Some cookbooks inspire you to dream of cooking; some inspire you to actually do it. Some cookbooks overflow with stories; some brim with ingredients. Some cookbooks zero in on a theme, some let their tastebuds go on a vast adventure.
But the best cookbooks? They find a balance. A strong theme, with culinary exploration. Great tales and recipes that work. Saliva-producing photos and techniques that don’t fly over your head. In my growing cookbook library, there are some gems. If i’m financing the purchase, that book has to go the distance. Lately, i’ve also received some impressive books to review.
In the Small Kitchen is one such book. Cara Eisenpress & Phoebe Lapine of Big Girls, Small Kitchen have created a wonderful collection of recipes. For a twenty-something who enjoys cooking and loves to entertain, this needs to be on your shelves. The way in which this book is chaptered was an instant draw. Cooking for One, Potlucking, and the all important Brunch are just a few examples. The recipes included in these chapters are actually perfect fits for the occassion. Baked goods to say thanks, quick dinners on a solo night, “retro” dishes that feed a crowd. The stories sprinkled through the book bring some heart and personality to it all – the eggs from their mothers’ kitchens, the blondies that came with the return of a borrowed necklace, the parties both intimate and oversize. The friendship between the authors is a core reason for their overall success, so hearing about little slices of their lives keeps with the feeling of In the Small Kitchen.
The big girls provide adaptations for many recipes, with a small paragraph of notes at the recipe’s end. It’s an inspiring way of cooking, helping the reader embrace substitutions or alternate flavor combinations. Their peanut noodles are reminiscent of my recipe, and reading the book sparked a major craving. A bowl of their noodles helped curb the take-out habits and soothed the soul with a delicious dinner. Whether feeding just one tummy or a few dozen, these ladies want to assure you it can be done. They have captured a spirit of joyous eating and they want their peers, friends & strangers alike, to embrace it.
As mentioned before, this is a great book for the “adults only because we have to be” crowd – those in their twenties and even early thirties, or anyone young at heart. The foods found in here are incredibly flexible, and many are perfect for eating on all week long. For example, take their Italian meatballs and toss with pasta instead of in a bun. It’s a brown-bag lunch winner [trust me!] The versatile recipes, entertaining memories and helpful guidelines in In the Small Kitchen might be the nudge in the right direction your brother, the take-out king, needs, or a new reference your best friend, the entertaining queen, loves. Or maybe you want a copy for yourself?
Well, thanks to the publishers Harper Collins, I have a copy to give to one lucky reader! Here’s how you can win this little treasure:
- The required entry is simple. Just leave a comment telling me an anecdote about cooking or entertaining in your twenties. A horror story, a surprise, a flop, a total success. Anything. Please leave your email address in the comment as well.
- For another entry, become a fan of nomnivorous on Facebook. Leave a separate comment telling me that you’ve done so. Current fans, just leave a comment saying you’re already a fan.
- For a third entry, follow nomnivorous on Twitter. Leave a separate comment letting me know you follow me. Current followers just leave a comment letting me know you follow.
- For one final entry, tweet a link to this contest, and include @nomnivorous. [Example: "Have you seen? @nomnivorous is giving away one copy of @BGSK's 'In the Small Kitchen.' http://wp.me/pWGga-lh" ] Leave a separate comment letting me know you’ve tweeted.
So in total, your actions can give you four comments, upping your chances to win! The contest closes at on Friday, June 24th at 11:59pm. The winner will be chosen with random.org, US residents only.
All images in this post are from the book and are found on Harper Collins & Amazon.
My go-to recipes in my 20s – spicy cajun burgers. I grab whatever ground meat is on sale, saturate it in Slap Your Mama (or a comparable Cajun spice, generally gifted from my parents), melt pepperjack cheese on top, and enjoy with some cold brews. It’s always a ground pleaser and takes almost no time!
I once tried to make pulled pork for a 4th of July party for 30 some guests and winged it without a recipe. Bad idea – the pork was totally hard and my arms were sore for a few days from trying to get that brick of pork shredded!
As a 20-something baker/chef/sometimes-host, I’ve found the potluck to be a *wonderful* thing. My girlfriends and I will often want to have a big, classy dinner for a holiday or celebration, but one of us simply doesn’t have the resources to pull off the whole shebang on her own. Divvying up the different meals and dishes makes that easier, plus we all are always more than happy to swap recipes if something we make is particularly successful! Definitely a good way to ease the burden and learn new tricks.
Already a fan of Nomnivous on Facebook.
Also following Nomnivorous on Twitter!
And just tweeted about the contest. Crossing my fingers for good contest luck!
Still in my twenties, but early twenties I used to love making fruit bars: chopped fruit mixed with cornstarch in a pan, topped with oatmeal sugar cinnamon. lol. those were “fruit bars”
I am a fan of nomnivorous on Facebook.
I’m already following you on twitter!
I tweeted! (nella22) Just realized was logged on to mvfoodie account (previous blog) my email is marnely at gmail dot com and current site is http://cookingwithbooks.blogspot.com/
Remember that time when we were watching Mad Men in your dorm at Wolf Village and I set your pot holder on fire?
Also, I tweeted!
I love you, so much.
hm…I’ll go with a cooking horror story. So, I tried to make noodles in the microwave once. The bowl was hot so I grabbed some potholders to pull it out. Unfortunately, the bowl slipped and I burned my hand so bad! It was so red and painfully swollen, it looked like a lobster claw for a week. Then I looked like a leper as it started to peel. Amazingly, no scars. Cookbook please?
I remember living in my first apartment and inviting my dad over for lunch one day. I felt so grown up!
I could not cook, but I’ve never been afraid of a challenge. I thought I needed to cook something “grown up,” so I chose a recipe I had never tried. It was stuffed cabbage rolls….. and they were Terrible! LOL
My poor dad was such a sport, though. He ate and never said a word. (what a dear!)
It has taken me a long time to learn that complicated does not equal delicious. But I still never back down from a new challenge!
–Shelley
I tweeted!
Now following you on twitter……
Not in my 20′s yet, but I remember when mom, Chrissy and I decided to take over Chrissy’s kitchen for all of our holiday baking. I think at least a bit of flour got on everything that day, and we kept running out of cooling racks. And thank you for making me think about that day again.
I am also a fan on facebook.
I pulled off my first dinner party for 18 people at the ripe old age of 29!
In my twenties I was once stuck in hotel and learned how to cook an entire meal using only the in room tea kettle. I felt like the cooking Mcgyver.
I follow you on all the appropriate channels. Word to your sweet sweet mother.
Hmm, cooking in my 20s? Does macaroni and cheese from a box count? Cause that was about the extent of my cooking in my 20s!
And I’m a Facebook fan and twitter follower!
P.S Also already a facebook fan
I’m a fan of yours on Facebook!
-Heather
hotpinkvalentine@gmail.com
In my twenties I was more of an eater than foodie. Sports came first so I ate a lot =) I did enjoy the kitchen, though, and had a few go-to recipes. I had a killer French Toast that always seemed to impress the girls when called upon =) Esp. after a late night when everyone’s starving!!
Hmmm my amusing cooking experiences… well in my teens I put one of those frozen SuperPretzels in the micro for 45 minutes instead of seconds because I wasn’t paying attention. But 20′s? Oh the poundcake! I was making this delicious poundcake and I had just enough time to get it baked and the kitchen cleaned up in time for guests. It was only a few ingredients: tons of butter and some water… I forgot the water! Don’t ask how, I blame it on being flustered and pressed for time. It was a terrible, flat, crummy mess! We all got a laugh out of it though!
-Heather
hotpinkvalentine@gmail.com
I follow you on twitter!
I Liked your FB page!!
I tweeted
-Heather
hotpinkvalntine
hotpinkvalentine@gmail.com
Hah, I have no end to my 20′s cooking horror stories. One of my favorite things to do is cover up ugly looking desserts with a smooth glossy layer of chocolate glaze. Still tastes good!
oh duh… and I follow you on twitter!
I started following nomnivorous on Twitter too! It’ll be like I’m talking to twice the Emily’s and getting twice the love.
– @SpatulaQueen
I didn’t have the courage to entertain in my 20′s.
I totally already follow on Twitter.
And I just tweated the giveaway!
Cooking in my 20′s was filled with prepackaged junk, so happy to be wiser and cooking with organic natural ingredients now!
Marlazick@aol.com
Fan on facebook Marla Kurtz Zickefoose
marlazick@aol.com
Following on twitter @SavingUGreenMom
marlazick@aol.com
tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/SavingUGreenMom/status/83947992138264576
marlazick@aol.com
When I was in college, we would have a pre-thanksgiving thanksgiving potluck dinner where everyone had to bring their favorite side dish/casserole. It was a great way to see everyone before they left for the holiday and always interesting to see what other people consider tradition thanksgiving side dishes.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Well I am in my twenties now and my go to recipes are things like mustard and tarragon chicken, a great chili con carne, spaghetti bolognese. Allsorts really. I really love to bake and I’m happy to say that I haven’t had a baking flop! It’s definitely my thing. This book looks great and I’d be so happy to win it
I “like” your facebook page!
Most raves in my twenties and especially when I was living with roomies were my grilled steaks. A Saturday night tradition my father has passed on to me. Thick cut steaks marinated in worstershire, tons of fresh garlic and ground pepper; thrown on a hot charcole grill just enough to get the moo out. Pair with some salad, a jacket potato and a couple cheap bottles of wine… you’re in for a night chats and great memories. Here’s to you pops!
Now following you on twitter- make me hungry I dare you!
Annnnnnd tweeted about Nomnivorous!
“@meghannismz”
Liked you on FB
followed you on Twitter!
In my 20s, I went from cooking mostly microwave and grilled goods to becoming a food blogger! I’ve recorded most of my experiments over on my blog. My worst experiment was cooking something from a cookbook (for beginners, no less) and it coming out so bad that my girlfriend and I got in a fight because she didn’t want to eat it!
tweeted!
i am in my 20s and have quite the adventures cooking in my tiny studio’s kitchen!
i like you on fb!
I love that a dinner party in my 20′s consisted of ordering food for a group of people and having it delivered. No one expected you to cook, it was a mind blowing event if one did. Dinner parties equated to ordering out, potluck dinners were store bought items. Home cooked meals were an oddity.
Tweeted it: http://twitter.com/#!/misstejota/status/84272092907974656
Now a fb fan.
Following @nomnivorous on twitter.
trolling your posts on fb now!
I was 26 – and I catered my sister’s wedding. For 450 people. With no experience.
Surprisingly, no one died! And everything got done on time…it was a huge moment!!
I follow you on FB now too….
Hello, nice blog you have here! Well, when I first started baking I decided to make a chocolate cake. The cake was very well baked and it looked really delicious, but… I used salt instead of sugar and I am sure you can imagine the suprise in everyones face… After this attempt I always taste the ingredients before I use them
I forgot to mention my email: cakescakes4u@gmail.com
[...] But the congratulations goes to Jeff, of Single Guy Cooking for winning! His tweet won, but, his comment about cooking in his 20s was pretty interesting too: In my 20s, I went from cooking mostly [...]