May 2022 Cookbook Reviews

 

Half Baked Harvest Every Day by Tieghan Gerard

I liked Gerard's pervious Half Baked Harvest cookbooks, but this one didn't impress me as much. It's set up like a typical cookbook with chapters for breakfast, appetizers, chicken, beef, dessert, etc. There were a few recipes I'd like to try, but not as many as in her previous ones. I did like that she notes which recipes are 30 minutes or less, one-pan, etc. Overall, a good cookbook but not one I'm going to run out and buy or heavily recommend.

Pizza Quest: my never-ending search for the perfect pizza by Peter Reinhart

When I put this book on hold through my library I didn't even realize it was by Peter Reinhart! I've had the pleasure of meeting him and having him do programs for me at libraries where I've worked and he is a great speaker and author. I didn't know about his Pizza Quest video series which I'll definitely be checking out now. This book was inspired by the video series he started about his quest for great pizza. Reinhart gives some basic pizza dough and sauce recipes, then tells a little about a great pizza he's found and gives his interpretation of how to make that pizza (being careful to not give away any restaurant/recipe secrets). I like the idea and how Reinhart both encourages making your own pizza and also finding good pizza restaurants to support. If you're a pizza fan or a Peter Reinhart fan you'll enjoy this one.

The Van Life Cookbook by Susan Marque

I have no desire to live out of a van, but down the road I wouldn't mind having a smaller RV for traveling so I thought I would check out this cookbook. When I saw it I kind of laughed because it's so tiny, but you won't be preparing a multi-course Thanksgiving meal in a van either! Marque gives some tips for cooking in a small space and how to use what you have well. I did feel like some of the staples she suggests are more her tastes and not just basic cooking staples. I also felt like a lot of the recipes weren't much of a recipe like oatmeal or a salad. I think more tips about what stores best, how to eat fresh food on the road, etc. would have been more helpful for the target audience of this book.

Boards: stylish spreads for casual gatherings by America's Test Kitchen

Boards and spreads are definitely a current trend in food/cooking right now. You might think what could a new cookbook have to offer that others haven't already? But, in this cookbook America' Test Kitchen explores three kinds of boards - traditional boards (what you think of with a food board), buffet boards (one main component like salad greens with several topping options in smaller dishes), and spreads (kind of a combo of the previous two categories - creating several boards within a theme). Each board/spread shown gives tips on setting it up, what to make vs. what to buy, and ways to "level up" that board. There are TONS of great ideas and several recipes that I'd like to try as well. Definitely a good addition to the food board/spread theme.

Homestead Recipes by Amanda Rettke

The Rettke family are homesteaders, but they also still use the grocery store and appreciate the air conditioning that comes from living on the grid. This cookbook is the culmination of recipes she's created and posted on several blogs she's had over the years. It's organized by type of recipe - breakfast, appetizers, main dishes, etc. with the exception being that I can't think of another cookbook with an entire chapter on zucchini (which I also love so I was excited to see what she had in there). There were lots of recipes I'd like to try and you definitely don't have to be a homesteader to get a lot of use from these recipes. Overall, a good cookbook with a lot of homestyle/comfort food recipes.

365: a year of everday cooking and baking by Meike Peters

Meike Peters organizes this cookbook as if you could cook one of these recipes for every day of the year. The recipes are divided into months, which would make you think that they are more seasonal, but they don't appear to be. I also felt like a lot of the ingredients were not commonplace things most people would have in their pantry to regularly buy at their local grocery store. And the recipes that are grouped together don't really seem to work with each other like you would expect. Plus, there aren't enough photos of the recipes. A recipe is much easier to make if you have a general idea of what the finished product should look like. Overall, this one was disappointing. I would not recommend.