Quick and Fresh, the New Trend in Home Cooking
After writing about Entertaining on my About.com site for the past 10 years, I’m on the press list for many cookbook publishers. For my personal interest in the category, I’m also on the mailing list of a couple of cookbook discount clubs. So I tend to keep my my eye on the latest and greatest in the field of cookery publishing.
Cookbooks, like many things, go through different trends. Baking books seem to have been hot for a few years. Diet books go through their cycles. But lately it’s been difficult to avoid the current wave in quick and fresh cook books.
It seems like every chef worth his salt shaker has come out with their own spin on recipes that can be whipped up in a few minutes, using fresh ingredients. There’s the popular “Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern” which sounds like an oxymoron to me. “Emeril 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast” also strikes me as a contradiction of his traditional style. “Martha Stewart’s Dinner at Home” is a reasonable, if not perfect, attempt at making cooking speedy. Mark Bittman’s “Kitchen Express” is filled with 20 minute recipes that encourage cooks to use their own judgement and taste to a certain degree. I love it’s simplicity, but a beginning chef might be a little intimidated.
Could this trend be traced to Rachael Ray and her 30 minute meals? Possibly. But I extend my thanks to all of the other chefs that have jumped on the bandwagon. It makes life much simpler and healthier for time pressed cooks.
I really like this trend.
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If you enjoy cooking why would you want to spend less time doing it?
Well, I suppose someone that also enjoys eating good, home cooked, fresh food, and doesn’t have the time to cook, would like these books. Save the more elaborate recipes for when there is more time.