Crazy for Casseroles

November 18, 2002
In his newest book, Villas, the food and wine editor of Town & Country
for 27 years and author of Between Bites, indulges his love of the traditional dishes that make up much of America's regional cuisine. After covering the "Essentials of Modern Casserole Cookery," including a guide to casserole dishes and their baking dish equivalents, he moves on to freezing and the basic pantry before throwing himself into the recipes. The recipes cover the gamut of courses and ingredients, from appetizers like the flavorful Crusty Wild Mushroom Bake to desserts such as Hot Brandied Fruit Casserole. In between he includes many classics such as the Yankee Hot Pot, All-American Chicken Pot Pie, Jambalaya, and Country Captain as well as many modern adaptations and innovations like the light yet robust California Tuna, Potato and Olive Casserole that uses fresh tuna rather than canned. In "Casserole Chat," Villas imparts helpful hints such as how to store dried mushrooms or how to reheat leftovers. The resulting volume highlights why Villas has maintained his position as one of America's foremost traditional cooks.

December 1, 2002
Villas, who was food and wine editor of Town & Country for almost 30 years, has written eloquently about American regional cooking in many cookbooks, including Stews, Bogs, and Burgoos. His latest is something of a companion to that title, as he believes that casseroles "boast a versatility that is matched only by soups and stews." He also believes that they, more than any other dish, "illustrate what authentic regional cooking is all about," and he offers dozens of recipes from around the country to prove his point: Chicago Shrimp de Jonghe, Portland Oyster and Bacon Pie, Yankee Corned Beef and Vegetable Pot, and Ann Arbor Venison and Wild Mushroom Bake. Villas's text is informed, opinionated, witty, and a pleasure to read, and with its wide-ranging selection of recipes, it will interest culinary historians as well as home cooks. Highly recommended.

Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2003
On a cold winter's night, a casserole bubbling in the oven can be just the thing to pique a family's appetites. Noted cookbook author James P. Villas has assembled 275 recipes in "Crazy for Casseroles "that offer creative and original ideas for casseroles far removed from typical hamburger, macaroni, and soup renditions. Tarragon scents a casserole of veal stew meat, carrots, and olives. Venison, parsnips, and mushrooms offer a way to use up excess game. Chicken and kohlrabi souffl\'e9 makes use of a little appreciated vegetable. Goose, sausage, and chestnuts vary the standard holiday fowl. Even macaroni and cheese gets a few handfuls of fresh oysters for a New England twist on the predictable casserole. For the more traditionally minded, Villas creates Blue Plate Noodle, Beef, and Cheese casserole to appeal to the less expansive palate with everyday ingredients. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)