Review: Drool Worthy!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 12, 2013
Grandma has just one word for Mercier Press'Easy Recipes for Summer Cooking- YUM!The book contains 26 enticing recipes, all of them easy as 1-2-3, from Irish food authors Donal Skehan, Sheila Kiely and Rosanne Hewitt-Cromwell, each accompanied by a full-page, full-color photo that is downright drool worthy. The book is nicely laid out and features a fully interactive Table of Contents.  My favorite?  A Summer Salsa Salad from Donal Skehan'sGood Mood Food: Simple Healthy Homecookingthat consists of finely diced red onion, mango, cucumber, red pepper and avocado seasoned with a splash of lime, a teeny bit of chile for bite and a touch of garlic all served in litte Baby Gem lettuce leaves.  (You'll probably find that in your grocery as Boston Bibb, often in a little "greenhouse.)  While this would make a great appetizer, I have every intention of adding some cooked shrimp and calling it dinner!Here's a list of the included recipes -QuesadillasRed Pepper HummusPitta ChipsSpicy Sweet Potato ChipsSmoked Salmon Lettuce and Cream Cheese WrapsOlive and Feta or Mozzarella BitesHome-made ColeslawChorizo and Tomato SaladBeetroot, Red Onion, Baby Leaves and Walnut SaladSummer Salsa SaladSimple Tuna NioiseMy Favourite CouscousBacon and Leek QuicheCaramelised Red Onion, Cherry Tomato and Mozzarella TartSalmon in Soy SauceHome-made BeefburgersLime and Mint Mojito ChickenTzatziki Lamb KoftasPeanut Butter Cookies (4 ingredients, whole grain)Lunchbox CookiesGrilled Pineapple Skewers with Caramelised Mint SugarIce-Cream CakeMint-Choc Ice CreamJam TartsChocolate-Dipped StrawberriesVictoria SpongeMost of the ingredients and measurements are straight forward and will require no translation.  There are a few, however, to keep in mind -double cream is heavy creammint essence is mint extractcondensed milk is sweetened condensed milk1 ltr block of ice cream is a quart of ice creamwholemeal flour is whole wheat flourmince is ground meatYou'll find metric volume measurements on one side of your Pyrex glass measure as well as most other volume measures sold in the US over the last several decades and will need a digital scale that measures in grams for a few of the baked goods.More to explore -Sheila Kiely'sGimme the RecipeRosanne Hewitt-Cromwell'sLike Mam Used to BakeGrandma's $0.02 -Easy Recipes for Summer Cookingis a drool-worthy short taster featuring recipes from three of Ireland's favorite food writers.  YUM!Highly recommended