A Guide to Homemade Sourdough Bread

Making sourdough at home can seem intimidating.  It requires special equipment, it takes time to make the dough, and the skills needed to shape and score loaves have to be learned.  So, is it worth it?  YES.  I do think so.  There is nothing so lovely as your own beautiful sourdough loaves.  The accomplishment of…

Made in India by Meera Sodha

The first meal I cooked out of Made in India: Recipes from an Indian Family Kitchen was Roasted tamarind chicken, and on the side the lime pickled onions, the mint and yogurt chutney, and the Chapatis. I would not usually make so many sides, but these recipes are just so easy and so easily made…

Ripe by Nigel Slater

This lovely dream of a book has been keeping me company for the last few weeks.  Sitting in my yard in Austin, I imagine old country houses and rolling hills, hedges draped in berries and fruit trees trained to climb walls.  The reader is quickly transported, which is good, because every few minutes I’m called…

Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz

When did I first learn about David Lebovitz?  Was it reading his blog, davidlebovitz.com, or was it seeing his ice cream book, The Perfect Scoop?  Whichever it was, it was wonderful, and I was instantly a fan.  Even after being a follower for so long, I can still get lost on his website, spending far…

The Last Course by Claudia Fleming

Interesting seasonal takes on French and American classics, advice on composing desserts, and plenty of dessert…soups!  The Last Course is a great addition to the collections of more experienced pastry makers and bakers.  Written by longtime and very influential pastry chef Claudia Fleming, it has pretty pictures, a clean design, and a focus on ingredients. …

Lidia’s Favorite Recipes by Lidia Bastianich

Lidia’s Favorite Recipes, by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali is a down to earth, no frills, beginner friendly Italian cookbook.  I thought it would be a good choice for our family of five, and that intuition proved correct.  Out of ten recipes made, we were happy with them all.  This is Italian comfort…