Linda Tubby

There are great things about this book: I love the basic premise, that we should cook just as well for ourselves as we do for others. However, most of the recipes were complicated - not simply beautiful- and used foodie ingredients specific to the UK. I am not the most keen on going to a specialty shop for ingredients (I take public transit so, trust me, expensive specialty shops are not on bus routes) but these ingredients weren't available to me even at those shops and some couldn't even be special ordered/bought online. As beautiful as the cookbook was, it was impossible for this Big City Canadian to cook from.… (meer)

There are great things about this book: I love the basic premise, that we should cook just as well for ourselves as we do for others. However, most of the recipes were complicated - not simply beautiful- and used foodie ingredients specific to the UK. I am not the most keen on going to a specialty shop for ingredients (I take public transit so, trust me, expensive specialty shops are not on bus routes) but these ingredients weren't available to me even at those shops and some couldn't even be special ordered/bought online. As beautiful as the cookbook was, it was impossible for this Big City Canadian to cook from.… (meer)

This book delighted me with its absolutely beautiful photos of live plants and fantastic-looking plated dishes. They are a bit sophisticated for my regular kitchen pantry, but the author helpfully mentions what substitutions can be made, if you can't find a particular ingredient. Which is nice because she uses a lot of uncommon items like shiso leaves and fenugreek (at least, they're unfamiliar to me). The intro portion of the book has some basics on selecting fresh herbs or growing them yourself, and methods of preserving them. The list of plants tells a bit of interesting facts about each one- where it originated or something of its historically medicinal and culinary use. It has me curious to try a few new things in my garden: lovage, winter savory, tansy. The recipes are sorted into groupings: appetizers, soups and salads, light brunch/lunch dishes, full entrees, vegetable courses, pastas and breads, desserts. Final pages include how to infuse olive oil and vinegars with herbs, make candied flowers, tisanes, syrups and flavored drinks. I am encouraged to try!

The stretched pasta with herbs pressed between thin layers and then quickly cooked, has me super intrigued. It's pictured all over the endpapers. Unfortunately, I don't have a pasta machine. I did make the salmon and new potatoes dish, with dill. It was pretty good, but not spectacular. However I used dried instead of fresh dill, and fresh instead of smoked salmon. Definitely going to make more recipes from this book.

from the Dogear Diary… (meer)