Cooking | Book Chatter

Cucina Povera
Pamela Sheldon Johns
(Andrews McMeel Publishing, Hardcover, 9781449402389, September 2011, 192pp.)

The Short of It:

This book includes super yummy, affordable comfort food. Perfect for those on a budget.

The Rest of It:

I am such a foodie. I read cookbooks like they are magazines and drool over all of the luscious photos. I was devastated (not an exaggeration) when I was forced to go gluten-free back in May. I love bread and pasta and when I learned that I’d have to skip those two items I just about fainted and then I realized that food is what you make of it. My life did not end at not having pasta and bread. I’ve found alternatives and although this cookbook is not a gluten-free one, I was able to adapt many of the recipes to satisfy the foodie in me and the photos are gorgeous!

The philosophy behind this book is not to waste anything that is edible. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tossed out a bunch of broccoli that turned brown at the bottom of the produce drawer, or that entire loaf of bread that went moldy because I insisted on buying the kind without preservatives and then promptly forgot to keep it in the fridge. This book helps use up all that stuff and includes recipes for appetizers, soups, main & side dishes and dessert!

All of the recipes are simple and easy and don’t require any special gadgets or unusual ingredients. Many of the items you’ll find in your pantry. The photo above is Bread Salad, which I was able to throw together (using gluten-free bread) without having to buy anything!

Johns spent over 20 years collecting these recipes on her visits to Tuscany. I read this book in e-book form but now I want the actual book because it’s just so lovely.

Source: An e-copy was provided by the publisher via Net Galley.
Disclosure: This post contains IndieBound affiliate links.

The School of Essential Ingredients
By Erica Bauermeister
(Berkley Trade, Paperback, 9780425232095, January 2010, 272pp.)

The Short of It:

The School of Essential Ingredients is the panacea for all that ails you.

The Rest of It:

What can I say about this book that hasn’t already been said? Well, coming from a person who prefers heavier fiction over cozy reads, I can tell you that I would not have picked it up on my own, had it not been for the wonderful reviews its received. Additionally, I heard Bauermeister speak at a local bookstore and I liked HER. Does that ever happen to you? You like the author as a person, so then you pick up his/her book? I admired the easy, effortless way she read and her characters seemed to have heart.

In School, Lillian owns a restaurant. A lovely little thing, with cozy, intimate spaces that open to a gorgeous garden. Each Monday, once a month, she teaches a cooking class. The participants change regularly, but each group brings with them, memories of lost loves, heartache, the awkwardness of a first kiss, the warm scent of a freshly washed baby. As the students learn the importance of experiencing their meals and not just cooking them, the reader is treated to little bit of history on each participant.

There are many, wonderful characters but I identified the most with Claire. A mother of two and happily married, Claire lost a little piece of herself when she had her first child. That page and a half where she talks about her loss and what she gained in return, nearly brought tears to my eyes. I think a lot of women have probably felt that way at one point. I know I did. That moment where you realize that you are now responsible for this other person, and that you will never, ever be the same. It’s wonderful yet also a little bit sad.

Ultimately, this is a feel-good book. It’s warm and inviting and incredibly satisfying. At one point, it seemed almost too good to be true but I took my critical hat off and just enjoyed it for what it was. If you read this book, and I suggest that you do, you MUST have food on hand. After finishing the book, I spent an entire weekend cooking and savoring delicious meals. This book is so popular that I’m surprised it wasn’t followed up with a cookbook. Or, some sort of cooking retreat. I’d be the first in line to reserve my spot.

To the more serious readers, I dare you to read this book and not feel good about it afterward.

Source: Borrowed