Thursday, April 30, 2015

Zahav

DavidLebovitz

Zahav
David, 2015-04-27 15:47

Zahav restaurant hummusI didn’t believe them when they told me, but when I was in Washington, D.C. a few months back, when having dinner with my friends Carol and Joe, they swore that if I stopped at Zahav in Philadelphia on the way back, that I’d have a life-changing experience. While I wish that at least several times a day I’d have a life-changing experience (sometimes I wish for them several times an hour…), I was a little skeptical. Both of them are pretty knowledgable about good food, but I’ve been steered wrong on many occasion. And getting off of a train, taking a taxi, and having dinner before hoofing back to the train station later on in the evening, then dealing with getting back safe and sound while navigating late-night Manhattan, wasn’t exactly an enticing idea. Especially for a bowl of hummus.
Zahav restaurant fried haloumiWhile on that trip to Washington, D.C., my friend Judy and I went to a Middle Eastern restaurant that everyone had said great things about. Even people I trust. Note: I later found out the place was known for wild dips in quality, so the ones who recommended it are off the hook. (However if any of them are reading this, I’m setting up a PayPal site where you can pitch in to reimburse me for dinner.)
Zahav restaurant  salatimThat place was mobbed, which is usually a good sign. But nothing we’d had during our dinner knocked our socks off, or excited us. Even the hummus was ho-hum, and hummus isn’t all that hard to get right. You just need to taste it and add some lemon, salt, perhaps more tahini, and maybe some garlic, until you get the taste where it belongs. For heaven’s sake, it’s not like a cake where you have to start all over again. Get it right, or don’t serve it. And we left disappointed.
Zahav restaurant hummusSo when I was heading to Charlottesville to give a talk recently, Joe, Carol and I made plans to meet in Philadelphia, because I had been thinking about that hummus they had said would change my life. And while there are a number of things I’d like to change, but can’t, eating good hummus is one of them that I can. So let’s do it, I said.
Continue Reading Zahav...

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The Joy of Cookbooks: 11 Cookbooks We Can't Live Without






By Caitlin Kleinschmidt    |   Thursday, April 30, 2015 - Off the Shelf
Despite the fact that we live in the digital age, cookbooks remain more vital than ever. Passed down through the generations and perfect for gifting, cookbooks are an authoritative repository of our favorite recipes. Even if they’re only used for decorative purposes, a beautiful designed cookbook feels deliciously decadent. Taking you from cozy American kitchens to the famed bistros of Paris, from the sunny shores of the Mediterranean to the streets of Manhattan, these scrumptious cookbooks will inspire the avid and the reluctant home cook alike... READ MORE


Banoffee Loaf with Anzac Crumble


30 April


I greet pulling my winter coat out of the cupboard with a mix of trepidation and hope that I left money in the pocket. No such luck this year, but it did get me excited to head to Christchurch for the Food Show, where Dish will be for the next three days. Come and say hello, and take advantage of our amazing subscription offer!
Online Editor,
RECIPE

Banoffee Loaf with Anzac Crumble

A lovely moist banana loaf studded with chunks of toffee gets topped with an Anzac biscuit crumble. For total indulgence serve with the whiskey salted caramel sauce (bowl of cream optional) and enjoy with friends!

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Feuilletés Ricotta Figue (Ricotta and Fig Pastries)

Taken from the first cookbook of one of Australia's most experienced patissiers, Jean Michel Raynaud, this elegant French recipe makes the most of fig season.

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Smokey North African Beans

Huge on flavour and quick to make, I’m absolutely in love with this recipe! It has the perfect amount of spice and incredible depth of flavour. Preserved lemon gives it a luscious fresh kick.

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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Cook the Books have a shiny new home !!


Hello from our new home
19 Williamson Ave, Ponsonby

All good things take time........ But we must admit that moving has taken a little longer than we thought! In case you've been looking for us, we have relocated to a gorgeous new building at 19 Williamson Ave, a short 5 minute stroll from the corner with Ponsonby Rd, located just one block down from the old brick fire station. 
As well as setting up our new store out front,  we've also relocated the demo kitchen where we hold our Culinary Workshops to a great space in the rear of the building. It's twice the size of our former kitchen and will be able to accommodate groups of up to 24, making it perfect for larger Private Events.

The builders are almost finished and we can't wait to get cooking again. Our Culinary Workshop Schedule will be out later this week.

We've taken a few pictures of the store. We absolutely love it - so warm, so bright & light - do stop by and say hi!

More including pics

Monday, April 27, 2015

Cooking up a storm

Gourmet Traveller

With new-look roasts, fiery spices and tempting slices, make this a month of cooking up a storm.

Happy eating,

Anthea Loucas and the team at Gourmet Traveller

Sichuan chicken noodle salad
Prawn sambal
Banana-blossom salad with pineapple-chilli dressing
Pork and eggplant salad with salted chilli
Barbecued turmeric snapper with sambal matah
Bulgogi pork tacos with nashi slaw


Sunday, April 26, 2015

Eat Your Books



At Eat Your Books we want to bring you the best recipes – our dedicated team searches out and finds online recipes excerpted from newly indexed cookbooks and magazines. New recipes from the best blogs are indexed daily and members index their favorite online recipes using the Bookmarklet all the time.

Below you’ll find this week's recommendations from the EYB team.

Remember you can add any of these online recipes to your EYB Bookshelf – it’s a great way to expand your personal recipe collection.

Happy cooking and baking everyone!


From blogs & magazines:

Sea salt-caramel éclairs from the April issue of indexed Cooking Light Magazine

 
From UK books:

10 recipes from Tea & Cake with Lisa Faulkner


From AUS/NZ books:

6 recipes from Phillippa's Home Baking by Phillippa Grogan & Richard Cornish,
indexed by an EYB member