Twelve: A Tuscan Cook Book Review

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(More customer reviews)I love this cookbook and not just because I met the author at a cooking school in Siena. It is beautifully written, striking photography and a great format. Set up to showcase what is fresh each of the 12 months of the year. Most of the recipes are fairly simple and ingredients available. All of my friends that went to the school bought the book also. We have all tried many recipes from it. Some were dishes we made in class. The Cantuccini are my all time favorite & have become an expected Christmas gift every year from me. A truely wonderful cookbook.

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A 12-month journey through the tastes of Tuscany.In this exquisitely photographed book, Tessa Kiros uses each month of the year as a device to explore and record recipes in seasonal cooking with fine ingredients. Her personal observations throughout reveal the nuances of the Italian meal."The Store Cupboard" has tips on filling the pantry with the right ingredients. The "Basics" section provides preparation instructions and recipes that Tuscan home cooks learned from their parents and grandparents. Substitutions for harder-to-find ingredients are offered along with encouraging tips on improvising to suit any taste. Wine notes and a glossary round out the book.Here are examples of the fabulous recipes:- Risotto alla Toscana (Tuscan risotto)- Spezzatino di cinghiale (wild boar stew)- Zuccotto (chocolate and vanilla sponge pudding)- Melanzane alla parmigiana (baked eggplant with tomato, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese)- Stracotto di manzo (beef braised in red wine)Twelve is a sensitive, personal exploration of one of the world's most popular culinary traditions by an author who lovingly shares her discoveries with the home cook.

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Falling Cloudberries: A World of Family Recipes Review

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(More customer reviews)As someone who owns close to two hundred cookbooks (passion or sickness, your choice on what to call it) I've vowed not to purchase another one for the rest of my cooking days. When I first glimpsed "Falling Cloudberries" at a bookstore I had to will myself to walk away. Never again, I said.
Never say never.
First, a bit of background. Like most foodies and cooks, Tessa Kiros grew up scented by cooking smells and surrounded by people who're passionate about food. Her book is filled with recipes that represent her heritage: Greek, Finnish, Cypriot, South African, and Italian. As such, there are dishes here that challenge the American palate, especially those of pedestrian tastes, but what a delightful and tasty challenge it is.
I'll set aside the sheer beauty of this book for now and rate it on the essentials--the approachability and accuracy of its recipes, the reliance on fresh and obtainable ingredients, a balanced mix of easy, intermediate and advanced cooking methods, logical and sensible organization, practical tips to ensure success, satisfaction with the end product, and (always a consideration for me) a generous representation of everyday fare.
I've tried about a dozen from this thick book and it's, without doubt, a 5-star cookbook just basing it on the above:
(1)Finnish - Gravadlax with Dill Cucumbers; Potato Pancakes (of course, to go w/ the gravadlax); Fresh Salmon, Dill & Potato Soup; Finnish Meatballs; Stroganoff with Pickled Cucumbers and will later try the Cinnamon and Cardamom Buns
(2)Greek - Dolmades; Tzatziki; Chickpea, Feta & Coriander Salad; Calamari with Butter, Lemon & Garlic; Prawns with Peri-Peri; Lemon & Oregano Chicken; Stuffed Vegetables and will later attempt the Baklava
(3)Cypriot - Moussaka (if you can make lasagna, you can make this without batting an eyelash); Pork in Red Wine
(4)South African - Fried Chicken and Barbecue Ribs, if you can believe it!
That's it...that's as far as I got and tons to go. Everything I tried was simply delicious and none of them required tremendous labor, just the same amount of effort I put into everyday cooking. For those that are fussier, I plan to just make them in the weekends when I have more time.
The book is drop-dead gorgeous and I mean every part of it. From the spine to the flyleaf, to all the photos to the quality of bond, and it even came with a pretty ribbon bookmark (how thoughtful). It's peppered with tidbits on Tessa's family and her growing up cooking with them. There's even a penciled drawing of her family tree that I thought added an amusing and extra special touch to this very personal account of food and cooking over several generations. Really creatively executed and one can easily tell that it was a labor of love. It's too beautiful that I don't cook with this book lying as is on my counter. I photocopy the page I need or wrap it first in clear plastic before using. Even these precautions don't seem enough. Someday, when I can no longer grasp my chef's knife or intimidate a slab of pastry into submission with a whack or two, I want to look at this book and just lose myself in its pristine beauty. Ridiculous, I know, but there are cooks out there who know precisely what I mean--they're the same people who look longingly at gorgeous cookbooks and say `never again' without much conviction!

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Apples for Jam: Recipes for Life Review

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(More customer reviews)If you want a "just the facts, ma'am" type of cookbook this is not for you. However, beyond the good range of simple but inspiring recipes, it was the stories and pictures that are mixed in that really made this book for me. (NB: I didn't mind the colour-coding of the recipes as there is an alphabetical index in the back)
I will definitely be adding more of Tessa Kiros in my cookbook collection.

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Inspired by the excitement and simplicity of childhood, Tessa has brought together recipes based around colourful and pure fresh ingredients that create uncomplicated and delicious family meals. From the comfort of soups and roasts, to the striking colours of beetroot gnocchi and mango sorbet, to the simplicity of rice pudding with nutmeg, this book weaves recipes with reflections and hopes. Alternative ingredients and options for serving suggestions are given for many of the recipes, extending their appeal. The evocative text and innovative recipes are complemented by beautiful photographs and hand-drawn pictures. Key points: more than 100,000 copies sold worldwide; like Tessa's other bestsellers, "Venezia" and "Falling Cloudberries", this also mixes a traditional recipe style with a rich and personal narrative on Tessa's own passion for food; featuring mouth watering food photography and traditional recipes; and, reads beautifully and captures Tessa's warm and genuine voice in the recipes and accompanying text.

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