October 6, 2010

Let's Eat by Denise Burroughs

I was asked to review Let's Eat by Denis Burroughs as part of a virtual book tour. It's a short and sweet self-published cookbook (a total of about 50 pages) full of recipes plus a couple of fun extras (baking substitutions, how to know when things are done, etc.). I have not actually tried the cookbook out yet so I am just reviewing the book itself. Like the book, I'll keep this short and sweet.

Positives:
  • The pictures that are included look delicious
  • Helpful information like measuring tips, substitutions, etc.
  • Quick and easy looking recipes
  • Organized by type of recipe (e.g., dessert, salad, drinks)
  • New and interesting recipes (e.g., mayonnaise cake)

Could Be Improved:

  • The language throughout the book is inconsistent, which makes it confusing. Sometimes she asks for a small can of something, sometimes 8 oz of something, and sometimes 1 cup
  • The format to the recipes is inconsistent and confusing - there is a list of ingredients for each recipe and the preparation below it. However, various times the ingredients includes parts of the preparation as well so you have to really read the entire thing to understand
  • A lot of the recipes use store-bought or processed items (e.g., cream of mushroom soup, store-bought marinara sauce), which is fine but when I buy a cookbook I prefer to have recipes for how to make things rather than how to buy things at the store to put together
  • There is no index at the back of the book so you really have to just look through the entire book for a recipe that sounds good

So overall the cookbook was okay, and I'm sure the recipes in it are great. However, it feels much more like a personal cookbook for someone who was just jotting down their notes on a meal they just made than a cookbook that is meant to be sold. 2 stars.

2 comments:

  1. I diagree with this i have the book and it's all about family how could anyone down that. the author shows her love for what she is doing , her love for family and Great food it's a must have for everyone to bad you did not see that in your review...

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just finished writing my review for this cookbook and will be posting it on Tuesday and I have to say I totally agree with you. It does seem more like someone just taking notes. I was surprised to see so much processed food as well. Great review.

    ReplyDelete

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