Customer Reviews

Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I agree totally that more and more families are getting away from the tradition of actually sitting down and sharing a meal together as often as we once did. Work schedules, children's activities, and other responsibilities often collide. The result can be skipped meals or staggered meals where everyone seems to be eating a different thing at a different time.

The menus in this book are certainly unique. I have tried a few on week-ends and they are delicious. The only negative aspect I found is the preparation time. For those of us who truly are trying to jungle and balance family and work outside the home, there simply is not the time at the end of the day (or the energy) to attempt putting together many of these recipes. Most of the recipes are best saved for the week-end or special family gatherings - they are certainly not your typical everyday, evening fare.

Art Smith provides different fare from the standard soups, salads, and table settings, while appealing to our fondest recollections of family times centered around food. Mr. Smith looks beyond a recipe's basic ingredients to capture the essence of food as a tool for connection to our family and friends. This book provides a means to meet the need of our society at this time to shore up our sense of security and to distract us from our sense of loss, if only for a few hours -- the memory of preparing and sharing comfort foods deeply rooted in Southern culture, but surprisingly venturing into ethnic cuisines with Pakistani flatbread and Jewish Challah, provides a warm place we can all retreat to for strength. If you like to read cookbooks like a novel, this one provides delicious prose. The recipes that I have tried, particularly Adelaide's Peach Cobbler, Tomato Ginger Chutney, and French Chocolate Almond Pie, are easy to follow, work, and provide the elements for a bountiful table. This book is equally suited for the dinner table or the coffee table.

In an age of crumbling families and no time, Art Smith brings a nostagic message of hope and help. BACK TO THE TABLE is a cookbook that takes us back to a time when the dinner table actually meant something; before frozen dinners and fast food.

BACK TO THE TABLE is not about the latest health craze or the newest way to cram a meal in between soccer practice and violin lessons. This book is about taking the time to sit down at the table and eat with your family.

The recipes are delicious and simple (if a little time-consuming) and the focus on southern tastes seems to reflect the author's background. Some definite winners in BACK TO THE TABLE are the Grandma's chocolate cake and the incredible chicken tamales.

Art Smith has created a cookbook that is both beautiful and useful, with an important message and tasty recipes. 5 stars all the way.

I really like this cookbook and I was rather surprised to read some of the reviews that complained about the book being unpractical and unrealistic. I think that although we live in busy times his message is great. Most people I know eat on the run and only eat together (without the TV) during holidays and special occasions. I am one of those people, so this book made me think for a minute.

Although some recipes in this book appear to be more time consuming than others (as in most cookbooks), I have tried several recipes that were very reasonable (time wise). For example, last night I made the Grilled Fish Fillets with Watercress Mustard and Tarragon (i found the mustard at a Flagship Randalls) and the Romaine with Lemon Parmesan Vinaigrette. They were delicious and not difficult to prepare. Yes, there are many recipes that seem a little time consuming to make, but I am just wondering why this book is getting so much slack for that. I collect many cookbooks, and typically, unless it is advertised as a "Quick and Easy" cookbook, there is usually a mix of quick to not-so-quick recipes in most cookbooks.

I think the message of Back to the Table is important. Whether you can do it seven days a week or just two, mealtime is a great opportunity to spend quality time with your family. I may not always have time to make a sit down dinner for my family every night of the week, but I am going to make a realistic goal for myself and work on it!

This is a great cookbook. I am not sure why people say the recipes are time consuming. They aren't. Yes- you need to know how to cook, follow instructions and have a pantry that doesn't have pre-processed boxed food. For the main courses, Art's showing you recipes that are made with real food and require about 30 minutes of prep time (most of them) and then time to cook. Everything that I've made is delicious. The vegetable lasagna, the scalloped potatoes and dinner rolls are wonderful. Anytime that you make a new recipe it takes a little longer than expected. If you make it again, it usually goes faster. I love this cookbook and it is one that I always look at to find a new recipe. I love it so much that this and Barefoot Contessa are the only cookbooks that I am bringing it on a two month relocation to TX. Buy this cookbook for the great recipes.

I disagree with some of the other reviews that said that this book does not contain "family friendly" and "easy" recipe. Art's recipes for Smothered Chicken and Red Beans & Rice have fast become my family's favorite foods, and they are very easy to make. I love this cookbook and would recommend it to others who are looking for some simple, homestyle recipes for their families.

I'm really quite surprised by the number of reviews slamming this book for having time consuming recipes. It is a shame this has gotten in the way of people enjoying some really great recipes. One reviewer even stated that "not everyone has a Kitchenaid mixer or a cast iron skillet." OK, I'll give you the mixer, but a skillet? Come on, any seasoned cook should have one and if the don't, they cost a mere $12-$15 and will last for several generations. I use my grandmother's. It is a must when cooking Southern food.
Let's face some facts, here: The recipes in this book are, or are largely influenced by, classic Southern cuisine. First, this isn't 30-Minute Meals. This is not to say all of the recipes take a long time, because many of them are great for a weeknight. But some are meant for Sunday dinners (the most wonderful of family traditions) and special occassions when one has time to devote to lingering in the kitchen. Back to the Table is about slowing down and enjoying your time at the table with your family. It's about tradition. What it is not about is running around like a chicken with its head cut off and trying to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes flat.
Don't get me wrong... Quick cooking is important these days. But if all of our cooking is done in a hurry, even on weekends, we are missing the true rewards of cooking. I recommend that we all slow down, at least once a week, and take time to really be a part of the kitchen.

Okay, I've only had this book for three weeks and I've only made five recipies so far but, wow, there is some really good stuff in here. If you can find the ingredients at your local gourmet food shop, the Pecan, Blue Cheese and Bibb Lettuce salad with Late-Harvest Riesling Vinegarette was out of this world. I also like the menu ideas at the back of the book (I wish more cookbooks had this feature).

"Back to the Table" is not a low-fat cookbook. The recipies aren't difficult but they're not quick-and-easy and you'll probably have to make time for a trip to the store for some of the ingredients. That said, if you're willing to spend a little time preparing a meal and you're drawn to unique recipies with a Southern influence, don't pass this one up.

If you get this for only one recipe (the sweet potato pecan waffles) it would be more than worth it. But, you'll love all the other recipes, too. Beautifully designed, scrumptiously written...all the good things a cookbook is supposed to be, and the recipes are the REAL thing.

I really enjoyed this cookbook for the simple reason that it has so many recipes that can be utilized for just about any occasion. If you're a fan of Southern cooking, you'll see many many familiar foods in this book.

I would also have to agree with many of the comments made about the book so far; there are some recipes in here that just aren't practical if you're strapped for time OR are fond of simpler, more traditional fare. I think the easiest way to remedy this would be to save some of the more intricate recipes for weekends or times when one can devote more time to their meal preparation. You will find that this isn't a spur-of-the-moment cookbook; if you want to make something in here more than likely you'll have to make a trip to the store beforehand, that is unless you happen to always have a stocked pantry of tomatillos and chiles de arbol.

Overall, I would recommend this cookbook. It's a great addition for those cooks that plan a trip to the store around their meal preparation. It may not be the best choice for those in a hurry or who don't like to spend a good amount of time cooking or baking.