Piecemeal by Kathryn Pauline and Lidia's Latest ...

PIECEMEAL by Kathryn Pauline describes “A Flexible Repertoire of Effortless Meals in 124 Recipes” and it truly is flexible. Pauline offers a unique method for trying new recipes. She suggests 30 basic components (e.g., caramelized tomatoes; garlicky mushrooms, or roasted grapes) and then, for each, offers an idea for 3 recipes. Of those, one takes 5 minutes to prepare, one about 15 minutes and the last, maybe 30 minutes or a little more. One example is smoky eggplant which could be used in Baba Ganoush, a Ricotta Frittata, and Chicago-style deep dish pizza. Pauline continues to emphasize experimentation by offering easy backup plans, including additional recipes for what she calls essential foundations (e.g., buttermilk biscuits, kale, and almond brittle). Plus, she offers two tables of contents; one divides components by type (e.g., vegetables, meats, sauces, fruits) and lists their potential uses while the second version offers a more traditional division (breakfast, soups, mains, and so on). I am looking forward to trying her ideas for coconut shrimp, turkey spinach meatballs, and cinnamon apples. The accompanying photos are excellent – colorful and appealing throughout.  Nutrition information is not provided, but Pauline stresses fresh ingredients and spans a variety of cuisines (e.g., German, Italian, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Polish, Thai and more).  PIECEMEAL received a starred review from Booklist. We will likely be purchasing this new title for use by our cooking class students, but this inventive cookbook merits a place on your shelf at home, too. 

LIDIA'S FROM OUR FAMILY TABLE TO YOURS by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali offers “More Than 100 Recipes Made with Love for All Occasions.” This latest cookbook from a prolific author will likely appeal to her many fans. However, the recipes do not seem especially healthy. Nutrition information is not provided; quite a bit of frying is recommended, and a fun appetizer like Spicy Crispy Roasted Caulifower still requires an entire sick of butter. Perhaps Lidia’s target audience is really an established, confident cook since other recipes are somewhat complicated (see Asparagus with Lemon Sauce) and throughout the authors assume a level of knowledge and sophistication from their readers (did you know that Grana Pandano is similar to Parmigiano Reggiano?). 

For easier meal ideas I plan to investigate instead 100 Easy Dinner Recipes for Right Now from The New York Times.