I've been "food reading" long before I started "food writing", and I can barely remember a time when I wasn't devouring the words and recipes of Deb Perelman, known to many as the face behind the popular food blog, Smitten Kitchen.
Thanks to Random House Canada, I had the chance to meet and mingle with Deb last week at a bloggers brunch event. She was in town promoting her much-anticipated new book, The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, and while I hardly feel she needs to pound the pavement in hopes of selling copies, it was a treat to have her here in Toronto, and I'm thankful for getting to spend some time with her.
As the invited guests and Random House staffers gathered in a boardroom to chat for an hour, we were also treated to a buffet of breakfast foods prepared by our hosts themselves. All of the recipes came from Deb's new book, and I can assure you that the big cluster maple granola is going to become a morning staple around here.
While that Saturday morning was great fun, what I'm most excited about is the book. Oh. What. A. Book. I can already tell that the pages of this tome will become well-worn and food-splattered in the coming years, as I make my way from recipe to recipe. I have yet to find something that I don't want to try, and the many photos - at least one per recipe - well-tested tips and charming stories that accompany each dish make me feel as though I'm holding a paper version of her digital masterpiece.
Some facts about the book.....
Book Title: The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
Author: Deb Perelman
Publisher: Appetite by Random House (here in Canada, Knopf in the US)
Number of Pages: 336
Number of Recipes: 105
On My Must-Make List: Whole-wheat raspberry ricotta scones, chocolate chip brioche pretzels, broccoli slaw, wild mushroom tart, mushroom bourguignon, balsamic and beer-braised short ribs with parsnip purée, chocolate peanut butter cookies, s'mores layer cake
Interesting Inclusions: I love the chapter dedicated to "how to throw a dinner party".
Target Audience: Pretty much anyone who loves to cook.
Would you like your own copy of The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook?
Today, I'm giving away one book to a lucky reader. In order to enter, leave a comment on this post telling me which recipe on my must-make list you would most enjoy. Contest ends Wednesday, November 28th at midnight. Good luck!
Hello, the granola is making my mouth water -- wouldn't that be a lovely hostess gift? Also, my kids would flip if I made the smores layer cake. Thanks for the giveaway. :)
Posted by: Leah Leitch | 11/26/2012 at 08:05 AM
I think the S'mores layer cake. My husband does
the cooking, so the baking is mine!
Val
Posted by: Val | 11/26/2012 at 08:49 AM
the beer braised ribs and parsnips sound AMAZING!! Would have loved to make those last night for Grey Cup.
BTW - love your blog!
Lisa
Posted by: Lisa Fontana | 11/26/2012 at 09:06 AM
Been on a cookie baking spree lately, so definitely the chocolate peanut butter cookies!
Posted by: Tobi | 11/26/2012 at 11:57 AM
The s'mores layer cake, without a doubt!
Posted by: HappyCdnHome | 11/26/2012 at 12:28 PM
The wild mushroom tart sounds mouth watering!
Posted by: Whitney | 11/26/2012 at 12:38 PM
yes please.. and smores layer cake!!!
Posted by: SUMMER PLEWES | 11/26/2012 at 02:20 PM
Love her blog and would also love to make whole-wheat raspberry ricotta scones
Posted by: Jennifer | 11/26/2012 at 02:59 PM
All of them! If I have to pick one, I would love to make the whole wheat raspberry scones...
Posted by: Laurel | 11/26/2012 at 06:18 PM
Chocolate peanut butter cookies!
Posted by: Joy | 11/26/2012 at 06:45 PM
I would love to enjoy the beer-braised short ribs with parsnip purée! Sounds devine!
Posted by: Nicole | 11/26/2012 at 06:56 PM
Chocolate and PB, say no more! Hands down, it's the chocolate and Peanut Butter cookies!
Posted by: Hollie Palmer | 11/26/2012 at 07:30 PM
Raspberry ricotta scones! I love Smitten Kitchen's blog and I'd lové to gavé her cookbook
Posted by: Sophie | 11/26/2012 at 09:38 PM
I would love to make the wild mushroom tart...of course I would be the only one in my family to eat it...it would be awesome!
Posted by: anne | 11/26/2012 at 11:44 PM
The wild mushroom tart sounds delicious!
Posted by: MaryB | 11/27/2012 at 12:14 AM
The chocolate peanut butter cookies for the cookie monsters in my house!
Posted by: Maria | 11/27/2012 at 12:16 AM
As a mushroom lover it is a tie between the wild mushroom tart and mushroom bourguignon :)
Posted by: Shawna Y | 11/27/2012 at 12:23 AM
Mushroom tart! Yum!!
Posted by: Andrea Thompson | 11/27/2012 at 12:51 AM
The Wild Mushroom Tart or the S'mores Layer Cake...they both sound yummy to me!
Posted by: Juanita | 11/27/2012 at 12:54 AM
Hey Jan!
What a great giveaway! My Dad and I have been looking for a great pizza dough recipe, so we want to try your frozen dough version- looks really simple. I am also excited to try more bread recipes, so your seed bread looks fabulous!
Posted by: Kristen Wiwczaruk | 11/27/2012 at 02:13 AM
Broccoli slaw! I love slaws and cold side dishes that I can make ahead and pull out of the fridge at the last minute for dinner.
Posted by: Ann | 11/27/2012 at 05:25 AM
Hey Kristen! Dont try the pizza dough recipe! I actually have a much, MUCH better one Im putting on the site next week. Thanks for reading!
Sent from my iPhone
Posted by: Jan Scott | 11/27/2012 at 05:50 AM
Looks like a great cookbook. I could sit for hours sitting and looking through a good cookbook.
Hubby is a Big fan of desserts so will go with the s'mores layer cake. Sounds wonderful.
Thank you for this opportunity
ColleenB.
Posted by: ColleenB. | 11/27/2012 at 05:57 AM
The chocolate peanut butter cookies. Sounds like a classic!
Posted by: Rebecca | 11/27/2012 at 06:00 AM
The wild mushroom tart sounds amazing!!!
Posted by: Jett | 11/27/2012 at 06:22 AM