cookbook critique: date night in

this post seems long overdue.

it's finally time that i actually admit that i'm obsessed with this cookbook 

(if you couldn't tell from my raving recipe reviews here, here, and here).

so i'd like to present to you my very first cookbook critique!

first up: date night in

by the crazy talented ashley rodriguez

who also write the blog not without salt

cookbooks are a dime a dozen. if you've browsed the shelves at your local bookstore you 

know there is a cookbook for everything. pasta, veggies, cocktails, low-carb, 30 minute meals, 

asian-inspired, the list goes on and on. and while most good cookbooks have a theme of 

some kind (in my opinion), not many do it as well as 'date night in'. 

the concept is this: entire meals planned for your next date night in... appetizer, cocktail, 

main dish, side dish and dessert made for two. the book is divided into seasons - fall, winter, 

spring and summer, and has full evenings planned. like 'somewhere in italy', 'by the fire', 

'dinner and a movie', and 'a winter BBQ'. each one of them with unique and inspired recipes, 

with tips for how to make things ahead of time.

i think i've made over 80% of the recipes in this book and haven't been disappointed once. 

that tells you everything right there. here are the pros and cons (in my opinion):

pros:

beautiful pictures

easy instructions

start to finish meal ideas (from cocktails through dessert)

95% of the recipes serve 2 people (which is great for young couples or empty nesters)

nothing lacks in depth or flavor

great everyday food (not too simple, not too sophisticated)

standard ingredients

cons:

definitely full fat, full flavor dishes (nothing healthy about this book!)

hard if you're looking for one specific thing (like a veggie dish) as everything is organized by full meal, not by course

my rating: 10 out of 10

(which is setting the bar pretty dang high!)

summer reading list

just a little round up my favorite book picks this summer... 

there is something for everybody on this list!

what are you guys reading??

delancey

if you love food, especially food in seattle, this is a must read. 'delancey: a man, a woman, a restaurant, a marriage' is a quick read about a couple on their journey to open a pizza restaurant in the seattle area. their journey in dreaming up the concept, perfecting the dough, and finally opening a restaurant were fascinating. it's a combination of food writing meets autobiography, sprinkled with recipes at the end of the chapters. bonus: if you're a foodie in seattle you'll pick up on lots of references to other local favorites... rachel's ginger beer, boat street cafe, etc. even if you're not going to read the book, you should definitely eat at the restaurant. my friends make fun of me because i suggest we go here every other weekend! this is maybe my favorite book i've read all year.

my life in france

truth be told, i started this book last summer, and just picked it back up to finish. it's a collection of short stories and clips of julia's child's life in france. julia is a legend, and reading the story of how someone like her only learned to cook in her thirties is just inspiring! it reads like an autobiography, recounting the beautiful streets of paris, lessons from cooking school, and disasters in the kitchen. i get lost in the pages, and love that it marries my love of both travel and cooking together. a book for dreamers, those who want to be inspired, and those of us who somehow think it's too late in life to follow a dream we have!

beautiful ruins

love love loved this book. two years ago my family took a trip to italy. i'm almost positive every family member was either reading this book or had just finished it. i was a little late to the party, but purchased it at the airport on my way home and was almost finished by the time i arrived in seattle. it's a beautiful and captivating story that takes place along the coast of italy, with characters that were just as charming. it's hollywood tabloid meets love story meets gossip column, but with glitz and class in the 1960s. without giving too much away, i'll just say you should put this on your list.

where'd you go, bernadette?

i'm not really a laugh out loud type of person. i mean... i laugh a lot, but only when something is really funny. most of the time, i'll just say out loud 'oh, that's so funny' (with no laugh included). that's when you know i only think it's so-so funny. this is maybe the only book i've ever read that was really truly laugh out loud funny. like, hilarious. just have never read anything that rang so true, and i could picture so easily. if you love things that are humorous and/or outrageous - this book is for you.
bonus: it also has quite a few seattle area references.

quiet

a fascinating read on the science behind introverts. 'Quiet' reads like a business meets science book (think Tipping Point). the book starts out with a quick questionnaire to determine if you're an introvert or an extrovert (if you aren't already sure). it then launches into the science of the personality traits, the misconceptions associated with them, as well as intriguing comparisons between the two. it talks about the modern day personality ideal and how to harness the power of your personality type. as someone who hovers right on the border between being introverted and extroverted, i can see you loving this book no matter which side of the fence you're on. 

girl boss

most business books profile smart, successful people on the strait and narrow that find success easily in the business world. the people who were smart, studied hard, were well-behaved, and were easily admitted to harvard. this book is a business book for the people who have, are or will take the road-less traveled. sophia amoruso, self-admittedly, did everything wrong. she got terrible grades, shop-lifted through high school, lived out of her car, and then one day, fell into selling vintage clothing on eBay. long story short, her company, Nasty Gal, is now a $100 million fashion retail powerhouse. this book is a quick read, and definitely isn't a heavy hitter, BUT it tells an incredible story of a girl who made something of herself in the most unconventional way. sophia not only tells her story, but encourages the reader to become her own #girlboss. (warning: some foul language)