12.28.06
A Trip in the Woods…
I took a trip in the woods. It was kinda cold. But the food was good and the wine flowing.
Writing to you all up here from Bedford, PA - where my parents have their own house in the woods. Now that I am done celebrating Christmas with my wife’s family in Albuquerque, it is time to spend it with my family in the woods. Mountainous desert to temperate deciduous forest - quite the change in biomes. But family is family no matter where you are, and the fact that I get to extend the celebration this way means I am truly blessed.
 The secret ingredient kids, is booze! |
So what does a chef get for Christmas? Well, besides “drunk”, your guess of “stuff for the kitchen” would be pretty accurate. I of course asked for many cooking-related items, and I was not disappointed in what I received. First off there are the things I needed around the kitchen that I asked for - little things like tongs and a carving board. The little things that I have needed for too long that I have been too lazy or cheap to get for myself.
Then there are the cookbooks. I have many cookbooks already of course, but I could always use some more. As a side note, a common question I am often asked is, “What is the best cookbook?” I find the answer to this question is the same as “What is the best adult diaper?”
- Depends.
I believe all kitchens should have a copy of Joy of Cooking, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. But are any of these the best cookbook? No, I would say not. My personal favorite cookbook is Culinary Artistry. It has almost no recipes in it though. Just extensive listings of flavor combinations and ideas of dishes from great chefs around the world. It is an invaluable tool for anyone who would prefer to just plain invent when they are in the kitchen. To me, this is the best cookbook, but it is not right for everyone.
But I digress… Anyway, since I already have all these books. Here are the ones I asked for and received this year:
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Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon by Claudia Roden
This is a fascinating read so far, and a cuisine that I have really been fascinated with as of late. The problem being that all the recipes I have are from random magazines that aren’t dedicated to food from this part of the world, so I am not sure how “authentic” my cooking is. But I love the flavors and stews that I have been making, so I figured it was time to take it ot the next level. She is a well-respected cook, and the photos are just fabulous - and the techniques and flavor combinations are all new to me. This will be a fabulous learning resource for me in addition to being the source of many awesome dinners.
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Jamie’s Italy by Jamie Oliver
Well it is no secret that I love Italian food, and I love Italian cooking as well. I have several books on the subject, but I have to say that Jamie’s book here caught my eye both for the aesthetic look of the book, as well as the clever and well-thought-out recipes within. Jamie is one of the few personalities on Food Network that I can stand to watch for more than 10 minutes, and I think it’s because he’s not “phoning in” his performance. He is thinking up new and exciting things that I would not have come up with, and this book is no exception. Again, I think there is a lot to be learned from this book, and I look forward to diving in as soon as I get back to civilization.
 Time to see how many bags of flour I can fit in here at once! |
And finally, there was the gift I didn’t ask for, but one that was really a very nice and generous surprise from my parents, a KitchenAid stand mixer. I have wanted one for a long time, and I think I just might have room to store this big-ass thing now. So to return the favor of this incredible generosity, I am already making a loaf of fresh bread for everyone here using it. My brother is making chili, so I am making a loaf of bread with cornmeal and caraway seeds. Would like to have added some rye flour to it as well if we had some, but hey, I am stuck out here in the woods, what can I do?…
Anyway, this is the long way of me wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and I hope you all got everything you wanted as well! Happy cooking!
Stumble it!
Chris said,
December 28, 2006 at 9:54 pm
I think there is a huge difference between a cookbook and recipe book, don’t you? So many alleged “cookbooks” are just a collection of recipes.
For just finding recipes, I use the BigOven software and website the most. I love their utilities and the ability to publish recipes to my PDA so I can reference it in the kitchen.
For cookbooks, I use Joy of Cooking (1997 version) the most. Ya ya, I know, most folks look down their nose at that version, but I like it.
nice mixer. Did you get the sausage attachment?
Matt said,
December 28, 2006 at 11:41 pm
That is an important distinction. Cookbooks versus recipe books. In the early stages of learning - especially when learning a cooking style you are unfamiliar with - you need cookbooks, which give you more than the what, but also the HOW of cooking. I am perosnally at a stage where many of my cookbooks can be recipe books, but I still love learning new things, so I am always grateful for a good cookbook.
Another essential COOKbook that everyone should have is “Sauces” by James Peterson - the definitive work on the subject with history and step-by step instructions into the most important part of almost any food making.
And yes, Joy of Cooking is essential. I still pull it out myself at least once a month for clarification on a point or for a comparison technique. Nobody would ever get to a point where they no longer need that book.
Finally, no, I did not get the meat grinder or sausage stuffer attachments (you need both to make sausage) with my mixer. But believe me, they are on my birthday wish list!
April 6 - I am an Aries.
Boutros said,
December 29, 2006 at 8:23 am
Can you feel my radiating jealousy about your stand mixer? I want to get me one of those.
Yamagoo said,
December 29, 2006 at 12:15 pm
I love to cook and have wanted a stand mixer for years. Last Christmas while visiting my sister she asked if i wanted my drandfathers mixer. Its a classic at least 30 years old. It completely changes the way you cook. My advice leave it out and accessible at all times! Let me know how Jamies take on Italian food works out. Nice place you got here. Blog Mad dropped me in.
Matt said,
December 29, 2006 at 5:55 pm
So glad to see all my time on BlogMad finally paying off! Welcome to the blog, and indeed I think the mixer will become as important as my left hand pretty soon. I will review both of these books in the future I think to let you all know how they turned out!
Tisha said,
January 2, 2007 at 9:07 am
Also surfed you on Blog Mad and what a delight when I stopped and read…a COMIC Chef! Such an enjoyable post and the “depends” joke cracked me up!
I have about 7 cookbooks and each has a wealth of rich ideas but I have to admit I prefer cookbooks with pictures of the dishes (picture books for grown-up kids like me), help me visualize what I am doing better.
Thanks for the informative and fun post and Happy New Year!
Tisha
P.S. Going to blogroll you
Gina Cobb said,
January 3, 2007 at 10:41 am
Interesting post. I’m glad you have an attitude of gratitude toward your gifts! Happy new year!
annulla said,
January 3, 2007 at 11:22 am
I love reading your blog. Your whole leap from corporate to kitchen is so inspiring.
Sounds like you had a fabulous Christmas. Best wishes for a wonderful, healthy & prosperous new year.
Charlie said,
January 3, 2007 at 11:50 pm
This year, I got the America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. As a rooky, I appreciate their efforts to explain which ingredients most affect the outcome of a recipe, so I know what to tweak. It’s a basic, but useful, cookbook. Plus, I needed the chart of beef cuts.
As for your standing mixer, it’s good to see you’ve joined the 20th century in cooking technology now. Were you mixing dough by hand? Jesus. Let’s hope you never return to the pre-Kitchenaid dark ages!
Matt said,
January 4, 2007 at 10:28 am
Thanks for the kind wishes everyone, I hope you all have a Happy New Year as well.
Yamagoo, I too like pictures in cookbooks. Gives me something to yell at when my food comes out looking just like their’s… assuming their’s had been run over by a truck.
Charlie, the America’s Test Kitchen series and whole Cook’s Illustrated line is truly a great place for beginners and experts alike. That is a good book, and should serve you well. I have The New Best Recipe from them, and have been a subscriber to Cooks Illustrated for many, many years now as well. As for the mixer, I had a small, hand-held mixer that I used for cookies and such before, but yes, all my bread I made solely by hand. The secret ingredient… was love.