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Our annual Holiday Gift Book Roundup cozies-up in the kitchen—warm, festive and full of good smells. So many cookbooks…so little time to cook. But there’s always time to enjoy reading the recipes, salivate over the pictures and imagine a time when we can bake the perfect pie. Let’s start with THE EPICURIOUS COOKBOOK with more than 250 recipes for weeknights, weekends and special occasions. I love these folks because, when I’m stuck for something to cook for dinner (with only the ingredients in my fridge), I visit www.epicurious.com for simple, quick and easy-to-make recipes. In THE TUSCAN SUN COOKBOOK celebrated author Frances Mayes (Under the Tuscan Sun) and her husband Edward Mayes (he’s a poet and oenophile) put together stories and recipes from their own Cortona (Italy) kitchen. I especially loved Chicken Under A Brick. |
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LUDO BITES (recipes and stories from the pop-up restaurants created by chef Ludo Lefebvre) reads like the liner notes from an indie rock band album. The recipes are wildly imaginative (tuna, sushi-rice ice cream, candied nori and ginger???) but surprisingly doable for the home cook. Kim Severson and Julia Moskin both write about food for the New York Times. Their new book, COOKFIGHT, documents their year-long culinary battles—a new challenge every month like creating a meal for six with just $50. Great stories and truly accessible recipes with what you’ve already got in your pantry. |
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COME IN, WE’RE CLOSED is a collection of staff meals from restaurants all around the world. BREAKFAST FOR DINNER gives us the recipes we need to make comfort food all day. JAPANESE FARM FOOD gives a fresh look at Japanese food beyond sushi. READY FOR DESSERT has beautiful photography of tasty, uncomplicated desserts. THE TUCCI COOKBOOK from actor and director Stanley Tucci (creater of my fave food film, Big Night) is a cookbook and a backdoor glimpse at the Italian-American immigrant experience. Andrew Zimmern who’s made a career out of eating bizarre foods, writes a FIELD GUIDE TO EXCEPTIONALLY WEIRS, WILD AND WONDERFUL FOODS. Think head cheese, guinea pig on a stick and scrapple.And two lovely food memoirs—MY BERLIN KITCHEN (a love story with recipes) and the feel-good, funny MEMOIR OF A SUNDAY BRUNCH. |
Focus with Irene Rawlings
On air: Sunday 10:30pm - 11pm
Email Irene
Email Irene
Irene grew up in Detroit listening to Rhythm and Blues, Hip hop, Funk and Pop rock. She went to school in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and moved to Colorado where she worked buying art for billionaire oil man Phil Anschutz' collection of American art. After that, she was editor-in-chief of Country Home magazine, restaurant reviewer at The Denver Post and gayot.com and editor-in-chief of Mountain Living magazine. She has been hosting the early Sunday morning show, "Focus," on KBCO for more than 15 years. In her spare time she reads books, writes books, goes fishing in the mountains, collects vintage scrapbooks and hangs her laundry out on the line because "the towels are so satisfyingly scratchy when you bring them in."
Best career moment: I've tried to think of just one and can't. This has got to be the best job in the world. Anyone I'd ever want to talk to, walks through my door and wants to talk to me--and they are usually on their best behavior!
Most challenging career moment: Interviewing Penn and Teller. I forget which one is which but the tall one with the pony tail talked a lot while the little one who does not talk tried to tie me to my chair with the microphone cord. That was bizarre.
Worst career moment: Interviewing Garrison Kiellor (A Prairie Home Companion) who, just as we were ready to start, looked down and saw gravy stains on his signature red tie. He made us all wait while a fresh tie was sent over from his hotel. I wanted to say, "This is radio, who cares...." but I didn't say anything. While we waited, Garrison sat very still, humming some hymns.
ON DEMAND
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
