Lesa's Book Critiques: The In Death Cookbook by Theresa Carle-Sanders

 Lesa's Book Critiques: The In Death Cookbook by Theresa Carle-Sanders

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Sandwiches and Sweets: Cookbook Roundup!

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Sandwiches and Sweets: Cookbook Roundup!:   Smashed: 60 Epic Smash Burgers & Sandwiches for Dinner, for Lunch, and Even for Breakfast by The Waltwins Adam and Brett Walton  S...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Fun with Cookbooks

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Fun with Cookbooks:  Reviews by Jeanne I think of fall as “The Eating Season.”   It starts with all the Halloween candy, moves into Thanksgiving, and really hit...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Pie Squared by Cathy Barrow

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Pie Squared by Cathy Barrow: Reviewed by Jeanne Most people seem to get frazzled over Christmas shopping.   I don’t, but that’s only because I shop all year rou...

KRL Update: KRL This Week for 11/23/19

Up in KRL this week a review and giveaway of "Stamped Out" by Tonya Kappes

https://kingsriverlife.com/11/23/stamped-out-by-tonya-kappes/

And we have reviews and giveaways of cookbooks by mystery authors Nancy J. Cohen, Kathi Daley, Karen MacInerney, Lise McClendon, Chelsea Thomas, and C.A. Phipps (4 are giveaways through KRL and 2 are through the author's by joining their mailing list), and a review and info to preorder Jenny Kales cookbook. And we have a couple recipes for your Thanksgiving dinner!

https://kingsriverlife.com/11/23/anyone-can-cook-cozy-cookbooks-to-love/

And reviews and giveaways of a feast of food and drink mysteries for your Thanksgiving reading-"The Chocolate Shark Shenanigans": A Chocoholic Mystery by JoAnna Carl, "Apple Cider Slaying": A Cider Shop Mystery by Julie Anne Lindsey, "Clarets of Fire": Rose Avenue Wine Club Mystery by Christine E. Blum, "Fatal Cajun Festival": A Cajun Country Mystery by Ellen Byron, "Jealousy Filled Donuts": A Deputy Donut Mystery by Ginger Bolton, and "Mumbo Gumbo Murder": A Scrapbooking Mystery by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran

https://kingsriverlife.com/11/23/food-mysteries-for-your-thanksgiving-feast/

We also have a review and giveaway of "Flour in the Attic" by Winnie Archer along with a Thanksgiving guest post and recipe by Winnie

 https://kingsriverlife.com/11/23/flour-in-the-attic-by-winnie-archer/

And the latest mystery Coming Attractions from Sunny Frazier, along with a giveaway of a $25 gift card from mystery author Victoria Hamilton who was featured in a past Coming Attractions

https://kingsriverlife.com/11/23/coming-attractions-merry-gifting-edition/

For those who prefer to listen to Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast directly on KRL, the player is now up for the new one-the first chapter of "A Cupid Caper" by Larissa Reinhart read by local actor Teya Juarez

https://kingsriverlife.com/11/23/new-podcast-ep-featuring-the-cupid-caper-by-larissa-reinhart/

Up on KRL News and Reviews this week we have a review and giveaway of "Cleanup on Aisle 6" by Daniel Stallings

https://www.krlnews.com/2019/11/cleanup-on-aisle-6-by-daniel-stallings.html

And a review and giveaway of "Murder Under a Blue Moon" by Abigail Keam, along with a bonus review of her book "Death By Deceit"

https://www.krlnews.com/2019/11/murder-under-blue-moon-by-abigail-keam.html

And a review and ebook giveaway of "The Nora Pigeon Mysteries" by Krista Lynn

https://www.krlnews.com/2019/11/the-nora-pigeon-mysteries-by-krista.html

Happy reading and Happy Thanksgiving!

Lorie

_._,_._,_

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Taste of Home Annual Recipes 2019

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Taste of Home Annual Recipes 2019: Reviewed by Kristin I love nothing more than reading a book that appears to be ahead of its time, and I found that joy in rea...

Mystery Fanfare: KILLER COOKBOOKS

Mystery Fanfare: KILLER COOKBOOKS: Today on The Rap Sheet there was a mention of a new cookbook: Cooking with Columbo: Suppers with the Shambling Sleuth by Jenny Hammerton...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: One-Pan Wonders: Fuss-Free Meals for Your Sheet Pa...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: One-Pan Wonders: Fuss-Free Meals for Your Sheet Pa...: Reviewed by Kristin Am I the only person who feels like dinner is always the same old boring food, week in and week out?   I am ...

KRL This Week Update--July 16, 2016

Up this week in KRL a review & giveaway of "The Pursuit" by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg http://kingsriverlife.com/07/16/the-pursuit-by-janet-evanovich-lee-goldberg/

Also up a review & giveaway of "A Toxic Trousseau" by Juliet Blackwell http://kingsriverlife.com/07/16/a-toxic-trousseau-by-juliet-blackwell/

And a fun guest post by Nancy Lynn Jarvis about a fun cookbook, "Cozy Food: 128 Mystery Writers Share Their Favorite Recipes," and you can enter to win a copy http://kingsriverlife.com/07/16/cozy-food-128-cozy-mystery-writers-share-their-favorite-recipes/

And a review & giveaway of  "The Semester of Our Discontent" by Cynthia Kuhn

http://kingsriverlife.com/07/16/the-semester-of-our-discontent-by-cynthia-kuhn/

We also have a review & giveaway of "A Dark and Stormy Murder" by Julia Buckley, along with an interesting interview with Julia http://kingsriverlife.com/07/16/a-dark-and-stormy-murder-by-julia-buckley/

And an article about Isaac Asimov and his mystery writing http://kingsriverlife.com/07/16/legendary-isaac-asimov-as-mystery-writer/

And we have a mystery short story by JR Lindermuth http://kingsriverlife.com/07/16/those-bodies-at-the-temple-mystery-short-story/

For those who also enjoy fantasy, a review & giveaway of "Paper and Fire" by Rachel Caine http://kingsriverlife.com/07/16/paper-and-fire-by-rachel-caine/

And over on KRL Lite a review & giveaway of "Heart of Stone" by James Ziskin http://kingsriverlife.blogspot.com/2016/07/heart-of-stone-ellie-stone-mystery-by.html

Happy reading, Lorie

--

KRL is now selling advertising & we have special discounts for
mystery authors & bookstores! Ask me about it!
Mystery section in Kings River Life http://KingsRiverLife.com

Check out my own blog at http://mysteryratscloset.blogspot.com/

Review: "The Blue Bloods Cookbook: 120 Recipes That Will Bring Your Family To The Table" by Bridget Moynahan, Wendy Howard Goldberg, and Chris Peterson

If you are familiar with the television show Blue Bloods you are aware that every episode has the family dinner scene. Despite the busy schedules of a trauma nurse, police officers, and other family members, that dinner scene always happens. That show anchor led to the creation of the The Blue Bloods Cookbook: 120 Recipes That Will Bring Your Family To The Table by Bridget Moynahan and Wendy Howard Goldberg with the help of Chris Peterson.

The book is broken into eight sections covering everything from soups to salads, main dishes, desserts, and more. Each recipe has detailed instructions regarding ingredients and how to make the meal. While there is information on number of services the dish will make, there is a lack of information regarding the dietary and nutritional information. In addition to the 120 recipes and the colorful pictures of completed dishes, there are behind the scenes details of what goes on at the set during filming. 

Along with details from the set and the recipes shared by cast members, a real highlight of the book is the section titled “Blue Bloods Family Dinner Menu” that starts on page 255. The six pages here suggest meals from appetizers to dessert with the name of the dish and page number listed. While the section references the fact there are holiday meals in the book, there are also plenty of other dishes to occupy your non-holiday cooking and eating.

A nine page index brings the nearly 300 page book to a close.

Filled with basic and holiday meals along with plenty of neat stuff from behind the scenes of the show, The Blue Bloods Cookbook: 120 Recipes That Will Bring Your Family To The Table is a good one. Despite the obvious lack of important nutritional and dietary information, it does its job of promoting the show and family dinner time very well. No matter your personal preferences, at least some of the 120 recipes included should work for you and your family. 

The Blue Bloods Cookbook: 120 Recipes That Will Bring Your Family To The Table

Bridget Moynahan, Wendy Howard Goldberg, and Chris Peterson

St. Martin’s Press

http://www.stmartins.com

November 2015

ISBN# 978-1-250-07285-6

Hardback (also available in e-book format)

288 Pages

$29.99

Material for my use was supplied by the good folks of the Haggard Branch of the Plano Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2016

KRL This Week Update

In honor of Thanksgiving this issue of KRL is filled with food, and food mysteries.

First off we have reviews & giveaways of 5 new mysteries from Penguin authors-"Nuts and Buried" by Elizabeth Lee, "The Chocolate Clown Corpse" by JoAnna Carl (paperback release of last year’s hardback), "The Chocolate Falcon Fraud" by JoAnna Carl, "White Colander Crime" by Victoria Hamilton,​ and "Olive or Let Die": A Greek to Me Mystery By Susannah Hardy-Sadie Hartwell​ http://kingsriverlife.com/11/21/food-mysteries-from-penguin-for-your-thanksgiving/

We also have a review & giveaway of "Goldy's Kitchen Cookbook" by Diane Mott Davidson​, where she not only shares recipes from her books, but talks about her writing and her life http://kingsriverlife.com/11/21/goldys-kitchen-cookbook-by-diane-mott-davidson/

We also have a fun profile on Diane Mott Davidson's character Goldy Bear http://kingsriverlife.com/11/21/catering-to-goldy-bear/

And we a Thanksgiving mystery short story by Cathy Ace  http://kingsriverlife.com/11/21/the-trouble-with-the-turkey-a-thanksgiving-mystery-short-story/

And another Thanksgiving mystery short story by Kathleen Gerard http://kingsriverlife.com/11/21/last-licks-a-thanksgiving-short-story/

Also up this morning, The Cozy Chicks-Ellery Adams​, Lorraine Bartlett​, Duffy Brown​, Kate Collins​, Mary Kennedy, Mary Jane Maffini, Maggie Sefton​, and Leann Sweeney​- share about their new cookbook, and you can enter to win a copy http://kingsriverlife.com/11/21/tea-cozy-by-the-cozy-chicks/

And we have a review & giveaway of "Diner Knock Out" by Terri L. Austin, along with a fun Thanksgiving food related post from her http://kingsriverlife.com/11/21/diner-knock-out-by-terri-l-austin

And over on KRL Lite we have a review & giveaway of "Sweetheart Deal" by Linda Joffe Hull http://kingsriverlife.blogspot.com/2015/11/sweetheart-deal-mrs-frugalicious.html

Happy reading & have a great Thanksgiving!

Lorie

--

KRL is now selling advertising & we have special discounts for
mystery authors & bookstores! Ask me about it!
Mystery section in Kings River Life http://KingsRiverLife.com

Check out my own blog at http://mysteryratscloset.blogspot.com/

Cookbook Review: "Grill it, Braise It, Broil it, And 9 Other Easy Techniques For Making Healthy Meals" by American Heart Association

There are 175 recipes in Grill It, Braise it, Broil It, and 9 Other Easy Techniques For Making Healthy Meals. Unlike a lot of cook books that organized by meals or types of meats, this one from the American Heart Association is organized by cooking techniques. That isn’t the only thing this cookbook does that is different from the norm.

After some introductory pages regarding shopping trips, what to eat and what to avoid, as well as a number of lifestyle suggestions, it is on to cooking techniques. The first one is “Slow Cooking” and begins on page 6 with a listing of 14 recipes. Along with various soups, stews, and gumbos, there are also recipes for “Rosemary Steak Smothered In Onions” (page 19) and “New Mexican Meat Loaf” (page 22-23). Each recipe has a detailed ingredient list, detailed instructions, one or more bulleted cooking tips, and detailed serving info regarding calories, various types of fat, sodium, cholesterol, and more. Some information regarding preparation time is included in the more complicated recipes, but there is no overall estimate on each one how long it should take start to finish.

This same recipe format continues through the rest of the chapter sections. There are additional sections covering Microwaving (starting on page 29), “Blending” (page 50), “Grilling” (page 69) among others including “Broiling” (page 199), “Roasting” (page 220) and “Baking” (page 247).  A classic “Herb Roasted Chicken” recipe can be found on page 232 and it includes how to make gray from the pan. The simple act of making gravy from pan drippings continues to confound me.

After the recipes it is on to the interesting information such as stocking a heart healthy pantry (pages 272- 275). This includes pantry items as well as perishable items in terms of produce and more. So, it is not just pantry items as one would think of as it includes refrigerator and freezer items among other things.

Advice on kitchen safety and working with food, basic kitchen equipment, as well as serving size by calories level is included before leading up to the eight page index that concludes the book. The eight page index is organized by ingredient as opposed to recipe.

An anomaly with the cookbook is the 8 pages of random colorful pictures of dishes inserted between pages 58-59 in the book. Each picture of a dish has the name of it as well as the page number location for the dish. This is the kind of random cluster of photographs one normally sees at the very beginning of a cookbook. Instead, it is inserted here in the middle of the section on “Blending.”

Also worth noting is the fact that much of the information in small type has been placed inside of grey background boxes. This can be hard to see on older eyes.

Grill It, Braise It, Broil it, And 9 Other Easy Techniques For Making Healthy Meals is not a flashy and colorful paperback cookbook. It is a plain barebones cookbook packed with detailed information. Whether it works for you and yours is something you will have to determine. If you need a cookbook that will tell you exactly what is in the food you are preparing, this one is for you.

Grill It, Braise It, Broil it, And 9 Other Easy Techniques For Making Healthy Meals

American Heart Association

Clarkson Potter/Publishers (Crown Publishing Group)

http://www.clarksonpotter.com

June 2015

ISBN# 978-0-307-88809-9

Paperback (e-book version also available)

304 Pages

$19.99

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

Review: "Texas On The Table: People, Places, and Recipes Celebrating the Flavors of the Lone Star State" by Terry Thompson-Anderson with Photography by Sandy Wilson

Texas On The Table: People, Places, and Recipes Celebrating the Flavors of the Lone Star State does exactly what the title suggests in every way possible. Part of that is in the text by Terry Thompson-Anderson. Part of that is by way of the gorgeous photography by Sandy Wilson. The combination works incredibly well from start to finish.

A cookbook that easily doubles as a coffee table book, this massive tome at more than 450 pages features a ton of recipes to take you through every meal every day of the year. Every meal, holiday or otherwise is covered as are snacks and appetizers of all types. The pictures often paired with the detailed recipes tell the tale of the people and the land. Like a lot of cookbook this one does not have anything on fat/salt counts in the recipes or how to adjust any of the recipes based on dietary need.

But, if you are going to eat “Bison Enchiladas with Green Chile Crema, Pickled Red Onion Slaw, and Serrano Pico De Gallo” (pages 282-284) or nearly anything other delectable thing in this cookbook you probably are not really worried about fat or salt intake. You can always finish things up with “San Sabu Texas Pecan Pie” (437-438)  or “Bananas Foster Cream Pie” (page 436-438).

A four page index as well as an eight page recipe index brings this visually stunning book to a close.

Even if you don’t cook or intend to use Texas On The Table: People, Places, and Recipes Celebrating the Flavors of the Lone Star State as a cookbook you will want this one for the photographs and history contained within this excellent book. Published by the University of Texas Press at $45 it pretty much works out to a buck a page. It is well worth it.

Texas On The Table: People, Places, and Recipes Celebrating the Flavors of the Lone Star State

Terry Thompson-Anderson

Photography by Sandy Wilson

http://www.sandywilsonphotography.com

University of Texas Press

http://www.utpress.edu

October  2014

Hardback

464 Pages

$45.00

Material was picked up to read and review via the good folks of the Haggard Branch of the Plano Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

Review: "Garlic, An Edible Biography: The History, Politics, and Mythology behind the World’s Most Pungent Food with over 100 Recipes" by Robin Cherry

If you ever wanted to know more about garlic the book Garlic, An Edible Biography might be the book for you. As the subtitle makes clear the book is about The History, Politics, and Mythology behind the World’s Most Pungent Food with over 100 Recipes. Written by Robin Cherry, travel writer and historian, the book is split into two sections regarding history and recipes.  

After an introduction from author Robin Cherry on how important and meaningful garlic has been to her, it is on to “Part One: The Story Of Garlic.” The four chapters in this section of over 100 pages explain the history of garlic in food, health, and literature, modern uses, and how to grow your own. Also included in this section are short bios of all the various garlic types which number far more than what you will ever find in your local store or produce market.

“Part Two: Recipes” begins on page 117 with a 4 page recipe list of all the recipes and their corresponding page numbers. That is followed by three pages on how to properly handle garlic before one moves on to “Dips, Sauces and Condiments” on page 125-130.  All of that prepares you for “Bread, Pizza, and Pasta” (pages 141-146), “Beef” (pages 197-202), “Side Dishes” (pages 227-232) and more. Each recipe has an intro that often features a cooking tip or other advice that might include another history lesson, a list of ingredients needed, and instructions that include information on number of servings.

An acknowledgement page, a two page bibliography, an 11 page index, and a one page short author bio bring this 265 page book to a close.

While Garlic, An Edible Biography is interesting it suffers from two significant drawbacks. Surprising it does not contain any pictures of the various garlic types the book covers nor does it contain any pictures of the finished dishes. In addition to the lack of pictures that would have helped break up the bland and very dry text, there is zero nutritional information regarding fat/salt content or other possible dietary restrictions or needs.

Garlic, An Edible Biography is quite the garlic resource. With the noted forgoing limitations, if you want to know quite a lot more about garlic and how to use it, this is a book worthy of your consideration.

Garlic, An Edible Biography: The History, Politics, and Mythology behind the World’s Most Pungent Food with over 100 Recipes

Robin Cherry

Roost Books (Imprint of Shambhala publications, Inc.)

http://www.roostbooks.com

2014

ISBN #978-1-61180-160-6

Paperback (also available in e-book form)

$16.95

Material was picked up to read and review via the good folks of the Haggard Branch of the Plano Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015

Lesa's Latest Contest-- The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook giveaway

This week, I'm giving away copies of The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook. Entries from the U.S. only, please. Check out my blog at http://www.lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com for details.

Lesa Holstine

lesa.holstine@gmail.com 

http://www.lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com

Murder on the Menu: A Tasty Giveaway

Murder on the Menu: A Tasty Giveaway

Senior News Newspaper Book Review Column--- December 2014

For my monthly newspaper book review column in the Senior News Newspaper, I usually make sure to choose one fiction and one nonfiction book in the hopes of interesting more readers. For December I went with The Dead Will Tell: A Kate Burkholder Novel by Linda Castillo. This is an excellent series and one that should be read in order. For the non-fiction book I went with The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes To New Classics by Dean Fearing with Judith Choate and Eric Dreyer. Longer reviews of both were run here on the blog earlier this year and can easily be found by clicking on the above book titles.

This also marks my final column for the Senior News Newspaper. For over ten years I have had the pleasure of having my monthly review work appear in the publication. That run has ended with the December 2014 issue. I very much thank Editor Michael Bracken and all others involved over the years for the opportunity.

Included below are the relevant book covers for my December 2014 column…  

The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes To New Classics

Dean Fearing with Judith Choate and Eric Dreyer

Photographs by Dave Carlin

Grand Central Life & Style (Hachette Book Group)

ISBN# 978-1-4555-7430-8

Hardback

260 Pages

The latest in a long line of cook books from Dean Fearing is another that expresses his love for the state. The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes To New Classics is designed to be a one stop resource for the cook. This cookbook co-written with Judith Choate and Eric Dreyer works well if you have the skills, the hours of cooking time, and are feeding folks with no dietary restrictions.

After an introduction that explains Dean Fearing's history, and a section on ingredients, it is on to the recipes. Starting with “Breakfast and Brunch” and going through the day to “Desserts” each recipe has detailed instructions, a serving suggestion or how many of the item it will make, and sometimes a picture of the finished dish. There is no dietary information of any kind.

The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes To New Classics is an interesting cookbook. Totally absent in terms of nutritional or dietary information, the book has numerous recipes for various situations in terms of daily meals as well as when guests come over. Heavily geared towards those with extensive culinary skills it may not work as well for the average cook at home.

The Dead Will Tell: A Kate Burkholder Novel

Linda Castillo

ISBN# 978-1-250-02957-7

Hardback (also available as an e-book)

320 Pages

The past is never truly buried. As any mystery reader knows, the past often comes back with a vengeance leaving a fresh trail of bodies and carnage in its wake. Such is the case here in The Dead Will Tell: A Kate Burkholder Novel by Linda Castillo. The latest in this very good series begins in early March 1979 with a home invasion/robbery. Things go very wrong almost from the start and the night ends with a massacre and a family tragedy. A horrific crime that remains unsolved today 35 years later. That night seems to have started a fresh wave of killings. Who is doing the killing is just one of the many questions Police Chief Kate Burkholder will have to solve in this intense book.

With The Dead Will Tell author Linda Castillo may have penned the best book in the series that started with Sworn To Silence. An intense novel from start to finish this latest book in the series is an exceptionally good read.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014

Review: "The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes To New Classics" by Dean Fearing with Judith Choate and Eric Dreyer

The latest in a long line of cook books from Dean Fearing is another that expresses love for the Lone Star state. The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes To New Classics is designed to be a one stop resource for the cook. This cookbook co-written with Judith Choate and Eric Dreyer works well if you have the skills, the hours of cooking time, and are feeding folks with no dietary restrictions.

After an introduction that explains Dean Fearing's history if you are unaware of it, it is on to “Fearing's Texas Pantry.” This section runs 33 pages and takes readers through beans, herbs, dried spices, rubs, gravies and sauces, dressings and vinaigrettes, and more. These are the recipes that provide the cornerstone of his dishes.

The meals start with Chapter One “Breakfast and Brunch” and lead off with “Eggs Ranchero” on pages 48-49. Also in this section is “Breakfast Burritos with Charred Tomato Salsa and Smoky Black Beans “(page 53) and “Jaxson and Campbell-Style Pancakes” (page 59) among others. Each recipe has detailed instructions, a serving suggestion or how many of the item it will make, and sometimes a picture of the finished dish. There is no dietary information of any kind so those who have to deal with dietary restrictions of any type are ignored. This same format continues throughout the book.

“Starters and Soups” come next with recipes for “Modern Buffalo Tacos with Blue Cheese Dressing and Smoked Chile Aioli” (pages 66-67), “Smoked Chicken Nachos” (pages 72-73) and “Fourth-of-July Deviled Eggs” (page 83) among others. The deviled eggs have a kick to them as they include as much as you want of Tabasco Chipotle sauce before being topped off  with  “Fearing’s Barbecue Spice Blend” (page 39) as garnish.

Chapter Three is on “Salads” and begins on page 92. Here is where you find his “Red Chile Caesar Salad with Grilled Radicchio and Romaine Hearts” (pages 96-97), “Firecracker Slaw” (page 101) or “Lucian's Crab Salad” (page 107) among others.

“Main Courses” is next and at the heart of the book. Along with various pork and chicken recipes there are ones for “Barbecue Spiced Beef Tenderloin” (page 121) and “Tex-Mex Baked potato Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce” (page 153). Variety is very present in this section and the entire cookbook, but it is a little surprising there isn't one steak recipe in the section.

“Texas-Style Chili” on page 158 leads off chapter 5 titled “Chillies, Braises, and Stews.” Also included here is “East Texas Seafood Jambalaya” (page 162-163), “Panhandle Vegetable Stew” (page 169) among others.

Chapter Six “Working the Smoker and the Grill” begins with a general explanation of smoking technique and an ode to the legendary Sonny Bryan's on Inwood on Dallas. Here is where you find “Robert Del Grande's Grilled Rib Eye Steaks with Backyard Steak Sauce” on page 186-187 and a few other recipes for outdoor cooking. This is also a very short section of the book.

“Sides” comes next with various recipes for beans, corn, dressings, grits, and other things. Along with “Campfire Barbecue Beans” on page 193 there is his recipe for “Crispy Sweet Onion Rings” (page 201), “Avocado Fries” (page 203) and “Fried Green Tomatoes” (page 208).

“Breads and Rolls” are the subject of Chapter Eight and begin on page 212 with “Bacon-Jalapeno Biscuits.” Also here are recipes for “Spicy Cheese Crackers” (page 216) and “Navajo Fry Bread” (page 220) among others in this very short chapter.

“Desserts” come next and feature “Brown Sugar Peaches with Pistachio Ice Cream” (page 228), “Chocolate Shiner Bock Cake” (page 235) and “Texas Chess Pie” (page 237) among others.

The book closes with a sources page, an acknowledgment page, a ten page index and two pages of author bios.

The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes To New Classics is an interesting cookbook. Totally absent in terms of nutritional or dietary information, the book has numerous recipes for various situations in terms of daily meals as well as when guests come over. Heavily geared towards those with extensive culinary skills it may not work as well for the average cook at home.

The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes To New Classics

Dean Fearing with Judith Choate and Eric Dreyer

Photographs by Dave Carlin

Grand Central Life & Style (Hachette Book Group)

http://www.GrandCentralLifeandStyle.com

April 2014

ISBN# 978-1-4555-7430-8

Hardback

$30.00

260 Pages

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Texas Public Library System. The annual book sale is scheduled for August 8-10. More details are at the Friends of the Plano Public Library website.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014

Shop Amazon - Hot New Releases in Kitchen & Dining

Senior News Newspaper Book Review Column---June 2014

For my monthly newspaper book review column in the Senior News Newspaper, I try to make sure to choose one fiction and one nonfiction book in the hopes of interesting more readers. Cookbooks are very popular so I included one as well as the latest mystery in a very good series. Included below are the relevant book covers for my June 2014 column…

Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Book-- Taking Your Favorite Foods And Stuffing Them To Make New, Different And Delicious Meals

Dan Whalen

ISBN# 978-1-62414-011-2

Paperback

208 Pages

Have you ever thought about combining two different foods into one super food? Like putting a cheeseburger inside a ravioli? “Cheeseburger Ravioli Burger” looks really good and the recipe is here on pages 84-85. Or, maybe you have a craving for something like “Lobster Stuffed Fried Mac and Cheese Balls” (pages 94-95) or a “Mac and Cheese Stuffed Burger” (pages 100-101). The culinary possibilities are intriguing and quite varied in Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Book by Dan Whalen.

After a brief and interesting introduction the book is broken into six chapters featuring lots of possibilities. Each recipe has an ingredient list and directions, the number of portions it makes, a heat scale as to flavor, and a “Pig-Out” scale as how gluttonous you feel. There are not any specifics regarding fats, salts, etc., as the ratings are more of an unspecified personal scale. Some recipes have pictures, but most do not. This same format continues throughout the book and features recipes that are designed for those who do not have dietary restrictions and are open to experimentation.

Wrecked

Tricia Fields

Minotaur Books (Thomas Dunne Book)

ISBN# 978-1-250-02137-3

Hardback (also available in e-book and audio)

320 Pages

The series that began with the award winning, The Territory, and continued in Scratchgravel Road, continues in the recently released Wrecked. While this novel could be read as a standalone, because of the numerous and often spoiler references to the two prior books scattered throughout this novel, readers who have not read this series would be prudent to start at the beginning.

Deep in southwest Texas in the Big Bend region sits the small town of Artemis, Texas. A small border town where folks struggle to survive despite the economy of the region as well as the violence that occasionally spills across the border into Texas. Chief of Police Josie Gray knows firsthand about the violence that comes across the border and is about to again as her boyfriend, Dillon Reese, will be taken.

While the previous books were more police procedural oriented, this one is considerably more psychological suspense as it shifts through the various character viewpoints. The primary focus is on what Dillon’s disappearance does to Chief Gray and others as well as what being kidnapped does to Dillon. Despite the occasionally travelogue feel to the series, the reads are complex and feature realistic characters and multiple interesting storylines. As noted, this is one of those series best read in order from the beginning.

Kevin R Tipple ©2014

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Review: "The 200 Skills Every Cook Must Have: The Step-by-Step Methods That Will Turn a Good Cook Into a Great Cook" by Clara Paul and Eric Treuille

Along with the title the subtitle The Step-by-Step Methods That Will Turn a Good Cook Into a Great Cook makes intent of this cookbook by Clara Paul and Eric Treuille very clear. Published by Firefly Books, the book stresses the importance of basic skills and how to build upon them to become a whiz in the kitchen. That is done through text and pictures across twelve chapters that each address a needed skill.

After a multipage introduction and multi-page lists of essential kitchen equipment, the book gets going with “Sauce Skills.” After a brief intro that explains, among other things, how you will now learn to make perfect gravy and hollandaise, it begins with “Tomato Sauce” on pages 18-19. Instead of using such sauce from a jar or can, this tells you how to make your own by way of a list of ingredients and directions. Along with tomato sauce, vinaigrette, and gravy, one can learn how to make “White Sauce” (page 28), “Sugar Syrup” (page 32) and “Chocolate Sauce” (page 33) among others.

While there is not any nutritional information on the recipes, most have pictures of the finished items as well as a color coded “expert tips” section with additional good advice. This same format is followed throughout the hardback cookbook. Each recipe is skill numbered to reflect the title. Therefore, the aforementioned “Chocolate Sauce” of page 33 is skill number 18.

“Vegetable Skills” comes next so that you can learn to do more than bring a pot of water to boil and throw something in. Along with teaching you how to slice as well as dice an onion, peeling tomato and shallots, there is information on how to handle herbs correctly. Also included here is how to go about “Blanching” (page 52), “Caramelizing Onions” (page 58), and “Bouquet Garnii” (page 62) among others.

After dealing with vegies it is time to move on to “Fruit And Nut Skills.” Starting on page 64, the authors take you through “Coring Fruit” (page 67), “Preparing Pomegranate” (page 71), “Toasting And Skinning Nuts” (page 82) and “Dry-Or Pan-Toasting Nuts” (page 83), among others.

After an introduction that also explains the different cuts of beef, tip number 70 on “Cutting Beef” (pages 88-89) leads off “Meat Skills.” Learn how to go about “Cooking Streak” (page 90), “Preparing A Rack Of Lamb” (page 101) and “Roasting Pork With Stuffing” (page 104) among others. While often a chart of beef cuts is included on a chapter on meats, a nice touch in this book are the two charts reflecting cuts of lamb and pork.

You can do a lot with chicken and they are the subject of next chapter section titled “Poultry Skills.” Along with different ways to prepare various types of chicken, there is also information on “Scoring A Duck Breast” (page 120) and “Searing a Duck Breast” (page 121).

We go from the land to the sea next with “Seafood Skills.” After a two page deal on “Identifying And Choosing Fish (tip number 100 on pages 124-125), various ways of preparing a fish of different types from cleaning to cooking are covered. Also included here is tip number 116 “Identifying And Choosing Shellfish” (pages 140-141), how to peel as well as devein your shrimp (pages 142-143), “Cooking Crab (pages 144-145) among other items. If you ever wanted to know how to go about “Preparing Squid” the information is here at the end of the section on pages 154-155.

The highly versatile and common in a lot of dishes, the egg comes next with “Egg Skills.” Along with how to crack one properly and how to separate yolk from the white, one can learn to make a “Soufflé” on pages 166-167 among other skills. This chapter section is one of the shortest in the book.

“Pastry and Baking Skills” come next with an introduction on page 168. Then we are led through “Making Basic Pie Crust” (pages 170-171), how to go about “Beating Butter and Sugar” (page 178) the right way and making “Phyllo Pastry” (page 194), among other topics.

We move a bit backwards with the next chapter “Pasta, Grain, Legume and Bread Skills.” Along with teaching you how to go about “Making Fresh Pasta” (pages 200-201) and “Cooking Pasta” (page 203) correctly there is information here on making your own “Ravioli” (pages 204-205), a “Basic Risotto” (pages 212-213), “Making Bread Crumbs” (page 219) and making “Melba Toast” (page 222) among other ideas are here.

“Broth Skills” come next and start on page 224. The recipes here include making a “Brown Broth” (pages 228-229), a “Vegetable Broth” (page 230) along with other information such as “Skimming Broths” (page 232) and “Clarifying Broth” on page 234-235.

The very short chapter “Spice Skills” is the twelfth and final section. Toasting and grinding spices are explained as is how to go about “Soaking Saffron” (page 290) and tip 200 “Using a Vanilla Bean” (page 291).

A four page glossary of ingredients comes next followed by a three page dictionary of terms. That leads readers into the usual one page of resources and two pages of conversion charts. That is followed by a five page index.

Despite the obvious lack of nutritional information of any type throughout the book, The 200 Skills Every Cook Must Have: The Step-by-Step Methods That Will Turn a Good Cook Into a Great Cook is a good cookbook. The pictures are colorful and illustrative of what is being taught and the text is simple and straight forward. The color coded tabs for each section are a nice touch and can make finding the section one is looking for quicker. Another nice touch is the color coded “expert tips” section in each chapter that highlight information that will help the user turn out quality food. A solidly good book that shows users how to build on the skills they have or learn new ones The 200 Skills Every Cook Must Have: The Step-by-Step Methods That Will Turn a Good Cook Into a Great Cook is a good hardback reference material for your kitchen endeavors.

The 200 Skills Every Cook Must Have: The Step-by-Step Methods That Will Turn a Good Cook Into a Great Cook

Clara Paul and Eric Treuille

http://www.booksforcooks.com

Firefly Books

http://www.fireflybooks.com

2013

ISBN# 978-1-77085-210-5

Hardback

260 Pages

$29.95

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Texas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014