The Bacon Cookbook by James Villas (Wiley, $35, 9780470042823/0470042826, October 2007)
What's a cookbook year without a bacon cookbook? Healthier, some might
argue, but not as much fun. Wiley has won the honors this year with The Bacon Cookbook
by James Villas. He proclaims bacon "the greatest and most beloved food
on earth" and describes not only "regular" bacon but artisanal bacons
and an array of foreign types. He wants to quiet critics who decry
bacon as a health hazard as well as admonish those who eat more than
two or three slices per sitting--moderation in consumption, profligacy
in enjoyment. His enthusiasm goes overboard when he says that
vegetarians and religious abstainers are "haunted instinctively by the
sensuous, irresistible enticement of bacon," but is on track for the
rest of us, as the "taunting backwoods aroma" fills this book with
happiness and the need to fry up some rashers right now. Russian Hash
and Eggs, made with pumpernickel bread; Venezuelan Squash, Potato and
Bacon Pancakes; the traditional Cobb Salad; Ecuadorian Smoky Pumpkin
Soup with sage and dark rum; Smoky Hoppin' John, just in time for New
Year's Day menus; Bacon Parmesan Biscuits; even Swedish Spice Cookies
made with bacon drippings--oh, my goodness. Villas inexplicably leaves
out a personal favorite, Pasta Carbonara, but that's a cavil; all in
all, his cookbook is a treat.
Mocha by Michael Turback (Ten Speed Press, $9.95 paper, 9781580088619/1580088619, October 2007)
While James Villas thinks Bacon is the greatest food on earth, he could
find some argument from both chocolate and coffee lovers. (I say have
a mocha with your bacon and eggs--the classic salty sweet combo).
Michael Turback has provided ample ammunition for a taste-off, with
recipes from a simple Mocha to the complicated Night in Casablanca,
which involves making white cardamom marshmallows first. Or try Mokka
Peppar, whose cocoa base has paprika, cayenne, Tellicherry black
peppercorns and pink peppercorns, with peppercorns in the whipped
cream. Cocktails are included as are scrumptious desserts. The recipe
and photograph for Kaffee Schokolade Coffeecake are swoon-inducing.
Hot Drinks by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss (Ten Speed Press, $16.95, 9781580088848/1580088848, October 2007)
All that mocha goodness needs to be cut with something like tea, and the authors (whose last name in German means hot) of Hot Drinks
have just the thing: Moroccan Mint Tea, or perhaps Red Rocket--black
tea with cinnamon sticks, Red Hots and orange slices. As a Dr. Pepper
lover, I was pleased to find Monk's Robe tonic, made with the dark
soda, red grapefruit juice, fresh ginger and lemon and orange slices.
They also have some coffee and chocolate drinks--Café Viennoise with
white crème de cacao and coffee and chocolate liqueurs, or Paris After
Dark, coffee and cocoa with sweetened whipped cream sprinkled with a
bit of fleur de sel. Festive drinks like Mistletoe and Holly, or Tres
Leches, or the Highland Fling with orange juice, fresh sage, Meyer
lemon juice and Drambuie, will warm you (and your guests) up nicely
this winter.--Marilyn Dahl
