Molto Batali: Simple Family Meals from My Home to Yours

>>> BlackFriday Molto Batali: Simple Family Meals from My Home to Yours

I bought this to give as a little extra gift for my son to open on his birthday in November. He appreciates good food (like his mother) and likes to eat healthy but hearty. I have countless cookbooks but not a one by Mario Batali that is until now. I am keeping this one and getting my son another one in time to gift. What immediately struck me in this book was the use of both familiar and some unusual (but accessible) and very unusual ingredients to use in cooking--kohlrabi cardoons (like a huge celery) endive radishes plus others. To me personally I love trying out new spices and ingredients or using familiar ingredients in an unusual way--that is the adventure for me. When I have guests over for dinner I like to serve at least one thing that they may never have had before or recently or something familiar served in a new way. This book does that for me. Then there are the basics yummy roasts short ribs mostly meats & fowl some shellfish pastas (also many unusual kinds) polentas vegetables beans etc.. There are a variety of soups entrees sides and desserts to choose from. The recipes are overwhelmingly 'rustic' and the pictures bring that forth--no fru fru here. (There's also a recipe for cannoli and shells one that I make myself in the same way). Almost every recipe has its own picture which draws you right in. The Table of Contents is laid out clearly to find any recipe at a moment's glance. Each of the twelve chapters is organized by the months of the year so that the menu matches the season. As the title implies none of these recipes are involved or complicated. The layout of the recipes has all ingredients and directions printed on one page and on the opposite page is the picture. If you desire to make one of the dishes with some unusual ingredient you know you can't find there is a large resource guide in the back of book to find it...or as I have been known to do I substitute; call me a rebel. I don't let anything hold me back if I'm ready and willing to try out a new recipe.

Do I have any negatives? Yes one very minor one. In just a few recipes (thankfully few) notations in the recipe 'suggest' buying Mario's product to complete the recipe. It's not a big deal but I cringe when I see the author stoop to this level. If you want someone to know your products exist mention it once in the foreword then don't mention it again in specific recipes. To my mind it is tacky. Despite this one minor negative it is easy to see that a lot of effort and thought went into this cookbook. For now this review is one to let others know about the book that it's worth having for all the reasons I've mentioned. So many cookbooks so little time as they say; but I will use this one soon and report back when I do. It's getting cold out so I think I will start with the Tuscan Ribollita soup (in "chapter October") after I buy some fresh greens; then I'll be ready to go. I just wanted to share the basics with everyone in the meantime bc I am very pleased with the many thoughtful features of this book that I wanted to let the word out.

UPDATE: Made the Ribollita soup halved it which still made plenty for up to 6 people. Easy to make. I used broth instead of water. Finishing up leftovers today. The Marinated Broiled Portobellos were fast and tasty to be eaten warm or room temp. The Prime Rib paste/marinade great. Used it on steak too.

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The Food of Spain

>>> BlackFriday The Food of Spain

The hyperbole in the product description calls this book one of the most important books on Spanish cooking during the last 50 years. How does the book measure up? I own a number of Spanish cooking books so in addition to comments on Roden's book please also find my recommendations.

This is a decent book about traditional Spanish food but it lacks the passion so apparent in The New Spanish Table (or for that matter the author's own The New Book of Middle Eastern Food). I think you learn more about Spanish food by reading that book because its informal and youthful style (i.e. cramped with info side bars inserts loads of smaller less artistic photos). Off course if you want to learn about the Spanish regions and their specialities you should pick up Culinaria Spain. However Roden does teach us a bit about the strong early Muslim influence as well as the different regions. Roden's history lesson is largely confined to pre 20th century. Unfortunately you do not get any understanding of how Spanish cooking has changed during the last 50 years. Another solid book that tries to do pretty much what Roden is trying to do is The Cuisines of Spain: Exploring Regional Home Cooking - a much better choice (more focused description of regional differences more recipes regional origin of all recipes noted).

The book is too designed by the publisher for my liking; e.g. lots of professional photos (but why a brown tinting on all of them?) big white spaces (who came up with the silly idea of having 3-4 cm margins??) and very safe recipes. This would be a good gift to a more conservative person that likes food a bit toned down but still nice. (In contrast the first book mentioned above would be a good gift to a more passionate person who just likes to cook.) I am not trying to belittle Roden's book but cooking is more fun with passion (e.g. Andres's Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen or his DVD. Check him out on youtube if you are not familiar with him.)

I am also disappointed by having only 180 recipes in a book of 600 pages. The book has a lot of intro text so the comparison isn't totally fair but still pretty fair. There is just too much fluff in this book. Compare with the author's early book on Middle Eastern food having 800 recipes on 500 pages. Also many of the recipes are too basic like chicken stock aioli and mayonnaise. Those recipes should be put at the end and not given full page treatment. Alternatively more detail could have been provided; e.g. how pestle and mortar makes the sauce different how to make it without eggs. Things need to be taken to the next level.

I don't think this book is directed to people who love to cook. There are just too many short-cuts described (e.g. doing aioli with bought mayo) and the author giving approval to all these short cuts (probably on request of the publisher). Also the recipes do not contain any tips of how to really get the best out of the ingredients. The recipes are very straightforward all additional complexity removed. Some people might like this approach but somebody who loves to cook would like to know the details that lead to perfection and an enlarged skill set.

If you want more recipes per page I would suggest the books by Penelope Casas. Probably best to start with her first book The Foods and Wines of Spain which will contain the classics. Her Delicioso! The Regional Cooking of Spain and La Cocina de Mama: The Great Home Cooking of Spain follow the same style. (I am not familiar with her subsequent books). Her recipes are a little bit more traditional in preparation but the author is not Spanish and she is very careful in spicing the dishes. Compare with The New Spanish Table that is not afraid of spicing the dishes. I don't know who is closer to the "original" if there is an original.

Finally I do not recommend 1080 Recipes unless you want a book written for Spanish housewives

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