Apples by Kenneth Hargreaves: a Useful, Enjoyable, Non-traditional Cookbook and Memoir
590200
Fruits are an important part of our diets.  Everyone has his or her favorite fruit.  Apples contain many nutrients and vitamins and come in many tasty varieties.  Many Americans would agree that apples are the unofficial "national" fruit.  In this brief publication that purports to present "everything you ever wanted to know about apples" (p.  v), Hargreaves (Ph. D., Education, Capella University, expected 2012; Master of Education, American InterContinental University; Bachelor of Business Administration, American InterContinental University; owner of Hargreaves Gifts), a retired Navy Chief Culinary Specialist with more than thirty years work experience in the hospitality industry, attempts to set forth the "whole story" about apples.  Not trying to create a traditional cookbook (p. v), Hargreaves mainly tells the story of apples from his personal perspective and experiences.  In chapters one and two, he describes the history of apples and their many varieties, while in chapter three, the author discusses the life of apples-- how they are grown, harvested, and sold.  Throughout his text, but mostly in chapters one and two, Hargreaves includes recipes, stories, and personal thoughts about apples and his life.  Including more than thirty recipes, using apples as an ingredient, as well as a selected bibliography, this easy- to- read, enjoyable publication will be of use and interest to mostly general readers.  Even though it contains typological and grammatical errors as well as lacks a table of contents, back- of- the- book index, and reproductions, all of which would have enhanced its purpose, this book may be recommended for some public libraries as a secondary resource.--C. A. Lajos, The Librarian's Review of Books  Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit Dorrance Bookstore to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.
1717575
A very good cookbook and a warm and touching tribute to the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, by a loving, multi-talented European, originally hired short-term as Caroline and John's nanny, upon high recommendations from Janet Auchencloss, Jacqueline Kennedy's mother! Marta Sgubin stayed with Mrs. Onassis until her untimely death in 1994, essentially becoming part of the family. John F. Kennedy, Jr. wrote a warm forward to this book. Sgubin remained close to John and his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, until their untimely deaths, and to date, remains close to the Caroline Kennedy and Ed Schlossberg family. There are many photos and references throughout this book which seem to corroborate her closeness both to the former First Lady as well as to other members of the Kennedy family.

There are numerous quaint, notable as well as poignant stories Sgubin shares, as only an insider over a long period about which only a family insider could share.  One such story concerns Aristotle Onassis' adoration of chocolate cake.  Since Sgubin's cooking skills did not include pastry chef level baking at the time of an early on birthday celebration, she purchased a Duncan Hines chocolate cake mix for the occasion.  He was so admiring of it, that he insisted on hording the mixes via regular shipments to Greece, so that they always would be on hand!  The only reference to Sgubin's culinary training is to watching and learning from the chef on the Christina, Onassis' lavish yacht.  Another such story of interest, also concerns Onassis, who, at Jackie's request, was the person who actually convinced Sgubin to accept employment with the household, as she had been hesitant to do so for a couple of years.  On yet another, later occasion, the spirited Sgubin sought out a Sunflower from a local Martha's Vinyard farmer (which were otherwise unavailable due to a recent hurricane), so she could complete preparations for a family birthday celebration, according to family traditions.  She describes with considerable humor, scrambling through the ruined flower patch, while getting all scratched up, to find a suitable Sunflower.  She includes a copy of a note of thanks from Jackie, for her extended efforts!

The recipes are really quite good, wide ranging, with many superb photographs, most of which were taken by Sgubin!  This is a book I highly recommend to share as a lovely gift for those interested in American history during the latter half of the 20th century, as well as for others who have an appreciation for aesthetics and fine foods.
3561643
Informative, well-written, includes some recipies
2632375
The photos in this beautiful book are what will grab hold of you, shake you up, and make you yearn for a trip to Denmark, Sweden, Norway or Finland.  The simpler, homey recipes will lure you in more subtly.

The recipes here are not fancy, and not from the latest and greatest restaurants that are popping up in those countries.  These recipes are the traditional kind, and (seem to) provide a good representation of traditional Nordic dishes.  (I am not an expert on this area by any stretch of the imaginationand I feel I should admit that up front.  I downloaded this book because I was interested and intrigued.)

There are no deeply involved, intricate instructions, no unusual or surprising ingredients (from the POV of whats available in that part of the world).  But they are intriguing recipes and combinations of ingredients for someone who is not familiar with Nordic foods.  Just the beauty and freshness of the ingredients are enticing and seem to lend an air of the exotic.  For instance, I want to go out and find cracked rye and create a porridge.  And I am eagerly awaiting fresh horseradish to appear in the produce section of my favorite grocery store, so that I can cook a simple fresh, cod fillet in butter and oil, that is topped with warmed grated horseradish.

I did make a few of the recipes:  Roasted Apples and Onions with Lemon and Elderflower (liqueur), the Butter-Steamed New Potatoes (using a technique that steams and bakes at the same time), and an interesting Whipped Berry Pudding, made with cranberry juice and farina.  I also tried an Aland Pancake, also made with farina, which was quite good.

Being a fan of red glogg in the winter months, I am really looking forward to trying the White Glogg that I found in this book.  Its made with white wine and apple juice with oranges and other spices common to the more well-known Scandinavian red glogg.

Very few recipes are familiar to me, but then, I am not that familiar with Nordic dishes.  But, the recipe for Caramelized Potatoes can be found in an old book by Nika Hazelton, called The Unabridged Vegetable Cookbook, and repeated again in One Potato, Two Potatoes, and other books as well.  Janssons Temptation is a luscious casserole dish of onion, potatoes anchovies and cream that has been around for a long time and I first saw it in The Onion Lovers Cookbook by Brian Glover.

You may want to hold off on purchasing this:  "The Nordic Cookbook" by Magnus Nilsson, is coming out later this month.  I've not been invited to peruse it, but it does contain an epic 700 or so recipes (says the product page).  Interesting, that at 700 recipes vs. 100 recipes here, these two books are only about $5 apart in price.  So, maybe the larger book is without pictures?  It's likely.  And it will be hard to beat the beautiful pictures in this book--and the interesting stories.  But, like I said, I can only comment on the great quality of the photos in this book, along with the easy-to-work-with recipes.  And 700 recipes may very well be unwieldy...  This, on the other hand, is a nice-sized, comfortable book.  Very suitable for gifting, too.

What is not shown in the "Look-Ahead" feature on this product page:

12 appetizers
11 breads
9 soups and porridge
8 salads
14 fish and shellfish main dishes
11 meat and poultry main dishes
12 vegetable dishes
14 desserts
10 Larder Nordic basics

There is a decent index of six pages, and a short page-and-a-half of sources.

*I received a temporary download of this book from the publisher.
2466402
Not being a particularly diverse or adventurous cook, I rarely read cookbooks. Moreover, when I do read, or at least look through them, I find recipes I think I'll try and rarely do. The same with newspaper and magazine recipes--I clip them out at times and then rarely use them. Finally, though, here is a cookbook with recipes I make, with food that I like, and with ingredients that I have on hand or can easily find in the store. If you're looking for fancy food or challenging recipes, this cookbook is not for you. It's for those who like crab meat dip, baked chicken coated with corn flakes, roast that has tiny pockets with garlic slivers, Reubens, streusel coffee cake and apple dumplings. There's some nice memories in the book of the author's grandmother and others, too.

(Note: I received a free e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher or author.)
2320825
Apples for Jam is one of the best cookbooks I own. Not only is it gorgeous but the recipes are wonderful. Hit's with our family have been the Chicken Cutlets with Tomatoes and Capers, Sausage and Potato Goulash, Scallopini with Ham and Cheese and Chicken Sauteed with Cheese and Milk. My favorite though so far is Penne with Shrimp, Cream and Tomato, which is simply fabulous. The recipes while interesting and delicious are easy to prepare. It brings meals with a gourmet flair to my table without a lot of fuss or time, which I appreciate. The cookbook is beautiful as well and is uniquely organized by color of the dishes which adds appeal as well. A good cookbook to own or to give to as a gift. I highly recommended it.
2681243
My cooking changed when I became a vegetarian  all of a sudden I had to look at cooking in a completely different way. The building blocks that I had grown up with and the rules I had learned as a chef didn't quite fit anymore. So the challenge to find new ways to add texture, interest, and flavor to my food have meant using a new palate of ingredients and some new techniques in the kitchen.  Anna Jones

With a title like A Modern Way to Eat, Anna Jones vegetarian cookbook makes a bold claim: the healthiest, most exciting, way to eat in the modern world is a plant-based diet filled with delicious, exciting recipes. Jones, best known as Jamie Olivers UK food stylist, has created a lovely collection of complex vegetarian recipes that are sure to please all crowds. The pictures are a beautiful combination of scenery and recipe options, and Jones voice and advice throughout the book make for a book that is as enjoyable to read as it is to rely on for recipes in the kitchen.

Jones signature style is a slightly elevated take on classics. Some of these are celebrated with specific recipes, but others offer readers the opportunity to get creative with flow charts that make for perfect meals (i.e. the ideal dinner salad). There are some delicious options for all times of day: Blueberry Pie Oatmeal, Butternut Squash and Kale Tart, Favorite Roasted Roots, Sweet Tomato and Black Bean Tortilla Bowls, Asparagus and Toasted Cashew Stir Fry, and Roasted Banana and Coconut Ice Cream. The recipes range from classics (like Banana, Blueberry, and Pecan Pancakes) to exotic new options (Raw Thai Citrus Crunch Salad). While some of the recipes are labor intensive, and some require hard-to-find ingredients, they are worth the effort. Jones celebrates the vegetarian lifestyle, but does not fully address other dietary preferences. This book is ideal for experienced chefs eager to expand their repertoire of delicious vegetarian options, but probably not well-suited for beginning chefs.
1852431
I gave Tim's new book four stars because while I immensely enjoyed the unconventional, quickest routes from A to B in cooking as well as learning and surviving on a mad planet, I found myself craving more detail on learning hacks for improving one's life  in general as well as for producing awesome food with minimal effort.

Best part about the recipes? He claims only four ingredients per dish for simplicity of execution--bravo--who among us hasn't given up on 20 ingredient dishes that end up costing thrice what the resulting entree might cost in a good restaurant? Other "insider" tips from working chefs are as useful and satisfying as learning to pick locks with an inexpensive toolkit you can keepin your pocket, another life hack in Tim's smorgasbord of a book, under the Wild section on surviving. Teaching us the method of breaking chickens necks before preparing them or catching and killing city pigeons to survive is as disgusting as it is practical and I question their inclusion save for the worth of re-connecting us with how it's been done for 1000s of years and reminding us how removed we are from the coarse but necessary aspects of staying alive.

I bought the book hoping to glean some useful nuggets of applied cleverness and high efficiency methodology for both cooking and streamlining my life. There's a lot of this in there, in both very entertaining and usable kind, but you'll have to consign yourself to jumping around a lot, something Tim encourages, as the book is ostensibly organized into relevant sections, but seems to have a lot off odds and ends strewn through. I picked us a "like new" used copy for $18 bucks and was surprised to get 500 pages and almost five pounds of product in my mailbox. Thus, I have a great coffee table book that I'll likely pick up for the short, sweet and to-the-point recipes on a regular basis. Learning to make ice cream in 30 seconds with liquid nitrogen? Great dinner party pyrotechnics. Using a bit of baking soda in the pot to make soft boiled eggs peel easier? Nice to know, but more likely an Internet "how to" than a must have in a hardcover tome purporting to revolutionize one's life.

In conclusion, lots of good substance, but also an equal portion of dazzle dazzle, which while making for a fun read leaves me wanting more in hard-to-find insider info and hacks that might make one the prized life of the party as chief magician/chef/mind-reader/Bon vivant. I think this is Tim's aspiration, which he enthusiastically shares with us, but damn Tim...give me more of the "how to make a million while seducing a princess over pomegranate crime brle" info. I'd pay extra for that!
1080979
Nigel Slater's Real Fast Puddings takes the same approach as his book Real Fast Food.  His aim is to make quick, easy food using fresh ingredients.  I was delighted to find that the book relied a lot on fruit rather than too many heavy puddings.  The book is divided in to four main sections - Autumn, Winter, Spring and lastly Summer - each one focusing on seasonal foods that can be found in England.  Slater is of the opinion that everyone has time to make puddings, commenting that they can be very quick to make.  To illustrate his point he mentions banana custard - a childhood favourite of mine.  He also suggests fresh basil leaves with strawberries - divine, and one of the many new ideas I take away from this book.

Slater addresses the common concern of puddings containing too many calories at the start of the book.  His view - a little of a good thing such as "Marscapone cheese with apricots and almonds"is far better than a larger, shop bought, inferior quality dessert.

There is also an excellent introductory section about suggestions for a puddings storecupboard, from lemons to Turkish Delight - in his words "I am virtually addicted to the stuff, late at night with little cups of strong coffee".

I came across this book and have written this review over the summer; thus I have mostly, to date, tried recipes from the Summer section of the book.  Favourites include Strawberries with Black Pepper, Strawberries with Mint and Orange (or try them with lime juice), Raspberries with Pistachios and Watermelon with Feta.  All of these take minutes to put together, and the key in the author's eyes is to ensure you use good quality, fresh ingredients to maximise taste.

Nigel Slater has a way with words - his passion for food is often articulated through the senses; his description of a fine apple includes taste - <"deeply flavoured", appearance - "it will not shine" and smell - "a tasty apple will generally have a definite scent to it".

Traditional English puddings are covered in the book - crumbles include plum, apple & blackcurrant and gooseberry.  Slater also waxes lyrical on the wonders of brulees and rice puddings.  He gives space to looking at different varieties of some fruits - for instance melon and apple.  Each of the main sections in the book ends with a look at cheeses appropriate for the season, with the author often mentioning British cheeses such as Perroche, an English goats cheese.

I have thoroughly enjoyed Real Fast Puddings and know I will continue to use ideas and recipes from the book.  The copy of the book I have been using has a quote from Nigella Lawon on the cover which gives a taste of what may be found inside - "I love this man: his wit and greed make him irresistible".
2366139
This book is a collection of stories and recipes for special meals during a winter season in Vermont.  Mrs. Appleyard is a fictional character (bearing a great resemblance to Louise Kent), who lives in a fictional town named Appleyard Center (bearing a great resemblance to Maple Corner, a village of Calais, Vermont).  The book runs from October to May, all the months in which snow can usually be found on the ground in Appleyard Center.  The book is organized by month.  Each chapter begins with a tale of Mrs. Appleyard's activities during that month, leading up to a major meal that she served for some special occasion during that month.  Recipes then follow for each item on the menu of that meal.  At the back of the book is an index of recipes and main ingredients.

Maple Corner residents and visitors will easily recognize many of Appleyard Center's famous features.  For example, Appleyard attends the Christmas candlelight service at the Old West Church, which has not changed at all since Kent first published this book in the 1920s.  But other aspects of Vermont have changed-in her time, a typical lady of Appleyard Center would be "a Republican, an Episcopalian (occasionally a Unitarian), a Friend of the Symphony, a reader of the Atlantic Monthly, a member of the Horticultural Society, an admirer of Picasso, and a member of the English Speaking Union!"  It would be hard, but perhaps not impossible, to find such a combination today here in Calais.

The title "Winter Kitchen" led me to believe this would be a book of seasonal recipes, recipes that would make use of foods that are in season or need to be used up during the winter months in Vermont.  In a sense, this is indeed a seasonal book, since each of the meals celebrates a festive winter occasion.  However, many of the ingredients aren't exactly locally available in Vermont at this time of year.  Appleyard must have had a good grocer, who could supply plenty of fresh greens, frozen vegetables, and even fresh seafood on occasion.  In general, the recipes tend to be typical for 1950s American food-tasty in their own right but not always appealing for modern diners.  Directions are clear (as well as amusing to read).  One of Appleyard's most interesting observations about cooking is found near the end of the book, where she states "She hopes that no one who reads this book will think she wants people to spend all their time in the kitchen.  She wants you to have, literally, a good time.  That means that you will use time as you like instead of its using you.  In cooking, as in life, time is the most important element."
1619251
I'm in the middle of my "fall obsession" -- apples of all kinds.  This book is great, with a page per apple, arranged alphabetically, and a section on growing apples in your backyard.  Lovely photos, too.  The descriptions are precise and a little lacking in passion (compare to Rowan Jacobsen's "Apples of Uncommon Character: Heirlooms, Modern Classics and Little-Known Wonders") -- but the two together make a wonderful complementary set.
3396814
Good things come in small packages.  I love artichokes and loved the recipes and tips on them written by a woman who also has good life advice.  She uses the artichoke as her analogy for life which is a pleasant departure from traditional cookbooks.  I know how to pick, trim and cook an artichoke, but beyond that nothing.  Artichoke Soup however, is on the menu this week, along with the artichoke and spinach dip.  Sounds yummy.  THis is a find.
515569
Step into Elizabeth "Betty" Hinton's kitchen and get acquainted with time-tested family dessert recipes that are not your ordinary cakes, pies and tarts. How about an Apple Brown Betty that uses three types of apples, rum sauce and potato bread for the crust? A pie made with carrots, caramel coconut filling for a deep rich chocolate butter milk cake, cheesecake featuring sweet potatoes,or brownies distinguished by using German instead of traditional dark chocolate and a Phildelphia cream cheese frosting. Nicely illustrated with plenty of color photography so you can see what the finished product will look like. The Brown Betty Cookbook offers you dessert recipes that are perfect for the family get-together, the afternoon bridge party or the holiday buffet. The affection and respect the author has for her Grandmom Betty comes through on every page and the well-explained details of every recipe.
4247718
The author was raised in the United Stated but is of Azorean decent. Therefore, the book has a nice smattering of foods with the unique Azore Islands flavor. One of the books highlight is most of the recipes identify the traditional meat cut expected and also identify cuts that would be more desirable to the American pallet.

This cook book is richly illustrated with photos. It also has short descriptions of where the recipes came from and gentle "I remember whens" from the author.  The hardcover edition would make an great coffee table book or gift to those who like try new things.
1435142
A really nice read, if you are into apples. A bit of the historical past of apples within US and Canada. As I am from the UK its a slightly different slat on the attitudes towards apples. A good read - thanks from gb-online.co.uk
2179870
I don't often say Yes when an author, publisher, or PR company asks me to review a book, but I couldn't resist it this time. I've become a&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Mad-Men/dp/B000YABIQ6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Mad Men</a>&nbsp;fan to a rather silly degree, perhaps because I grew up in New York during the 1960s so the background is extremely real to me. When I was offered the Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook (which I'll abbreviate here as the UMMC) -- described as "over 70 recipes inspired by the kitchens, bars, and restaurants seen on Mad Men" -- I figured that it might be a fun romp in the TV show's setting. Which it is. But to my happy surprise, this is a good cookbook even if you never watched single episode.

The UMMC is essentially a "retro" cookbook, bringing us back to the cooking and recipes of the early 1960s, which for some of us is a certain kind of comfort food: an era of upside-down pineapple cakes and Swedish meatballs and rumaki. Every recipe is presented in the context of a specific episode (the chocolate cake Sally makes for the dinner served in "Red in the Face," Season 1 Episode 7, when Don brings home Roger for dinner without warning Betty), and then some history about the dish (okay, less so about cocoa fudge cake, but the book discusses when Mai Tais came to be for instance), and then a 1960s-vintage recipe (this cake is adapted from the Betty Crocker's New Boys and Girls Cookbook from 1965). Some are "home cooking," like turkey tetrazzini; others are food eaten or mentioned at the restaurants where the characters eat, such as two versions of the Waldorf salad or oysters as they'd be served at the Grand Central Oyster Bar in 1961.

It isn't all "find cool old cookbooks." The authors went to quite some lengths for authenticity, learning that the yellow drink that Pete Campbell drinks at the Beverly Hills Hotel is a Royal Hawaiian, which was fashionable in the 50s and 60s but hasn't been served for decades -- and the hotel provided the recipe. (It has rum, pineapple juice, papaya juice, Myer's dark rum, a maraschino cherry, and a slice of fresh pineapple). As you'd expect, the UMMC has a lot of cocktails, but it also has appetizers (such as a classic shrimp cocktail); salads (Carla's potato salad); main courses (Lutece Gamabas au Beurre d'Escargot, Sal's spaghetti and meatballs); and desserts and sweets. Unlike some retro cookbooks which make me glad we grew up, these are all really good recipes, or at least "really good" in the context of the 60s (which means that you think fondly of turkey tetrazzini, I guess).

If you care about the show at all, you'll enjoy the food-meets-episode reminders. Even if you don't, you'll be tempted to throw a Mad Men dinner. I know *I* am thinking of doing so!

An aside: If you like this kind of "retro" cookbook but don't want the Mad Men baggage (and if you didn't care for the show I imagine it could get tiresome) you ought to check out&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Arthur-Schwartz-s-New-York-City-Food-An-Opinionated-History-and-More-Than-100-Legendary-Recipes/dp/B0044KMQR2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Arthur Schwartz's New York City Food: An Opinionated History and More Than 100 Legendary Recipes</a>, which scratches much of the same itch. Schwartz's book is more all-encompassing (such as a history of and recipes from Delmonico's, an influential restaurant that hasn't been mentioned on Mad Men), so if you want the "New York" ingredients more than "This is what mom cooked for me!" that may be a better choice.

I expected this to be a bit of fluff. To my surprise, I discovered a really nice cookbook that will spend quite a bit of time on my kitchen counter rather than on a shelf.
863616
I LOVED this book. It was a page-turner for me. The combination of family anecdotes and recipes just kept me reading.

Now, I am very fascinated with the history of cooking, especially American. Based on clues in the text, and my own knowledge of when things because available- I would guess that despite the 1947 copyright date, this was originally written/published in the 1920s-1930s. For example- the suggestion of a party where one loaded up the Victorola with the latest jazz recordings! And even more so, the balanced review of an icebox vs. an electric refrigerator- with the assumption that when one had an icebox, one would also have ice delivery to the house 3 times per week. I think these would be more characteristic of a 1920s-1930s publication than one in the 1940s.

I do wish I could put an accurate date on it, though, because that would be fascinating.

Now, to the practical aspects! The recipes are mostly very interesting, and it seems we have circled around, since there is very little processed food used in them. We would consider the canning recipes unsafe, although for most of them a hot-water canning bath would do the trick. I personally am intrigued by the various uses for a calf's head (though I balk at eating the brains- not only does it sound icky to me, but I'm concerned about prions/mad cow disease). However, the jellied meat seems accessible- if one can get a calf's head- and tasty.... and I adore tongue!

I'm also intrigued by the old-style salad dressings. I love the modern balsamic/mustard vinaigrettes! but I've never made a boiled dressing, and I'm thinking I should try it. Some of the appetizers looks pretty accessible and tasty, too.

It is interesting to see the differences in what's cheap: at several points she suggests substituting pork or veal for the more-expensive chicken!

In short- I really recommend this to anyone who has any interest in historical cooking. Not only is is a great picture of what people actually cooked- but many of the recipes are quite intriguing (even if one does not want a calf head!).

I am looking forward to cooking out of this book, as well as it being very fun to read.