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SUMMER SIZZLES :: Cookbooks for inside and out by David Andrusia
EDGE ContributorMonday Jun 29, 2009
Even the most experienced cooks need a little inspiration now and again- and we include ourselves in this description. For bona fide foodies, nothing’s more fun than leafing through a new cookbook for recipe ideas and technique.
Here are our top picks of the best new crop of cookbooks this summer.
Chinese, please!
Quick & Easy Chinese (Chronicle, $19.95) is author Nancie McDermott’s take on recreating our favorite Chinese dishes at home. In large part, she demystifies the process: Soy Sauce Chicken Wings look easy and delish- though after adding the cost of medication, I think ordering Moo Shu Pork out might be the way go to. (Then again, I live in LA’s Koreatown and have virtually every Asian cuisine imaginable within a five-block radius.)
Potential bonus: Nancie has a website and looks like a very nice lady; I bet she’d respond to save-me! emails, especially from nervous nellies like me.
Gorgeously photographed by Maren Caruso.
WIne? Fine!
Heard it Through the Grapevine (Hachette/Octopus, $24.99) comes with a rave endorsement from Jamie Oliver- and a picture of (cute) author Matt Skinner on the cover. A handsome wino with book royalties? Honey, throw in a gram of coke and we’re so there.
Seriously, if you’re as oeno-igno as I am, this book will be a total godsend. It includes info on varietals, cellars, why bottles are expensive, and -yes!- "why some bottles are bigger than others." For real.
Great how-to photos, generously spaced throughout make this book a must for neophytes and old hands alike.
Sunrise, Sunset:: Tequila Takes On
Tequila: A Guide to Types, Flights, Cocktails and Bites (Ten Speed Press, $16.95) shares a secret I didn’t know: tequila consumption is on the rise. (Big d-oh from this non-boozer here!) James Beard award winner Joanne Weir shares recipes for Surly Temples and other tequila-based toddles, as well as yummy, (mainly) not-difficult recipes for Bay Scallop Ceviche (according to Mexican legend, the best recipe for a hangover), Grilled Tequila Chicken, and even desserts. (Coco Loco Tequila Cupcakes, anyone?)
Lots of great lore, delivered in Weir’s stylish and knowing voice.
A Table for Two
Cooking for Two (Chronicle, $19.95) is chock-full of "perfect meals for pairs," be they romantic, non-, or in-between. Jessica Strand once again delivers a winner, with recipes ranging from simple (lamb chops with mint gremolata) to best-reserved-for-a-weekend-night (stuffed Cornish game hens). Our favorite is the easy-but-fabulous Gratin of Eggplant Layered with Plum Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella, and Lemon-Basil Pesto. (We omitted the last ingredient and it was still delish.)
Too often this kind of book omits dessert, but our Jess comes through with some sweet delights. Caren Alpert contributed the most appealing visuals.
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