Review: Lucky Peach Presents Power Vegetables! by Peter Meehan

The latest cookbook from the maverick food magazine, Lucky Peach, is all about vegetables.  Unsurprisingly, given the general Lucky Peach culture, this book is not, however, vegetarian, let alone vegan.  There is very little meat in the recipes to be sure, but there is a fair amount of fish products.  There is also a good amount of veiled and not-so-veiled distaste for veganism and vegetarianism.  I am fine with cookbooks about vegetables not being vegetarian, but I find the negative attitude towards vegetarianism/veganism to be unnecessary.  It doesn't come as a surprise, since the general Lucky Peach attitude is rather macho and satirical.  It seems, though, somewhat retrograde to be still making fun of vegetarianism and veganism, given that they have become pretty mainstream diets in the last decade or so.  That being said, there were a lot of fun and innovative recipes for dishes that heavily focus on vegetables.  I also like that the recipes reflect a modern attitude towards what used to be called "ethnic food."  That is to say that there are dishes inspired by food from all over the world, but these recipes aren't ghettoized as exotic or ethnic.  They're just delicious recipes.  The recipes are also fun to read, as there are little irreverent details all over the place.  The French Onion Soup recipe, for instance, includes in the ingredients list the following: "6 C Brown Vegetable Stock (page 128) or some lesser concoction, warmed."  The Lucky Peach people have a lot of powerful friends, so many of the recipes are borrowed from popular places in NYC.  Recipes that look fun/delicious include: Hummus (with miso), Saucy Fried Tofu or Vaguely Korean Watercress-Apple Salad, Buffalo Cucumbers, Zuni Spicy Broccoli and Cauliflower, Roasted Squash with Pipián Sauce, Tofu Coney Island (tofu fries with miso mushroom chili), and McAloo Tikki Sandwich. This is a light-hearted and original cookbook with a bit of an attitude.  I should also mention that it includes intentionally ugly photography, like the cover, which is meant to reference 90s infomercial graphics.

(I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Cookbook Review: Soframiz by Ana Sortun and Maura Kilpatrick

Soframiz is a cookbook by Ana Sortun and Maura Kilpatrick, of Sofra Bakery & Cafe, a Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  This is a gorgeous book, and as you can tell from the cover, the photography and graphic design are excellent.  All of the food is photographed from directly above, and as we all know from Instagram food porn, this is the easiest way to make your food look good.  But the food and accessory styling is top-notch, so the quality of the photographs is great.  In other words, Soframiz makes a great coffee table book, full of gorgeous photos of mouth-watering food.  But that being said, the recipes are totally doable, and very well-written and clear.  The book includes definitions of terms and ingredients that might not be familiar to  most Americans.  I should also point out that the food is Middle Eastern in flavors and inspiration for the most part, but the authors have added their own twists to traditional recipes.  For instance, there's a recipe for "Nana's Pumpkin Bread" thrown in there somewhat randomly, and I far as I know, pumpkin bread is not a Middle Eastern thing.  There are also Pistachio Toaster Pastries with Rose Water Glaze (the fanciest Pop Tarts of all time?), Tahini Brioche, Brown Butter Pie with Espresso Dates, and Green Apple Fatoush.  More traditional dishes like Shakshuka (eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce), Kunefe (a really delicious dessert sweet cheese pastry with shredded wheat on the top--I know it sounds bizarre, but it is so good), Boraks, and of course, Hummus, are included as well, and they all include the authors' special takes on these classic recipes.  This is a beautiful and original cookbook.

(I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.)

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Book Review: Martha Stewart's Vegetables

The newest book from Martha Stewart is all about dishes that have vegetables as their main ingredients.  This is not a vegetarian cookbook, and it is not all side dishes.  There are even a few desserts!  Instead, it is a lovely and diverse collection of recipes arranged by the vegetable that they showcase.  Every dish is accompanied by a beautiful photograph.  Each section (based on type of vegetable, like bubbles, roots, tubers, pods, etc.) starts wth a section that discusses seasonality, varietals, and tips on storing, prepping and cooking.  The dishes are original yet not too complicated or bizarre.  Recipes that sound particularly good are Pasta Carbonara with Leeks and Lemon, Herb-and-Scallion Bread Pudding, Carrot Fries, Twice-Cooked Potato and Leek Casserole, Kale-Ricotta Dip, Kale and Avocado Salad with Dates, Green-Pea Burgers with Harissa Mayo, Cranberry Bean Salad with Delicate Squash and Broccoli Rabe, Garden Greens with Chopped Eggs, Fig and Arugula Crostini, Smoky Brussels Sprouts Gratin, Goat Cheese with Edible Flowers and Arugula, Roasted Broccoli with Grated Manchego, Breaded Eggplant with Arugula and Parmesan, Roasted-Tomato Hand Pies, Pistachio Guacamole, and Corn and Scallion Chilaquiles.  

(I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.)