Hack Your Cupboard

July 1, 2019
This debut from food bloggers Wiegand and Delgadillo serves as a terrific introduction to cooking basics for newbies, whether they’re setting up shop in a dorm room for the first time (yes, ramen is covered, in half a dozen recipes) or moving into their first apartment. The authors thoughtfully walk readers through the process of creating meals, including how to read recipes, how to stock one’s kitchen with staples, and some basic knife skills. Recipes for classics such as grilled cheese, lemon pound cake, cheesy spinach dip, and herbed rice pilaf dominate, and the book is studded with tips on matters such as cracking eggs (break them into a separate bowl before adding to the dish in order to take out shell pieces), seasoning to taste, and proper food storage. Readers of all ages would do well to heed the authors’ advice on getting the most out of precooked rotisserie chickens, smart shopping, and upping one’s pizza game with premade ingredients. Insightful, creative, and entertaining, this volume makes for a perfect gift for those who don’t know a colander from a cauliflower.

October 1, 2019

Gr 8 Up-This colorful guide for beginning cooks emphasizes foundational knowledge alongside recipe variations that range from gourmet upgrades to spicy twists. The content moves through the "need-to-knows" of cooking during different life stages. Each section bounces from informational segments about pantry guidelines and equipment suggestions to a hodgepodge of loosely related recipes and cooking tutorials. Readers wanting to take their culinary skills to the next level will find value in the two knife skills segments as they learn to julienne, chop, and chiffonade. Authors Wiegand and Carreon are recipe and lifestyle bloggers, which may explain the ambitious contents of this work; it's part cookbook, part kitchen guide, and part life advice. The end result, however, is a disjointed collection of ill-flowing segments within each section of the overall work. Another weak spot is the recipe photography, with many dishes slightly out of focus or unappealingly plated. The recipe "hacks" range in creativity, with some more innovative than others. The term hack feels somewhat misleading, as rebranding recipe variations doesn't necessarily constitute an easy and fresh culinary shortcut. VERDICT Older teens on the cusp of collegiate life will likely get the most value out of this book, as the majority of the content focuses on early 20s living situations. An additional purchase for public libraries lacking young adult cookbooks.-Pearl Derlaga, York County Public Library, VA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2019
This compact cookbook offers young adults affordable options for feeding themselves on their journeys to independence. The first of four sections aims to build culinary confidence in the novice cook, interspersing recipes (for example, avocado toast, grilled cheese sandwiches, pasta, and chocolate chip cookies) with food-preparation principles, safety, and techniques (such as tips on knife handling). Recipes in "Dorm Room Dining," most requiring only a microwave oven and access to a refrigerator, range from variations on ramen noodles to gourmet popcorn crowd pleasers for feeding hungry friends. For those living with roommates, the third section offers heartier, more complex, but still budget-conscious choices (e.g., bean chili and options for using a rotisserie chicken) and includes practical tips on shared-kitchen etiquette. The final section, "First Solo Kitchen," presents more sophisticated dishes, including bruschetta, risotto, braised pork, and lemon pound cake. As the recipes progress in complexity, photo-illustrated culinary techniques are introduced--e.g., caramelizing onions, deep frying, and braising. The lively, colorful layout packed with useful tips is a plus, as are the plentiful hacks, simple variations that accompany most recipes. Recipes geared to impecunious students honor today's dorm life and shared-housing realities. Each section includes annotated lists of ingredients and kitchen tools required. Reliance on processed foods is limited. There are vegetarian options but fewer for vegans. Breezy but thoughtful, a timely, practical resource for newbie cooks. (index, blank pages for notes, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

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