On my bookshelf

I don't know why I haven't talked about this subject before! You would think this would be one of the first things I've ever blogged about. I am an avid reader. Love books.....LOVE books. I love the library, I love book stores. I love lots of different kind of books. I love reading text books of subjects I am interested in. I love silly Danielle Steele romances, Stephen King horror novels and biographies of all kinds of interesting people. I love reading about World War II, history, and I am hopelessly addicted to the "Prey" series of novels by John Sanford. My dad, also an avid reader, calls me regularly to ask what I'm reading, talk about what he is reading, and he sends me home with books he has finished with. My dad has always been the biggest influence in the things I study and am interested in, ever since I was a kid. You see, like me, my father is a cookbook collector.

The Chef says I am a cookbook hoarder and with the internet there is no longer a need for buying actual books. That may be, and my concession there was to stop buying cooking magazines every month (but I still buy one occasionally....shhhhh). My daughter and son-in-law gave me a Nook for Christmas last year- a wonderful and very thoughtful gift, as my kids know me oh so well and knew that I'd always wanted one, and would use it all the time (and I do). But when it comes to cookbooks I still need the feel of the paper, the weight of the book in my hand, the smell of the pages. I need an actual book. 

I have cookbooks of all sorts. I have many many many of the "thin" Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks. They aren't much bigger than magazines but are hard-covered and single subject, such as Meals in Minutes, Barbeque and Salads. I have three of the classic red-checked-covered Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. I have old church cookbooks. Ladies' Auxiliary cookbooks. Celebrity chefs, some autographed and some not, and the classics like The Joy of Cooking and Julia Child's most famous book Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I have cookbooks you might never have heard of. I have cookbooks many of you probably own. Some are worn from years of reading and reference. Some are taped back together and the dust covers long gone. I even have a cookbook compiled by Mary Kay consultants- their favorite recipes.

But why cookbooks? Well, to me, as a young woman years ago, I had no earthly idea what to do with food. I never cooked until I was on my own. I never had to. Never took home ec or any of those life skills classes in high school, preferring to take French and art and sciences instead. Back in those days Meredith Publishing used to have an annual book sale. Cookbooks were dirt cheap and I just started getting a few every year, and reading. Meredith Publishing, for those who may not know, is the company that publishes Better Homes and Gardens and happens to be headquartered in Des Moines- how awesome is that? Reading the recipes, seeing all the beautiful pictures, and growing tired of pizza, burgers and those boil in bag frozen meals (before microwaves were common), I began to experiment with cooking. 

At first it wasn't pretty. Those early meals were not often successful but I never gave up. Moving to England for several years and raising a family in a tiny English town with no drive thrus meant Mommy had to figure it all out, and I did. Quite successfully! I won my first recipe contest in 1983 at the ripe old age of 21, thanks to all those cookbooks.

These days my style of cooking is very diverse. Home cooking to nouvelle cuisine. Home canning to a luxe gourmet dinner for two. I still look to my cookbooks for inspiration. Of the 400plus I own I do have some definite favorites. Let's talk about some of them.

Chez Bonne Femme Cookbook- One of my very favorites is also one of my newest. The Chez Bonne Femme Cookbook by Wini Moranville has landed a spot on the top ten list immediately. I will definitely wear this one out, undoubtedly. Getting to meet Wini in person was a real delight- and if you follow either of my blogs you have seen at least a couple posts about Wini or the cookbook or a recipe of hers. Unlike Julia Child all those years ago, Wini brings French cooking into the American kitchen with some recipes that are incredibly easy and delicious, no obscure ingredients and techniques most of us are already accustomed to. If you don't own this book, you simply must get it.

Anything by Ina Garten- How can you NOT love Ina and her beautiful kitchen, the big glass "Ina Jars" on the counter (yes I have Ina Jars of my very own), and her outstanding recipes? Seriously, besides this incredible life story she has, she lives in the Hamptons and owned that gorgeous little shop The Barefoot Contessa. Ina's recipes are simply amazing. She makes everything look so easy and perfect. Her Perfect Roast Chicken is something everyone should master. Pot pie goes gourmet when it is Seafood Pot Pie. Her Lemon Loaf Cake is the perfect picnic dessert. She masters everything from bechamel sauce to roasted potato wedges, and you can too.

The Quarterback Killer's Cookbook- Of course I would own this one. I can't say for sure if I bought it as a Viking fan or a cookbook collector but regardless, it's turned out to be one of my favorites. Former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen is much more than a sports figure. He is a hunter, supporter of veterans, restaurateur, and surprisingly, a pretty amazing cook. His book is FUN- stories and pictures from his childhood, his father and grandfather- his idols- and recipes from ducks and pheasant to fish to bears, elk and deer. How about some Ostrich Steaks with Piperade? Venison with Blackberry and Horseradish may be more up your alley? I'm big into braising.....wonder if I can track down some bear meat for Braised Bear Steaks?  Even if I don't get to cook too many of the recipes, this cookbook has been a fun addition to my collection and is very treasured, If only it were autographed........

Nadia G's Bitchin' Kitchen Cookbook- Speaking of autographs.....If you don't know who Nadia Giosia is, you need to get out more. The Cooking Channel's star of Bitchin' Kitchen is a ball of fun- she reminds me so much of myself as a younger woman- all high heels and heavy metal attitude. Pepper Crusted Teriyaki Tuna with Wasabi Smashed Potatoes is just one of the recipes in her cookbook that YES !!! sports an autograph *insert happy face* Her cookbook is arranged as complete meals, rather than chapters on meats, vegetables, appetizers, etc., and have silly titles such as Break-up Bonanza, consisting of Splitsville Salad with Caramelized Figs, Reverse BLT, Mascarpone Honey Toast; The Single Life, which is Crispy Salmon with Leek Sauce, Mac & Cheese and Perfect Spinach Salad with Grilled Pears. Fun stuff, great recipes and lots of useful information laid out in a wacky rock girl style this is one awesome cookbook, or as Nadia G might say "Bitchin!!"

The 150 Best American Recipes- Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens did a fantastic job compiling recipes from all kinds of sources- cookbooks, magazines, newspapers, and so on. The Appetizers section contains some truly delightful tidbits. Vodka-spiked Cherry Tomatoes with Pepper Salt sounds like a bite-sized Bloody Mary. Lots of delicious soups and interesting salads made the cut, and entrees from Black Bean Burgers to Shrimp and Grits to Braised Short Ribs make me want to cook everything!! The cookbook includes breakfast and brunch recipes, breads, and an awesome selection of desserts. Lots of gorgeous photos fill the pages of this fantastic collection of recipes. I think this cookbook was actually a gift, and couldn't have been a more perfect gift for me.

I really have way too many books to really pin down the absolute favorites, and what I am loving changes from season to season, year to year, as I learn more techniques and discover new foods and ingredients. You could say........I've never met a cookbook I didn't like!

Note: Almost all of the above books are available on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble- except for the vintage and community cookbooks. Those I have collected over the years from book sales, garage sales, thrift shops and even a few on Ebay. 

Cooking with cast iron

When I think of a country kitchen my mind's picture always includes a row of neatly spaced cast iron pans hanging on the wall. For a lot of years, as a city dweller, I turned my back on cast iron. "Too rustic" and "too countrystyle" for my urban, contemporary kitchen and cooking style back then, I chose instead to furnish my kitchen with hard anodized cookware and pricey accessories. The only cast iron I was really interested in was enameled cast iron from Le Creuset. Friends offered me different skillets and grill pans to try and convince me I should try it, but I was stubborn. 

Vintage cast iron deep pan for frying

Ohhhhh life is filled with regrets, is it not? Now, several years later, I don't live in a big country farm house but I do embrace a different kind of life and after all this time cast iron cookware has a piece of my heart. My "collection" consists of one solitary skillet given to me by my sister but using this one skillet has started me on a journey I wish I had begun long ago. I think of all the times I passed on a rough looking old skillet in a thrift store that my friend Jessica would snap up in a second. Garage sales with the odd piece here and there that I left on the table continue to haunt me. I think the biggest reason I wasn't interested in getting any was not wanting to mess with seasoning and not wanting to worry about getting them completely dry after cleaning. My Calphalon is just too easy to care for and I was spoiled.

We all know cast iron has been around for centuries. What is it about this ages-old material that keeps cooks all over the world in the fan club? I asked my cooking friends to share their thoughts on cast iron and here is what they had to say-

Becca's awesome thrift store treasure is
featured on her blog, www.itsyummi.com

Leslie says she loves the ease of being able to cook and bake in hers. She also loves the easy clean up and good flavors that a well-seasoned pan provide. Marie also loves using hers for baking.

Jennifer owns three skillets and loves them, although she feels eggs don't do as well in them as in other pans. 

Mary stresses NO SOAKING to reduce the risk of rusting. I agree completely. I have never had to soak mine. Even if stuff appears to be stuck really bad, just a few minutes wet loosens everything right up. She has skillets that once belonged to grandparents, and says they are the best for fried chicken.

Chef Todd's innovative use of cast
iron in the restaurant kitchen.

Paul likes his for cooking bacon (which is the easiest way to quickly and continuously season the pans too!) and for using on the grill. He is an advocate of the No Soap Policy, which I agree with. Todd had a very clever use for his skillet- he flips it and uses the flat bottom like a grill, perfect for searing tuna. Ingenious! As a professional chef he uses this clever idea in the restaurant kitchen, where single-use items are a hassle and finding multiple ways to use cooking equipment is important to your overall efficiency and creativity.

Deb's cast iron collection

My good friend Deberah has an awesome collection of cast iron skillets in a range of sizes. I NEED this in my life! She has a big ol' skillet for frying up piles of food for her hungry household of guys, and one of the small ones I really really want bad! 

Becca scored a piece at a thrift shop for 50 cents! Even though it had a badly corroded spot she reseasoned it. It's not perfectly non-stick but she says it's awesome for fried chicken and cornbread.

It's interesting to me that my friends who responded represent a wide difference in cooking styles yet they all expressed the same basic pro and cons- durability, ease of use and great for frying. Some of them are home cooks like me and others are professional chefs, food writers and bloggers, culinary students and cookbook authors. I can't think of too many other kitchen items that have such a broad appeal. 

My one and only cast iron skillet

Now I have an overwhelming need to get to as many thrift stores, estate sales and auctions as I can to search for vintage pieces. I'm sure I'll be learning all about restoring cast iron to it's beautiful, usable form. Of course, I'd love to find a larger, deeper skillet for frying chicken and things like that. A Dutch oven is a must-have and something I would use all the time for breadmaking and a cornstick pan would make a nice addition. I could use several small skillets for table service, hot dips, baking cornbread and such. This is one hunt I'm looking forward to!

Right now, let's cook something in cast iron. Something simple, rustic and homey that will demonstrate everything we love about cast iron- the perfect crusty sear, the nonstick seasoned surface and the heat distribution you only get from a heavy solid pan. I'm going to make a quick German style toss of crispy fried potatoes, perfectly sauteed cabbage and juicy kielbasa slices, seared golden brown outside and perfect on the inside. This is a favorite weeknight meal for me, easy to pull together and on the table in minutes- simple flavors, easy techniques, just toss in a bowl and add some spicy mustard.

Fried potatoes are nothing else if not amazing when cooked in cast iron. Most people who use cast iron proclaim fried potatoes as THE best in cast iron. Yukon Gold potatoes are a great choice for fried potatoes. They are firm and less starchy and get that delicious crunchy brown exterior while staying tender and creamy on the inside. For this dish I leave the skins on (well, for every dish really) and cut the potatoes in half lengthwise before slicing. Give them a nice toss with oil and place in the hot pan, avoid crowding them as much as possible which tends to steam the potatoes rather than crisp up and fry. I am frying uncooked potatoes here, which is typical in the German kitchen, so they take a little longer than American "home fries." Turn the potatoes often to evenly brown, and place in a large bowl when they are all done. Season with salt and pepper. I like to use my giant stainless steel bowl and hold it in a warm oven.

Next up we are going to fry the kielbasa. This is the quickest step, as the sausage is already fully cooked. We just need to get that golden brown sear on the slices. Cast iron is made for searing meat. I put the sliced sausage in a bowl and toss with some oil, and add to the hot skillet. Just a couple minutes on each side usually does the job and into the bowl they go to rest with the potatoes.

Now the skillet has lots of gooey, crusty browned bits inside. We want to get that incorporated into our dish. Frying the cabbage last is a great way to do that. The vegetables release a little bit of juice, which deglazes the pan and the browned bits help caramelize and flavor the cabbage. This method is very similar to stir frying and demonstrates how versatile cast iron can be. I have a small head of green cabbage which I have cut into bite sized chunks (usually I use about half the head since it's just two of us). I add one onion, also cut in chunks, to the bowl, four minced garlic cloves and add to the sizzling hot skillet. Cooking over fairly high heat gives good caramelization to the edges of the vegetables without overcooking and the fat from the sausage adds tons of flavor. I like the cabbage a little on the crunchy side still so after a few minutes I season with salt and pepper and toss with the potatoes and sausage in the big bowl with a scoop of homemade German style mustard and a splash of vinegar.

Toss with a bit of grainy mustard- delicious!

That's it! Quick German-style dinner that is delicious with some grainy rustic mustard and buttered crusty bread. Cast iron makes dinner easy and delicious and cleanup is a snap. A quick rinse, wipe, heat to dry completely and that's it! 

I'd love to hear some of your cast iron stories!