Iowa Farms, California Tables: A Cookbook – Review/Sponsor Spotlight!! #GCHop
On Thanksgiving morning, I am required (not asked or nudged, required!!) by my family to make Monkey Bread. I have to wake up before everyone else (usually 6 or 7am with my Dad cooking the turkey) and start the long process so that it's ready and crispy and sugary by the time people start to wake up. For the past few years, my niece has taken an interest in helping so I think I might be slowly passing that along to her.
Does your family get together during the holidays to share meals? Do you trade recipes and pass along the family traditions?Iowa Farms, California Tables: eCookbook by Lori Aronsohn is like sitting around your family's table, sharing recipes and stories, laughing until you have tears and feeling the warmth of family traditions.
When I was offered a review copy of the ebook, I did not have an eReader so I was able to review a pdf file (I still don't have an eReader, but I figured out you can download Kindle from Amazon!!) but having that paper copy did not change the warmth and home-like feeling from reading the commentary in this cookbook. Plus, the publisher sent me a DVD of the videos to view so I could get the full experience…thank you so much!!
Speaking of not having an eReader, you have to read Lori's story about WHY she chose to publish this cookbook as an ebook (I'm totally stealing this idea to use on Hubby!!).
Here's a little about Iowa Farms, California Tables, eCookbook:
Enhanced with beautiful full-color photographs and instructional videos, Iowa Farms, California Tables eCookbook highlights a lifetime of enduring, memorable recipes from life in 1960s Iowa where freshness and farm-to-table were assumed, to glamorous Hollywood celebrations of today, where less than stellar cooking could cause you to miss out on a job or even lose your kid's place in private school. The perfect eCookbook for anyone in the market for reliably satisfying family recipes and dinner party dishes designed to dazzle. Helpful videos include a how to make hand-made pasta series, and all recipes are served up with clear, straightforward instructions. Readers learn to create savory farmers-market sauted vegetables with goat cheese and parmigiano-reggiano, tried and true casseroles for busy families like turkey tetrazzini, soul satisfying soups like potato cheddar and a bountiful collection of luscious desserts including snickerdoodles, chocolate swirl cheesecake and fresh strawberry pie. Although most of the recipes call for generic ingredients, Iowa Farms, California Tables includes a Where to Find guide to exceptional resources for quality, sometimes hard-to-find items like earthy black walnuts, prosciutto from acorn-fed pigs and a variety of vanilla beans. Other extras include a Measurement Equivalent section to help adjust the size of a recipe, an alphabetical Index of Recipes, a Have a Read, Have a Listen guide to referenced resources in the book, an Ingredient Guide and a Substitutions page to assist in substituting an ingredient when necessary.
Iowa Farms, California Tables features the following chapters: The Beverage Bar The Breakfast Booth Just a Nibble Just Loafin The Garden Patch Two Slices of Bread Saw Each other from Afar, Only to Have Others Come Between Them Sustenance in a Bowl Best of the Barnyard Swimmers Hot From The Oven Warm from the Stovetop The Root Cellar Save Room For Dessert Oatmeal Cookies with Black Walnuts x 2 The Candy Counter Critter Cravings
As a "lay person" in the cooking world, I found the cookbook to be funny and warm, like talking to my sister or my best friend!! As a former chef of 20 years, my husband found it to be inviting and easy to follow. He said it felt like you were learning the recipes in Lori's home with her and that is always the best way to learn!! Hubby told me when we first met that cooking for someone is one of the most intimate ways to show how you love them. With this eCookbook, you feel like Lori cares about you and wants to share with you the feelings she has about her family's recipes.
There's even a recipe for Everlovin' Doggie Treats!!
Many of the recipes have a small story or antidote before it – something to bond you to the moment when Lori was either first introduced to it or how she feels when tasting or making it. She includes comments like "delightfully messy" (Morning After Fried Egg Sandwich) and this one is probably my favorite (Potato Cheddar Soup):
When calories weren’t a concern because my days were spent chasing toddlers, I would often treat myself to a lunch of a cheese-stuffed baked potato with a side of fries. This soup, though not as sinful, is like a cheddar-stuffed baked potato in a bowl.
Chef, writer, photographer, producer Lori C. Aronsohn lives in the suburbs of Los Angeles with her two dogs Hamish and Kylie, and sometimes one or both of her kids and more often, her granddaughter. It’s always something.
BUY IT!!
Iowa Farms, California Tables retails for $7.99 for Nook and Nook App, $9.99 in versions for Kindle and Sony Reader and $12.99 for an iBook version which includes videos.
WIN IT!!
Lori wants to give one of my readers a FREE copy of Iowa Farms, California Tables during the Going Green for Christmas Giveaway Hop now LIVE!!
Come back on November 11 after 12:01am and enter to WIN!!
**I received an ebook for review; however, this has not influenced my opinions or review of this cookbook. That's what I used Hubby for… **
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Yum – California and food go together!
carol recently posted..Thankful $250 Paypal Cash Giveaway
Looks like a great cookbook!
Melissa recently posted..Rowdy Sprouts Review and Giveaway- Pick your choice of hip and funky apparel!
We LOVE it!!
Sounds great! Looking forward to the giveaway!
Brooke recently posted..Send Photos to Loved Ones with Postcardly
We absolutely love this one!!