Cookbook Review: Made in America by Megan & Colby Garrelts

Title: Made in America: A Modern Collection of Classic Recipes
Author: Megan & Colby Garrelts
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: April 14th 2015
Source: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Description:

An American collection of heirloom recipes from a chef's point of view designed for home cooking. Award-winning chefs Colby and Megan Garrelts present 50 handcrafted recipes passed down through generations and celebrated around American tables.

This beautiful collection of traditional American recipes is an invitation to reminisce with generations around the kitchen table. Acclaimed Kansas City chef and recipient of the 2013 James Beard award for Best Chef Midwest, Colby Garrelts and his wife, Megan, a James Beard semifinalist for Best Pastry Chef, feature their favorite library of American classics redefined by easy, chef inspired techniques, quality ingredients, and a love for regional flavors from their Midwestern roots. These recipes will soon be the classics you refer to again and again for true Americana cooking. Made in America features 50 handcrafted recipes sorted by the cooking methods commonly used in American kitchens from daybreak, to the bakeshop. Many recipes begin with a childhood memory from Colby or Megan that describes the roots and the journey of each recipe.

This heirloom collection from a modern point of view includes such as Biscuits and Gravy, Corn Fritters with Fresh Sheep's Milk Cheese, Quick Pickles, Panfried BBQ Pork Chops with Tomato Horseradish Sauce, Grilled Garlic-Thyme Kansas City Strips, Garrelts Fried Chicken, Lemon Meringue Pie, and Chocolate Butterscotch Cookies, to name a few. Suggested menus for festive America holidays such as Mother's Day, 4th of July, Back to School night, and Christmas are also included. Sidebars throughout showcase handcrafted cocktails such as the Bloody Mary, The State Fair, and the Pimm's Cup that pair well with the different recipes within. Love and pride are woven together to create this collection that will remind you of your favorite recipes that define the comforts of home

★★★★★

Review:

This just may be my new favorite cookbook. While I love a wide variety of different cuisines, nothing quite hits home (literally) like good ole Americana. This is a cookbook that takes the classic dishes from the U S of A and introduce modern or new twists, making these recipes both familiar yet something entirely new at the same time.

I really appreciate that this book features bites from all over the United States. There's influence from the Midwest and the South to name a few, giving the collection of recipes a great at-home feel to it. These are all dishes that drum up images of Mom's home cookin' and summers spent outside under the summer sun. Personally, I recommend that foodie fans get this book before 4th of July- there's so many things I'd like to make for the event, and for picnics too.

Speaking of events, I love, love, love, that nestled in this cookbook there's menus included for holidays and special meals to help you organize how to best pair all these lovely new recipes together in a theme. I think this is a really great touch.

This book is largely sorted by technique, making it easy to flip for the perfect dish, but food isn't the only thing in this book. The chefs are people after my own heart, and this book is sprinkled with awesome sounding cocktail recipes. The recipe instructions are step by step and easy to follow, with good descriptions for each step of the cooking process, making it a great book for beginners too. Everything is handmade, from crusts to ice cream bases and even sauces, which is a great thing too. The pictures in this book are stunning and delicious looking, and there's one for nearly every recipe (if not every).

Some of the recipes that I'm most excited to try include Corn Cookies with Milk Jam and Strawberries, Madeira Braised Chicken with Sour Cherries, and Braised Bacon with Bourbon, Raisins, Nuts, and Fried Eggs.

In short, this is a great collection of classic American dishes flipped on their head with innovative new tastes and twists. There's clear instructions and great pictures, making this a good book for both beginners and seasoned cooks alike. It's a great new book for the upcoming summer, and it's one I'll certainly be referencing often.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.