Cold-Weather Cooking

by Sarah Leah Chase

Whether your winter blows with snow and rain or is just a sunbelt state of mind, a trove of delicious, soul-warming fare awaits in COLD WEATHER COOKING, from the author of The Nantucket Open-House Cookbook with over 214,000 copies in print.

Guided by a sense that winter is the season for seasonings-from ginger, garlic, and rosemary in Mixed Winter Squash Provencal to the cilantro and walnut crust on a dazzling Roast Rack of Lamb-this gifted cook and author provides dishes that are even gutsier than her summertime favorites. She pays special attention to the late harvest, helps cooks make the most of fall fruits and vegetables, offers chapters on winter grilling and cooking over the hearth.

More than 300 recipes range from bracing drinks for the first sign of autumn to glorious spring dishes for an Easter celebration. Warm Tomato Pie. Wild Rice, Mushroom, and Oyster Bisque. Pasta with Gorgonzola and Spinach. Plus Scallops in Sweet and Hot Lime Sauce, Deviled Beef Ribs, Broccoli with Toasted Hazelnuts and Pancetta, Sweet Potato Pancakes, Pumpkin Bread Pudding, Chestnut Mousse Cake, and Christmas Truffle Tart. Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club's HomeStyle Books. 112,000 copies in print.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction

418 pages, Paperback

First published January 11, 1990

Reviews

[Cecelia Winger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great cookbook; one of the best that I own and use frequently every winter. The recipes in it do not disappoint! And the little snippet about each recipe is always entertaining, as are the introductions to each section. It is a feat to be exceptionally good at both cooking and writing, and I think the author has this combination. My favorite recipes I've tried so far are the Pasta e Fagioli alla Clementina, Mr. Power's Broccoli and Mustard Seed Soup, Oxtail Stew, and the Pan-Fried Scallops with Mustard Glaze! I have not had a single bad recipe from this book, the worst are still 4/5 stars, and the best are exceptionally tasty, such as the ones I mentioned. I love the eclectic recipes she has here and I recommend this book for anyone who likes to cook.

[Mj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great cookbook. I love Sarah Leah Chase as a recipe developer and teacher. She is one of my Top 5 Favourite Cookbook Authors. Her recipes are very eclectic and very flavourful. The only reason I didn’t rate it 5 stars is because I don’t look to it for recipes and inspiration as much as her Nantucket Open-House Cookbook which I did rate as 5 stars. This is not because the recipes in this cookbook aren’t as great. It because I have a number of other winter type cookbooks for braising, slow cooking and specific international cuisines.

Having browsed through the cookbook again to put my thoughts to paper and because I love to “read” cookbooks for pleasure, I realize I should be revisiting this cookbook more often to try some additional recipes that I had marked to try but just haven’t gotten around to doing so. Everything I have tried has been great and the cookbook is filled with really interesting recipes that appeal to my taste buds. There are more than 300 recipes in all and they run the gamut.

My favourites are Spicy Lemon Shrimp New Orleans Style, Roasted Pepper & Artichoke Puffs, Orzo & Roasted Vegetable Salad, My Very Favourite Asparagus Vinaigrette, Oven Roasted Fall Vegetables, Curried Chicken Salad with Autumn Fruit, Pastitsio and Indian Chicken Ragout.

The recipe collection is amazing. It’s not just a winter collection, there are recipes for the arrival of spring produce and spring chickens as well as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, tons of recipes for the fall harvest, lots of finger foods, drinks, breads, breakfast comfort foods, soups, stews, chillies and roasts, as well as many fish, poultry and meat dishes for grilling, stove top or oven cooking. There are 300+ recipes to choose from, many influenced by international cuisines from around the world.

There are illustrations but no colour and no photographs – not a problem in my opinion as Sarah’s writing makes imagining the finsihed product very easy. Some recipes call for minimal ingredients; others more, but all that I have tried have turned out deliciously and came with simple, well explained instructions. Reading Sarah’s background stories about the recipes and following her instructions feel like having a good friend right there helping out in the kitchen. An excellent cookbook and well worth the investment. In the 300+ recipes, you can easily find a wide variety of delicious, well-explained recipes for every meal of the day, any day of the week, for yourself, your family or company. Enjoy!!

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were no pictures for any of the recipes and many use fancy ingredients and/or require a lot of prep. I wouldn't mind trying Peperonata, Ribollita, Ivy League Chocolate Chunk Cookies & Quick Tortellini and Spinach Soup.

[Aasinathena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Recipes are good but the book lenient towards the era where they didn't concern for the food photography ! Which makes me categorize this book sort of hard to read !

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful! Filed away a few that I can’t wait to try this winter!

[Emma Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Leah Chase is one of my favorite cookbook writers. These are mostly classic New England recipes with just a little spunk to them. I am a fan of her Open House Cookbook of summer favorites as well.

She also assisted in the writing of the Silver Palate series which are classics in the catering world.

[KATHLEEN CONRAD · Rating 4 out of 5]

For serious cooks

There are lots of interesting and easy recipes in this book.Some are for serious cooks and call for some pretty hard to find ingredients.But I will use this book alot.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Recipes-- My favorites include Ribollita and Spicy Lemon Shrimp, New Orleans Style.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

So indulgent.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not use this as much as her first cookbook but I really like the recipes, they work, and I would make anything in here and be confident that it would work

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I come back to this cookbook as often as my worn Betty Crocker...I use it as a jumping off inspiration.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many great recipes to try, except that I haven’t in 10 years. Will keep though.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good collection of cold weather recipes but a bit richer than I was looking for right now. Most every recipe had an ingredient that I don't have and believe me I have a lot.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although a variety of recipes were included, the dessert recipes appealed most to me.