The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
by Ina Garten, Martha Stewart
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Book Reviews of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Book Review: Best cookbook I ever bought
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this cookbook based on the recommendation of Jennifer Garner in an Oprah magazine. Jennifer likes Ina Garten's recipes because they produce great tasting food without a lot of work but also aren't simplified to the point of being ridiculous. The example she used of oversimplification was recipes that call for something like Cheez Whiz.
This cookbook includes some really wonderful recipes, but it is also a celebration of great food. I urge you to read more than just the recipes. Ina covers the importance of high quality fresh ingredients. The photos throughout the book are beautiful and instructions easy to follow. Although I know my way around the kitchen, I appreciate the photos showing how Ina defines mince, chop, and dice. Ina even shares how to make your own vanilla extract.
In the past week I've made roasted carrots, homemade applesauce, roasted baby pumpkins, fingerling potatoes, homemade granola, and cranberry harvest muffins. Everything has been wonderful. The cranberry harvest muffin recipe itself is worth the price of the book.
Over the last few years, I lost my interest in cooking. This book has inspired me to get back into it again.
Book Review: A Gem from Ina!
Summary: 4 Stars
A great cookbook! I wanted to caution those of you who bought the cookbook that on the "Outragious" Brownies" recipe when she calls for a pound of butter (4 sticks) I just used 3 sticks and they came out fine.
A sales lady at Williams Sonoma had told me she did this after her first batch came out too greasy because of using four sticks of butter. They are great brownies!! The coffee granules in the recipe really intensify the flavor of the chocolate. It makes a large cookie sheet-ful of brownies so be prepared to feed an army!!
Another great recipe is the Turkey Meatloaf. I love ground turkey but decided to use ground beef and see how it would taste-it was DELICIOUS!!! It's such a moist and flavorful meatloaf. The worschestershire sauce and tomato paste and thyme add so much flavor. The leftovers heat up well and taste great! This is a great recipe to couple with her Buttermilk Mash Potatoes that are in her Family Style Book I believe.
Good recipe for a cold fall or winter day when your in the mood to stay home in your sweats and eat some good comfort food.
COMFORT FOOD-Something Ina's really good at!!!
Book Review: delish
Summary: 5 Stars
Just made the shortbread hearts for Valentine's day. Usually I am wary of any recipe in which I have to roll and cut out dough-- but this was very easy to work with. The cookies turned out great. I also have made the French potato salad (modified slightly-- I didn't have champagne vinegar so I substituded red wine vinegar, and I don't care for dill, so I left it out) and it was also yummy. A little too much dressing though-- you could probably get away with halving the dressing. The Indonesian Ginger chicken is often requested by my husband. I guess what the previous reviewer didn't like about the book is exactly what I thought made it a winner. Yes, the recipes aren't all that different-- but should she put goat cheese in her meatloaf just so she could claim her recipes "different"? The beauty of this book is that this is the type of food most people love to cook, but she has taken all the guesswork out of finding the best recipe for roast chicken. Ina has given us a whole book of homey recipes that--bonus!-- turn out perfectly every time. The search is over for best recipes for familier food. That's why I love this book so much.Book Review: magnificent
Summary: 5 Stars
I had people for dinner a few nights ago, and no one can stop talking about the wonderful results. I tried the Indonesian Ginger Chicken, and it sure was tasty. I followed her easy directions, and marinated the chicken overnight-- which is a real lifesaver, since you're not in the kitchen, seasoning, while everyone else is gossiping in the living room. I love recipes where you can prepare ahead, and just pop them in the oven when you want to eat. That seems to be the focus of Ina's book-- have fun with whomever you're entertaining, while a scrumptous meal cooks in the oven. The only thing I would do differently with the Ginger chicken is to buy pre-minced garlic and ginger. Doing it yourself takes forever because of how much is called for in the recipe. All in all, I think this book is terrific, and I've read through each recipe many times, simply imagining the tastes and looks of the food. It's so well put together, and I think Ina owes much of the book's success to the wonderful photography. This is the kind of cookbook you pick up to read just for fun, even if you're not planning to use it that day. Great job! Buy this now!Book Review: Ava Gardner would have approved!
Summary: 5 Stars
This lavishly illustrated volume containing many stunning full-color photographs of finished dishes as well as locally grown produce strives for elegant simplicity and proves that good food need not be complicated. The dishes described are not difficult to prepare and require no special expertise or equipment. The author provides clearly written recipes that call for widely available ingredients. She knows that even standard dishes can benefit from fresh thinking and encourages inventiveness in the kitchen. This book would make a lovely gift for anyone who likes to entertain simply, naturally, and with style.Another book that I highly recommend is Sonia Uvezian's masterpiece, "Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen," which has to be one of the greatest ethnic cookbooks ever written. It too inspires innovation and brims with magnificent recipes suitable for entertaining that have consistently brought me raves from both family and guests. Uvezian's recipes for hummus with red pepper paste and for pomegranate wine punch are just two of the hundreds in her book that will bring you fame as a cook.