Day 326: Inglewood Pizza
We totally ordered Inglewood pizza tonight. Here’s my rationale:
I didn’t get home from teaching a class in Red Deer until around 12:30 last night, having left 9 hours earlier, and then had to unload and brush my teeth and do my blog post, getting me to bed well after 1am with my alarm set for 5:30am to get up and go make 12 kinds of sausage at our Eyeopener tailgate party this morning. (I’m not complaining; it was fun.) I didn’t manage to catch a nap between the morning show and going back to CBC at 2 to do traffic on the Homestretch, powered by Tootsie Rolls and coffee (note to self: not good to have before going on the air). I thought I was riding my seventh or eighth wind when really I stumbled through my traffic reports as if I were slightly intoxicated – which lack of sleep has been compared to, except that going out for drinks if I recall correctly is much more fun than not sleeping.
After work I went to collect Comox, the Rhodesian ridgeback puppy about the same size (70 pounds) and age (8 months) as Lou, who is spending the weekend with us. I could not have brought Lou home a better gift. (We may very well not have a house anymore in a couple days; they have not stopped for the past 4 hours. I can’t find their off switches.) I didn’t get home until close to 7, with no dinner plan or much brain function, two adolescent dogs meeting for the first time and a naked three year old running in circles going AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!
It was either pizza or cereal. Mike made the executive decision.
I figured a photo of my pizza was not as interesting as this shot I took of bacon a few weeks ago, when I did the Great Bacon Experiment.
It really wasn’t that great, but surprising, and I wanted to share it with you. Back at Halloween when I made bacon caramel corn and bacon brittle for the Eyeopener, I had occasion to buy two packs of bacon and cook a lot at once. I baked it, as I usually do – bacon fits more easily onto a baking sheet than in a round pan, and doesn’t spatter (you, anyway) in the oven. (And if you want, you can sprinkle your almost-cooked bacon with brown sugar or maple sugar and a grinding of pepper as you finish baking it.) So I bought a package of no-name bacon from the Superstore, and a package of Schneider’s bacon, just to see. The above photo illustrates both kinds, baked on a sheet together. Guess which is the no-name.
Mike scoffed when he saw it, thinking that of course the deformed, shriveled pieces on the right were so obviously the generic brand. Nope. The no-name bacon cooked up in lovely strips with little shrinkage, while the Schneider’s did not. Just goes to show you that buying generic products isn’t always a bad thing.
November 21 2008 11:45 pm | eating out
jen on 22 Nov 2008 at 7:13 am #
all of the books look fabulous. i am a total cookbook addict myself and also have stacks of them lying around the house for my reading pleasure and for inspiration. i have to confess, i did not make dinner myself last night, my husband and i were the lucky recipients of dinner theatre tickets that our friend could not use, so lucky us! we got to partake in numerous salads, roast beef, turkey, a wide array of seafood and really, really good perogies (my favorite part of the evening).
Jenn on 22 Nov 2008 at 7:23 am #
The books look great! Supper last night was mashed potatoes and sausages (my boy is on a real mashed potato kick lately).
Dana McCauley on 22 Nov 2008 at 7:33 am #
Interesting bacon results 0 thanks for sharing.
Hope you catch up on your rest this weekend!
Looking forward to seeing you in just a little over a week. : )
Jan on 22 Nov 2008 at 7:37 am #
Thanks for the info on the bacon test.
We had homemade corn chowder. The books look great!
Cindy on 22 Nov 2008 at 7:47 am #
It is, as my husband calls it “Fend For Yourself Friday”. Who on earth cooks
on Fridays? Unknown fact about Red Deer: it is illegal to cook a meal on a Friday.
Love your website….
supersu on 22 Nov 2008 at 8:00 am #
i am a no name fan too! i am not surprised in the least about the bacon!!!! my tip: i just dont tell anyone that it is no-name and they all gush….if they see a wrapper in the garbage then it’s all of a sudden not as good????? people are strange!
i too just read cookbooks….does that fall into the ‘people are strange’ catagory? just saying…….
Avery from the block on 22 Nov 2008 at 8:20 am #
I buy no-name bacon every time, unless I specifically require “maple-glazed”, etc… which you just proved you can make yourself, so that’s that. Would a no-name pig look any different from a Maple Leaf pig? Hmmm…
Anyways, we had meatloaf sandwiches last night; I usually never make meatloaf with a glaze, but Mike started whining (its how his Mom makes it), so I tried your recipe… yummy! (Honestly, I’m not sucking up ; )
ladyloo on 22 Nov 2008 at 8:24 am #
Mmmm, cookbook-licious.
I’m finding buying generic to be not as bad as I thought it would be. And my wallet is a lot happier.
Annalise on 22 Nov 2008 at 8:54 am #
I managed to clear away a lot of old, unused (and unwanted) cookbooks last year–why not start replacing them with something better?
Your cookbooks have made me many friends here at school. My roommates love it when I start with cookies and brownies. I also enjoy adapting the crumb cake for a vegan friend-I enjoyed it just as much as I always do!
Fiona on 22 Nov 2008 at 9:55 am #
Those cookbooks look amazing (Entertaining with Booze? I can get behind that.)
Last night I was supposed to meet some friends at Aida’s, but we all forgot to make a reservation, so we ended up eating fabulous sushi at Hana, down the street. Edamame, gyoza, tuna belly, yam tempura rolls, green tea ice cream, and, uh, lots of wine.
Pat on 22 Nov 2008 at 10:18 am #
Julie, you certainly have taught all of us the power of commitment and intention. No matter what else is going on in your life, you still write your blog everyday! Thank you!
Dinner was spaghetti sauce and whole grain Angel Hair pasta.
My friends and I always have appetizer parties, so sure would like some more recipes. We all have your “Grazing” book!
Sarah on 22 Nov 2008 at 10:24 am #
The bacon doesn’t shock me – I have very few brand loyalties and they’re usually for sauces or spice mixes (and occasionally my loyalty is to the no-name product!). My only no-name issue is the products that are really inconsistent, particularly the no-name coffee, you never know what you’ll get. I don’t cook much out of cookbooks but I love them for inspiration and Entertaining With Booze just sounds awesome!
Nicole on 22 Nov 2008 at 10:24 am #
Oh I just love cookbooks too. However, I notice I tend to use the same ones over and over again. Regardless they’re a great read.
Oh our dinner last night was awesome! We hit Farm, it was fun and delicious and very enjoyable. We went for the Chop Board loaded with 3 cheeses and 3 meat varieties. (LOVE that Beef Firecracker sausage). We followed with the salad special and accompanied it all with a good Pinot Noir and Belhaven Ale. Dessert was a White Chocolate Creme Brulee for 2 but honestly I could have scarfed that whole thing down solo.
Larissa on 22 Nov 2008 at 10:36 am #
OOOOO! those look lovely! especially the one about cooking with booze… haha. Lets see, last night i had leftover chicken-noodle soup which my mom had made earlier in the week. perfect for a university student who is currently fighting off the typical end-of-term cold. chicken soup always works!
Kirsten on 22 Nov 2008 at 11:08 am #
Dinner last night was “homemade” (using precooked chicken, frozen mixed veg, cream of chicken soup and a pilsbury refrigerated pie crust) chicken pot pies. The cranberry relish on the side was genuiely made from scratch, albeit it came out of the freezer.
Ellen on 22 Nov 2008 at 11:19 am #
Dinner last night was eaten out– vietnamese chicken curry. We were going to do homemade pizza, but by the time we got home, we were as exhausted as you!
KelleyK on 22 Nov 2008 at 11:19 am #
The bacon from COSTCO is very good. I think it is alder-smoked. Unfortunately, it is hit-or-miss whether they have it in stock, but I’d recommend trying it if you see it there.
Amber on 22 Nov 2008 at 11:50 am #
It’s interesting that you did a bacon test, we were just talking about doing that for a family science project. ( No we don’t do family science project on a regular basis, just so you don’t think we are some weird family)But we have a love for a local butchers bacon, his bacon is so good, even my 6 year old knows the difference between store bought and Vik’s. We thought we would do the same think and then weigh the different bacons after cooking and find out which actually has better value.
Anyway, would love to win any of those books!
Elaine on 22 Nov 2008 at 11:54 am #
It seems to me that while some people CAN actually power through those insanely long days without a lot to eat, I am not on that list. My “hangriness” (hunger/anger) overwhelms me and I find myself shaking my fists at bus drivers and the elderly.
Those cookbooks do look stellar, though. Maybe the photos would diffuse any excess “hanger” that I’m feeling…
Marilyn on 22 Nov 2008 at 12:06 pm #
I totally understand cookbook addiction! If people can collect stamps, coins, etc., why not cookbooks? My oldest cookbook is a 1905 Blue Ribbon cookbook that starts with the following quote attributed to Lord Lytton:
We may live without poetry, music, or art;
We may live without conscience, and live without heart;
We may live without friends; we may live without books;
But civilized man(?) cannot live without cooks.
Dinner last night was spaghetti and tomato sauce (sauce from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything).
liza on 22 Nov 2008 at 12:11 pm #
last night was your homemade pizza dough (it’s a near weekly thing!)with whatever bits i managed to harvest from the fridge (mostly broccoli).
Debra on 22 Nov 2008 at 12:48 pm #
Hi Julie,
New question for the treat of the week? This means I win…cause everyone else is still answering the old question!!! Yahoo!!
My favorite cookbook, at least for the past couple of years, is Mark Bittman’s, “How to Cook Everything”. He’s just released the 10 anniversary edition, but I have the original and use it all the time. I often tweek a recipe (what needs using up in the fridge?), but it’s a great basic book, with variations on many of the recipes. The modern Joy of Cooking, I suppose.
Debi
Cheryl on 22 Nov 2008 at 12:56 pm #
Ooh, good question. I have too many to pick one that I cook from a lot… But as it is winter now I’ve pulled out an old standby called “Cold Weather Cooking” that I stole (yes, I said that) from a caterer I used to work for. I’ve also been having lots of fun reading “The Old Nova Scotia Cookbook” I got from my Hubby’s grandfather – how to skin an eel anyone?. And just yesterday I picked up “The Cook’s Country Cookbook” at Costco. Seriously, I have a bit of a geek crush on Christopher Kimball.
charlo on 22 Nov 2008 at 1:14 pm #
My favorite cookbook has to be my dog-eared Betty Crocker circa 1960 !! It is so worn out there are pages I can barely read, but I need it for references for just basic how tos.One would think after cooking for 50 years I wouldn’t need it,but I do!!..Have you ever bought the bacon at Polcan Market on Fairmount drive?? Delish and cheaper then the name brands>>>>>..
Tagyn on 22 Nov 2008 at 1:17 pm #
I too like reading cookbooks and I pick out things that I think I would like. I just need to talk my husband into making the recipes for me!!
mmac on 22 Nov 2008 at 1:26 pm #
Favourite cookbook? That’s a tough one. I have many. And lots piled beside the bed. Most all round, most used? Probably Chatelaine from a couple of decades ago. Grazing, which was a gift from a couple of friends when it was first published is well worn too (not sucking up, I swear!). Recent acquistion, the Rebar cookbook from the restaurant of the same name in Victoria. And that’s just scratching the surface. Oh, and while not a cookbook, scads of Lucy Waverman’s columns snipped from the Globe over the years.
margaret on 22 Nov 2008 at 1:28 pm #
I think my most well used cookbook is The (All New) Joy of Cooking, as an all purpose guide and reference book. Other favourites are by Donna Hay, Jamie Oliver, and Nigella Lawson.
Anonymous on 22 Nov 2008 at 1:39 pm #
I have to agree with The Joy of Cooking; I have the revised edition from 1997. It is sticky, floury, and sauce stained, and it is still my favourite. I thought I was the only one who started reading Canadian Living as a child! that magazine is a big part of the reason I enjoy cooking so much.
robyn on 22 Nov 2008 at 1:47 pm #
I must show Keith your bacon experiment. Being cheap, I always buy no-name. Keith does not.
Last night’s dinner was Crazy Mike’s frozen pizza (LOVE that stuff) and ketchup chips. I’m embarrassed that the world now knows.
Anita on 22 Nov 2008 at 2:34 pm #
I can’t say that I have a favourite cookbook only because I never completely follow a recipe. Aren’t recipes just guidelines anyway???!! I do love cookbooks though as I get lots of ideas from them and they make me hungry looking at the pictures. However, I also like variety so I like to try recipes from as many cookbooks as possible. In my collection, I have the Moosewood cookbook, More with less, Crazy plates and tons of Indian cookbooks, also cut out recipes from newspapers, magazines etc.
Thanks for all the meal ideas…
Colleen on 22 Nov 2008 at 2:51 pm #
Hmmmmmmm, those cookbooks look intriguing! I love reading them. My old reliable standby would be the Best of the Best (I and II) Best of Bridge. Also like Crazy Plates. Pan fried chicken breasts and roasted cauliflower for dinner last night.
Melanie on 22 Nov 2008 at 3:15 pm #
I, too, prefer to read cookbooks over most anything else… I love food blogs and my boss gives me a hard time (she does laugh at me) as everytime she comes in my office I am printing off a recipe… best use of company time? When my colleagues benefit it sure is!!!
I have a few favorite cookbooks that I always turn to in a pinch:
1. Grazing (this is not to suck up – my family always LOVES it when ‘Julie’ cooks dinner for us!)
2. My work-made, colleague contributed cookbook called “A Labour of Love” – we were all labour and delivery nurses and everyone knows – nurses are great cooks!!!
3. Any of the three Giada DeLaurentiis books
4. Barefoot Contessa (I have two – can’t remember their names, pink one and orange one!)
5. Bonnie Stern’s Essentials of Home Cooking
Sigh – I love cookbooks!
P.S. For dinner last night we had your Pork Satays (stirfried) with couscous and veggies. Not a left over in sight! Even the two year old gulped it back (with ‘techup’ of course!!!)
Emma on 22 Nov 2008 at 3:29 pm #
“I used to read Canadian Living when I was a kid – in fact, in elementary school I wanted to be the Food Editor of Canadian Living magazine. Quite a food nerd was I.”
That sounds a lot like me, except you would have to replace Canadian Living with with cookbooks in general (but it all started with Martha Stewart). I’m now fifteen, and I love cooking and baking especially. I get so stressed out from school during the week, and then on the weekend I spend hours baking and sometimes cooking. Somehow, baking is therapeutic for me.
I just discovered your blog when my mom told me about seeing you at JPL.
Anyways, my best used cookbook is a three-way tie:
-For main meals: Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentis
-For breakfast: The Good Enough to Eat Breakfast Cookbook by Carrie Levin
-For cookies: One Smart Cookie (this is not a suck up! Although I did make your carrot cake cookies and lemon bars this morning and they are almost all gone now.)
Jackie on 22 Nov 2008 at 3:39 pm #
Julie — love your blog! I too am a cookbook addict who has a stack by my bedside! My favorite — it would have to be “The Best 150 American Recipes” (Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens) — interesting and unique recipes that always work and a close second “The New Best Recipe” (Cook’s Illustrated)because its got everything.
Cathy D on 22 Nov 2008 at 3:41 pm #
Okay this is NOT intented to just be blate4nt flattering
…but I cook from your posts ALOT!!
It’s true!!!remember when you were by that day and came up to my office and the blog was open on my screen!!?!?!? A shrimp recipe I believe.
Also, I am a Donna Hay fan. I have probably 6 of her recipe books.
Cheers
Cathy
Joni on 22 Nov 2008 at 3:47 pm #
Last night we had baked mushroom pasta using a Nigella recipe and it was great. We added peas and had cooked carrots on the side.
I love my Barefoot Contessa, Canadian Living, and Joy of Cooking books. My biggest go-to books are my Grazing and One Smart Cookie books though (I honestly use them all the time). I’m bringing squares to a brunch tomorrow and I’m just flipping through OSC now deciding what to bring…
Lisa on 22 Nov 2008 at 3:57 pm #
You certainly didn’t sound drunk during the traffic reports! When my hubby (another Mike) heard you doing the afternoon traffic, he said “Didn’t she do the tailgate party this morning at 5 am?!?”. You are one crazy lady, Julie!
My go-to cookbooks right now are Sandi Richard’s Cooking for the Rushed series (I have all but the original one). I also love Anne Lindsay’s light cooking cookbooks as well as the Dietitians of Canada cookbook. I hoping to see my sister soon so I can start reading One Smart Cookie (just in time for the holidays!) and I think I’ll put Grazing on my Christmas wish list!
We had your sloppy joes for supper last night. YUM!
Jaclyn on 22 Nov 2008 at 4:14 pm #
Interesting notes about the bacon; I love finding out that the generic brand is just as good (or better) than name brand. Thanks!
I LOVE cookbooks – I read them like novels actually. I have tons, and reference them often, but my most well used cookbook is a compilation of recipes from my Mom that I grew up on…I typed up all of our family favourites one summer and put them in a 4 inch binder. Can’t beat the childhood classics! In terms of actual publicly available cookbooks, I really like Eat, Shrink, and Be Merry for main dishes and, of course, One Smart Cookie for baking ideas!
Rosemary on 22 Nov 2008 at 4:38 pm #
Ahhh, I love cookbooks too! Lately I’ve been getting them from the library. That’s how I discovered Grazing which is one of my faves! The books I use most are Anne Lindsay’s Lighthearted Series from the 1990s. They’ve been mainstays for baking and entertaining over the years.
Amy on 22 Nov 2008 at 4:59 pm #
My favourite cookbook is the Joy of Cooking – it’s the one that I go to when I don’t know what to do with something!
sue d. on 22 Nov 2008 at 5:05 pm #
fave books have evolved…used to be James Beard, then Silver Palate New Basics, now Grazing (most thumbed for years owned!) and Nigella’s Feast. Unless dessert is needed, then it’s Classic Home Desserts by Richard Sax, given to me by the most amazing friend!
evelyn on 22 Nov 2008 at 5:07 pm #
One smart cookie! Best cookbook for kids, since we always want to make cookies.
Jessica on 22 Nov 2008 at 5:59 pm #
Love the blog. I look forward to it everyday.
Dinner tonight was thai peanut stirfry followed by our 2 1/2 year old wedding cake (it needed to be purged from the freezer to make room!)
kelly on 22 Nov 2008 at 6:06 pm #
i second the notion that you are a trooper! you need a good size medal for the things you get up to in one day!
My favourite cookbook (bible) is one from Australia, called The Cook’s Companion by Stephanie Alexander. Suffice to say, the book has been incredible in helping me understand about ingredients. If you ever get your hands on it, grab it. you’ll love it.
I don’t have it on my bedside table, but I totally understand having a cookbook there!
Christine on 22 Nov 2008 at 6:10 pm #
So I did a search on peanut brittle and your blog came up, now I am doing a peanut brittle for a christmas exchange, and now wonder should i make yours. It just sounds weird, bacon and peanut brittle but I will try it!!
As for supper tonight, we had salmon with lemon and butter, corn and roasted baby potatoes, it was ok, but always look forward to new recipies. It was a nice surprise to find your site and read that you live in Calgary. Now I know, that whatever you eat I can get those ingredients here at home. All of your entries sound very appealing. I look forward to reading more!
And the cookbooks, well the appetizer one sounds great, I am having my first annual christmas party at our home and need some ideas!
Ellen on 22 Nov 2008 at 6:54 pm #
Whoops, answered the wrong question! My favorite books probably have to be Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything,” as it was one of the first that prompted an interest in cooking for me. I love the simplicity and adaptability of his recipes. I have read his “The Best Recipes in the World” cookbook like a novel.
AnotherDeb on 22 Nov 2008 at 6:57 pm #
Hi Julie -
Amazing memories you jog for me — those exotic food ads on the back of the Archie comics — wow! Like you, I love to read cookbooks, and have a huge collection, but seem to try new things more from the web, the paper etc these days. Still love my old favourites though — the Edna Stabler Food that Really Smecks series, the Laura Secord Canadian Cook Book, the Best of Bridge titles for tried an true favourites.
Tiana on 22 Nov 2008 at 7:06 pm #
My favorite/most used cookbook is one that my mother-in-law gave me for my birthday the first year my husband and I were married. It is titled “Palmer Family Favorites.” It is a compilation of my husband’s family recipes, and most of the meals we have regularly come from it. I’m from California, while my husband is from Alabama, so I had no idea what to cook for him (as it turns out he likes everything, but ‘everything’ is not a good enough answer for a new wife wanting to please her husband). So this one little book has saved me from much stress and has brought me closer to my husband and my in-laws through food (which happens to be one of my favorite ways to be brought closer to someone).
all that said, i could always use/love a new cookbook (or two) because i too love reading them as you do.
I don’t know if you are still wanting to know dinners, we had takeout pizza…but last night we had steak fajitas w/guacamole and chips….guacamole is one of my favorite foods…I definitely could’ve eaten just that (with a spoon).
Margie S. on 22 Nov 2008 at 7:20 pm #
I swear I’m not writing this for you to feel compelled to pick me, but honestly, my most well-used cookbook right now is your “Grazing” cookbook. Ever since my sister told me about it I’ve pretty much been using it exclusively. See, I too am a fan of baking and sweets, so I love the fact that many of your offerings are lower fat alternatives. Without a doubt, your book and website are my most well-used sources for recipes at present!
Anne on 22 Nov 2008 at 7:25 pm #
Julie no need for you to justify take out after a day like that one!
I too am a cookbook addict I read them like one would read a novel no saying how many I have in my collection. And then of course there are all the recipes I download from the internet. My biggest problem is getting around to trying them out.
Dinner after a drive to Rocky my mom had picked up sushi from the local grocery store (nothing like you would get in Calgary) and then a roasted chicken and salad. Take out of sorts!
Rhonda on 22 Nov 2008 at 7:27 pm #
I love cookbooks!! I also read cookbooks and very rarely use the recipes. If I do use a recipe, I often change something in it.
Dinner last night was pork souvlaki skewers, greek salad and toasted pita bread with taziki!!
Margaret on 22 Nov 2008 at 8:28 pm #
My favorite has to be the Best of Bridge. When I got married my only aunt living in Calgary gave me the 1st one, back 41 yrs. ago. Whenever a new one arrived from those gals in Calgary I got another. To date, I have them all, and now that my hubby is learning to cook, I tell him that “anything” out of any of those books is the “best” recipe. Yes, and my fav. too.! Three cheers for those Canadian gals! Dinner last night was your pasta corbonara.
Les on 22 Nov 2008 at 9:28 pm #
I guess my most well used book/books have to be the Best of Bridge series. I have all of them. Some are missing covers, indicating their use. Lately I have been enjoying the Susan Spungen “Recipes”. Simple, lots of flavour and delicious.
Cheryl on 22 Nov 2008 at 9:39 pm #
I too am a serious cookbook addict, but I find that I’ve recently become more interested in stuff I find on the internet, in your blog, and Lucy Waverman’s Globe and Mail recipes — her ‘Ultimate Brisket’ recipe has become a family favourite and has almost put us on a first name basis with the Bonton butchers! I learned how to cook with the Best of Bridge series back in the day, but seldom go near them anymore. My latest find is Bonnie Stern’s Friday Night Dinners….fabulous recipes/menus, with lots of great ideas crying out to be devoured. I got it out of the library….$50 is a lot for a cookbook that may or may not get used frequently! I also love Giada de Laurentis’ Italian cookbooks…
So I guess what I’m saying is that I would be thrilled to win a cookbook!
Mexbird on 22 Nov 2008 at 10:59 pm #
I’m a cookbook junky as well. My most used is the old original Purity Cookbook. I no longer have a cover for it but I still pull it out to do some great cookies!
Keep the blog going! Love it!
Vivian on 22 Nov 2008 at 11:16 pm #
Egad! Don’t know if my heart could withstand “Orgasmic Appetizers” PLUS wine, but if I did survive I could live with “The Main”. My newest cookbook, just bought today, is “Gordon Ramsey***Chef”. He’s rough, he’s craggy, he COOKS! (and he’s not afraid to share).
Tammy on 23 Nov 2008 at 12:05 am #
Hi Julie! Loved your session at JPL this Xmas! Still finding myself looking for my maid and bell boys.
My favorite cookbooks these days are the Kraft Canada Magazines that come in the mail. They are free, so I just look through them, rip out the recipes that I might like to make and keep them in a binder.
Sue on 23 Nov 2008 at 5:08 am #
First of all,can’t wait to try bacon in the oven! Brilliant.
Those books all look amazing. What a nice thing for you to do.
My most used, favourite cookbook honestly & truly and I’m not just being a brown noser cause I want a free book – ONE SMART COOKIE! It is worn and spilled on and flops open naturally to Chocolava because thats the one I bake the most. I bake more than I cook… or actually I enjoy baking more. I cook because I have to put a meal on the table. I almost never enjoy cooking a meal – although I did make your Carbonera that night you posted about it and WOW that was delicious and easy.
Can’t wait to hear who the lucky winners are this week. Thanks Julie!
eroica on 23 Nov 2008 at 7:51 am #
Madhu Jaffrey’s Far Eastern Cookery (described as the book of the BBC TV series). Many,many outstanding recipes. My book falls opens at Haoyou Doufu (Tofu with oyster sauce).
Carol SB on 23 Nov 2008 at 8:11 am #
Favorite cookbook? I wish Nancy Millar would re-print Home on the Range. Plain cooking that always works, I used this when I was a young mum and still turn to it often. (Nancy Millar is such a HUMAN writer; one of the first I enjoyed who truly invited the reader into her home with her writing).
But in my collection of cookbooks, which I can see I am not alone in reading for recreation, one of my faves is the Red Rose cookbook copyrighted 1905 (I have the eighteenth edition). Why do I love it so much? excerpt to follow.
Carol SB on 23 Nov 2008 at 8:12 am #
Here’s an excerpt from the Five roses Flour cookbook, copyright 1905:
“WASHING UP
This is the pet aversion of the cook, but there is no getting out of it, so the best thing is to find the easiest and most satisfactory way to go about it. In brief the art of washing dishes consists in first cleaning off nearly all the grease before using your dishcloth on it, and in using plenty of very hot water.
“The frying-pan is usually the greasiest of all. Pour it nearly full of water, put over the fire and let boil. Pick it up, give it a quick rinsing motion to empty it, and hang it up to dry itself. Greasy dishes are scraped as clean as possible, washed with scalding water, and wiped… and can even be cleaned… if first wiped with a handful of moss or hay to take up grease. A very dirty pot is cleaned by first boiling in it some wood ashes, or may be scoured with sand and hot water. Greasy knives and forks may be scoured by simply jabbing them once or twice into the ground. Rust ones can be burnished by rubbing them with a cut potato dipped in wood ashes.”
Christina on 23 Nov 2008 at 8:46 am #
I LOVE this question! Cookbooks are my thing!! When most people are reading the latest hot selling novel I’m reading a cookbook, most times a cookbook I’ve read 10 times already!! I’ve got to mention a couple that are my favs. First, all the Best Of Bridge!! My husband got me the whole set for Christmas the year before we were married and I LOVE them. And next, my favorite to sit and read anytime is “Martha Stewart The New Classic” which my husband got me for Christmas last year. I am very impressed with his selection as he is not a cook at all yet picks out awesome cookbooks for me. I’m looking forward to seeing what he picks out this year (although I’ve already told him I want One Smart Cookie).
terry on 23 Nov 2008 at 9:16 am #
I have a Joy of Cooking that belonged to my mother, its all fallen apart and held together with rubber bands. There are recipes where she makes pencil notes in the margins and its both eerie and cool to see her handwriting still…and the old favourites in there like Yorkshire Pudding bring back memories of holidays years ago…
My other favourite ‘cookbook’ my mother put together before she died. Its a binder full of hadwritten recipes and photocopies from magazines and newspaper clippings…and full of memories. All mainly 50s and 60s style recipes so full of fat and all the good stuff! Never seems to taste quite the same when I make it, though.
Mary on 23 Nov 2008 at 9:44 am #
My favorite has to be the standby Best of Bridge, any edition. I can always find something easy and with stuff I have in the house. Love all kinds though just to read and dream of the things I may cook when the time allows.
Linda on 23 Nov 2008 at 9:48 am #
My favourite was a very old Fanny Farmer cookbook that my mother-in-law at the time gave me about 30 years ago – was then about 30 years old. Many years after the divorce I gave it to my ex sister-in-law since it had many hand written recipes in it.
corinne on 23 Nov 2008 at 10:35 am #
I too am a Sandi Richards fan, as her plan and meals for during the week are good, not high fat, and my kids will eat them. I have been using your blog, and getting a bit more creative! I want to get Grazing, but am waiting for the new edition?
Tina on 23 Nov 2008 at 11:14 am #
My fave is The Bengal Lancers Indian Cookbook (Cablani and Dixit), introduced to me by a friend while in University. It was my leap to Indian food and spices. The ccokbook was long out of print, but my husband managed to find me a used copy. For day to day meals, I use all of Bonnie Sterns books often.
Thanks for sharing your days. I couldn’t believe there were so many fellow Moonstruck fans!
Heather on 23 Nov 2008 at 1:58 pm #
My favourite cookbook is The New Best Recipe, by Cook’s Illustrated. I’ve just finished icing some of their scrumptious carrot cake as I write this.
Mar on 23 Nov 2008 at 2:16 pm #
my favorite cookbook and the one i use the most esp for desserts if “One Smart Cookie”.
Sujata on 23 Nov 2008 at 3:44 pm #
I too love to read cookbooks and will often get them from the library. Ann Lindsay’s heart smart cookbooks have some excellent recipes that I make again and again.
kris on 23 Nov 2008 at 6:18 pm #
That is a tough question. I, too, am like Christina, I read cookbooks like novels. My kids think I’m weird. I am a cookbook junkie! I have too many. But, if I we’re just to pick one it would probably be….ahh I can’t make up my mind! All of my cookbooks are my favorite!!!!!1
Anna on 23 Nov 2008 at 7:13 pm #
Okay Julie. Anything that has the word “Orgasmic” in the title is bound to be good! (And unfortunately for me, the closest I’m going to get anytime soon to…well..anyways…)Can I enter your draw? Pretty Please?
Anna
jennifer on 23 Nov 2008 at 9:15 pm #
i too have issue with picking just one…it is a three way tie for me. i love my newest cookbook, Niagara Cooks, by lynn ogryzlo! very good for the eat local agricultural movement here.
and of course anita stewart’s canada: the food, the recipes, the stories. and it really is more like a novel it reads great and i am always tempted to make something from it!
but my go to cook book is called cole’s cooking from a to z! it is like a big dictionary/reference book on food and cooking! i came across it back in the 90′s
happy reading!
Katherine on 23 Nov 2008 at 9:41 pm #
My all-time favourite, every-recipe-works cookbook is “The Canadian Living Cookbook”, circa 1987. It was a gift from my parents when I first moved out and started to get into preparing food.
My go-to reference cookbook is the good old “Joy of Cooking”, circa 1991.
Truthfully I have way too many cookbooks. I can’t resist and am always looking for new ideas. Thank goodness for great blogs like yours – I am finding my new recipes a new way now.
All four titles you’ve got above look fab! I’d love to read the Anna Olson one.
Sheila on 23 Nov 2008 at 11:23 pm #
This is such a hard question!!! I too have a huge bookshelf FULL of cookbooks. I think my favorite resource book is my Mom’s old Joy of Cooking. As someone else said… all the great tried & trued recipe pages are especially sticky. Great comments and always dated! [Dad's favorite August 1955... or Disappears quickly! Make double batches June 1965]
My second favorite would be a cookbook that our family created a few years ago. The preface has a note written by my Mom. Very special and wow! What great recipes!!
Natalie on 24 Nov 2008 at 6:48 am #
I love cookbooks. I call them food porn. I have a lot, and I love to peruse them. I usually make the most use out of my Company’s Coming, or my Pampered Chef books, as the recipes are designed in a way that you use store-bought products, and then make it your own. Like using crescent rolls to make chicken-pot pie, etc. Shortcut recipes work the best for me during the week. I will make “from scratch” recipes on Sundays when I have more time. Recently, the one I have been using the most is the Company’s Coming Chinese cooking book, we have been trying a lot of different stir-fries.
Alexandra on 24 Nov 2008 at 7:29 am #
Well, in many ways we seem to be similar. By the time I was about eight years old I was the one that had taken over baking duties from my Mom and also loved to cook with my Grandma or Mom or both. I started collecting recipes and still cut out interesting ones whenever I come across them.
As for cookbooks, I have to say the very first one that was given to me at age eleven by my Dad’s uncle still comes in first place. It’s actually a “baking book” rather than a cookbook and is called “Backvergnugen wie noch nie” (approx. translation: “Baking joy like never before”). It has many traditionally German recipes but also many that are influenced by other cultures. It’s beautiful, with lots of great pictures and recipes you can trust completely. I have tried many recipes over the years and all have come out perfectly. As a matter of fact I just made a batch of Christmas cookies yesterday that are featured in the book. Love it! And always love to add to my collection of cookbooks.
Kathryn on 24 Nov 2008 at 7:55 am #
I have been lusting after the Anna Olson cookbook ever since we spent a few days in Niagara earlier this month.
The cookbook that I turn to most often these days is _Chef at Home_ by Michael Smith.
In the category of would be lost without is an ancient (1970s) Information Canada publication: _Meat: how to cook it_.
There is something so calming about sitting down with a good cookbook and planning dinner.
K
Lindsay on 24 Nov 2008 at 8:00 am #
This is a super hard question, I love cookbooks, the crazier the better – I’ve got one thats written like a comic book where the heroine is the hostess who has to save the day with a great menu when unexpected guests drop in!
The one I use the most though is one that my best friend’s mom gave me when I moved away from home. Its called “Where’s Mom Now That I Need Her?”. Its got really basic recipes that came in handy when I was still figuring stuff out in the kitchen (eg. how to make soft boiled eggs), and great tips for baking and cooking substitutions. Although nothing beats the community cookbooks put out by various churches, youth groups, etc. Is that common in Alberta, or is it just a Saskatchewan thing?
Tina on 24 Nov 2008 at 8:02 am #
Oh boy, I’m going to sound like a suck-up, but honestly I love Grazing – I have given at least 3 copies as gifts and recommended it dozens of times – usually at get-togethers when people are wowed by something I’ve made from it. How can you not love something that makes you look so good?! (Kind of like Spanx?!!?)
Hilary on 24 Nov 2008 at 8:13 am #
I am a die-hard Best of Bridge fan. Love and own all of their books!
AmandaP on 24 Nov 2008 at 8:20 am #
Mmmm….bacon. So good but so messy. Thanks for the baking in the oven tip. We saw our neighbours firing up their barbecue a few weekends ago to cook it outside on the grill.
My most used cookbook so far has been the Good Housekeeping Step by Step book. I learnt how to make manicotti from a recipe in it and it’s always a hit!
Lana on 24 Nov 2008 at 9:38 am #
My late entry as usual!
I can’t remember what we ate last Thursday night.. I think maybe leftover spaghetti and meatballs made (with chicken).
My alltime favourite cookbook is “Five Star Food” by the Vancouver Sun..bought it 15 years ago when I lived in Whistler. Absolutely everything in it turns our beautifully and becomes a favourite of any dinner guests or family.
(This is my favourite of course, because I don’t yet own any of YOUR cookbooks) Must get on that!
Shobha on 24 Nov 2008 at 9:45 am #
Our favorite cookbook, the one that we can make something and it always turns out is……..
Simply Thai Cooking by Wandee Young and Byron Ayanoglu. It’s the best becuase the dishes are fairly fast and tasty!
Barb on 24 Nov 2008 at 9:51 am #
I had to laugh when I read that you sometimes have cookbooks stacked beside the bed for a nighttime read. I do that at times as well. Right now I have the GI Diet there. I LOVE cookbooks. I don’t even have to make anything from them to enjoy them. Which one is my favorite? That is a very hard question. I noticed the Land-O-Lakes blue one has quite a few markers sticking out of it. Maybe it is my favorite. Dinner last night? Jambalaya (from the second Best of Bridge) Love your blog, your sense of humor is fun, and your photos look quite alright in any light.
Cecily on 24 Nov 2008 at 11:41 am #
I can’t have enough cookbooks! Whenever I see one with something that looks remotely interesting I have to pick it up and now my kitchen is overflowing with all types of cookbooks! Friday night was turkey burgers with roasted red peppers and feta mixed in.
Hanna on 24 Nov 2008 at 11:42 am #
I also share your love of cookbooks! I actually just went through mine last night….there are a few I forgot I had. Which was kind of exciting – they are like new. I think my favourite right now is “Food to Live By” by Myra Goodman (owner of Good Earth Farms). There aren’t a ton of recipes, but the ones that are in there are all good. I am also a fan of the Moosewood collection.
Last nights dinner….well, nothing to write home about! Tuna Melts and tomato soup.
Suzanne on 24 Nov 2008 at 2:26 pm #
Hands down my favourite all time cookbook is the one I bought in Australia for $100 when I was a broke student. It is called ‘Dining High’ and was distributed by Ansett Australia who featured some of the Country’s top chefs from Bilson’s, The Yarra, etc. The cookbook is very large, very glossy and has great photos. I have yet to make any recipes from the book as the ingredients are far too expensive to ship from Antipodes!
Haruko on 24 Nov 2008 at 8:06 pm #
My two well-used cookbooks are: Whitewater Cooks and Bonnie Stern’s Heart Smart. I also love looking at cookbooks before I go to sleep!
Sandra on 24 Nov 2008 at 11:30 pm #
the best read at the end of the day (in bed) with a hot drink and bit of a snack is a wonderful cook book. What a way to unwind.
For supper tonite we had a pork loin. With a great no dairy chocolate cake..yummy
Jill on 25 Nov 2008 at 9:31 am #
I have to say I use the “Eat, Shrink and be Merry” cookbook quite a bit for everyday, weeknight recipes… they’re usually pretty quick, easy to plan and don’t require any particularly “difficult” ingredients. For more special occasions, when calories and fat are not such a concern
I like Barefood Contessa “At Home”. I’ll be honest though… Julie I get QUITE a number of recipe and meal ideas from your blog. I’m a huge huge fan!!
Funnily enough I was going to pick up “The Main” for Christmas this year
Hint hint! hehe
Linda on 28 Nov 2008 at 8:09 pm #
Best of Bridge – anyone of them