COOKBOOK REVIEW
FOOD WITH FRIENDS
The Art Of Simple Gatherings
By Leela Cyd
GOODREADS
I was intrigued by this cookbook because it is filled with small bites recipes. When I entertain friends I prefer to set up a buffet with with simple finger foods and that is what this book was said to deliver. There was also a pantry stocking section featuring items to have on hand for impromptu gatherings, a section on goodies for guests to take home with them, and simple tablescape ideas. I thought these additions to the main fare were very nice. All of the recipes in this book happen to be vegetarian, too!
illustration
BOOK SECTIONS
SECRET INGREDIENTS
STYLE FILE
BREAKFAST & BRUNCH
TEATIME
HAPPY HOUR
POTLUCKS AND PICNICS
DESSERTS
TINY TAKEAWAYS
◻ ◻ ◻
RECIPE EXAMPLES
Onion Jam
Purple Cauliflower Hummus
Masala Corn
Lemon Poppyseed Dutch Baby
Bananas On Fire
Coconut Lamingtons
Rose Flan
Labneh Balls
Think Pink Faloodahs
Matcha Mochi
◻
Most of the recipe titles were too long to include and/or were strange food names with strange spellings that I kept forgetting between reading the book and typing here. And what does that tell you? Yes, most of these recipes were not "simple" and many of the ingredients were not only items one wouldn't readily have on hand, but also might be pricey, or difficult to find.
Another minus about this book was the photography. The pictures ranged from nice to okay. They were missing that professional edge. They reminded me of okay Bookstagram photos. What I found interesting after perusing the author's blog, LEELA * CYD, is that her post photos are better quality than most of the pictures in the book.
THE BEST BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon coarse sea salt (fleur de sel or Light Grey Celtic would both be great here)
1 stick (4 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon coarsely crushed cacao nibs
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. (If your cocoa powder is particularly lumpy, you may need to sift the mixture together.) Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until just incorporated. (The mixture will look a little crumbly, but will gradually come together.) Turn the dough out onto a clean floured work surface. Use your hands to shape the dough into two 8-inch-long logs about 1 inch in diameter. Wrap the dough logs tightly in plastic wrap or parchment and refrigerate for about 4 hours, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Take the chilled dough logs from the refrigerator and cut them crosswise into ¼-inch discs. Place the discs on the baking sheets, leaving a bit of space between. Bake for about 11 minutes, or until just barely set. (The cookies will set up more as they cool.) Gently transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Place the white chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 10-second bursts, stirring between each, until melted with just a few bits left (or you can melt it in a double boiler). Spread one half of each cookie with a spoonful of white chocolate and place back on the wire racks. Top each frosted part of the cookie with a pinch of cacao nibs. Let the white chocolate set on the cookies, about 30 minutes in a cool kitchen (or 5 minutes in the refrigerator), before enjoying.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Source: "Food With Friends: The Art of Simple Gatherings" by Leela Cyd (Clarkson Potter, 2016)
⬛ ⬛ ⬛
The problem I have with this recipe is these aren't "authentic" New York Black and Whites because the white is supposed to be vanilla icing, not white chocolate, and the chocolate cookie should be a very dark chocolate cake brown, hence the name "black".
⚫
I rated this book three stars on Goodreads, but here on the blog it is 3.5 stars.
◻ ◻ ◻
I was sent this copy of Food With Friends from Blogging For Books, in exchange for an honest review.
This is a good cookbook if you aren't looking for casual entertaining, for the most. My problem was that it was misrepresented. I would be keeping it for myself if we had more space in our little city apartment.
THE RULES
NO CHEATING!
I check every entry.
No P.O. boxes.
No giveaway only Twitter accounts.
Must be 16 years old.
Not responsible for USPS damage or loss.
*Sent Media Mail. I will give you the tracking number.
GOOD LUCK!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
FOOD WITH FRIENDS
The Art Of Simple Gatherings
By Leela Cyd
GOODREADS
I was intrigued by this cookbook because it is filled with small bites recipes. When I entertain friends I prefer to set up a buffet with with simple finger foods and that is what this book was said to deliver. There was also a pantry stocking section featuring items to have on hand for impromptu gatherings, a section on goodies for guests to take home with them, and simple tablescape ideas. I thought these additions to the main fare were very nice. All of the recipes in this book happen to be vegetarian, too!
BOOK SECTIONS
SECRET INGREDIENTS
STYLE FILE
BREAKFAST & BRUNCH
TEATIME
HAPPY HOUR
POTLUCKS AND PICNICS
DESSERTS
TINY TAKEAWAYS
◻ ◻ ◻
RECIPE EXAMPLES
Onion Jam
Purple Cauliflower Hummus
Masala Corn
Lemon Poppyseed Dutch Baby
Bananas On Fire
Coconut Lamingtons
Rose Flan
Labneh Balls
Think Pink Faloodahs
Matcha Mochi
◻
Most of the recipe titles were too long to include and/or were strange food names with strange spellings that I kept forgetting between reading the book and typing here. And what does that tell you? Yes, most of these recipes were not "simple" and many of the ingredients were not only items one wouldn't readily have on hand, but also might be pricey, or difficult to find.
THE BEST BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon coarse sea salt (fleur de sel or Light Grey Celtic would both be great here)
1 stick (4 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon coarsely crushed cacao nibs
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. (If your cocoa powder is particularly lumpy, you may need to sift the mixture together.) Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until just incorporated. (The mixture will look a little crumbly, but will gradually come together.) Turn the dough out onto a clean floured work surface. Use your hands to shape the dough into two 8-inch-long logs about 1 inch in diameter. Wrap the dough logs tightly in plastic wrap or parchment and refrigerate for about 4 hours, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Take the chilled dough logs from the refrigerator and cut them crosswise into ¼-inch discs. Place the discs on the baking sheets, leaving a bit of space between. Bake for about 11 minutes, or until just barely set. (The cookies will set up more as they cool.) Gently transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Place the white chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 10-second bursts, stirring between each, until melted with just a few bits left (or you can melt it in a double boiler). Spread one half of each cookie with a spoonful of white chocolate and place back on the wire racks. Top each frosted part of the cookie with a pinch of cacao nibs. Let the white chocolate set on the cookies, about 30 minutes in a cool kitchen (or 5 minutes in the refrigerator), before enjoying.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Source: "Food With Friends: The Art of Simple Gatherings" by Leela Cyd (Clarkson Potter, 2016)
⬛ ⬛ ⬛
The problem I have with this recipe is these aren't "authentic" New York Black and Whites because the white is supposed to be vanilla icing, not white chocolate, and the chocolate cookie should be a very dark chocolate cake brown, hence the name "black".
⚫
I rated this book three stars on Goodreads, but here on the blog it is 3.5 stars.
◻ ◻ ◻
I was sent this copy of Food With Friends from Blogging For Books, in exchange for an honest review.
This is a good cookbook if you aren't looking for casual entertaining, for the most. My problem was that it was misrepresented. I would be keeping it for myself if we had more space in our little city apartment.
THE RULES
NO CHEATING!
I check every entry.
No P.O. boxes.
No giveaway only Twitter accounts.
Must be 16 years old.
Not responsible for USPS damage or loss.
*Sent Media Mail. I will give you the tracking number.
GOOD LUCK!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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