Review: The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home by Nick Zukin and Michael Zusman

Title: The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home

Author: Nick Zukin & Michael Zusman

Expected Publication Date: September 3, 2013

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC

Genre: Cookbooks

Pages: 272

Source: ARC from Publisher

Rating:

Synopsis (from the Amazon):  For Jewish deli devotees and DIY food fanatics alike, The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home is a must-have collection of over 100 recipes for creating timeless deli classics, modern twists on old ideas and innovations to shock your Old Country elders. Photographs, historical tidbits, reminiscences, and reference material round out the book, adding lively cultural context.

If you don’t happen to live near one of the new wave of artisan-style Jewish delis that have sprung up around North America over the last few years, not to worry. With this book, the world of Jewish deli, in all its unsubtle splendor—can be yours in the comfort (and privacy) of your own kitchen. And it’s not that hard. Really. On top of all the Jewish deli classics,The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home offers updates and new angles on the oldways that are bound to thrill the palates of a modern generation of eaters focused on quality ingredients and a lighter-handed approach to a traditionally heavy cuisine.

The chapters are organized into:  Starters and Sides; Soups and Salads; Eggs, Fish, and Dairy; Beef; Bagels, Bialys, and Breads; and Pastries, Desserts, and Drinks. The range of favorite recipes include: Crispy Potato Latkes with Chunky Ginger Applesauce; Summer Chicken Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumber and Cracklings; Wise Sons’ Chocolate Babka French Toast; Home Oven Pastrami; and Celery Soda.

Added cultural context comes from quick-hitting interviews with Joan Nathan and other Jewish food luminaries; histories of a few deli stalwarts such as bagels and pastrami; and first-hand reports from within the walls of the authors’ favorite temples of modern Jewish gastronomy located across the country including: Mile End Delicatessen in New York City; Wise Sons Delicatessen in San Francisco; Kenny & Zuke's Delicatessen in Portland, OR; Stopsky's Delicatessan in Mercer Island, Washington; and Caplansky's Delicatessen in Toronto.

    I should almost make recipe books a segment here on The Indigo Quill. I've almost been doing one cookbook a week! :)

     Today we have another unique cultural book called The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home. This book has a beautiful layout and each segment is very well organized. It is simple, yet creative and has gorgeous, pictures. I really enjoyed the information included in this cookbook. It gave us some history and a deeper look into the food we would be making. It isn't just food, but a culture and tradition. 

     The recipes themselves were REALLY easy and detailed. It was easy to follow and is something a person like me could easily do on my own! It even tells you how to keep the food warm while working on other parts of the recipe. It was really wonderful to not be completely lost when trying to make something, I hardly even needed any help.

     The recipe I chose were the Fluffy Potato Latkes. To complete the dish, we made some fish and topped it with our own aioli (mayo+creole+hot sauce), tomatoes, and a lemon slice.

Here is our final product:

     They look like sausage crossed with pancakes, but they were extremely delicious. We were also able to make a little extra to take to work the next day. I had some of the girls at my salon try some and they loved it! 

     Unfortunately, this isn't published until September. But I would advise you to preorder it and/or put it on your wish list because this will be a handy book to keep if you want to make something a little different! I, personally, think it would be fun to mix some recipes from this book with the recipes in the Amish Cookbook we reviewed recently. Guess we'll have to try!

Shalom and Kol Tuv,

Review: Simply Delicious Amish Cooking by Sherry Gore

Title: Simply Delicious Amish Cooking

Author: Sherry Gore

Publication Date: May 7, 2013

Publisher: Zondervan

Genre: Cookbooks

Pages: 256

Source: eBook from BookSneeze.com

Rating:

Synopsis (from the Goodreads):  Unbeknownst to many folks outside the Amish Mennonite population in America, Pinecraft, Florida - a village tucked away in the heart of Sarasota - is the vacation paradise of the Plain People. Unlike any other Plain community in the world, this village is a virtual melting pot of Amish and Mennonites from around the world, intermingled with people, like author Sherry Gore’s family, who live there year-round.

Gore has put together a cookbook that represents the people who make Pinecraft unique. With hundreds of easy-to-prepare recipes, 16 full-color photographs and black-and-white photographs throughout, this cookbook includes traditional favorites such as Sweet Potato Sweet Mash and Mrs. Byler’s Glazed Donuts, as well as Florida favorites including Fried Alligator Nuggets, Grilled Lime Fish Fillets, and Strawberry Mango Smoothies. Interspersed with the recipes are true-life stories about births, engagements, weddings, deaths, funerals, celebrations, wildlife encounters, and accidents told through years of Sherry’s Letters from Home column published in The Budget, the Amish newspaper. This delightful cookbook offers readers a faith-based, family-focused perspective of the simple way of life of the Plain People. It is truly a breath of fresh air from Sarasota, Florida!

If you don’t do any cooking from scraps or scratch yet, don’t be daunted. We will take you through the steps you need to change from a throw-away kind of kitchen, to a kitchen that makes wholesome and “whole” foods.

 

That's right, friends. Another cookbook to tickle your culinary fancies! I actually made a total of 3 things (technically) from this book and added a touch of my own.

I thought the background information at the beginning of the book was very useful. I actually lived in Bradenton, FL, worked in Sarasota, and went to school in St. Petersburg for a few years and I honestly never would've guessed there was an Amish Mennonite community there. Sarasota is a very busy, expensive town where many travelers stop to buy high-priced items or bask on the Gulf Coast. It is not an area I would expect a community that thrives within (in comparison) simplicity to dwell. 

In the front of the book, Gore portrays the Amish Mennonite community for us, as well as The Budget newspaper in which she is a part. I thoroughly enjoyed this brief history and knowledge and thought it set the book apart from other cookbooks.

As a whole, this book has some very delicious, hearty recipes that create pure, southern cooking. For the most part they were easy for me to follow, but some recipes didn't have exact measurements and that can stress a Type A person like me out a little bit! There were also a few recipes that seemed like they were modified repeats of others, and I think Miss Gore could've done without some of them. However, I found the individual stories included with each recipe endearing and heartfelt. It was like reading a cookbook and memoir in one. 

The recipes I chose were Lisa's Homemade White Bread, Fried Chicken, and Creamy Chicken Gravy. To complete the dish, we made some polenta which went fabulously with the chicken and gravy.

Here is my final product:

This dish was really delicious and simple! Everything complimented the other nicely and I'm sure it would've been just as good with brown rice to substitute the polenta. I was actually really surprised how delicious the meal turned out regardless of the simplicity of the recipes and their ingredients. 

If you're partial to Amish cooking, I would recommend this book. The title describes it perfectly: simple and delicious! I received an eCopy, but rumor has it the printed version is in a spiral bounding, which makes it even easier to use in the kitchen!

Happy cooking!

Review: How To Cook From Scraps by Higher Read

Title: How To Cook From Scraps

Author: Higher Read

Publication Date: June 10, 2013

Publisher: Higher Read, LLC
Pages: 120

Source: ARC from Publisher

Rating:

Synopsis (from the Goodreads):  With more than 50 recipes and lots of tips, How to Cook from Scraps is the perfect book for anyone who wants to go beyond meals that come out of a box or the freezer aisle. Learning to cook from scraps is about cooking efficiently and throwing away less. Sometimes cooking from scraps is learning to reinvent leftovers. Sometimes it is making your own broth. Cooking from scraps is always about making the food you already have in your house go further.

Cooking efficiently means saving money, creating less waste, and making meals entirely at home. Using the recipes and advice in How to Cook from Scraps, you will utilize every part of your food (even vegetable peels) and run your kitchen in a way that caters to this kind of efficiency. This book focuses on the recipes that are both from scraps and from scratch, but you will find as you make the meals that the tips for cooking this way will make you think differently about how your kitchen is organized.

If you don’t do any cooking from scraps or scratch yet, don’t be daunted. We will take you through the steps you need to change from a throw-away kind of kitchen, to a kitchen that makes wholesome and “whole” foods.

Amazon | Goodreads

HOORAY, a cookbook!! I'm very excited to make The Indigo Quill a little more well-rounded, so I jumped at the chance to review this cookbook. I promise you, I didn't add anything special! Except some cilantro. :) I had to be sure to really put this book to the test by following the recipe the way it was written. In order to achieve this, we also had to use exactly what the title says: scraps! I did not purchase anything new for these recipes and just grabbed things that were getting dusty in my cupboards...or garden! The recipe I am showing you today is the Leftover Vegetable Soup:

Ingredients (serves 4-6):

2 C Vegetable Stock

1/2 C Cooked Starch (pasta, rice, potatoes, etc)

1/2 C Cooked Vegetables

1/2 C Cooked Protein (meat, beans, or quinoa)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in large pot.

Bring to a boil on the stove top, and then reduce to simmer.

Cook for 30 minutes.

Well that sounds easy, huh? Let me just point out that this book is for those looking for simple recipes to use things lying around your kitchen, or for the very beginner (I kind of wish I had this in college). If you are worthy of being a participant on the Iron Chef, this book will most likely bore you. If you are like me and can't even make mac & cheese right, then this is perfect for you.

So if you're a more visual learner, here is what I did:

These are the ingredients we used.

As my protein of choice we included whole grain rice. Usually I have quinoa, but I was out:

As the rice was cooking we prepared everything else.

Then I mixed it together, let it cook about 30 minutes and viola! That was it.

This actually turned out to be really delicious. I found it especially good when mixed with crackers for a wholesome flavor, or *tortilla chips* for a fiesta taste!

I really like this book. It has recipes that make me feel like I'm contributing to my husband's gourmet cooking. Now, thanks to Higher Read, I feel a little more confident volunteering to make dinner! These are easy recipes that taste good, don't cause waste, and allow you to play with them a little bit. Add a few spices or hor d'oeuvres and you've got yourself a delectable concoction!

Hope ya'll enjoy!