From an award-winning food writer comes this intimate portrait of London--the global epicenter of cuisine--with 100 recipes from the city's best restaurants, dessert boutiques, tea and coffee houses, cocktail lounges, and hole-in-the-wall gems--all lovingly adapted for the home kitchen.

Once known for its watery potatoes, stringy mutton, and grayed vegetables, London is now considered to be the most vibrant city on the global food map. The London Cookbook  reflects the contemporary energy and culinary rebirth of this lively, hip, sophisticated, and very international city. It is a love letter to the city and an insider's guide to its most delicious haunts, as well as a highly curated and tested collection of the city's best recipes. This timeless book explores London's incredibly diverse cuisine through an eclectic mix of dishes, from The Cinnamon Club's Seared Aubergine Steaks with Sesame and Tamarind to the River Cafe's Tagliatelle with Lemon, and from Tramshed's Indian Rock Chicken Curry to Nopi's Sage and Cardamom Gin. Striking the perfect balance between armchair travel and approachable home cooking, The London Cookbook is both a resource and keepsake, a book as much for the well-travelled cook as for the dreaming novice.

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Oh London...one of my favorite cities in the world. I was only there a brief time, but it never got old. The mixture of architecture, the mixture of people, the food...and now this cookbook has come home to me and I love it.

The book is far more lovely than the image above shows. Really, I'm impressed with the binding. It's just lovely. (Sorry, I seem stuck on that word today!) While not every recipe includes a pictures, those that do will have you drooling so be sure to put down some sort of protection for those pages. I do have to warn you though that these aren't recipes that you're going to come home from a long day at work to prepare. These are special occasion recipes or for those days when you just want to experiment with something new. I will assure you though that these are not the bland dishes that the British are "known for". They all look completely scrumptious and yes...lovely.



I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.

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Rise and dine! If there’s one meal of the day to get passionate about—no matter where you’re from in this great land—it’s breakfast with all the fixings. Featuring down-home diners, iconic establishments, and the newest local hot spots, America’s Best Breakfasts is a celebration of two of this nation’s honored traditions: hitting the open road and enjoying an endless variety of breakfasts. Even without a road trip, you can re-create favorites that will satisfy any time of day:

Shrimp and Grits, Hominy Grill, Charleston
Croque Monsieur Sandwiches, Tartine, San Francisco
Kimchi Pancakes, Sunshine Tavern, Portland
Filipino Steak with Garlic Fried Rice, Uncle Mike’s, Chicago
Cannoli French Toast, Café Lift, Philadelphia
Brioche Cinnamon Buns, Honey Bee, Oxford
Morning Glory Muffins, Panther Coffee, Miami

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Another week, another cookbook! I just know y'all are shocked to the core! Okay, but who doesn't love breakfast? I go through periods when all I want is breakfast three meals a day...eggs, french toast, bagels, cereal...you name it, it's breakfast all the time! So when an entire cookbook about breakfast and the breakfasts done in yummy restaurants came up in my list, how could I possibly have said no?

Let's start with the things that I loved.  The pages were that lovely glossy finish which makes it easy for slightly messy cooks to carefully wipe down without destroying your book. This is almost a must in cookbooks for me so I was thrilled to see it. The photography in this book is absolutely gorgeous and really helps to make this cookbook a gem in the kitchen. I love that the recipes are clearly laid out and for the most part, ingredients are easily attainable. When you have recipes from some higher end restaurants, that can be a problem.

Now..for what I don't like about this book. To be blunt, it skips most of the country. I did a quick count on the map that's at the front of the book and only 20 states are represented, 21 if you count Washington D.C. This disappoints me. I'd have much rather seen something a bit more all encompassing than 8 recipes from the state of Florida. Surely people in Michigan or Arizona or some of the remaining states know how to throw together an awesome breakfast!

All in all, this is a great cookbook, just don't expect it to be a true representation of our culinary country!




I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own and not influenced by my total lack of juice yet this morning. ;)

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A cozy collection of heirloom-quality recipes for pies, cakes, tarts, ice cream, preserves, and other sweet treats that cherishes the fruit of every season.

Celebrate the luscious fruits of every season with this stunning collection of heirloom-quality recipes for pies, cakes, tarts, ice cream, preserves, and other sweet treats. Summer's wild raspberries become Raspberry Pink Peppercorn Sorbet, ruby red rhubarb is roasted to adorn a pavlova, juicy apricots and berries are baked into galettes with saffron sugar, and winter's bright citrus fruits shine in Blood Orange Donuts and Tangerine Cream Pie. Yossy Arefi’s recipes showcase what's fresh and vibrant any time of year by enhancing the enticing sweetness of fruits with bold flavors like rose and orange flower water inspired by her Iranian heritage, bittersweet chocolate and cacao nibs, and whole-grain flours like rye and spelt. Accompanied by gorgeous, evocative photography, Sweeter off the Vine is a must-have for aspiring bakers and home cooks of all abilities.

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Oh cookbooks...one of my greatest weaknesses in life..from the church paper printed ones to the fancy professional, I just love cookbooks. This one isn't any different.

Divided into seasonal sections, the author has filled this book with fruit recipes that go from the most basic to some quite advanced. Since it appears that Spring is finally here and cherries are popping up in stores and at the market, I'm really looking forward to trying out those particular recipes.

So, since we're talking recipes, let's break down the book a bit...The recipes are well written and easy to understand. If you have basic cooking knowledge, you'll be able to follow along easily and should end up with some scrumptious desserts.

The photos are absolutely delicious and call me to go to the market, pick up some goodies and to bury myself in the kitchen for a weekend. Sadly, life keeps getting in the way of me having a baking marathon, but it will happen!

If I had one complaint about this book it's that the pages are plain paper and in no way wipe-able. If you get something on this one...and you will, after all, you are baking...it isn't coming off. I'd suggest you get a sheet of plastic to put down over top so you can see the recipe, but still protect the book.

After that, happy baking and enjoying the fruits of your labor!



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In her inspiring New York Times bestselling memoir, It Was Me All Along, Andie Mitchell chronicled her struggles with obesity, losing weight, and finding balance. Now, in her debut cookbook, she gives readers the dishes that helped her reach her goals and maintain her new size. In 80 recipes, she shows how she eats: mostly healthy meals that are packed with flavor, like Lemon Roasted Chicken with Moroccan Couscous and Butternut Squash Salad with Kale and Pomegranate, and then the “sometimes” foods, the indulgences such as Peanut Butter Mousse Pie with Marshmallow Whipped Cream, because life just needs dessert. With 75 photographs and Andie’s beautiful storytelling, Eating in the Middle is the perfect cookbook for anyone looking to find freedom from cravings while still loving and enjoying every meal to the fullest.

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Okay guys, you cannot imagine my excitement over finding this available for review. If you read my review of Andie's memoir, you'll know that I already think of her as my soulmate in food. Now, I get to see just what she's done in her own kitchen to help with her weight loss journey and I'm super duper excited! I should say that I was because I have already gone through this cookbook, but the reality is that even after going through it, I'm still just as excited.

(Warning...a spoiler for the memoir ahead...skip the next paragraph if this is going to bother you.)

First, let's start at the beginning...she dedicated the book to Daniel. Now, at the end of her memoir, they were no longer together, so you know me..I want to know what happened! Why? Well, you could say that I'm nosey or that seriously, after her memoir, I felt as if she were a dear friend. Either way, I went to her site and discovered that they're engaged! Woohoo!

Yes, I know that none of that has a thing to do with cooking or recipes or cookbooks, but hey, it was exciting to me! To get back to the cookbook though, let me just say that I can easily see this becoming one of my favorites. It's filled with delicious recipes that all appear to be incredibly easy to prepare. As a busy mom/editor/site owner/fill in the blank, I don't always have a ton of time to experiment in the kitchen so this is great for me! Plus, she included two full sections of more decadent recipes that are perfect for that special occasion or to share with others. Did I mention that the photography makes everything look absolutely delicious and that Andie is just as down to earth in this book as she is in her memoir? I can only hope I can do the same with mine!

My recommendation? The pairing of both of Andie's books would make an amazing gift to someone who loves both memoirs and cookbooks. I can't imagine anyone not loving both of them!




I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.
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From the authors of Shake: A New Perspective on Cocktails comes Infuse, a recipe book filled with fresh and flavorful oil, spirit, and water infusions.

Authors Eric Prum and Josh Williams’ passion for infusing oils, spirits and waters began one summer nearly a decade ago when the two first made peach-infused bourbon. They were awestruck. The seemingly simple process of adding fresh, local peaches to a Mason jar of Kentucky Bourbon, and infusing the mixture for a handful of weeks had somehow resulted in something so much greater than the sum of its parts.

In Infuse the authors share not only their favorite infusion recipes, but also how to use them in food and cocktails, like a spicy chili oil added to a grilled pizza bianca or a hot toddy spiked with the peach bourbon that started it all years ago. With more than 50 recipes for infusing oils, spirits and waters, Infuse provides instructions, quick tips and plenty of inspiration for how you can make delicious infusions part of your everyday.

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Any excuse to play in the kitchen and in my garden is a good excuse to read a book in my world. Okay, a book is a good excuse to read a book in my world, but a book that adds in those other components? Priceless.  Honest to goodness, this is a book that just encourages me to get in there and play which is something that I don't do near enough. I spend far too much time "cooking" and not enough time just letting my creative side flow. I just need to get myself some mason jars and a few of those fantastic taps that they're producing now!

Honestly... if you like yummy infusions, a bit of fun, and kitchen experiments, you're going to want to add this book to your shelf!



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