Book Review: The Cookie That Changed My Life and More Than 100 Other Classic Cakes, Cookies, Muffins by Nancy Silverton

The Cookie That Changed My Life and More Than 100 Other Classic Cakes, Cookies, Muffins
by Nancy Silverton (641.865 Sil)

I am one of those people who cannot pass up a good cookbook with a catchy title or excellent photo on the cover when I look at the New Book Display. I checked out this one because I wanted to see what recipes renowned chef Nancy Silverton picked out as “classic” recipes but with her own touch on each of them. The cookbook is an excellent assortment of dessert recipes with step-by-step instructions as well as detailed information about the ingredients you should buy and the equipment you should use in baking each recipe. What I enjoyed most about the book is the commentary provided by Ms. Silverton describing what she was looking for in the recipe to create “perfection.” In some cases, she took a recipe by some other famous cook and made it her own by adding different ingredients (this is the case with the cookie that changed her life — a simple recipe for peanut butter cookies that she improved upon by adding a peanut butter topping and roasted Spanish peanuts). Nearly every recipe includes a large glossy photo of the finished product — something that I especially look for in cookbooks. This is an excellent book for browsing or for adding to your collection, especially for those new to cooking desserts. I highly recommend this.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum.)

 

( Nancy Silverton entry on Wikipedia )

 

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Book Review: The Lighter Step by Step Instant Pot Cookbook by Jeffrey Eisner

The Lighter Step by Step Instant Pot Cookbook
by Jeffrey Eisner (641.7 Eis)

My first thought upon seeing this cookbook was, “Do we really need another Instant Pot book?” I can amend that to, “Yes, we do!” I stumbled across this book on a library table where someone else had left it and I ended up taking it home.

 

First of all, there are photos of every single finished product – as any good cookbook should have. Secondly, he provides photos of each step in the process. I found that so helpful.

 

Eisner created his own “General Cooking Charts” of often-cooked items that you might not remember how long to cook in the instant pot. His chart covers more than just beef or poultry, but also includes Pasta; Rice & Grains; Seafood; Vegetables; and Beans & Legumes.

 

These recipes really are an attempt at a “lighter” version and are further coded as to whether they can be classified as Keto, Paleo, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, and Vegan. All of the recipes have the nutritional values listed, and he also provides an inventory of his pantry staples.

 

The Table of Contents includes categories such as Basics for Now & Later; Soups & Stews; Pasta; Rice & Grains; Poultry; Meat; Seafood; Vegetables & Sides; and Dessert. There is a section, “How to Use Your Instant Pot, In a Nutshell” complete with photos of everything!

 

This turned out to be a well-rounded, basic instant pot cookbook that also provides a wide-variety of recipes and information. I ended up running out and buying this book, cuz, yeah, one really does need another Instant Pot book.

 

( official Jeffrey Eisner web site )

 

Recommended by Charlotte M.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Book Review: The I Love Cookies Recipe Book by Jacquelyn Parkes

The I Love Cookies Recipe Book
by Jacquelyn Parkes (641.865 Par)

Let’s get this out of the way right off — there are not photos of every recipe in this book. Which is a major drawback otherwise I wouldn’t have recognized how fabulous “Peanut Butter Crispy Brownie Bars” are simply from the recipe. Seriously, photos of every single recipe are necessary in recipe books.

 

Aside from that, I enjoyed browsing through this book and nabbed a few recipes for my kitchen.

 

What drew me to this recipe book is the cookie yields are small: 24, or 36, or 48 — some are even 12 or 16 (okay, what actually drew me to this book was the photo and recipe for Chocolate Thin Mint Cookies). With the lower yield, you don’t have massive amounts of cookies if there are only one or two of you at home (for example, the original Toll House cookie recipe yields 60 cookies — assuming you aren’t eating the dough along with the baking…). Nor are you struggling to find a large enough container to store them all (again, assuming you baked all of the dough). Neither are you spending the entire afternoon mixing, baking, and cleaning up the kitchen.

 

The author claims these are 100 of our favorite cookie recipes. I think she did a fine job of giving us a favorite assortment of Drop Cookies, Brownies and Bars, Shaped Cookies, Rolled Cookies, Slice and Bake Cookies, and Holiday Favorites. She also gives us a US/Metric Conversion Chart.

 

The I Love Cookies Recipe Book begins with Cookie Basics, including Equipment and Pans: Essential Equipment, and Not Essential but Nice to Have (I always enjoy looking at the extra fun equipment you might buy). There’s also a segment Gilding the Lily: Decorating Tips, and a small section on Tools for Decorating.

Each recipe is only one page in length — so there aren’t a lot of intricate steps — and also includes nutrition information, since we all recognize how nutritious cookies are for us.

 

( publisher’s official I Love Cookies Recipe Book web page ) | ( publisher’s official Jacquelyn Parkes web page )

 

Recommended by Charlotte M.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Book Review: The One-Bowl Baker by Stephanie Simmons

The One Bowl Baker: Easy, Unfussy Recipes for Decadent Cakes, Brownies, Cookies and Breads
by Stephanie Simmons (641.865 Sim)

The conceit of this beautiful little cookbook is that all of the recipes can be accomplished with a single medium or large sized mixing bowl. The author cheats a little bit by having you mix some of the ingredients separately in the glass measuring cups you’ve already used for measuring some of the ingredients, but for the most part, the “one bowl” rule is successful.

 

As hinted at by the gorgeous one-pan chocolate cake shown on the front cover, the emphasis here is on desserts. Simmons breaks up the content of The One Bowl Baker into the following chapters: Cookies for All Occasions, Blondies, Brownies and Bars, Celebratory Cakes and Pies, Crisps, Cobblers and a Pandowdy, Breakfast and Brunch Bites, with two final non-dessert chapters, Savory Bakes and Finishing Touches.

Each recipe, which takes anywhere from 1 to 3 pages, is accompanied by a gorgeous color photo of the finished product (often loaded with a scoop of ice cream). Simmons tries to put a gourmet twist on many of the recipes included, without making it too frou-frou for the average taste palette. Traditional peanut butter cookies become Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint cookies. Krispie Treats become S’mores Rice Krispie Treats. Cinnamon Rolls become Maple Bacon Cinnamon Rolls.

 

I’ll admit, some of the sweets included here led to a Pavlovian response from me. I would love to try the Brown Sugar, Chocolate Chunk and Pecan Cookies, the Snickerdoodle Blondies, the Salted Caramel Apple Galette, the Caramel Apple Hand Pies, the Brown Sugar and Bourbon Cherry Crisp, the Caramel Peach Pandowdy, the Maple Cinnamon Biscuits, the Nutella-swirled Banana Bread and the Best Homemade Soft Pretzels.

Cooking/mixing techniques are simple and straight-forward, and should allow even the casual home cook to turn out high-quality results. Strongly recommended. And if you make the Spiced Cranberry, Pear and Apple Crisp, I want to taste it!

 

( official Stephanie Simmons author page on Amazon.com )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Book Review: The Little House Cookbook by Barbara M. Walker

The Little House Cookbook: Frontier Foods From Laura IngallsWilder’s Classic Stories
by Barbara M. Walker (j641.5 Wal)

As a longtime fan of the Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House” series, I was pleased to find that someone had compiled a book of recipes for foods featured in the Little House books. What makes this book such a gem is the collection of quotes from the books as well as descriptions of the food and cooking from pioneer times. Step-by-step instructions on how to re-create the recipes are included along with excellent photographs of the foods themselves and the famous Garth Williams’s illustrations featured in Laura’s books. This book is written more for adults than for children, but with assistance, older kids should be able to make some of these recipes if they can find the ingredients.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Laura Ingalls Wilder Country Cookbook by Laura Ingalls Wilder or My Prairie Cookbook by Melissa Gilbert.)

 

( publisher’s official Little House Cookbook web page ) | ( publisher’s official Barbara M. Walker web page )

 

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Book Review: Shaq's Family Style: Championship Recipes for Feeding Family and Friends by Shaquille O'Neal

Shaq’s Family Style: Championship Recipes for Feeding Family and Friends
by Shaquille O’Neal (641.5 One)

I saw retired basketball star Shaquille O’Neal being interviewed about Shaq’s Family Style on “CBS This Morning” a few Sundays ago, and while I enjoyed the short segment they did on him, I figured this was just another celebrity cookbook. But when the library’s copies arrived I did a quick browse and decided this was a better publication than I’d given it credit for.

 

I was surprised at everything in this cookbook. Shaq provides introductions into each segment, which have titles such as “That’s Barbecue Chicken – All the Hits,” “M.D.E. – Meals Done Easy,” “I Love Pancakes – Breakfast for Dinner,” etc. And he comments on every recipe. The recipes are his mother’s that he grew up with, then his two professional chefs added some zing but no weird ingredients that you don’t already have in your cupboard.

The recipe instructions are easy to follow, the photos are fabulous, and the meals look delicious. These recipes are obviously comfort food for Shaq so the portion sizes are huge, along with lots of fat and carbs. I would recommend halving the recipes, cutting the portion sizes, and using this cookbook only once or twice a week or your weight and cholesterol will increase significantly.

 

All of these recipes would be ideal for family meals or a game-day spread. There are only 80 recipes here so you aren’t going to be overwhelmed with a lot of meals to look through.

 

( publisher’s official Shaq’s Family Style web page ) | ( official Shaquille O’Neal web site )

 

Recommended by Charlotte M.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Book Review: 175 Best Air Fryer Recipes by Camilla V. Saulsbury

175 Best Air Fryer Recipes

by Camilla V. Saulsbury

 

My 19-year-old daughter moved back home and among her new possessions was a 2-quart air fryer. She claimed it was easy to use (it was!), we first heat it up with “That Button,” then we’d pull out “This Drawer” and put in the goodies, lightly spray them with oil to promote browning, halfway through pull out “That Drawer” again and shake them, then let them finish baking.

 

It was nearly effortless! The kitchen didn’t get hot. There wasn’t a big mess to clean up afterward. We feasted on fish sticks, hot pockets, tacos, and all the other naughty, frozen convenience foods. But we couldn’t survive on a diet of fatty, fake food so I searched the library’s catalog for “air fryer” and found several air fryer cookbooks.

 

This cookbook is my favorite and it’s perfect for a beginning user with a basic air fryer. I liked it so well I bought my own copy. It includes an introduction with a very brief history of the air fryer, how it works, choosing an air fryer, and cooking tips. There is also a suggested pantry of ingredients for the air fryer.

 

The recipes are divided into various categories such as Top 20 Fried Favorites (Classic French Fries, Onion Rings, Jalapeño Poppers, Beer-Battered Fried Fish, Light and Crispy Fried Catfish, Buffalo Chicken Wings, and many more – and most of my air fryer cooking began with this section). Other categories include Breakfast and Brunch; Appetizers and Snacks; Entrees; Vegetables and Sides; Desserts; Sauces, Dips and More.

 

The very first recipe I tried was the Buttermilk Fried Chicken. It turned out so juicy and tender with a flavorful coating that didn’t overpower the meat – we’ve all had those entrees that were mostly breading and not much chicken (though I used a boneless chicken breast half instead of the thighs or drumsticks). This was an easy, delicious starter dish.

 

The recipes don’t include weird expensive ingredients you have to hunt for, with multiple, complicated steps. My only complaint is, while there are photos of several of the recipes, there was not a photo of each one. I feel a cookbook should have a picture of every recipe it’s talking about. But other than that, this is a good place to start with making real meals with your basic air fryer, and not simply heating frozen items for a Friday night.

 

Warning. You may enjoy this so much you’ll want to upgrade to a bigger, higher level (“more expensive”) air fryer.

[ publisher’s official 175 Best Air Fryer Recipes web page ] | [ PowerHungry – Camilla V. Saulsbury’s official web site ]

 

Recommended by Charlotte M.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Services

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Book Review: The Unicorn Cookbook by Alix Carey

The Unicorn Cookbook

by Alix Carey (j641.86 Car)

 

When I saw this one pass by the check-out desk at the library, I knew I had to take a look — my wife loves unicorns!

 

This children’s cookbook is, quite literally, one of the most colorful cookbooks I’ve ever seen. British baker Alex Carey is extremely imaginative in the use of color, sprinkles and other decorations. The cookbook is broken down into numerous categories, with some crossing over between them: Cupcakes, Celebration Cakes, Cookies & Biscuits, Bars and Bites, Party Food, Breakfast, Desserts, and Drinks. Carey creates unicorn horns in several different ways, including through the use of fondant, and by starting with an ice cream cone base.

 

Most recipes are relatively basic, but some feature steps that might be complex for younger bakers. But the book is definitely a feast for the eyes. If you’ve got a youngster who loves unicorns, fantasy, and magic, you’re bound to find some creative ideas for baking and celebrating in this volume. And as an added bonus — the “English accent” of the author comes through in some of the terminology used in the book, adding a bit of fancy flair even to the text.

[ publisher’s official The Unicorn Cookbook web page ] | [ official Alix Carey Twitter feed ]

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Services

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Book Review: Rose's Ice Cream Bliss by Rose Levy Beranbaum

Rose’s Ice Cream Bliss
by Rose Levy Beranbaum (641.862 Ber)

After 50 years being known as a baking master, and author of such books as The Cake Bible, The Bread Bible and The Pie and Pastry Bible, Rose Levy Beranbaum has finally created a cookbook celebrating her own favorite type of sweet dessert — ice cream! Her opening 30 pages include her basic techniques, her base recipes (that most of the rest of the book builds upon), and her advice about the types of equipment she and others use to make ice cream.

 

Then, the rest of this relatively small book is recipes, recipes, recipes. Beranbaum breaks them down into categories: Flavorful Ice Creams; Berry, Fruit, and Vegetable Ice Creams; Chocolate and Nut Ice Creams; Toppings, Adornments, and Add-Ins for Ice Cream; and Ice Cream Socials (how ice creams can be paired up — cones, and other ice-cream partners). The recipes in each section range from classic simple flavors (vanilla, strawberry, chocolate), to quite exotic and challenging (Bust My Bourbon Balls Ice Cream, Candy Cane Peppermint Ice Cream, Dark Brown Sugar Ice Cream with Black Pepper, Royal Velvet Lavender Ice Cream, Pear Ice Cream, Ginger Ice Cream, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream, Silken Black Sesame Ice Cream, True Coconut Ice Cream, and so many more).

 

Beranbaum’s instructions are easy to understand, though occasionally complicated. The illustrative photos by Matthew Septimus are beautiful and make your mouth water, but unfortunately only about 1/4 of the reviews include photos of the finished product. None-the-less, this is a marvelous cookbook, and I strongly recommend it, especially if you’re a fan of both ice cream and Beranbaum’s past books!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Cake Bible, The Bread Bible and The Pie and Pastry Bible, all also by Beranbaum.]

[ Rose’s Ice Cream Bliss page on the official Real Baking With Rose web site ]

 

See Kim J.’s review of Rose Levy Berenbaum’s The Cake Bible in the February 2005 Staff Recommendations on BookGuide!

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Book Review: Simply Fruit by Laurie Pfalzer

Simple Fruit: Seasonal Recipes for Baking, Poaching, Sautéing,and Roasting
by Laurie Pfalzer (641.634 Pfa)

One of the most impressive, and constantly evolving portions of the library collection is our culinary/cookbook section (the 640s in general). Especially at the downtown library, nearly every day you’ll find new cookbooks featured on the “New Books” displays, and this is one that caught my eye recently.

 

This is Seattle pastry chef Laurie Pfalzer’s first cookbook, and it’s a winner. She chooses to focus on fruits (often, but not always, in combination with pastry), and features recipes that emphasize the natural strengths of each fruit, rather than heavy seasonings that might cover the fruit’s own flavors. There are 49 recipes (with some sidebar/related recipes connected to the main entries), broken into the four calendar seasons — each showcases fruits at their prime in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Beautiful food photos by Charity Burggraaf accompany the recipes — sometimes just images of the fruits involved, but often showing the finished dishes.

 

My mouth watered as I browsed the contents of the book, and I’ve earmarked a few recipes to consider trying myself — unlike many cookbooks which make elaborate and elegant desserts seem beyond the everyday chef, Pfalzer has selected recipes for this book that seem like even a weekend cook would be successful in attempting them. A section at the front of the book itemizes both standard ingredients and basic preparation equipment — most of which would be easily accessible to home cooks. Recipes that stood out for me included: “Rhubarb Fool”, “Strawberry Pavlova”, “Blueberry Cinnamon Crepes”, “Bittersweet Chocolate Tart with Blackberries and Basil”, “Peach Mousse”, “Roasted Peach Bread Pudding (with Ginger Creme Anglaise)”, “Rosemary Apples in Crepes with Rum Caramel Sauce”, “Pear and Fig Pie”, “Maple and Pear Panna Cotta”, “Meyer Lemon Buttermilk Sherbet”, and “Orange, Rosemary and Hazelnut Brittle”.

 

This would be a marvelous cookbook to read through if you are a fan of desserts, of fruits, or of simple recipes.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Peach Truck Cookbook by Jessica Rose.]

[ publisher’s official Simple Fruit web page ] | [ official Laurie Pfalzer Instagram feed ]

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Book Review: The Big Book of Cidermaking by Christopher Shockley and Kirsten K. Shockley

The Big Book of Cidermaking: Expert Techniques for Fermentingand Flavoring Your Favorite Hard Cider
by Christopher Shockley and Kirsten K. Shockley (663.2 Sho)

 

I’ll have to admit — I don’t drink beer. I enjoy an occasional cocktail or wine cooler, or glass of white wine. But if I’m going to indulge in any “adult” beverage, my first choice is going to be a hard cider.

 

So when I saw this book on the libraries’ “new books” display, all about the history of, and mechanics of creating your own hard ciders at home, I was fascinated. I can remember when my dad made his own wine at home, in the early 1970s, and I have other friends and relatives who brew their own beer. The authors of The Big Book of Cidermaking go into incredible detail about how to engage in this craft hobby. In particular, I appreciated the chapters touching on the different flavor elements of the many varieties of apples used in cider distilling. As is usually the case with books from Workman Publishing, the photos accompanying the text are absolutely gorgeous.

 

On the other hand, the authors are also straight-forward in their explanations for how equipment-intensive cidermaking can be — I don’t think it’s something I’ll pursue — but this book makes me appreciate all the various local small-brew companies in the Lincoln, NE area that have established Lincoln as a hotbed for craft cideries. Places like Glacial Till, Saro Cider and James Arthur Vineyards have been producing impressive small-batch hard ciders for the past several years, many available canned or bottled in local grocery and liquor stores. If you have been curious about what it would take to create your own ciders — this is the perfect book for you. If you just want to know more about what goes into these fruity beverages, give this one a try!

[ publisher’s official Big Book of Cidermaking web site ] | [ ferment.works – the official web site of Christopher and Kirsten Shockley ]

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

New BooksTalk Booklist: Lisa's Cooking, Food & Foodies BooksTalk - 2/12/2021

Under the Lincoln City Libraries' current COVID-19 safety processes, the Bethany and Gere Branch BooksTalk series have returned in a modified format for the time being -- they are currently being held as Library BooksTalks on Zoom, using the Zoom online meeting software. [ Click here for a schedule of upcoming online BooksTalks, and the information for logging in to take part! ]

We try to make available printable and searchable copies of the lists of books discussed at these talks -- depending on whether the individual presenters provided a list for sharing.

Lisa V., one of the reading specialists at the Eiseley Branch Library, was the presenter on Zoom on February 12, 2021. She had a theme of Cooking, Food & Foodies.

You can see a list of the materials Lisa discussed at:

Lisa's Cooking, Food & Foodies BooksTalk

An audio recording of Lisa's talk was saved, and has now been shared as part of the libraries' audio podcasting series. You can listen to Lisa's talk at the following link:

Audio Podcast of this BooksTalk

Interested in being added to an e-mail list for notifications about future In-Person or Online Book Talks? Visit our E-mail Groups Sign-Up page to sign up!

Book Review: The Peach Truck Cookbook by Jessica and Stephen Rose

The Peach Truck Cookbook: 100 Delicious Recipes for All Things Peach
by Jessica N. Rose and Stephen K. Rose (641.634 Ros)

Jessica and Stephen Rose turned a love of peaches into a business model — selling the luscious fresh-picked fruit out of the back of their classic ’64 Jeep pickup. They then proceeded to gather recipes for the best ways to make use of this fruit in a farm-to-table cooking model. The Peach Truck Cookbook is the result of their years of recipe collecting, and making contact with chefs and other culinary types in the Nashville area.

This book opens with some background on the Roses, on peach growing (the many varieties), and on the history of peaches in culinary use. The bulk of the book is peach recipes, though, broken into the following categories: Breakfast, Small Bites, Lunch, Sides, Supper, Drinks, Dessert, and a final chapter called Pantry, which talks about the many ways in which peaches can be saved or preserved for year-round use when it isn’t “peach season”.

I’ll have to admit — Peaches are my all-time favorite fruit, and a good peach-blueberry pie is my absolute favorite dessert. I’d substitute it for a cake on my birthday, given the choice. The recipes in this book are intensely mouth-watering to a peach lover. Some are simple but many are exotic, and each and every one is accompanied by a very artsy photograph, showing the finished product. You’ll be enthralled by things like “Peach Dutch Baby”, “Peach Candied Bacon”, “Stone Fruit Crostini”, “Peach Jalapeno Cornbread”, “The Grilled Cheeserie’s Shaved Peach Melt”, “Peach Tamales”, “Savory Peach Fritters”, “Avocado Peach Salad”, “White Pizza”, “Peach Glazed Ribs”, “Peach Prosecco Granita”, “Burger Up’s Peach Truck Margarita”, “Peach Pavlova”, “Pearson Farm Bourbon Peach Bread Pudding”, “Peach Rum Conserve” and so many more.

There are fascinating sidebars about the Rose family, and about their many friends and recommended establishments in the Nashville area. But they never stray too far away from the peachy keen recipes!

The Peach Truck Cookbook should be essential reading for peach lovers, or fans of “southern” food. I loved this one, and will probably buy a copy for my own cookbook collection!

[ official thepeachtruck.com web site ] | [ publisher’s official The Peach Truck Cookbook web page ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Book Review: Midwest Made by Shauna Sever

Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking From the Heartland
by Shauna Sever (641.505 Sev)

Just in time for the holidays comes this delightful cookbook that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser with its traditional recipes for feasts with a Midwest flair! The author spent quite a bit of time researching recipes in the heart of America: everything from Bundt cakes to Brownies have roots that can be traced to the Great Midwest. As a collector of cookbooks and as a fifth-generation Nebraskan, I can appreciate the work that went into finding these time-tested recipes from the ethnic groups that settled this area of the country. Some of my favorite recipes are here, such as Dutch Letters from the Jaarsma Bakery in Pella, Iowa and Danish Kringle from Racine, Wisconsin. For Nebraskans we have Runzas, but with a new twist on the recipe. There are recipes for breads, pies, cakes, cookies and more. Midwest Made is a visual feast for the eyes and is fun to read as well. I highly recommend this book. Happy baking!

[ official Shauna Sever web site ]

 

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Book Review: Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking From the Heartland by Shauna Sever

Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking From the Heartland
by Shauna Sever (641.505 Sev)

Just in time for the holidays comes this delightful cookbook that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser with its traditional recipes for feasts with a Midwest flair! The author spent quite a bit of time researching recipes in the heart of America: everything from Bundt cakes to Brownies have roots that can be traced to the Great Midwest. As a collector of cookbooks and as a fifth-generation Nebraskan, I can appreciate the work that went into finding these time-tested recipes from the ethnic groups that settled this area of the country. Some of my favorite recipes are here, such as Dutch Letters from the Jaarsma Bakery in Pella, Iowa and Danish Kringle from Racine, Wisconsin. For Nebraskans we have Runzas, but with a new twist on the recipe. There are recipes for breads, pies, cakes, cookies and more. Midwest Made is a visual feast for the eyes and is fun to read as well. I highly recommend this book. Happy baking!

[ official Shauna Sever web site ]

 

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

DVD/CD/Book Reviews - Beetlejuice, Etc.

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice soundtrack and The Nightmare Before Dinner
film directed by Tim Burton, soundtrack music by Danny Elfman (available only on Hoopla from the libraries), cookbook by Zack Neil (641.568 Nei)

This is a thematic combo of three reviews combined into one.

First, nobody has previously reviewed the 1988 horror/comedy film Beetlejuice for Staff Recommendations. After 32 years, it’s rather borderline to call is “modern” but I do place it in the modern horror classics category. Directed by Tim Burton, this absurdist horror film mixes true scares with crazy, insane humor. Michael Keaton, who at that time was best known for comedies, including Night Shift, Mr. Mom, and Johnny Dangerously (he was still a year away from starring in Burton’s own Batman), stars as the demon Betelgeuse, who has been waiting for eons to be summoned to the physical world by a mortal saying his name three times in a row — it sounds like “Beetlejuice”. In the meantime, he uses what powers are available to him to “haunt” the mortal world, on behalf of fellow “dead” beings. When young couple Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis die in their new dream home, their attempts to linger in peace are ruined by the obnoxious new family to move in (Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O’Hara), though they bond with troubled teen Winona Ryder. Eventually, the underworld is set loose and chaos ensues as the good ghosts try to figure out how to put the genie back in the bottle. Keaton turns in a comedy tour de farce, and the rest of the cast are great foils for him.

The Beetlejuice soundtrack is by Danny Elfman, Tim Burton’s regular music collaborator, and is one of his most memorable. It features 20 tracks of (mostly) instrumentals, ranging in length from 34 seconds to over three minutes. Elfman’s fast-paced, comic sounds are in full swing, and capture the mood of this comical horror film perfectly.

Finally, in the libraries’ cookbook collection, you’ll find The Nightmare Before Dinner, chef Zach Neil’s collection of recipes from his “The Beetle House” restaurants in New York and L.A. — these restaurants feature a menu inspired by ALL of the films of Tim Burton, and the decor in the restaurants is very elaborate (see photos in this book). The cookbook features recipes in a variety of categories — sauces/dips, appetizers, soups & salads, main entrees, desserts, cocktails and themed parties. Each recipe has a name inspired by a Burton film — “Edward Burger Hands”, “Charlie Corn Bucket”, “The Butcher’s Stew”, “Shrimpy Hollow”, “Bloodbath Cobbler”, “The Coco Skellington”, and “Red Velvet Midnight Espresso Cake with Stained Glass Candy Shards”. The recipes range from extremely simple, to very complex, and some may require some cooking devices beyond what might be found in an average kitchen. There are gorgeous photo examples in the book, but only for about 1/3 to 1/2 of the recipes. If you’re planning a Halloween-themed dinner party, this one is definitely something I’d encourage you to sample — you’ll find lots of great ideas, and the accompanying photos will help you in your decorating!

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ]

[Fans of the film Beetlejuice will most likely enjoy any of Tim Burton’s other directorial offerings, especially A Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands. Fans of Elfman’s scores will find many of them available on CD or via the Hoopla digital service — again, Edward Scissorhands and A Nightmare Before Christmas are among the most iconic. And if you like cookbooks that tie humorously into pop culture media productions, you’ll probably enjoy The Snacking Dead and Fifty Shades of Chicken.]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you watched this one, listened to this one, or read this one? What did you think? Did you find these reviews helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Book Review: Sheet Pan Suppers by Molly Gilbert

Sheet Pan Suppers
by Molly Gilbert (641.7 Gil)

 

I pick up somewhere in the neighborhood of, oh I would say, 50 cookbooks a year. I browse through the majority of them and put them back on the shelf. A few make it out of the library and into my kitchen, and even fewer impress me. Sheet Pan Suppers: 120 Recipes for Simple, Surprising, Hands-off Meals Straight from the Oven by Molly Gilbert impressed me! The book is full of beautifully photographed meals and easy to follow recipes.

 

So far, I have made 7 of the recipes in the book. Every recipe was absolutely delicious and surprisingly easy to make. The kettle kale chips and the baked turkey meatballs with slow roasted tomatoes were healthy and straightforward options. I paired the coconut shrimp with spicy orange dipping sauce with king crab legs from Hy-vee for a fancy Friday night dinner. It was a crowd pleaser. Rack of Lamb with Herby Breadcrumbs and Buttered Carrots was my absolute favorite! I swapped Dijon for Horseradish mustard and it was fantastic.

 

For lunch options I tried the Italian Meat and Cheese Stromboli. I enjoy the fact that Gilbert provides multiple breading options. I used phyllo instead of pizza dough, as it was mentioned in another of her recipes. The Portabella Cap Pizzas with Garlic knots which have become a new weekly tradition in my house. For dessert, I tried the Big Dutch Baby with Meyer Lemon Sugar. I recommend pearl sugar and a long nap afterwards!

 

If you are looking for a no-fuss cookbook with delicious recipes that impressed a rather picky palate, I highly recommend Sheet Pan Suppers by Molly Gilbert. I give this cookbook a 10 out of 10 as it is excellent, one of my new favorites. I will read this again, and again, and again. I am planning on buying it and adding to my collection for many future uses and family meal memories!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try One Pan & Done: Hassle-Free Meals From the Oven to Your Table, also by author Molly Gilbert.]

 

[ official Dunk & Crumble (Molly Gilbert) web site ]

 

Recommended by Monica K.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!