my personal cookbooker challenge
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Welcome, Jayme. Andrew carries out the challenges - every couple months. But in the meantime, I started to use this forum tracking my own progress. I've been trying to use all my cookbooks, enough at least to write an informed book review.
More recently, Leeka and SelahWrites suggested we work together to try to cook through Veganomicon. I like having a challenge because its easier for me to just look through a single book to select what I cook.
I look forward to your reviews, Jayme. LL/QS -
I'll be out of town for all week next week. Might be able to squeeze in a few dutch oven recipes, but more likely you won't hear from me. Sorry - and I'll try to make up for it after the 4th.
Veganomicon is a great book - I'm glad to have all of your encouragement to cook from it. And your reviews to further motivate me. -
@Queezle Sister, no problem! We look forward to your return. I tend to like this author's dessert recipes but I'm trying to keep a handle on my sweet tooth so I'll try and explore other parts of the book.
@kateq, great! I can't wait to see what you make. It's always interesting to see what recipes others are attracted to cooking that I might not think to try. -
I haven't made a single dessert recipe from Vcon. Probably because I have their cupcake and cookies books and they keep me plenty busy. I went and looked at all the recipes I've made from here and it's about 40. I'll try to add them all on here soon.
Cooking through the whole book is ambitious. How do you split up the recipes? Or do you just dive in? -
Jayme, I've made a few of the dessert recipes and they were all great. Thanks for adding all your reviews! I just read through them and it's helping me plan what I want to try.
I think people will just cook whatever recipes interest them. On the formal cookbooker challenges that's the way it works, everyone just pitches in.
I've just finished indexing the book so all the recipes are now listed. It was great to read through the entire book again, I discovered some previously forgotten recipes that look very intriguing. -
So has the veganomicon challenge fizzled out? I'm still having fun plugging away at this book. It's helped me try out a few of the dessert recipes. I did a huge batch of cookies and muffins for a camping trip the other week. And I just popped some carrot-pineapple muffins out the oven a few minutes ago! It's amazing how many recipies are in there, I feel like I've hardly made a dent in this thing.
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I will still cook some more - I've got my eye on a beet salad that looks awesome!
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I think this is a great idea!
In reading some of these posts, I was quite relieved to know I wasn't the only one to own cookbooks I've never used (there's nothing like having to list all of the cookbooks you own on a site like Cookbooker to make you realize just how many that is!)
So, I'm joining Queezle Sister in a quest to cook through unused books. My current plan is to try at least 6 recipes from each book before moving on to the next. I've already started with the book Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet by Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford. I've completed 6 recipes (actually more if you include the sauces etc) so it's time to choose the next book.
My family has requested more North American cuisine as they've been eating a lot of Moroccan, Mexican, Thai & Vietnamese food lately so I chose a book I bought years ago thinking it would have easy, family friendly meals. Sara Moulton Cooks at Home ended up having recipes that were more sophisticated than I was prepared to make at the time, but in revisiting them now, hold lots of appeal.
I'm not sure yet what time limit I should give myself for each cookbook...I thought perhaps 3 weeks, 2 recipes/week.
At the same time, I'll be cooking from my baking books though I think these may take longer especially as we're heading into summer. I'm currently working on the 2 Baked cookbooks.
Wish me luck! -
I looked over my cookbooks, and selected Mitsitam Cafe. Its from the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian - lavishly illustrated with food AND native american artifacts. There is a strong overlap with Mexican cooking, and so it looks interesting to explore. So glad to have Zosia and kateq with me on this!
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I'm ready to move on from Sara Moulton Cooks at Home - this turned out to be a great book - and, except for 1 more recipe I plan to make for Canada Day, the Baked books as well. Love their flavour combinations and most things have worked but I've had trouble with their layer cakes....I'll try one more.
I'll be baking next from Baking for All Occasions by Flo Braker. I purchased this recently based on recommendations from some fellow avid bakers. I'm having a hard time with the organization of the recipes (done according to occasion) ....thank goodness there's a good index. First up will be Cupid's Strawberry Cake, also for this weekend.
The next cookbook I'll focus on is Jewish Cooking in America by Joan Nathan. I'm determined to master matzoh balls (my dog enjoyed my first attempt)!
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Zosia - you have so much energy!
Between the heat and feeble attempts to slim down, I'm not doing as much cooking as usual. I will get back to it! -
Zosia, I've enjoy your reviews from Sara Moulton Cooks at Home. Thanks so much. I've pulled my copy from my shelf and have marked several recipes to try really soon.
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Thanks Beth - I will tell my mother - who lives near a job lot - who doesn't like early christmas shopping?
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My mother went to two job lot stores in RI and didn't find it -- although she did see a lot of cookbooks.
What are your tricks for finding GOOD cookbooks where there are piles of inexpensive ones? -
It is hard to find good cookbooks in a pile of cheap ones - either used or remaindered titles. I must admit that I do judge by cover often. I figure a cookbook publisher who has resources to invest in good graphic design and photography has a better chance of publishing something worth checking out. I also avoid anything with a number in the title (101 chicken dishes, etc) as they seem to be dumping grounds for generic recipes too often. And I keep an eye out for publishers I know and respect (like Ten Speed) and author names, of course.
But it's true that too often there are only generic, junky cookbooks in those cheap piles. One hopes for (and sometimes finds) a diamond in the rough. -
@Andrew, in general I agree with your statement about avoiding cookbooks with numbers in the title, but I have to say I've found some of the "365" books quite good. "365 Ways to Cook Pasta" might be the only pasta cookbook on my desert island shelf. It's not fancy, but covers the whole range of pasta. "365 One-Dish Meals" (which I see I haven't listed yet) is also full of very good one-dish dinners. I used that one extensively during a move a while ago. Guess I should dig both of those out and review some of the recipes.
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Now that the healthy challenge is over, I've decided to concentrate on the book "simply ming". It was published in 2003, and despite the fact that I bought a copy my library was getting rid of, the system still has another 5 copies. So - if you have any interest in joining me, check your library! I read the reviews on Amazon -- its not a cookbook for beginners, and Ming's restaurant mentality tends to creep in when he has you make many cups of a marinade or rub. But I'm in the mood for the flavors of the book.
Also if you want to select one of your unused books, and try to do some sampling, I'd love to hear about your experience.
My goal is to discover my hidden gems and to get rid of my clunkers. -
I've been a fan of Ming Tsai since his "East Meets West" tv series but have never tried his recipes. I'm just about done working through A Taste of Canada and I see that there are several library copies of Simply Ming available....
The only Chinese cookbook I own happens to be a clunker...it actually calls for MSG as an ingredient. I don't know what I was thinking when I bought it! -
I'm not much of a TV watcher, and so its always such a surprise to discover that the authors of some of my cookbooks have had TV shows! I'll have to try finding them on hulu. The photographs in Simply Ming are stunning and I'm looking forward to learning more about preparing Asian-inspired dishes.
The Simply Ming book has you make a special ingredient - which at first blush looks like mostly sauces - and then gives you several recipes for using that special ingredient. The theory is that the followup recipes are relatively quick. It should be fun.
Do you every purge your clunkers? I think I should prune out some ill-advised cookbook buys, but getting rid of stuff is not my strong suit. I always think that there might be something I'll want later. -
Sounds like a forum topic ….what makes a cookbook a clunker and what do you do with them? Wok with Yan was one of my first cookbooks; it taught me how to cook rice, use a wok and hold chopsticks so has great sentimental value and a place on my shelves. Clearly, I have difficulty parting with books. Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything is another of my clunkers….not a bad book but I’m just not motivated to cook from it. Maybe I’ll include it youngest daughter’s next care package to school…..or maybe I’ll just take another look at it ;)
I’m waiting for a library copy of Ming’s book to be transferred to my branch….special ingredient….sounds intriguing…. -
I bought black vinegar yesterday - suggested from his web site. I think I'll be able to get my husband to also help. If I made the special sauces, my husband is happy to cook the meat. There is a salmon dish that really looks amazing.... It will be great to have you with me!
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I picked up the book today.......organization is very different but seems to work. The recipes are less Asian than I expected but I think my family will enjoy them. Unfortunately, about 10 pages have been excised from the book, all of which have master recipes! I've found some of them online so it's not too much of a problem.
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It amazes me when people deface library books! I checked out a food magazine last year, and the one recipe I wanted to make was removed. I do think that most of these recipes are available on line. And as a preview (review not written yet), nobody was crazy about the duck (though the sweet potatoes cooked in the duck fat that dripped down on them were superb).
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