The Bon Appetit Cookbook
I was very excited when I heard that Bon Appetit was going to publish a cookbook. I have enjoyed the Gourmet cookbook immensely but was a bit disappointed at the yellow type for the recipe titles. I found it hard to read especially if I just wanted to curl up and read the book. I also enjoy the Bon Appetit magazine more than Gourmet. I find the recipes more approachable in Bon Appetit. I was hoping that Bon Appetit would put out a cookbook equal to or better than Gourmet.
I have to admit that I have not been disappointed by this book but it is not exactly what I expected. Bon Appetit calls its recipes �a sophisticated twist on a beloved classic� and that is definitely true. I have made a few of the recipes so far and have enjoyed all of them. Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Basil turned out juicy and moist with a lot of flavor. Salmon with Arugula, Tomato and Caper sauce was complex in flavor but easy to prepare. The Potato Gratin with Mustard and Cheddar Cheese was sophisticated comfort food with the mustard adding a unique flavor.
I found myself drawn to the desserts in this book which is very unusual for me. I am not a dessert person but I found some of these recipes drew me into preparing them. I first made the Black and White Cupcakes with my two sous chefs, ages 8 and 5. They were very good but my son didn�t take to the homemade vanilla frosting. Next up was the White Chocolate Mousse Torte with Oreo Cookie Crust. I served this for a dinner party to rave reviews. My favorite recipe by far has been the Lemon Crumb Cake. Crumbly in texture with fresh lemon juice and peel, the lemon flavor just shines through. My husband and I couldn�t stop eating it!
I said earlier that this book was not exactly what I expected. I thought this would be the kind of book that one would turn to when looking for a classic recipe but it really does �twist� the recipes into something else. The Gourmet cookbook and the Bon Appetit cookbook work great together. Turn to Gourmet for the classic and then check out Bon Appetit for something unique.
