It is just one of those days in New York City- it is raining, and a little bleak- not to mention I saw a very sad movie during lunchtime- yes, one of the perks of Random House, is Random House Films. But between the rain, the mugginess, and the heartbreaking love story that involves twenty years…(and) two people– I have decided to focus on something that might actually cheer me up… FOOD!!
So I am offering you a sneak peak at a few cookbooks coming in the fall that share that special element of comfort food. And right about now, comfort, calories and a big bottle of wine- just might do the trick!
First up, The Whole Hog Cookbook; Chops, Loin, Shoulder, Bacon, and All That Good Stuff– by Libbie Summers with a foreword by Paula Deen. This book is for Paula Deen fans, unafraid of indulging, ready to crank their cooking up a notch. Written in a sassy, fresh voice, this is a cookbook that lets you feel good about eating pork again. (Athough I am sure some of us have never felt bad!)
Next up, is there a better title- The Great American Cookbook 500 Recipes: Favorite Foods from Every State by Clementine Paddleford. Clementine Paddleford canvassed the United States to discover and document homegrown American food traditions and recipes. This is her magnum opus, a great contribution to American food history, and it has been out of print for more than 30 years. Included are more than 800 recipes for old-fashioned local specialties, comfort food dishes, each with a charming story behind it. As Paddleford wrote: “Every other person is a bundle of longing for the simplicities of good taste once enjoyed on the farm or in the hometown they left behind.”
Lastly, and only because it is pouring and my mind keeps wandering back to the tears in my popcorn bucket, is The Cookiepedia by Stacy Adimando.
The Cookiepedia as a cozy, durable, D.I.Y. cookbook that builds on the playful and quirky brand of cookbooks that Quirk Books has to offer like Booze Cakes and On a Stick! It’s A handy cookie-baking reference that feels like a modern spiral-bound classic, with fun and adaptable cookie recipes, quirky illustrations, beautiful full-color photographs, and delightful tricks for making the world a better place–one batch of cookies at a time.
Now that I feel I have sufficiently offered enough comfort, indulgence and caloric content for one afternoon- I will head home and get to it!
Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?