Can new tech play nice with comfort food cooking?
TITLE: America’s Favorite Food
AUTHOR: Many. Edited by, Nichole Aksamit
PUBLISHER: Oxmoor House
CUISINE: American/Comfort/Magazine
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FEATURED INGREDIENT: IPHONE
Our “Featured Ingredient” for this cookbook isn’t really an ingredient at all. But, it is one of the most important components of this particular cookbook. The Smartphone. Without this “ingredient” you take away some of what makes this cookbook unique among it’s peers.
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FIRST IMPRESSIONS
At first blush this is all a little hard to take in. I consider myself a “tech” person too. I get the concept. But, I’m not sure it’s worth the effort. To be sure, this is a great collection of some delicious magazine reprint recipes. If you haven’t taken the time to subscribe to each, then this is really a treasure trove. You know the names, Cooking Light, Southern Living, Real Simple, Coastal Living, Health and more. It contains lots of easy to prepare dishes for everyone in your family. There are beautiful food images throughout. All in all, an eye pleasing, easy to flip through book.
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WHAT YOU’LL FIND INSIDE (aka Table of Contents)
Starters
Soups & Sandwiches
Poultry
Meats
Seafood
Meatless Mains
Pasta & Pizza
Sides & Salads
Desserts
Breakfast & Brunch
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How about a small taste of what some of the video extras look and feel like. Hey, everyone needs to know how to cut up a whole chicken.
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THE BEST OF THE BOOK (Our Favorite Recipes)
| Spicy Black Bean Hummus | Watermelon Margaritas |
| Hearty Potato Soup | Turkey Reuben Sandwiches |
| Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken | Buttermilk Chicken Tenders |
| King Ranch Chicken Casserole | Dry-Cured Rosemary Turkey |
| Cheddar Burgers w/Red Onion Jam | Classic Beef Stew |
| Brandied Cranberry Short Rib Stew | Salsa Verde Braised Pork |
| Halibut w/Coconut-Red Curry Sauce | Fresh Salmon-Cilantro Burgers |
| Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto | Ultimate Mac ‘n’ Cheese |
| Broccoli Beef Lo Mein | Shrimp Pad Thai |
| Peach & Gorgonzola Chicken Pizza | Broccoli Casserole |
| Italian Chard Dressing | Grilled Potato Salad |
| Oatmeal Cream Pies | Salted Carmel Brownies |
It’s obvious from the list above that just about anyone you would care to feed could be satisfied. There are lots of very traditional dishes. Some with a new, more modern twist. Some have been left to their roots. That’s a good combination. There is no shortage of recipes from any of the individual chapters. Every major food group is well represented.
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This book is actually one giant special feature. Special tips and hints are available for a large percentage of the recipes via the smartphone app. And, as a bonus, the app works well. No hang ups. That means even the least tech savvy cook in your household will be able to take advantage of all that this cookbook has to offer. Each recipe is coded with special icons that represent the dish. There are metric equivalents and nutritional information stashed in the back for reference use.
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CONCLUSIONS
OK, there are a couple of things at play here. First, we should call this cookbook what it really is. It’s compilation of magazine recipes. And, a lot of them are great tried and true dishes. You’re going to find no nasty surprises once you start cooking. They have all been thoroughly tested and they work. A HUGE bonus. Second, This book is not a cooking tech breakthrough of any kind. I do love the use of the current technology. And, I appreciate the fact that smartphones and tablets have found their way into the kitchen. I use mine there. It’s just that it might be too loaded with extra off site “stuff”. I’m just left wondering how often those badges get scanned and used. You also end up with a little tech overload. So, here is the bottom line. Buy it if you are looking for an easy to use, comfort food cookbook for your whole family. And, you may just have a little unexpected fun in the kitchen whipping up your dinner of choice. That too is a nice bonus.
Culinary Expertise 4.0
1= Boiling Water (novice) 10= Liquid Nitrogen (expert)
RESOURCES, LINKS AND PRESS
My Recipes Website
America’s Favorite Food | Digimark Website
Oxmoor House Press Page
