Double Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld, The Foodie Handbook by Pim Techamuanvivit, and Nirmala's Edible Diary. I didn't exactly go out to find them, I just saw them and decided to pick them up.
So far, Ive read through most of Double Delicious and a good bit of The Foodie Handbook. I haven't really even opened Nirmala's Edible Diary. (I've never even heard of her)
I've liked what I've read in the two books that I've looked through. They both give me a few emotions I never thought I'd get out of a food book. Jessica's book inspires, as well as frustrates me. She reminds me of the kind of mom who's kids I wouldn't hang out with after school when I was a kid. Over-protective as well as over-concerned with nutrition. Don't get me wrong, I think good nutrition is important, but I also think there is a limit to exactly how paranoid you should be. As a kid, I drank a lot of fruit juice (something, apparently, the American Academy of Pediatrics says your kids shouldn't do) I never ate whole grain pasta, and a 'special treat' didn't consist of a 4 oz juice box. I had oreos! Gasp! I ate cereals like fruity pebbles and Frankenberry.
Ok, now that the rant is out of the way, I can also see Jerry's wife's point of view as well. (BTW, big fan of Seinfeld.) We all want our kids to grow up healthy and diet and exercise is the key. I may claim to have eaten junk food as a kid, but even though my treats consisted of trans-fat filled oreos and occasionally had a breakfast consisting of a packet of pop-tarts and a glass of milk, my mother did monitor my habits and made sure I wasn't overdoing it. I turned out fine. I'm 26, a size 6, and so far age hasn't killed my metabolism. Nor has my eating habits.
There are good tips in the book though, and some I'm already taking to heart. Things like incorporating purees into everyday foods and stuff about storage. I'm even going to give some of her "What I Buy" tips a try. Also, I'll try out the recipes without modifying them to make them 'bad for me.'
As for the recipes, I haven't tried any yet. I'm waiting for my food budget to refill before I go out with a shopping list. They look good, though, and the ingredients lists don't horrify me like I thought they would. The pages are cute (hell, the whole book is cute) and it's fun to look through. It's well organized, and one thing I always love about other people's recipes is they showcase the 'quick' recipes. (Why don't I do that? I should really start timing myself). I can't wait to try out the Balsamic Chicken Sandwich. The picture (all the pictures) looks absolutely delicious. I gotta put it away before I get too hungry.
So, despite the slight frustrations I felt while reading her introductions, I have to give Jessica Seinfeld's newest book a big (maybe premature) thumbs up. It's easy, it's fun, and it looks delicious.
As for the other two books, it's still a bit early to say (obviously). From what I've read of The Foodie Handbook, it's quite an interesting read. I think some of the things Pim talks about are a bit out of my league (like how to dine at a high class sushi bar, or the recommendation to live in a small cottage in another country for a few months, dining on nothing but food you've prepared by using recipes only bought at local markets.) but it's really fun to read none the less. Like most food books, the pictures in it are pretty, and all the food sounds decadent. What really grabs me is her particular attitude and opinions on things. The first paragraph in the introduction had me nodding my head, grinning, and quickly grabbing my carnivorous partner to share in the amusement. It would seem she shares a similar distaste for Vegans with me. She says:
These liaisons can be fraught with love, hate, joy, fewr, trust, suspicion, and a whole host of other emotions. Sometimes it is nearly enough to make us wish we were orphans, turn us celibate or, worse yet, vegan. --Pim Techamuanvivit in The Foodie Handbook
There are several other anecdotes that have had me laughing throughout the 53 pages I've read so far and I can't wait to read the rest. Just reading this book makes me feel like I can conquer any food challenge so long as I can manage to hold on to my sanity and bite my tongue.
While it's not a cookbook, The Foodie Handbook has several recipes in it from very famous (I think?) chefs from around the world. They're even things I can make in my own kitchen without having to wave the white flag and order Chinese at the last minute(that never happens).
I think I would recommend Pim's book too. I'll let you know when I'm done with it.
No comments:
Post a Comment