More Gift Ideas: Books about Food and Drink

More and more I read books on my Kindle or iPad, but I still buy cookbooks in paper form. There's just something to said about leafing through a cookbook or cocktail book--pausing to look at the photos, dog-earing the pages you want to return to--that's not replicated on an e-reader. Any of these eight books, would make an excellent gift for someone who loves to cook or make cocktails.

The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock. Classic cocktails are back, and this is a classic among classics when it comes to cocktail recipe books. Harry Craddock, an American bartender who worked at London's Savoy Hotel, wrote this book first published in 1930, which is considered one of the best (if not the best) collections of prohibition-era cocktails. Given its age, there are many editions kicking around, some of which include a new section at the front with "new" cocktails that I don't really care for. Go for a facsimile of the original 1930 edition.

American Whiskey, Bourbon & Rye: A Guide to the Nation's Favorite Spirit by Clay Risen. I read that whiskey recently surpassed sales of vodka (in dollars, not volume) in the United States, fueled by a resurgence in popularity of bourbons and ryes, our homegrown “brown” spirits. For any American-whiskey lover, Risen’s guide is essential. The user-friendly format has full-color photos, tasting notes and price information for each whiskey, organized in alphabetical order by brand-name. The new 2015 edition includes 300 bottles, up 50 percent from the 200 in the 2013 version.

Tasty by John McQuaid. Pulitzer Prize-winner Maryland-based author John McQuaid published this fascinating look at how taste works earlier this year. A wonderful read for those who enjoy the scientific side of the eating experience.

The Cocktail Chronicles by Paul Clarke. This was my favorite new cocktail recipe book this year (which I reviewed in July), a wonderful look at the modern cocktail renaissance's love of classic and contemporary drinks.

Chesapeake Bay Cooking by John Shields. Regional cookbooks are a wonderful way to immerse yourself in recipes that are beloved because they represent the ingredients and traditions of a particular place. When it comes to honoring the Chesapeake Bay region, John Shields clearly knows his stuff. The chef of Baltimore's Gertrude's released the 25th anniversary edition of this book this year, a collection that, naturally, has a lot of seafood, but much more as well. Of course there are recipes for Maryland crab cakes, including variations, but have you heard of St. Mary's County Stuffed Ham? It's a southern Maryland tradition, and it appears in Shield's book as well.

Momofuku Milk Bar by Christina Tosi. This book came out in 2011, but I suspect is getting more attention in D.C. these days since pastry chef Christina Tosi and her Momofuku business partner/cherfDavid Chang opened their first D.C. restaurant and bakery, Momofuku CCDC and Milk Bar. Lines for Milk Bar have been rather long since it's opening last month, so skip the line and make your own crack pie and blueberry & cream cookies at home with this cookbook.

Lucky Peach Presents 101 Easy Asian Recipes by Peter Meehan and the editors of Lucky Peach. I've been a fan of Lucky Peach magazine for years. The publication was created by Momofuku restaurant titan David Chang and Peter Chang, the latter serving as its editor. The book does a good job adhering to its "easy" promise--the most difficult thing might be finding some of the ingredients, which aren't necessary staples of the mainstream grocery store (but worth seeking out).

Mi Comida Latina: Vibrant, Fresh, Simple, Authentic by Marcella Kriebel. I came across this gorgeous book at the downtown D.C. holiday arts fair this year. Kriebel, a D.C. local, assembled the recipes in this book from her notes traveling through Latin America. The book itself is entirely hand-written and illustrated by her, making it not just a wonderful collection of recipes, but a piece of art unto itself.

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Still need more ideas? Check out today's other holiday gift ideas story.

8-2-Eat: Holiday Cookies

8-2-Eat is my food-focused list series. A perfect Friday distraction. I shared some cookie recipes earlier this week. Here are 8 of my favorite from the last few years.

Chocolate Saltine Bark. This is one of those recipes where the enjoyment it brings is is inverse to its difficulty. It's so easy! Basically crackers baked with butter and sugar coated with melted chocolate and nuts.

Almond Lace Cookies. As a kid, my mom had a friend who would make these, and I loved them. They're a wonderful choice if you want something different that's elegant and old-fashioned.

Peanut Butter Blossoms. The first of several classics with peanut butter--this one topped with a Hershey's Kiss.

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies. There are a lot of sugar cookie recipes floating around out there, but this one is by far the best I've ever had. It's buttery and sweet with the perfect texture.

Peanut Butter, Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip Cookies. This is the perfect cookie for the indecisive cookie lover. Can't choose between peanut butter, oatmeal or chocolate chip? Turn that "or" into an "and" and enjoy.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles. Classic snickerdoodles with a pumpkin twist.

Molasses Sandwich Cookies. The fresh lemon filling is a nice contrast to the molasses flavor of this sandwich cookie.

Peanut Butter Cookies. My longtime favorite and one of the first things I ever learned to cook.

Momofuku Milk Bar Blueberry & Cream Cookies

When we visited Momofuku CCDC for dinner recently, we left the restaurant with a rather large bag full of assorted cookies from Milk Bar, the restaurant's attached bakery. Since opening about a month ago, the bakery has maintained a rather long line of devoted sugaristas seeking cookies, soft-serve and crack (pie, that is).

Momofuku Milk Bar's five varieties of cookies. Note that the commercial version of Blueberry & Cream Cookies contains brown rice syrup and all-natural egg substitute.

I'm not one for long lines, so it's nice that if you're eating in Momofuku CCDC, you can order as much as you want from Milk Bar and take it to-go. So we sprang for two of each of the bakery's five varieties of cookies: the corn cookies and compost cookies that we already knew and love, chocolate-chocolate (as chocolatey as you'd expect), cornflake-marshmallow-chocolate-chip (a chocolate chip cookie with added crunch and goo), and--what turned out to be real revelation--blueberry and cream cookies.

Milk crumbs (just before adding the white chocolate)

In the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook, Momofuku pastry chef Christina Tosi explains that the cookie came about as a showcase for milk-crumb, a buttery baked crumble of flour, sugar and powdered milk (Tosi calls it "milk powder") coated with white chocolate. Tosi says she doesn't drink milk straight--surprising for someone who's made a name for herself from a brand called "Milk Bar"--but said the crumb was inspired by her idea of what the flavor of milk should be.

From there, Tosi thought of using the crumb in a cookie with a fruit flavor. Peaches were considered ("momofuku" is Japanese for "lucky peach"--not coincidentally the name of the restaurant brand's magazine), but in the end, she went with dried blueberries, which she found at Whole Foods (as did I, in size that conveniently is twice the amount Tosi's recipe calls for--perfect for making a double-batch as I did below).

So this is basically a sugar cookie with the aforementioned milk-crumb and dried blueberries mixed in. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to make this. The milk-crumb needs to be baked and cooled, and the dough needs to chill for at least 1 hour. I promise you'll be happy with the results, which are buttery, creamy, fruity and sweet.

Blueberry & Cream Cookies
Adapted from a recipe from Momofuku Milk Bar by Christina Tosi

Makes about 75 cookies

Notes: I have doubled the ingredients for the cookies to make a double-batch. The amount of ingredients for the milk-crumb is the same as in the cookbook. Tosi's original cookie recipe calls for using a 1/2 recipe of milk-crumb. Tosi smartly includes weight (in grams) and volume measurements for her cookies. I used the weight measurements for dry ingredients measured by the cup or cup-portion (but I've included her volumetric conversions for those measurements below) and volume measurements for liquid ingredients and ingredients measured by teaspoon. Tosi's recipe calls for glucose instead of corn-syrup, but she notes that corn-syrup in half the amount of glucose may be substituted. Her recipe also calls for white chocolate, but I used white-chocolate chips, as the bar variety was not available at Giant or Whole Foods the day I baked the cookies.

Milk crumb:

40g (1/2 cup) plus 20g (1/4 cup) powdered milk
40g (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
12g (2 tbsp.) cornstarch
25g (2 tbsp.) sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
90g (3 oz.) white chocolate chips

Cookies:

450g (2 cups or 4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
300g (1 1/2 cups) sugar
300g (1 1/3 cups) light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup light corn syrup
4 large eggs
640g all-purpose flour (4 cups)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. kosher salt
260g (1 1/2 cups) dried blueberries

Make the milk crumb:

1. Preheat the oven to 250 F.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the first 40g (1/2 cup) of powdered milk, flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt. Add the melted butter and toss with a spatula until the mixture comes together in small clusters.

3. Spread the crumbs on a baking sheet lined with a silicon baking mat or parchment. Bake for 20 minutes until the crumbs are fragrant and look "sandy." Remove the crumbs from the oven and allow them to cool.

4. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl and break up any clusters larger than about 1/2 inch. Add the remaining 20g (1/4) of powdered milk and toss to distribute it evenly. Melt the white chocolate (I did this in the microwave using the package directions) and pour it over the crumb mixture. Toss the clusters with a spatula to coat with white chocolate. Allow the white chocolate to cool (takes about 15-20 minutes), tossing the clusters every 5 minutes.

Make the cookies:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, sugar, brown sugar and corn syrup and beat on medium-high until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, add the eggs and beat on medium-high for another 7-8 minutes (I recommend scraping down the sides of the bowl every so often while doing this).

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add the butter mixture and combine at low speed until the dough just comes together, no longer than a minute. Add the baked milk crumbs and dried blueberries and blend on low-speed until incorporated, about 30 seconds.

3. Portion the dough onto sheet pans lined with silicon baking mats or parchment (you'll need at least 4 standard-size baking sheets) in balls about the size of golf balls, 2-3 inches apart. Flatten the tops slightly. Wrap the sheet pans with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 1 week.

4. Preheat oven to 350 F with two racks evenly spaced apart.

5. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. Bake for 16-18 minutes, rotating the cookies top-to-bottom and front-to-back after the first 8 minutes (note: this is a little shorter than Tosi's original baking time, but I also made the cookies a little smaller). The cookies should be lightly browned on the edges and light yellow in the middle--continue baking another 1-2 minutes until they reach this point. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheets, then transfer to an air-tight storage container.


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Restaurant: Momofuku CCDC (Washington, D.C.)

Corn Cookies

Compost Cookies

Peanut Butter Maple Cookies

There are so many delicious varieties of cookies, making it hard to choose a favorite. But in my heart of hearts, I know that peanut butter cookies are, and have always been, my top choice.

For years, I've relied on the America's Test Kitchen recipe as my standard go-to for peanut butter cookies, which I make for the holidays pretty much every year. This year, I wanted to try something different, so I turned to my cookbook shelf to see what I could find.

The New Basics Cookbook, the 1989 classic by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, had what I was looking for. Their peanut butter cookie recipe includes maple syrup and no added salt except for what's in the peanut butter and the peanuts if you're using a salted variety. The maple added a nice flavor and I didn't miss the extra salt.

I experimented with the look of these cookies a bit. Traditionally, peanut butter cookie dough is rolled into balls and then flattened with a fork, making a clean, round edge and that characteristic hatch-mark pattern. Curious how they would look, I spooned the dough on the baking sheet without first rolling it and added the hatch-mark and also left a few "un-hatched." I like the rougher look and the results were just as tasty.

Peanut Butter Maple Cookies

Adapted from Peanut Butter Cookies, The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins

Makes about 45-50 cookies

1cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

14 oz. all-purpose flour (approx. 3 cups)

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup roasted peanuts (salted or unsalted), coarsely chopped (about the size of the peanut chunks in the peanut butter)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Combine butter, peanut butter and brown sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer and beat--first at a low speed and then at a high speed--until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (alternatively, combine in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer). On low speed, beat in the maple syrup, egg and vanilla, then increase speed and beat until combined.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and peanuts. Add to the butter-sugar mixture and slowly beat until combined. 

4. Spoon the batter in rounded tablespoonfuls (about golf-ball size) onto baking sheets lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat, about 2-3 inches apart (aim for about 12-15 cookies per sheet for a standard-size baking sheet). Flatten slightly with a fork dipped in flour (or don't, as it really isn't necessary, it just looks cool). 

5. Bake until lightly browned in places on top and around the bottom, about 8-9 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Related

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Peanut Butter, Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Autumn Freekeh Bowl with Chicken and Brussels Sprouts

The roasted even smoky flavor of freekeh, a Middle-Eastern roasted wheat grain, is a wonderful match for late fall as the weather cools and we spend more time indoors roasting and baking. I call this a "bowl," but it's easily a salad too, especially if you serve it cold.

Autumn Freekeh Bowl with Chicken and Brussels Sprouts

2 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves
1 cup freekeh, rinsed
12 oz. Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and sprouts halved
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste as indicated below
3/4 lb. boneless-skinless chicken breast cutlets
1/2 tsp. finely ground garlic powder
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 sweet onion, diced
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/4 cup dried cranberries

1. Place spinach leaves in a large bowl.

2. Cook freekeh according to package directions. Add to the bowl with the spinach while still warm.

3. Preheat oven to 425 F. Combine Brussels sprouts, 1 tbsp. olive oil and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and stir to combine. Spread sprouts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (I recommend lining it with foil). Turn over any sprouts so that the cut-side is down. Roast until the bottoms and edges are browned, about 20 minutes. Add to the bowl with the spinach and freekeh while still warm.

4. Heat 3 tbsp. olive oil in a large deep-sided skillet over medium heat until quite hot. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and add to the pan. Season with garlic powder and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until browned, then turn over and continue cooking until the other side is browned, about 10 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, allow to cool slightly, then slice into bite-sized pieces. Add the onion to the pan and sauté in the remaining olive oil and chicken drippings until soft and lightly browned, about 7-8 minutes. Add the onion to the large bowl.

5. Whisk together the apple cider vinegar and maple syrup in a small bowl, then pour it over the ingredients in the large bowl. Add the pecans and dried cranberries and stir all the ingredients together to combine (the heat from the warm ingredients should have partially wilted the spinach by this point). Serve either warm or cold in shallow bowls.

Curry-Roasted Cauliflower and Celery Quinoa Bowl

Did you have a good Thanksgiving? We certainly did. We're also stuffed and desperately in need of some of those more virtuous dishes that are supposed to provide the balance in the balanced-diet. So before we march forth with Christmas cookies, holiday get-together cocktails and other assorted year-end treats, let's pause and have something healthy--yet still quite delicious.

If you've never had cauliflower roasted, I suggest you get yourself a head of the slightly bitter branch-like vegetable and preheat that oven. It's really good when cooked this way (see the related recipe links below for other roasted-cauliflower dishes). Here I've tossed it with curry and other seasonings and served it in a grain bowl with quinoa, spinach, dried cranberries and cashews.

Curry-Roasted Cauliflower and Celery Quinoa Bowl

2-3 cups baby spinach greens
1 head of cauliflower (I used orange "cheddar" cauliflower)
1 bunch of stalk celery (flavorful farmers market celery is recommended)
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. curry powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3/4 cup rainbow quinoa (may use other colors), rinsed
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 red onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup cashews
1/3 cup dried cranberries
Juice from 1 lemon
1 tbsp. honey
Sriracha (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F with two oven racks evenly spaced about 1/3 of the way from the top and bottom of the oven.

2. Place the spinach greens in a large bowl.

3. Remove the cauliflower core and discard it; cut the rest of the cauliflower into florets and transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tbsp. of olive oil, curry powder, salt and pepper and toss to coat the florets. Spread florets in an even layer on a baking sheet.

4. Remove the celery stalks and cut off both ends (discard the ends). Cut the stalks on an angle into pieces about 1 1/2 inches long. Transfer to a large bowl, drizzle with 1 tbsp. olive, salt and pepper and toss to coat the celery pieces. Spread celery in an even layer on a baking sheet.

5. Roast the cauliflower and celery until lightly browned around the edges, about 30 minutes, stirring both after about 15 minutes. When they come out of the oven, immediately add to the bowl with the spinach, which will make the spinach wilt a bit.

6. While the vegetables roast, make the quinoa: Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa and toast, stirring frequently, until the quinoa is fragrant and makes a popping sound almost continuously, about 5 minutes. Transfer quinoa to a bowl.

7. Add butter to saucepan and, when melted, add the onions and garlic. Season with a little salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the water and toasted quinoa and bring to a simmer. Cover the saucepan, reduce heat to low and cook for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit covered for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the lid and stir the quinoa.

8. Add the quinoa to the bowl with the spinach, cauliflower and celery. Add the cashews, dried cranberries, lemon juice and honey. Stir to combine all the ingredients. Serve in bowls topped with Sriracha, if desired.

Related

Agave-Mezcal Chicken and Curry Roasted Cauliflower Salad

Mustard Greens Salad with Roasted Cauliflower, Almonds, Grapes and Chicken

Modernist Mac & Cheese with Bacon and Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower, Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto

8-2-Eat: Thanksgiving Leftovers

8-2-Eat is my food-focused list series. A perfect Friday distraction. Since today is the day after Thanksgiving, if you hosted a meal yesterday, your fridge is probably stuffed with cold turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and a probably a few bits of various other sides and desserts. Here are 8 ideas for what to do with them.

Thanksgiving Leftovers Tacos. A little salsa verde (green tomatillo salsa) makes this more than just thanksgiving bits rolled in tortillas, a spicy and delicious way to re-experience delicious leftovers (pictured at top).

Turkey Posole. This spicy Southwestern hominy stew is a particularly good choice if you end up with a lot of turkey.

Turlafel. Washington Post's Bonnie Benwick shows off D.C. chef Alex McCoy's inventive Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich inspired by falafel.

The Dilemma – What to Do with Thanksgiving Leftovers? Mother Would Know blogger Laura Kumin discusses what to do with leftovers, including useful tips along the food-safety lines for making sure leftovers are properly preserved.

Thanksgiving Leftover Mac & Cheese. From The Daily Meal, a surefire way to use up turkey and cranberry sauce.

Turkey Pie With Potatoes, Squash, Chard and Cheddar. From New York Times City Kitchen writer David Tanis, a savory pie (to go with the sweet ones you may still have on hand).

Pizza. My first Thanksgiving leftovers recipe turns the miscellanea of Thanksgiving dinner into pizza toppings.

12 Creative Turkey Sandwich Recipes. Many stories about Thanksgiving leftovers try to steer you away from sandwiches on the assumption that they are over-done. However, who doesn't love a good sandwich?! Real Simple has some great ideas to get creative with them.

Related

Thanksgiving Central