Saturday, August 17, 2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
Me and my cookbooks
Eat Your Books
August 16, 2013 by Lindsay
At a time when the press relentlessly insists that no one is interested in cooking at home anymore, there is great joy in realizing that there are many others ( EYB members) who enjoy the creativity and pleasure of sharing good food. So we wanted to celebrate our members by regularly publishing vignettes about members and their cookbooks.
If you'd like to be featured, we'd love to have you. Just email us at info@eatyourbooks.com.
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Our featured member this month is Sue Jimenez from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Sue started collecting books at the age of 17 and hasn't stopped yet. Recently, when she had just bought another box of books, her husband commented that she had to have more books than anyone and should try for the Guinness Book of World Records.
So Sue "got on the Guinness site and sure enough, somebody named Betsy Ross McKay somewhere in the U.S. had, in 2011, 1125 cookbooks. So I said, I've got that many, I can do this." Sue invited two friends over to count and ended up a total of with 3,231 - too many to even include in the photo. And she has now submitted her application to Guinness.
As Sue very sagely put it, "It's like you can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket! " Of course, she realizes there may be others with more books - in that case she has thrown down the gauntlet, "let the games begin! "
And we should note that Sue has an excellent security system for her books; Tux the cat doesn't look like he'll let anyone near.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Hungry & Frozen
Hungry and Frozen
by Laura Vincent
The first cookbook from Laura Vincent, fresh-faced new food talent and author of popular blog Hungry and Frozen, featuring comfort food to enjoy any time of the day or night.
by Laura Vincent
The first cookbook from Laura Vincent, fresh-faced new food talent and author of popular blog Hungry and Frozen, featuring comfort food to enjoy any time of the day or night.
Laura Vincent has been a food blogger since 2007 and loves to develop all of her own recipes. She named her blog Hungry and Frozen after a quote from a Broadway musical, because being hungry and frozen in cold student flats was a constant for her at the time. Things have improved significantly since, but the title stuck - and what better name to call her very first cookbook? Laura makes great-tasting, yet easy and relaxed food that is sure to appeal.
Hungry& Frozen is the kind of cookbook that will make you want to rush into the kitchen and make something. Whether you're looking for a brunch idea, a weeknight meal (or late quick-fix), a feast for your friends, a weekend project or something to satisfy your sweet tooth, this cookbook will have just the recipe for you. Laura has just about every cooking scenario covered – Hungry & Frozen even includes subsections dedicated entirely to ice cream recipes and toasted sandwich ideas. Beautifully presented in hardback format, with gorgeous photographs and endpapers, this book meets all the reader’s hunger needs with flair and style.
From fast to fancy, these are recipes for comfort food to eat any time of the day or night - because it's never the wrong time for food that makes the world feel like a better place.
Laura Vincent is a food blogger (www.hungryandfrozen.com), cafe reviewer for Sunday Star-Times and sometime food writer for www.3news.co.nz. Laura grew up in a tiny rural village south of the Bombays, but now lives in Wellington. She began her blog in 2007 and named it Hungry and Frozen because it made sense since she was a cash-strapped, freezing student at the time. Hungry & Frozen is Laura's first cookbook.
Release Date: 23 August 2013| RRP: $40.00 | HB | Published By PEARSON NEW Zealand
Fresh Corn Cakes
David Lebovitz
Posted: 15 Aug 2013
No one’s been quite been able to
explain the popularity of canned corn in France to me. But the explanation of
why fresh corn isn’t familiar – or eaten – is that fresh corn is considered
animal feed. Which still doesn’t explain how something isn’t fit for human
consumption if it’s raw, but if it’s cooked and canned, that’s another story.
And when it’s in that sloshy, soggy state, it’s often found in unfamiliar
places – like scattered on pizza or piled up in a salade niçoise.
(Which gives people in Nice fits,
because it’s pas respectueuse
– you’re only supposed to use raw vegetables in a Salade Niçoise.)
On the other hand, we Americans
can’t get enough fresh corn and come August, most of us living in France who’ve
been perfectly content to consume wonderful cheese, bread, and wine for the
past eleven months, well, suddenly our seasonal clocks collectively kick in and
we develop insatiable cravings for plump, fresh tomatoes and corn on the cob
slathered with butter and salt.
So how excited was I when a friend
took me to Grand Frais, a giant
supermarket near where she lives, which specializes in produce, and I was faced
with mounds of fresh corn for just €1,50 ($2) for three ears? And if you bought
three, they threw in the fourth one for free. Of course, I couldn’t resist (the
corn, and the bargain), and proudly excited the store with a big sack
containing a dozen ears of corn.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
The dirt about "superfoods"
Eat Your Books
August 14, 2013 by Lindsay
We're on a bit of a nomenclature binge, discussing the definition of the word "pizza" yesterday, noting the now legal definition of "gluten-free" last week, and today taking a look at the word "superfood." This is a word that's been used quite a lot recently and ostensibly means a food that is packed with nutrients, vitamins, or other beneficial attributes, without having "bad" characteristics like saturated fats or high calories. Kale, chia seeds, and blueberries are often cited as examples of superfoods. Yet, like "gluten-free" used to be, there is no offically accepted definition of the term.
We were inspired to think about this subject by a recent article on Mother Nature Network, What is a Superfood?
In the article, the quoted dietician comments that ""Most of the foods usually talked about as 'superfoods' are great. I encourage my clients to eat them all the time. I'd never use the term 'superfood,' however, and most of the dietitians I know wouldn't use it either. I prefer to talk about a healthy, diverse diet of whole foods. And that means moving away from processed foods."
The aversion to using the term comes, as would be expected, from its adoption as a marketing term to sell processed foods and other items. In fact, Europe has legally "prohibited the marketing of products as 'superfoods' unless they are accompanied by a specific medical claim supported by credible scientific research."
However, while the marketing term should be something to look out for, food journalists have taken the idea to heart and especially love to create lists (top 10 or 12 or 17 or 11 superfoods) of foods that are considered by everyone to be quite healthy. A quick look at a Google search for "superfoods" reveals numerous lists, all of which tend to include most of the same foods or at least categories:
Photo by Chef Mick on Flickr
August 14, 2013 by Lindsay
|
We're on a bit of a nomenclature binge, discussing the definition of the word "pizza" yesterday, noting the now legal definition of "gluten-free" last week, and today taking a look at the word "superfood." This is a word that's been used quite a lot recently and ostensibly means a food that is packed with nutrients, vitamins, or other beneficial attributes, without having "bad" characteristics like saturated fats or high calories. Kale, chia seeds, and blueberries are often cited as examples of superfoods. Yet, like "gluten-free" used to be, there is no offically accepted definition of the term.
We were inspired to think about this subject by a recent article on Mother Nature Network, What is a Superfood?
In the article, the quoted dietician comments that ""Most of the foods usually talked about as 'superfoods' are great. I encourage my clients to eat them all the time. I'd never use the term 'superfood,' however, and most of the dietitians I know wouldn't use it either. I prefer to talk about a healthy, diverse diet of whole foods. And that means moving away from processed foods."
The aversion to using the term comes, as would be expected, from its adoption as a marketing term to sell processed foods and other items. In fact, Europe has legally "prohibited the marketing of products as 'superfoods' unless they are accompanied by a specific medical claim supported by credible scientific research."
However, while the marketing term should be something to look out for, food journalists have taken the idea to heart and especially love to create lists (top 10 or 12 or 17 or 11 superfoods) of foods that are considered by everyone to be quite healthy. A quick look at a Google search for "superfoods" reveals numerous lists, all of which tend to include most of the same foods or at least categories:
- leafy greens (kale)
- cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cabbage, etc.)
- blueberries
- chocolate (dark, not milk)
- beans
- nuts (esp. walnuts and almonds)
- salmon
- seeds (chia, flax)
- açai
- Goji berries
- cacao
- seaweed
- chia seeds (do not use the ones on your "pet")
- mangosteens (they're not mangos)
- maca powder
- kefir
- hemp seeds
- nutritional yeast
- black garlic
Photo by Chef Mick on Flickr
Two new titles from Ottolenghi
14.08.13 | Benedicte Page - The Bookseller Plenty More will again put the spotlight on vegetable dishes, and is planned for publication in autumn 2014. Meanwhile The NOPI Cookbook will feature dishes from Ottolenghi's Piccadilly flagship restaurant and be co-written with head chef Ramael Scully.
Ebury said The NOPI Cookbook will introduce readers to new spices and flavours, some more Asian than Middle Eastern in style. The books were acquired from agent Felicity Rubinstein of Lutyens & Rubinstein.
The publisher has also announced sales of one million across Ottolenghi's three books, Jerusalem, Plenty and Ottolenghi: The Cookbook, since first publication in 2008.
M.d. Fiona MacIntyre said: "It is so rare to find a cookery brand that really breaks the mould but that is exactly what Ottolenghi has achieved. They have captivated everyone with a unique and refreshing approach to food, and their sales figures prove that the public simply cannot get enough of them."
Editorial director Sarah Lavelle said: "When I first met Yotam it was clear that he was an extraordinary food visionary. He, Sami [Ottolenghi's business partner Sami Tamimi, co-author of Jerusalem] and the Ottolenghi team know exactly what they want from each book, and it's a pleasure and a privilege to work with them on making that vision real. They're utter perfectionists and that's what makes the books amazing. I'm delighted and proud that Yotam has made Ebury his home."
Ottolenghi's follow-up series to "Ottolenghi's Mediterranean Feasts" will see him cooking his way around Sardinia, Corsica, Mallorca and Crete, and will be aired on More4 later this year.
Nielsen BookScan has recorded sales of 438,861 via the UK TCM for Ottolenghi's titles.
Footnote:
Check out Yotam's blog
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