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This is a Cookbook: Recipes For Real Life
Do you want to feast on the most delicious sandwiches the world has ever seen? Get drunk and whip up the most stupidly awesome late-night snacks? Learn to cook food that's so much better than frozen or microwaved garbage that friends will be paying you to cook for them? Stop reading rhetorical questions and start cooking for real? Then this is the cookbook for you.
Get into the kitchen. Use what’s in there. And don’t be worried about f’ing it up. James Beard Foundation 2012 Rising Star nominee Max Sussman and his partner in crime, Eli, are over perfection. They care about cooking good food that tastes like you made it. Teaming up with Olive Press, these Brooklyn brothers of über-hip New York establishments Roberta’s and Mile End have a go-to, hands-dirty method for wannabe-kitchen-badasses.
This is a Cookbook for Real Life features more than 60 killer recipes that demystify the cooking process for at-home chefs, especially young people just starting out. Combining years of elbow grease in the fiery bowels of restaurants, the Sussmans bring readers a plethora of tricks to make life in the kitchen easier and frankly, more fun. This new cookbook also re-creates some of their favorite comfort foods while growing up, as well as some recipes with their origins in brotherly b.s. that wound up tasting delicious.
The Sussmans have got the back of twenty-somethings, who may be too freaked to pick up a cast-iron skillet and instead opt for cop-out take-out as a culinary standby. This is a Cookbook for Real Life is designed to be a go-to kitchen companion with meals fit for one, two, or many, and features plans of attack for dinner shindigs. The best part? All of the book's recipes have easy-to-find ingredients that limit the prep time fuss and can be prepared in small ( shoebox) kitchens.
Chapters are organized by occasion, eating habits, and time of day so readers can enjoy lazy brunches, backyard grilled grub, a night in, dinner parties, midnight snacks, and sweet stuff. Want to increase your kitchen swag? Each chapter boasts special projects like home-curing bacon; pickling; making pasta from scratch; mixing cocktails, and “what’dya got sandwiches” -- and take it from the Sussmans, creativity in the kitchen makes a good impression in the long run.
Why the authors think you'll want this
There is an epidemic of bad food consumption going on and this cookbook can help you put an end to your reliance on fast food and frozen dinners. Don't you want to know how to cook awesome food for yourself and friends? How'd we know to include everything you'd ever want in a cookbook? It's because we're inside your brain. Creepy, sure, but true.
Every once in a millennium, a powerfully re-imagined, provocatively written, and unforgettable cookbook emerges to capture the imaginations of food lovers worldwide. Deeply moving with personal anecdotes, robust recipes, and tantalizing photography—it's all here in This is a Cookbook. Seductive as it is refreshing, alluring and absorbing, it's the new essential cookbook for generations to come.
Get into the kitchen. Use what’s in there. And don’t be worried about f’ing it up. James Beard Foundation 2012 Rising Star nominee Max Sussman and his partner in crime, Eli, are over perfection. They care about cooking good food that tastes like you made it. Teaming up with Olive Press, these Brooklyn brothers of über-hip New York establishments Roberta’s and Mile End have a go-to, hands-dirty method for wannabe-kitchen-badasses.
This is a Cookbook for Real Life features more than 60 killer recipes that demystify the cooking process for at-home chefs, especially young people just starting out. Combining years of elbow grease in the fiery bowels of restaurants, the Sussmans bring readers a plethora of tricks to make life in the kitchen easier and frankly, more fun. This new cookbook also re-creates some of their favorite comfort foods while growing up, as well as some recipes with their origins in brotherly b.s. that wound up tasting delicious.
The Sussmans have got the back of twenty-somethings, who may be too freaked to pick up a cast-iron skillet and instead opt for cop-out take-out as a culinary standby. This is a Cookbook for Real Life is designed to be a go-to kitchen companion with meals fit for one, two, or many, and features plans of attack for dinner shindigs. The best part? All of the book's recipes have easy-to-find ingredients that limit the prep time fuss and can be prepared in small ( shoebox) kitchens.
Chapters are organized by occasion, eating habits, and time of day so readers can enjoy lazy brunches, backyard grilled grub, a night in, dinner parties, midnight snacks, and sweet stuff. Want to increase your kitchen swag? Each chapter boasts special projects like home-curing bacon; pickling; making pasta from scratch; mixing cocktails, and “what’dya got sandwiches” -- and take it from the Sussmans, creativity in the kitchen makes a good impression in the long run.
Why the authors think you'll want this
There is an epidemic of bad food consumption going on and this cookbook can help you put an end to your reliance on fast food and frozen dinners. Don't you want to know how to cook awesome food for yourself and friends? How'd we know to include everything you'd ever want in a cookbook? It's because we're inside your brain. Creepy, sure, but true.
Every once in a millennium, a powerfully re-imagined, provocatively written, and unforgettable cookbook emerges to capture the imaginations of food lovers worldwide. Deeply moving with personal anecdotes, robust recipes, and tantalizing photography—it's all here in This is a Cookbook. Seductive as it is refreshing, alluring and absorbing, it's the new essential cookbook for generations to come.
160 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2012
4 people are currently reading
255 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 7, 2022
A few years ago, I picked up a copy of the New York Times Cookbook which is 799 pages, has no photos, and is about as clinical as a root canal. (I know, many people consider that book the Bible of gourmet cooking, which begs the question––have your actually read the Bible? Ah, but I digress…)
By comparison, THIS IS A COOKBOOK is short, has mouth-watering photography, and is actually written in a manner that is entertaining, engaging, and a pleasure to read.
For example, this is the descriptor for S’mores with Maple Bourbon Marshmallows.
“When it came down to devising this recipe, we determined the centerpiece should be, well…the center of the s’more. And store-bought marshmallows are tasteless blobs. One our first trial run, we cut into these s’mores and each took a huge bite. We looked at each other and sort of lost our shit at the awesomeness.”
I’ve tried 90% of the recipes in this book. From the avgolemono to the pear tart, from the chicken schnitzel to the grilled peach salad, and yes, I’ve made the maple-bourbon marshmallows many times and honestly, that descriptor does not exaggerate.
By comparison, THIS IS A COOKBOOK is short, has mouth-watering photography, and is actually written in a manner that is entertaining, engaging, and a pleasure to read.
For example, this is the descriptor for S’mores with Maple Bourbon Marshmallows.
“When it came down to devising this recipe, we determined the centerpiece should be, well…the center of the s’more. And store-bought marshmallows are tasteless blobs. One our first trial run, we cut into these s’mores and each took a huge bite. We looked at each other and sort of lost our shit at the awesomeness.”
I’ve tried 90% of the recipes in this book. From the avgolemono to the pear tart, from the chicken schnitzel to the grilled peach salad, and yes, I’ve made the maple-bourbon marshmallows many times and honestly, that descriptor does not exaggerate.
May 23, 2013
My one complaint. No table of contents at the beginning. Really. It lists the six sections of different food genres. And then turn to that page to see a list of those recipes. But no master list. I can't remember which category a dish belongs to. And makes it more difficult to browse recipes.
June 3, 2013
"Lazy Brunch: roll out of bed & put on a Motown record. It's time for eggs & day drinking"
I'm 5 pages into this book and already I love it. These guys are quirky and interesting and real. Can't wait to finish the book & add some recipes to my box.
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Finished! I absolutely adored this book and have tagged a few recipes I plan on copying before I return to the library. The authors & creators of the recipes are the type of guys you want to be friends with. If they invited me over for brunch (or lunch or dinner) I'd be there so quick.
I'm 5 pages into this book and already I love it. These guys are quirky and interesting and real. Can't wait to finish the book & add some recipes to my box.
-------------------
Finished! I absolutely adored this book and have tagged a few recipes I plan on copying before I return to the library. The authors & creators of the recipes are the type of guys you want to be friends with. If they invited me over for brunch (or lunch or dinner) I'd be there so quick.
August 1, 2017
The recipes seem great but have so many different ingredients and steps with each recipe. These recipes don't seem to be a reflection of real life, unless it is a life of luxury and all the time in the world.
July 28, 2023
Gorgeous pictures, but there weren't enough. The illustrations were odd in comparison to the photographs. Most of these recipes weren't ones I have any interest in making and some of the ingredients are definitely not available to everyone across the country, e.g. sumac. I did mark several that I'd like to try and the one I made, the Monte Cristo sandwiches, were excellent.
December 25, 2012
This is one of one cookbooks that kicks you in the butt. You want to cook everything — its not the aspirational cook book that just sits on your shelf.
Try the Korean ribs. They are to die for.
The categories and chapter names are fun and realistic: what to make when you get home late after a bar crawl? This book has you covered.
Try the Korean ribs. They are to die for.
The categories and chapter names are fun and realistic: what to make when you get home late after a bar crawl? This book has you covered.
February 19, 2013
I liked the casual, speaking to the reader tone, but it felt like it was talking to someone with a more urban (possibly in their twenties) lifestyle. That's not me.
Having said that there are about 6 recipes I want to try, including Nutella Rolls, cauliflower with a tahini sauce, and their page of unexpected popcorn toppings.
Having said that there are about 6 recipes I want to try, including Nutella Rolls, cauliflower with a tahini sauce, and their page of unexpected popcorn toppings.
Want to read
August 19, 2012I loved cooking so this book is going to be great for me! I liked making new food and tasting food and COOKING!! YAY
Want to read
August 24, 2012Looks interesting.
July 10, 2022
Excellent book!!!
Want to read
August 25, 2012I won this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Looking forward to reading it. Thank you.
November 7, 2012
I wish there were more vegetarian dinner options.
December 31, 2013
I really love this cookbook. It's full of all my comfort foods and I plan to cook my way through it quickly - from the fried rice to the chocolate peanut butter pie. Oh my!
July 24, 2014
Cute, quirky, non-intimidating cookbook.
July 10, 2016
A really fun to read cookbook with some absolutely gorgeous pictures.
July 21, 2018
Really neat recipes in here.
Some quiet simple but all tasting great
Some quiet simple but all tasting great
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews