Last fall while attending Food Blog Forum in Atlanta, I met a fellow food blogger and professional recipe developer from Birmingham named Alison Lewis. You know how sometimes you meet a new person and you just seem to click? That's how I was with her--we hit it off immediately. I was excited to hear that her very first internationally published cookbook would be hitting the shelves this spring. Alison has been developing recipes professionally for over 17 years, so as you can imagine, she has built quite a library of recipes. So large a library, in fact, that this book includes 400 recipes! You're probably thinking "is it even possible to come up with 400 sandwiches?" and the answer is yes. There is a sandwich for every time of the day and every occasion. You'll find appetizers, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as regional favorites and exotic sandwiches from foreign lands. (Beth
Eat Drink Smile eatdrinksmile.com 2011)
I was so happy to receive a copy of this new cookbook to review. My sweet friend, Alison Lewis, who I met while we were contestents in the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Bakeoff last November is the author. This is Alison's first cookbook but she's been working in the food industry for a long while. She blogs at Ingredients, Inc. where she creates healthy, family-friendly recipes that are easy to prepare. The cookbook is arranged by type of sandwich. So it's really convenient to locate a recipe for the type of sandwich you're craving. It has a breakfast sandwich section, a burgers, a wraps, a light and healthy sandwich section and more. One of my favorite sections is the condiments sections. A great condiment can make an okay sandwich great. I'm especially looking forward to trying the Chipotle Aioli next time I make a burger. (Mary Thaman
Barbara Bakes barbarabakes.com 2011)
In 400 Best Sandwich Recipes, Alison Lewis takes on the gargantuan task of creating a comprehensive collection of sandwich recipes--everything from the classics to burgers to wraps and condiments. The Grilled Cheese section alone contains 91 recipes--and I thought I was exhausted of grilled cheese! Without question, coming up with this many sandwich recipes requires a good amount of creativity. Alison's creativity proves to be boundless as she delivers innovative twists on familiar favorites such as BLT Pimiento Cheese Sliders, Tuna Caesar Wraps Prosciutto and Melon Grilled Cheese. She also has an appetizer section with a slew of mini sandwiches and crostini. Out of the 400 recipes in this cookbook, the one that I knew right away I wanted to make first was the Grilled Crab, Mango and Avocado. The reason? A chance for sandwich redemption.
"Sandwiches?" You ask, "Why do I need a book about how to make a sandwich?" Oh, come on. You know how easy it is to be boring. Bread and filling does not automatically make a good sandwich. Wrap up a bunch of dull and you've got exactly that -- dull. But, in this day and age we all often need simple meal -- it needs to filling, not complicated, not a lot of dishes, and most important? Good and good for you. A sandwich can be the way to go. We've all heard the food myth about the Earl of Sandwich not wanting to leave the drinking and a-smokin' at his gambling table and "invented the sandwich." I never actually believed that tall tale. It was one of the many wonderful stories in the Childcraft books I poured over as a child. Ever since there has been bread and something to put between the slices there have been sandwiches and I can guarantee that it was before a gambling parlor incident in the late 1700s. There's no doubt about Alison's book! She has 400 recipes -- from classics to burgers to more modern wraps and condiments for them all. It's a great starter cookbook for a graduation present, fun to have at the cabin or beach house, and just a splash of surprise to counteract dull dinners and lackluster lunches. Busy moms will love it. She shares recipes for Stuffed Pizza Burgers, Balsamic Glazed Chicken with Peppers and Goat Cheese, Grilled Crab Quesadillas...and 397 more-- including the tantalizing temptress, the exotic, exquisite, Banh Mi. Bon Appétit, Y'all! (Virginia Willis
Virginia Willis Culinary Productions virginiawilli 2011)
What makes this sandwich book stand out? It has simple and excellent recipes for everything between two slices of bread. Hamburgers, wraps, paninis and sandwiches -- Yiddesh, Cuban, German and Italian and every nationality in between -- this book has them all. As the proud owner of a culinary library with over 6,000 cookbooks, I can honestly say that I never get tired of food or books about food. So of course it was a delight to get my hands on the newly released cookbook, 400 Best Sandwich Recipes by Alison Lewis. I had the opportunity to interview Alison by phone before receiving the book in the mail, and fully enjoyed our conversation as foodies. Alison has worked developing recipes for over 17 years and it shows. We both love cookbooks and got to share some of our favorite ones! And speaking of favorite cookbooks, 400 Best Sandwich Recipes, takes the title in the sandwich category for me. It is like an encyclopedia of sandwiches, all in one volume! Reading this book, took me on a journey of interesting blends of flavors combined into a favorite comfort food style, the sandwich! Recipes include sandwiches for breakfast, appetizers, lunch, burgers and even desserts. After savoring in my mind so many of the recipes, I chose to try the Tomato Tea Sandwich with Arugula and Basil, which Alison suggests is a great spring and summer appetizer. I thought my daughter, who loves basil, would love to try them at our mother/daughter picnic. They were so refreshing and so simple, that I am planning to serve them again at a lunch that I'll be having with another author at a farm. (That's a story for another day!) For those of us who are super busy but still love to add variety to our daily menus 400 Best Sandwich Recipes is the way to go.For those of us who are super busy but still love to add variety to our daily menus 400 Best Sandwich Recipes is the way to go.
You may not think you need sandwich recipes, but during tough financial times, just how many peanut butter sandwiches can one person eat for lunch? Simple to prepare, yet sublime, there are sandwich recipes for every meal and occasion (and age). (Judy Scott Weldon
Judy Scott Weldon Network 2011)
Lewis proves that a sandwich is more than lunchtime fare. In fact her selections include new twists on traditional sandwiches and creative new ones to serve at any meal. 400 Best Sandwich Recipes has the perfect sandwich for anyone's taste. Alison Lewis is a nationally know recipe developer, TV and social media spokesperson and consultant. She is known for creating healthy, family-friendly recipes that are easy to prepare, and she offers great and entertaining ideas on her blog, ingredientsinc.net. Previously, she was an Editor on the Food Staff at Southern Living Magazine and Oxmoor House Books after completing degrees in Marketing, Advertising and Nutrition. I like the southwestern twist she gave to a classic grilled cheese sandwich by using pepper Jack, thinly sliced tomato and avocado slices. (Mary Thaman
Chief/Rays Supermarket 2011)
Do I recommend this book? Yes, I sure do; not only for family cooking but for any restaurant or sandwich stand. As far as I'm concerned "400 Best Sandwich Recipes" is a keeper. (Irene Watson
Reader Views 2011)
I love sandwiches! And 400 Best Sandwich Recipes: From Classics and Burgers to Wraps and Condiments by Alison Lewis really does have some of the best sandwich recipes I have ever seen. Alison really does come up with some interesting and delicious ideas for sandwiches, some of them twists on old favorites. She also includes recipes for wonderful condiments like a sun-dried tomato spread, a peach and ginger chutney and kalamata and black olive pesto. She has even created dessert sandwiches! As you can see, Alison really does have recipes for sandwiches for every occasion. All are simple to prepare yet fantastic to eat. With hundreds of choices, 400 Best Sandwich Recipes has the perfect sandwich for anyone's craving, and every recipe can easily be prepared at home without fancy equipment. I always say that most cookbooks are at least fairly good (Except for those cookbooks where the recipes don't work. Don't you hate that?). It is often a matter of what kind of cook would love it most. This cookbook is ideal for the busy home cook who wants to serve tasty, healthy, portable and economical dishes made with fresh ingredients. It is definitely now my go-to book on sandwiches. (Karen Ciancio
CookingNook.com 2011)
The upside to this book: Lewis has more variations and substitutions.
