Sharing Secrets From America's Most Trusted Food Magazine

On Monday evening we welcomed Cook’s Illustrated editor Jack Bishop to celebrate the launch of the magazine's 20^th anniversary book, Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook; 20 Years of America’s Most Trusted Magazine. Jack was a charming and knowledgeable host as he shared behind-the-scenes stories of the magazine’s beginnings, highlights of early issues, landmark recipes, along with tips and technique learned along the way. He also entertained us with some hilarious readings from his subscriber feedback file, illustrating what an eclectic and improvisational group home cooks can be.

With Chef Lawren Moneta pitching in from the sidelines, Jack demonstrated the Cooks Illustrated Foolproof Pie Crust Dough. The secret to this classic favourite?  Add ¼ cup of chilled vodka along with the ice water. Their test kitchens discovered that while gluten (the protein that makes crusts tough) forms readily in water, it doesn’t form in ethanol, and vodka is 60 percent water and 40 percent ethanol. Adding that ¼ cup of vodka produced a moist, easy-to-roll dough that stayed tender. And since the alcohol vaporizes in the oven, it’s still an all-ages appropriate dough. Gluten-free cooks rejoice. The proof was in the ‘pie’ as guests tucked into the prepared Sweet Potato Tartlets.  

Another one of Cooks Illustrated most celebrated recipes is the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie. A proud cookie fanatic, Jack gave us his trusted secret for the magazine’s claim to creating the “best ever” recipe for chocolate chip cookies – ones with the ideal balance of chewiness and crunch.  Here it is… brown your butter first in a skillet till it’s a dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma – for 1 to 3 minutes. Also, while whisking in the eggs, let the dough rest between whisks. We couldn’t resist making a batch in our own Barbara Jo’s test kitchen the next day and the results – delicious. For the complete recipe drop by the shop and pick up a copy of Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook, it really deserves a prime spot on every bookshelf or kitchen counter.

Modernist Cuisine

In Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young, and Maxime Bilet—scientists, inven­tors, and accom­plished cooks in their own right—have cre­ated a six-volume 2,400-page set that reveals science-inspired tech­niques for prepar­ing food that ranges from the oth­er­worldly to the sub­lime. Modernist Cuisine offers step-by-step, illus­trated instruc­tions as well as clear expla­na­tions of how these tech­niques work. Through thou­sands of orig­i­nal pho­tographs and dia­grams, the lav­ishly illus­trated books make the sci­ence and tech­nol­ogy of the culi­nary arts clear and engag­ing.

Books to Cooks is pleased to offer a special price of $585.00 (regular price, $656.00 US). This is a limited time offer, so don't hesitate to purchase yours.

A Cozy Apero with Laura Calder

"I realized that feeding friends is about food that comes from the heart, not about what kitchen you happen to cook it in. In other words, chez moi is a place within that you give out to the world, and you can't help take with you wherever you go..." -Laura Calder from Dinner Chez Moi

Friday evening, Laura Calder made herself at home chez Barbara-Jo for a cozy apero to celebrate Dinner Chez Moi: The Fine Art of Feeding Friends. As guests enjoyed a delightful spread of Beet Hummus and assorted crudites and warm Roasted Cashews with Garam Masala, Laura chatted with guests and signed her latest collection of cherished recipes and stories. To our guests' delight, Laura demonstrated one of her elegantly simple recipes, Spicy Baked Shrimp.

To top off the evening, guests enjoyed Laura's all-time favourite cookies, Honey Hearts. A truly sweet way to finish an evening with a sweet hostess.

We have a limited number of signed copies of Dinner Chez Moi. Drop by the shop to pick up your copy.

More photos of the festive evening may be found here.

Food for Thought

For the first time since the magazine's inception 20 years ago, more than 2,000 of Cook's Illustrated's landmark recipes have been compiled into a compendium that gives foolproof recipes for all your favourite dishes. The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook, highlights the test kitchen's most groundbreaking work, where real home-cooking problems are solved and perplexing cooking questions are answered using the science of good cooking. On Monday, October 24 at 6:00 p.m. we welcome Jack Bishop, author, Editorial Director of America's Test Kitchen and tasting lab expert on the popular cooking show, America's Test Kitchen. A wealth of culinary expertise, Jack will share inspiring tips, pointers and stories to keep you cooking impeccably for a lifetime. Tickets are $55.00 and include a signed copy of The Cook's llustrated Cookbook.

How will we feed ourselves when global food systems falter? This pressing question about the future of our food security is becoming an urgent concern as rich agricultural land is being swallowed up by surrounding urban landscapes. In his new book, The Urban Food Revolution: Changing the Way We Feed Cities, local author and former civic polititian Peter Ladner, addresses this question and many more by providing a recipe for community food security based on practical innovations across North America. On Thursday, October 27 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. join Peter for a booksigning, chat and refreshments to celebrate the launch of The Urban Food Revolution. Signed copies of The Urban Food Revolution will be available for purchase. This event is free, please RSVP.

For more information about these and other events, visit our website at www.bookstocooks.com and call 604-688-6755 to register.

Mark McEwan's Fabbrica

Chef Mark McEwan, chef and owner of critically acclaimed Toronto restaurants North 44, Bymark and One, returns to Vancouver to celebrate his new book, Mark McEwan's Fabbrica. This sumptuous collection of recipes takes on an Italian twist to Chef McEwan's detailed and refined cuisine. He features a broad range of Italian dishes that are simple and delicious, including many that are served at his newest restaurant, Fabbrica. Barbara-Jo's Books to Cooks hosts two exciting events with Chef McEwan.

On Monday, October 31 at 6:00 p.m. join us at the shop for a celebratory reception with Chef Mark McEwan. Guests will meet Chef McEwan and enjoy a cooking demonstration, lively conversation, and a delicious taste of Mark McEwan's Fabbrica. Libations for the evening are sponsored by the Vendemmia Group. Tickets are $50.00 and include a signed copy of Mark McEwan's Fabbrica.

Books to Cooks and CinCin Ristorante are pleased to host a special dinner with Chef Mark McEwan on Tuesday, November 1 at 6:30 p.m. This evening Chef Todd Howard of CinCin will treat guests to a delectable meal inspired by Mark McEwan's Fabbrica. The menu for this evening:

Reception
House cured trout, shaved beetroot and balsamic caviar
Organic squash cappelleti, black truffle and brown butter
Duck tart with B.C. porcinis and Walla Walla onion
Adriano Adami, Bosco di Gica, Prosecco di valdobbiadene

Dinner
Polpi e ceci
Wood oven grilled octopus with chickpeas and salami 

Gnocchi con ragu d'agnello e ricotta alla mentaHouse made gnocchi with lamb Bolognese and mint ricotta 

Trota con vongole e salsiccia

Steelhead trout with clams and Italian sausage 

Costolette di manzo con polentaBraised short ribs with polenta 

Barbabietole arroste con pistacchi

Wood oven roasted beets with Sicilian pistachios 

Tiramisu di FabbricaTiramisu

Tickets for this uniquely delicious evening are $99.00 and include a signed copy of Mark McEwan's Fabbrica (Beverages  at table and gratuities are additional). CinCin Ristorante is located at 1154 Robson Street.

Please visit our website at www.bookstocooks.com for more information about these and many more events. Please call 604-688-6755 to register.

Roux est arrivés!

Michel Roux desserts has arrived! Now along with eggs, sauces and pastry our essential 'Roux' set is complete. Dessert have been a lifelong passion for Michel and he is certainly regarded as an authority by chefs around the world. Beautiful presented and photographed, each chapter focuses on a particular type of dessert - fruit ideas, soufflés, puddings, ice creams, sorbets, meringues, mousses, pastries and gâteaux - over 120 fresh classic and contemporary recipes in all.

We can't wait to share this lovely book with you and even better, to welcome Michel Roux in fitting style. So, we put on our thinking 'toques' and came up with two very special events. On Tuesday, December 6^th we will host an exclusive evening with Chef Roux to celebrate the release of his highly anticipated new book. While guests enjoy a glass of champagne and sample of treats from desserts, Chef Roux will demonstrate a recipe and share stories of his lifelong passion for dessert artistry. As a special surprise, guests will receive a bundle of three of his books: desserts, sauces and pastry. Hidden inside one of these bundles is a highly coveted prize: a gift certificate for one night’s stay and exquisite dinner at Chef Michel Roux’s Relais & Chateaux destination, The Waterside Inn in Bray, England.

On Wednesday, December 7^th we gather at Thierry Busset’s recently opened beautiful chocolate patisserie, Thierry to fête both chefs at a delightful evening of bubbles and sweets. Having worked under the tutelage of Chef Roux at La Gavroche in London, Chef Busset will have some fascinating stories and tips to share with us at this unique event.

For more details on these and other events this fall visit the events schedule on our website or call us.

The Paris Wife

This week our Eating Between the Leaves Book Club met to discuss the first of our Paris inspired novels, The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain. Using published letters and research, the author tells the story of Ernest Hemingway's first marriage from that of his wife, Hadley. Through Hadley's eyes, we visit Paris of the early twenties and meet fascinating characters such as Scott and Zelda Fitzgeralds, Gertrude Stein and Ezra Pound. Was their's a story of love or betrayal, or both? Was Hadley a victim or was her relationship with Hemingway her salvation? Our roomful of primarily women had some fun debating the true meaning behind Hemingway's claim, 'I wish I had died before I had loved anyone but her', along with how they might handle the rogue as their husband. As talk drifted from life in Paris and lamenting the lost art of letter writing, to running with the bulls, Barbara-jo shared with us a charming poem she penned about a special bull she left behind in Paris.

For dinner this evening, Chef Glenys Morgan took inspiration from another (more successful in marriage) Paris Wife, Julia Child and cooked up some delicious French classics from her seminal book, The French Chef Cookbook. We kicked of the evening in fine Hemingway form with martinis to toast Paula's achievement, perfectly accompanied by a Tartine of Duck Rillette and Salmon Souffle. Glenys worked her magic on Boeuf Bourguignon paired with a Salade de Saison. Poached Pears and Chocolate Sable added the finishing touch to a perfectly Paris inspired meal.

For those wanting to delve even further into Hemingway's life, we recommend the Hemingway project which also has an insightful article with author Paula McLain.

Welcome Whitewater

It was a welcome relief on a blustery afternoon as we happily received the new release, Whitewater Cooks with Friends by Shelley Adams. For this, her third Whitewater cookbook, Shelley celebrates her mantra, 'great recipes are meant to be shared', bringing together a selection of recipes passed to her by her own food-loving friends. It's a lovely collection of recipes to enjoy with friends and family. Sticking with the winning format of  her other Whitewater books, there are excellent soups, salads, main dishes, and of course, desserts - all very homey and just right for sharing around the family table.

Drop by the shop and treat yourself to a copy of Whitewater Cooks with Friends - your own friends and family will thank you for the wonderful, cozy meals you will share with them this fall.

Macarons Tea with Hannah Tunnicliffe

A novel of longing, desire, hope and discovery, The Colour of Tea by Hannah Tunnicliffe weaves a portrait of Grace, a young woman who lives both in the past and present in the quest for a new future.

 

This afternoon Books to Cooks was tranformed into a tea house with Barbara-jo presiding at the urn and author Hannah Tunnicliffe at the podium reading a moving passage from The Colour of Tea. Guests enjoyed steaming cups of Barbara-jo blend tea and a delightful selection of custom-made macarons from Thierry Patisserie. Inspired by the book, pastry chef Thierry Busset drew on the macaron titled chapters to design three flavours specific to today's event: tart mango with buttercream, white chocolate with lemon rind and cinnamon, espresso and dark chocolate with gold leaf.