Simple Honest Food is a gorgeously assembled volume of healthy, hearty, globally-inspired recipes that highlight Bill Granger's carefree, family-oriented approach to cooking and entertaining. A self-taught cook, restaurateur and Cooking Channel celebrity, Granger offers an unusual spin on classics with as much appeal to the eye as to the palate. Recipes are organized by meal and progress from the quick and simple to the elegant but manageably complex. Simple buttermilk pancakes with caramelized plums, maple syrup and yogurt can segue into a creamy citrus risotto with garlic chili shrimp or Asian-influenced blackened duck salad before ending with the relaxing comfort of a beef and mushroom pot pie or protein on the grill.
"Sometimes there's barely enough time for a quick trip to the supermarket," Granger writes. "But I never let this become a barrier to cooking, or let the job of preparing dinner every day become tedious." With Simple Honest Food, Granger succeeds beyond reproach. --Nancy Powell, freelance writer