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Tag: review

Caramelized Onion Focaccia: Cookbook Review

Zoe’s Take:
6/10

Bread is fantastic, but this bread did not hit it out of the park for me. Using frozen bread dough did not work out really well for me, as the focaccia did not poof up like my focaccia have in the past. The topping is great though, as caramelized onions are amazing on bread.

Eric’s Take:
7/10

I found this recipe delicious. You can sign me up for caramelized onions and cheese any day! Like Zoe, I took issue with the frozen dough. Making dough yourself is daunting, but not that difficult. My bread just didn’t rise enough. To make it worse, the cheese and onions weighed the dough down and caused the bread to sink after it finished baking. I was disappointed by the visuals and textures, but flavor was A+!

April 24, 2019
Quick and Easy Arancini: Cookbook Review

Zoe’s Take:
7.5/10

I can make risotto in my sleep so these were not so difficult to do for me. However, the size they wanted was a little big for me. I would have definitely preferred smaller ones. The taste however was fantastic. I wish I had added some sundried tomatoes with the peas, but I will next time.

Eric’s Take:
8/10

I thought this recipe was fantastic. The overall flavor was delicious, the mushroom risotto and peas were earthy and fresh, with a wonderful creaminess. I had two issues with the recipe. First, the instructions say to use a box mix of risotto, preparing as instructed. However, brands vary and mine (I believe) was a bit too wet. The other issue was how heavy these were. These, in theory, should be an appetizer. However, after two I was full. Overall I can overlook those details, because it was a fun, tasty and easy recipe.

April 19, 2019
Tuscan Portobello Melt: Cookbook Review

Zoe’s Take:
8.5/10

Oh, this is really good. If you like vegetables and you like grilled cheese, this sandwich is definitely for you. It has everything, melty cheese, roasted vegetables and lots and lots of butter. What’s not to like?

Eric’s Take:
9/10

I knew this recipe was going to start off good when it called for roasting the veggies. Then, it had me toast the inside of the bread before building the sandwich….um..yes! The combination of herbs and mustard was a surprise, but it all worked really well. My only complaint is that the veggie mixture is very messy before the cheese gets a chance to melt. That caused a lot of spillage in the pan. The little bit of balsamic started to burn a bit and it added a bitter bite or two. Overall loved this recipe!

April 9, 2019
Beef Tartare with Harissa: Final Cookbook Review

Zoe’s Take
8.5/10

I really liked this recipe, it’s not perfect, but it’s still pretty great. The sirloin is incredibly tender, and when mixed with the harissa and the other ingredients, it’s absolutely lovely. When on a crostini, it’s even better. I added extra harissa and extra garlic to mine because that’s just how I roll.

Eric’s Take
9/10

This recipe was darn near perfect. I don’t typically like tartare’s, and don’t recommend eating any meats raw. I went all out and used a filet for this recipe. It’s much more tender and has less fat marbled through. The only note I have on this recipe was that there needed to be some tweaks. I felt there was too many capers and not enough hairssa. Overall there was a great balance of sour, spice, and saltiness. A great end to this cookbook!

March 28, 2019
Red Velvet Gnocchi: Cookbook Review

Zoe’s Take
3/10

I did NOT like these gnocchi at all. While the color was absolutely beautiful, they did not taste good at all. The texture was almost cake like, you could taste the semolina in the dough easily and they just didn’t have any flavor. I had to cover them in cheese in order to eat them. I definitely think that you should stick to regular gnocchi. Do NOT recommend.

Eric’s Take
3/10

This recipe is the perfect example of something that is great in theory, but not in practice. I agreed with Zoe on every point. The taste was overwhelming beet flavored. The texture was very odd, and they desperately needed a sauce, like a beurre blanc or even a gremolata. This would balance out the flavor and lift the overly earthy gnocchi. I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt that I might not have made them correctly. But both Zoe and I had very similar outcomes. This is at least a problem with the instructions. My dough was very dry, but not knowing what to base it off of, I had to assume correct. Overall, there were too many issues and questions for us to give this more than a 3.

March 13, 2019
Morning Orgasm Cocktail: Cookbook Review Balaboosta

Zoe’s Take:
8/10

This was a really good drink (and I don’t drink bubbly stuff). Obviously, I would never choose this as a drink, because bubbles hurt my nose. But the taste was very good. Pomegranate juice, sugar, rose water and champagne? Those are the ingredients for a very tasty drink. AND, if you can’t or don’t like alcohol, you could always substitute with seltzer or something to make a non-alcoholic version that would still taste amazing!

Eric’s Take:
7/10

Reading the recipe for this drink I was really excited. It seemed like an expertly crafted beverage. The pomegranate juice is deliciously tart. The rose water adds a subtle floral taste that is unmistakable. It rounds out the pomegranate, and with the sugar cube, the sweetness completes the picture. The sugar also acts as a disruptor causing the champagne to continue to bubble. However, the campaign overpowered the drink and I found it lacking that wow-factor I was hoping for. I’m not sure if it would have tasted better with a different brand or not. The rose was also a bit too subtle. It was there, but hard to find. I think that I may play around with the amounts for this in the future, because it has potential to reach a 10! I also may replace the champagne with soda water, lemon juice and vodka. That combination would likely work just as well.

March 6, 2019
Absolutely Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies: Cookbook Review

These cookies were made by Chef Marcel Desaulniers for The Trellis: Cafe, Restaurant & Grill.

Zoe’s Take:
8/10

I love a good cookie. If it’s an all chocolate cookie, even better. So when we saw this recipe in The Great Chefs of America Cook Kosher, we had to try it. It’s a good cookie. It might even be a great cookie, but it’s not a 10/10, 5 star amazing cookie because it didn’t live up to the fudge bit. When a cookie describes itself as fudge, I expect melty chocolate chips and a richness. These cookies spread out quite a bit for me and were huge and got a little crunchy. Don’t get me wrong, I still like crunchy cookies, it was just not what I was expecting. Oh well.

Eric’s Take:
9/10

These cookies are VERY good! Super chocolatey and decadent. I thought this recipe was relatively easy to follow. There were a lot of steps and they were blocked in large paragraphs. There were also a lot of timed steps with mixing. I really liked these cookies, but the lost point was with the directions. Because of the steps being a bit confusing it led to inconsistent results between Zoe and my cookies.

February 28, 2019
Cumin and Lime Spiked Grilled Skirt Steak with Avocado Corn Relish: Cookbook Review

This recipe is from Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken from the Border Grill.

Zoe’s Take:
9/10

I really enjoyed this steak and that’s saying something because I am easily bored by steak. The cumin comes on really strong and it’s supported really well by the lime. I marinated my meat for 24 hours and the meat was quite tender, but I really want to go for 48 and see how tender it gets then. the avocado corn relish is amazing, I want to eat it on everything. My biggest issue is the marination time, and also, I prefer not to use skirt steak unless I have access to a grill (which I do not at the moment).

Eric’s Take:
9/10

I was skeptical with this recipe at first. I had made something similar before, and it wasn’t my favorite to say the least. However, this recipe called for toasting cumin seeds and that made a big difference. The aroma held up to the other strong flavors. The cilantro paired well with the jalapeños, making it not only complex, but delicious. The accompanying corn relish was incredible. By far my favorite bite from this cookbook yet. This recipe lost a point due to the choice of meat. Skirt steak is not always available and is typically better grilled. The long marinade time required to develop a stronger flavor and break down the meat means you can’t just make this dish on a whim. There needs to be long preparation. However, other cuts would likely work very well with this recipe too.

February 20, 2019
Sofra’s Chai Tea: Cookbook Review

Zoe’s Take:
8/10

I am not a tea drinker. I never have been, and no one has ever managed to convince me to like it. I’ve tried a ton of different types, made in different ways, and never liked any of them. But this tea, for some reason, is So Damn Good. The chai syrup is silky and thick with amazing flavor and mixed with the black tea and milk, it was so good. I wasn’t as big of a fan of the hot chai, but the iced chai is definitely my jam.

Eric’s Take:

8/10

I found this recipe delightful. I made a batch on a cold and snowy afternoon, and it hit the spot. I love tea, so I was already excited before trying it. The process was a bit long, because the Chai Syrup took some time to reduce and cool. The overall flavor was amazing. The different spices complimented each other, creating depth. I have two reasons for giving 8 points. The first point was lost because one ingredient, cardamom pods, is a bit difficult to come by. The second point was lost because I felt the syrup was too sweet. If I were to make this again, I would half the sugar. At the end of the day this was a great recipe, and I enjoyed preparing and drinking it!

January 9, 2019
Cookbook Review: Soframiz

This month, we are reviewing a fantastic cookbook that I actually use on a regular basis. Soframiz is a book full of vibrant Middle Eastern recipes from the Sofra Bakery & Cafe in Boston. We’re so excited to review this cookbook and to show you some amazing food.

Our first review is Flower Pogaca Rolls. They are a common breakfast item in Turkey. While not usually made in the style of roses or flowers, these rolls are just as good formed as a regular roll.

Zoe’s Take:
10/10
I might be obsessed with these rolls. I have a deep love of feta cheese, but also of bread and the soft buttery texture of the rolls, combined with the salty feta is absolute perfection in my mind. I have nothing bad to say because there is nothing bad about them.

Eric’s Take:
9.5/10
I really loved these rolls. The recipe was easy to follow, the ingredients were easy to find and work with. This was by far my most successful bake on a bread, which makes me believe they’re “fool-proof.” The bread was soft and flakey, and remained so for about two days. This was a big surprise as the recipe called for no butter and only one egg. The only reason I dropped the recipe a half point is that there was nothing in the cheese mixture to cut the saltiness from the feta. Otherwise this was perfect!

January 3, 2019