Cooking with Mary Berry

November 7, 2016
British baking grand dame Berry (Mary Berry’s Baking Bible), beloved judge of The Great British Bake Off, compiles a delightful array of new family recipes that “look good, taste good practical to make.” Simple recipes, all using a limited number of widely available ingredients, are divided into stages, with any unusual instructions mapped out step by step. Berry includes an informative section on cooking methods for eggs, meat, fish and shellfish, veggies, and desserts. Breakfast and brunch options include an appetizing strata with cheese and pesto, zucchini and prosciutto frittata, and kedgeree, a British favorite made with rice, smoked haddock, and hard-boiled eggs. Vibrant full-color photos accompany many recipes, none more appetizing than her mouthwatering butternut squash soup and rustic pizza tartlets. Her Provençal-style roast chicken, coq au vin, and beef pot roast with winter vegetables are hearty, flavorful dishes with a minimal amount of fuss. She also suggests tasty alternatives to traditional stuffings, using spinach, onions, and mushrooms in place of a starch to accompany pork chops and stuffing a beautiful broiled trout with sautéed cucumbers. Pad thai with shrimp, veal schnitzel, fettucine primavera, and couscous with roasted bell peppers bring an international flair to the collection. Berry also includes numerous side dishes and scrumptious breads and desserts that are sure to please. Home cooks will treasure this superb collection.

November 15, 2016

Anyone saddened by Berry's departure from The Great British Baking Show can still enjoy her many cookbooks, including this new collection of everyday favorites. Simple, mostly savory recipes such as turkey and lemon stir fry, scallops with spicy cashew sauce, spinach gnocchi with tomato sauce, and fragrant chicken curry will have novice cooks exploring an array of global flavors. Each recipe includes calorie counts and clear step-by-step instructions. Essential techniques, such as how to scramble eggs, appear in an introductory chapter. Unlike many celebrity chef cookbooks, this practical title steers clear of memoir and autobiography. VERDICT A straightforward collection from a beloved chef and TV host.

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