MBR: The Cookbook Shelf

The Cookbook Shelf

Gluten Free Mediterranean
Sanaa
Palmyra Publishing Company
401 East 8th Street #321, Sioux Falls, SD 57103
9780966662719, $16.75, www (dot) amazon (dot) com

When multiple individuals affected by celiac disease (which makes one
unable to properly digest gluten) told professional restaurant owner
and chef Sanaa that they were unable to enjoy the full range of her
food, she created a wide assortment of gluten-free dishes embodying
the finest tastes of the Mediterranean. Now the step-by-step recipes
behind her mouth-watering dishes are available to all in Gluten Free
Mediterranean, a cookbook packed with recipes ranging from Tomato and
Basil Bruschetta to Chicken with Garbanzo Beans and Almonds to Sweet
Potato Cookies and much more. Especially recommended for anyone who
cooks for a person with celiac disease, Gluten Free Mediterranean is
an enthusiastically welcome addition to cookbook collections.

Bread Pudding Bliss
Portia Little
Panntree Press
33 Friendship Street, Jamestown, RI 02835
0966306678, $6.95, www (dot) portialittle (dot) com 1-800-431-1579

Portia Little is the imaginative creator of compact, 78-page, pocket-
sized, spiral bound cookbooks that are especially appropriate gifts
for anyone who enjoys creating culinary delights in the family
kitchen. Her newest culinary collection is "Bread Pudding", showcasing
an impressive variety of bread pudding recipes guaranteed to be as
easy to make as they are fun to consume, and range from such
delectable dishes as Boozey Bread Pudding and Orange Marmalade Bread
Pudding, to Jalapeno Cornbread Pudding and Fresh Raspberry Bread
Pudding. On each page facing a recipe is a notable and suitable quote
such as Sheila Graham's citation that 'Food is the most primitive form
of comfort.' Another of these clever and compact titles is "Lusty
Limericks & Luscious Desserts" (0966306643, $6.95) offering such
culinary delights as Creamy Dreamy Strawberry Pie, Sinfully Good
Shortbread, and Pineapple Macadamia Charlotte. Each recipe accompanied
by such saucy poetry as 'In June a young lass name of Nelle/Met a man
and she never would tell/That they sat in the dark/In a car in the
park./And by fall Nelle was starting to swell.' The other very highly
recommended titles by Portia Little from Panntree Press include
"Recipes, Roses & Rhyme: Romantic Sentiments, Easy Recipes, A Gift To
Treasure" (0966306600, $6.95); "The Easy Vegetarian: Great Recipes,
Inspiring Quotes, A Handy Resource" (0966306619, $6.95); "Finger
Lakes: Food, Fact & Fancy: An Upstate new York Feast, Quick 'n Easy
Recipes, A Souvenir To Treasure" (0966306651, $6.95); and "New England
Seashore Recipes & Rhyme: Poetry From Favorite Places, Easy Recipes, A
Wonderful Adventure" (0966306627, $6.95). Dedicated cookbook
enthusiasts would find Portia's blog at http://breadpuddingallday.blogspot
(dot) com/ to be of special interest. Inexpensive and 'kitchen cook
friendly', this is a cookbook series that is perfect for gift giving
-- and receiving!

The Collard Patch
Mary Lou Cheatham & Paul Elliott
Blue Moon Books
207 North Service Road East, #213, Raston, LA 71270
097419123X, $22.97, www (dot) CollardLovers (dot) com

Long a mainstay of America's southern cuisine, collard greens are
becoming popular nationwide as it can be grown in many different
horticultural zones across the country. Indeed, about half of all
commercially available collard greens are now grown in Californian
fields. For those unfamiliar with the culinary uses of collard greens
there is now available a cookbook dedicated to this nutritious, dark
green, leafy vegetable. "The Collard Patch: Collard Country Cookbook
and Reader, Collards and Cornbread Y'all Will Love" is the cooperative
work of Mary Lou Cheatham and Paul Elliot. The first section explains
the history, handling, nutrient values, and other issues relevant to
collard greens. Then presented is an impressively diverse series of
'kitchen cook friendly' recipes featuring an Ingredients list,
Preparation instructions, and Equipment/Utensils required. Of special
note for each recipe is an 'info block' of Nutrition Facts that
includes the number of servings, as well as calories, total fat,
saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, dietary
fiber, protein, and miscellaneous additional information of value to
health conscious consumers. From Perfect Collard Greens; Spinach and
Collards; Netherland Salad; and Mexican Collard and Black Bean Soup;
to Huevos Collards Picantes; Collard and Shrimp Quesadillas; Collard
Biscuits; and Apple Collard Raisin Pie, "The Collard Patch" is a
compendium of recipes offering gourmet quality dishes suitable for any
dining occasion. Of special note are the various cornbread recipes
that are also featured, making "The Collard Patch" a very special
addition to personal and community library cookbook collections. Also
very highly recommended from Blue Moon Books is Mary Lou Cheatham's
early cookbook collection which is now in its third edition, "Flavored
with Love, Mary Lou's Family and Friends Can Cook" ($22.97).

Desserts That Heal
Heather MacLean Walters
MCE Press
PO Box 84, Chester, NJ 07930-0084
9781928904045, $19.95, domaclean@embarqmail (dot) com

Desserts are usually the first food one strikes off when they try to
improve their health - is this a flawed approach? "Desserts That Heal:
Desserts are Good Medicine" outlines many, many dessert foods that
would improve their eaters health, be it cancer prevention, immunity
strengthening, high blood sugar- but most importantly, tastes
delicious in the process. Countless dessert foods are covered, sure to
have something to please every sweet tooth, making "Desserts That
Heal: Desserts are Good Medicine" highly recommended for community
library cookbook collections.

Best Chicken Recipes
Cooks Illustrated
America's Test Kitchen
17 Station Street, Brookline, MA 02445
1933615230, $35.00 www (dot) cooksillustrated (dot) com

America's Test Kitchen roasted some 40 chickens to find a foolproof
recipe for roast chicken – and this is an example of just one of the
exhaustive testing methods conducted on each and every recipe featured
in BEST CHICKEN RECIPES – making it the best. Chapters divided by type
of chicken – roasted and baked, fried, or stir-fried for example –
make it easy to locate dishes by method, while a peppering of color
photos and clear step-by-step 'how to' explanations make for an
exceptionally easy presentation. Highly recommended: any general-
interest library catering to any level of home cook needs this.

Cuisines of Portuguese Encounters
Cherie Y. Hamilton
Hippocrene Books
171 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016
0781811813, $29.95 www (dot) hippocrenebooks (dot) com

The entire Portuguese-speaking world is embraced under one cover in an
unusual cookbook which covers Portugal and its colonies alike. From
Brazil and Cape Verde to Goa and Portugal, chapters survey different
regions in addition to offering recipes unique to that region. The
blend of culinary history and recipe is outstanding, making for an
excellent pick for any library strong in international cuisines and
history.

Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen
Trisha Yearwood
Clarkson Potter Publishers
c/o The Crown Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, #B1, New York, NY 10019-4305
9780307381378, $29.95 www (dot) crownpublishing (dot) com

GEORGIA COOKING IN AN OKLAHOMA KITCHEN: RECIPES FROM MY FAMILY TO
YOURS is an outstanding blend of Southern traditional dishes with a
modern flair. From Uncle Wilson's Baked Onions made with sweet Vidalia
onions and bacon to simple meat loaf and collard greens, dishes tend
towards simplicity and ease and many full-page color photos are
displayed throughout. As an added attraction, Yearwood's childhood
memories are paired with the dishes, making this a top pick for
general interest libraries including both Southern cooking and country
music titles in their collections.

The Lebanese Cookbook
Hussien Dekmak
Hippocrene Books
171 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016
9780781812085, $29.95 www (dot) hippocrenebooks (dot) com

From standard falafel and humus to stuffed cabbage leaves and roast
leg of lamb, THE LEBANESE COOKBOOK gathers traditional Lebanese fare
often tossed into more general Middle Eastern cookbooks and makes it
easy to locate classic dishes. Add full-page color photos and food
which are easy for American cooks to duplicate and you have an
appealing blend of eye candy and practical international presentation
perfect for any lending library strong in international cuisine.

Robin to the Rescue
Robin Miller
Taunton Press
Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506
9781600850042, $18.95 www (dot) taunton (dot) com

ROBIN TO THE RESCUE: QUICK & SIMPLE RECIPES FOR DELICIOUS HOME COOKING
comes from a TV Food Network kitchen strategist and bestselling author
who offers 200 new, home-cooked recipes which are fast and easy.
Organized by course and main ingredient, recipes here excel in 5
ingredients or less, yet many flavorful innovations. From Asian Pork
Kebabs with Apricot Mayonnaise to Seared Chicken with Merlot and
Raspberry Sauce, these are surprisingly quick gourmet delights with a
fine centerfold of color photos for added attraction.

Tofu Cookery, 25th anniversary edition
Louise Hagler
The Book Publishing Company
PO Box 99, Summertown, TN 38483
www (dot) thefarm (dot) org/businesses/bpc.html
9781570672200, $21.95 1-800-695-2241

Food writer, food stylist, and traveling culinary teacher Louise
Hagler now offers her classic Tofu Cookery in a revised 25th
anniversary edition; all recipes are updated for modern nutritional
standards, with reduced quantities of more healthful fats and less
salt. New recipes have been added to complement old favorites. From
Walnut-Olive Dip to Barbecued Tofu, Focaccia with Tofu, Chinese Sweet-
and-Sour Balls, and much more, these tofu dishes are undeniably
appetizing - just seeing the full-color photography is enough to make
one's mouth water! Highly recommended for tofu connoisseurs
everywhere.

Dishing Up Vermont
Tracey Medeiros, author
Scott Dorrance, photographer
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
9781603420259, $19.95 www (dot) storey (dot) com 1-800-827-8673

Dishing Up Vermont: 145 Authentic Recipes from the Green Mountain
State is a compilation that unquestionably lives up to its title. Food
writer and Tracey Medeiros, whose recipes have formerly appeared in
"Bon Appetit", "Cooking Light", "Eating Well", and "Hampton Roads",
offers easy-to-follow instructions for preparing tasty delights such
as "Vermont-Style Hush Puppies", "Grilled Marinated Venison Loin",
"Grilled Maple-marinated Portobello Mushrooms", "Butternut Squash
Ravioli with Apples and Pears", and much more. Full-color photography
and an assortment of Vermont food and eatery anecdotes round out this
wonderful culinary tour de force.

Vegan Inspiration
Todd Dacey with Jia Patton
Blue Dolphin Publishing
PO Box 8, Nevada City, CA 95959-0008
www (dot) bluedolphinpublishing (dot) com
9781577332169, $22.95 1-800-643-0765

Vegan Chef Todd Dacey along with cooking teacher Jia Patton present
Vegan Inspiration: Whole Food Recipes for Life, a compilation of
healthful vegan recipes from a wide variety of cultures and culinary
styles. In addition to the mouth-watering recipes such as "Cranberry
Apple Walnut Salad", "Coconut Rice", "Creamy Carrot Yam Soup", and
"Tahini Sesame Cookies", Vegan Inspiration also describes the
advantages of vegan, organic, raw, and detox diets at length. "For soy-
free diets, soaked nuts, crystal salt, and Umeboshi vinegar may be
substituted for soy products in many recipes. For transition diets,
the protein sources in recipes may be adjusted." A glossary of
ingredients and terms rounds out this spiral-bound cookbook,
enthusiastically recommended for vegan kitchens everywhere.

Eating Well For A Healthy Heart Cookbook
Philip A. Ades, M.D.
The Countryman Press
PO Box 478, Woodstock, VT 05091
9780881507249, $24.95 www (dot) countrymanpress (dot) com
1-800-245-4151

So much of heart disease in self-inflicted through destructive life
style choices such as poor diet, smoking, and lack of exercise. So it
follows that through a proper diet, the avoidance of tobacco smoke,
and a program of reasonable daily exercise the prospect of heart
disease can be minimalized -- even for those with a family history of
genetic predisposition to cardio-vascular problems. That is the basic
foundation underlying cardiologist Philip Ades' "Eating Well For A
Healthy Heart Cookbook" which was written with the assistance of the
editorial staff of 'Eating Well' magazine. Through the 150 recipes
compiled in this thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' compendium of
delicious and nutritious dishes suitable for any dining occasion, the
risk of heart attack by be reduced by fifty percent, along with the
lowering of both blood pressure and cholesterol. The first five
chapters are devoted to providing up-to-date information on having a
healthy heart. Then the beautifully illustrated, gourmet quality
recipes run the gamut from Lebanese Fattoush Salad with Grilled
Chicken; Lentil & Almond Burgers; Grilled tuna with Olive Relish; and
Roast-Pork with Sweet Onion-Rhubarb Sauce; to Eating Well Waffles;
Eating Well's Pepperoni Pizza; Crispy Fish Sandwich with Pineapple
Slaw; and Dark Fudgy Brownies. Each recipes notes the calorie count,
along with fat, cholesterol, carbohydrate, protein, fiber, sodium,
potassium information, cooking time and more. Scattered strategically
throughout are 'Heart-Healthy' and 'Shopping' tips. The "Eating Well
For A Healthy Heart Cookbook" is an ideal addition to both personal,
family, and community library cookbook collections.

Cakes for All Occasions
Geraldine Kidwell
Schiffer Publishing
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780763329043, $24.95, www (dot) schifferbooks (dot) com

Cake is a food of celebration – there is bound to be one at every
birthday party, at every wedding, and countless other occasions. "Cake
for All Occasions" is a guide to the delicious pastry and how to make
oddly specific cakes for countless celebratory occasions or just for
the fun of it all. Countless specialty cakes are outlined with
chronological instructions and over three hundred photographs covering
this guide, perfect for any novice baker. "Cake for All Occasions" is
a must for anyone in charge of a celebratory cake and not sure of what
to do and for community library cookbook collections.

Mayan Cuisine
Daniel Hoyer
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton, Utah 84041
9781423601319, $34.95, www (dot) gibbs-smith (dot) com

A food rich in flavor to begin with, but taking on the best traits of
other traditions of cuisine – Spanish, French, Asian, Caribbean, and
so many more – it's one way to describe the food of the Maya. "Mayan
Cuisine: Recipes From the Yucatan Region" is a look at the delectable
food of the Mayan people, with step by step guides and full color
photos to help one emulate the authentic Mayan flavor in their own
kitchen. With Dishes like: Meat-and-Rice Stuffed Leaves, Tamale Pie,
Yucatan Breakfast Sausages, and more, "Mayan Cuisine: Recipes From the
Yucatan Region" is a must for any ethnic cookbook shelf or for anyone
looking for a different taste to sink their teeth into.

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