The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
by Ina Garten, Martha Stewart
|
List Price: Our Price: $17.26 You Save: $17.74 (51%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $9.29 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Book Review: Delicious recipes, great pictures, sensible ideas
Summary: 5 Stars
What a great combination of tips for entertaining, great recipes, and beautiful photos that help you visualize your results! I bought this book because of its approach of doing 95% of the food prep ahead of time so the host is free to spend time with the guests. I was planning a finger-food party and didn't want to spend the whole time in the kitchen. I tried many of the recipes along with some of my stand-bys. The food turned out great, and thanks to Ina's tips about how to arrange platters, they also looked gorgeous. In case you're curious, the recipes I made were: the lemon chicken skewers with satay sauce (best satay I've ever had), shrimp salad in endive leaves (a suggested variation on the lobster salad; delicious), smoked salmon tea sandwiches, turkey tea sandwiches (both good, but I surprised myself by preferring the turkey ones), veggie platter (looked lovely), pan-fried onion dip (to DIE for and the recipe everyone wanted), sun-dried tomato dip, mini maple scones (I've made this one several times now, including for the governor of Vermont!), and sausage in puff pastry. My friends really enjoyed the offerings, and so did I!
One thing to note: it's true that most of the prep can be done ahead of time, as long as you have LOTS of refrigerator space!
Her advice for how to arrange various kinds of platters (veggies, desserts, etc.) was incredible. It really is easy to make things beautiful!
And yes, as others have observed, the Indonesian Ginger Chicken is probably the best baked chicken I have ever eaten. I hated to discard the marinade, it was that good.
I love this book. I have many, many recipes left to try, and based on how much we loved the ones I've make so far, I want to try them all!
Book Review: Is it just me?
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a beautiful cookbook--kudos to the photographer, and such gorgeous photos are always an inspiration when trying new recipes. However, there are some basic problems with several recipes--I have not tried one yet that was done in the recommended time. The Pecan Bars and the Brownies both overflowed the pan size given, and neither were done in the time stated. In fact, the Pecan Bars never did "set" as the recipe said, and was still bubbly after I had cooked it 10 more minutes that the time given, and, after they had cooled, they looked nothing like the picture and they were hard as a rock (I guess because the recipe basically created a hard caramel instead of a smooth custard---were the eggs missing, perhaps?). The Brownies did turn out delicious, even though I had to cook them an additional 25 minutes. The Banana Crunch Muffins were absolutely wonderful, and received rave reviews from the whole family (but I had to cook them much longer as well). The Bean Soup was a bust here--everybody hated it. Also, be warned that the recipe quantities are HUGE, so be prepared to halve them or use them as is for entertaining a big crowd. I bought this book solely because of the reviews given, but I have not had any recipes (yet) that turned out exactly right simply following the recipe. I believe that if the "powers that be" had tested the recipes with home cooks in home kitchens, (since it is being marketed to the home cook and not to professionals only), many of these bugs would have been worked out and Barefoot Contessa could have been a grand slam for easy, wonderful, food, but as it stands now, I have to knock off a couple of stars for lots of recipes that need adjustments to be successful.Book Review: All her books are wonderful
Summary: 5 Stars
It takes a special cook/chef to grab my attention and this is what the Barefoot Contessa does everytime. What I love about this book is the crisp clean photos, clear directions and the fact the recipe turns out as promised. No smoke and mirrors.
Being big fans of vegetables and starting on page 144, there are awesome recipes for a variety of roasted vegetables dishes, which are delicious. Roasting not only brings out the robust flavors of the given vegetables, but roasting is a great way to save on calories or lack of flavour.
The French onion soup on page 76 is the best I have ever seen or had. As is the Rosemary white bean soup on page 83. One of our favorites is her potatoes and rosemary roasted in the oven. Found that one via her Food Network show. Love her Roasted eggplant spread recipe from page 41, because we love and grow a lot of eggplant, almost year round here in California. Love her Hummus recipe on page 46, and its a hit with the most avid meat eater in my family, which goes to show that if the meatless dish has flavour, aroma and visual appeal it will be loved.
Since I make authentic Beef bourguignon I was pleased to see her take on a new way of making it, which is with larger pieces of beef filet rather than with pieces the size of stew meat. Makes for a more formal serving that is perfect for a small dinner party.
Am not a big eater of desserts but do recommend her Peach and Raspberry crisp on page 190 and her Croissant bread pudding on page 192.
Book Review: Beautiful presentation and appealing simplicity
Summary: 4 Stars
We all fantasize occasionally about living the life of the rich and leisured in fabulous places like the Hamptons. So it's wonderful to be able to create the food they devour at their posh get-togethers for our own families and guests. This book is beautifully photographed and its layout is easy to use.The recipes have a simplicity about them that is very appealing. I made the Outrageous Brownies--with all that butter, vanilla and chocolate, they weren't cheap, but the recipe makes a huge pan. And it gave me a good excuse to buy a high quality half-sheet pan from Williams Sonoma! Only a raving lunatic would cut them into 20 pieces as the recipe states. They're far too rich. I cut them into 48, and they're still good-sized brownies that let you know you've been fed. Most of them went to my college-age daughter for finals week, where I'm sure they'll be scarfed down with enthusiasm. Made the Indonesian Ginger Chicken last night. It was a spur of the moment decision, so the chicken did not marinate overnight as the recipe directs, but it was still great and very easy. I chopped the garlic in the food processor and would do the same with the ginger when I make it again. Also note--unlike most in the book, it's a low fat recipe, with no added fat in the marinade ingredients. My meat and potatoes husband loved it, and I didn't tell him it was healthy! I'm looking forward to trying many other recipes, especially as the holidays approach.Book Review: I Used To Hate Cooking...
Summary: 5 Stars
Before I found The Barefoot Contessa I hated cooking. Even after building a new home with a large, beautiful, functional kitchen, I wasn't interested. In fact my oven didn't get used for the first two months. Then a friend recommended Ms. Garten's book and I liked it because it looked pretty on my countertop. Since the day I opened it, my husband says I'm a changed woman. My first attempt at a recipe was Parker's Split Pea soup, which is as delicious as my mother's (sorry, mom) and sooooo simple. If you can use a knife to chop veggies you're 90% there. The Rosemary Whitebean soup (use FRESH rosemary or don't even bother) enticed my neighbor to ask about the aromas she could smell from her yard. I then moved on to recipes that required more focus but are easily followed like Filet of Beef Bourginon (my husband's all-time favorite) and Swordfish with Tomato and Capers with Parmesan Smashed Potatoes served at a dinner party for eight (something I never would have even considered a year ago) where a guest inquired about whom I used for a caterer! Overall, extremely well written and simple to navigate your way through each recipe. Ina's side column notes are helpful personal touches, like why to use Kosher salt instead of table salt. (I had never even heard of such a thing...) The biggest rewards are hearing guests rave about MY cooking and, of course, enjoying the incredible food in my newly-discovered kitchen.