Saturday, May 24, 2008

Essentials for Great Cooking


10 Piece Set - All-Clad Stainless (Set only)10 Piece Set - All-Clad Stainless (Set only)



Buy new: $639.95
These will last a lifetime. If you are leery about the stainless steel surface and still want some non-stick pans for eggs, pancakes, etc., just buy a few non-stick pans to supplement your collection. These are the best pots and pans and they are virtually indestructable.




Silpat 11-5/8-by-16-1/2-Inch Nonstick Silicone Baking MatSilpat 11-5/8-by-16-1/2-Inch Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat


Buy new: $15.99
This reusable lining for your baking sheets allow you to make cookies, biscuits, and even some breads without extra oil (no greasing the pan!). Food browns evenly and lifts effortlessly from your baking sheets.





OXO Salad SpinnerOXO Salad Spinner


Buy new: $22.93
The easiest way to wash and dry your salad greens and herbs. Easy to clean, too!




KitchenAid Artisan 5-qt. Stand MixerKitchenAid Artisan 5-qt. Stand Mixer


This one is a classic. Well worth the purchase price, it should last a lifetime. Even if you don't bake, you can use this mixer for whipping mashed potatoes, kneading bread, or use any of the available attachments to change this machine into a juicer or even a meat grinder.





Cuisinart DGB-600BC Grind and Brew, Brushed ChromeCuisinart DGB-600BC Grind and Brew, Brushed Chrome


Buy new: $128.72
The carafe is insulated, so your coffee doesn't burn while you wait to drink the pot. Insert whole beans and this machine grinds them immediately before brewing your pot of coffee. You can set the timer to wake up to the smell of fresh coffee on a workday.




Cuisinart ICE-20 Automatic 1-1/2-Quart Ice-Cream Maker, WhiteCuisinart ICE-20 Automatic 1-1/2-Quart Ice-Cream Maker, White


Buy new:
$49.95
/ Used from:
$35.00
It's incredibly easy to make your own ice cream (some recipes have as few as 4 ingredients) and homemade tastes so much better than store bought. Fresh ice cream in 30 minutes, without that old school rock salt and hand crank.





Cuisinart BFP-703CH SmartPower Duet Blender/Food Processor, ChromeCuisinart BFP-703CH SmartPower Duet Blender/Food Processor, Chrome


Buy new: $89.95
Great blender and adequate food processor. If you are making salsa, chopping veggies, or any other basic task, the food processor function is great. The blender standard size and is great for milkshakes and other frozen drinks.




Brita Deluxe Water PitcherBrita Deluxe Water Pitcher


Buy new: $24.51
I don't have a water filtration system built into my fridge, but with this pitcher I always have fresh filtered water ready for cooking, coffee, or drinking. Buy refill filters in bulk so you're never stuck without them.





MIU 4-Piece Silicone Spatulas Set, Pastel ColorsMIU 4-Piece Silicone Spatulas Set, Pastel Colors


Buy new: $9.95
Silicone spatulas won't melt under normal cooking conditions. They also won't scratch the non-stick surface of your pans. Consider also purchasing silcone "spoonulas" as well.




Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over AgainBarefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over Again by Ina Garten



Buy new:
$23.10
/ Used from:
$13.84
Beautiful photographs, delicious food, great stories, easy to follow instructions. I'm a fan of every one of Ina Garten's books (and her Food Network show).




The Barefoot Contessa CookbookThe Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten


Buy new:
$23.10
/ Used from:
$16.78



Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like FamilyBarefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family by Ina Garten


Buy new:
$23.10
/ Used from:
$16.92


Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals: What to Keep on Hand, What to Buy Fresh for the Easiest-Ever 30-Minute MealsRachael Ray Express Lane Meals: What to Keep on Hand, What to Buy Fresh for the Easiest-Ever 30-Minute Meals by Rachael Ray



Buy new:
$12.70
/ Used from:
$2.63
Rachel gives you a standard shopping list and then gives fast recipes that can either be made from your pantry or with a few ingredients purchased in the "express lane" on your way home from work. I love that she doesn't rely on convenience food. This book has convinced me not to rely on take out and fast food, even when I've had a rough day at work.




Mexican Everyday (Recipes Featured on Season 4 of the PBS-TV series "Mexico One Plate at a Time")Mexican Everyday (Recipes Featured on Season 4 of the PBS-TV series "Mexico One Plate at a Time") by Rick Bayless


Buy new:
$19.77
/ Used from:
$11.98
Beautful photos, simple recipes, great story. I love Mexican food and these recipes use ingredients that I can find at my grocery store or a local Latin American market.





Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious RecipesEveryday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes by Giada De Laurentiis


Buy new:
$21.13
/ Used from:
$16.30
Another beautiful cookbook. I love Italian food as well and Giada offers the expected and the unexpected in this book. Bonus, all of the ingredients are at my local grocery store.




How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great FoodHow to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman



Buy new:
$23.10
/ Used from:
$8.91
This book was recommended by a friend and it's a great find. The recipes are fine, but what I really love is the detailed descriptions of food and cooking techniques in plain language. Never cooked with leeks? This book defines leeks, explains how to select tasty ones, and even diagrams how to cut and clean them. This is an excellent reference book for any home kitchen.



Friday, May 23, 2008

Books to read about kitchen


Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary UnderbellyKitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain



Buy used from: $0.90
I love Bourdain's show on The Travel Channel and I've gotten lots of positive word of mouth reviews. (and his recent appearance on Top Chef was brilliant. How could you not love a guy who called one chef's food a mixture of "Betty Crocker and Charles Manson"?)




Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green ZoneImperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone by Rajiv Chandrasekaran


Buy new:
$17.13
/ Used from:
$3.65
This got a good review from Entertainment Weekly and I confess I was hooked just by the title.





The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the WorldThe Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World by Michael Pollan


Buy new:
$10.20
/ Used from:
$6.78
Promiscuous plants. What's not to love?




The Pilot's Wife (Oprah's Book Club)The Pilot's Wife (Oprah's Book Club) by Anita Shreve



Buy new:
$10.19
/ Used from:
$0.01
I'm kind of wincing about choosing an Oprah's Book Club choice (altho I've read others I've liked-let's keep that between us.) But sometimes a good depressing novel is just the thing when you are bummed out about something in your own life.




At Play in the Fields of the LordAt Play in the Fields of the Lord by Peter Matthiessen


Buy new:
$10.17
/ Used from:
$0.01
I've planned to read this several times and it keeps getting bumped for one reason or another. Sometimes it's fun to experience extreme discomfort vicariously.





Allure: Confessions of a Beauty EditorAllure: Confessions of a Beauty Editor by Linda Wells


Buy new:
$16.49
/ Used from:
$6.45
Ok....it's not exactly Dosteovsky but I can't wait to get my hands on this guilty pleasure. Love the magazine and Linda is supposed to be a relatively nice, down-to-earth girl.




World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie WarWorld War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks



Buy new:
$16.47
/ Used from:
$5.00
I will watch almost any movie with zombies in it. I can't wait to get my hands on this book. Zombies=quality. It's Rule #1 of fiction.




Palestine: Peace Not ApartheidPalestine: Peace Not Apartheid by Jimmy Carter


Buy new:
$17.82
/ Used from:
$1.85
Mr. Carter is possibly the greatest ex-President in history. I look forward to being inspired by his ideas on progress in Palestine.





The God DelusionThe God Delusion by Richard Dawkins


Buy new:
$17.82
/ Used from:
$3.94
The book I would write if I were a brilliant scientist and talented writer instead of a bleached blonde from Ohio who reads Allure magazine.




Dress Your Family in Corduroy and DenimDress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris



Buy new:
$10.19
/ Used from:
$0.11
Love Sedaris on NPR and loved "Me Talk Pretty One Day." Laugh-out-loud sheer loveliness.




A Cook's TourA Cook's Tour by Anthony Bourdain


Buy used from: $8.08
I probably won't be able to read parts of this since I'm a wimpy vegetarian but I still can't wait to read about Bourdain eating that cobra heart.



Thursday, May 22, 2008

Food Network chefs & their cookbooks



At Home with Michael Chiarello: Easy EntertainingAt Home with Michael Chiarello: Easy Entertaining by Michael Chiarello


Buy new:
$26.00
/ Used from:
$12.29
My personal fave! Daytime Emmy winner 2005 as host of "Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello" derives his unique style by fusing flavors from California wine country & his family's native Italy.




Napa Stories: Profiles, Reflections, and Recipes from the Napa  ValleyNapa Stories: Profiles, Reflections, and Recipes from the Napa Valley by Chiarello Michael



Buy new:
$40.15
/ Used from:
$3.23
This book is a fine complement to Michael's other show, "NapaStyle," running concurrently on Fine Living channel (a Food Network sister station from Scripps network).




Michael Chiarello's Casual CookingMichael Chiarello's Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello


Buy new:
$26.40
/ Used from:
$8.93
Recipes from an earlier television series (on PBS), "Michael Chiarello's Napa." This book comes from the second season, which focuses on casual cooking & everyday entertaining.





Recipes from Michael Chiarello's Napa: From the Public Television Series hosted by Michael Chiarello, Napa Valley chef and authorRecipes from Michael Chiarello's Napa: From the Public Television Series hosted by Michael Chiarello, Napa Valley chef and author by Michael Chiarello


Buy used from: $12.50
This booklet covers season one of "Michael Chiarello's Napa." Although it's listed as out of print here at Amazon, it's usually still available for purchase through his website, NapaStyle.com .




The Tra Vigne CookbookThe Tra Vigne Cookbook by Michael Chiarello



Buy new:
$26.40
/ Used from:
$4.32
From Michael's acclaimed Napa Valley restaurant Tra Vigne comes this collection of its most popular recipes, organized to celebrate the fresh flavors of each season.




Flavored Oils: 50 Recipes for Cooking with Infused OilsFlavored Oils: 50 Recipes for Cooking with Infused Oils by Michael Chiarello


Buy used from: $0.01
Specialty book from Michael details how to create your own gourmet cooking oils, to keep for yourself or to give as gifts to others, and which dishes highlight their flavors best.





Flavored Vinegars: 50 Recipes for Cooking with Infused VinegarsFlavored Vinegars: 50 Recipes for Cooking with Infused Vinegars by Michael Chiarello


Buy used from: $0.27
Another specialty book, this one for gourmet vinegars to jazz up your cooking.




Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious RecipesEveryday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes by Giada De Laurentiis



Buy new:
$21.13
/ Used from:
$16.30
Giada De Laurentiis previously worked at Wolfgang Puck's Spago before starting her own food & catering biz. Her first cookbook is the companion guide to her popular series "Everyday Italian."




Giada's Family DinnersGiada's Family Dinners by Giada De Laurentiis


Buy new:
$21.45
/ Used from:
$10.95
Giada's second cookbook is due out in April 2006.





The Babbo CookbookThe Babbo Cookbook by Mario Batali


Buy new:
$26.40
/ Used from:
$17.48
In addition to hosting three FN series ("Molto Mario," "Mario Eats Italy," and "Ciao, America"), Mario Batali regularly shows off his skill in Italian cuisine on "Iron Chef America: The Series."




Mario Batali Holiday FoodMario Batali Holiday Food by Mario Batali



Buy new:
$23.00
/ Used from:
$7.75
Mario's suggestions for a robust holiday meal, not least of which is the traditional Italian "Feast of Seven Fishes"; rich cookies and desserts polish off the menu.




Mario Batali Simple Italian Food: Recipes from My Two VillagesMario Batali Simple Italian Food: Recipes from My Two Villages by Mario Batali


Buy new:
$23.10
/ Used from:
$11.75
Batali demonstrates regional specialties in authentic recipes from his "two villages," one in Northern Italy and the other, Greenwich Village, NY.





Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at HomeMolto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home by Mario Batali


Buy new:
$23.07
/ Used from:
$16.58
Fourth book from Batali shifts gears into food better suited to everyday eating, with straightforward recipes intended for at-home meals.




The Barefoot Contessa CookbookThe Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten



Buy new:
$23.10
/ Used from:
$16.78
Ina Garten's well-received show "The Barefoot Contessa" is named after her specialty food store of the same name in the Hamptons. This is her original cookbook which was a top seller in '99.




Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like FamilyBarefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family by Ina Garten


Buy new:
$23.10
/ Used from:
$16.92
General cookbook covers a variety of basic dishes for everyday meals.





Barefoot Contessa Parties! Ideas and Recipes for Easy Parties That Are Really FunBarefoot Contessa Parties! Ideas and Recipes for Easy Parties That Are Really Fun by Ina Garten


Buy new:
$23.10
/ Used from:
$11.94
This "Barefoot Contessa" installment is geared specifically toward throwing parties and entertaining. It includes hostess tips in addition to recipes.




Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make at HomeBarefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make at Home by Ina Garten



Buy new:
$23.10
/ Used from:
$14.44
Another specialty book showcases Garten's picks for French-flair cuisine and settings.




NAKED CHEF, THENAKED CHEF, THE by Jamie Oliver


Buy new:
$25.51
/ Used from:
$3.80
No need to cover your eyes.. it's the food that's naked, not the chef! Food Network also runs Jamie Oliver's original British series.





NAKED CHEF TAKES OFF, THENAKED CHEF TAKES OFF, THE by Jamie Oliver


Buy new:
$23.07
/ Used from:
$1.56
Book #2 has more recipes to suit the "stripped-down" philosophy of the Naked Chef series.




Happy Days with the Naked ChefHappy Days with the Naked Chef by Jamie Oliver



Buy new:
$23.07
/ Used from:
$2.66
Yep, more Naked Chef cooking!




The Return of the Naked ChefThe Return of the Naked Chef by Jamie Oliver


Buy used from: $5.94
And still more!





JAMIE'S KITCHENJAMIE'S KITCHEN by Jamie Oliver


Buy new:
$26.37
/ Used from:
$4.48
In the brief reality series "Jamie's Kitchen," chef Oliver trains 15 unknown Londoners in a new restaurant. Here's the show's companion book. (And he also stars in the newer show "Oliver's Twist.")




Jamie's Dinners: The Essential Family CookbookJamie's Dinners: The Essential Family Cookbook by Jamie Oliver



Buy new:
$23.07
/ Used from:
$14.00
New approach differentiates this set from previous efforts: family-friendly dishes with one eye on the clock & the other on budget.