365: A Year of Everyday Cooking and Baking

by Meike Peters

Every home cook faces the same conundrum--what should I make today? Find a delicious answer to that question every day of the year with Meike Peters, author of the James Beard Award-winning book Eat in My Kitchen and the popular blog of the same name. These 365 new recipes are designed to complement the rhythm of your week, from quick, creative weeknight pasta dinners and colorful salads to fragrant, long-simmering weekend stews and cozy cakes. Try the Winter Caprese with Blood Orange, Beet, and Mozzarella; Riesling Mussels with Grapes and Tarragon; Raclette and Onion Spaetzle; and Tahini-Date Cake. Featuring the author's signature style of cooking, rooted in German and Mediterranean flavors and making the best of each season's lush produce, this new home-cooking bible will inspire you in the kitchen the whole year and beyond.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking

448 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meike Peters organizes this cookbook as if you could cook one of these recipes for every day of the year. The recipes are divided into months, which would make you think that they are more seasonal, but they don't appear to be. I also felt like a lot of the ingredients were not commonplace things most people would have in their pantry to regularly buy at their local grocery store. And the recipes that are grouped together don't really seem to work with each other like you would expect. Plus, there aren't enough photos of the recipes. A recipe is much easier to make if you have a general idea of what the finished product should look like. Overall, this one was disappointing. I would not recommend.

[Shipshapeeatworthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

After cooking from Peters' 365 I'm reminded that everything about cooking -- from being in the kitchen, choosing ingredients, consulting recipes, singing along to the radio -- is all about enjoying. Home cooking isn't my job and, Peters' reminds us that each and every day of the year is about celebrating mealtime. 365: The Cookbook begins on interesting premise -- offering the home cook 365 recipes. This year-long cooking odyssey reminds me a bit of one of my absolute favourite cookbooks -- Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries. An entire year of delicious recipes which follow a seasonal rhythm. All the recipes are organized by month and, each month contains an index where each week is broken down into seven days with each day having a corresponding recipe. I was feeling rebellious and made the Cauliflower Soup w/ Tahini and Gremolata from week 4 day 28 of the January menu. I found that this delicious and hearty soup worked just as well on a cool November evening as it would in January. While a person could follow 365 and cook from day one straight through until day 365, I've used Peters' cookbook when I'm looking for easy recipes or inspiration. This is due, in part, to the fact that while there are vegetarian recipes there are many meat/seafood/poultry-based recipes as well. With an abundance of wonderful recipes, I feel as though 365 can be used any way you want to use it and, I think, Peters' intention is that the home cook discovers the simple pleasures of celebrating humble ingredients, at home, in completely delectable ways.

It wasn't even on a busy weeknight that I went in search of some inspiration, in fact, it was a lazy Saturday lunch that needed help. It was more like I needed the help -- to be honest I just didn't feel like cooking -- so I had started the oven to bake up some of my daughter's favourite (store-bought) mini quiches. When I saw the recipe for Mashed Sweet Potatoes w/ Coriander (271/week 39/Friday) it seemed like the perfect accompaniment to the quiche. My daughter loved the coriander-sweet potato combo and I really found that using EVOO instead of dairy really made the texture of the mashed potato seem so lush and fluffy. Anything that can be made in a half an hour using minimal ingredients are always welcome in my kitchen. The recipes for days 86 (Cucumber Carpaccio w/ Dill, Ginger, and Lime) and 87 (Herb-Fried Egg on Toast) are proof that home cooking never need to be an arduous task. There is something deeply satisfying about serving a fresh dish that's full of flavour like the carpaccio or a gorgeous fried egg that can be topped in myriad ways. As you can see from the photos these dishes look so inviting -- even if you're a novice home cook, Peters offers recipes like these as a great way to build your repertoire. These are great examples of how easy some of the recipes can be in 365.

Some of the more involved dishes I tried were the Spinach and Gorgonzola Quiche (335/week 48/Saturday) and the Dutch Honey Cake (111/week 16/Saturday). From what I've noticed in the book is that baking activities are left for the weekends, presumably when there's a bit more time to devote to recipes that may take a bit more time. A thoughtful way to organize a cookbook! My daughter and I baked up the Dutch Honey Cake on a Sunday afternoon and froze the leftovers to enjoy during the coming week. I preferred to enjoy a slice slathered in butter with my morning coffee, while my daughter asked for hers as an afterschool snack with a gorgeous dollop of whipped cream. As a side observation, after storing the leftovers the pearl sugar on top of the loaf absorbed much of the spiced goodness of the cake leaving such a wonderfully crunchy (and tasty) texture on top of the loaf.

Breakfast for dinner is totally our thing! Looking to the recipe for day 77 -- Crepes au Citron -- I cooked up a batch of crepes one night for dinner. From the delicate, lacey edges of the crepe to the dusting of powdered sugar and huge squeeze of lemon juice this breakfast for dinner was an enormous hit! Often a traditional pancake can feel a bit heavy, which makes crepes such a great alternative. Peters may have indicated that this recipe would make a great dessert, I can tell you that while that is true it was such a treat for dinner.

As I've mentioned in previous reviews, I live with a pack of cauliflower haters. Most unfortunate considering I actually kind of like it (but, don't tell the others lest they vote me off the island). Always looking for opportunities and recipes to change their minds, the Cauliflower Soup w/ Tahini and Gremolata sounded so delicious. Cauliflower has a very distinct flavour which is complemented by the rich tahini and, any heaviness of the soup is brightened by the punchy, green gremolata (as she explains "an Italian condiment made with parsley, lemon, and garlic). Upon her first bite, my daughter only mmmm'd her appreciation! The moral of the story: if your family hates cauliflower "rice" or "mock" pizza crust made only from cauliflower then find other recipes using cauliflower that they will enjoy.

Not only are the recipes delicious in 365, Peters offers interesting connections to the food through the wonderful recipe notes. At times I felt myself lingering over 365 the way I would with a good book. I love how her cookbook encourages us to cook at least one thing for ourselves each day, and in doing so we may find more reasons to enjoy home cooking with beautiful, seasonal ingredients. Whether you're into cooking, baking, or both her incredible range of recipes are sure to satisfy.

Please note that this is an excerpt of a review posted to www.shipshapeeatworthy.wordpress.com

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Meike Peters and Prestel for providing me with a free, review copy of this book. I did not receive monetary compensation for my post, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did Peters use an ingredient randomizer to make these recipes? The everyday cook is clearly not the target audience for these “Everyday” meals. That’s ok, but the title is misleading as a result. I won’t be coming home on a Tuesday in Midwest weather January to make Celeriac Salad with Cardamom-Yogurt Dressing, Caramelized Honey Kumquats, and Walnuts, but maybe you will.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I’m just confused...

The concept is this book was really intriguing to me! I was hoping to find a lot do everyday recipes. NOPE! These recipes are insane with ingredients that I would have to really go out of my way to acquire. No time for that. Misleading!

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. Totally nope.

With a recipe called "Prune Burger", absolutely no.

Also, the author didn't even try to be seasonal or work within seasons. There are certain foods that are just not going to be available out of their season no matter how much you want them to be. It isn't going to happen.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the variety in the book. These recipes will not duplicate your other cookbooks. Some of the combinations seem unusual but really made me break out of traditional combinations. The cookbook is a mix of the simple, like a peach goat cheese tart that is five ingredients or Mediterranean lemon mashed potatoes, also five ingredients to the more complex like an apple strudel. What I appreciate most is the creativity and the seasonality. The book is heavy on Italian and German inspired dishes.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This cookbook did not perform. I tried two recipes: the Christmas beef shanks, which turned out ok despite the recipe, not because of. And the red wine chocolate bundt cake, which was a total failure. Add the weird organization and this is solidly on the "Do Not Recommend" shelf.

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to change how you cook—to learn new tricks—I heartily recommend 365. You may find some of her combinations challenging, but your everyday cooking will never be the same. Hey, life’s short; it’s time to try dates in your meatloaf!
Christopher Kimball, Milk Street

[Daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very exciting cookbook.

For the (simple) pasta ideas alone, it's worth it. But today I made the Tangerine Jam Brownies with orange marmalade instead and they are reallllllly good. So this book is versatile and well-written and, I repeat, exciting.

[Bridget O'Malley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life-changing. Inspiring. Can’t put it down. Best cookbook ever.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book. The author has a fascinating heritage that she brings to her cooking. I saved a few recipes before returning it to the library that I look forward to trying soon.