Have you used the Spice and Spirit cookbook?

[doc_k55]

What did you think of the recipes? Any failures? Any winners?

[daphnar]

I think this is a great cookbook with very reliable recipes. I've made many of the chicken, beef and vegetable dishes without trouble. Favorites include: Classic Cholent with Meat, Arro Con Pollo, Chicken in Mushroom Sauce, Spiced String Beans, Marinated Tomatoes and Marinated Mushrooms. Only remember having trouble with Pasta E Fagioli where the beans and carrots were undercooked (but I haven't tried making it in years).

[sydmolgim]

I absolutely love this cookbook. I have cooked a lot of things from it and they have all been well received. In addition, the directions do not assume you know anything so it is great for a novice cook like me. Special favorites are the stuffed meatloaf and the broccoli kugel.

[markabauman]

Does anyone know when the latest edition came out? The Chabad website states that the book is "newly revised", but doesn't have the publication date. Amazon lists an edition from 2002. Thanks.

[cappucino]

Hands down the most dependable cookbook I have. I own many "upscale" cookbooks including Fishbein, Nathan, etc. The recipes from here are just plain good. The classic chocolate cake and chocolate cupcakes (which I use as a cake recipe) are excellent and easy. Applesauce Cake is a major hit and super easy. Basic cookie dough for Chanukah or shape cookies. I use the mocha-chocolate frosting. Pancakes, stuffed cabbages (with illustrations), meat-filled pirogen, apricot chicken, toasted almond butternut squash, Persian rice, egg rolls. All good. This is a very versatile cookbook.

[brooklynyid]

It seems as if everyone swears by the kosher pallette, susie fishbein books. Every house I go to has these cookbooks.

[Dovid]

There are different editions of Spirit & Spice. I have the 9th printing from 1983.

The lack of illustrations can, at times, be a limitation. For example, how small or in what shape should you cut the ingredients? In what shape and to what thickness do you make the such-and-such? Like many community cookbooks, it was written for those who already have a good idea of what the dishes should look and taste like.

[Dovid]

Another comment some people make about Spirit & Spice is that the recipes have to be scaled down to serve one or two people. There are some recipes, it is true, that call for two whole chickens. A lot of the recipes, however, seem to be intended for two to four people.

[KosherKing]

Try the recipe for the Rebbe Burger. It keeps coming back...

[doc_k55]

Thanks for the comments. Will keep looking to see if others appear.

[Telly]

Spice and Spirit is a very good cookbook all around. I personally have made quite a few good soup recipes (French Onion-Dairy, and Minestrone, to name a couple). You can rely on the Spice and Spirit for some really good, classic recipes. Try the cinnamon buns; yum!!

[ariellasdaddy]

Made the challah from there. Pretty good, although not the best I ever had.

[Abbyb.]

I don't recall the exact name, but the parve vanilla ice cream is very popular with my friends and relatives. There are a few different ones, but the one I am referring to has corn syrup, eggs, conf sugar, vanilla, cocoa optional (never tried it with cocoa). Try mixing in crushed viennese crunch for a delicious twist.