blogging for books :: seven spoons

Blogging for Books :: Seven Spoons

It's been ages now since I received this "new" cookbook from Blogging for Books and it's about time I got my act together to post my review. Plus, I'll get to pick out a new book once I get this posted! Well, in all the time I've had this book I've only cooked from it a couple times. That isn't a reflection on the book - instead, it's just the state of ambivalence towards the kitchen that I seem to be stuck in at the moment.  I can find the energy, for about a week, to be good at meal planning, shopping early on the weekend, getting things prepped, etc.  And then, after resounding self congratulations on such a stellar job I start to slack off all over again.  Rinse and repeat.

But I'm all for trying again and again.  Someday my good intentions will become habit.  Until then, I'll collect recipes and pretty cookbooks that make me want to do better.  And I'll keep on trying.

Continuing the theme of moving slow, these pictures are from three weeks ago.  When I pulled out the camera to take pictures of the dish (Broccoli rabe with bagna cauda) I was in "feeling awesomely on top of things" mode.  Red sauce was simmering for the week ahead, extra veggies for work lunch salads had already been washed and chopped.  The golden afternoon light simply added to my feelings of contentment.  (then I got lazy again, the computer broke, I went out of town, the computer got fixed, I got sick... and the pictures just sat waiting for me)

I should say a little something about the book.  The first descriptor that comes to mind is lovely.  From the outside, with its canvas-y spine and pressed title, to the inside, with its smooth pages and calm photographs it is pleasing to the eye and the hand.  The recipes come with helpful headnotes that read like mini stories and are filled with bits of information that might translate to cooking skills somewhere down the line.  I'm especially inspired to try out the "staples" section at the back of the book.  The broccoli rabe came with quite a flavor punch with the sauce and earned thumbs up from the husband too.  I'm happy to have this one on my shelf - easy access for when I get to meal planning (even when that's right before I head out the door for the store and not earlier in the week like I always hope).

Here's a glimpse of the kitchen when I like it best (i.e. when I'm least likely to be dreaming of a million ways it could be better).

In the pantry

Afternoon sunlight

Current state of the fridge at the moment the photo was snapped

broccoli rabe with bagna cauda

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I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

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