Newest Challenge: The Zuni Cafe Cookbook
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Excited to announce we've launched the new challenge. The Zuni Cafe Cookbook looks like an amazing book - recipes and an education in technique and ingredients - and I'm looking forward to cooking from it and seeing what everyone else likes from the book. The challenge starts today and goes until January 21st, leaving us lots of time to dig into the book. Get cooking!
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Just an FYI -- I am really excited about this challenge but probably can't "get cooking" until the New Year ... 'tis the season for having too much on my plate already. But I am anticipating some really great meals in January.
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Jay! Very happy with this one - at last, a challenge I can participate in.
I even see that at this moment I am top reviewer for this book, but I probably will have to work at keeping that position. And I intend to! -
I could always extend it later into January if the holidays are going to interfere; I guess it depends on whether people spend more time on the old classics or like to take some of their holiday to try something new.
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No need to extend on my account -- I'll tuck in and get busy in January -- but if others are also finding the holidays are keeping them very busy, an extension might make sense.
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I really like this contest already. It's an extra reason to browse the book for recipes I want to make, and I'm getting suggestions for recipes I had hardly noticed yet. Let's cook this one from cover to cover!
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I agree, Wester. Its an interesting challenge, and I like seeing other people's experiences. I like the idea of cooking from cover-to-cover, but some ingredients are so hard to find. Like fresh figs - in Utah in December! Do you think its fair to do big substitutions, like dry figs for fresh?
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Zuni inherited that Chez Panisse obsession with seasonal cooking, so ingredients are going to be a bit of a challenge I think -- no matter what time of year we might cook. Just my opinion, but I don't mind seeing how dishes turn out when rational substitutions are made that are in line with the overall flavor profile. Especially if I get a great dish that works in more than one season.
I am just really happy to see that people are enthusiastic about this book! -
I think substitutions are fine when you still get a good idea of how it would have been with the original ingredients. But this is quite a "precise" cookbook, where small differences often do matter. And that means substitutions get too big easily.
Substituting dried figs for fresh does feel like a too big change for me, as dried figs never really get back the consistency of fresh figs. It could be interesting, but it would not really be the same recipe anymore.
Just my two cents... -
Wester and aj12754, thanks for your feedback on substitutions. For now I will concentrate on those recipes whose ingredients are not too exotic/seasonal. Substitutions are certainly a slippery slope.
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I am excited about this one now that I know a copy of it is coming my way on the 25th.
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And it's a merry Christmas you have in store for yourself bhnyc!
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bhnyc, you have some great reading and cooking in your future. Merry Christmas!
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An epiphany, or sorts.
I vacillate between loving Zuni for its focus on technique, and deep discussion of why one cooks in a particular manner, and hating Zuni for its use of specialized (exotic) ingredients. Its not a cookbook that one can just open up and find something that requires the normal pantry/refrigerator ingredients on hand.
But I realized this morning that my husband loves our local Italian market, and I can put that to good use. He will like nothing more than trying to find me salt-packed anchovies, and ask about the many other ingredients I've never used. This challenge will clearly give us all an education.
Am I the only one in this love/hate relationship? -
Thanks Southercooker. I have to say- I love your reviews and want to invite myself to your house for dinner! I look forward to cooking through Zuni with you!
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aj12754- you are also one of my 'favorite members'. This challenge will be fun.
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LazyLurker, I agree with the love/hate relationship. Sometimes it's hard for me to choose a recipe from this one for just the reasons you mentioned. I don't think I could find duck fat here even if I looked. We don't even have an Italian market anywhere near us. Lucky you!
bhnyc, I'd love to have you visit and we could cook together. Thanks for the kind words about my reviews. I do love trying new recipes and a challenge spurs me on. LOL -
LazyLurker -- I love reading Zuni but agree that actually cooking the book is a real commitment given the ingredients list -- and some days I'd rather flirt than commit ... that's when I turn to the Barefoot Contessa -- delicious and easy.
Southerncooker -- you may already know this but duck fat can be ordered online from D'Artagnan, or Amazon, or from Costco if you are a member. I am amazed at the number and range of recipes you have reviewed here! I always look forward to seeing a new review by you.
bhnyc -- I love trying new things too -- my husband gets frustrated (but not very) because he can almost never get something he really likes more than once or twice because of the pile of new recipes in my "to be tried" file.
Hope all of you enjoy the holidays - I'll buckle down to cooking Zuni after the first of the year ... meanwhile I'll enjoy all your reviews. -
I must be naive - are you in NYC, bhnyc, or do I read too much into your name? I would expect that having two excellent Italian markets in Salt Lake City would mean that everyone would have o
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I must be naive - are you in NYC, bhnyc, or do I read too much into your name? I would expect that having two excellent Italian markets in Salt Lake City would mean that everyone would have one close by. Thank you for reminding me to be grateful for it, these markets are a real treasure.
I don't know Barefoot Contessa at all - but can see that you all enjoy her cookbooks. I'll have to check it out! -
It would be kind of funny/different after the Keller/Zuni challenges to try Radically Simple by Rozanne Gold (Amazon link below) -- getting a bit of buzz lately -- and every recipe is 140 words or less.
http://www.amazon.com/Radically-Simple-Brilliant-Breathtaking-Award-Winning/dp/1605294705/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292695280&sr=1-1
I can't decide between this and David Tanis's Heart of the Artichoke for Christmas.
I am not sure where BHNYC is, but I live right outside the city and if you ever need a hard-to-find ingredient or spice, I can add it to my "search it out" list and mail it out. -
Yes- I am in NYC and have never had any problems finding ingredients. There are tons of specialty markets, not to mention entire neighborhoods, where uncommon ingredients can be found.
I found it funny that today I went to my local city supermarket and noticed they sell duck fat. I never noticed it before and wouldn't have paid much attention to it accept that you all commented about it above. Maybe I should stock up and send it to you! -
The Challenge is officially over! Congratulations to Queezle_Sister (aka @LazyLurker) and Southerncooker for powering to the top of the review charts for this one. They'll both get a gem from the top cookbooks of 2010 list for their hard work. And thanks to everyone who participated! We got 136 total recipe reviews under our collective belts (in more ways than one), which is very respectable indeed.
A break now, for a week or so, then in February we're going to go Vegetarian - book to be determined. -
Thank you all, Andrew and the other participants, for this great challenge, and the associated conversations. Participating was so much more than just trying recipes. This challenge led me to explore my local markets, seek out ingredients about which I knew nothing, and try things I'd never attempted. I learned so much! And now, my kids beg for hashed sweet potatoes! That said, I'm looking forward to low-calorie vegetarian cooking.
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Thanks Andrew and everyone who participated. My family and I sure enjoyed this challenge. I'd had this book for sometime and this kick started me into cooking from it. I learned many things and had a wonderful time reading, shopping and preparing meals. I also enjoyed reading the other reviews. I'd have done this even if winning a cookbook wasn't involved, of course that was icing on the cake as they say. I am looking forward to the vegetarian challenge but promise to let someone else win this time. If it's a book I really want to cook from I'll even hold off till the end of the contest to post some of my reviews. I've been trying to get some of my cookbook collecting friends to come on over to cookbooker and join in the fun.
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I really enjoyed this challenge too, even though I was somewhat handicapped by starting a low-carb diet right in the middle of it (no, I didn't plan it that way, it just happened). I made some recipes I would not have made otherwise, and got some lovely suggestions to make later.
I do have a suggestion, based on my own experience during this first challenge I could participate in.
I noticed that I was mainly motivated while there still was a chance of me winning. At the point where the LazyLurker/QueezleSister (what's in a handle) and southerncooker were both 10 recipes ahead of me with less days left, I still did the pickles as I had those planned already, but I decided to put off the rabbit until later. And I would think for many other people it feels like it is not worth putting effort into a challenge if they can't win anyway.
So, one way to change that, would be to change one (or both) prize to a weighted draw. If I have reviewed 30 recipes, I have 30 lots, if I have reviewed 10 I have 10 lots, if I have reviewed 1 recipe I have 1 lot. That way, every recipe reviewed gives you a bigger chance of winning, even if you can only review a few.
Just my two cents... -
I enjoyed this challenge as well although I still have a list of Zuni recipes to try and post. I was not as industrious as I'd hoped I'd be. Somehow, I never realized that winning a cookbook was at stake ...
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Thanks everyone! @wester - the idea of a weighted draw is a good one. A little more complicated to run, but I bet I could program something that automatically did the math and weeded out any reviews that were stars-only or just a few words.
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I agree that a competition, with a chance to win, is great motivation. And I have to say that I felt badly when Southerncooker and I surged ahead, essentially putting AJ and Wester out of competition.
I am using the cookbooker competitions not only for my personal fun, but also to help teach my kids about a web presence, about how to write, how to photograph, etc. And they are very keen on the competition aspect. We talked about the weighted draw, and they came up with a slightly different version. Their top concern was that someone who hadn't even logged in to cookbooker for months, but who wrote a review ages ago, could technically win.
What about this scenario: the top 5 (or some number), with reviews submitted during the competition, and whose reviews match Andrew's criteria (50 words), are eligible. You could have the technical winners (the highest number of reviews) and the prize recipients as separate (and potentially overlapping) lists.
Alternatively, and equally fine with me, you could stipulate that a cookbooker member can only win X number of prizes, or state that if you won the prize in the previous competition, or previous 2, you are ineligible for this competition's prize. Again you would have the technical winner and the prize winner as two potentially separate lists. -
LL -- no need to feel badly on my account -- even on my best days I am not very competitive. I'd probably accomplish a lot more if I were! But I have really enjoyed reading everyone's reviews and have kale in the fridge right now to make the boiled kale on toast for tonight. Something I probably never would have tried without seeing reviews of it first.
What a great idea to use the site with your kids. And clearly -- they get to eat well! -
Good suggestions. I think a any of them sound fair. I've won three already. I was really surprised when I won the Indian one since I'd only made a few recipes. I'd happily still participate if it's a book I have or can get and not be eligible for a prize.
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I don't mind not winning a cookbook. And I think the enthusiasm of competition would still be there for my kids if there was a list of technical winners (i.e. non prize winners). I love the journey of discovery that these contests give me, and I do much more interesting cooking with the contests!
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I agree LL I also do much more interesting cooking because of the contests and for me that's a prize in itself.
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Great feedback everyone - I'll definitely incorporate these suggestions into the future challenges. I like the idea of technical winners and cookbook winners, with a bit of a draw for the latter. I will also make it so that only reviews written since the start of the challenge count towards the scores. And finally, I agree that there should be a limit on the number of books a person can win in a year. I'll write it all up for the next challenge.
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