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Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Do Ahead Dinners: How to Feed Friends and Family Without the Frenzy by James Ramsden



Book: Do Ahead Dinners: How to Feed Friends and Family Without the Frenzy
 
Author: James Ramsden 

Release date (if applicable): Published

Synopsis: Mr Ramsden shares 150 "make ahead" recipes to make entertainment and daily living a bit easier. Recipes include such dishes as Scotch Quail Eggs with Homemade Brown Sauce, Fennel Soup with Brown Shrimp and Dill, Pig Cheek Salad with Pickled Shallot and Buttermilk Dressing, Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream, and Raspberry Gin and Tonic. 
 
My rating: 2 Stars
 
My opinion: This definitely was not a favorite cookbook of mine. I didn't see this book as being family friendly as it was very heavy on foods that would never see the tops of my plates such as pigs cheek, pigs belly, venison, rabbit, etc.. I think I am a pretty open eater, but couldn't see the foods on other friends' plates either.  To boot, most recipes have heavy prep time so not sure of the "do-ahead".
 
I must admit that it did have a very interesting selection on vegetarian selections that I would focus on.
 

Breads for "make ahead" would be easier to actually make the day of, esp with the yeast being so temperamental.
 

From an ingredient standpoint, I did feel some ingredients could be very difficult to obtain in the US, particularly in the Midwest rural area where I am from. They might be easier in urban areas, but I had my doubts on some of those too.  

All in all, I could count on two hands the number of recipes that I would make.
Source:  Publisher for Review
      
Would I recommend? : No
 
Stand Alone or Part of a Series: Stand Alone

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