July 2012 Cookbook of the Month Winner: Fish Without a Doubt!

[L.Nightshade]

The Cookbook of the Month for July 2012 will be:
FISH WITHOUT A DOUBT, by Rick Moonen and Roy Finamore
This will be a revisit of the March 2009 COTM

Fish Without a Doubt won the race by a wide margin.

On July 1st I will be posting the individual threads for reporting your experiences cooking from Fish Without a Doubt. These will be links to the original March 2009 threads. In the meantime, you can use this announcement thread for general discussion about the book.

If you are curious about the selection process, and the accompanying discussion, the voting thread is here:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/854221
and the nomination thread is here:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/853254

If you've never participated in the Cookbook of the Month discussion, we hope you'll give us a try in July. We have a lot of fun, and we learn from each other's experiences. The basics of COTM, and the archive of past books, can be found here:
http://www.chow.com/cookbook_of_the_m...

[rasputina]

Wow really? A repeat COTM?

[Gio]

It's really not the first time, rasputina..

December 2010/Gourmet Today (revisit from May/June 2010)
January 2008/ Zuni Café Cookbook (revisit from Jan 2007)
December 2008/Sunday Suppers at Lucques (revisit from May 2007)

[LulusMom]

Plus Ottolenghi (with Plenty the second time), Arabesque, and Roast Chicken! Some of them we just can't get enough of.

[Breadcrumbs]

. . . and not a repeat at all for many of us who weren't here in 2009.

[dkennedy]

I started a thread for LOBSTER AT HOME based on the discussion during the nomination thread. Here is the link:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/856667

[Rella]

I thought I was ready to buy some Hake today - here is my discussion about buying Hake http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/855774

We had a storm here near Winchester, VA last night that knocked out power where I had decided to buy the Hake fish, Costco. This is the first time I've ever seen Costco closed for power problems. CLOSED! No Hake.

Even the fish market business was without power. Where the frozen seafood open-top trough is located, it was empty.

[The Dairy Queen]

Ah, so disappointing! I hope things improve soon!

~TDQ

[jpr54_1]

My copy of the book arrived today. I am excited about making some of the recipes-
I spoke to fish person at local market and he will be able to get me some of the fish/shellfish.
My first recipe will be sardines.

[dkennedy]

Would any of you contribute to a LOBSTER AT HOME companion thread if I start one? I bought this book during the discussion phase and would love some guidance from those of you who have it about what to try first.

[Gio]

I'd probably contribute, DK. I've had Jasper's book for years and have made several recipes which have become time-honored-treasures: his fish and lobster stocks, an Asian lobster stir-fry that I've eaten in one of his restaurants, etc. Plus the side dishes are tasty as well... It would be good to investigate some of his other recipes now.

[JoanN]

I'd contribute, but probably not next month since my non-shellfish-eating grandson will be with me for a couple of weeks and I see a lot of pizza and pasta in my immediate future.

I bought the book after reading Rubee's rave of the Baked Stuffed Lobster with Crabmeat, which I reported on here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/8258... It may have been the best lobster dish I'd ever had, in a restaurant or out.

[blue room]

I'd say don't think about contributions now -- you will contribute, and future contributions will be from people who have purposely sought out the thread. Interested parties will insure quality feedback.

[LulusMom]

Good advice. Those threads can end up being invaluable to people later.

[JoanN]

Good advice, indeed. That was just how the pre-COTM for Fish Without a Doubt started. I was all by myself for a while there, but I loved the book from the get-go and just kept on posting. And then look what happened!

[dkennedy]

OK, I'll start a thread and post the link here when I do.

[Gio]

... and here too, I hope:

Links To Non COTM Cookbook Report Threads
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/842251

[dkennedy]

Here is the link to the thread I started for LOBSTER AT HOME:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/856667

[L.Nightshade]

When I post for Fish Without a Doubt on July 1st, I am just planning on linking to all the original threads from 2009. I just want to make sure that is everyone's understanding of how a revisit will work. Let me know what you think.

I'm looking forward to cooking from this book. I got it from the library and Mr. NS skimmed through it and immediately ordered a copy online. That doesn't happen too often; he thinks you all showed very good judgement!

[Caitlin McGrath]

Absolutely, re using the original threads being the way to go.

[herby]

Yes, absolutely, using the original threads. LN, you may want to instruct people to post their review below the original if there is one. Much easier when reading the thread trying to decide whether or not to make a dish.

[L.Nightshade]

Ah, every thread I instruct people to post their reviews below the original. Alas, there is only so much one can do...

[Rella]

I'm trying to envision just how this might work.. IOW, Say if I want to post to "sides" in COTM July 2012, first I will look in "sides" COTM March 2009 to see if it's already been reviewed. Then, if I can't find it in COTM March 2009, I can/will post it to 'sides' in COTM July 2012?

[Gio]

Rella, As I read L Nightshades post above i take it to mean we will only be reporting in the COTM March 2009 threads. So, if no one has reported on a recipe you're reporting on you report in the 2009 thread... IOW we will have only the "old" reporting threads.

[Rella]

Ah, I see. Thanks for explaining, Gio.

[JoanN]

To follow up on what Gio said, although there are no hard and fast rules, a certain protocol has developed over the years for posting to COTM threads, whether revisits or the first appearance.

COTM recipe reviews are most helpful when (1) a recipe that has not been reviewed before stands out and is easy to find, and (2) all reviews of the same recipe are in the same place.

If you are the first to review a recipe, it will be easier to find in the future if you reply to the original post rather than to the last post written. I know that I, at least, when looking to see if a recipe has been reviewed yet, will skim the main (all the way on the left) posts assuming that indented posts are follow-ups to or discussions of an already reviewed recipe.

If you are reviewing a recipe someone else has already written about, even if there is already a lengthy discussion about that recipe, you should reply to the first appearance of that review in order to keep reviews of the same recipes together in one place. That way those looking for results of a single recipe need not scroll through an entire thread to find them. Your review, with changes made, problems solved, suggestions for improvement, will appear where those considering making that recipe are most likely to find it.

[Rella]

My method for finding a posting of a recipe that the poster has given the page of - is just to do a Ctrl+F (control+find) with the page number of the recipe/post that you are looking for; no need scanning through the main posts (all the way on the left) , and it will go to the first posting of the page of the recipe you are looking for.

HTH -

as the last time I suggested this, there was conversation about not finding Ctrl+F on their computer or on their browser. Hope this is not as confusing as previously :-))

I might add, if the first poster did not include the page number for the recipe, then try Ctrl+f with part (or all) of the recipe name.

[L.Nightshade]

This is what I do also, using a word from the recipe. I also use it to look for ideas, and just use a word like "chicken," or even "easy." I find it extremely useful.
I was thinking of including these search instructions on the July 1st index thread. On a mac it is command F, not control. Thanks for letting me know how to do it on a PC.

[dkennedy]

Thank you L.Nightshade. I have a mac and I felt so incompetent that I couldn't get the Ctl+F thing to work for me. Command+F!!!!! Yeah!!!!

Edited to add: I just tried the Command f thing and it is amazing. L.Nightshade, I need to send you a muffin basket! Thanks again.

[LulusMom]

But if you are just browsing the thread, kind of looking to see what was a hit with people, it does help if the reviews of one recipe are all together. I think that is the main reason this has become the protocol. Sometimes I haven't even thought of making something, and then I read a thread with 3-5 great reviews in a row, and it really stands out to me.

[L.Nightshade]

Oh in no way does the search function replace the recipes being grouped together! That should always be the way we try to do it. But in a very long thread, it can be hard to find the dish, even if there are several recipes all grouped together. That's where the search function comes in handy.

[herby]

Completely agree with Rella and LLM. I often will look through a thread with a goal to find successful recipes and always look on the left. I will then either put a sticky in the front of the book or highlight the recipe(s) in the index or both.

[Rella]

Yes, definitely. When they are together, many times if it is a recipe that I want to keep, it is so convenient to copy that particular thread when it is all together, so as to copy/put it into a Word document and file it for future use.

I should add that I always put the url of the thread that I am copying a part of in my Word document, so that I can go back at any time to see if it is further added to.

*Yes, I can't stand a sentence ending in a preposition.

[greedygirl]

I was wondering if the mods could update the threads, so they say something along the lines of COTM July 2012 and March 2009.

[L.Nightshade]

I plan to request that when I post the July 1 index thread. There would be quite a few threads to change, eight I believe, so it will be up to them.

I think all of your questions above will be answered when the actual thread is posted.

[blue room]

This month will be a challenge for me too. I will be shopping at a Whole Foods in Utah, pretty pricey.
But I see several maybes in the book, some definites. Maybe I'll find a pearl in an oy$ter, or a lo$t diamond ring in a roughy!

[Rella]

I'm thinking it might be appropriate for you to tackle a 'salted' fish recipe which might even out the cost of at least one ingredient in one recipe.

[blue room]

I refuse to try any recipes that cost more than the book! :)

[Rella]

Whut! No free salt in Utah? You wouldn't have to go to Japan for pearls or South Africa for diamonds (or wherever the roughy is).

[dkennedy]

I know what you mean about the ingredients being a tad pricey. I won't even buy the seafood at Whole Foods as I often find it off tasting, so I am left with shopping at our local seafood market which is even more expensive, if that is even possible. I do remember seeing a fresh fish vender at the Wednesday farmer's market, so I will try to hit that at least once a week.

[Rella]

Here are the fish 'along with their prices per lb.' at the market where I found some fish. I've not purchased any of the fish from there, and I don't have any of the orgins of the fish, and will probably never be able to find out. Whether this is an average price or low price, I have no idea. Most of the fish are whole with the exception of the shrimp at the bottom of the list. This is about the extent of the fish available there. There may be a few more, or it may change, I don't know.

Black Seabass 4

Rock Hybrid, 6

Rockfish Wild, 5

Blue Crab, 2

Bonita, 2.50

Boston Mackerel,

Butterfish 3

Blue fish, 2

Catfish, 1.59

Croaker Large (didn’t get the price)

Flounder, 5

Lane Snapper $6

another snapper $6

and Pink Snapper ?

Mullet, 2

Porgy, 3

Red Grouper, 6

Whole Ugly-looking squid 3.49

Tilapia, 2

Whiting, 3

Yellow Tail (which might be yellow fin?) $6

Shark 2

King Mackerel 5

Shrimp – all different - some of these I’m not quite sure

I’ll just give what is on the identification

Blk Shlon hdls shrimp $15 (looks like no heads on them)

Headless White 26-30 $7

Headless White 41-50 $6

Head on Shrimp 30-40 $6

Head on Shrimp 50-60 $5

Fresh Octopus $6

Sea Scallop $10

Salmon Head $1.29

Restaurant ready Americanmuscle.com

mussels a sack – can’t see the price

[L.Nightshade]

Oh my god! What a selection, and what prices! That is amazing. I pay at least 2-4 times those prices for the few things on the list I ever see. Except mussels, I do get great local mussels for a good price. You are very lucky!

[Rella]

When we lived on Vashon Island, off Seattle in the 70;s we used to pick them (free), but we lived there in the late 80's and didn't feel safe with them.

I see from your profile that you liked Sook's. Googling, I see that it was up for sale
http://www.timescolonist.com/business... $5.9m I'm sure you knew that :-))

[GretchenS]

My copy of FWAD got delivered yesterday, my weekly fish share comes tomorrow, I did not participate when this was the COTM last time but I am excited to join in this time around! I have been using his Spicy Remoulade in place of tartar sauce for years, it is fantastic.

[dkennedy]

My copy of FWAD arrived a week ago and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I ordered LOBSTER AT HOME at the same time, based on the discussion thread, and would really love some guidance from those of you who have it as to what to make first.

[Rella]

"..., my weekly fish share.."
I've never ever heard of this. That sounds unbelievable! Please let me/us know what your fish share consists of.
(Gee, I can't even get a CSA share where I live in the Shenandoah Valley, VA without driving for 50+ miles, and then if I do find one, it's full-up.) My last Saturday trip to the local (10 miles away) market, the veggies were sold out before 9:00am.

My FWAD library book was returned yesterday and I'm waiting for the UPS to deliver it today.

An aside, yesterday I went back - shy-ly -- to the fish market to take pics of the fish and even though the fish-man is another one, there is no possibility of his understanding any English. The customers, this second-time around are quite delightful and have given me tip on how they prepare the fish; what to ask them for by pointing to a sign, and how she doesn't use the less-than-bright eyes as "the reason not to buy a fish, picked up the gills and showed me.

I did find at Costco a fish that I love: hake - fillets from Nimibia which I posted about, and I don't believe that it is in this month's COTM, but hake was a prominent fish in the COTM Spanish month recently. Here is my concern about this hake: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/8557...

[Gio]

Rella, in 2009 the The Cape Ann Fresh Catch, Gloucester Fishermen's Wives Association, organized a Community Supported Fishery which supplied to those who bought a share - half or whole - several pounds of freshly caught local fish each week A few Chowhounds in the eastern Massachusetts area signed up as my husband and I did.

We bought a half share and that gave us 2+ pounds of whole fish every week. It was quite an adventure because I had never cleaned and/or filleted a whole fish before this. We Loved it but in the end found that it was just too much work and gave us much more fish than we could ever manage even if we froze it. We also bought a winter share that year which was only the delectable small Maine shrimp, the only shrimp we would eat at the time.

Now the organization has quite a few different options including already filleted fish. But we decided to limit the amount of fish we eat due to concerns about various catching/netting/trawling/farming methods and overfishing of certain species. It was fun while we lasted, though, and we learned a lot.

[Rella]

Just watching the guy yesterday scrape the fish, behead them, fillet, etc. one would have to do all this at home - our home (rural) would have all the local dump's cats traveling to our house for scraps. I know that one can make stock with a lot, but there is always the garbage.

Do you now buy bones, heads, etc. to make your own stock - or will you this July? Years' past, I've used bottled clam juice, but I don't think I will be doing this.

The woman I ran into yesterday was using five fish (I can't recall what they were, but they were pink -- Oh, I'll take the pink fish, please - ) to feed 5 people and was making what she called fu-fu. I looked it up on wikipedia, but it looks like there are so many versions of fu-fu.

I saw her moments later at Costco where she was picking up her veggies for the fu-fu. There are sooo many cheap veggies from all continents it seems at the market, but she was right along side me looking for the good prices at Costco - I saw she was picking up the baby organic carrots, which I don't buy, and a big pack of mushrooms, which she said were for her 'fu-fu.'

I'll be watching your posts this month to see what you post, because of your limitations on fish purchases; I have so many myself. I don't like to think of man/myself as contribituing to wiping out certain species. Probably these watch group parameters will coincide with my needs, but there are certain fish on the list that I won't consider either. So I guess the open waters are better off becasue of my idiosyncrasies. It surely limits my fish cookery.

[Gio]

We're taking a CSA from a local farm this summer and they have a lively seafood department as well. I was hoping to buy my fish there during July but as I researched the fish and scallops they sell I see that I will only buy their Fresh Sea Scallops from Southeast of Delaware Bay and Middle Bank Haddock off the coast of Cape Ann MA. I'll have to rely on local markets for other species and carry my Monterey Bay Seafood Watch Pocket Guide.

I grew up very close to the shore, or The Beach as we called it then, and just cannot give up eating seafood.

ETA: I rarely make fumet anymore, only poultry stock, but I'll see what I can find and use as we go along...

[Rella]

I am hoping the Monterey guide is up-to-date as possible.
I saw a Fukishima radioactive spread map just the other day. On the site that was linked here, I didn't see anything near our coast of Hawaii yet which provides us mainlanders some of their fish. Some don't worry, but it is of concern to some.

DH grew up on 'the shore" of Branford CT and one side of his family were practically raised on seafood; there were several generations of fishermen. My first dinner at their house after marriage (some decades ago) all there was on the table was fish (I didn't see even any mashed potatoes!) They were happy as CLAMS, but I sat there astounded. I hardly even cared for shrimp at that time. I had a lost youth!

[blue room]

The Monterey Bay has this update from January 2012 --
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr...
I have a very old creased little copy in my wallet from long ago too!

[Rella]

My and others appreciation.

[Goblin]

Gio, I believe that you live in Boston? I wanted to let you know about the fish CSA I just joined six weeks ago, which only provides sustainable, locally-sourced, line-caught fish, filleted and cleaned for you. Besides various Cape Cod locations, I notice o n their site that they deliver to places in Boston and Easthampton, (If you go to "About the Program" and click, you can find info about their delivery schedule and different purchasing options. ) I've been participating this May/June and as you said, one learns a LOT, with all the different fish that appear each week.

Anyway, here's the site. My husband and I get the "working couples" option, which gives you two kinds of fish/ shellfish a week, in portions of a pound or so. The fish is incredibly fresh. There are five "fish shares" a year, running from Spring to Fall, and you get a few weeks off in-between .

http://capecodfishshare.com/

[GretchenS]

Goblin, thanks so much for posting this, I have been doing the Cape Ann Fresh Catch CSF but might want to switch to this one based on what I have just read on the web site. One question I have for you: Cape Ann lets you specify that you have a shellfish allergy (as I do) and takes care not to give you shellfish if you have indicated an allergy. I did not find anything on the Cape Cod Fish Share site addressing this and this week's share combines both fin fish and scallops. Have you ever noticed this issue being addressed? If not I will give them a call. Thanks again.

[Goblin]

Hi Gretchen! I haven't personally seen anything on this subject and I think you should give them a call (or email). I see a phone number and personal email on the brochure from them:
Cape Cod Fish Share
508-470-6004
[e-mail]

[Goblin]

Gretchen, I just received a message from Cape Cod Fish Share regarding the upcoming "session," which begins July 9th. Anyway, in the message was a reminded to "tell Ed" about any seafood allergies. So perhaps contacting "Ed" can answer your questions.
[e-mail]

[greedygirl]

So loads of the fish recommended in this book aren't available at all in Europe. I'm hoping someone more knowledgable than me can suggest alternatives!

Fish we don't have:
Arctic char
Barramundi
Branzino
Bluefish
Catfish
Sablefish
Clams - we get parlourdes and razor clams but not much else

In terms of bass, I've never seen anything other than sea bass. Not sure if striped and black bass are different things. We get a lot of bream - dorade? and trout and mackerel. Dover sole is fantastic when in season.

I'm excited about this book but also nervous as I'm not very experienced with fish cookery, so any tips greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Gio]

Greedygirl, Moonen gives substitutes for most of the featured fish in his intro notes for each recipe. However using the Montery Bay Sea Watch and the Cook's Thesaurus as references plus a few others in the WWW I've found the following subs for you:

Arctic char: caught and/or farmed in U.S., Canada, Norway, Iceland
Subs: salmon OR striped bass

Barramundi: Market names; Asian Seabass, Barra, Giant Perch, Palmer Perch, Silver Barramundi
Caught in U.S. or Australia... avoid those that are imported from elsewhere
Subs: Sea bass or halibut

Branzino: Market names: European sea bass, spigola, loup de mer, róbalo, lubina
Caught in: Mediterraean
Sub: black bass or red snapper.

Bluefish: Market names: Blue, Hatteras Blue, Chopper
Caught in: U.S. Atlantic
Warning: high levels of PCBs and mercury.
Subs: butterfish (milder flavor) OR whitefish (milder flavor) OR mackerel OR striped bass

Catfish: Market names: Channel Catfish
Caught in: U.S.
Subs: mahi-mahi (leaner) OR grouper (leaner) OR pike OR whitefish

Sablefish: Market names: Alaska Cod, Black Cod, Butterfish, Gindara, Sable
Caught in: Alaska, Canadian Pacific
Subs: any other firm-textured fish

Bream: Market names: Antarctic Butterfish, Blue Bream, Blue-eye Trevalla, Bluenose Sea Bass
Caught in: Southern Pacific
Subs: Snapper, Sea Bass

Dorade: Market names: dorado, dorada, , orata. And in France, dorade gri
Subs: Black Sea Bass, Branzini and Red Snapper

Parlourdes and razor clams: OK to use when steamer or other clams are called for

P.S.: You might be interested in this U.K. site:
http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Fish/Type...

[greedygirl]

Thanks Gio. It looks like sea bass or sea bream will be the European alternatives for many of the featured fish in this book. A quick perusal of the various fishmongers in the hood also reveals grey mullet, hake and whiting are readily available. I guess I'll just have to be open-minded and work with what we have, which is quite different to Stateside. Luckily, lots of places to buy locally, which is great and quite rare these days. A friend visiting from Cornwall was fascinated by all the different options - way more than in Cornwall ( which is on the coast) and cheaper too!

[jpr54_1]

I think u can get some ot he fish in Harrods Food Hall in London -
I know the old billingsgate market is closed but there must be another which took its place

[greedygirl]

The problem is not that fish isn't available here per se, it's that a lot of the fish in the book are not Mediterranean or North Atlantic. Even if you could get them in London, they'd be frozen. I actually have a choice of fishmongers near my home, which is pretty unusual these days. I certainly don't need to go to Harrods or Billingsgate.

[roxlet]

Branzino is definitely Mediterranean. It's very common in Italy, and I've seen it quite a bit here in NY, so I would be very surprised if you couldn't find it in London...

[greedygirl]

It's not called branzino - I think it's what we call sea bass. Which means that striped bass and black bass are something different too. It's confusing!

ETA: a bit of googling shows that a lot of the fish I'm unfamiliar with are native to North America - no wonder they're not available here!

[Rella]

Doesn't matter - probably the same with some fish in other countries never saw the light-of-day there either. :-))

Using this reply to find out what the "ETA" letters define. Google was not my friend. But I'm sure it means an added line or two after you have already posted,

[Gio]

ETA = Edited To Add...

[Goblin]

Gio, this is a brilliant list. Even though I don't live in Britain, I'm going to copy it and paste it into my FWAD copy because it's such a good reference to have.
Thank you!

[LulusMom]

I regularly sub what seems to be a similar type of fish if what is listed in the book is either unavailable or seems ludicrously priced.

[JaneEYB]

My copy of FWAD arrived today so I'm really looking forward to this month. Since my daughter is fish and seafood averse this book is perfectly timed for the month she is away at camp. Thanks LN for your sterling work on managing the chaos.

[Rella]

I'm buying this book today (Amazon prime) after looking at the library checkout book, and all the previous COTM March 2009 postings. I'll get it surely, Tuesday, but since I have the library book, I'll do one of the scallop recipes that was previously posted.

I am adverse (deep skin rash) to a lot of fish myself - it's hard to tell if it's the processed fish in whatever manner they choose, or actually to the fish itself - it doesn't matter whether it's sea or fresh, wild or farmed,

Consequently, I've rid myself of most of my fish books, with a few insignificant ones that DH won't part with, and a Rick Stein.

[L.Nightshade]

I've read a bit about seafood allergies being mostly reactions to processing ingredients, but, man Rella, I sure wouldn't take any chances! Who knows when one ingestion will turn from a rash to a more severe reaction. Take caution!

[tcamp]

Since cooking fish is probably my number one kitchen fail, I'm eager to jump in. I see my local library has it too - double happiness.

[L.Nightshade]

Off topic here, but I thought this might be interesting to people in this group. Cooking Light is compiling a list of the best 100 cookbooks in the last 25 years. They are doing a different category each month, have done seven categories so far. There is a little write up for each book. Possible ideas for future COTMs?

http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-1...

[The Dairy Queen]

Oh, I LOVE these kinds of best cookbook lists. But, I hate when they do them as slideshows. Slideshows are exceedingly annoying and simply designed to bump up their website hits. Is there just a list somewhere? Because I there's no way I'm going to click through 100 clicks!

~TDQ

[L.Nightshade]

Agree on the slideshows. In each category there is a link you can click that says "view all." There are not 100 books yet, as they are adding categories month by month (culminating in best of the best), but you can see the books in each category without doing the slide show.

We've done some of them in COTM, and some others have been suggested. I'm afraid my cookbook wish list is growing as I read these lists!

[L.Nightshade]

OK, for TDQ, and anyone else that doesn't want to waste time clicking through slideshows, here is the list so far (there are eight more categories that will be announced in the future):

General:
Martha Stewart’s Cooking School

The Essential New York Times Cookbook  

Real Cooking  
Gourmet Today
Cook with Jamie
Radically Simple
The New Best Recipe
How to Cook Everything
Ad Hoc at Home

Baking:
Classic Home Desserts
Pie
The Cake Book
Great Cookies
In the Sweet Kitchen
Flour
King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

Healthy:
Spices of Life
Spices of Life
The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook
The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook
The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Cookbook
Ancient Grains for Modern Meals

Asian:
Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking
The Japanese Kitchen
Hot Sour Salty Sweet
The Breath of a Wok
Asian Dumplings
Into the Vietnamese Kitchen
At Home with Madhur Jaffrey

French:
Around My French Table
Essential Pépin
Lulu's Provençal Table
Patricia Wells at Home in Provence
Glorious French Food
The Country Cooking of France

Latin American:
Truly Mexican
New World Kitchen
The South American Table
Mayan Cuisine
Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way
Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen

American:
Momofuku
Real Cajun
One Big Table
Screen Doors and Sweet Tea
Harvest to Heat
The Border Cookbook
Cooking My Way Back Home

[jpr54_1]

thanx for the list have several of the bookss.
i appreciate your hard work

[blue room]

Wow, I have almost ALL in the General Category -- that's an awful lot of duplication and never-to-be-used recipes I'll bet. And poorly-used shelf space. But then comes the Baking section, I don't own ANY and I've never heard of most of them (King Arthur the sole exception). I do have 8 thousand *other* bread cake cookie holiday pie pastry books, but none on the list.
"The Simple Art of Perfect Baking" comes to mind, but aha I see it is from 1985, so the 25 year limit would be in effect.

[The Dairy Queen]

You're a star (we already knew that of course), THANK YOU!

I have many of these books, but I'm way weak on baking...

~TDQ

[nomadchowwoman]

Thank you, LN, for this list and your deft management of COTM. I'm looking forward to FWAD and am grateful for an excuse to acquire another cookbook.

[LulusMom]

Thanks so much for the list! Wow. Where is our beloved Fuschia?

[blue room]

You're a riot, Dairy Queen. After all the effort you regularly put into posting I would think just sittin' and clickin' would be relaxing! But yes, there's a "view all" button as LN noted-- I used it too.

[The Dairy Queen]

I'm in! In fact, I meant to grab my copy of the book on my way out this morning so I could swing by the fishmonger on my way home and get an early start on the month, but I got a little distracted. Thank you for steering us through the voting process, L. Nightshade!!

As far as not wanting to detract from the current month, not to take anything away from those who are still enjoying HT (carry on, please!) I personally lost my enthusiasm for HT once people started posting post-mortems. It's hard to feel inspired to cook from a book that's already been declared dead. Not that I was cooking up much of a storm in the first place, but I do have such limited time these days that I figure I'll spend my cooking minutes elsewhere...

~TDQ

[dkennedy]

I'm sorry people didn't end up liking Homesick Texan. I love this book, but it seems like the wrong time of year to get into it if you are not a fan of Tex-mex cuisine. A lot of these recipes are comfort food for me and I will continue to post in it as I explore the book. I haven't put any of my recommendations in yet as I am just getting over my jet lag and haven't really been cooking from recipes since my return. Must do so before the end of the month.

[The Dairy Queen]

dk, are you a fan of the book or a fan of the website or both? I'm just curious because it seemed that some people preferred the website's recipes over the books and am wondering if that's your experience, too. But, it's very encouraging to know you're having some luck! Maybe I'll wait a little longer to decide whether unload the book. I do like Tex Mex food, so that's not a problem. I am trying to eat lighter these days, so that could be an issue for me...but that's not forever!

P.S. I don't think you should ever have to apologize for liking a book that others don't. We all have very individual experiences and palates and so on. Keep on cooking!

~TDQ

[bayoucook]

Me, too, I love that book!

[L.Nightshade]

I can certainly relate to that. This month's book didn't have appeal for me, and although I got it from the library, I haven't been drawn to cook anything from it. (Mr. NS had some interest in a couple recipes, but not enough to bring him to the stove.) I have read posts where people complain that even the voting for the next month detracts from the current month, so that was my concern for the people who are still cooking for June and hoping for company.

I am looking forward to seeing July's book when my turn comes up at the library. I'm envious of the fish choices some people have! It seems like I can always get clams, mussels, shrimp, crab, and salmon, and usually can get cod, sole, and frozen tuna. Anything else is pretty dicey and pricey.

[The Dairy Queen]

If I recall correctly, Moonen discusses sources of fish (frozen) as well as substitutions. Hopefully that info will get you through the month.

I do agree that voting and nominating distracts from the current month, but I also don't really see any other way to do it.

~TDQ

[Goblin]

"I personally lost my enthusiasm for HT once people started posting postmortems."

Question from a newbie to the lingo--what is a "postmortem" in this context?

[The Dairy Queen]

Off and on over the years, once the month has ended, we have had "post-mortem" discussions of our overall experiences of the month's book. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/8519...

~TDQ

[bayoucook]

Thanks LN. I promise to participate this month as this is one of my top ten essential cookbooks. Have had it since it came out and it has been much used. Used to join in all the time, and even did my 6 month stint as COTM coordinator. Miss it, and I'm coming back. Have not participated in several of the books because of difficulty in finding spices and ingredients and because my husband is a New Orleans native and relishes our regional cookery, plus we have easy access to all kinds of fish and seafood here on the coast. I'm ready!

[Gio]

Thanks, LN. Another star goes on your page... I'm not surprised FWAD won as it's a wonderful book. Not just for the seafood recipes alone but for all the sauces, complex butters, and side dishes that are very good too. It will be a very tasty July to be sure. August and September are when the full bounty of local farm produce comes into fruition here so it will be fun to reap the bounty of the sea. And all you "Inlanders" don't feel left out... frozen fish is very bit as good as fresh.

[LulusMom]

Thanks to both LN and Gio (for being my proxy). I love this book and look forward to cooking from it again (sometimes I need a push or reminder).

[pikawicca]

Well, I'll sit this one out.

[herby]

Me too!

I just looked at the COTMs this year and only two months so far have been "hits" for me - Feb and May, Japanese and Spanish. Both were two-book months that I do not enjoy as much as a single book month, so that took away somewhat but mainly in May since I did not like Moro at all but loved both Japanese books.

[jpr54_1]

I am looking forward to enjoying cooking from this book.
My copy of book is on the way - hope it gets to Florida b4 July 1-
Down here there is a great place to purchase fish/shellfish-
http://www.triarseafood.com/about.htm
they have been selling to public and will soon be opening a retail shop
2046 McKinley Street
Hollywood, Florida

[herby]

BRAVA, LN! This was a tough one:)

[dkennedy]

Thanks LN, I am looking forward to having an excuse to splurge on lobster, clams and other sea-delights next month.

[Breadcrumbs]

Big thanks LN, nothing but admiration for you!

[Rella]

Thank you LN, I am looking forward to reading all of the previous COTM March 2009
"Fish Without A Doubt" postings beginning at

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/600185

Ah hah! Previous. meaning I just read one or two posted a few days ago!

[L.Nightshade]

Thanks Rella. I debated about including that link, but I thought it was a bit early. I fear that when we start nominating and voting, people get distracted from the current COTM! So let no one forget it's still June!

I'm in line for Fish Without a Doubt at the library, and hoping I will be able to participate more than I have recently. I've been working so much, I've barely done any cooking at all, but I certainly have not lost enthusiasm for the COTM.

[Rella]

I got a copy at the library, went to the fish market, took pics of all the fish and their prices, but will compare the pics and their names to the recipes in the book, but for some reason I don't think there are many that comparisons.

Just thinking about cooking is so good for the soul, the thoughts are generally never worrisome. Take care of your health while you are working so much.

[smtucker]

Interesting. The fish suggestions in Fish Without A Doubt break down into pretty distinct categories. White, low fat fish, small and medium fatty fish, large non-fatty fish steaks, and of course shellfish.

If the fish available to you doesn't appear as the alternates of the book, consider asking your fishmonger to give you the four to five word description of what you are buying. And then match those characteristics to the recipes. And you are part of the COTM! We will help you determine what listed fish is similar so you can select your evening's dinner recipe.

[Rella]

Thanks! I just got through reading the first introductory 75 pages, so I'm getting a picture now regarding the layout of the book.

The easiest for me to get more familiar with is the 'poaching' section. I have a ss steamer I bought in 1975 that's maybe been used once for fish and several times for asparagus. When I saw the poaching section, I hurriedly ran to the storage, all the way chanting, I sure hope I didn't give that away :-))

This is where COTM is so helpful - I wouldn't have imagined I'd ever crack this book.

[Rella]

Yes, comparing, I do see now that this one market has many fish that is listed in the index:
Black Seabass, Rock Hybrid, Rockfish Wild, Blue Crab, Bonita, Boston Mackerel, Butterfish, Blue fish, Catfish, Flounder, Lane and Pink Snapper and another snapper, Mullet, Porgy, Red Grouper, Whole Ugly-looking squid, Tilapia,Whiting, Yellow Tail (which might be yellow fin?) and
Not listed in the book except as "Our Overfished Ocean: SHARK!