| |||||
Crazy for Casseroles: 275 All-American Hot-Dish Classics
Books: CookBooks: Casseroles: Item 8
|
Crazy for Casseroles: 275 All-American Hot-Dish Classicsby James Villas
|
24 of 24 people found the following review helpful: Old School Cooking from an Old School teacher, January 15, 2004 Reviewer:B. Marold (Bethlehem, PA United States) - James Villas has written a book which may succeed in single-handedly succeed in reviving an interest in the great American casserole. I'm not entirely sure what the trendy term `old school' means, exactly, especially as I have mostly seen it in connection with motorcycles, but I am certain that Jim Villas is an `old school' culinary writer and that casseroles are an `old school' kind of food. Jim Villas, although much younger, belongs to the James Beard school of culinary writing, along with his Beard protgs Barbara Kafka and Marian Cunningham. As he recounts in this book, the American casserole, based on several different European precursors, clearly reached it's apotheosis after World War II and went into eclipse in the late seventies and eighties with the scorning of canned and otherwise processed ingredients. That the casserole is making a comeback is also clear from both this book and from it's starring role in a recent episode of Alton Brown's very trendy `Good Eats' Food Network show. In the introduction to the book, Villas eschews some of the less savory casserole ingredients of yore such as canned meats and vegetables, frozen chives, dried parsley flakes, processed cheeses, liquid smoke, MSG, crushed potato chips or canned fruit cocktail. He is not entirely born again, since he does embrace some traditional casserole roles and ingredients such as canned soups, frozen vegetables, dried noodles, bread stuffings, and leftovers. In fact, some themes are so close to the `Good Eats' episode that I suspect Alton Brown may have used this book as a reference for his show. The book opens with a very worthy introduction on casserole `hardware' materials and sizes plus advice on freezing casseroles. The casserole pantry repeats the theme of a reasonable use of prepackaged ingredients, citing Campbell's condensed cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, and cream of celery soups as essential. Some recipes even state that he tried to create the casserole with a homemade replacement for the Campbell's product and found the home brewed substitute wanting. The names of casserole types are a feast for the crossword puzzle addict. There are quiches, stratas, scrambles, pilafs, pies, perloos, surprises, suppers, shroupes, royales, supremes, puddings, bakes, gratins, souffles, cobblers, crisps, crunches, and delights. Some of these names such as quiches, pilafs, and souffles indicate that the author may be coloring outside the lines a bit here and there, but I do not find this a criticism of the book. It adds to the value of the book as a source of good one-dish meals centered on the American classic. The author also seem to color outside the lines a bit when he includes some of his own recipes, but as Jim Villas has recently acquired the status of a classic American writer, I will give him a pass to contribute classic recipes himself. This is one of my favorite kinds of cookbooks, as it makes it easy to find a recipe to fit a particular need. Anyone who shares that attitude about cookbooks will do well to purchase a copy of this book.
From Publishers Weekly
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.
Copyright 2002 Reed business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Library Journal
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 Reed business Information, Inc.
Shop Bookstores:
Books
Resources
Most Watched Book Auctions
Casseroles at Sduf
News To Peruse
More Subjects
Book Review Directory
Reviewed Authors
Reviewed Titles
Review List
Site Map
