Review: Confessions of a Serial Entertainer

Confessions of A Serial Entertainer by Steven Stolman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a cookbook, and the recipes mostly sounded delicious, but I read it straight through and loved the quirky, irreverent tone of the author. I can't really relate to someone with 3 houses (no matter how small each one is), but Stolman is an entertaining storyteller and I totally agree with him about bringing flowers to a party (don't -- it is a logistical nightmare for the host).

I was inspired to make pimento cheese and have all my ingredients ready to go for today, though I will be using the recipe from Screen Doors & Sweet Tea since it is my current challenge cookbook.

Review: Tough Cookie

Tough Cookie by Diane Mott Davidson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Davidson's novels follow a predictable pattern of trauma for Goldy, solved somehow by her fabulous husband, while she worries about one or more of her girlfriends who have gotten mixed up in something they shouldn't have, with constant food prep throughout. Despite the predictability (which is typical of the genre) this is an entertaining series and this installment is a good one.

This novel counts toward the Foodies Read Challenge.

Review: Kitchen Confidential

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you are bothered by coarse language this is not the book for you. However, the pirate ship mentality and outrageous behavior of Bourdain and his crews was incredibly entertaining. I am never eating at the Rainbow Room again, but otherwise came through this book about what goes on in restaurant kitchens unscathed. The same cannot be said for the author.
I listened to this as an audio, read by Bourdain, and it was like listening to him telling the various stories which worked really well.

I am counting this toward the Foodies Read 2015 challenge (as a memoir/biography).

Review: Vodka

Vodka: How a Colorless, Odorless, Flavorless Spirit Conquered America by Victorino Matus
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

"The nice thing about vodka is you make it today, you sell it tomorrow." --Sidney Frank, creator of Grey Goose to Inc. Magazine in 2005

This book was more like a series of articles about vodka companies than a cohesive history of vodka. It was a very informative and well written set of articles however and if you are interested in American business history and spirits in particular it is well worth reading. There is a lot here about advertising, which is largely what differentiates one vodka from the next, and how the iconic Absolut campaign (I was in college at the time that those ads plastered dorm rooms) evolved was fascinating. I do want to try Tito's Handmade Vodka (from Austin, TX) after reading about it.

This book counts (as my non-fiction title) toward the Foodies Read 2015 Challenge.

Review: Dinner: A Love Story

Dinner: A Love Story: It All Begins at the Family Table
by Jenny Rosenstrach
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book really isn't targeted to me. I don't have kids, my husband and I usually eat dinner together, and we both cook, so getting dinner put together isn't usually a big problem. I was inspired to read this by the post at Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity.
I really enjoyed this book, and my sister (who has kids) should definitely read it. I loved the way Rosenstrach told her stories, and the peek into the NYC life she and her husband lead was very cool. I also really enjoyed the "love story" about she and her husband Andy.
I marked a couple of recipes to try (including peanut butter noodles) and made Great Grandma Turno's Meatballs (we liked the meatballs, the sauce was way too sweet for me).
One of my favorite parts of the book was the letters that were added in, like the letter to "my younger newly betrothed self" about the stuff she put on her wedding registry that was a mistake and what she wished she had listed there instead. My list would differ from hers, but she is totally right about the chip and dip (don't bother).
This book is well worth reading, especially if you ever wondered what life as a publishing professional in NY might actually look like.
I am counting this as my cookbook for Foodies Read 2015.

Foodies Read 2015 Challenge

I have participated in the Foodies Read Challenge (hosted by Vicki of I'd Rather Be at the Beach) for the past 2 years and decided I want to do it again in 2015.

This year I am going to set a goal of 4 books which is the "Pastry Chef" level. The reviews for this challenge are sorted into 4 categories: cookbooks, fiction, memoirs and biographies, and nonfiction. I plan to read one book for each category.