One Potato, Two Potato (Hardcover)

by Molly Stevens (Author), Roy Finamore (Author) "No proportions here, just a method..." (more)
Key Phrases: cover partway, pound russet potato, heavy wire whisk, Yukon Gold, Potatoes Roasted, German Butterballs (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
One Potato Two Potato excels in the breadth and richness of its recipes, as well as its fine and immensely readable attention to its subject. Precise yet relaxed, it offers over 300 potato dishes--simple to elegant, everyday to special occasion. You'll find appetizers like Potato Porcini Frittata; main dishes and sides, such as Young Chicken Stuffed with Potatoes and Shiitakes, and Potato, Leek, and Bacon Pan Fry; even breads and desserts, like Potato-Cheddar Bread with Chives and the irresistible Farmhouse Chocolate Cake (potatoes in the batter help ensure moistness).

The book also "discovers" sweet potatoes, offering recipes for this oft-neglected treat that not only include stellar versions of standbys like Baked Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows, but also Orange Semifreddo and a luscious chocolate sauce. Readers will also find formulas for such international specialties as Samosas Filled with Potatoes and Peas; Columbian Potato and Chicken Stew; and Surbiic, delicate French potato croquettes. With a detailed, up-to-date investigation of available potato types (sensibly approached in terms of starch content) and with color photos throughout, One Potato Two Potato is a definitive exploration of one of nature's most humble yet most delicious foods. --Arthur Boehm

From Publishers Weekly
If there were any doubt an ingredient as basic as the potato could result in exciting cooking, this tribute to the humble spud should dispel it. Cookbook editor Finamore and Fine Cooking magazine's Stevens have paired up to produce an impressive, wide-ranging potato Bible which covers everything one could hope to know about Solanum Tuberosum. The authors do a heroic job of categorizing the thousands of potato varieties, from waxy vs. starchy to news, blues, yellows and sweets. The 300-plus recipes are organized by different cooking techniques soups, gratins, baked, roasted, fried (29 recipes for mashed alone!); each begins with a brisk run-through of potato science and chemistry. Ambitious home cooks will delight in fussy offerings like "Venison and Potato Stew Cooked in a Pumpkin" and the infamously tricky Pommes Souffl‚s (aptly subtitled "Heartbreak Disguised as a Potato"). But even simple recipes (Basic Mashed Potatoes, Classic French Fries) have been carefully tested and scaled to yield consistent results. Traditional potato recipes from around the world Vichyssoise, pierogi, samosas, shepherd's pie, red flannel hash, gnocchi, and latkes all make an appearance. The authors have also secured recipes for signature dishes by such celebrities as Martha Stewart, Tom Colicchio, Julie Sahni and Diana Kennedy. Although this is not the first potato cookbook on the market, it is certainly the most comprehensive; written with heart and humor and as versatile as the potato itself, this delightful volume should be at home on almost any cook's bookshelf.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 608 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (October 18, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618007148
• ISBN-13: 978-0618007141
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.2 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #281,816 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not just for spud lovers, December 15, 2001

By	M. J. Walters "dargelos" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

I suspect that the die-hard potato lovers of the world will take this book to heart. I hope the not-so-committed will also want to pick it up because it contains a wealth of fantastic recipes which show just how versatile the potato (in all its incarnations) really is.

How difficult are the recipes? They vary, but I can tell you that you can get some spectacular results even with some of the easiest. The Gratin Dauphinoise, for example, is a simple dish of sliced potatoes, cream, milk and cheese, but the look and taste of it suggests that it took you hours to prepare. And there really is nothing quite so good as cold gratin the morning after.

Unless you're a potato fanatic, I don't know that you'll use the majority of the recipes here, but I do think that unless you hate potatoes (In which case why even read this review?) you'll find at least a few new recipes that you and your family really enjoy. Give it a try.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spud lovers, rejoice!, November 12, 2001

By	Lynn Harnett (Marathon, FL USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Well organized, practical and very comprehensive, this paean to the lowly spud, by cookbook editor Roy Finamore and "Fine Cooking" contributing editor Molly Stevens, balances elegant and simple, fussy and fast, unusual and traditional. Prefacing the 300 recipes, a concise introduction explains waxy, starchy and "all-purpose" potatoes and provides advice on cooking, storing, and handling.

From appetizers (skins, crab puffs, potato porcini fritatta) to desserts (sweet potato chocolate cake, potato doughnuts) the recipes are invitingly clear. There's a chapter for every course and separate chapters for mashed (basic, French with cheese, sweet potatoes with balsamic), fried, baked and roasted, gratins and scalloped, braised and boiled. Salads include grilled, roasted, Sicilian, German, Nicoise and lobster as well as Mom's; there are three versions of Vichyssoise and a fancy soup made with grated potatoes and tiny meatballs. Eclectic main dishes range from the homey (shepherd's pie, Hungarian potato stew) to company elegance (sweet potato ravioli with chive butter, red snapper with potato crust, venison and potato stew cooked in a pumpkin). From last minute suppers to major productions, this is a book that should get lots of use.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comfort Food Extraordinare!, October 25, 2001

By	N. Verity "nickelpic" (New York USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book makes a terrific gift for anyone who loves the ultimate comfort food -- POTATOES! It encompasses recipes for all sorts of delicious dishes, from the simple (Homemade Potato Chips) to the extra-fancy (Sweet Potato Ravioli with Chive Butter). The book is divided clearly and logically into 12 sections, from Appetizers to Desserts. With both Meat and Meatless dishes, "One Potato Two Potato" is comprehensive without trying to be all things to everybody.

Author Roy Finamore and Contributor Molly Stevens start the book with 15 pages of "Potato Principles." This introduction to the humble potato is wonderful for both the beginner and the experienced chef. Think of it as a Potato ABCs. You will learn how to choose 'em, buy 'em, peel 'em, boil 'em, bake 'em, garnish 'em, etc.

My favorite part of the book, besides the luscious pictures, is the homey touch Roy and Molly have given the recipes. Each recipe begins with an anecdote or a helpful tip or a bit of trivia. We learn alot about the Authors' families and cooking habits in these elegant intros!

Even though some recipes look difficult at first, Roy and Molly put you at ease with their confidence and their attention to detail, especially about alternate ingredients. All the recipes I tried came out looking great and tasting better; no doubt this book will be one of my kitchen's most smudged and stained inhabitants, right up next to Uta Hagen's "The Love For Cooking" and Margaret and Franco Romagnoli's "The Romagnoli's Table."

The most important things are: have fun reading the book and do try some of the more interesting recipes, such as Potato & Chorizo Stew, Potatoes in Wine, Colcannon (make sure you try this delicious Irish recipe) or, our favorite, Farmhouse Chocolate Cake. (I won't tell you how the potatoes figure in, you will have to read the book!)

Happy Cooking!