Home Bistro: Simple, Sensuous Fare In The Comfort Of Your Own Kitchen [Hardcover]

Betty Fussell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1997

Are you tired of coming home after a long day's work to an uninspired dinner that barely tides you over until morning? Are you fed up with crowded restaurants, surly waiters, and overpriced meals? Acclaimed cookbook author Betty Fussell offers an accessible and exciting alternative in Home Bistro: Simple, Sensuous Fare in the Comfort of Your Own Kitchen. This creative collection of nearly 100 delectable, nohassle recipes celebrates being the master of your own culinary destiny. Learn how Orange-Cranberry Soup, Mustard-Lemon Linguine with Asparagus, or perhaps even Charred Shrimp Poblano can be on the menu of your own satisfying and delicious home-cooked meal in minutes.As practical and precise as she is unflaggingly innovative, Fussell understands that many of us don't have the time to shop for, plan, and cook elaborate menus every night of the week. Home Bistro features Betty Fussell's favorite recipes from her previous books on home cooking, Eating In and Home Plates, as well as more than 40 entirely new recipes to further tempt the palate. From appetizing "Starters and Nibbles" to mouthwatering "Afterwards," most of the recipes are one-dish meals designed to serve two, but they can be easily doubled or tripled for larger groups. Peruse these pages and discover how you can whip up incredible dishes in no time, most often employing a single pot, one knife, and a blender or food processor. Even beverage decisions are made easy with selections by wine experts David Rosengarten and Joshua Wesson.

Fussell offers tips on how to make everyday -shopping fast and painless, with concise advice on stocking the pantry to eliminate last-minute frustrations; how to be imaginative with the seemingly unexciting ingredients you have on hand; how to substitute ingredients for a new twist on a basic recipe. She even recommends complementary accompaniments and interesting presentation ideas for various dishes.

Home Bistro is about simple pleasures. Once you've tried these recipes, you too will be smitten by the aroma of freshly snipped basil, the velvet of coconut cream, the lively bite of jalapeÑo peppers, and the endless other new food discoveries that await youin your own kitchen.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Fussell's last two books, Crazy for Corn (LJ 4/15/96) and The Story of Corn (LJ 7/92), have made her the Queen of Corn, but she is also the author of a number of other books on food and cooking. Recipes from two of these, Eating In (1986) and Home Plates (NAL: Dutton, 1990) have been revised and collected here, along with 45 new ones. Most are one-dish meals for two people; all are for simple, vibrantly flavored dishes, presented in an unintimidating, companionable style. For most collections.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Addressing harried nine-to-fivers, Fussell argues persuasively that the home bistro is the ideal way to cook for yourself, stressing ingredients not technique. With the caveat that this volume is not an entirely new work--additional recipes have been added to two previously published collections, Eating In (1986) and Home Plates (1990)--she delivers the goods. The majority of the recipes are for one-dish meals for two, but vegetables, fish, poultry, and meats are all covered nicely. Whether it's pan-grilled portobello mushrooms or pasta with artichokes and olives, the recipes are uniformly enticing. For those who like to cook but have grown weary of what Fussell calls the opera bouffe of grand cuisine, this volume may bring a little fun back to the kitchen. Bill Ott

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Ecco (May 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0880015268
• ISBN-13: 978-0880015264
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,786,046 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spectacular quality recipes, wonderful food., July 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Home Bistro: Simple, Sensuous Fare In The Comfort Of Your Own Kitchen (Hardcover)

I purchased this book on a whim and was absolutely thrilled with the quality of the recipes. I was so impressed that I purchased an additional copy for my daughter and her husband and now she is sold on the book as well. The recipes are are simple to prepare and the result is mouth watering. I have yet to find any dish I didn't like. If you like exciting tastes, you will love this book.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simoly elegant, January 21, 2001

By 

"really-siobhan" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Home Bistro: Simple, Sensuous Fare In The Comfort Of Your Own Kitchen (Hardcover)

I wonder if a reader from Plaino, TX read the same book or if a reader somehow got confused when reviewing Home Bistro? This is a book in which EVERY RECIPE HAS A SHORT LIST OF INGREDIENTS. In fact, it is the perfect "last minute" cookbook, which is how veteran author Betty Fussell describes it. Small in size, it is the perfect book to glance through after a long day at work, sitting on the stool in your kitchen, watching the tv news while trying to figure out how to rest your soul by enlivening your palate. Fussell's aim is to suggest one dish meals, although she does offer valuable side-dish and wine go-togethers. And her one-dish meals are not the "hot dish" of Lake Woebegone fame or your mother-in-laws dry macaroni and cheese with a corn-flake topping (yuck!), but imaginative meals that draw on European, New World and Asian traditions. Let's face, what is more relaxing and more rewarding, 1.) a meal made up of take-aways from the deli where the mayonnaise always tastes suspicious; 2.) a meal made up of convenience food from supermarket boxes; 3.) a meal made from simple and fresh ingredients that can be ready in the time it takes to cook frozen french fries? For me, three is the answer and that is part of the reason why I like Fussell's book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple, sumptuous, and satisfying food, December 19, 2003

By 

Fyuzhn "fyuzhn" (America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Home Bistro: Simple, Sensuous Fare In The Comfort Of Your Own Kitchen (Hardcover)

I was so pleased to find a cookbook that used simple ingredients and had quick recipes to make such elegant, delicious fare. Also, as the recipes are intended for two people, I don't have to worry about storing a ton of leftovers. Many of the recipes are great for any season. Another thing that may be overlooked is the selection of delectable meatless dishes, making this a good purchase or gift for a vegetarian, or someone who just doesn't eat a lot of meat. (Meat lovers, fear not! We are not overlooked by any means.) The author also includes tidbits on substitutions and serving suggestions. The wine suggestions are also handy; the right wine really can enhance a meal.

From a casual lunch with a friend or dinner with a significant other, this book allows you to plan any kind of meal your heart desires, and not be exhausted from preparing.

The ability to find all of the ingredients at my local grocer, the lack of bulky leftovers, and the variety of yummy foods ensure I'll always have this book in my kitchen.