Gourmet Books

This was my first exposure to ATK. I purchased it off the newstand, thinking it might be a regular publication. I have made three recipes thus far, and feel like quite the cook, as each meal recieved rave reviews. I am a beginning cook, and not crazy about spending a great deal of time in the kitchen, so I love the "64 suppers in 30 minutes or less" concept.

My sister was out here staying with us, and since the publication was pulled from the newstand on 9/29, she copied six of the recipes by hand as she was headed back home today, and was afraid she would not be able to find her own copy.

Well worth the $6.95 I paid for it on the newstand. And, I'll keep looking for more special publications from ATK over time, for sure.

I'm always checking out ATKs products and stumbled across this one, ordered it and really surprised w/it. They are pages of recipe cards with some of their truly great recipes printed on them. I have tried in vain to find their Volume I to get but couldn't find anything about this publication...not even on their web-site. At any rate, certainly worth the price...and excellent. (Have ordered copy for a friend as well since seeing it.)

This is a great book for anyone interested in the history of food. It's not one of those hoity-toity food-snob books -- its an irreverant look at the way Americans eat. Learn about food fads from TV dinners to the backyard luau. Includes some interesting recipes.

This is a great book for anyone interested in the history of food. It's not one of those hoity-toity food-snob books -- its an irreverant look at the way Americans eat. Learn about food fads from TV dinners to the backyard luau. Includes some interesting recipes.

Balsamic vinegar comes in two basic types: a generic type available for a few pennies a serving, high in acid and relatively low in flavor. It gets its dark color and elusive sweetness from the addition of caramel. Serious foodies rarely use it except in marinades or vinaigrettes. However, John Ash gives a recipe in From the Earth to the Table: John Ash's Wine Country Cuisine that many restaurants use; boil the generic type until the liquid is reduced by 60%. When cooled, the balsamic syrup is thick and delicious and makes a very good substitute in many uses. (We buy the 700 ml bottle of Costco's generic brand, and add a bit of brown sugar to the boiling liquid.)

Massimo Bottura's beautifully produced book is devoted to the genuine balsamic vinegar, L'Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale, D.O.P. Foodies willingly pay many dollars for a 4-ounce bottle of vinegar. But, a few drops impart a wonderful flavor to a wide variety of foods. Bottura is a world famous chef and the owner of Osteria Francescana in Modena, and is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable proponent of Aceto Balsamico.

Aceto Balsamico is a specialty of the provincial areas of Modena and Reggio Emilia in Emilia Romagna. A consortium governs production, marketing, and exportation was formed in 1979. The grapes must be Trebbiano and Lambrusco varieties (and a few others in small quantities). The grapes are pressed and cooked relatively quickly in open cauldrons, reducing the volume of the must by half. The vinegar is aged in wooden barrels for a minimum of 12 to 25 years; some balsamico has been aged for well over 100 years.

Before the balsamico is bottled, a panel of five "masters" of the Consorzio tastes the Aceto Balsamico to ensure it meets the specific criteria of production and quality. The bottles are numbered, labeled and sealed; Aceto Balsamico must be aged for at least 12 years to carry the designation "Vecchio" or old; vinegar that is at least 25 years old earns the designation "Stravecchio" or "Extravecchio." [Much of the foregoing information comes from Bottura's book and from the website of Italian Wine Merchants, which offers high end balsamico; the website is written by Sergio Esposito, author of Passion on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Family in the Heart of Italy.]

Bottura makes and distributes Villa Manodori Organic Balsamic Vinegar, a "condimento", made generally by the traditional methods, but constituting a blend of ten to 20 year old vinegars. One can hardly hope to duplicate some of Bottura's world famous recipes; here's Frank Bruni on the master: "Massimo Bottura isn't the kind of chef you expect to find in Italy, and Osteria La Francescana isn't the kind of restaurant. Foams? Airs? Osso buco deconstructed and then reconstructed as a sort of soup-meets-parfait with striations of color? To be eaten with a tiny spoon?" ["The New York Times", October 25, 2006.]

It was great fun for this intermediate cook to read Bottura's complex recipes, and perhaps one day I'll try a couple. For example, one dish presents five different forms and ages of Parmesan, which appears as a sauce (18-month-old cheese), a foam (24 months), a creamy partner for fresh ricotta (30 months), an air (36 months) and a crisp frico (40 months). Bruni wrote in his "Times" article: "except for the air, which was almost tasteless, these elements charted subtle, riveting escalations in sharpness, letting a diner wallow in Parmesan without wearying of it."

In the meantime, this slim volume (filled like balsmico with lots of content) suggested a number of uses: a drizzle on rib eye steaks, thick-cut pork chops and Cotecchino (a large, plump sausage produced in Emilia Romagna), marinated fruit, sauces, marinades, parmigiano-reggiano cheese and fresh strawberries. A manageable dessert: Crema di parmigiano-reggiano all'aceto balsamico brulee. A fat cube of a parmigiano custard topped with a thin, crackly sweet and acidic layer of bruleed balsamic vinegar.

Here's a recipe which captures Bottura's passion, and which I've made with great success:

"This is more than just vinegar; it's a tradition that only a few people can understand. Some of these batteries may produce less than one liter a year. For us, to present someone with 0.1 liter of extra vecchio is like giving them blood from your body."

FILET MIGNON VILLA MANODORI

2 filets of beef, 6 oz. each
2 strips of pancetta or bacon
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves mashed with skin still on
1 T. butter
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
4 T. Villa Manodori balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. beef stock

Wrap strip of pancetta around the filet. Combine olive oil and butter in a saucepan large enough for the two filets. Brown the shallot and garlic. Add the two filets to the pan and brown meat on each side, about 2 minutes per side. If you like your meat rare, cook over high heat. If you prefer your meat medium, cook over medium heat.

Add the balsamic vinegar to the pan. After one minute remove the filets to a plate.

Pour in beef stock and let mixture boil for five minutes. Put filets back in pan and cook for 1 minute on each side. Serve filets with the sauce from pan spooned over the top. Serves 2.

*****

This is a beautiful little book devoted to a single ingredient, but in the hands of a master, opening many doors of delight.


Robert C. Ross 2008

As the 'in' ingredient not so long ago, balsamic vinegar was over-used by a lot of chefs. In the end that is perhaps a more eloquent reflection on its versatility and ability to make a big difference even though used in very small quantities. This book explores its possibilities in ways I never would have imagined. Many of the recipes have witty names and ironic presentations that will delight sophisticated foodies. Don't miss the foie gras crusted with almonds presented like an ice cream treat on a stick. With its liquid center of balsamic vinegar it makes for a very dramatic and surprising dish - guaranteed to WOW your guests.

The Beans, Lentils & Tofu Gourmet offers more than 125 delicious recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, chili, stews, casseroles, meat, poultry, fish, vegetarian, pasta, grain, and side dishes. From Black Bean and Sausage Gumbo, Wagon Boss Chili, and Bean Burgers with Dill Sauce, to Yahni (Greek beans with onions), Indian Frybread Tostadas, and Lentil and Pancetta Antipasto, The Beans, Lentils & Tofu Gourmet is a cornucopia of wonderful, unique, and memorable dining ideas. This outstanding, ardently recommended recipe collection is enhanced with sixteen pages of full-color photographs, kitchen tips, serving suggestions, plus helpful information on buying, storing and cooking legumes and tofu.

The Beans Lentils & Tofu Gourmet offers more than 125 delicious recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, chili, stews, casseroles, meat, poultry, fish, vegetarian, pasta, grain, and side dishes. From Black Bean and Sausage Gumbo, Wagon Boss Chili, and Bean Burgers with Dill Sauce, to Yahni (Greek beans with onions), Indian Frybread Tostadas, and Lentil and Pancetta Antipasto, The Beans Lentils & Tofu Gourmet is a cornucopia of wonderful, unique, and memorable dining ideas. This outstanding, ardently recommended recipe collection is enhanced with sixteen pages of full-color photographs, kitchen tips, serving suggestions, plus helpful information on buying, storing and cooking legumes and tofu.

My first of " The Best of Gourmet" I purchased from the Department store just because it was on sale.
In that same evening I was cooking by that book. Now I am hunting for all editions.
Beautiful photos and absolutely the best gourmet food recipes, easy to follow and you will get what its promised.
I know, you will love it.
Also, what a great section " Featuring the flavours of ....(every edition will have different countries).

Gourmet is the best cooking magazine and the "Best of" books are even better. Forget the magazine, just get these books. No tiresome ads for Rolex and rich people on pristine tropical beaches. Just the food and great recipes. The thyme scented apple galette (either in this issue or another one) was an instant winner in my house. The Greek recipes are great. I particularly remember the recipe for gigantic lima beans.

Most recipes are thoughtfully staged. They tell what can be done ahead of time. They also give suggestions on complimentary dishes.

All this and in durable hardback.

Gourmet consistently releases books of the absolute highest quality, and their Best of Gourmet 2002 book is no exception. The photographs are so beautiful I frequently enjoy flipping through the book and browsing at the pictures whether I plan on cooking or not. The collection of recipies is vast, including plenty suitable for anyone from a novice to a chef. The menu combinations are brilliant and convenient. The Best of Gourmet series are treasures for any cooking enthusiast's collection, and no serious cook's collection is complete without them.

Celebrated the mag's sixtieth, they featured Paris dining with some unique touches. First, three meals served by some famous Parisians: Picasso, Brancusi and Man Ray. Then there is what is my favorite, a section of specialist menus with recipes for such as "A Breezy Summer Dinner," and thanksgiving. These are special, just the think when one wants a coordianted menu without all the indiviudal fuss of finding and creating. For example, the Summer Dinner was just outstanding, with Crabmeat, Apple and Mango Salad on cumin Apple Crisps, with Roasted Striped Bass with Chive and Sour Cream Sauce, Spicy Garlic Potatoes and Zucchini finished off magnific with Berry Puffs with Orange Muscat Sauce.

The layout and photos are first rate and so are the recipes. Neat stuff in here, e.g. Butternut Squash and Hazlenut Lasagna, Ricotta and Candied Fruit Puddings, Pear and Hazlenut Frangipane Tart, Snow Peas, Portk and Cashed Stir-Fry, Spiced Roast Goose with Dried-Fruit Pan Sauce, Cornmeal Crusted SoftShell Crabs with Cilantro-Lime Tartar Sauce,Lamb and Eggplant Pastitstsio, and Pumpkin Chiffon Mousee with Gingersmnap Crust.

This book is not for the timid or shy cook, but for those who seek adventure in dining and cooking to really impress those tastebuds with adventurous, intensely flavored food, this book will be a most welcome addition to your collection.

Compendium of flavor inspired by Bay Area. From Italian to grilling to Chineese to other ethnic cuisine of all types, there is amazing amount of recipes in here, over 325, with some 33 menus all with photos.

Also, there are help sections, e.g. "Artichoke Cooking Class" and menu ideas for all occassions, and all meals. Liked inclusion of meals for one, including a dazzling "Chocolate Raspbeery Icebox Cake" for one. You've got to try this one!

Staggering collection with solid, creative recipes that our doable and enjoyable.

Drawing from the pages Gourmet, of one of America's premiere cooking magazines, The Best Of Gourmet Featuring The Flavors Of San Francisco is an enthusiastically recommended addition to any personal, professional, culinary school, or community library cookbook collection. Superbly enhanced with more than a hundred full-color photographs, The Best Of Gourmet clearly lives up to its title as it showcases dozens of menus featuring more than 350 "kitchen friendly" recipes ranging from Coconut Shrimp with Tamarind Ginger Sauce; Pearl Couscous with Olives and Roasted Tomatoes; and Asparagus Soup with Parmesan Custards; to Sicilian-Style Pasta with Sardines; Peanut Sesame Noodles; and Coffee Granita with Sambuca Cream and Chocolate Shavings.

`The Best of Gourmet 2007' is a 65th Anniversary edition of recipes collected from `Gourmet' of both the last year and from the previous 65 (up to 2005) years. In most ways, it is very similar to `The Best of Gourmet 2006', which means it's an excellent source of menus for entertaining 6 to 8 people at dinner on a regular basis, when you have an aversion to repeating yourself too often.

The book begins with the collection of 65 `favorite' recipes. This collection is not uniformly easy, difficult, or popular. Some, like their versions of cabbage and noodles and Caesar salad, are simple and common while the chocolate souffle cake and the Vietnamese Pho Bo (Hanoi Beef Noodle soup) are complex and exotic. This makes the section good foodie reading, to see what it is which tickles the fancy of the `Gourmet' editors.

As with all `Gourmet' recipes, at least all I've seen over the past four years that I've been reading the magazine, the instructions are detailed and quite precise; however, being true to the magazine's name, they have something about them which makes them more interesting than the average `Joy of Cooking' or even `Good Housekeeping' recipe. The very best thing about the selection of `Gourmet' recipes for me is that they carry lots of recipes for classic types of dishes which are simply a bit beyond the pale of the '30 Minute Meal' crowd. This includes recipes for gratins, tarts, breads, crackers(!), souffles, braises, cakes, pies, and assembled desserts such as a charlotte. The excellent index does, however, provide nifty little clock icons by each recipe that can be done in that famous '30 minutes' or less. This being `Gourmet', I may take this with a grain of salt, and stick with Rachael Ray if you are seriously interested in FAST dishes.

After the '65 Favorite Recipes' comes 18 menus, with each recipe within a menu calibrated to produce the same number of servings, something not everyone with the same objective can seem to pull off. There is no obvious pattern to the choice or arrangement of menus. The overriding criterion was, I'm sure, did it appear in `Gourmet' in the previous 12 months (in 2006, actually). Some are oriented to a location (New Mexico, Naples, Greek Seaside, Provence), some are keyed to a season (summer, winter, fall harvest), some are for a specific meal (breakfast, lunch, supper), and some are for a particular holiday (Lunar New Year, Thanksgiving (2), Christmas cocktail party, Christmas feast). The shotgun selection is less random if you happen to own several of the previous yearly `Gourmet' collections. Put them all together and you have a really fine collection of hundreds of different menus, all with the `Gourmet' imprimatur. This is by far the best auxiliary I know of to a copy of Martha Stewart's classic `Entertaining'. It's even better than anything I've seen from Martha and company. Each menu, even those for breakfast, include one or more wine selections for the menu, and they are very specific, down to the chateau and vintage year! About half of these recipes are showcased in quarter, half, or full-page pics. Unfortunately, the good editors are often not able to put the recipe and pic on the same or facing pages. Pity.

Following the 18 menus, with approximately 100 recipes, is `The Recipe Compendium', with a dozen or more recipes in each of the following categories:

Appetizers
Breads
Soups
Fish and Shellfish
Meats
Poultry
Breakfast, Brunch, and Sandwiches
Pasta and Grains
Vegetables
Salads
Condiments and sauces
Desserts

These recipes are not accompanied by photographs. Unlike the menu recipes, they are almost uniformly calibrated to `Serve 4'. This is nice, as it makes it a lot easier to match up recipes to create a menu of your own. All recipes also contain two timings, one is `active' time and the other is `start to finish'.

Where appropriate, each recipe also cites special equipment and references to a `Sources' glossary where the ingredient or equipment is not available at the typical supermarket. I found two quirks in these features. One was the fact that sometimes there were references to `Sources', but the item was nowhere to be found in this glossary. The other was the reference to an `adjustable-blade slicer'. Now in a moment of cognitive befuddlement, I could not for the life of me imagine what that was, until I realized they were talking about a mandoline! This is a case like those in cookbooks translated from the French where `Herbes de Provence' is translated to `French herb collection'. The fact is that anyone who owns three cookbooks and watches the Food Network at least 2 hours a week will know what `mandoline' and `herbes de Provence' mean, and will be befuddled by a `translation'. But so much for that little linguistic rant.

At a list price of $40, these books are just a bit pricy, but there is a great synergy to be had in owning several in the series. If you are really interesting in cooking and have little interest in travel or expensive restaurants, the cost of these books is a far better investment than the cost of 12 issues of `Gourmet'. One can hope that Conde Nast will come out with an index to all these volumes (It may exist, I haven't looked for it yet).

Great resource for entertaining.

The Best of Gourmet 2007 is a collection of popular recipes featured in Gourmet Magazine. It is also a must-have for anyone who wishes to produce a meal or dessert that is out of the ordinary. If you want to dazzle your guests or surprise the green-bean casserole lot at the next potluck, use one of the recipes in this book.

I was recently asked to prepare some desserts for a Christmas-themed cocktail party. Besides a fruit tarte, cheesecake, and small assortment of pastries, the hostess asked if I would make a red velvet cake. I wanted to do something different, something unexpected, because a red velvet cake is really just a chocolate cake with a lot of food coloring.

Anyway, I used a white chocolate cream cheese frosting and decorated the cake with a recipe I found in The Best of Gourmet. The recipe calls for rice noodles, soaked in water, dried, deep fried, and sprinkled with sugar. In the book, these resemble great white coral leaves and are placed on top of a mound of mango sorbet. I did a little twist. I shaped the noodles to resemble snowflakes, then sprinkled them with sparkling/silver sugar. I had these sticking out of the top and sides of the cake and it looked amazing. It was easy, spectacular, and completely unexpected.

The recipes can be complicated but are well worth the effort.

The unique recipes, fabulous layout, and clever "menu" concept make this a book that is easy for me to recommend.

This book is very inspirational and gets your creative juices flowing. Every recipe is very easy to follow. Now I am ready to add my own personal touches.

This book has such fun cake and food ideas that are so cute yet so easy to make! I love this cookbook!

Beyond Cotton Country is a simply gorgeous collection of long-time favorite, double kitchen-tested, mouth-watering, appetite satisfying recipes drawn from the Junior League of Morgan County members, their family, and their friends. Fine minimalist color illustrations add an eye-catching touch to offerings such as Spiced Fruit Tea; Grilled Venison; Sunday Morning Pancakes; Orange Chicken Roll-Ups; New Orleans Garlic Bread; Cherry Crown Cake, and more. Sidebar tips offer helpful insights in this overall sumptuous and very highly recommended hardcover cookbook.

Beyond Cotton Country is the 3rd cookbook from the Junior League of Morgan County and their experience shows in this book. The recipes vary from quick and easy meals to cook for the kids on weeknights to gourmet recipes that will impress even the most finiky dinner guest. It also features menus for events ranging from the ballgame "Tailgate party" to a "Ladies Spring Luncheon". This cookbook and it's still published predecessor Cotton Country Cooking are a must have for the cook that appreciates the best in Southern flavors.