Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Dave,

I was using the 2008 "Expanded Edition", this one: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/healthy ... 0781811897 I believe the 2012 edition is just a reprint of the 2008 version. You do not want the original edition.

Huh, I hadn't realized they had a PBS TV show which lead to the cookbook.

Thanks Fuzzy. I sort of figured that it was the 2008 version, since that's the one I saw the most times, but I wanted to make sure, as we all know how updated versions of some books have deleted some of the best recipes.

I didn't realize that was the author in that PBS show several years ago, until I saw a photo while researching the book. Then I thought to myself "So this is who that was!"

I got the book, and I really like it, with reservations. Here are my notes, for those interested in an Indian CB:

Few unusual ingredients are used, compared to other books - asafoetida and white poppy seeds, curry leaves, plus the various dals and spice mixes were all I saw that you would need to get from an Indian grocer or website. Sounds like a lot, but believe me, there are many, many more!

Only one recipe for a spice mix - chutney powder - suggesting brands, instead. This is despite mentioning in the description of garam masala that roasting and grinding your own spices results in a "fresher taste". It would behoove you to find recipes, and make your own.

A cooking method used in many recipes, which may result in some burned ingredients, is when several dried ing. are added to the oil with the mustard seeds, then it is covered and cooked until the "mustard seeds pop, and the urad dal are golden brown". You would need a glass lid to judge this, and burning the whole chilis, often added with these, could easily happen. I will simply use the method from 660 Curries, in which just the mustard seeds are cooked covered, until popping stops, then others are added, and cooked, stirring, until golden - something I do now without thinking about it.

The recipes do look really good! A lot of eggplant recipes, which I will try next summer, with that excess of EP I always get. And a bunch of okra recipes, which I will have two new varieties of.

Dave,

Speaking of which: I don't keep asafoetida around; instead, when I see it in a recipe, I just add a little garlic. Am I missing something?

It's more oniony than garlicky. Maybe a bit of onion powder would be closer.

You're right, Jes, onion powder would be closer. And many recipes with it have onions and garlic, so it probably wouldn't be missed in those. It would be interesting to do a side-by-side taste test.

For some reason I seem to have the ability to locate flatbread books which themselves can be used to flatten the breads they describe. Pizza Alba Pezone is another such; weighing in at over a kilogram, it can be used to stretch the pizza dough you just made from one of its many recipes. The theme of the book is that Alba Pezone, the head of the Italian Culinary School in Paris, got five of her favorite Napoli pizziaolos to write up how they make their pizzas, their philosophy of pizza, and a whole bunch of recipes. Suffice it to say that if there's something about Napoli pizza which is not in this tome, it is exceptionally obscure. Especially since not only are ripieno and saltimbocca covered, but also such exotics as pizza baccala and pizza ciccinielli (covered in baby eels -- yes, really). Also it has sweet pizza.

For the obsessive-compulsive pizza chef in your life. Maybe that's you. Hey, where's Steve?

I see a new book in my life. Not only am I very fond of Napoli pizza (complete with pizza kettle in my back yard), but I enjoy these types of obsessive books written by passionate people. You can feel their love for the subject come through. Books written by generalists are ok, but written by specialists has some extra love.

Paul,

Well, this would certainly be that book as far as Pizza Napolitano is concerned.

Cookbook of the week is Portuguese Homestyle Cooking. This is a serviceable enough Portuguese cookbook, covering all the basics like Salt Cod Gomes de Sa, and Caldo Verde, and all the standards with a few variations. The recipes are clearly written and the ones I've tried have been fairly good, although I find myself spicing them up a bit because Portuguese food can be a bit bland. It also has a good baking section I couldn't try out. Overall, I could recommend this as Your One Portuguese Cookbook if you don't already have one, although I find The Food of Portugal to be slightly superior.

I find myself asking, though: where is the "high cuisine" of Portugal? Every cookbook I've seen covering Portuguese food in English has been completely 100% home-kitchen peasant cooking. Surely the Portuguese must have find dining? What do they serve the king?