The book has a bit of a vintage flair to it. The style from the retro apron on the front is carried into the book by the vintage linen look of the chapter heading pages. There are a lot of pictures (although not of every recipe). The Love Notes section had some information I already knew, but there were occasional ideas there that were new to me or a different method from one I had been using. I particularly enjoyed the M.O.M. (Mothers of the Month) stories. I think it's a terrific idea to encourage and preserve the old fashioned cooking from different countries this way.I made the Broccoli and Smoked Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese. The preparation used a total of 2 pans, reusing the blanching water from the broccoli to cook the pasta. The total cost for me to prepare was around $10--mostly for the broccoli, cheese and cream. I had pasta in the pantry and butter in the fridge. Start to finish it took about an hour to prepare--about the same as any other homemade mac and cheese. But what I really loved about the recipe was the lack of bechamel sauce. I didn't have to make a roux and worry about my flour to butter ratio. I didn't have to worry about lumps. It made throwing the dish together so much less stressful. The yield was 4-6 servings, but it served 4 generously with enough left over for lunch.
I had only a couple of complaints, all relatively minor. There is only one (!) beverage recipe in the book, which seemed odd for something purportedly from a Bistro and Bar. The desserts section also seemed light. And a little uninspired. I would have liked to see more selections for the multi-ethnic M.O.M.s No recipes for Baklava. No obscure, regional dishes at all.
FTC Disclaimer: Review copy graciously provided by the publisher
