Title: A Baker's Odyssey (includes DVD)
Author: Greg Patent
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0764572814
Recently nominated for a 2008 James Beard Foundation Book Award, A Baker's Odyssey: Celebrating Time-Honored Recipes From America's Rich Immigrant Heritage is the latest work from Greg Patent. In this book, Patent explores and successfully captures immigrant cooking in the United States, learning directly from over 60 home cooks the recipes and techniques passed down through each family. The outcome is a 400 page snapshot thoughtfully preserving more than 130 recipes for future generations.
Patent introduces the book by first explaining his own immigrant past. Born to a Russian father and Iraqi mother, his family lived in Shanghai China before immigrating to the United States. His own immigrant past provided him with the conviction to seek out and document recipes from other immigrant families.
As I flip through the book for the first time, I am immediately struck by two reactions. The first being how unfamiliar the recipes are, which I find terribly exciting and intriguing. So often, the same recipes are repeated and reworked from book to book. Recipes from more than 30 regions are covered, from Australian Anzac cookies to Welsh Griddle Cakes. Each recipe presents me with something new to discover.
Chapters are arranged by eight categories of baked good, including sections for both sweet and savory pastries, as well as 'fried sweet pastries'. As you know, I'm a fan of the fried foods so I find this to be somewhat magical.
My second reaction is the lack of photos. There are two small groupings in the book which capture photos for some of the baked goods, however the majority of the book is in a sepia tone. Since the recipes will be unfamiliar to most bakers, I would have found it useful to have visual context for more of the recipes.
The challenge Patent faced with this book is in the balance of capturing a recipe for his readers while maintaining the recipe's authenticity. Not only did he have to scale recipes down in size, he had to interpret how each recipe is created. Since many of the home bakers measured ingredients visually and worked dough by touch, identifying precise measurements and step by step instructions proved critical. Patent maintains the exact ingredients used for each recipe but provides suggestions for possible substitutions. As some recipes require hard to find ingredients like lard, Patent provides information on how to render lard in case it's not readily available.
Although the recipes are clearly written and easy to follow, there's no denying some of the recipes are quite involved and will be most appealing to die-hard bakers. I felt as though I was peeking over my great-grandma's shoulder as she stirred together a batch of pasty dough. For me, I would likely be willing to make 80% of the recipes.
The accompanying DVD provides visual aid for certain baking techniques and step by step instruction for several of the more complex recipes. I found the process of making strudel dough paper thin and the size of a dining table to be interesting.
Overall, I find the book interesting and recommend it for experienced bakers who seek to challenge themselves by exploring less familiar recipes. And, I applaud Patent for pursuing such a noteworthy mission. The book made me ponder my own immigrant past and wonder how much of my family's baking history is already lost.
To provide my readers with more information, I asked food writer Amy Sherman to share her thoughts on the book, as she recently reviewed it as well.
"While I appreciate the stories behind the recipes, and the amazing research that went into the book, I'm not sure how many of the recipes I would make. Truth be told, I'm not much of a baker. Whenever there are lots of ingredients and tons of steps, I get discouraged. Plus with a household of two baking sometimes feels wasteful. Or maybe I'm just lazy! I think this book is terrific for a more committed baker than I." -- Amy Sherman
You can read her interview with Greg Patent on GlamDish, and you can read more of Amy's writings at Cooking With Amy, GlamDish, KQED, SF Station, and Epicurious.
The 'Baker's Odyssey' Giveaway!
And, I've saved the very best until the end. I know many of you are avid bakers so I figured it might be fun to give away a copy of this book!
For more details on how to enter the drawing, please visit the Baker's Odyssey Giveaway! The contest is open from April 2-8, 2008.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Book review: A Baker's Odyssey by Greg Patent
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Book Review: Dim Sum, The Art of Chinese Tea Lunch
While cleaning my office today, I rediscovered a small yet wonderful cookbook by Ellen Leong Blonder, Dim Sum: The Art of Chinese Tea Lunch
I've been going out for dim sum over the past few years at least 1 or 2 times per month. The practice of dim sum started as snacks to accompany afternoon tea but over time became common as breakfast or lunch, with some restaurants serving it well into the evening. The variety of dim sum dishes varies by restaurant, but there are a core set of dishes found almost everywhere and it's these dishes that the author focuses on for her book.
Contents include:
Introduction
Role of Tea
Steamed Dumplings
Boiled and Pan-Fried Dumplings
Breads and Baked Dishes
Rice and Rice Flour Dishes
Greens and Pan-Fried Dishes
Deep-Fried and Bean Curd Sheet Dishes
Meats
Sweets
Sauces and Condiments
Planning a Menu
Equipment and Supplies
Resources
Bibliography
Index
You'll find savory Pork Siu Mai, Chive Dumplings, Char Siu Bao, Taro Dumplings, and Bean Curd Rolls. For the lover's of sweet treats, you'll not be disappointed with Red Bean-Filled Pancakes, Egg Custard Tarts, or Mango Pudding. There are many recipes, and each is accompanied with thorough explanation and guidance.
This cookbook is the first one I've found that made me realize I could confidently recreate a dim sum meal at home. The cookbook makes a great addition to my collection and it deserves a better home than on my cluttered desk!
Note: Ellen Leong Blonder also coauthored the award-winning book, Every Grain of Rice: A Taste of Our Chinese Childhood in America
You might also like these posts:
Finding a cast iron wok
Exploring Chinese hot-pot
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Book Review: The Ethnic Paris Cookbook
Book review of Charlotte Puckette and Olivia Kiang-Snaije's, The Ethnic Paris Cookbook.
When I think about food from Paris, I tend to imagine typically and widely known French food. The Ethnic Paris Cookbook shatters my perception of French food and is the first book to focus on the many wonderful ethnic foods and cultures also representative of Paris, from Morocco to Laos.
The varied and interesting flavors seeping into the French cooking are attributed to emigrants from former French colonies and are changing the world's perception of how we define 'French food'. Authors, Charlotte Puckette and Olivia Kiang-Snaije, both transplants to Paris met each other while dropping their kids off at school. They both shared a love of ethnic food in Paris and felt a tribute to these foods was long overdue.
With more than 100 recipes, the book is arranged by regions and covers appetizers, main courses, and desserts. The 250 page cookbook offers easy and interesting recipes, each recipe selected and adapted from internationally renowned chefs and local food lovers.
Chapters
Couscous in the Cafeteria
Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia
Bo Bun Business
Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and China
Waiting for Wagashi
Japan
Africa Sur Seine
Cameroon, Senegal, The West Indies, and the Caribbean
The Best Mezze West of Beirut
Lebanon and Syria
Glossary
With source suggestions and substitute recommendations
And although the book does not contain photos, it is colorfully illustrated by Dina Diwan, a Lebanese artist now based in Paris. I hestitated slightly when opening the book, as I enjoy looking at photos (sometimes more than the recipes). However, once I started reading the recipes and background information on the various ethnic cuisines, the illustrations suddenly seemed to fit. The drawings complemented the subject matter and brought each page to life.
In addition, throughout the book you are provided with information about specific restaurants specializing in a given dish or ethnic cuisine. Addresses are provided, so the cookbook serves as an adhoc travel guide to help you find great meals throughout Paris so you too can have a culinary journey.
I decided to try out a Lebanese recipe for Lentils with Bulgar (M'jaddara) from page 218. And although the recipe turned out well, I was disappointed that one of the seemingly key ingredients (1/2 bunch chopped mint) was not mentioned in the directions. I realized this as I neared the end of my cooking and wondered at which point the mint was supposed to be used. I stirred it in during the last step where the olive oil is added.
Ingredients:
1 cup coarse bulgar
1 1/3 cup brown lentils
1/2 teaspoon 7-spice powder
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 large white onion, chopped
1/2 bunch mint leaves, chopped
Suggested Garnishes:
yogurt
sliced cucumber
crushed garlic
chopped scallions
Rinse bulgar and then soak in warm water for 10 minutes, drain.
Rinse lentils and combine in a medium saucepan with 4 cups cold salted water and the 7-spice powder. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Skim off any foam that rise to the surface. Stir in the bulgar and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the bulgar and lentils are tender.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat until soft and beginning to color. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
When the lentil and bulgar mixture is cooked, drain any excess liquid, put into a large bowl, and toss with the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with fried onions and serve with garnishes on the side.
