are equally inventive and easy to prepare. What more could you ask for?

Luscious Liqueurs: 50 Recipes for Sublime and Spirited Infusions

by A.J. Rathbun

Harvard Common Press
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-1-55832-380-3
Suggested Retail Price: $12.95 or as low as $7.63 from Amazon.com!

A.J. Rathburn continues his series of helpful cookbooks with this guide to party drinks. Liqueurs take you beyond the ordinary cocktail with a sprig of mint to a much more exotic landscape of flavors. He starts out with some excellent advice on choosing the right bottles and, most importantly, the right liquor. He suggests that you stick to mid-range liquors, rather than trying to overdo things with the most expensive ones. With all sorts of combinations of fruits and spices, you're sure to find several choices that match your party menu no matter what you're planning to serve. Of course, there's also nothing wrong with mixing up a batch to enjoy with your significant other, too! Looking at the colorful pictures, you can almost taste these marvelous concoctions. Yum!

Olives and Oranges: Recipes and Flavor Secrets from Italy, Spain, Cyprus, and Beyond

by Sara Jenkins, Mindy Fox

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-0-618-67764-1
Suggested Retail Price: $35.00 or as low as $19.70 from Amazon.com!

As the title implies, this ambitious cookbook by Sara Jenkins is filled with over 200 recipes that include either olives, olive oil, or citrus fruits. The recipes are based on Spanish and Italian cuisine, two parts of the world that are famous for their olive oils. The book has an extensive introductory section that explains the ingredients and how to find the best quality. While dripping with disdain for standard supermarket products, there is a good deal of helpful information here. The recipes start with appetizers, salads, and soups, and go on to entrees and deserts. Each section begins with Ms. Jenkin's philosophy in creating the recipes.

The recipes are all quite simple - usually no more than 10-12 total ingredients. There are recipes for starters like broths and breadcrumbs, but the main recipes all have something special to bring to your table. The starters and salads are simple, but delightful ideas that you can use to add something special to your everday meals. The entrees take things to a more exotic level. The pasta recipes include all sorts of ingredients that test your ambition - from duck to mackerel. If you want to expand your culinary horizons, this book can lead you to some amazing places.