This cookbook was reviewed by David and Karen of Twenty-Fingered Cooking.

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical when I opened up the package from the Daring Kitchen crew to find the stars-and-stripes-and-beer-studded cover of Entertain Like a Texas Gentleman by David Harap staring back at me. Full disclosure: I am not from Texas. I do not want to be from Texas. And, while I do try to generally be nice and respectful of people, being called a “gentleman” just makes me feel old. So, in short, I’m definitely not this book’s target audience.

That being said, however, I can’t argue with good food, and to use a bit of Texas slang I just found on the internet, the food in this cookbook is larrupin’! Harap’s recipes look and taste out of this world. He has a knack for taking ingredients that you can’t possibly picture being on the same plate together, and making the most scrumptiously delicious meal out of them that you can imagine.

First, a bit on the overall organization and design of the cookbook. Each chapter is designed as a full-course meal or spread of food for all occasions, from the “Scotch Tasting Affair” with the guys, to a long, detailed “Romantic Dinner” with the woman of your dreams. Each chapter includes a bit of advice for the meal at the beginning, and gives you lots of space at the end of the chapter to scribble down your own notes on the meal. The back of the book gives complete shopping lists for every chapter, so you can just cut them out and run to the store.

This review was prepared by Katherine of Flavor Profiler.
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When I think of summertime, I think of light breezes, humidity and doing not a whole lot. When I think of summer food, I think of crisp salads, light lunches and cold treats. The Summertime Anytime Cookbook: Recipes from Shutters on the Beach has recipes that look like they deliver – unless you happen to be the one making them. The recipes are loaded with ingredients and preparation. As an advanced home cook, I knew that I could tackle the recipes in this book but I don’t know why anyone would want to in the summer.

This review was prepared by Andrea of New Holistic Guide.
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As a nutritionist, mother of two little boys, and a cooking enthusiast I am always on the look-out for recipes that are not only delicious and easy to prepare, but also provide ample nutrition. Time and again I bump into recipes that claim to be both nutritious and delicious, but fall short of my standards. This is why I welcomed Super Natural Cooking: Five Delicious Ways to Incorporate Whole and Natural Foods into Your Cooking by Heidi Swanson.

Heidi makes learning about nutrition and preparing new recipes from whole foods fun and easy. No matter where you are on your journey toward healthier eating, she can inspire you to take further steps. She brings you recipes from her travels guiding you to distant lands, but will also guide you through the maze of whole food markets. She helps stock your pantry with natural ingredients, and even if you don't have much cleaning out to do, you will surely find new ingredients to experiment with. Once you start using them in the dishes found in the book, new ideas will pop into your head. Heidi encourages experimenting by providing variations for many of her recipes. Who could be a better guide into the world of unprocessed, whole foods than Heidi Swanson, the creator of 101 Cookbooks, one of today's most popular food blogs.

This review was prepared by Recipe Sleuth of Eye for a Recipe.
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The liner note for the cookbook ’wichcraft says it all: “This is not your mother’s sandwich.”

That’s for sure. With sandwich fillings ranging from Chicken Liver Pâté with Fried Onions and Radish Salad to Whipped Salt Cod with Roasted Peppers and Parsley, ’wichcraft is full of unusual and creative combinations.

Even those two universal favourites—PB&J and egg salad—get a makeover. The ’wichcraft version of PB&J mixes butter with the peanut butter to add richness and tops it with homemade rhubarb jelly. The egg salad includes caviar, crème fraiche and chervil.

Written by Tom Colicchio (of Top Chef and Craft Restaurant fame) and Sisha Ortúzar, the book includes recipes and techniques from the popular ’wichcraft sandwich shop the two chefs co-founded in 2003. Inspired by their shared vision that “a sandwich should be a portable meal sourced and crafted with the same intention and excitement as we brought to the food in our restaurants”, the two chefs opened a sandwich place that has now expanded to several locations in New York, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

This review was prepared by Sara of Cupcake Muffin.

The Frugal Foodie Cookbook: Waste-Not Recipes for the Wise Cook is an unassuming little cookbook with a misleading name but some excellent recipes. I think this book sometimes veers more toward the quick and inexpensive rather than true “frugal foodie” territory, but the recipes I tried were nonetheless really delicious! While some of the recipes seem a bit out of place on the basis of “frugal” (pork chops and beef tenderloin instead of cheaper and more time-consuming cuts of meat) or “foodie” (imitation Egg McMuffins), those I did try were well worth the effort.

This review was prepared by Erin of Ladyberd’s Kitchen.

I bet you didn’t know that Chef Laurent Tourondel wrote a cookbook just for me…

Well, maybe he didn’t, but it feels that way every time I open Bistro Laurent Tourondel: New American Bistro Cooking. Chef Tourondel combines fresh flavors in both simple and elegant preparations that any home cook can try. From quick, straightforward recipes to more complex challenges, there’s something for everyone in his book.

Since receiving this book as a gift last December, I’ve tried 11 recipes. For me, this is record-breaking. My cookbook collection numbers about 100, most of which I’ve only used a few times, so making more than ten in a few short months is a good indication that this one’s a keeper.

The following review was written by BC of Beans and Caviar.
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Gorgeously hearty would be the phrase I would use to describe the new cookbook Osteria by Rick Tramonto and Mary Goodbody.

Although the book is touted as a tribute to the homey family style Italian food which nurtured Rick Tramonto as he grew up, the quality of attention to detail is anything but casual. Dishes are beautifully and warmly presented in gorgeous photographs, without appearing overworked. The photographic presentation is not only a testament to the uniformity of theme but the pictures made me want to bury my nose in the book and lick them!

Recipes range from three ingredient dishes with few steps, like Dirty Pears to more involved and complex, such as the Ligurian Seafood Salad.

One of the sections that most intrigued me was the cheese section. This section describes various cheeses, sommelier recommended wines, and simple recipes along with serving instructions. This section would be of great interest to anyone planning a thoughtful wine and cheese tasting.

In Italian households special events in life are always centered around food, and it’s certainly that way in the Soprano family.

If you’re a fan of the famous HBO series, then I can tell you that you’ll probably love Entertaining with the Sopranos more than you did the last episode, at least I did!

The book covers old world influences, but with a huge slant on Italian/American traditions. Carmela Soprano is the hostess throughout the entire book, along with many of the cast of characters who give advice such as, how to do give a proper toast, by Paulie, how to look good in family photos, and even what music should be playing at a party, of course Frank and Dino came up quite a bit!

The recipes cover food you would have at a baptism and graduation parties, showers, receptions, family reunions, women and men only parties , and of course they even included funerals.

Gather up your kitchen, minus all pantry items, and take a journey back in time; the further back we go the less food choices we have and soon we find ourselves cooking solely from our region. Not a bad thing but oh so different from that which we are accustomed.

Back to today and our ever growing global market, we now have before us limitless possibility. For, a world renowned chef, this may not be daunting but for most it can make our head spin. Enter, The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imagintive Chefs by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg.

I hesitate to call this a cookbook, as it is much more a book for cooks!

Back in November, my favorite Creampuff (yes, even more so than the kind you make with choux pastry!) and Lis, my Daring Baker Leaders, asked me if I was interested in doing a cookbook review.

I jumped at the chance, despite the growing mountain of boxes around me.

A few things delayed my original timeline, but I was thrilled to find myself opening a box with a brand new copy of The Barefoot Contessa's new book, Back to Basics.

Now it should be no surprise to anyone who knows me, or who's read my blog for awhile, but I am a Barefoot Contessa fan. (I'm liking my new house, and never want to move again, but despite that, if Ina's house suddenly became mine, I would not say no, I love that house!) With that love of her house, recipes, dishes, etc... I went into this cookbook happy and with a pad of post-it-notes, prepared to find lots of goodies I'd want to make.

I was not to be disappointed. When I had finished reading it, there were not less than 2 dozen pink notes sticking out of the tops and sides of my copy.