Author and TV host Christopher Kimball and the cooks at his Milk Street empire are busy chefs indeed.  In the past seven years they have published fifteen cookbooks, which has got to be some kind of record!  Back in October 2021, out group reviewed Milk Street Cookish, a “quick and easy” title that delivered a fair number of hits, as well as some misses.  This month we took on Milk Street Tuesday Nights Mediterranean, a 2021 title that revisits the “quick” (or is it “quickish”?) theme with a Mediterranean slant.

To start with, our group wondered how author Kimball has managed to produce what amounts to an average of two full-length cookbooks per year.  The answer was as obvious as the title page, which lists two writers and editors, three named cooks, and a group of unnamed “cooks at Milk Street.”  Kimball is the author of record, but it’s unclear how much he’s involved in actual recipe development and testing.  However he has a reputation for being very persnickety, and that was obvious in at least the design of the book.  There are lush, detailed photos of every dish on the page facing the recipe.  This made for an easy and very pleasant reading experience, as well as being useful during cooking.  Even better, each recipe fit on one page, a marvelous feat that was also somehow accomplished without the font being excessively small.  Well done!  However, many in the group did not like how the recipes were arranged: the first three chapters are grouped by timing (fast-faster-fastest); subsequent chapters are by food type (salads, soups, vegetarian, and so on).  It was an odd set of choices and made for lots of annoying flipping.

When we settled down to cooking (and there was lots of it!), the results were mixed.  This is a title focused squarely on main dishes, so there were no snacks or desserts to distract us from our dinnertime quest.  At our meeting, we sampled sumac-spiced chicken cutlets with tomato-onion salad.  This tasty combination showcased smoked paprika and tart sumac; the tomato-onion salad provided freshness and crunch.  This dish is good hot or cold and travels well, making it a solid choice for a potluck or picnic.  We tried several other chicken dishes; chicken shawarma had “lots of spices to mix…I got a little frantic!”  But all was forgiven since the “chicken was very tender, even when left over.”  Traditional yogurt/tahini sauce was the perfect accompaniment.  Another classic, chicken souvlaki with tzatziki turned out to be “a keeper….great combination, loved the tzatziki.”  To keep things simple, the meat wasn’t skewered and grilled but simply broiled.  Greek chicken and potato traybake was also “easy….really good.”  Lemon, garlic, and kalamata olives hit all the right Mediterranean notes.  Pan-roasted chicken and summer vegetables with herbes de provence saved a cook in a hurry.  Ignoring all directions “I threw everything in the pot….it worked out beautifully!”  Now that’s a keeper if ever there was one!  There was one dud in the poultry patch: lombardy-style rice with chicken, a risotto-like dish, was “meh…bland.”  The flavors were just a bit too subtle and didn’t come across in the finished dish.

Quick-cooking shrimp got a workout in this book; two people made shrimp with orzo, tomatoes, and feta.  This version of the classic was “really fast….really easy….flavors melded well!”  Venetian-style shrimp in tomato-white wine sauce also featured tomatoes in a spicy sauce; the result was “really good” and was predictably quick to make.  Greek-style spinach rice with shrimp and dill turned a side into a main dish with the addition of shrimp, which was gently steamed atop the cooked rice and spinach.  Lemon and dill played nicely together with the spinach; it aged well, too.  Two cooks tried spanish shrimp and chickpea stew.  Though butterflying the cooked shrimp (as directed) proved messy and tricky, the result was “delicious!”  Or “meh,” if you’re a cook who’s not very fond of smoked paprika, a prominent flavor in the stew.  Unfortunately, spanish scrambled eggs with shrimp and asparagus was a thumbs-down; “the flavors were just OK….it didn’t come together….I won’t make again.”

Another favorite for speedy meals, pasta, also made several appearances.  Crispy pasta with chickpeas, lemon, and parsley was quite a twist on your standard boiled noodles: half of the uncooked fresh pasta was fried until crisp, and then added to the rest of the ingredients (including the cooked portion of the pasta) at the end.  This was “kind of strange….the pasta wasn’t crispy [by the time the dish was complete].”  Also, it “took a lot longer than [the stated] 35 minutes.”  One saving grace: “better the second day….flavors developed.”  Much more traditional, fettucine with mushroom and tomato ragu was unfortunately “disappointing….tasteless.”  Despite lots of mushrooms and fresh rosemary, the flavors just didn’t come through.  On the opposite side, penne alla silana, although a bit on the pricey side with its plentiful salami and cheese, was enjoyably loaded with salty and spicy flavors.  Pasta with tomatoes, orange, and olives featured a combination that is common in Sicily but unusual to us; and our cook ultimately did not like this marriage of fruity and salty.  Another unfamiliar combination fared a bit better; rigatoni with pistachio, ricotta and herb pesto suffered from a lack of fresh basil (not very available at this time of year), but “we did eat it!”  Worth trying again in the summer?

Vegetarians had plenty of choices in this book; there’s even a dedicated “hearty vegetarian” chapter.

Eggah was a fluffy, tender variation on a frittata.  This version was filled with grated sweet potato and carrot, onion, and spinach.  For one cook it was just OK, but for another it was a definite keeper, “quick…savory…loved the texture!” Greek baked vegetables were another keeper; layered potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes were roasted and topped with savory, salty feta.  The classic flavors worked together beautifully for a delicious result.  Roasted butternut squash with chickpeas, herbs, and tahini was “a bit of work” to put together, but the resulting dish was “very flavorful!”  Chickpeas and tahini sauce turned roasted squash into a filling, yet not heavy, main dish.  Another dish featuring butternut squash, turkish-style stuffed flatbreads with butternut squash and cheese was also a hit; mashed squash, halloumi cheese, and warm spices were rolled into flour tortillas and then shallow -fried until crispy.  Yogurt/olive oil sauce provided a cooling contrast, “just a yummy combination!”  Three people tried out

italian bean soup with fresh pasta. For two cooks it was a keeper; this very simple combination of beans, rosemary, and pasta just hit the spot.  For the third cook, it may have been just a bit too simple; it was deemed “OK.”  Perhaps in an attempt to keep things quick and easy, the recipe instructed you to use fresh pasta and cook it in the pureed soup.  Though it’s another step, we thought it would ultimately be simpler to cook dried pasta separately and then add it to the bowls when served.  A couple of lentil dishes didn’t quite make the grade: lemony lentil-kale soup with sweet potatoes had “lots of chopping,” and was “a bit too lemony…OK….wouldn’t make again.”  As is often the case with lentils, the finished soup was “visually unappealing.”  Poor lentils!  Lentils and bulgur with fried onions (mujaddara), a popular comfort food across the Middle East, did not turn out as expected; it was “so dry….I won’t make again.”  Other group members  mentioned that they had made other versions of this dish and thought it was excellent, so perhaps this particular recipe isn’t the one to go with!  We only made one salad, but it was a keeper: bulgur salad with summer vegetables and pomegranate molasses was “absolutely delicious!”  It went to a potluck where it disappeared quickly.  Pomegranate molasses added addictive fruity tartness to the dressing.

There were a few meaty doings, as well.  Four people made beef and rice meatballs with lemon-olive oil sauce.  All agreed that these oversize meatballs were delicious; the accompanying sauce was deemed “the best part.”  This recipe took much longer to put together than its timing indicated; mashing the cooked rice as directed proved unexpectedly tedious and time-consuming.  Greek meatballs in tomato sauce were also a good choice, with a slightly spicy sauce spiked with cinnamon.  They reheated well, too.  Pan-roasted pork tenderloins with apple, sherry, and smoked paprika were deemed “very very tasty!”  Apples and pork are a classic combination for good reason, while sherry and smoked paprika added a bit of Spanish flair.

Friends, I think it’s obvious by now that we gave this book a thorough going-over.  We cooked our way through over 30 unique recipes, about 25% of the book’s total!  Generally, we thought this title was a solid introduction to signature Mediterranean foods and seasonings.  It may not be perfectly authentic, but it’s close enough to (literally) give you the flavor of this broad area.  Though we did not appreciate the book’s arrangement, once we were done flipping back and forth most of us found a keeper or two, or a new spice or condiment to wake up our taste buds (I’m looking at you, pomegranate molasses!).  Still, no one was rushing out to buy this book, and our ratings were on the tepid side: we averaged out to a 3.4 (out of a possible 5).

Please join us for our next meeting on Friday, April 26 at 11 AM in the Fireplace Room.  We’ll be discussing The Golden Spoon, a thriller/mystery that’s set at a baking competition, by Jessa Maxwell.  Murder, she baked?  Speaking of baking, if you want to bake as well as read, you can also check out a British Baking Show title; all titles available at the main circulation desk or via curbside pickup.

It’s the season of hunkering.  Whether because of rain, snow, gloom, or depressingly early sunsets, January is a time when many of us stick close to home.  And what better way to spend a chilly day than snuggled up to your stove with a good cookbook?  This month our Bibliobites crew chased the winter blues away with blogger Kathryne Taylor’s Love Real Food.  This 2016 title is a comprehensive survey of contemporary vegetarian food from breakfast through cocktails, dinner, and dessert.  After the excesses of December, many of us are more than ready to up our veggie quotient and focus on an “everyday” style of cooking.

Since it was a rather wet and gloomy month, indoor pursuits were definitely on the table (so to speak!).  So there was an impressive amount of recipe-testing going on.  Let’s start with a few breakfast treats: simple honey scones were “really easy,” but were not appealing; they were “gummy….dry….not enough sweetener.”  We sampled these at our meeting and agreed that they were disappointing, though the wheaty flavor was nicely hearty.  My favorite granola also didn’t quite make the grade; it “needs more of everything [cinnamon, cranberries].”  However, “I liked that it wasn’t super-sweet.”  Carrot cake breakfast cookies fared better; these were “pretty tasty” with plenty of grated carrots, pecans, and golden raisins.  If you live in a small household, you’ll appreciate that these make a small batch.  And sneaking in through the dessert department, lemony almond-blueberry cake was “not lemony enough” for some.  We tasted this treat at our meeting and some thought the lemon flavor was just right, while others wished for more.  This cake is gluten free; it’s made with almond meal which gave the cake a welcome hint of almond flavor.

Main dishes provided plenty of variety, always a plus when you’re wondering what to make for dinner.  Traditional quiche got a bit of an upgrade with spinach-artichoke quiche, its filling a riff on the popular dip, and a pat-in crust made with almond meal accented with thyme and garlic.  It could have used more spinach in the filling, but overall this dish was a winner.  It reheated well, too.  Roasted eggplant lasagna was, unsurprisingly, “a project.”  This was deemed “good” but not great.  The sauce was basically pureed tomatoes and might have benefited from some simmering, and the called-for whole wheat no-boil noodles proved difficult to find.  Sun-dried tomato fettucine alfredo with spinach also featured whole wheat pasta, but fettucine was was easy enough to find.  The alfredo sauce used the common vegan trick of pureeing soaked cashews to make a creamy sauce, which in this case worked really well.  Though not a traditional version, it  was an enjoyable riff on the classic, with garlic, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes amping up the flavor profile.  Three people made roasted broccoli, bell pepper, and tofu bowl with peanut sauce; it proved to be an unexpected keeper.  The baked tofu was “great!” and the peanut sauce enjoyably “assertive.”  Those who tried it all agreed it was a new favorite.  There’s a similar recipe on the author’s blog using brussels sprouts instead of broccoli.  Check it out!

Winter is peak soup and stew season, and most in our group made good use of this category.  Three people tried tuscan white bean, kale, and farro stew a hearty melange that hit the spot.  Classic flavors included the white beans, plenty of fresh rosemary, and Parmesan.  This made a large potful so fortunately it aged well.  Butternut squash chipotle chili was also a hit, with its smoky chipotles and sweet squash.  The combination was “really good….will make again!” Moroccan butternut, chickpea, and couscous stew had some nice assertive spicing with smoked paprika and curry powder; the result was “good” but not great.  Whole wheat couscous was another ingredient that was difficult to find, and our cook substituted pearl couscous; unfortunately “I didn’t like the texture.”  Two people made chickpea tikka masala with green rice; both thought it was a solid, if not outstanding version of this iconic dish.  The green rice was a bit fussy to make and didn’t seem to add much to the overall flavor, so feel free to skip it.

If you want to slurp some soup, perhaps start with classic tomato soup.  This version used some pureed beans to thicken the soup and make it into more of a meal; “I really liked this!”  Creamy roasted cauliflower soup didn’t fare as well; it was “very beige” and was “OK…a lot of work.”  But, the crouton topper was “great!”  Heartier choices included west african peanut soup which four people tried and was “good- especially with the hot sauce” though “I have other, similar recipes.”  Hearty lentil minestrone was likewise a solid, if not outstanding choice.  The addition of lentils didn’t add much to the otherwise classic recipe.  Black bean tortilla soup with sweet potatoes turned out to be a keeper, “I really liked….substantial….will make again!”  The black beans and sweet potatoes added heft to a recipe that typically includes chicken.

There were lots more main dishes to try; sweet potato, poblano, and black bean enchiladas were a California-ish version with creamy avocados and cheese.  These were a solid choice with one caveat, ” they didn’t keep that well.”  Unfortunately, coconut fried rice with edamame was disappointing; it had “no flavor….needed more spice….couldn’t taste the coconut.”  But, kale and quinoa salad with crisp celery, plumped cranberries, and lemon dressing was an “absolutely yummy” (if very wordy) salad.  This was a warm salad, “so delicious” with its mustardy lemon dressing.  A keeper!  Though technically a side dish, moroccan roasted carrot, arugula and wild rice salad was substantial enough for a light main dish.  Two cooks praised the seasoning (chili and cinnamon) and the lemony dressing, though “it needed more dressing.”  Plus, the roasted carrots were perfect just by themselves, should you not want to deal with the other salad ingredients.  Those of us who sampled this at our meeting had to agree that it was a hit.  To go with those carrots, you might make sweet potato-black bean veggie burgers.  These were a good version of veggie burgers, if a bit of a project.  Quick cooking oats in the burger mix were an inspired choice to provide some chew and bind the ingredients together.  Or, maybe you’d like to have some pizza with a base of easiest honey whole wheat pizza dough.  This dough was super-quick and easy to make, and had the additional virtue of no waiting/rising time.  A keeper!

As should be obvious by now, we gave this title a thorough workout.  Though there was nothing shockingly innovative, most people enjoyed the variety and accessibility of the recipes, and a few were pleasantly surprised at how much they enjoyed their trip to veggie land.  We did note that there were a few too many dishes that relied on black beans, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and kale.  The author also uses a fair amount of coconut oil, which has both passionate advocates and detractors.  As for the book itself, it’s fairly typical of its ilk, with a large-ish format and copious photos.  Since it’s written by a blogger, there are also somewhat lengthy headnotes and numerous photos of the author and her adorable dog, Cookie.  No one complained about these quirks; undoubtedly they were focused on the food!  As mentioned, there was overall a positive response to this book, which was reflected in our rating of 3.45 (out of a possible 5).  Most people rated it a 4.

Join us for our next meeting on Sunday February 25 at 1 PM (note different day and time!)  We’ll be discussing The Savory Baker from America’s Test Kitchen.  We’ll also be celebrating ten years of Bibliobites with a look back at some of our previous titles, and a potluck lunch.  Hope to see you there!

The jury’s still out on whether an apple a day really does keep the doctor away, but if it’s fall in New England, then it’s apples all day and every which way.  Fresh or in crisp or pie, pressed into cider or cooked down into sauce, apples are endlessly versatile and uniquely delicious.  This month’s title, The Apple Lover’s Cookbook by Amy Traverso, introduced us to some new ways with apples, and acquainted us with some less- common varieties that (it turns out) grow close to home.

The beginning of this book features a primer (as the author calls it) of apple varieties, which was easily one of the most interesting and useful parts of the book.  There are photos and descriptions of 59 apple varieties, some of which are quite common in area supermarkets, and others that we’d never seen or heard of.  After reading through it, I wondered just how different in taste and texture these apples might be.  So, in the name of scientific research, I went to a local orchard and chose six heirloom varieties:  Baldwin, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Jonathan, Newtown Pippin, Spencer, and Winesap.  At our meeting we conducted a blind taste test, and….they all were unique!  For almost all of us, Cox’s Orange Pippin was the favorite, with the Spencer a close second.  Though the book’s primer lists the Pippin as a sweet apple, we thought it had plenty of tartness.  Perhaps it was the balance of tart and sweet that was so appealing?  The Spencer was a bit sweeter than the Pippin, but what we liked most about it was its satisfying crunch.  Our least favorite was the Baldwin; our sample was unappealingly mushy.  The primer lists this apple as a “firm-sweet,” so we can only assume it had not been recently picked.  Many older apple varieties are experiencing a resurgence, so next time you’re at an orchard, check out all the possibilities.  You’re sure to find a new favorite!

Once apple tasting was done, it was time to get down to the nitty-gritty: what did we do with all those apples?  The author gave us plenty of choices, both sweet and savory.  As is often the case, most of us went straight to the main dishes.  Four of us made cider-brined pork chops with mustard pan sauce.  The chops, brined in cider, were “very tender,” and the mustard sauce was a nice (if a bit too dominant) complement.  However the whole thing “wasn’t very apple-y,” and the “flavor didn’t match the number of ingredients.”  On the other hand, sausage with braised cabbage and apples had “lots of apple flavor….really good!”  This hearty combination also featured caraway seeds, which are not a favorite for some!  Sweet potato, apple and ginger soup was “good, but not a keeper.”  This was a pleasant combination with a fairly subdued apple presence; it was similar to other soup recipes so it didn’t really stand out.

Some of the more substantial vegetable recipes could almost be main dishes: squash stuffed with apples, pancetta, and walnuts was “a keeper!  Delicious!”  It had beautiful layers of flavor: meaty and sweet, with a welcome sharp note from the Gorgonzola.  Squash and apple gratin was a bit less successful; it was just “OK.”  The breadcrumb topper burned when kept under the broiler for 5 minutes, as the recipe instructed.  Perhaps with less char some of the other flavors would have come through?  A few other veggie dishes were big hits: cider-glazed root vegetables were “yummy….the glaze adds so much extra flavor!”  And parsnip-apple puree was “not colorful but very good…the apple took away the bitter edge of the parsnips….nice balance!”  And should you crave a bit of tangy, salty crunch to serve on the side, quick bread-and-butter apple pickles were a definite keeper.  The combo of thinly sliced cucumber, apple, and shallot paired perfectly with the mild brine and some fresh tarragon. Easy to put together, too.

There’s a breakfast-y chapter and that appealed to many; baked apple oatmeal pudding was “pretty good….similar to others.”  It was “very filling” and would be great for breakfast, or even dessert.  If you’re craving a more elegant start to your day, crepes filled with caramelized apples might suit, though “creme fraiche and maple syrup are expensive!”  The crepe recipe was “fine” and it did make a lot.  A more substantial breakfast option,  sausage, apple, and cheddar strata was unfortunately “disappointing.”  The casserole was overall too soft and “needed more body.”  It’s possible that the bread used was not sturdy enough.  Worth a repeat?

In the baking department, apple pumpkin walnut muffins were a hit with their classic fall flavors and spices.  The recipe makes 15 standard-size muffins, so it’s a good choice for a crowd.  Cider donut muffins were also a hit and did taste just like a cider donut.  These baked treats were “not too sweet” and had prominent cider notes, “I would make again!”  Oatmeal topped apple crisp was “demolished” at a potluck, which is as good an endorsement as any.  The classic oat/nut/spice topper was a winner.  Apple apricot kuchen also went to a party, where it “disappeared!”  This “easy” dessert was “really good,” though it needed more bake time than the recipe indicated.  Apple brownies were also a quick and easy treat.  It was “best when fresh but still good left over,” and earned keeper status.  A very similar cake, simple apple nut cake was much less successful.  Though it was tasty and apple-y when first baked, it turned into a wet mess after a day.  The apples exuded so much moisture that the cake became an inedible sodden pudding. In comparing the brownie and cake recipes (conveniently on facing pages of the book), about the only difference is that the cake calls for 50% more apples than the brownies, which may have been the culprit.  Applesauce is yet another tasty classic that will easily use up any apple surplus you may have; orange-scented spiced applesauce had a pleasing spice combo of cinnamon and cloves, though the orange flavor “wasn’t strong enough.”

Most of us enjoyed this book. Though there weren’t many revelations in the recipe department (it was published in 2014), the apple information, particularly the primer, was much appreciated, and we did come away with some new ideas and a few keepers.  We liked the author’s friendly and straightforward voice; in particular we liked her detailed instructions.  Since this title is almost ten years old, it did not have enough photos to satisfy a 2023 reader, though the photos we had were good ones.  This book has a “revised and updated” version published in 2020.  It’s not much different than the original, though it does have about a dozen additional recipes and some extra photos.  When it came to the votes, we averaged out to a 3.4 (out of a possible 5).  That’s a pretty good score for this group, and reflects our appreciation of the author’s wide-ranging apple knowledge.

Join us at our next meeting on Friday, December 1 at 11 AM in the Fireplace Room.  Please note, this is a combined November/December meeting.  We’ll be discussing chef Marcus Samuelsson’s classic memoir, Yes, Chef, as well as one of his cookbooks, Marcus Off Duty: The Recipes I Cook at Home.  Happy Thanksgiving to all, and see you on the 1st!

Our Bibliobites group enjoys a survey as much as anyone else.  In fact, that’s pretty much what we do every month– we (thoroughly!) survey a cookbook by reading it and cooking our way through it; then we  discuss our results and render a verdict.  So, before we begin a new session in September, let’s take a brief look back at where we’ve been.

I asked group members to send me their top “keepers” from 2022-2023.  For us, these are the best of the best: the ones that have made it into our regular rotations, the ones we get excited about eating the minute we pull out the recipe.  Check them out!  They could become your favorites, too.

Unsurprisingly, our top-rated book of the year (4.4 out of a possible 5), Once Upon a Chef Weeknight/Weekend by Jennifer Segal, generated several keepers.  Among the many highlights were smoky chickpea, red lentil, and vegetable soup (“hearty with lots of smoky flavor….super!”), drunken style noodles with shrimp (“I want to go back to this one!”), bbq soy and ginger chicken thighs (“super on the grill!”), ciabatta pesto pizza (“a go-to for a quick supper”), pan-seared halibut (“the sauce makes the dish…very rich…easy”), and, for dessert, french apple cake (“the rum is perfect…a nice small cake”) and brownie pudding (“rich and buttery, yet light and delicate!”).  It’s worth noting that most of the above recipes were highly praised by multiple people.

Despite the fact that several in our group are avowed non-bakers, Dorie Greenspan’s Baking With Dorie was our second highest-rated title of the year (3.77 out of a possible 5).  After many decades in the cookbook biz, it’s apparent that the author knows her way around a cookie sheet, and a recipe!  Our keepers from this book included mocha walnut torte (“dairy free and gluten free so great for those with food restrictions”), olive oil brownies (“excellent fudginess!”), grain and seed muffins (“really delicious…not too sweet”), and bakewell tart (“tender almond sponge cake, raspberry jam, pastry crust….hit all the right notes for me!”).

Even titles that generated a lukewarm response overall could surprise us with flashes of brilliance.  Dada Eats Love to Cook It by Samah Dada, while squarely in “meh” territory (2.9 out of a possible 5) had us falling in intense legume love with chana masala, dal makhani, and the best dal ever.  Jew-ish by Jake Cohen also garnered a very average rating (3.0 out of 5), but our cooks were passionate about a few recipes: pomegranate bbq chicken wings (“one of the best wing sauces ever!”) and iraqi roasted salmon (“awesome tomato-lemon topper– perfect with the salmon!”).  Moving a bit further down the ratings, Grains For Every Season by Joshua McFadden (2.75 out of 5) also had a couple of well-loved dishes: both farrotto in the style of cacio e pepe (“enjoyed this more than a rice risotto…nice flavor!”) and buckwheat cream scones your way (“rich yet light with delicate buckwheat flavor”)are on repeat, or will be when the weather cools off a bit!

As always, there were titles that just didn’t speak to us, even if they’d been well reviewed by those who probably know way more about food and cooking than we do.  However, in our defense, we actually make the recipes in a book, not just read them and drool over the photos.  Sometimes dishes that sounded wonderful on the page wound up needing more time, pots, bowls, or expensive ingredients than we anticipated.  Some dishes didn’t taste as described, or as good as we’d expected.  But even titles we didn’t enjoy all that much had their moments.  One Pot, Pan, Planet by Anna Jones (2.3 out of 5) had a “sleeper hit” with quick squash lasagna.  Stir by Barbara Lynch (2.5 out of 5) had old fellow marinara sauce, “the one recipe I have used the most this year.”  And from In Cod We Trust by Heather Atwood (1.9 out of 5) two cooks raved about roasted cherry tomato sauce, a zippy relish that keeps well and tastes fantastic on almost anything.

For all you numbers people out there, this year’s highest rating was a 4.4, and the lowest a 1.9.  Our combined average for all titles was 3.05.  That’s very…..average!  Check out any or all of the above titles and see if you agree with our group’s opinions.  And please join us at our next meeting, Friday September 29 at 11 AM in the Fireplace Room.  Speaking of keepers, we’ll be road-testing Deb Perelman’s newest, Smitten Kitchen Keepers.  Copies are available at the main circulation desk or via curbside pickup.  See you then!

Ahh, home sweet home!  This month our group stayed local with Heather Atwood’s In Cod We Trust: The Celebrated Cuisine of Coastal Massachusetts.  This 2016 title takes us on a tour of our very own coast, from Provincetown to Newburyport, New Bedford to Nantucket.  Though Yankee cooking, in its inimitable Rodney Dangerfield way, gets little respect for its sturdy plainness and extreme thriftiness, it’s these very qualities that likely account for its stubborn longevity.  And, many of our local delicacies (like the aforementioned bean and cod) are infinitely adaptable to new ingredients brought by immigrants from all over the world.  So perhaps our definition of Yankee fare needed some updating.

It turns out that the author of this book, Heather Atwood, is first and foremost a food historian and author.  Chapter headings are loaded with information about a particular locale and its residents, and sidebars in most chapters showcase an area’s restaurants, farms, or noteworthy ingredients.  Many recipes have longish headnotes about where the dish may have originated, and/or its variations.  In a way this book is a tempting travelogue; if you lived somewhere else, the charming descriptions and evocative photos might have you booking a flight ASAP.  Unfortunately, some of the places mentioned no longer exist, leaving us only wishing we’d been able to check them out.

The book is arranged by region; for instance, there are chapters devoted to the south coast, or Cape Ann.  At first blush this might seem sensible and even enjoyable, but for those of us actually cooking from this title, it quickly became an exercise in frustration and endless page flipping.  If you wanted to find a particular fish dish (for example), you pretty much had to remember which section it came from.  Why not consult the index?  Good question, and the answer is that the index is the worst any of us had ever seen.  Even if you had the exact name of a recipe, it often could not be found in the index.  Especially in a title that’s not organized by main ingredient or by part of the meal, the index is vital.  So perhaps we were a bit grumpy as we headed into the kitchen– did our efforts manage to soothe our souls?  Or at least provide us with something delicious for dinner?

As expected, there were plenty of seafood recipes from which to choose.  Two people tried  Mondello’s fish cakes  which were a “good, solid version” of this classic homey dish, containing the usual suspects of cod, potatoes, egg, and breadcrumbs.  The recipe makes a good-sized batch, but they aged surprisingly well in the fridge, and can also be frozen.  Fluke (or flounder) beautiful was “really delicious” and visually appealing with its tomatoes, olives, and parsley; a garlicky white wine sauce brought all together harmoniously.  Two cooks took the time to put together cod a braz, a bit of a production involving fried potatoes, braised cod, eggs, and a cherry tomato relish.  The relish was the best part of the dish by far, and would go with just about anything that could use a savory, acid foil.  A keeper!  Molho de tomate was another super tomato recipe that would be terrific with fish.  This easy, long-simmered sauce had plenty of savory flavor from garlic and red wine; vinegar and pepper flakes added “a bit of a kick.”  Fried cod squares with whipped potato, garlic, and olive oil dressing was yet another riff on the fish/potato combination.  This iteration was a bit dressier than most, with an unctuously smooth potato and olive oil sauce dolloped atop the fried fish.  The contrast of crunchy yet tender fish and the silky sauce was almost worth the effort, “I might make again!”

In the shellfish department, Rockport lobster roll was “your basic lobster roll,” which isn’t a bad thing.  This particular recipe includes minced celery, which apparently is against the laws of nature in some lobster-loving locales.  You are forewarned!  Scalloped scallops had a “delicious flavor” with plenty of butter and a nice hit of salt from the crackers.  The called-for saltines did get soggy; a few in the group mentioned that Ritz crackers are a better choice in such situations.  Mussels mariniere featured a twist on this traditionally brothy dish: a creamy, buttery roux-based sauce.  Our cook found this “easy, but too rich….[and] a mess to eat.”  Portuguese spicy shrimp showcased an ingredient that we weren’t familiar with: pimenta moida, a spicy sauce made of red peppers fermented with salt.  It’s not something that’s commonly found in supermarkets, so our cook made do with chili sauce.  Garlic, smoked paprika, and white wine added complexity for a quick, easy, and zippy dish.

There were several vegetarian possibilities: morning glory farm’s corn and wild mushroom risotto was a solid, if not very inventive, choice.  At our meeting we sampled 1874 nantucket corn pudding, a large, extremely corny casserole that did seem “very Yankee.”  This was tasty, but our cook had a few complaints: the dish size called for was way too small, and the cooking time was wildly underestimated.  Mildred justice’s golden puddding was a similar idea, featuring carrots, corn, and squash bound with eggs, milk, and cornmeal.  Ground allspice was an inspired touch that lifted this dish from ordinary to differently delicious.  Leftovers kept well.  Blueberry and butternut squash salad with dried blueberry vinaigrette (this book seemed to have a lot of very long recipe names!) was your basic hearty, main-dish salad; but what really kicked it up a notch was the fantastic dressing, “delicious!”  Kale salad with miso dressing and spiced pecans also had a “great!” dressing, “I didn’t expect to like it– but I did!”  Mango, avocado, and dried cranberries added enjoyable flavors and textures.  Since June is strawberry season in these parts, one cook made rosalie’s chilled strawberry soup, a very pleasant, cooling concoction of wine-marinated berries, sugar, and yogurt.  We sampled this at our meeting and it was a winner!  The red wine was the perfect accent, bringing all the flavors together without dominating.  There was some discussion about what to do with the extra wine (the recipe only needs a cup or two).  Hmm… not really a problem!

Despite the heat, a few people still felt the need to bake.  Mermaid farm milk ricotta and lemon muffins looked unappealingly pale, but they were yummy and tender with just-right lemon flavor.  Can’t judge a muffin by its cover?  Old-time blueberry grunt was also a fairly homely looking dessert, and was a grunt of a different sort.  Most of us had the impression that a grunt is very similar to a cobbler, but this version is more like British summer pudding, in which cooked fruit is mixed with chunks or slices of bread and then chilled.  Though the texture of this dessert was a bit unusual, you can’t go wrong with blueberries and sugar.  And pear walnut bread was definitely a keeper, “I liked it so much I made it twice!”  The chopped pears added subtle moistness and quiet flavor, and the classic combination of cinnamon and nutmeg was the perfect accent.

Despite a few keepers, for all of us, this book failed to impress.  It seemed fairly dated, and many of the recipes (with some notable exceptions) seemed a bit too ordinary.  And there were enough complaints about timing and directions that made us wonder if some of the recipes had even been tested.  While the author’s stories and history are fun to peruse and make for good conversation, in a cookbook we also want stellar food, and for us this book mostly didn’t have it.  And, the annoyances of the book’s organization and the atrocious index didn’t help matters.  So, perhaps unsurprisingly, our rating averaged out to just a hair under 2 (out of a possible 5).  Ouch!  That might be our lowest score ever.

June marks the end of our Bibliobites “year.”  We’ll take a break until September, when we’ll meet on the 29th at 11 AM in the Fireplace Room.  Enjoy the summer, and see you in the fall!

*From a bit of doggerel attributed to Holy Cross alum John Collins Bossidy (1910):

“And this is good old Boston/The home of the bean and the cod,

Where the Lowells speak only to Cabots/And the Cabots speak only to God.”