Raw Vegan Fall Cleanse

Tuesday October 18, 2016: 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Pittsfield Branch: Program Room

Fruit is Our Superfood

Tuesday September 13, 2016: 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Downtown Library: 4th Floor Meeting Room

Cookbooks on the New Bookshelf

Sat, 04/30/2016 - 12:47pm by ballybeg

A quick perusal of the new bookshelf downtown revealed quite a number of new cookbooks, among which these three stood out:

The United States of Pizza Everything pizza and, believe me, you have not thought of all the possibilities: Naples-style, New York-style, Sicilian-style, sourdough, gluten-free, stuffed, thin-crust, deep-dish, among others. For added interest, have you ever considered the history of pizza? “Pizza did not exist in America until 1897, when an immigrant from Naples opened an Italian grocery store in Manhattan’s Little Italy.” Thank you Mr. Neapolitan immigrant. Many dozens of mouth-watering recipes here, some regular and some exotic ingredients, lots of pictures.

Praise the Pig: Loin to Belly, Shoulder to Ham – Pork-Inspired Recipes for Every Meal by someone who considers herself, The Bacon Maven. Inventive recipes abound such as, pulled pork sandwich with apple, pecan and red cabbage slaw; chili-rubbed, salsa-braised chops with spiced rice; pork loin stuffed with roasted red pepper, spinach and honeyed chevre; sausage and Brussels sprout-casserole with cream of bacon and mushroom sauce. Some familiar ideas and lots of things you probably never thought to do with pork.

Mezze: Small Plates to Share This is frankly a beautiful book. The presentation, pictures and “feel” of the book match the brilliant recipes, and this is the cookbook I may actually buy for my kitchen shelf, to be inspired with the most amazing Mediterranean dishes: dips, salads, stuffed vegetables and fruits, pastries, sweets, using a full range of ingredients. Mezze, though currently trendy, is not new, but has an ancient tradition throughout the Mediterranean countries. The author, Ghillie Basan, describes it as, “the heart and soul of modern culinary life in the Middle East”. It is designed to be savored, to please the palate and not just to “fill the belly”, in a relaxed, leisurely atmosphere. So, mezze is about celebrating good food as well as the good life, in ancient tradition. This book can help you along that path. Afiyet olsun!

Can Food Be Addictive? A Look At What We Eat And Why

Thursday December 15, 2016: 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room

New Baking Books

Wed, 04/20/2016 - 5:33pm by Eahagen

There are a handful of new baking books at AADL. They are all sweet, mouth-watering, and ultimately perfect for your summer potluck recipe needs.

Sweet Envy: Deceptively Easy Desserts, Designed to Steal the Show is a wide-ranging book that includes laid back and kid-friendly recipes, but also some elaborate statement makers. The book offers a lot of playful and imaginative decorating ideas for cupcakes and cakes. Some ideas are a little far-fetched though, such as the “Succulent Cupcakes”, which are modeled in fondant to resemble little potted succulent plants. They are the show-stoppers promised by the book’s title, but seem terribly time consuming. I preferred the section on boozy treats, which pairs classic dessert recipes with cocktails. There are unique flavor pairings, such as the “Old-fashioned Mini Pies,” which incorporates bourbon into a classic cherry pie filling. Imagine sharing those at a holiday picnic. Yum!

The Cookies and Cups Cookbook: 125+ Sweet and Savory Recipes Reminding You to Always Eat Dessert First is a fun book, brimming with new family favorites. It’s a great book for busy bakers who appreciate short-cuts and swaps that produce treats appropriate for special occasions without so much labor. Some recipes are loaded with sugar (I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, just saying…) including the “Fruity Pebbles Cake,” which tops a layer cake with a dusting of the brightly-colored boxed cereal. Fun, festive, and worth looking through – even if your palette is more, shall I say, refined.

Sweeter Off the Vine: Fruit Desserts for Every Season offers a breadth of recipes featuring fresh fruit, and is helpfully organized by season. The Spring and Summer recipes utilize rhubarb, berries and stone fruits in their prime. Recipes such as “Blueberry Skillet Cobbler with Whole Wheat Biscuits” and “Raspberry Sorbet with Pink Peppercorns” elevate simple fruits into lovely, share-worthy desserts. The book is rustic, and very stylish, with beautiful photographs accompanying each recipe. Each turn of the page is more tempting than the last, really.

Happy Baking!

Appreciating Wine with Trader Joe's Wine Experts

Saturday July 9, 2016: 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Downtown Library: Secret Lab

Perfect Pies & Tarts

Wednesday June 15, 2016: 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Downtown Library: Secret Lab
Grade 6 - Adult

Fat, That’s Where It’s At

Tuesday May 24, 2016: 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Downtown Library: Secret Lab
Grade 6 - Adult

The Whole Truth About Whole Grains

Tuesday August 2, 2016: 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Downtown Library: 4th Floor Meeting Room

Food Combining Simplified

Tuesday July 12, 2016: 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Pittsfield Branch: Program Room