Abra Berens

I don’t cook with fruit that often, and was really intrigued by the concept of this cook book. While I have a few recipes for sweets using fruits, I don’t have anything savory. As such, I was hoping this book could help me expand my cooking horizons.

To start, the book is thick. And gorgeous (the photos are stunning and all of the food looks amazing). Additionally, there is a wide range of categories within the book, which allows you to pick how adventurous you want to be. Some are straight forward and only use a few ingredients, while others were a bit more complicated (and might take a few try’s to get a right). All in all, I am so excited about this book… (mehr)

This is an amazing compendium about grains, seeds and beans. Each chapter is dedicated solely to a single one of those with interesting history bits, interviews with interesting people, instructions for every imaginable way to cook said ingredient, plus amazing recipes. As appropriate each ingredient is shown how to boil it, stew it, smash it, fry it, etc... There are also week planners that show you how to cook a big pot and use it all week long in different ways. This book has it all. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy.… (mehr)

This book was received as an ARC from Chronicle Books.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a huge foodie, so any time a book like Grist crosses my path, I get really excited. Grist, however, is kind of a let down. Don't even both reading the intro. It's off putting and is more on why the author decided to include meat in a grain, bean, seed and legume cook book. It's almost like a justification or that she didn't want this to be labeled a vegetarian cook book. Ok, great, but not necessary. Tell us about why you love grains, beans, seeds, and legumes so much that you decided to write an entire book, dedicated just to them.

She then gives a glossary of terms, as well as a cheat sheet on picking great vegetables. Seems more like filler than anything else.

Finally we start with the recipes. Condiments are up first. Very basic, and just a list format. No explanations, no pictures, just the name, ingredients, and incredibly brief directions. In my opinion, this should go at the end of the book, or because of how incredibly brief it, just put it on the page with the recipe it's being used for. It is just a bad way to start off.

And now onto the stars of the books.

She does give an intro which is nice, and even note pages that get into some detail on specific beans, grains, etc. Then onto basic preparations. How to boil, stew, puree, etc. And finally some recipes. I do like the few sections where she shows you how to cook for instance, black beans, at the beginning of the week to eat all week long without feeling bored.

The other interesting thing, are the interviews with a couple farmers, presumably who she bought ingredients from. The only down side to this, is again, it feels like filler.

Overall, it's just okay. Not something I'm going to pre-order, nor something I have to have. If I see in a book store, I might pick it up and flip through it, just to see how I feel having it in my hands, seeing if the layout gets changed up, or the intro edited.… (mehr)

The organizational apparatus (and underlying philosophy around food and cooking) of this book is excellent.

I love the ingredient-focused recipes that encourage the reader to play with seasoning profiles and learn the characteristics of various cooking methods in a way that will stick with them.

This is much more a book of methods than a true cookbook, and yet 75% of the specific variations Abra enumerates look great.

I love a book that encourages play, and her use of "glug" as a unit of measure for oil really says it all, imo.… (mehr)