Recent Acquisitions

I might have mentioned this before . . . I have a little bit of a cookbook obsession. There are worse things, right? Here are my most recent acquisitions:

The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper
I love this book. LOVE it. I don't always agree with the "political" positions, and certainly don't support some parts of their activism, but I can overlook those things. The recipes are great, the information is interesting, and it is beautifully designed. First things to try: ribbons of greens salad; the 65-degree egg; retro garlic bread; black pepper honey steak; and greenbean gremolata.

The Most Decadent Diet Ever
Unfortunately, between gardening and low-carbing, I haven't actually made any of Devon Alexander's recipes yet, but they look amazing - in fact, it's hard to believe it's a 'diet' cookbook! On my list: warm brie chicken breast sandwich; chicken enchilasagna; Godiva brownie sundaes; and peach shortcake. Did I mention this is a diet book? I keep forgetting.

Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals
Simple, yet sophisticated, quick recipes. I found this book in the bargain bin - Sara Moulton probably wouldn't be glad to see it there, but I was! I might not have noticed it on the regular shelves of Barnes & Noble or in the cyber-depths of Amazon. Some of the things I intend to make: quick asparagus lasagna; exotic mushroom pot pie; two-melon, prosciutto, and feta salad; and pineapple flambe.

The Fifth Taste
(hint: it's all about umami)
Okay, this cookbook, with recipes from '25 of America's Best Chefs,' doesn't actually belong to me. It's borrowed from work . . . but I'm still excited about trying out some of the recipes, such as: maxed-out meatloaf; asparagus salad with roasted peppers and shaved parmigiano-reggiano; green bean tempura; and truffle mac and cheese.

The Dean & Deluca Cookbook
My mom brought me the Dean & Deluca Cookbook recently. I remember wandering around, mesmerized by all the gourmet foods, in the Dean & Deluca in Kansas City every time we visited during my high school and college years. Although mom and I agree the book is a little dated, it has good basics. The only downside: no desserts. Not that I need any more dessert recipes . . .
On Memorial Day, I made the deep fried onion rings. They were so fantastic, we ate the whole batch and then decided to go on a temporary low-carb diet to make up for it. Now that we're eating carbs again, I'm definitely going to make the panzanella. You'll know I've turned into a true gourmet food snob when I start making recipes like terrine of foie gras and galician-style octopus. While that is highly unlikely, I know this book will be a good reference for classic recipes for years to come.