Monday, June 8, 2015

New Cuisine

New Cuisine with Help From Peter White Public Library

Many new cookbooks filter into Peter White Public Library on a regular basis. Cuisine, in the U.S. and around the world, is rapidly changing as people become more knowledgeable about and interested in where their food is coming from. There are more diet restrictions and an increased awareness of how to keep oneself healthier through good nutrition. Across our nation there is a growing push for locally produced or sourced food.

The television show Portlandia has come out with their own cookbook, The Portlandia Cookbook: Cook Like A Local by Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein with Jonathan Krisel. This book is quirky, similar to the show. The majority of the recipes promote local farmers markets and/or locally sourced grocery stores. A favorite recipe I enjoyed was Bird in a Grilled Cheese Nest. I did not have all the fancy cheeses; therefore, I substituted swiss and romano in the recipe and added jalapeno jam with the mayo. An egg inside a grilled cheese sandwich makes my mouth water.

Americans are not the first people to realize that locally sourced food tastes better. The French Market Cookbook by Clotilde Dusoulier is a wonderful example of that. A recipe I had not heard of is Green Pancakes (Pascadous). These are delicious; they are savory pancakes that rely more on eggs then flour. The wine, greens, garlic, and black pepper give off a nice sweet and savory taste. Another good sweet and savory recipe from this book is the Softly Spiced Carrot Almond Soup. I learned this is best eaten a day after it is made and chilled in the fridge. After letting the soup sit a day, it really gave out more flavor and was less chunky and more enjoyable.

Vegetarianism is not the only diet out there these days. There are many diets because everyone is different. There are various lifestyles, too. Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans by Michelle Tam and Henry Fong has over 100 nomtastic recipes to choose from. Considering that there is a Pig Roast today to benefit the library, I tried out a couple recipes from the pork chapter. Maple Sausage Patties are wondrous. When herbs such as thyme and rosemary along with sage and a little chilli powder are incorporated into your patties there may be a party in your mouth. Another great pork dish from this cookbook is the Super-Porktastic Meatloaf, need I say more? If you are looking to get your pork fix today or tonight, please consider The Steinhaus Market located at 1651 South Front St. in Marquette (Union Grill's old location). Which is holding a Pig Roast today to benefit the Peter White Public Library. This event is open to the public, tickets are on sale at the door for $12.00. Ore Dock Brewery is co-sponsoring the event.


I have a little bit of a sweet tooth, and thoroughly enjoy baking when the time is right. Baking Chez Moi by Dorie Greenspan can satisfy almost any sweet tooth. Her Nun's Beignets recipe is amazing. The Fresh Orange Cake was quite nice as well; I drizzled white chocolate and added crushed walnuts for a good crunch. Each recipe has a description as to how Greenspan was encouraged to make that particular dessert. They are informative and I learned something new
reading each one.

It is nice to have a decent drink as a go-to in the summer time. I had not ever made a shrub until I came across Shrubs: An Old-Fashioned Drink For Modern Times by Michael Dietsch. This book gives history of these delicacies, along with recipes as how to concoct them. If Benjamin Franklin, Martha Washington, and Thomas Jefferson used to sip on them, they must be pretty darn good. All of these cookbooks can be found in the library collection. Tickets to the Pig Roast can be purchased at the library, as well as at the Steinhaus Market. The event is held from 11:00am - 8:00pm, Saturday June 6th.
--By Shane G. Sizemore, Maintenance Department

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