Ah, the 21st century: We now have a generation that not only knows what sushi is, but eats it by the ton, including octopus, eel, quail egg and sea urchin.
The question is no longer where to go for South American food, but whose is best. Want vegetarian? Got it. Indian? Check. French? Mais oui. Italian? Are you kidding? German, Turkish, Moroccan, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Israeli. It’s all in Denver restaurants. And, awaiting you online or on a local bookshelf are the books that tell you how to make many of those cuisines for your own table.
Increased international travel, the Travel Channel and National Geographic – the channel and the magazine – complement the Food Network, an international guide unto itself.
As a result, we have a world of cookbook offerings that are as much travel guides as they are filled with food ideas. The beauts available this holiday season deserve to be read and used. Some will be as comfy on the coffee table as in the kitchen, but all is not glamour and glitz. There is practical information, a touch of humor and a bit of social consciousness as well. These are the books I’d want someone to give me, and the ones I plan to give to friends. Without further ado, then: The 2005 list, in no particular order of preference:
“Hungry Planet: What the World Eats,” by Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio (Ten Speed Press, 288 pages, $40) is a bargain at twice the price. It is a remarkable book parents can read with their children, an anthology food aficionados can enjoy as social science and that home cooks can also use. More a global anthology than a cookbook as such, “Hungry Planet” shows what a week’s worth of groceries looks like in family kitchens around the world, including the United States. The photographs are wonderful and the narrative is enlightening
“Small Bites,” by Jennifer Joyce (DK, 224 pages, $20) concentrates on what was finger food and canapes before they became hors d’oeuvres, then tapas or small plates. Whatever you call them, Joyce has taken them to a whole new level, gussying up nibbles from around the world with flair, from a Latin American fiesta of foods to Middle Eastern munchies on a stick, Indian samosas and pakoras; Latin American quesadillas, Indonesian satays and all manner of soups and dips. In addition to being utilitarian, it is lovely to look at with illustrative photographs throughout.
“Washoku,” by American-born author Elizabeth Andoh (Ten Speed Press, 328 pages, $35) brings the traditional Japanese kitchen into your home. Andoh, who has lived in Japan since the late ’60s, is a graduate of the Yanagihara School of Japanese Cuisine and lectures around the world on Japan’s food culture. But this book is no lecture. It is accessible, direct and informative. Washoku translates roughly to mean “harmony of food,” relying on an integrative food philosophy based on color, taste, preparation and sensory perceptions. These principles incorporate a variety of vitamins, minerals and flavors while limiting salt, sugar, oil and calories.
“Don’t Try This at Home: Culinary Catastrophes From the World’s Greatest Cooks and Chefs,” edited by Kimberly Witherspoon Andrew Friedman (Bloomsbury, 256 $24.95) First published in England, it details some not-so-perfect outcomes experienced by of the best-known names in cooking. If you think everything turns out perfectly for the likes of Tom Collichio, Anthony Bourdain, Sara Moulton, Daniel Boulud, Mario Batali and Marcus Samuelsson, their personal vignettes prove it ain’t necessarily so. Read what happens when lobster for 3,200 turns out to be unusable; a New Year’s Eve train wreck of a dinner is served so late the diners are sloshed; and the gentle art of navigating an application from a blind candidate who wants to be a line cook.
“Mangoes and Curry Leaves: Culinary Travels Through the Great Subcontinent,” by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid (Artisan, 416 pages, $45) is yet another of the couple’s extraordinary ventures into international gastronomy, this time visiting Bangladesh, India Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, areas we rarely hear or think about unless there is a crisis. This is a delightful and delicious way to learn about this Great Indian subcontinent beyond pestilence and political upheaval.
“Seasonal Southwest Cooking,” by Barbara Pool Fenzl (Northland, 320 pages, $35) is one of those tabletop tomes loaded with stunning photographs of mountains and deserts and the food culture that has evolved from them. The foods of the Southwest are at least as valuable historically as other regional cuisines. Turn to page 13 and there is even a potential December menu – wild mushroom toasts, cream of chayote soup, chipotle-glazed shrimp and pulled pork with dried cherries.
“The Niman Ranch Cookbook,” by Bill Niman and Janet Fletcher (Ten Speed Press, 240 pages, $35) is for the discerning carnivore in your life. The phrase “Niman Ranch” has become synonymous with fastidious farm-to-table ranching that, within two decades, has heightened sensitivity to how we treat the meat we eat. Niman Ranch is in fact a consortium of ranchers across the country that vow to conform to a stiff code of animal husbandry. This book explains why the Niman mystique is so strong. People curious about why the terms “organic” and “natural” hold such sway among chefs and those concerned about the quality of the food they eat should enjoy this book.
“The Best Recipes in the World: More than 1,000 International Dishes to Cook at Home,” by Mark Bittman (Broadway Books, 768 pages, $29.95)is no more outrageous a title than his last major work, “How To Cook Everything,” and no less engaging. Bittman does here what he does best: reduce scary techniques and preparation to methods a home cook can understand. This time he packs a world of information (pun intended) into the 1,000 recipes, complete with useful drawings that show what he tells. So whether you’re feeling French, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Mexican, Spanish, Greek or Polish, you can whip up the international meal of your choice.
HERE ARE SOME IDEAS FOR
That meat-loving boyfriend.
“The Niman Ranch Cookbook,
by Bill Niman and Janet Fletcher
Your own undecided self.
“The Best Recipes in the World: More than 1,000 International Dishes to Cook at Home,” by Mark Bittman
