Cookbook Watch - fall 2010 part 1

Ok guys, I have SO many books to tell you about. Some that I have been waiting for a long time - like Nigella Lawson's latest book, Kitchen, and of course, a lot of new books on the Swedish market. You'll have to wait a bit more for my take on Nigella, since I'm really savoring it. As always, she's a great writer, and I really enjoy reading her books much as I would any good book rather than just leafing through the recipes.



So, without further ado. Here are some new books in Sweden - only available in Swedish, I'm afraid. First, let's talk a little about Håkan Larsson's Fredagkväll ("Friday Night"). This book has ideas for Friday nights, to put it simply. Easy menus - with one or two courses - with a touch of luxury. It also includes wine pairings, which might be fun and useful - I personally don't drink a lot of wine, and am not all that interested. I tried a pork tenderloin with basil oil and asparagus chèvre risotto - it was good, but nothing special. And that sums up my thoughts on the book: rather nice, if not exactly unique.



Smart & Gott is the latest book by Liselotte Forslin, who does a lot of freelance work, so I've read many of her recipes in various magazines. I like her general outlook on food, and her recipes always seem fresh and seasonal, with a lot of vegetables. This book however, is a little too goody-two-shoes for me. It's called "Smart & Tasty - healthy recipes for everyday" and healthy is exactly where the focus is. Namely, low(ish)-fat, small(ish) portions and frankly, not all that exciting. The book has everything from breakfast blueberry porridge to a quick dessert (fresh orange slices dusted with cinnamon) but nothing inspires me to cook. This book is great if you're stuck in a fast-food rut and need ideas to eat healthy, but if you're already on a varied diet, this won't have much that you haven't seen before. (And personally, I'm pretty annoyed by general statements like "you should always choose organic if possible", but that's a subject for another day.)



Former pro-boxer Paolo Roberto surprised everyone a few years ago by writing several cookbooks and having a cooking show. He really can cook! This is his third book, Italiensk Fastfood (I don't think you need a translation of that) and the goal is to make people realize that you can cook good food from scratch, without a lot of time. Well, I don't know if the recipes here are all that much faster than the ones from his previous books, but that's forgiveable since I absolutely love everything I've tried from his recipes. It's not complicated, and it doesn't take a lot of time, nor require a lot of ingredients. The food is good, and so is the writing. Definitely recommended!



And a brand new book from a food blogger! Therésia Erneborg writes a blog about sweets, called "Söta Saker" ("Sweet things") and she just wrote her first book. I'm betting it's not her last! She's a journalist, and her writing is very clear and entertaining. The book is filled with sweets - everything from candy and cookies to cakes, and what I really love are all the beautiful photos! The book feels quite "vintage" rather than ultra-modern, and I really like that. It has personality! More importantly, it has delicious, wonderful recipes, and lots of them. If you're a sweet-lover, this is definitely the book to get this season.