Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Gorgeous Christmas by Annie Bell is a decidedly British book, filled with decidedly British recipes like Almond Trifle, My Grandmother's Christmas Pudding and Earl Grey Ham, but there are also many basic American dishes for the holidays along with some interesting creations by the author like Inside-Out Scotch Egg.
The book is, although a paperback, luxuriously created with beautiful photographs and a binding that will lay flat open on the counter top for ease of use. There is a picture of each prepared dish, which if in unfamiliar territory is a welcome roadmap. And, the high quality paper should provide for easy wipe-ups if anything is spilled on the pages during cooking.
I prepared three recipes without any mishaps and was quite pleased with the results. First I tried Cheese Straws an appetizer made with prepared puff pastry dough. They were savory and crispy and not at all greasy. Then I tried the Mushroom Souffle' because I was intrigued that this appetizer can be prepared, up to the point of baking, frozen and then, when needed, popped into the oven for 17-20 minutes. A soufflé is impressive on almost any occasion, and this one is no exception. I found the small bit of freshly grated nutmeg the perfect complement to the soufflé.
Finally, I prepared the Salmon en Croute. Of course salmon wrapped in puff pastry looks impressive, but what caused me to try it was the addition of finely chopped ginger in syrup. The recipe also includes fresh tarragon, lemon zest and currants. I had not prepared salmon with ginger and was curious about the taste combination but it was absolutely delicious. All of these recipes are ones I will prepare again and are certainly worthy of any holiday table.
The author strikes a balance between preparing from scratch and incorporating prepared foods. This does not mean cake mixes, it means feeling free to pick up a bakery cheesecake rather than attempting to prepare everything from scratch, and finding little to celebrate during the season except exhaustion. This is practical advice found within a well constructed cookbook of delectable recipes. Any reader looking for something different to prepare this holiday season will be pleased with the contents of this book. It is reasonably priced for a large full color book packed with lovely new tastes.
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