California Home Cooking

November 24, 1997
Jordan's (Polenta) collection of 400 recipes glorifying Golden State cuisine will leave unfortunate outsiders pining for that state's vegetables, seafood and wines. Happily, a resources list names nearly 70 purveyors of California foodstuffs from abalone to zinfandel. Accompanying the recipes are dozens of sidebars on such localisms as the fabled Chasen's Chili, the key to marijuana brownies and a young Marilyn Monroe as Castroville's 1947 Artichoke Queen. The recipes demonstrate ethnic diversity: Thai Lamb in Romaine Leaves, Jook (Chinese Rice Porridge), Channa Dal with Yogurt and Chutney from India, Solvang Roast Pork with Prunes and Apples from Denmark and Morcilla de Cabrito (Goat's Blood Pudding) from Mexico, which is anchored by a quart of kid's blood. There are plenty of dishes that confirm the Californian urge to exalt culinary creativity. Avocadoes show up in mashed potatoes; Blueberry Coleslaw calls for blueberry mayonnaise, blueberry vinegar and fresh blueberries. More traditonally minded cooks will find their own temptations: Beef and Barley Soup gets a boost from juniper berries; Trout-Fennel Salad offers a potent taste combination; desserts encompass Ginger Chevre Tart and Lavender Ice Cream. While a little organizationally slack (one Chapter offers Main Courses with Vegetables, another Vegetable Side Dishes), Jordan's omnibus is as wide-ranging as the state itself. Illustrations not seen by PW.

December 2, 1997
Jordan, a food writer and prolific cookbook author, has written about California cooking before, in A Cook's Tour of Sonoma (Addison-Wesley, 1990). Her latest book includes 400 recipes for the casual but often elegant food she likes to cook for herself and guests: Monterey Artichoke Risotto, Chicken with 100 Garlic Cloves (40 aren't enough in California?), Bing Cherry Compote. Alice Waters, the "doyenne" of California cooking, and M.F.K. Fisher are influences, and they, along with Jordan's fellow Californians Betty Fussell and James Beard, are mentioned often in the readable headnotes and informative sidebars. Occasionally, California's abundant produce seems to have gone to Jordan's head--do we really need Blueberry Coleslaw or Chicken and Raspberry Sandwiches?--but most of the recipes sound delicious.