The New California Cook: Casually Elegant Recipes with Exhilarating Flavor (Paperback)

by Diane Rossen Worthington (Author), Michael Schwab (Illustrator) "Californians love fruit in just about everything, including pate..." (more)
Key Phrases: nonaluminum dish, green pea guacamole, wash the cutting surface, Recommended Wine, Advance Preparation Can, Sauvignon Blanc (more...)

Product Details

• Paperback: 392 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; 2nd edition (April 24, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811849015
• ISBN-13: 978-0811849012
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #251,448 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected but accessible flavors, March 8, 2008

By	psal625 (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New California Cook: Casually Elegant Recipes with Exhilarating Flavor (Paperback)

I was originally convinced to buy this cookbook because of the promise of the wonton butternut squash ravioli recipe (p. 126) and it did not disappoint. She pairs the ravioli with a spinach basil pesto, which was unusual and interesting as a flavor combination. The pesto was good, but I now use it with other things and top the ravioli with sage and brown butter instead.

I have also made the spiced pumpkin hazelnut bread and love it. I didn't think I needed another pumpkin bread recipe, but this has proven me wrong. The recipe made two loaves with only 1/4 c. butter (less than half of what most similar recipes call for), golden raisins, hazelnuts (or almonds), and a hint of orange juice and zest. The result is brighter and fruitier than traditional, autumnal pumpkin bread and is perfect for a crisp, sunny day in early spring when there is still a can of pumpkin in the pantry and the oranges are in season.

In proper California fashion, recipes tend to utilize a lot of produce with Mediterranean influences. I am planning to try the mango and macadamia nut brown butter tart, grilled chicken nicoise, grilled pizza with leeks, mozzarella, tomatoes, and pancetta, and the homemade chicken and apple sausage (made with a food processor).

It's a fun cookbook in that even when I don't think I'm going to try a recipe, I find I'm usually still interested in reading about it. I am unlikely to make a pear, pistachio, and chicken liver mousse, for example, but what an interesting set of ideas.

If the book had pictures, I'd probably give it another star. As it is though it's a well-formatted, useful, inspiring cookbook with a lot of really interesting recipes that use realistic ingredients in unexpected ways. Even when a recipe looks like it might be a bit pedantic, there's a twist--walnut cake with roasted blueberry compote, for example (roasted blueberries??)

If you like this kind of food, this is a fun, realistic cookbook to invest in--but there aren't any pictures so you'll have to use your imagination.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best for Entertaining, January 9, 2007

By	Hoosier Harmony "Louise" (Indiana) - See all my reviews

I checked this out at the library and then liked it so much, I had to buy it. The recipes that allow you to do much of the prep ahead are fabulous. I found the time estimatess to be fairly accurate and that user error was the problem when they weren't. ;-)