December 2023 MBR The Cookbook Shelf

The Cookbook Shelf

Signature Dishes of America
Sherry Monahan
The Globe Pequot Press
www.globepequot.com
9781493072644, $35.00, HC, 248pp

https://www.amazon.com/Signature-Dishes-America-Treasures-Restaurants/dp/1493072641

Synopsis: America's hotel chefs and restaurant cooks have reveled in serving meals to their customers since this country's early beginnings, creating their own recipes based on available ingredients, creativity, or at the request of others.

Some took humble home recipes and made them into their signature specialties, many of which have become synonymous with certain hotels and restaurants in America. These culinary treasures are household names, but their true origin has slipped back into history.

With the publication of "Signature Dishes of America: Recipes and Culinary Treasures from Historic Hotels and Restaurants", culinary historian Sherry Monahan showcases nearly 100 of these well-known dishes and their origins. Including foods like Eggs Benedict, Green Goddess Dressing, and Hot Browns which were created decades ago and remain mainstays in our culinary world today.

Readers will enjoy discovering the story behind Los Angeles' Brown Derby's Cobb Salad, whose recipe was created by a hungry owner, or how an old pie recipe discovered in an antique drawer became a favorite at the Golden Lamb restaurant. This collection of recipes and their background is a tasty way to share American food history and culture.

Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughly, "Signature Dishes of America: Recipes and Culinary Treasures from Historic Hotels and Restaurants" is an impressive compendium of classic, palate-pleasing, appetite-satisfying, and kitchen cook friendly recipes that will bring a culinary elegance to any and all dining occasions. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Signature Dishes of America" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular and appreciated pick for personal, professional, and community library regional cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Signature Dishes of America" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.99).

Editorial Note: Sherry Monahan (https://sherrymonahan.com) is a culinary historian who enjoys researching the genealogy of food and spirits. After studying frontier food, her culinary repertoire has expanded to include food and drinks from all over America and beyond. She is a past-president of Western Writers of America and holds memberships in the James Beard Foundation, the Authors Guild, and is an honorary Dodge City Marshal. Her other publications include Golden Elixir of the West, Tinsel Tumbleweeds, and Star-Spangled Celebrations, The Tombstone Cookbook, Frontier Fare, The Cowboy Cookbook, and Mrs. Earp: The Wives and Lovers of the Earp Brothers.

The Vegan Baker
Zachary Bird
Smith Street Books
c/o Rizzoli
www.rizzoliusa.com
9781922754554, $35.00, HC, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Baker-Ultimate-Plant-based-Pastries/dp/1922754552

Synopsis: For any vegans struggling to veganize their favorite savory treats, sweets, or desserts, with the publication of "The Vegan Baker: The Ultimate Guide to Plant-based Breads, Pastries, Cookies, Slices, and More" vegan culinary expert Zacchary Bird is here to take you on a cooking experience like no other.

More than just a cookbook, "The Vegan Baker" is packed from cover to cover with over 100 recipes for all our baked favorites, made vegan. Whip up cherry pies, chocolate chip cookies, or chocolate cakes without butter, eggs, milk, cheese, and honey.

With "The Vegan Baker" you can learn how to make croissants from scratch, with step-by-step photos that show you how to laminate your own pastry. Bake fresh brioche, Japanese shokupan, and other usually dairy-laden breads, or make your own sourdough starter that you'll love so much you'll want to keep it by your side (or at least in your fridge) forever.

If you're feeling adventurous, learn how to make profiteroles, millefeuille, cannoli, and even a croquembouche. Or if savory snacks are more your jam, Zac has recipes for sausage rolls, cornbread, meat-filled pies, scones, and more.

Each recipe is explained with Bird's signature humor and easy-to-follow instructions. Veganism isn't about missing out -- it's about getting creative, and with Bird's ingenuity, baked goods are no longer forbidden.

Critique: Simply stated, "The Vegan Baker: The Ultimate Guide to Plant-based Breads, Pastries, Cookies, Slices, and More" is beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout and the ultimate 'kitchen cook friendly' DIY guide to plant-based baked goods for vegans and vegetarians. A delight to browse through and to plan menus with, "The Vegan Baker" is certain to be a treasured addition to personal, professional, and community library Vegan/Vegetarian cookbook collections.

Editorial Note: Zacchary Bird (https://www.zaccharybird.com) is a vegan cookbook author, recipe developer, and social media personality living in Melbourne, Australia. His first full-length published cookbook Vegan Junk Food: A Down & Dirty Cookbook was released in 2020 by Smith Street Books and was called "a real winner" by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. His follow-up cookbook The Vegan Butcher was the 2021 winner of PETA's Best Vegan Cookbook.

The Nourishing Asian Kitchen
Sophia Nguyen Eng
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
www.chelseagreen.com
9781645022169, $34.95, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Nourishing-Asian-Kitchen-Nutrient-Dense-Recipes/dp/1645022161

Synopsis: When Sophia Nguyen Eng moved to the Appalachian Mountains in Tennessee to start a family farm, she was determined to honor the cultural food traditions and flavors passed down by her parents, who fled Vietnam in 1975. The meals of her childhood drew inspiration from the rich culinary traditions of Vietnam, China, Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries. However, Sophia noticed that preparing these dishes in the United States often relied heavily on processed ingredients containing artificial flavors and preservatives. She was determined to recreate the flavorful recipes she loved while making them healthier.

Inspired by the nutritional research of Weston A. Price, the regenerative farming practices of Joel Salatin, and the traditional Asian recipes passed down through her family for generations, with the publication of "The Nourishing Asian Kitchen: Nutrient-Dense Recipes for Health and Healing" Sophia has curated a unique collection of wholesome dishes. These recipes explore the proper preparation of grains, dairy, meats, and ferments, emphasizing fresh ingredients and traditional cooking methods while focusing on flavor, food quality, ingredient sourcing, seasonality, and eating nose-to-tail.

With an opening sectioning on mastering basic techniques (like working with bone broth, fish fumet, and ghee) the recipes range from familiar classics to mind-blowing creations, including: Sauces (Korean Gochujang Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, Vietnamese "Peanut" Dipping Sauce, Lemongrass Chili Oil); Vegetable & Sides (Pickled Red Onion, Daikon Kimchi, Wild Bibimbap, Mushroom Banchan); Soups (Oxtail Pho, Sweet and Sour Tamarind Soup, Spicy Thai Hot Pot, Crab Noodle Soup); Meats (Garlic Butter Chicken Wings, Five Spice Pork Belly Banh Mi, Shaking Beef with Watercress Salad, Lamb Bulgogi Spring Rolls); Beverages & Desserts (Vietnamese Coffee, Strawberry Lychee Panna Cotta, Matcha Green Tea Honey Ice Cream) -- and so much more!

From hot pot to tempura, kimchi to pho, each recipe is designed to nourish the body and reconnect with tradition and heritage. And with beautiful photography by David K. Peng, easy-to-follow instructions, and tips for sourcing high-quality ingredients, The Nourishing Asian Kitchen is a must-have for anyone seeking to explore the world of Asian cuisine through the lens of nourishing traditions.

Critique: Beautifully illustrated and published in a large format (7 x 1 x 10 inches, 1.25 pounds) paperback format, "The Nourishing Asian Kitchen: Nutrient-Dense Recipes for Health and Healing" is exceptionally 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation. An ideal and highly recommended pick for personal, professional, and community library ethnic cookbook collections, it should be noted that "The Nourishing Asian Kitchen" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $26.49).

Editorial Note: Sophia Nguyen Eng is a first-generation Vietnamese-American who left a successful career in growth marketing in Silicon Valley to start a five-acre permaculture farm in the Appalachian region of eastern Tennessee. During her time in the tech industry, Eng led successful growth marketing campaigns for startups and Fortune 500 companies like WorkDay, InVision, and Smartsheet, which led to opportunities to develop a certificate training program with CXL Institute and being a founder of the tech organization Women in Growth. Now she draws on her experiences speaking on stage and her knowledge of food, farming, and health to present at homesteading conferences. Eng is also a Weston A. Price Chapter Leader and the founder of the website Sprinkle with Soil. With her husband, Tim, she raises grass-fed dairy cows, beef cattle, laying hens, broilers, ducks, sheep, goats, turkeys, and grows a variety of produce for her multi-generational family and local community.

Wisconsin Field to Fork
Lori Fredrich
The Globe Pequot Press
www.globepequot.com
9781493067695, $30.00, HC, 264pp

https://www.amazon.com/Wisconsin-Field-Fork-fresh-recipes/dp/1493067699

Synopsis: Farm-to-table dining has become best practice in restaurants across the nation, connecting consumers with those who make and grow their food. While farmers have diversified their crops to meet the needs of both creative chefs and increasingly adventurous home cooks, chefs have played a crucial role in bridging the gap between the field and the fork.

Although states with longer growing seasons tend to take the credit for their ability to heed the call for locally grown food, Wisconsin has earned its place at the forefront of the movement. Local chefs have capitalized on the state's bounty, offering increasingly localized seasonal menus and extending the harvest through active preservation.

With the publication of "Wisconsin Field to Fork: Farm-Fresh Recipes from the Dairy State", Wisconsin culinary expert Lori Fredrich tells the tale of Wisconsin agriculture, not only through stories about the farmers who provide the wealth of vegetables, dairy, and livestock needed to sustain local restaurants but also through the seventy chef-driven recipes that take those products and weave magic into them.

The recipes comprising "Wisconsin Field to Fork: Farm-Fresh Recipes from the Dairy State" range from drinks and appetizers to dessert include the summery Watermelon Cocktail Punch, Wild Mushroom and Mascarpone Tortelli, and Strawberry-Rhubarb Tres Leches Cake.

Critique: A compendium of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly, menu enhancing recipes with a distinctive Wisconsin ethos, "Wisconsin Field to Fork: Farm-Fresh Recipes from the Dairy State" is beautifully illustrated throughout and will prove to be an enduringly welcome and appreciated addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted for the personal resource lists for dedicated Foodies in general, and all Wisconsin professional and family cooks in particular, that "Wisconsin Field to Fork: Farm-Fresh Recipes from the Dairy State" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $21.49).

Editorial Note: Lori Fredrich (http://www.lorifredrich.com) is the Senior Food Writer and Dining Editor for OnMilwaukee. She is also the author of Milwaukee Food: A History of Cream City Cuisine (History Press) and the co-host of FoodCrush, a podcast "for people who eat." An avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Over the years, her recipes and writing have also been featured in a variety of publications including Cheese Connoisseur, Cooking Light, Edible Milwaukee, Milwaukee Magazine and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Taste of Home Everyday Slow Cooker
Taste of Home, editor
Trusted Media Brands
https://www.trustedmediabrands.com
9781621459828, $17.99, PB, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Home-Everyday-Slow-Cooker/dp/1621459829

Synopsis: The slow cooker is the busy cook's best friend, and for good reason -- it delivers the perfect combination of comfort food and convenience. When managing hectic schedules, there's something magical about a device that lets you do your prep work in the morning and discover a ready-to-serve meal just a few hours later.

"Taste of Home Everyday Slow Cooker" is a compendium of some 250+ recipes, each of which will make the most that kitchen timesaver, the slow cooker. Here are to be bound a culinary wealth of recipes for hot breakfasts, savory main courses, satisfying sides, hearty soups and stews, and tempting desserts today's families crave most! These amazing recipes can all be made in the slow cooker so you can plan cooking around your schedule, instead of planning your schedule around cooking.

Shared by home cooks and approved in the Taste of Home Test Kitchen, these slow-cooked specialties are sure to turn out perfect every time. Between family dinners, weekend snacks, charity potlucks and game-day spreads, there's no reason to ever put your slow cooker in the cupboard... every day is a day for slow cooking!

Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated with full color photos throughout, "Taste of Home Everyday Slow Cooker" from Taste of Home features 250+ recipes & tips so no matter the course, occasion or timeline, an ideal dish is always at your fingertips. "Taste of Home Everyday Slow Cooker" also includes a complete set of nutrition information and diabetic exchanges (when applicable) to make it easy to plan well-balanced family meals. Of special note is the Freeze-It Icon -- dishes marked with a special icon include full freezing and reheating instructions, so you can plan ahead for your busiest nights! Also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), "Taste of Home Everyday Slow Cooker" is thoroughly DIY and 'user friendly' source for palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly dishes that take full advantage of the family slow cooker and is a perfect pick for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Editorial Note: Taste of Home is the leading multi-platform producer of information on food, cooking, baking and entertaining, serving home cooks engaging media that capture the joy and comfort received from food made with love. www.Tasteofhome.com is a top online destination for engaging audiences with kitchen-tested recipes, how-to techniques, cooking videos and more.

CDMX: The Food of Mexico City
Rosa Cienfuegos
Smith Street Books
c/o Rizzoli
www.rizzoliusa.com
9781922754585, $40.00, HC, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/CDMX-Food-Mexico-Rosa-Cienfuegos/dp/1922754587

Synopsis: "CDMX: The Food of Mexico City" is the follow-up cookbook to "Comida Mexicana: Snacks, Tacos, Tortas, Tamales & Desserts" by Rosa Cienfuegos. Her new cookbook is a continuing celebration of the food of Mexico City and the dishes that Rosa grew up eating and now recreates in her two Sydney restaurants: Tamaleria and Icatate.

It showcases the food that chilangos (residents of Mexico City) enjoy at home, on the streets, in markets, and in cafes and bars. Authentic and often unique to Ciudad de Mexico, as the locals call it, CDMX's colorful recipes reflect the vibrancy, history, and modern urban life of Mexico's liveliest city.

Filled with stunning food photography and on-the-scene shots of Mexico City, "CDMX" is substantially more than just another ethnic cookbook. In addition to the unique dishes found only in the capital, "CDMX" is also where the country's regional cuisines come together, giving you the opportunity to eat your way through Mexico without ever having to leave the city. "CDMX" is the Mexico City culinary guide for those who crave authenticity and who strive to accurately recreate their favorite food memories or head straight to the source, visiting Rosa's recommended bars, restaurants, street eats, and markets.

Critique: A compendium of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly, authentic Mexican dishes (featuring full page color photos of finished dishes), this large format (8.11 x 0.98 x 11.02 inches, 2.34 pounds) hardcover Smith Street Books edition of "CDMX: The Food of Mexico City" by chef and restauranteur Rosa Cienfuegos will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections.

Editorial Note: Rosa Cienfuegos (https://www.mexicanfoodaustralia.com/our-story) was born in Azcapotzalco, a suburb of Mexico City. She grew up surrounded by friends and family in this vibrant suburb before eventually relocating to Sydney, Australia, to be close to her father. Once in Sydney, she missed the food of her home country and began importing Mexican ingredients as a small business. This ignited the local Mexican community in Sydney, which encouraged Cienfuegos to open her tamaleria and sell the street-food dishes she loved most in Mexico. Fast-forward several years and her second restaurant, and deli, Icatate, opened in popular Redfern, extending her food offerings and authentic ingredients from Mexico City. She regularly returns to Mexico to gain more knowledge and insight into her beloved cuisine.

The German Baking Book
Jurgen Krauss
Weldon Owen
c/o Insight Editions
www.insighteditions.com
9798886740615, $35.00, HC, 208pp

https://www.amazon.com/German-Baking-Book-Breads-Forest/dp/B0BHR4NBKL

Synopsis: "The German Baking Book: Cakes, Tarts, Breads, and More from the Black Forest and Beyond" is a culinary celebration of German home baking from Jurgen Krauss, the man who won the hearts of viewers and three Star Baker honors from the judges of The Great British Baking Show. A self-taught baker, Jurgen has drawn on the flavors, techniques, and memories from his childhood, his European travels, and his wife's Jewish heritage, to create a collection of authentic German baking recipes from his home to yours.

Jurgen's gentle charm can be felt with each delightful recipe ranging rom German classics such as Black Forest gateau, and coffee cake, to festive bakes including lebkuchen and gingerbread, each of Jurgen's delicious recipes are crafted with care and simplicity.

Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full page color photography, "The German Baking Book: Cakes, Tarts, Breads, and More from the Black Forest and Beyond" is an essential, core addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. Of special and particular interest to fans of The Great British Baking Show and home bakers with a love for classic and festive German baking, it should be noted that "The German Baking Book" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

Editorial Note: Jurgen Krauss is a former Database Administrator turned professional baker, and a former contestant of The Great British Baking Show. His love for baking began during his childhood in the Black Forest. His travels across Europe widened his culinary influences and instilled in him the desire to master German bread-making, the perfect showcase for his technical precision and creative flavors.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no funds from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, internet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "California Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwatch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview (dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugalmuse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publisher, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review