CookThatBook

Cookbook review written & photographed by Stay-At-Home-Chef

Flavor Flours is available for purchase at local bookstores. For more information on this book please visit Artisan.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Alice Medrich when her Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy book first came out. At the end of our conversation, we started talking about gluten-free baking and how it can be so difficult to get just the right texture. I jokingly commented how she needed to write a gluten-free cookbook. Not that I’m taking credit for being the inspiration behind this book! But I did get a thrill when Flavor Flours was published because if anyone can tackle the gluten-free world of baking and become master of its domain, it’s Alice Medrich.

Dedicated entirely to no-wheat flours, this book pays homage to Alice’s skill as a pastry chef. The book is divided into eight chapters, each one tackling a specific flour: rice, oat, corn/cornmeal, buckwheat, chestnut, teff, sorghum and nut/coconut. These recipes go far beyond simple gluten-free substitutions and really delve into the structure of each flour and how it enhances the dessert based on its unique texture and flavor.

The majority of the recipes in this book are based on familiar desserts and baked goods such as brownies, chocolate cakes, muffins and cookies. Because all of the flours are gluten-free there’s less emphasis on technique as there’s no risk of over stirring. No gluten to activate means no tough cakes or cookies!

The book starts off with a glimpse into the recipe testing process and what insights came about for Alice and her recipe developer cohort Maya Klein as they got to know each of the different flours. Information about various techniques – such as the best method for melting chocolate – and details about specific equipment and the best type of ingredients to use is also included and super helpful. Each chapter begins with an introduction to the flour that describes its unique characteristics along with the best methods of storage, with each of the recipes holding detailed steps and information that I personally love about Alice’s cookbooks. No detail is overlooked and I appreciate that level of passion and caring.

I would describe this book as a bit of a baking bible, one that you will turn to and pick-up time and time again. The photos are beautiful and I personally like being able to figure out what I can make based on the type of flour I happen to have on hand.

Alice knocks another one out of the park.

 
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Cookbook review written & photographed by Stay-At-Home-Chef

Cravings is available for purchase at local bookstores. For more information on this book please visit Penguin Random House Canada. 

Once upon a time there was a little girl born to a Thai mother and father of Norwegian decent who grew up and became a famous model and social media maven. Our heroine married musician John Legend and wrote a cookbook – which is where our story gets really good!

This cookbook has been getting a lot of attention online with skeptics converted into believers and a five-star Amazon rating out of more than 600 reviews. Oh and she looks like my friend Janakie (see below) so that kinda sealed the deal for me: this book must be reviewed.

See what I mean? The resemblance is uncanny, right?!

After initially flipping through the recipes I headed straight for the gym. Warning! No low-cal diety recipes will be found in this book. Come on people – the title is Cravings – that pretty much sums up the recipe focus. Most of the dishes are meant to be indulgences.

In the introduction Chrissy writes that food has been her second language since she was a kid. Let me say this – you can tell. It quickly became apparent to me that this woman likes to cook. Everything I tried turned out super tasty and are dishes I’d make again in a heartbeat. The photos of her and John (I’ve made his famous chicken wings so I figure we’re on a first name basis) are fun and look like they belong in a fashion magazine. The writing and overall tone of the book is approachable and full of hilarity that will have you laughing like a crazy person in your kitchen.

I dare you to pick-up this book and not bring it home and start cooking right away. Divided into sections that include Breakfast All Day, Noodles and Carbs, Party Time and Sh*t on Toast – you’re bound to find something that strikes your fancy.

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Cookbook review written & photographed by Stay-At-Home-Chef

Alice’s Cookbook is available for purchase through our online store or at local bookstores. For more information on this book please visit Lyons Press. 

I’m going to cut to the chase and announce right off the bat that I have a lot of heart for Alice’s Cookbook (Lyons Press $21.95 CDN). My crush on this book is unexpected as I picked it up on a whim, my purchase simply a reaction to the unusual thick cardboard cover with sketched illustrations on the front and back. The collection of recipes continue to inspire and motivate me in the kitchen. In fact, I’m having a hard time putting it aside and have a number of recipes earmarked to make in the near future.

Written by Alice Hart, a British chef and food stylist, this book bridges a years worth of seasons and holidays with recipe options that include an autumn movie night, New Year’s brunch, hot summer barbecue and a light, post-Christmas dinner. The book is divided into five separate sections: breakfast and brunch, picnics and happy camping, seasonal Sunday lunch, supper and lunch to share and – simply – party. It is geared toward creating feasts to be shared with friends and family at leisure and in celebration. If you’re looking for prepared food or quick-fix ideas this book isn’t for you. That’s not to say that Alice believes in slaving away in the kitchen up until the last minute guests arrive, but instead spending time a day or two beforehand to make a marinade or bake a cake. In other words, taking what she calls an intelligent and enjoyable approach to cooking and entertaining.

Each section of the book contains a collection of recipes for a particular menu (e.g. spring breakfast for six on the weekend) and provides make ahead suggestions to help avoid that dreaded last minute rush in the kitchen. I really appreciated the fluidity with which the recipes are written…and this coming from a self-professed rule follower. Alice include all of the relevant detail one looks for in a recipe, but keeps it open to interpretation in a way that really makes you feel in control of the dish as if you are co-creating it together. It’s more of a guide, leaving room for your natural culinary instincts to take charge. Don’t get the wrong idea here folks – precise baking measurements are included along with oven temperatures etc. – but instead of dictating one tablespoon of chile Alice leaves it open to your own interpretation. You pick the type and amount of chile that suits you. Don’t like a particular root vegetable suggested for a dish? Swap it out for whatever root you fancy more. It’s a liberating approach to recipes that went over quite well with me.

Two thumbs up from me!

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