Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Chronicle Books LLC
Description
Now & Again includes 20 menus and more than 150 recipes for crave-worthy dishes such as meatloaf, enchiladas, roast chicken with sweet potatoes, vanilla semifreddo with honeyed strawberries, and double-baked potatoes with horseradish and cheddar. Throughout the book, the author's 'It's Me Again' mini-recipes transform leftovers into new, delicious recipes. -- Adapted from book cover.
User reviews
LibraryThing member sarahbest
I’ve fallen head over heels for this cookbook. Written by Julia Turshen, author of Small Victories, this collection of simple but flavorful recipes is unusual in two ways: 1) it’s organized around menus, so you understand what sides to make with each dish, and often desserts and cocktails as
Somehow these leftover suggestions avoid being trite and are less the kind of thing you’d see in Real Simple or Good Housekeeping, and more the kind of thing you’d see in a cookbook like Bar Tartine. They are also dead useful: we’re constantly throwing out leftover scrambled eggs and steamed broccoli - stuff that doesn’t keep very well. But thanks to this cookbook I know to whip up some curry egg salad or some broccoli fritters.
The menus seem both personal and diverse. The author describes herself as a non-religious “gastronomic Jew”, and there are a lot of Jewish holiday menus. But also Bangladeshi breakfast and an Italian inspired Christmas feast.
The anecdotes that accompany each menu and set of recipes are charming, and are stories of love, community, joy, and family.
Noteworthy - the menus have a timeline of what can be prepared in advance, sometimes up to a month ahead of time, which for anyone who likes to entertain is essential. Some menus are specifically designed to feed a crowd at low cost, with food that can be served at room temperature (important if you want to enjoy your company).
What a delight. Like most Chronicle Books, this cookbook is full of gorgeous photos and had a pleasingly textured cover. My only quibble is that I wish the pages were glossy instead of matte.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book to review.
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well, and 2) each set of recipes has suggestions for how to turn leftovers into something new. Somehow these leftover suggestions avoid being trite and are less the kind of thing you’d see in Real Simple or Good Housekeeping, and more the kind of thing you’d see in a cookbook like Bar Tartine. They are also dead useful: we’re constantly throwing out leftover scrambled eggs and steamed broccoli - stuff that doesn’t keep very well. But thanks to this cookbook I know to whip up some curry egg salad or some broccoli fritters.
The menus seem both personal and diverse. The author describes herself as a non-religious “gastronomic Jew”, and there are a lot of Jewish holiday menus. But also Bangladeshi breakfast and an Italian inspired Christmas feast.
The anecdotes that accompany each menu and set of recipes are charming, and are stories of love, community, joy, and family.
Noteworthy - the menus have a timeline of what can be prepared in advance, sometimes up to a month ahead of time, which for anyone who likes to entertain is essential. Some menus are specifically designed to feed a crowd at low cost, with food that can be served at room temperature (important if you want to enjoy your company).
What a delight. Like most Chronicle Books, this cookbook is full of gorgeous photos and had a pleasingly textured cover. My only quibble is that I wish the pages were glossy instead of matte.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book to review.
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LibraryThing member woodsathome
I was excited to win Now and Again by Julia Turshen. I loved Small Victories and her latest cookbook didn't disappoint.
Julia originally intended this to be a leftover book (titled "It's Me Again"), but the concept evolved into specialish occasion menus with leftover ideas.
Like many cookbooks these
Each menu then consists of several recipes (usually a starter, main, salad/side(s), and dessert) along with a planning guide for stress free entertaining. Each menu is followed by a brief "It's Me Again" section for leftover ideas.
I loved that within most recipes she offers suggestions for variations. I wish "It's Me Again" was longer.
Originally, I wished the book was organized differently. Personally I'm not a big fan of menus and the trendy seasonal organization can be frustrating when I'm just looking for a new side. However, I loved that Julia included a second index of recipes by type - problem solved.
I also loved the little extras at the end (Seven Thing to do with Leftover Wine).
Julia originally intended this to be a leftover book (titled "It's Me Again"), but the concept evolved into specialish occasion menus with leftover ideas.
Like many cookbooks these
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days it is organized seasonally, then by menu. The Autumn section consists of menus for Sunday Morning Bangladeshi Breakfast, Red-Checkered Tablecloth Late Saturday Lunch, Card Night Enchiladas, Rosh Hashanah Dinner, and No-Stress Thanksgiving.Each menu then consists of several recipes (usually a starter, main, salad/side(s), and dessert) along with a planning guide for stress free entertaining. Each menu is followed by a brief "It's Me Again" section for leftover ideas.
I loved that within most recipes she offers suggestions for variations. I wish "It's Me Again" was longer.
Originally, I wished the book was organized differently. Personally I'm not a big fan of menus and the trendy seasonal organization can be frustrating when I'm just looking for a new side. However, I loved that Julia included a second index of recipes by type - problem solved.
I also loved the little extras at the end (Seven Thing to do with Leftover Wine).
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LibraryThing member SqueakyChu
This is an amazing cookbook! It's beautiful! As a disclaimer, I must say I haven't yet tried any of the recipes, but they look pretty much to my taste (no pun intended!) as they use the foods and seasonings I most have on hand at home. The composition of the dishes looks like what I would most
The book is large hardcover (easy to use). The recipes are accompanied by huge, fabulous photographs of tempting dishes. The ingredients list is both in the English system (first - Hurray!) as well as in the metric system. The lists of ingredients are easy to read. The instructions are actually more than understandable. They tell, in a humorous way, how to avoid mistakes previously committed by the author,,
I also love that the author feels she (and others) need to "give back" and includes this concept in her cookbook. I feel that way myself. Check out the pages "Give Back +Do Good" at the back of this book. Just lovely!
Several things especially endeared me to this cookbook: (1) I found a recipe for "string beans amandine" (updated recipe) which I had recently been seeking. Serendipity? I don't know. (2) The author has a propensity for sneaking tastes of Nutella at night,. Ha! I do the same thing, except with Hashahar Chocolate spread from Israel. Who else does this?! (3) The author adores tahini. It has to be an excellent tahini, though. She likes the Soom brand. I like the kind my local supermarket (Moti's in Rockville, Maryland, USA) makes. Anyway, a good tahini is divine. (4) Jewish ethnic recipes are included. This is dear to my heart. (5) Some of the recipes are a little bit off the beaten track. This is a fun way for me to experiment with different foods and different tastes. I will definitely try some!
The only thing that did not appeal to me about this cookbook was how the dishes were arranged by meals. In defense of this system, though. I think that others who use this cookbook might find that this arrangement works well for them.
I highly recommend this cookbook and would love to hear what others think of it and the dishes they make from it. Should I ever find a recipe that definitely doesn't work, I'll come back to report on it, but I find that will probably be highly unlikely.
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likely make,. In addition, I LOVE that the book tells how to make leftovers into exciting meals as well. This is a truly useful cookbook beside being fun.The book is large hardcover (easy to use). The recipes are accompanied by huge, fabulous photographs of tempting dishes. The ingredients list is both in the English system (first - Hurray!) as well as in the metric system. The lists of ingredients are easy to read. The instructions are actually more than understandable. They tell, in a humorous way, how to avoid mistakes previously committed by the author,,
I also love that the author feels she (and others) need to "give back" and includes this concept in her cookbook. I feel that way myself. Check out the pages "Give Back +Do Good" at the back of this book. Just lovely!
Several things especially endeared me to this cookbook: (1) I found a recipe for "string beans amandine" (updated recipe) which I had recently been seeking. Serendipity? I don't know. (2) The author has a propensity for sneaking tastes of Nutella at night,. Ha! I do the same thing, except with Hashahar Chocolate spread from Israel. Who else does this?! (3) The author adores tahini. It has to be an excellent tahini, though. She likes the Soom brand. I like the kind my local supermarket (Moti's in Rockville, Maryland, USA) makes. Anyway, a good tahini is divine. (4) Jewish ethnic recipes are included. This is dear to my heart. (5) Some of the recipes are a little bit off the beaten track. This is a fun way for me to experiment with different foods and different tastes. I will definitely try some!
The only thing that did not appeal to me about this cookbook was how the dishes were arranged by meals. In defense of this system, though. I think that others who use this cookbook might find that this arrangement works well for them.
I highly recommend this cookbook and would love to hear what others think of it and the dishes they make from it. Should I ever find a recipe that definitely doesn't work, I'll come back to report on it, but I find that will probably be highly unlikely.
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LibraryThing member sweeks1980
Julia Turshen’s “Now and Again: Go-To Recipes, Inspired Menus + Endless Ideas for Reinventing Leftovers” is a wonderful and worthy follow-up to her “Small Victories: Recipes, Advice + Hundreds of Ideas for Home-Cooking Triumphs.” The idea behind “Now and Again” is that approachable
The book is thoughtfully composed and written. The recipes are elegant and special enough to serve company while also being down-to-earth and relatively straightforward to prepare. For instance, Caramelized Bananas with Sour Cream and Brown Sugar sounds like a restaurant dessert, but it only has six ingredients and can be made with minimal fuss and cooking. I also appreciated the inclusion of some lower carb recipes (due, in part, to Turshen’s partner having type I diabetes), such as Healthy, Happy Wife Cake and Confetti Meatloaf. As someone who is dealing with a low-carb diet, these options are a welcome addition.
Something I found especially enjoyable about the book was Turshen’s writing style, which is the perfect accompaniment to the excellent recipes and helpful tips. As someone who finds quite a few recipes online, I often find the commentary that proceeds the recipes to be exhausting. While some bloggers and writers do this quite well, others tend to associate rambling with being approachable and quirky. Turshen manages to find the perfect balance of friendliness and information, making her writing inviting and enlightening.
Like other works published by Chronicle Books, “Now and Again” is beautiful, and the design seems very well-suited to Turshen’s tone. The color pictures are lavish and stunning while also seeming homey. The paper is high quality and has a nice weight. While glossy pages might be more practical for use, the matte finish was nice and fit the book’s laidback approach.
“Now and Again” is by far one of the best cookbooks I’ve encountered in the past year. The content and physical qualities are well-matched, and Turshen’s recipes are accessible and user-friendly while still being distinctive and special.
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recipes can be repurposed for other meals. The book is arranged by seasons, and each season has appropriate menus for entertaining. For instance, autumn includes menus for Rosh Hashanah and Thanksgiving dinners, spring has “Tortilla Soup for a Chilly Spring Evening,” and summer has menus for meals alfresco. The menus contain recipes, suggestions for preparing parts of the menu ahead of time, and a segment entitled “It’s Me Again,” where Turshen offers her ideas for reinventing the leftovers.The book is thoughtfully composed and written. The recipes are elegant and special enough to serve company while also being down-to-earth and relatively straightforward to prepare. For instance, Caramelized Bananas with Sour Cream and Brown Sugar sounds like a restaurant dessert, but it only has six ingredients and can be made with minimal fuss and cooking. I also appreciated the inclusion of some lower carb recipes (due, in part, to Turshen’s partner having type I diabetes), such as Healthy, Happy Wife Cake and Confetti Meatloaf. As someone who is dealing with a low-carb diet, these options are a welcome addition.
Something I found especially enjoyable about the book was Turshen’s writing style, which is the perfect accompaniment to the excellent recipes and helpful tips. As someone who finds quite a few recipes online, I often find the commentary that proceeds the recipes to be exhausting. While some bloggers and writers do this quite well, others tend to associate rambling with being approachable and quirky. Turshen manages to find the perfect balance of friendliness and information, making her writing inviting and enlightening.
Like other works published by Chronicle Books, “Now and Again” is beautiful, and the design seems very well-suited to Turshen’s tone. The color pictures are lavish and stunning while also seeming homey. The paper is high quality and has a nice weight. While glossy pages might be more practical for use, the matte finish was nice and fit the book’s laidback approach.
“Now and Again” is by far one of the best cookbooks I’ve encountered in the past year. The content and physical qualities are well-matched, and Turshen’s recipes are accessible and user-friendly while still being distinctive and special.
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LibraryThing member fiberdzns
This is a beautifully photographed book. Pictures accompany many of the recipes. The book is organized by seasonal menus. This is usually not one of my favorite ways to organize a cookbook. However, the table of contents includes the names of all the recipes along with the page number where it
At the end of every menu is a section called "It's Me Again". This section gives great ideas on how to use leftovers from that menu. The last chapter is called "Seven Lists". This consists of seven lists of seven things to do with various things. One list shows what to do with cooked rice. I felt the section was very useful. There are a few more menu suggestions, notes on tools and ingredients, and a section on giving back.
I tried one of the recipes out on family members. I made the Spiced Banana Brown Bread from page 85. The description and recipe were very accurate. We enjoyed a different and healthier take on banana bread. I will be making more from this book in the future. This is a great cookbook that belongs on any cooking enthusiast's shelves.
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appears. Then on page 280 there is a list of the recipes broken down into types. These two things make this book much more useful than most books arranged by menu.At the end of every menu is a section called "It's Me Again". This section gives great ideas on how to use leftovers from that menu. The last chapter is called "Seven Lists". This consists of seven lists of seven things to do with various things. One list shows what to do with cooked rice. I felt the section was very useful. There are a few more menu suggestions, notes on tools and ingredients, and a section on giving back.
I tried one of the recipes out on family members. I made the Spiced Banana Brown Bread from page 85. The description and recipe were very accurate. We enjoyed a different and healthier take on banana bread. I will be making more from this book in the future. This is a great cookbook that belongs on any cooking enthusiast's shelves.
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LibraryThing member detailmuse
This beautifully produced book of about a hundred recipes is organized by season, with five themed menus per season, each season often including a Jewish theme (e.g. Rosh Hashanah, "Not-kosher Jewish Christmas," Passover Seder); a holiday theme (Thanksgiving, 4th of July); and an ethnic/specialty
Each menu begins with some background and conversation (often including homages to Turshen's parents, wife, Jewish traditions and noble causes), and ends with an “It’s Me Again” page of additional suggestions/recipes for using up leftovers. Curiously, although the book is promoted as having “endless ideas for reinventing leftovers,” there’s actually little about leftovers … BUT what there is, is often a true “reinvention,” where a leftover’s liability (usually its change in texture) is erased, for example when lettuces and mashed vegetables are incorporated into soups. Leftovers are rescued again in Turshen’s “Seven Lists,” some of which suggest what to do with extra wine, cooked rice, takeout food, snacks and produce.
I’m not sure how many dishes I’ll cook from this, but it was entertaining and inspiring armchair cooking.
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theme (Mexican, Middle Eastern, vegetarian, comfort). (My favorite is in Spring: “Grace’s Birthday Late Lunch,” with deviled eggs, pulled pork and slaw, sweet-potato fries and cake.)Each menu begins with some background and conversation (often including homages to Turshen's parents, wife, Jewish traditions and noble causes), and ends with an “It’s Me Again” page of additional suggestions/recipes for using up leftovers. Curiously, although the book is promoted as having “endless ideas for reinventing leftovers,” there’s actually little about leftovers … BUT what there is, is often a true “reinvention,” where a leftover’s liability (usually its change in texture) is erased, for example when lettuces and mashed vegetables are incorporated into soups. Leftovers are rescued again in Turshen’s “Seven Lists,” some of which suggest what to do with extra wine, cooked rice, takeout food, snacks and produce.
I’m not sure how many dishes I’ll cook from this, but it was entertaining and inspiring armchair cooking.
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LibraryThing member frannyor
I grew up (in the 50s and 60s) cooking out of old cook books with no pictures at all--or strange shots of entirely unappetizing dishes. I was surprised when one of my daughters listed photos as a necessary part of any book she would cook from.
Well, "Now & Again" is just up her galley. Heavily
The book is both authoritative and easygoing, with plenty of suggestions about substitutions. It was originally conceived as a book about using leftovers. Recipes are arranged by menus, which are arranged by seasons. Many of the recipes sound familiar, but there are twists: two kinds of mustard in deviled eggs, or a Black Forest cake that skips the usual intense preparation with store-bought cherry preserves spiked with Kirsch and ladled onto a flourless chocolate cake.
Just when I think there's no room in my life for another cook book, along comes "Now & Again." I'm going to have to find room somewhere to keep this fine volume at hand.
Well, "Now & Again" is just up her galley. Heavily
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seeded with gorgeous photos, the book has the sturdy pages and heft the signal the recipes had better be good. It's from Chronicle Books, which is a good thing, as you can bet the recipes have been tested and retested. Indeed, all the ones I tried came out very well. The book is both authoritative and easygoing, with plenty of suggestions about substitutions. It was originally conceived as a book about using leftovers. Recipes are arranged by menus, which are arranged by seasons. Many of the recipes sound familiar, but there are twists: two kinds of mustard in deviled eggs, or a Black Forest cake that skips the usual intense preparation with store-bought cherry preserves spiked with Kirsch and ladled onto a flourless chocolate cake.
Just when I think there's no room in my life for another cook book, along comes "Now & Again." I'm going to have to find room somewhere to keep this fine volume at hand.
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LibraryThing member revliz
Good recipes, even better strategies.
Awards
NPR: Books We Love (2018)
ISBN
9781452164960
DDC/MDS
| 641.5 |
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