More Books for Cooks 2012
You know the drill, if you want your gift to arrive by December 24th, today is the last day to order with free Super Saver Shipping on Amazon. Of course, you could just go to a bookstore instead!
Every year there is a whole new batch of cookie books. Dozens I dare say. Here are a few worth your while. The Daily Cookie is written by a blogger I consider a friend, Anna Ginsburg. She is a baking whiz! Her blog is Cookie Madness and she is a past winner of the Pillsbury Bake-Off. Anna's recipes are very well-tested and never terribly complicated. Bar cookies, drop cookies, sandwich cookies and brownies are all included. Most recipes have photos and for each cookie and each day of the year there is a holiday or special event you can learn about.
Simply Sensational Cookies is another major cookie compendium. What I like about this book is that each recipe is rated--from easy to complicated so you know what to expect. The lovely photos are from White on Rice Couple bloggers, Diane Cru and Todd Porter.
Tate's Bake Shop: Baking for Friends is a more general baking book, but I include it because I think many will be familiar with the cookies from Tate's Bake Shop. The recipes in this book are very clear and easy to follow.
Cookies for Grown-Ups is a truly unique book, with lots of savory cookies, sophisticated flavors (like pink grapefruit and poppyseed or green apple, horseradish and ginger) and boozy ones like lime and tequila or Cookie Mary with all the flavors of a bloody mary! Ok, it's a little wacky, but fun.
For those who choose savory over sweet, a nice option is Salty Snacks, which features recipes for chips, crackers, pretzels, dips, crostini, and all kind of goodies that go with drinks. It's a great book for those who like to throw cocktail parties.
Another cool book inspired by a farmer's market is In Season, by food editors from New York magazine. This is not a regional book and should be useful for just about anyone in the country (ok maybe not Alaska or Hawaii!) The recipes come from different restaurant chefs and I like that recipes are from all corners of the globe, some traditional and many are modern. I have bookmarked Michael Anthony's Green Garlic Sauce, Cauliflower Tabbouleh and Sake-Poached Cherries. I just wish the book wasn't organized by season since in many places seasons overlap.
Most regional and farmer's market books disappoint me. But two really impressed me this year. My favorite was Pike Place Market Recipes. Seattle local Jess Thomson has gathered and developed recipes using the abundance of that legendary market. But you don't have to live in Seattle to make recipes like Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Stumptown Barbecue Sauce, Carrot Soup with Cumin and Honey, Hot Sweet Mango Pickles or Marche's Mussels with Pernod Cream. I particularly like the 10 Ways tips that feature suggestions for how to use apples or bread or charcuterie. The photos of locals vendors and dishes add to the pleasure of this smaller format volume.
A lot of pretty books this year didn't have much substance when I digger deep into them, and a few failed when I tried some recipes. But Southern Comfort really impressed me. Recipes like Oyster Swiss Chard Grain with Country Bacon, Grilled Calamari stuffed with Cornbread and Collards and Potato Gnocchi with Mustard Green Pesto all feel new and exciting yet familiar. I think this book went largely under the radar for most people but it's a good one.
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
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Easy Almond Cookies Recipe
I was recently sent some almonds from the Almond Board and I was looking for a good way to use them. There are lots of similar recipes to this one, but the comments on Epicurious led me to make a crucial change in the recipe. I cut the sugar in half. I also made slightly larger cookies than the recipe calls for and skipped dusting them in confectioners sugar. It might seem odd to add almond extract to almond cookies, but without it they can be a little bland. Because they are such dense little bites, they won't crumble making them good for travel or shipping. They are gluten free and have no added oil or butter.
While no one eats cookies for health purposes, these are pretty healthy. Lots of research has been done on almonds and they are a true nutritional powerhouse very high in manganese, vitamin E and magnesium and eating them lowers cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart attack. So eat them in good health!
Easy Almond Cookies
Makes 14 cookies, but recipe can easily be multiplied
adapted from a recipe published in Gourmet magazine, 1997
Ingredients
1 cup blanched almonds, whole or slivered
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch salt
1 egg white
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
14 whole almonds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor combine the almonds, sugar and salt. Process until very finely ground. Add the egg white and almond extract and pulse until the dough comes together. Roll the dough into 14 evenly sized balls, and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Press one almond into the center of each cookie, pressing down slightly.
Bake for 10 minutes or until just starting to show a hint of gold. Let cookies cool on the pan, then transfer to an airtight container.
Enjoy!
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Saeco Syntia Focus Espresso Machine Review
First a little story. When I was in Italy this past October I ended up in Parma a little too early for an appointment with my guide, so I went to get an espresso with my driver, Gianni. He told me he had an espresso machine at home that he and his wife use every day, and proudly that it came from Saeco, a company headquartered near Bologna, his home town. Saeco first launched a completely automatic espresso machine for home use in 1985 and purchased the iconic Italian brand Gaggia in 1999, and then in turn was purchased by electronics giant Philips in 2009.
I have not tested other espresso machines, but I can tell you what I consider the top 10 advantages of the Saeco Syntia Focus.
1. Small. The machine take up less counter space than a traditional coffee machine and grinder.
2. Flexible. Each cup is brewed exactly as you like (espresso or "long" American style) or hot water.
3. Easy. Actually it's super easy to use, no fancy settings or complicated programming options.
4. Economical. Because you only make what you want, not a whole pot.
5. Versatile. A small second reservoir allows you to add another kind of ground coffee (like decaf).
6. Fresh. It uses a ceramic grinder to grind each cup to order.
7. Quick. Start up takes less than a minute and a half out of stand by mode.
8. High quality. It produces great cups of coffee including espresso with real crema.
9. Sleek. This is a stylish machine you enjoy having on display on your counter.
10. Foam. It features a steamer for quickly frothing and heating milk.
The negatives for this machine would be if you prefer super oily dark roasts, those beans can clog the grinder over time. Or if you are a real control freak and want a less automated machine. And it's pricey. I've seen it on sale with free shipping for as low as $699 but the list price is $999.
So is the Saeco Syntia Focus right for you? If you want to enjoy espresso and cappuccino at home, in addition to regular American style cups of coffee, it just might be worth the splurge. And you know, this is the season for splurges.
So is the Saeco Syntia Focus right for you? If you want to enjoy espresso and cappuccino at home, in addition to regular American style cups of coffee, it just might be worth the splurge. And you know, this is the season for splurges.
Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes. I was not paid to write this or any other post.
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My Favorite Neighborhood Shops for Speciality Foods
The Candy Store is a cute as a button (make that button candy) little shop with sweet staff including the ebullient proprietor, Diane and her husband turned candymaker Brian. If you're a brittle fan do try Brian's coconut curry cashew brittle. I could tell you about my favorite candies in this store like the marshmallow ropes, peanut butter malt balls, or the realistic French "river stones" each filled with a surprise of apricot paste, marzipan, almonds and a thin layer of chocolate, but really, what fun would that be?
Head over to the store to discover something that makes you happy--something from abroad like a Cadbury Flake bar, or from your childhood like Zotz or Pop Rocks. Try a sample of matcha caramels or chocolate covered pistachios. Some items available online. Candy is one of the last affordable luxuries and it makes people smile! If that isn't reason enough to indulge, I don't know what is.
Head over to the store to discover something that makes you happy--something from abroad like a Cadbury Flake bar, or from your childhood like Zotz or Pop Rocks. Try a sample of matcha caramels or chocolate covered pistachios. Some items available online. Candy is one of the last affordable luxuries and it makes people smile! If that isn't reason enough to indulge, I don't know what is.
Cheese Plus is hands down, the best specialty food store near my home. The prices can be a bit on the high side, but owner Ray Bair carefully chooses every item and if you want a great bottle of jam or my friend Alison's fabulous chutney or fresh pasta, the best couscous, or outstanding salami, this is the place. It's not a big store, but there is plenty to choose from and I've never bought anything that disappointed me. You can easily put together a picnic basket, gift box or find just the right hostess gift here not to mention holiday gift. Right now they have those exquisite Robert Lambert fruit cakes with rare citrus, Rustichella d'Abruzzo panettone in flavors like fig and chocolate or cherry. A perfect stocking stuffer? The truffle trio with honey, salt and carpaccio at a very attractive price. The store really knows cheese well, as you might expect. In fact, right now if you sign up for their cheese of the month club you'll get a pound and a half of cheese each month and won't pay a penny for shipping. If you have questions or want to find something special in that department, this is a good place to look.
David's Tea is a Montreal based tea company with stores all over the place and a huge selection of tea. I spoke with the David Segal, the co-founder and he told me all about the teas and blends he creates and carries--black, green, herbal and even non-tea varieties such as his fruit and vegetable based infusions. I think its fair to say it's his passion for tea and sharing the pleasure of tea that has led to his success. Visiting the store I've always been warmly greeted and offered a sample or two plus the opportunity to smell any of the teas I like.
David's Tea strives to make tea accessible for the newbie with creative and exciting flavors like Vanilla Orchid, Coco Chai Rooibos and Ice Cream Cake, a black tea flavored with white chocolate, vanilla, carob, sprinkles and little bits of freeze-dried ice cream, and yet satisfies the tea connoisseur with a great selection of oolong and puerh teas and more. They also carry a nice selection of exclusively designed unique tea accessories like tea cups and infusers and have lots available online. The tea collections are seasonal so of course, there's a Winter season collection with flavors like Cookie Dough, Banana Dream Pie. Chocolate Chili Chai and Alpine Punch.
David's Tea strives to make tea accessible for the newbie with creative and exciting flavors like Vanilla Orchid, Coco Chai Rooibos and Ice Cream Cake, a black tea flavored with white chocolate, vanilla, carob, sprinkles and little bits of freeze-dried ice cream, and yet satisfies the tea connoisseur with a great selection of oolong and puerh teas and more. They also carry a nice selection of exclusively designed unique tea accessories like tea cups and infusers and have lots available online. The tea collections are seasonal so of course, there's a Winter season collection with flavors like Cookie Dough, Banana Dream Pie. Chocolate Chili Chai and Alpine Punch.
Buyer's Best Friend Mercato is a tiny retail store in North Beach. I've been told the Haight location is much bigger but this is the one that's closest to me. I like being able to find local treats like Clarines Florentines, Oren's Kitchen enticing nut mixes (like wild rosemary almonds or Indian Ajwain cashews) and Dang Foods utterly addictive toasted coconut chips. North Beach is looking up these days with more and more great restaurants and shops. Don't miss this one if you're in the area.
Bonus online store
I have been lucky enough to try a sampling of some of the items available from New York Mouth. While the name might suggest only items from or for New Yorkers, they actually have good stuff from all over the country. And by good stuff I mean artisanal and hand made edibles. Some of my favorites have been Kings County Jerky Co. sweet and garlic Korean beef jerky, Spoonables thick and rich caramel sauce with sesame seeds, zingy Rick's Picks handy corn relish, The Uncommon Pickle's pickled cherries and award winning Sour Puss Pickles pickled ramps. While this is only an online store, shopping, picking goodies or gift collections is as much fun as receiving the treats creatively wrapped up in corrugated cardboard, orange tape and a reusable canvas bag.
Bonus online store
I have been lucky enough to try a sampling of some of the items available from New York Mouth. While the name might suggest only items from or for New Yorkers, they actually have good stuff from all over the country. And by good stuff I mean artisanal and hand made edibles. Some of my favorites have been Kings County Jerky Co. sweet and garlic Korean beef jerky, Spoonables thick and rich caramel sauce with sesame seeds, zingy Rick's Picks handy corn relish, The Uncommon Pickle's pickled cherries and award winning Sour Puss Pickles pickled ramps. While this is only an online store, shopping, picking goodies or gift collections is as much fun as receiving the treats creatively wrapped up in corrugated cardboard, orange tape and a reusable canvas bag.
The Candy Store
1507 Vallejo St @ Polk
San Francisco
Cheese Plus
2001 Polk St @ Pacific
San Francisco
David's Tea
2123 Polk St @ Broadway
San Francisco
Buyer's Best Friend Mercato
450 Columbus Ave @ Vallejo
San Francisco
New York Mouth (online only)
Disclaimer: I have received some review samples from David's Tea and New York Mouth.
1507 Vallejo St @ Polk
San Francisco
Cheese Plus
2001 Polk St @ Pacific
San Francisco
David's Tea
2123 Polk St @ Broadway
San Francisco
Buyer's Best Friend Mercato
450 Columbus Ave @ Vallejo
San Francisco
New York Mouth (online only)
Disclaimer: I have received some review samples from David's Tea and New York Mouth.
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Kitchen Gift Guide 2012
I've already written about many of my favorite kitchen goodies from silicone spatulas to Microplane graters and the Vita-Mix blender. Here are some more things I appreciate most in the kitchen. They have each withstood the test of time, especially the cookware. Buy them for yourself or someone you love.
I have every brand of cookware possible--Calphalon, All-Clad, Le Creuset--you name it. But the pots I use the most are from the Anolon Chef Clad line. They are handsome brushed aluminum with stainless steel and can be used on all cooktops and even under the broiler. In my experience they really hold up better than the other top brands and are cheaper. What more could you ask for? Right now the best deals (good discount and free shipping) are on the Anolon site. There is also a lifetime warranty. 
As much as I'd like to, I can't quite give up on non-stick pans. With every non-stick pan I've always found there are some compromises but the Zwilling Spirit line of non-stick pans give me everything I want. They are easy to clean, with a great non-stick Thermalon ceramic surface that has not chipped after almost 6 months of use. The pans are PTFE and PFOA free, heat resistant to 500 degrees! and really substantial with good weight and even heating, so no hot spots or buckling. The pans are pricier than some non-stick, but totally worth it. A must for crepes and eggs. 
I wouldn't have thought that I would get that much use out of this set of Trudeau colanders but I probably use them daily. They are just perfect for washing vegetables and fruit and draining pasta, I especially like the small one for berries.
You are probably thinking I have lost my mind, but my Brother label maker now is permanently in the kitchen. I label almost everything that goes into the refrigerator and freezer. The labels peel off only when I want them to and there are no longer mystery containers lurking. My model is no longer available but any Brother model should be fine.
Disclaimer: I received the Trudeau and Zwilling products as review samples. This post contains some affiliate links.
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Holiday Gift Fairs 2012
If you are interested in San Francisco Bay Area made treats and treasures, these three gift fairs should be on your radar for this weekend, December 7 - 9, 2012. 
La Cocina Gift Bazaar
This year the La Cocina Gift Bazaar is taking place downtown! It will be at the Crocker Galleria at 50 Post St from Friday, December 7th from 1 pm - 7 pm. There will be live music and plenty of delicious things to eat and give as gifts. Some of my favorites include Kika's Treats, Global Grub, Maite Catering, Love & Hummus and Azalina's. This is a great event, put on by San Francisco's first non-profit incubator kitchen. I've gone every year. Don't miss it! 
Speakeasy Holiday Indie Mart
Hosted by Indie Mart this Saturday, December 8th, from 12 pm - 6 pm is the Speakeasy Holiday Indie Mart at Speakeasy Ales & Lagers, 1195 Evans Ave, Bayview. Tour the brewery, purchase packaged foods and sweets or find something to eat at one of the food trucks. A shuttle will be available for $3 to get you there, look for details coming soon. Sorry I don't have a listing of vendors, but I'm sure this will be a worthwhile event.
SFMade Holiday Gift Fair
I'm a big fan of the Fort Mason farmer's market and this weekend there is even more reason to go, the SFMade Holiday Gift Fair will be taking place from 10 am - 6 pm at the Herbst Pavilion. Keep an eye out for local favorites including Bi-Rite, Heath Ceramics, The Chai Cart, Poco Dolce, also NeoCocoa and Clairesquares (both of whom will also be at the La Cocina event on Friday).
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Holiday Cookbook Gift Guide 2012
Here are my picks for great gift worthy cookbooks! From coffee table books, to DIY books and more...
Big and beautiful coffee table books
For the hardcore DIY types, kimchi and jam may be child's play. But I bet making salami isn't. Michael Ruhlman's Salumi will walk you through the steps and techniques to making Italian style salami and many variations. Cotechino, pancetta, lonza, coppa, even culatello which is not imported from Italy to the US, t's all here.
There are also recipes for using your homemade product like Coppa, Orange & Onion Salad and Spuma di Mortadella.
For someone who has already taken on charcuterie, this is what comes next.
This is a trend I predicted for 2012. And it continues to take off with two fantastic books that help you find you to find, cook and enjoy foraged wild ingredients.
For other books I've recommended this year:
Mexican Cookbook Roundup
The Epicurious Cookbook & MyRecipes America's Favorite Recipes
Food Blogging Resources
Cookbooks for Right Now
DIY Canning & Preserving
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links
Big and beautiful coffee table books
Some cookbooks are really coffee table books. They are large, filled with glossy photos and tell intriguing stories--they are the anti-ebook. The recipes and the restaurant recommendations are kind of secondary. These two books will satisfy the armchair traveler who loves to eat.
Lonely Planet's Food Lover's Guide to the World: Experience the Great Global Cuisines is over 300 pages of stories, photographs, recipes, and recommendations for where to find some of the most iconic dishes in the world--everything from Korean Bibimbap to Argentinian Empanadas and French Tart Tatin. Along the way you'll find food festivals and drinks, rules of etiquette, cooking schools, ingredients and markets. This is a book probably written using clips from guide books and then some. It definitely is the right book for someone who travels a lot or plans to. There is plenty of advice and direction for where to go, what to eat and even how to eat it. The recipes are definitely secondary. Some of them are not terribly well written but they do add flavor to the book.
Saveur The Way We Cook: Portraits from Around the World is a glossy book of full page photographs, there are some stories too, but mostly it's photos. At the back of the book are 50 recipes including Bistro French Fries, Layered Herring Salad and Dry Cured Olives with Rosemary and Orange. It's a book to get lost in, not so much for planning trips like the Lonely Planet book. It's as if Gourmet and National Geographic somehow came together in one. It's a book that truly appreciates the food ways of foreign places--be they in Tennessee or Tehran.This book is for anyone who enjoys photography as much as travel and exploration.
Make it
For DIY types, a how to book and a jar of something delicious is probably the best gift of all. I've picked three that I think really stand out.
For DIY types, a how to book and a jar of something delicious is probably the best gift of all. I've picked three that I think really stand out.
Mother in Law's Kimchi is the best kimchi I have ever eaten. Really. So I couldn't be happier to see The Kimchi Cookbook, filled with recipes for making spicy succulent kimchi and using it, from Lauryn Chun. The photos make kimchi sexy! I've bookmarked Quick Cucumber and Chive Kimchi and French Breakfast Radish Kimchi. There are recipes for kimchi and recipes using kimchi, like Kimchi Cornmeal Pancakes.
The ingredient section will help get you up to speed on what's necessary to create authentic Korean flavors. But the uses of kimchi are not all traditional. Pair this book with a jar of kimchi (perhaps even homemade!) and give it to your favorite chile head.
The ingredient section will help get you up to speed on what's necessary to create authentic Korean flavors. But the uses of kimchi are not all traditional. Pair this book with a jar of kimchi (perhaps even homemade!) and give it to your favorite chile head.
Jams are hot stuff. I am going to share some of my favorites in another post for now let me say, making jam rivals eating it. It's an outlet for creativity and allows us to preserve the best of every season. I've reviewed jam cookbooks in the past, but I particularly like Jam On (from Laena McCarthy of Anarchy in a Jar)because it enables you to customize and come up with your own flavors, there's also pickled fruit, fruit butter and shrub recipes and some nice suggestions for ways to use jams and marmalades you might not have considered like in a roast chicken recipe, in cocktails and even risotto. I tried Anarchy in a Jar jams and was mightily impressed. My favorite was the Grapefruit and Smoked Salt Marmalade, but any jar plus this book would make a truly fine gift for the DIY maven in your midst.
There are also recipes for using your homemade product like Coppa, Orange & Onion Salad and Spuma di Mortadella.
For someone who has already taken on charcuterie, this is what comes next.
And now for something completely different
Perhaps it's because I went to Israel this year, but Jerusalem is the cookbook I keep gravitating towards. The sensibility is just different. And yet very appealing.
Written by a Jew and an Arab both from Jerusalem, it's hard to put your finger on because the dishes featured have Middle Eastern, Eastern European and Sephardic roots. But it has a freshness and vibrancy that speaks to the place that inspired it. So some of these recipes may be familiar, but many are combinations that will excite you! Roast Chicken with Clementines & Arak, Butternut Squash & Tahini Spread, Lamb Stuffed Quince with Pomegranate & Cilantro and Swiss Chard Fritters are just a few of the intriguing recipes in the book.
Written by a Jew and an Arab both from Jerusalem, it's hard to put your finger on because the dishes featured have Middle Eastern, Eastern European and Sephardic roots. But it has a freshness and vibrancy that speaks to the place that inspired it. So some of these recipes may be familiar, but many are combinations that will excite you! Roast Chicken with Clementines & Arak, Butternut Squash & Tahini Spread, Lamb Stuffed Quince with Pomegranate & Cilantro and Swiss Chard Fritters are just a few of the intriguing recipes in the book.
Wild and wonderful
This is a trend I predicted for 2012. And it continues to take off with two fantastic books that help you find you to find, cook and enjoy foraged wild ingredients. The first recommendation is for Foraged Flavor. This book really makes it easy to explore and identify edibles in your backyard and beyond. The photos are great. The recipes are eclectic with Italian, French and Asian playing starring roles. They are mostly very easy and very appealing.
Recipes include Daylillies stuffed with Lobster, Avocado and Sushi Rice, Purslane Eggplant Caponata and Dandelion Flower Jelly.
Recipes include Daylillies stuffed with Lobster, Avocado and Sushi Rice, Purslane Eggplant Caponata and Dandelion Flower Jelly.
A Feast of Weeds is a bit more academic, not surprising since it was written by an Italian professor. The book explores the literary side of the plants that you can find and cook. The recipes are solidly Italian and anything but run-of-the-mill! Consider Pomegranate Risotto, Polenta with Nettles and Spaghetti with Wild Arugula. Talk about cucina povera. This is the real deal.
While written by a professor the book is very approachable and easy to use and appreciate.
The book features lovely drawings but no photos. The essays that go with each ingredient are less field guide and more Humanities or Classics major. You can read an excerpt.
So pretty!
While written by a professor the book is very approachable and easy to use and appreciate.
The book features lovely drawings but no photos. The essays that go with each ingredient are less field guide and more Humanities or Classics major. You can read an excerpt.
So pretty!
For someone who loves to entertain, nothing could be a more welcome gift than this gorgeous gold trimmed little volume--Ladur�e: Entertaining: Recipes, Ideas & Inspiration which comes packed in tissue in it's own box.
While not terribly practical for weeknight dinners, it will be a great source of inspiration with stylish tips and modern recipes like Lobster Rose Petal Carpaccio and Sea Bass Tartar with Grapefruit and finally classics like Orange-Passion Fruit Macarons, Tableware, glassware, and yes, etiquette are all addressed. For the girliest girl (or boy) on your list or that relative that has everything.
While not terribly practical for weeknight dinners, it will be a great source of inspiration with stylish tips and modern recipes like Lobster Rose Petal Carpaccio and Sea Bass Tartar with Grapefruit and finally classics like Orange-Passion Fruit Macarons, Tableware, glassware, and yes, etiquette are all addressed. For the girliest girl (or boy) on your list or that relative that has everything.
For other books I've recommended this year:
Mexican Cookbook Roundup
The Epicurious Cookbook & MyRecipes America's Favorite Recipes
Food Blogging Resources
Cookbooks for Right Now
DIY Canning & Preserving
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links
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