Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook: A Cookbook

There are a LOT of recipes in this book, and they're all about delicious home cooking, whether for weeknights or special occasions. Almost all ingredients are accessible to all and reasonable in cost. Unlike so many other "celebrity chef" cookbooks, Iron Chef Guarnascelli has neither given us a coffee table book nor dumbed it down: we're simply brought right into her family's kitchens and given the opportunity to learn how she cooks at home.Although the author weaves in delightful recollections from her childhood and colorful anecdotes from her many years in professional kitchens, this is much more a recipe cookbook than a memoir. I loved the memoir moments, but the "just the recipes, please" reader will not be disappointed.Every chapter has an informative introduction, and every recipe has a delightful headnote. Both just make me want to start cooking. There is also a good chapter on favorite equipment, plus ingredient and shopping tips, and another with clickable ingredient sources. Every recipe has a gorgeous color photo. In the Kindle edition, TOC and index are clickable.Ingredients: the vast majority of the ingredients are accessible to me which, since I live in the middle of nowhere, in one of 7 states without a Whole Foods, means that they're most likely accessible to everyone. There is no ingredient snobbery here: the Iron Chef makes her cheeseburgers with slices of American cheese--and tells us why. She gives us brand names for her favorite mayo, cream cheese, sour cream, red wine vinegar, and more. She uses canned tuna in her Caesar salad, and white button mushrooms.The ingredients are also, for the most part, budget friendly: there's no Wagyu beef or hamachi tuna here. "Roast beef" is top round. She uses hanger steak, an inexpensive cut that packs a big hit of flavor. Short ribs, brisket, pork chops, chicken, turkey. One exception, Porterhouse steak, is "a splurge and an indulgence." If you have a good butcher or a good supermarket, you should be able to special-order a leg of lamb, a rack of pork, or a Cornish game hen. One exception would be Long Island (Pekin) duck and its heart and liver (presumably fresh--she doesn't tell us whether frozen will work). This is not amazonable, but available online with overnight shipping, from a well-respected source, but it's complicated and expensive. However, perhaps your butcher will be able to special-order it for you, either fresh or frozen. The title of the book's fish chapter is "fish is easier to make than you think." She uses fresh clams, mussels, scallops, "American caviar or trout roe," wild striped bass, whole mackerel, and bluefish. However, although I'm in an inland state, I can obtain some of these ingredients by special order from my butcher; you may be able to special-order from your supermarket; and there are only 8 recipes in this chapter, so you're not missing many recipes if fresh fish isn't an option for you.The recipes are just what the title promises: old-school comfort food, but with an Iron Chef's twists. An adventurous home cook may want to spend time exploring her "make it from scratch from the fridge door" chapter, in which she offers not only her recipe for home-made butter, but also her favorite marinades, pickles, vinaigrettes, and condiment sauces. Given that these are the go-to condiments from an Iron Chef, there is more here than meets the eye, particularly since the chapter begins with her proclamation of love for Hellman's Mayonnaise, Heinz Ketchup, and L&P Worcestershire. I've bookmarked several recipes, including some that I've made before, such as roasted garlic and homemade ricotta, but I want to try Chef Guarnascelli's way.

Over the years, I have enjoyed watching chef Alex Guarnaschelli on Food Network. Alex’s Day Off was one of my favorites. I also enjoy her work as a judge on Chopped. Her work—along with that of Anne Burrell, Bobby Flay, and Michael Symon—on The Big Waste was eye-opening and life-changing for me. Of course I was pleased when she became the newest Iron Chef America. And I mean really, a restaurant called Butter? Gotta love it.I also follow her on Twitter. It was there I learned about her first cookbook, Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook. I immediately preordered it, and it arrived last week. When you’ve been eagerly awaiting something, sadly, when it arrives, you can be disappointed. I’ve not been disappointed with Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook.First, a word about the title. Many of these are not exactly things I immediately think of when it comes to comfort food or how I learned to cook. But then my mother isn’t a cookbook editor. (I mean really. I’ve been in publishing for more than 20 years. How do I get one of those gigs?) I’d venture to guess the same may be true for many of you. So you’re expecting the same-old, same-old, you probably won’t find it here. And that’s a good thing.The book is beautifully designed. The photos are gorgeous, as you’d expect from a Clarkson Potter book. The seemingly handwritten notes and hand-drawn pictures are interesting and informative, and the “Old-School Tips” are very helpful.If you’re one of those who read a cookbook like a novel, and even if you aren’t, Alex’s brief history of her childhood and career are interesting and help put everything in context. Don’t skip that section. Seriously.Her recipes are well written and easy to follow. You’ll find recipes for dishes like mussels, duck hearts, and roasted whole salmon. But there are also recipes for various ways to cook chicken, roast turkey that will put it on your menu throughout the year (along with guides to making a great Thanksgiving dinner), and apple crisp. In other words, the recipes in Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook span a wide range of tastes. And while some of the dishes may look complicated, Alex takes you through each step, so you can make and serve the dish with confidence.I have a love/hate relationship with Brussels sprouts. I love them, but I hate to cook them. Why? Because I tend to burn them. I tried Alex’s roasted Brussels sprouts, and they were perfect! Those tiny little cabbages are back in my repertoire. The photo of her “Little Spare Ribs” was so appetizing, I had to make them. Though the recipe calls for spare ribs, I used country style ribs, because—all together now—it’s what I had on hand. Oh my, those were some mighty tasty ribs. I’ll be making them again.You know how much I love making my own easily purchased items, so I was thrilled to see a section on doing just things. There are recipes for mustard, marinades, and barbecue sauce, among other things. Her recipes for ricotta and butter are different from mine (I use whey for ricotta and homemade cultured buttermilk for butter), but they still sound good.And while you may think this is a love letter to Alex and her cookbook, I do have a couple of criticisms. First, the book doesn’t lie flat. This is a common problem, and I really wish publishers would accept the idea these books are actually used, and being able to open the book and have it lie flat is a big deal. At least to me. Yes, it would likely cost more, but . . .Also, in her recipe for ricotta, she tells the cook to, “Simmer gently until the milk solids rise to the surface and form what looks like a raft, 30 to 35 minutes.” I know what she means, but to someone who is unfamiliar with making cheese, it may not be clear. It would be helpful to include the temperature or show a photo of curds separating from the whey.These criticisms should not discourage you from getting Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook. I know most of us have limited cookbook-buying budgets, but this one deserves a look.

The cookbook was purchased as used but it's in perfect condition so it's like brand new. Just as had hoped for, love Alex and her cooking tips.

Interestingly enough, I didn't purchase this item with the intention of a cookbook. I bought this book as something to read cover to cover simply because I love the way Chef Alex talks and writes. And it didn't disappoint! Her descriptions are beautiful and her story-telling style is warm and personal and witty. There are a few recipes I want to try out though, so that is even better. There are tidbits of personal notes and advice interspersed throughout so it is like peaking into her own journal a little. It was a lot of fun to read and inspiring to learn about her journey!

Every few pages didn't download so this was essentially a waste of money. That's never happened before so I think the issue is unique to this ebook.

Perfect condition, shipped quickly. Will definitely order from them again!