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News June 10, 2007
Our sincere apologies to Mr. Edward Behr, of The Art of Eating. He is in fact alive and well and off to Italy for more culinary enjoyment. It appears many news services had confused Mr. Behr with the Paris based foreign correspondent of the same name, and alas we also passed on the incorrect information having read about in several newspapers.
Toronto food writer, Sasha Chapman alerted us to the mistaken identity. She had just submitted an article to the periodical, on the rare Italian cinta senese pig, to be included in the fall issue, so needless to say she double checked to make sure Mr. Behr was in fact alive and well.
Our thanks to Sasha.
For more information on The Art of Eating please visit their web site. http://www.artofeating.com/
Table of Contents
Trip to Montreal and other things
Well off to Montreal I went with a colleague from TheatreBooks (www.theatrebooks.com) to see the world premiere at the Festival TransAmériques of the new Daniel Brooks play, The Eco Show. The play, co-directed with Chris Abraham, takes a look at how one family's inner ecology is affected by the world around them, in a time when the environment is centre stage, it was thought provoking and well worth seeing when it returns to Toronto this fall (read more at the Necessary Angel website.)
 Naturally this gave me an opportunity to eat at Au Pied de Cochon and what fun it is, I can see why we sell so many of Chef Picard's book. Highlights: soft shell crabs stuffed with foie gras, buckwheat pancake topped with double smoked bacon with seared foie gras on top of this and then all of it slathered with maple syrup. Oh my goodness it was.... divine! The signature duck in a can was fun and not too over the top. My colleague had the seafood platter which had razor clams, a variety of oysters, amongst many others, on and on it went, all beautifully presented. I can't recommend it enough, the place was bursting at the seams yet the wait staff had a ready smile and you never felt rushed or unimportant. If you can snag a table opposite the open kitchen or even at the bar in front of the kitchen you get a front seat to the theatrics.
We also flew Porter Airlines from Toronto Island, I know, I know, but if you're fed up with Pearson then I highly recommend this means to Montreal, again inexpensive, friendly, helpful staff and on time flights - you're in Montreal in an hour and fifteen minutes. All the more time to eat!
For those who haven't had a chance to go to the newly opened Brick Works Farmer's Market on Bayview Avenue in Toronto, you might want to go early, ie. 7:30 am., and join the lineup for Cookstown Greens. This is David Cohlmeyer's first foray into the retail side so take advantage. The market opens at 8 am on Saturdays and there is a shuttle bus service from Broadview Station.
We are planning to have Cookstown Greens into the store when tomato season arrives in about three weeks so you can sample their bountiful fare.
Dufflet is set to open her third retail store June 15th in the Beach at 1917 Queen East, just east of Woodbine. She has also applied for a liquor license for the 24 seat cafe, which will serve light lunches as well as her signature desserts. Now, what do you think should be in a Dufflet Martini?
New Books
 The Best Italian Classics
Editors of Cook’s Illustrated
The dedicated (some would say overly so) team at Cook’s Illustrated magazine strike again, this time applying their thorough testing to Italian classics like fettucine alfredo, eggplant parmesan, and chicken cacciatore. If your attempts to whip up Italian favourites at home aren't what you imagined you can count on Cook’s Illustrated to walk you through every step, and explain why their version works so well. Colour plates. Softcover, 482 pp. $24.95.
A Canon of Vegetables
Raymond Sokolov
Common vegetables and legumes like broccoli, spinach, and lentils, along with less familiar items like taro, molokheya (an Egyptian leafy green plant) and chayote are presented in their most classic incarnations. These recipes from around the world will add to any cook’s repertoire. Sokolov presents a short but interesting history of each vegetable with basic buying and preparation info. Hardcover, 248 pp. $32.95.
 Chez Jacques
Jacques Pepin
Truffle and pistachio sausage, pate of pheasant and roast chicken are a few of the “favorite things” which Jacques Pepin celebrates in a memoir- cum- distillation of his culinary philosophy. Complimented by gorgeous colour photos and reproductions of Pepin’s artwork, a book which might have been totally self-indulgent combines charm with a reservoir of knowledge from which cooks, amateur or professional may benefit. Hardcover, 271 pp. $54.00, or a boxed limited edition with an original piece of art, $180.00.
 Chocolate & Zucchini
Clotilde Dusoulier
The genesis of this book is rooted in the reverse of the classic California girl goes to France and falls in love with food story. This time the Parisian girl went to California. Her food affair begat a popular blog and now an absolutely enchanting book. Though diminutive, it is packed with pleasure: for the joy the author finds in her subject; for her tips for the contemporary cook; and finally, for the recipes, some of them seldom seen in other books (pasta cooked like risotto) and others that offer a new interpretation of standards (tomato and sardine club sandwich). Perhaps not so luscious as Nigella Lawson, Clotilde Dusoulier, nonetheless, brings the same sensibility to French food that Nigella has applied so successfully to British and Mediterranean food. Colour photos. Paper, 244pp, $24.95.
 Cooking For Two
James Barber
The recipes here are portioned for two, but this cookbook, first published in 1999, is meant to be more than that. Barber wants you to cook together, to enjoy not just eating your food but making it too. Typical of the Urban Peasant, the recipes tend to be simple and relatively fast but this hardly takes away from their essential goodness. The writing style will make even novices comfortable in the kitchen. Black & white photography. Softcover, 186 pp. $21.95.
 Definitely Not Martha Stewart
Janice Wells
This tale of starting over in the age of the domestic diva is both poignant and hilarious. For all the women who do not have Martha’s financial resources with which to begin anew, for anyone who has talked to her coffee filter, for anyone who has contemplated laying a hardwood floor before aging the wood, this book is for you. Hardcover, 192 pp. $27.95.
 The Divertimenti Cookbook
Camilla Schneideman
Offspring of the family that founded the well-known London kitchen shop and founder of the cooking school and café of the same name, Camille Schneideman celebrates dishes with a Mediterranean or Asian flairpan-fried sardine with salmorejo and Tuscan bread salad, fragrant Thai curry with prawns) while doling out nuggets of knowledge on cooking techniques and equipment buying. Colour photos and Bloomsburyesque graphics. Hardcover, 192pp. $39.95.
 Express Aisle Gourmet
Bill Dertouzos
Promising quick meals prepared with 12 grocery items or less, this is a good choice for those who need a little inspiration at the dinner table but not a lot of time. Lots of classic, homey dishes like lemon chicken, turkey meatloaf, and pork tenderloin will satisfy picky eaters but there are fancy items too, like filet mignon with blue cheese to satisfy more advanced tastes. Colour photos. Softcover, 120 pp. $18.95.
 The Flexitarian Table
Peter Berley
Here is a book that solves the problem of feeding the family vegetarians and meat eaters without cooking two separate meals. Peter Berley (Fresh Food Fast,$27.95) has created recipes for which you can use either a vegetarian or meaty main ingredient: charmoula lamb/tempeh kebabs or smoked salmon/sun-dried tomato croque monsieur. Even better, the recipes are organized into season menus complete with game plan and hints. Bright graphics with colour photos. Hardcover, 342 pp. $39.95.
 Food Made Fast Seafood
Williams-Sonoma
The Food Made Fast series from the famous kitchen equipment chain features the sort of books the home cook will reach for every day with simple recipes and familiar ingredients. The recipes in the seafood book feature varieties found in most supermarkets: halibut, trout, salmon, shrimp, mussels, lobster. Helpful hints include suggested have-on-hand ingredients, storage advice, and general fish info. Colour photos. Hardcover, 111 pp. $23.95.
 Food Made Fast Salad
Williams-Sonoma
As in the other books in this Williams-Sonoma series, the ingredients for these recipes are readily available. These are the sort of hearty salads which constitute the main course of a summer dinnerno need to turn on the stove on a steamy evening. Flank steak, arugula & potato, crab cake & butter lettuce, and grilled summer vegetables are some of the enticing combos. Colour photos. Hardcover, 111 pp, $23.95.
 Food Made Fast Grilling
Williams-Sonoma
Steak tacos with guacamole, classic grilled whole chicken, and pork chops with peaches are a few of the dishes you will want to try from the selection of quick-after-work grilling recipes. One of the books from Williams-Sonoma’s Food Made Fast series, it has tips for successful quick cooking in general plus grill-specific advice. Colour photos. Hardcover, 111 pp. $23.95.
 The Golden Pear Café Cookbook
Keith E. Davis
The Golden Pear Café, a Hamptons’ eatery beloved by locals and visitors alike, specializes in brunch, in the widest definition of the term. From breakfast items to light dinners the dishes presented here reflect almost two decades of cooking at the café, and are perfect for entertaining at any time of day. Beware though, most of the recipes make servings for around 10 people or more. Colour plates. Hardcover, 176 pp. $33.95.
 Italian Baking Secrets
Father Giuseppe Orsini
So much more than a cookbook, Father Orsini weaves a tale about the emergence of grain cultivation, the origins of bread, and the role of baking in Italy before one even comes to the wonderfully authentic recipes. Along with a variety of Italian breads there is a selection of biscotti and other sweets as well as cakes (torte) and tarts (crostate). This really is a lovely book for any baker. Hardcover, 272 pp. $31.95.
 Kitchen Con: Writing on the Restaurant Racket
Trevor White
Trevor White, an Irish restaurant critic, has written a funny and sometimes downright scathing memoir/expose about the grand restaurants of the world, the egomaniacs who cook at them, the thieves who run them, and the pretentious lot who feel compelled to write about them. The book includes an interview with that ultimate insider Anthony Bourdain and covers the ever-expanding rise of restaurants and food in the social consciousness. Hardcover, 228 pp. $32.99.
 Mediterranean Grilling
Diane Kochilas
Grilling and Mediterranean food just seem to go together, perhaps because they are both so invocative of heat and sunshine. Here the two are combined seamlessly in tasty dishes like Breaded Mozzarella and Cherry Tomato Brochettes, Grilled Pork Chops Stuffed with Feta and Olives, Ouzo-Marinated Grilled Scallops with Spinach and Orange, and Greek Lemony Marinated Grilled Split Chicken. Colour photos. Hardcover, 187 pp. $37.95.
 More Grilled To Perfection
Chris Knight
A second helping of Chef Robert Rainford’s barbecue dishes from the License to Grill show seen on the Food Network. Recipes included sophisticated party fare like Port Marinated Smoked Chicken, everyday family fare like Lamb Kabobs, and recipes for the truly adventurous like Smoked Rotisserie Pig With Root Beer Barbecue Sauce. Colour photos. Softcover, 233 pp, $29.95.
 The New York Times Country Weekend Cookbook
Edited by Linda Amster
Featuring favourite recipes from the paper’s food columnists, New York Times compilations are always reliable and often feature the latest trends in doable-at-home versions. What they usually are not is attractive. This one breaks that tradition with the addition of colour photos. Along with current Times writers like Mark Bittman, there are vintage gems from Craig Claiborne, Pierre Franey and Bryan Miller. There is even an essay from the man whose name became synonymous with country weekends: Lee Bailey. Elegant simplicity is the best way to sum up the recipes contributed by a broad range of writers: Mollie Katzen, Diana Kennedy, Nigella Lawson Alfred Portale…. Hardcover, 271 pp. $40.00.
 PeninGuide To Spanish Wine 2007
Jose Penin
One of the great experts on Spanish wine Jose Penin combines a general wine manual with a guide to more than 7500 wines from 2500 wineries. Like Robert Parker, Penin favours a 100 point scoring system with the top scoring wines listed together in the “podium” section. The usual attributes of a good wine guide are here: maps, labels, phone numbers and addresses. Colour and black and white. Softcover, $45.00.
 Savoring Fish & Shellfish
Williams-Sonoma
The Williams-Sonoma Savoring series were beautiful books on the cuisine of a variety of countries around the world, and this is a compendium of the best fish and seafood recipes. With dishes from North America, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, China, and the countries of South-East Asia there are plenty of ideas for those tired of cooking the same old thing every week. Colour photos. Hardcover, 231 pp. $33.95.
 Somebody is Going to Die if Lilly Beth Doesn’t Catch that Bouquet
Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays
Anyone who laughed themselves silly over Being Dead is No Excuse ($25.95), the official Southern Ladies’ guide to hosting the perfect funeral, will find the official Southern ladies’ guide to hosting the perfect wedding equally entertaining. Heck, anyone who has suffered through cousin Debby’s rendition of “My Heart Will Go On” in a church full of orange gladiolas will appreciated this book The bonus is recipes for Southern classics like cheese straws and shrimp remoulade Alas, no photos. Hardcover, 258 pp. $24.95.
 Upper Crusts
Sheilah Kaufman
French toast, that simple, inventive, and versatile way to use up bread gets an entire chapter in this book on using up that extra loaf before it is too late. Sweet and savory bread puddings also get extensive treatment, along with recipes for using up bread crumbs and other leftover slices. Softcover, 246 pp. $25.50.
 Weber’s Charcoal Grilling
Jamie Purviance
Gas grills need not apply in this ode to charcoal grilling from barbecue uber-maker Weber. The basics of getting your fire going and all the fun you can have with the hot coals is covered with useful photographs and detailed instructions, as are the basics of buying and preparing food for the grill. The recipes are inventive but not difficult, and even include great dessert ideas like grilled apricots with pound cake. Colour photos. Softcover, 256 pp. $24.95.
 The Zen of Fish
Trevor Corson
Sushi is everywhere these days, a food fad that has become permanent. Tasty, quick, and healthy, sushi is a global phenomenon. In this fascinating tale author Corson (who wrote The Secret Lives of Lobsters) relates the historical origins of sushi and its meteoric rise in popularity throughout the Western world. Corson also follows students on the path to becoming sushi masters and discusses the biology and natural history of the fish and seafood commonly found on a sushi platter. Hardcover, 372 pp. $29.95.
May Best Sellers
This is the first time we have had mother & daughter on the same best seller list for different books so congratulations to Lucy and Emma Waverman!
- Silver Palate Cookbook 25th Anniversary Edition
Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso
- Cook with Jamie
Jamie Oliver
- Ultimate Foods for Ultimate Health
Liz Pearson and Mairlyn Smith
- Lucy's Kitchen
Lucy Waverman
- Great Food Fast
The Kitchens of MS Everyday Food magazine
- Whinning and Dining
Eshun Mott & Emma Waverman
- Recipe of Love: an Ethiopian Cookbook
Aster Ketsela Belayneh
- Vegetable Harvest
Patricia Wells
- Whole Grains Everyday
Lorna Sass
- Joy of Cooking, 75th Anniversary edition
Recipe
Lunar Rhubarb Cake
 Rhubarb:
More than Just Pies
Sandi Vitt and Michael Hickman
Except for asparagus, nothing else says "Spring!" so much as rhubarb.
This little book has just about every way to use rhubarb: beverages, condiments,
preserves and desserts, desserts, desserts. Softcover, 144 pp, $14.95.
Makes 8 - 10 servings
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups rhubarb
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar, packed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 by 13 inch cake pan and set aside. Beat together 1/2 cup butter and sugar until creamy. Blend in egg and vanilla. Cut rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces. Stir together four, soda, and salt. Use a little of this mixture to dredge the rhubarb. Add buttermilk and dry ingredients to creamed mixture in 3 parts, alternating. Gently stir in the rhubarb. Put into the pan and smooth the top. Blend together 1/4 cup butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over batter. Bake for 45 minutes or until cake comes away from the sides of the pan and the top resembles the surface of the moon.
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