Courtyard Kitchen by Natalie Boog

My rating: 5 of 5 spoons

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When I first receive a cookbook to review, I flip through it marking dishes that initially catch my eye and make me want to make them. Some have 2 or 3 markers from that first time through and more are added as I go back through the cookbook for a more in-depth look. This beautiful book looked like a porcupine from the first time through it had so many markers!

Some of the recipes I’ve marked I won’t be making until later in the season when I actually start harvesting from my garden, but others I dove into immediately. Thyme and Lemon Cookies immediately grabbed my eye as I love both of these flavors, separately or combined. The dough did not turn out as the recipe described, but I put it through a cookie press instead, and they still turned out lovely. They have a light, delicate flavor that are quite addicting!

For supper tonight, I made the Pork San Choy Bau. I’ve been wanting to make this, so I was excited to see the recipe here. Very simple to make with lovely flavors. This is a great lunch or dinner you can make quickly and easily and be satisfied that you’re serving a fairly healthy meal as well!

The book is divided into chapters according to herb with the last three chapters being Chilli, Lemon and Strawberry, which makes it nice to find recipes for whatever herb you have on hand to cook with. There are so many wonderful recipes in this book. The Flourless Orange and Rosemary Cake is next up on my 'to cook' list, and I'll be making the Couscous with Herbs and Almonds soon. I'm sure to be cooking out of it for a long time to come! Pick up a copy and see for yourself. It's a great cookbook you can use over and over again.

I received a copy of this book from Trafalgar Square Publishing through IPG for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tasting Rome by Katie Parla

My rating: 4 of 5 spoons

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Ahhhh! Food from my favorite country! Although I’ve never spent time in Rome itself apart from the airport (another story in itself!), I love the flavors of Italy and I waited with great anticipation for this book. It does not disappoint!

Tasting Rome is not just a cookbook. Filled with history, tidbits of information and photos that draw you in and make you long to be there, Tasting Rome is an experience. After the introduction, a section on Rome: Then and Now and a section entitled About This Book (none of which should be skipped over!), the book is divided into sections entitled Snacks, Starters and Street Food, Classic and Variations, Cucina Ebraica (food from the Jewish Quarter), Quinto Quarto (The Fifth Quarter, or offal based recipes), Verdure (Vegetables), Bread and Pizza, Sweets, and Drinks.

One of the things I love about Italian food is the simplicity of so many of its dishes. For instance, Insalata di Misticanza (Micro Green Salad with Hazelnuts and Pecorino), there’s only six ingredients, but those six ingredients combine for a salad that is both simple and delightful. Gnocchi di patate di Arcangelo Dandini (Arcangelo Dandini’s Potato Gnocchi) have 4 ingredients plus the sauce of your choice. Now, I have had gnocchi one other time in my life. They were premade and vacuum sealed and they were terrible! Heavy and chewy, they were not pleasant to eat, so I assumed I just didn’t like gnocchi until I learned years later that they are supposed to be light and fluffy. I just never got around to making them myself…until now. I’ve heard getting the texture right on gnocchi can be difficult and I believe it. I was still happy with how these turned out. There were a little denser and chewier than I think they really should have been, but were still very good. I’ll definitely try these again!

I’m currently searching for ‘nduja, a spreadable spicy sausage from Calabria so I can try the ‘Nduja in Carrozza, a take on Mozzarella in Carrozza where instead of mozzarella sandwiched between bread and fried, this recipe puts the ‘nduja between two slices of mozzarella and bread it before deep frying. It looks and sounds amazing!!

The Suppli Classici and Suppli Cacio e Pepe are Roman variations of the Arancini I so love from Sicily. The first is a mixture of rice, chicken livers and pork sausage in a tomato-based sauce inside, while the second is a simpler one with lots of black pepper throughout and mozzarella in the center.

There is so much to learn and love in this cookbook. Take a visit to Rome without ever leaving your home! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!

I received a copy of this book through the Blogging for Books program for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Best of Jane Grigson by Jane Grigson

My rating: 4 of 5 spoons

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Jane Grigson is well known for her classic cookbooks on British and European cookery, and now you can get a lovely collection of her most well-known recipes from around the world in one book. The book is divided into the following sections:
• At Home in England
• At Home in France
• Charcuterie
• The Mediterranean
• The Europeans
• The Americas
• India and the Far East
• Treats and Celebrations
Each section is then subdivided into various sub-sections. Some chapters have more subdivisions than others, but all are well done. The index is thorough, making it easy to find a recipe either by title or by main ingredient.

There is such a lovely variety of dishes from a classic Shepherd’s Pie (a favorite of mine) or Yorkshire Pudding (equally well loved in this family!) to Boeuf a la Bourguignonnne, Spanakopitta, Paella, Scandinavian Pickled Salmon, Chilli Con Carne, Stir-Fried Chicken with Mushrooms, and so much more. You’re sure to find not just something to cook, but a whole array of tempting dishes to make at home.

I received a copy of this book from Grub Street Publishing for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Seasons to Taste by Jonathan Bardzik

My rating: 5 of 5 spoons

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Seasons to Taste is subtitled “Farm-Fresh Joy for Kitchen & Table”, and that’s exactly what it delivers—delectable recipes showcasing beautiful, farm (or garden) fresh produce—and proteins--that are a joy to cook. Recipes are divided by season beginning with winter and an array of gorgeous stocks to make from scratch. From a hearty beef broth, to a rich mushroom or White Chicken Stock, you’ll find all the stocks you need except a fish or seafood stock, but as there are only a couple of fish recipes, you may not miss it.

Ground Lamb with Mushrooms & Spinach showcases all three main ingredients in a delicious dish sure to impress. The Wild Mushroom and Gruyere Frittata is just amazing. (In case you hadn’t figured it out yet, I love mushrooms!) Pasta Primavera is a classic spring dish highlighting the beautiful new spring produce, while Zucchini Pappardelle Pasta showcases the beautiful new summer squashes.

Fresh Herbed Tomato Salad is a summer delight, and can easily be tweaked by substituting fresh mozzarella occasionally for a different twist. Tacos de Pescado is on my list to make this summer with instructions for making each ingredient from the marinade, to the cabbage, avocado lime crema and fish. Love minestrone soup, but hate waiting for colder months? Try the Minestrone Pasta!

If you are a pumpkin lover, you’ll love the Fall section of this book with everything from Cinderella Pumpkin Dumplings to Pumpkin Lamb Sausage Pizza, Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal and more. If you’re like me and not that into pumpkin, there’s still much to choose from such as Chive Goat Cheese Mashed Cauliflower, Sausage Apple Mushroom Stuffing (Yum!) and more.

Seasons to Taste is a feast for the senses! From the gorgeous photos to the tantalizing flavors, you’re sure to enjoy this delightful book.

I received a copy of this book from Story Farm through the Lisa Ekus Group for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

On Toast by Kristan Raines

My rating: 5 of 5 spoons

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I am a bread addict. I love bread in about any shape or form, so what better than a cookbook devoted to great new ways to top good bread?! “On Toast” is brimming with delectable ideas for tartines, crostini and open-faced sandwiches.

The book opens with an introduction, Types of Bread, Pantry and Toasting Techniques before moving into the recipes which are divided into season beginning with Winter.

Now I had never heard of cookie butter until I read this cookbook. It includes a recipe for Apples and Cookie Butter. It sounds delightful, but I definitely don’t need new ways to add calories to my diet!

Fresh Ricotta and Olive Oil is so good. The recipe calls for spelt sourdough bread, but don’t let that limit you! Spicy Chorizo and Scrambled Egg on sourdough or wheat bread makes a nice change for breakfast. Roasted Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese—oh my!! That is a lovely morsel just bursting with flavor!

It’s not all savory, though. There are many treats for the sweet tooth, such as Strawberry and Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (utter bliss!) or Whipped Lemon Curd and Summer Berries or Raspberries and Chocolate.

This is a beautiful cookbook filled with delightful recipes and gorgeous photos. Brighten up your day with something “On Toast”!

I received a copy of this book from Quarry Books for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cabin Cooking by Kate Fiduccia

My rating: 4 of 5 spoons

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I’m not a big camper, but I love cooking with cast iron. “Cabin Cooking” is perfect in that regard, as it has recipes for cooking outdoors or indoors with many recipes giving you the variations of how to cook it either indoors or out.

There is a lovely variety of recipes with everything from fish, to wild game and even desserts! I started with the simple Gobbler Omelet. It’s an easy recipe to use up some of that leftover turkey (or you could use chicken as well) for a quick, delicious breakfast.

A little while ago, I finally bought a cast iron tortilla press. I’ve made my own flour tortillas before, rolling them out by hand, but I wanted to try corn tortillas and had been warned that I really needed a press to do that. This book gave me a great opportunity to make them. The corn tortilla recipe is extremely simple to make, and they turned out perfectly!! How nice to be able to make my own corn tortillas now!

There is so much more in this book. Pan Turkey and Stuffing, Garlic Salmon, Bread on a Stick, Deer Camp Stew, Baked Apples and so much more fill the pages of this delightful cookbook. Pull out your cast iron—or give in a finally invest in some cast iron!—and give these recipes a try!

I received a copy of this book from Storey Publishing for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Scots Kitchen by F. Marian McNeill

My rating: 4 of 5 spoons

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I struggled with reviewing this cookbook. On the one hand, I love, love, LOVE the history and charm of the book and its recipes. On the other hand, it's not the easiest book to cook out of. There are many recipes that use measurements such as "a breakfastcupful", "a crumb of a pennyloaf", "a teacupful" and more. If you are a fly by the seat of your pants kind of cook or love to throw a little of this and a little of that in a pot, you'll love this cookbook. If you need clearly defined amounts and instructions, you'll struggle here.

That said, this book is delightful!! There is so much history, tradition and lore, bits of poetry and prose and more scattered throughout. This is the kind of book to curl up in your comfy chair and just lose yourself in the pages. When you come to yourself, head to the kitchen and give it a shot! There is so much to choose from. You'll find everything from a traditional Scotch Broth to Tweed Kettle (Salmon Hash which is much better than it sounds!), Haggis, Colcannon, Floating Island, more scones, bannock and oatcakes than you can shake a stick at and so much more.

Take a trip to the Highlands from the comfort of your own home. This book is sure to delight many!

I received a copy of this book through Independent Publishers Group for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.