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.