Sybil Pratt

Top Pick in Cookbooks, November 2018

I read a lot of cookbooks, and it’s rare when I want to make—and eat—almost every recipe. But that’s what happened when I went through Dorie Greenspan’s latest, Everyday Dorie: The Way I Cook. She’s out-“Doried” herself this time: The 150 recipes included here are fabulous and introduced with wonderfully written and informative header notes. Greenspan’s impeccable instructions, make-ahead advice and ideas for swapping out major ingredients are all seasoned with her casual, practical ease, culinary savvy and style. There are dishes for every occasion, with innovative riffs like Gougères with a zippy addition of Dijon mustard; classic Flounder Meunière with an added pizazz of Onion-Walnut Relish; a hot, spicy, slightly sweet Beef Stew with a handful of cranberries; Clam Chowder made with lemongrass, coconut milk and ginger; and of course, Greenspan’s ever-splendid desserts (check out her Apple Custard Crisp). Dining with Dorie never disappoints.

This article was originally published in the November 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Ina Garten is back and better than ever. Cook Like a Pro: Recipes and Tips for Home Cooks is Garten’s 11th cookbook and a super seminar on how to incorporate the time-tested kitchen tricks she’s come to rely on into your own cooking. Though she’s a true self-taught cook, Garten’s years as a caterer and specialty food-store owner and her close association with professional chefs and bakers have taught her how to make “flavors sing and presentations pop.” Now she shares her pro tips with us, along with a carefully curated collection of recipes, from cocktails, appetizers (Sausage & Mushroom Strudels) and breakfast delights to soups, salads and dinner (flaky Flounder Milanese topped with Arugula Salad), finished off with veggies, sides and desserts (Fresh Fig & Ricotta Cake). Sprinkled throughout this comestible cache, like informative amuse-bouches, are short essays on measuring, prepping, baking and testing for doneness like a pro. This is bound to be one of the season’s go-to gourmet gifts.

This article was originally published in the November 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

As made clear by the title of his latest cookbook, Milk Street: Tuesday Nights, Christopher Kimball and his test-cook minions have been thinking about weeknight dinners that are quick, easy and vibrantly flavored. Kimball, one of the most trusted names in home cooking, shares that the secret to culinary success is combining familiar ingredients with spices, herbs, chiles, sauces, salsas and pungent pastes from around the world. Pork tenderloin combines with kimchi, fresh shiitake mushrooms and scallions for an umami- rich stir-fry; avocado puree and fresh tomato-cilantro salsa create a speedy, no-cook topping for seared salmon. Super sides include bright salads, pizzas and roasts, and there are also recipes for sweets to top off your dinner delights. Detailed instructions, with Kimball’s all-important “Don’ts,” and full-page color photos for each recipe make the making foolproof.

This article was originally published in the October 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

The timeworn neon sign on Highway 100 southwest of Nashville simply says “Cafe Loveless Hot Biscuits Country Ham.” It should say “the iconic place for country food,” the place you can come home to, even if you’ve never been there before. Started 60 years ago by Annie and Lon Loveless (“loveless” isn’t, as I was sure, a country music comment on romance gone bad), the name has stuck through good and not-so-good times. But since it was bought in 2004 and spiffed up in every way, the Loveless has attracted crowds of country connoisseurs, native and otherwise. Adding a fabulous array of traditional South­ern desserts to the time-honored menu was a major part of the spiff-up, and adding Alisa Huntsman as queen of confections was a culinary coup. With true Southern hospitality, Alisa offers us her trove of recipes in Desserts from the Famous Loveless Cafe. Although your mama may never have baked a Double Coconut Cream Pie, Blueberry Skillet Cobbler or Lady Lemon Squares, the Loveless legacy is now yours.

Chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, move over—there’s a flavor makeover in the works. Jeni Britton Bauer, owner of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, has revolutionized the texture and taste of our favorite frozen confection and now shares her expertise in Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home. To replicate Jeni’s fabulous flavors, you’ll need an ice cream machine, you’ll need to read her overview and recipes thoroughly—and then you’ll need a modicum of self-control to keep from becoming a hopeless but happy ice-cream­aholic. Her flavors are bold and different, and her innovative combinations open new worlds and invite you to dream up a few of your own. Start with a summery stunner like Sweet Corn & Black Raspberry, go on to Jeni’s signature Salty Caramel for fall, warm up winter with a cayenne-spiced chocolate creation and, when spring reappears, salute it with a scoop of Roasted Strawberry & Buttermilk. Sensational, inspirational ice cream!

In addition to making stock, the ever-fabulous Jacques Pepin is taking stock. Essential Pepin: More Than 700 All-Time Favorites from My Life in Food is the culmination of Jacques’ reflections on his 60-plus years in the kitchen—a culinary diary of his culinary identity. The recipes are Jacques’ pick of the best of the best from among the thousands he’s created and, though their intrinsic quality remains unchanged, each one has been rethought and updated. From golden oldies to the here-and-now, from the classic French to the all-American, everything in Jacques’ repertoire carries his unique stamp and approach—unpretentious yet elegant, pragmatic yet sophisticated. I wish I had the gastronomic gumption to pull a Julie-and-Julia, cover-to-cover cook-through (a Jacques-around-the-clock?) of these 700 recipes. This is exactly the kind of rare cookbook that deserves that sort of passionate attention. Just imagine starting with Cold Cream of Pea Soup with Mint and ending (a few happy years later) with Espresso Ice Cream in Chocolate Goblets. Jacques’ life in food is truly worth reliving.