Table Talk: October 27

Autumn cookbook releases

By Kim O'Donnel

October 19, 2011

(Editor’s note: This chat is over, but the transcript is available to read here. And join Kim for another Table Talk soon.)

Kim O’Donnel has invited T. Susan Chang, the cookbook reviewer for the Boston Globe, to join her for a discussion of new cookbooks — and sure, old favorites, too. Chang, author of the soon-to-be released A Spoonful of Promise: Stories & Recipes from a Well-Tempered Table, reviews cookbooks for NPR, for Eat Your Books, and for a wide variety of national publications. She blogs at cookbooks for dinner.

T. Susan Chang

As always, bring your questions, ideas, and observations to the chat. This will be a great opportunity for all participants to learn about new books and maybe get a jump on ideas for holiday shopping — or inspiration for cooking at home.

Join us on Thursday, October 27, at 1 p.m. ET, 10 a.m. PT. Add your email in the chat box below to receive a reminder of the chat.

We look forward to seeing you here.

Kim O’Donnel, a trained chef and cookbook author, hosts chats frequently, right here. You can always check the Table Talk page to see when the next chat will take place.

Table Talk with Kim O'Donnel - Oct. 27, 2011

(10/27/2011)

  

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9:31	Kim ODonnel:  Coming up at the top of the hour: Dishing on the latest crop of cookbooks with reviewer and culinary bibliophile Susie Chang. Join us! Thursday October 27, 2011 9:31 Kim ODonnel

10:01

Kim ODonnel:  Hey folks! Have we got a treat for you today. It's an all cookbook hour with one of the most in-the-know people on the topic. Pleased to introduce Susie Chang, a cookbook reviewer for The Boston Globe and Eat Your Books. Susie also contributes to NPR, where she does a twice-yearly cookbook roundup. Susie's also just published her first book, a collection of food essays -- A Spoonful of Promises -- which is about to land on bookshelves. Let's dish! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:01 Kim ODonnel

10:01

[Comment From Lizka Lizka : ]  So glad to be able to catch a chat live and this one in particular! The universe has alined ;) So hi to everyone. I have two new culinary loves to share: 1. make corn broth with corn cobs - boil left-over cobs on medium heat for at least a couple hours. The intensity of the taste/smell is out of this world. 2. I finally tried using ricotta cheese in risotto and it is fantastic. We add it at the very end (as Kim suggested, thanks Kim!) - it makes the risotto so decadent and luscious. Finally, apropos the chat, I've been wondering for awhile if there is a good cookbook out there on sauces. This is a problem area for me. I feel like I finally have a bit of a handle on combining ingredients that work together, but often think it's just missing a sauce to pull everything together. Ideas? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:01 Lizka

10:01

Susie Chang:  Hi everybody! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:01 >Susie Chang

10:02

Kim ODonnel:  Susie, in our email correspondence, you've mentioned more than once that this fall has gifted us with a bumper crop of cookbooks. What makes this season different from others? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:02 Kim ODonnel

10:03

Susie Chang:  I agree, using corn cobs is terrific for broth--so intense. And I have to try your tip about using ricotta in risotto! Sauces, well, I think last year there was one published by James Peterson? Traditional sauces for a Western palate. Another possibility is to go Indian with sauced-based curries, as in the wonderful _660 Curries._ Thursday October 27, 2011 10:03 Susie Chang

10:03

Kim ODonnel:  Yes, James Peterson is the Sauce man... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:03 Kim ODonnel

10:04

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  I'm here! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:04 Jeanne in Seattle

10:04

Susie Chang:  This season is remarkable in a number of ways, but principally in the sheer quality and ambition of some of the books. A number of authors have come out with what I would describe as once-in-a-lifetime books. Like Claudia Roden's Food of Spain for example. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:04 Susie Chang

10:04

Kim ODonnel:  Hey Jeanne -- what's on your fave cookbook list these days? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:04 Kim ODonnel

10:04

Susie Chang:  Also Molly Stevens' _All about Roasting_ and Paula Wolfert's Food of Morocco Thursday October 27, 2011 10:04 Susie Chang

10:05

Kim ODonnel:  I have not seen Claudia Roden's new book...Or Molly Stevens! I need to get on the stick. But Paula Wolfert's latest -- yes, agree...gorgeous tome. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:05 Kim ODonnel

10:05

Kim ODonnel:  That's right -- and Jacques Pepin has a new one... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:05 Kim ODonnel

10:05

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  Currently I am working with the River Cottage cookbooks. I love those. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:05 Jeanne in Seattle

10:05

Susie Chang:  Yes, I think it's a kind of über-compendium of the Pepin oeuvre. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:05 Susie Chang

10:06

Susie Chang:  Oh yes! River Cottage, have you tried the new Fish one, I think it is? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:06 Susie Chang

10:06

Kim ODonnel:  I just got my mitts on the Fish River Cottage, lots of great info on sustainability for the US... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:06 Kim ODonnel

10:06

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  No, I don't have the fish one yet! I just got the Cakes one! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:06 Jeanne in Seattle

10:07

Kim ODonnel:  Barbara Kafka another big name with a new title... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:07 Kim ODonnel

10:07

Kim ODonnel:  What about lesser-known authors? What's ringing your chimes? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:07 Kim ODonnel

10:08

Susie Chang:  Well, let's see. Last night I had a delicious meatloaf from a self-published author named Zov Karamardian, a restaurateur. She's always got terrific recipes; not sure why she doesn't publish with the big houses... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:08 Susie Chang

10:09

Susie Chang:  And in a sense the Food52 Cookbook is all lesser-known names, since they are collected (by Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs) from home cooks all over Thursday October 27, 2011 10:09 Susie Chang

10:09

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  Susie: on the topic of lesser known cookbook folks, do you look at the so-called "special-diet" cookbooks that are coming out? I am gluten-free and am always disappointed when those books are not treated seriously. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:09 Jeanne in Seattle

10:09

Kim ODonnel:  Topics you love seeing covered in this season's crop? Topics you're just plain tired of? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:09 Kim ODonnel

10:10

Susie Chang:  I'm fascinated by the upsurge in gluten-free and vegan books. Baking seems to be the new angle for both types, made possible I suppose by the wider availability of alternative grains. I think it's good for the industry to see so much growth in this area, though I wouldn't say I've seen a real stand-out in gluten-free yet; one that crosses over definitively to the mainstream. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:10 Susie Chang

10:11

Susie Chang:  This season I'm also seeing a lot of "home cooking" by famous chefs like Jean-georges Vongerichten, Heston Blumenthal. Often I find the definition of "home cooking" here is not quite the same as the way I define it. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:11 Susie Chang

10:12

Susie Chang:  But I was surprised to see that Ferran Adrià's "The Family Meal" could be used in any normal kitchen. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:12 Susie Chang

10:12

Kim ODonnel:  Any particular cuisine that's finally getting its due? Or author? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:12 Kim ODonnel

10:12

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  I am fascinated by the concept of Adria's book. I can't wait to get it. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:12 Jeanne in Seattle

10:13

Susie Chang:  Well, let's see....I was very happy to see Melissa Clark come out with a book of her new at-home, weekday recipes. For years she's been doing co-authoring gigs, and then last year she had a first collection of her columns. But this one is her most original and usable book, I think. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:13 Susie Chang

10:13

Kim ODonnel:  The Family Meal as a concept is getting lots of attention -- there's the family meal as in restaurant staff eating together -- and Marissa Guggiana just came out w/ that -- and I believe Jody Eddy & Christine Carroll are coming out w/ a similar theme... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:13 Kim ODonnel

10:14

[Comment From Lizka Lizka : ]  Agreed on lots of chef/cookbooks doing "home cooking" that isn't really. It's made me wary of anything (show, book, etc.) that uses that terminology. Conversely, this is something that I do think we could all benefit from (help with simple, nutritious home-cooking). Thursday October 27, 2011 10:14 Lizka

10:15

Susie Chang:  I think "home cooking" has become a bit of a marketing tool. I think on the one hand it appeals to the voyeuristic instinct ("what do these people really cook at home?") and on the other it advertises that this is doable in your own home (not necessarily true)... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:15 Susie Chang

10:16

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  Yes! We need more books that are somewhere in between "rearranging processed food" (my term for Sandra Lee stuff) and books with time consuming and expensive ingredients. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:16 Jeanne in Seattle

10:16

Susie Chang:  There's a resurgence of middle-of-the-road Italian books for some reason. But no particular newcomer cuisine except, perhaps, Nuevo Latino/New Latin books. We saw a few of these this summer. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:16 Susie Chang

10:17

Kim ODonnel:  You've been in the reviewing biz for a good long time. You see more cookbooks in one fell swoop than anyone, frankly. Is the printed cookbook here to stay? Or must we brace ourselves for an all digital cooking experience? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:17 Kim ODonnel

10:18

Kim ODonnel:  If there's a resurgence of middle-of -the-road & return to family meal, what do you make of Nathan Myrvold's opus? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:18 Kim ODonnel

10:19

Susie Chang:  I was just talking about this with someone else this morning! I think both forms have a place in the kitchen. You can't beat digital for its speedy search and indexing capability. But when it comes to actually using the recipe in the kitchen and cooking from it? There is no contest. You have to have print, with its forgiving nature--you can turn pages, you remember where you were on the page between steps, you look at the picture etc. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:19 Susie Chang

10:20

Kim ODonnel:  I agree. Someone asked me how I feel about my cookbook being avail. as an ebook or if I'd consider an app, did I think it cannibalized my content. Heck no. It's a different way to access/use the work. To me, it's just another option -- yet print wins out in my kitchen everytime. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:20 Kim ODonnel

10:20

Susie Chang:  Well, I think Modernist Cuisine is fascinating...here's a link to an article I did on it: http://articles.boston.com/2011-04-20/lifestyle/29451769_1_modernist-cuisine-vacuum-sealer-carrot I think it's stimulating to the imagination and valuable as art. However, as a mom who lives in the real world, some of this stuff just makes me laugh. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:20 Susie Chang

10:21

Kim ODonnel:  Not to mention the price tag, which is the equivalent to some apartment rents! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:21 Kim ODonnel

10:21

Susie Chang:  I looked recently at the way shrimp is treated in 3 recipes recently, one of which was a very molecular-gastronomy approach. I figured that after I bought the equipment, it would take me about 2 full days to make the dish. But what would everybody eat in the meantime? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:21 Susie Chang

10:23

Kim ODonnel:  I know I get just a fraction of the books you receive on a daily basis. How do you find the physical space to house them? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:23 Kim ODonnel

10:23

Susie Chang:  BTW There are a number of cookbooks that make good gifts this season: for new cooks, I think Cook This Now (Melissa Clark) is a good choice. For an intriguing, wonderfully designed little stocking stuff, They Draw And Cook (from the blog). And for readers, why I'm glad you asked! my own book, A Spoonful of Promises. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:23 Susie Chang

10:24

Kim C.:  Hi guys! Sorry to be joining late. I am not sure anyone has to brace for digital cookbooks — but I do think the iPad is a great tool for cooking. Of course, as part of a group that develops apps, I am a little biased. That said, you'll have to pry cookbooks out of my cold dead fingers someday … Thursday October 27, 2011 10:24 Kim C.

10:24

Kim C.:  Susie Chang, congratulations on your new book! Tell us about it. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:24 Kim C.

10:24

Susie Chang:  Ah! I get about 400 books a year, with a rotating total of 700-800 in the house. I give a ton away. My town library is across the street, so they are the unwilling recipient of a lot of cookbook largesse. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:24 Susie Chang

10:25

Kim ODonnel:  Kim C, was wondering what you felt about digital versus print... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:25 Kim ODonnel

10:25

Kim ODonnel:  Susie, can you tell folks a little about the newborn book you've got in swaddling clothes? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:25 Kim ODonnel

10:25

Susie Chang:  My new book! It's a collection of personal food stories about the way food shapes our lives; the way it shapes our memories, our states of mind, the people we share it with. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:25 Susie Chang

10:26

Kim ODonnel:  with recipes, no less! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:26 Kim ODonnel

10:26

Susie Chang:  Each is a little snapshot of a food from my memory and the stories and mishaps that went with it. It's not exactly a cookbook. For example, I have a chapter called "Rebel with a Ring Ding" about my mom's healthy-lunch craze. There is a recipe that is nothing but Ring Ding plus popcorn at the end. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:26 Susie Chang

10:27

Susie Chang:  On the other hand, there are real culinary treasures in their as well, like my grandmother's wonton soup. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:27 Susie Chang

10:27

Kim ODonnel:  Love it! I am looking forward to diving in. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:27 Kim ODonnel

10:28

Kim ODonnel:  Okay, so how do you whittle down the constantly growing cookbook collection? What's considered a keeper? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:28 Kim ODonnel

10:28

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  I love the title of your book! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:28 Jeanne in Seattle

10:29

Susie Chang:  I have a shelf of cookbooks in the kitchen which only holds about 100 cookbooks. Books have to really earn a place! (Thanks Jeanne for your kind words) If, after the testing period, I find myself returning to the book because I've found some favorites, it usually makes it on the shelf. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:29 Susie Chang

10:29

Kim C.:  Kim, I love cookbooks, but I use the internet for recipes often too. Cookbook apps are pretty rare in part because apps are incredibly expensive to build. Not every cookbook would make a great app — not even most of them; it's not financially feasible. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:29 Kim C.

10:29

Susie Chang:  For example, Fuchsia Dunlop's books are there, and the Splendid Table's book from two years ago. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:29 Susie Chang

10:30

Kim ODonnel:  I so appreciate that you're cooking from the books as you read them... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:30 Kim ODonnel

10:30

Kim C.:  Susie Chang, have you cooked from the new Splendid Table book? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:30 Kim C.

10:30

Susie Chang:  Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table, Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day...and Jamie Oliver AT HOME! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:30 Susie Chang

10:31

Kim ODonnel:  What would you like to see more of in the cookbook world? Less? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:31 Kim ODonnel

10:31

Susie Chang:  I've made a ricotta gnocchi from it that was quite good, and a REALLY great pomegranate-cinnamon tabbouleh. I think the Splendid Table books are wonderful as reading experiences, filled with quotes and opinion as they are..an example of great cookbook design. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:31 Susie Chang

10:32

Kim ODonnel:  I'm forgetting -- do you also review culinary memoirs? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:32 Kim ODonnel

10:33

Susie Chang:  I look for 5 things in cookbooks, not all of which are mutually compatible: 1) Usability (for weeknights and everyday) 2) in-depth knowledge/research 3) "something new" in flavor combinations or innovative recipes 4) great design 5) Memorable stories and character I think we need more stories, if anything. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:33 Susie Chang

10:33

Susie Chang:  I don't specifically review food memoirs for any media outlet, but I sometimes look at them at eatyourbooks.com and on my blog. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:33 Susie Chang

10:33

Kim C.:  I agree about the Splendid Table books! Another cookbook we've gotten in that I love for that same reason is Home Made, by Yvette Van Boven. I have yet to cook from it though. Part of the reason I was late to the chat today is that I was in a meeting … with a cookbook author. We were talking about how difficult it is for authors to get the word out about their books. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:33 Kim C.

10:34

Kim ODonnel:  What about hardback versus paper? Preference? Me, I love to bend back a book. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:34 Kim ODonnel

10:34

Susie Chang:  Personally, I like hardback because it's more durable. The books I love look like hell and get used to death. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:34 Susie Chang

10:34

Kim ODonnel:  It is a full-time job getting the word out about a book! Yowza. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:34 Kim ODonnel

10:35

Kim C.:  I'll bet! And with Borders closing — that didn't help. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:35 Kim C.

10:35

Susie Chang:  Wow, I'm finding that to be true, too, about book publicity! It's frustrating not knowing what effect you're having, too. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:35 Susie Chang

10:36

Susie Chang:  I think online publicity is key--Dorie Greenspan is a master of it and it really helped push her book to the top of the lists last year. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:36 Susie Chang

10:36

Susie Chang:  Of course, winning a Beard doesn't hurt. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:36 Susie Chang

10:36

Kim ODonnel:  When you say online publicity what do you mean exactly? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:36 Kim ODonnel

10:36

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  I have two cookbook bookshelves. One is in my kitchen for books in regular rotation. The other is in the living room for the less used books. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:36 Jeanne in Seattle

10:37

Susie Chang:  I mean using a blog, twitter, facebook, going on blog tour, etc.... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:37 Susie Chang

10:37

Kim C.:  What about self-publishing? Is that going to be big in the world of cookbooks, do you think? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:37 Kim C.

10:38

Susie Chang:  I *think* so. It's the wild west out there with digital self-publishing right now. The bloggers are leading the way, and we'll see much more of it in the next few years. But how the marketing is handled will make all the difference. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:38 Susie Chang

10:38

Kim ODonnel:  Right. Again, back to the question of how to get the word out... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:38 Kim ODonnel

10:39

Kim C.:  Jeanne, I have something like that too. Some of the kitchen books have gotten pretty beat up, especially the early ones: Mollie Katzen's books, Beard on Pasta, my 1975 Joy of Cooking … Thursday October 27, 2011 10:39 Kim C.

10:39

Susie Chang:  Exactly. Social marketing is more and more powerful as a purchasing prompt, I find. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:39 Susie Chang

10:40

Susie Chang:  I've been told by many that it's essential to have a Kindle edition available for impulse buyers. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:40 Susie Chang

10:40

Susie Chang:  I think my most beat-up book is The Silver Palate Cookbook. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:40 Susie Chang

10:40

Kim ODonnel:  Kindle books have been very helpful for my book... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:40 Kim ODonnel

10:40

Kim ODonnel:  My first cookbook as an adult was The New Basics! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:40 Kim ODonnel

10:41

Kim C.:  Oh yeah. My New Basics is trashed too. The binding … Thursday October 27, 2011 10:41 Kim C.

10:41

Susie Chang:  A paperback, broken in many places, with ripped up stockings (yeah, I used to wear those for work...dating myself) as bookmarks! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:41 Susie Chang

10:41

Kim ODonnel:  What I love is how those books that are so near/dear to us are like a mirror of sorts... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:41 Kim ODonnel

10:42

Kim ODonnel:  Tells the story of one cook's life... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:42 Kim ODonnel

10:42

Susie Chang:  I never look at the Silver Palate cookbook anymore really except for the Challah recipe...the other things I like from it I've memorized. Still I'm fond of it. Cookbooks really hold our personal histories, don't they?! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:42 Susie Chang

10:43

Susie Chang:  Oh, I have one other relic--the Joyce Chen Cookbook. It's in every Chinese household of a certain generation. That's in 2 or 3 pieces too. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:43 Susie Chang

10:43

[Comment From Kevin (Seriously Good) Kevin (Seriously Good) : ]  Susie, I have a huge collection of cookbooks gathered over some 40 years, but I almost never use them anymore. I turn to the Internet for ideas and then formulate my own recipes. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:43 Kevin (Seriously Good)

10:43

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  Honestly, I don't care if a book is hardback or paperback. What I care about is ease of use. If the recipes start on one page and go to the backside of that page, they are hard to read and use. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:43 Jeanne in Seattle

10:43

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  I have a Kindle and I love it for novels, but it's awful for reference books. The iPad has changed that, though. I recently bought a new cookbook on Kindle and use it in the kitchen on my iPad--it's very easy and works well! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:43 Jeanne in Seattle

10:43

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  I think the main problem with digital publishing is lack of editing. So many self-published books are badly written and presented. There is a need to get that cleaned up. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:43 Jeanne in Seattle

10:44

Susie Chang:  Hi Kevin! I know, you're a champ at innovating from the internet. Eatyourbooks has allowed me to use my books like a personal epicurious...a wonderful compromise between print and digital. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:44 Susie Chang

10:44

[Comment From Lizka Lizka : ]  Jeanne - This is why I think there'll always be a place for professional publishers Thursday October 27, 2011 10:44 Lizka

10:44

Susie Chang:  Jeanne--so interesting, I don't have an iPad but I guessed it would be the best digital format for recipes. You really need a big page. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:44 Susie Chang

10:45

Susie Chang:  But don't you get dirty fingerprints all over the screen? I know I would. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:45 Susie Chang

10:45

Kim ODonnel:  And there's the latest news from Amazon publishing new books -- wonder who will be their first cookbook author? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:45 Kim ODonnel

10:45

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  Also, I agree with Kevin. I am at the point where I don't really use recipes from cookbooks all that much other than to get new ideas for my own riffs on things. But, that is probably true of most long time and serious cooks. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:45 Jeanne in Seattle

10:45

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  Kim C: Me, too! Mollie Katzen are part of my kitchen collection as well. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:45 Jeanne in Seattle

10:46

Susie Chang:  Silly question from me--will the Amazon books be digital only? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:46 Susie Chang

10:46

Kim ODonnel:  Actually, I don't know the answer to that. Anyone know? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:46 Kim ODonnel

10:46

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  Susie: You can put it into a ziploc bag. You can still read it and press the screen, but no fingerprints. Someone turned me onto this idea when I was complaining that I was getting flour all over the screen when I taught baking classes and used my iPhone as a timer. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:46 Jeanne in Seattle

10:47

[Comment From Kevin (Seriously Good) Kevin (Seriously Good) : ]  I'll check that out. And no cooks have had more influence on my style (besides my mother) than Russo and Lukins. The three Silver Palate books are tatters. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:47 Kevin (Seriously Good)

10:47

Kim C.:  Kevin, I love that your mom gets top-billing! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:47 Kim C.

10:47

Susie Chang:  Jeanne, brilliant! Re Amazon I'd think it would be a huge problem for them to invest in the brick and mortar plant costs of book production...I'm betting digital, but would love to know definitively. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:47 Susie Chang

10:48

Susie Chang:  Or maybe it will be print-on-demand. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:48 Susie Chang

10:48

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  When I was in college, I once dropped my Joy of Cooking into a pan of gravy. I still have the book and I am proud of those gravy stains. LOL! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:48 Jeanne in Seattle

10:48

Kim C.:  Susie Chang, that's my guess — but I don't know. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:48 Kim C.

10:49

Susie Chang:  All of my baking books have crisp, wavy pages from damp, floury fingertips! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:49 Susie Chang

10:49

[Comment From Kevin (Seriously Good) Kevin (Seriously Good) : ]  Who else could? I grew up in the 60s and yet we ate cassoulet, fondue, curry, lamb... Mom was as adventurous as they come. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:49 Kevin (Seriously Good)

10:49

Kim ODonnel:  Kevin, I'm envious! Hamburger Helper was a staple in my house... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:49 Kim ODonnel

10:49

[Comment From Lizka Lizka : ]  I gotta run, but thanks so much for a great chat! Susie, I hope you come visit here again. Best to all. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:49 Lizka

10:50

Susie Chang:  Thanks Lizka! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:50 Susie Chang

10:50

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  My mom did a combo of gourmet foods (stuffed grape leaves) and Hamburger Helper. So weird. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:50 Jeanne in Seattle

10:50

Susie Chang:  My mom was a great cook, but she didn't teach me (mostly wanted us to be good students and stay out of the kitchen) and died young...still, I got a lot of her recipes from the family later. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:50 Susie Chang

10:51

Susie Chang:  Hamburger Helper seems to have figured in a lot of our diets! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:51 Susie Chang

10:51

Kim ODonnel:  Let's see...and there's Scalloped potatoes from a box...Stove Top stuffing... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:51 Kim ODonnel

10:52

Susie Chang:  I'm still discovering a lot of the things cooks of an older generation depended on. Yesterday I bought my first bottle of Lawry's Seasoned Salt. I felt very retro. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:52 Susie Chang

10:52

Kim ODonnel:  Jeanne, that wasn't grape leaves stuffed with hamburger helper, was it?? Thursday October 27, 2011 10:52 Kim ODonnel

10:53

Kim ODonnel:  Lawry's Seasoned Salt. Can't remember last time I shook a canister. Anyone remember GravyMaster? that was my great aunt Ginny's fave. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:53 Kim ODonnel

10:53

[Comment From Kevin (Seriously Good) Kevin (Seriously Good) : ]  I think cookbooks aret to take a very steep dive. The 'net is going to replace most of them. I suspect we'll end up with books like Susie has coming out, books like Ruhlman and Magee write, and coffee-table picture books (which I do happen to love). Thursday October 27, 2011 10:53 Kevin (Seriously Good)

10:53

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  Kim O: LOL! No, it was the actual recipe with lamb or whatever. My mom belonged to a gourmet dinner club. On club nights she would cook fab things. Other nights it was catch as catch can. She was also a single, divorced mom of 4--not much time. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:53 Jeanne in Seattle

10:54

Susie Chang:  Kim, a while back you asked me if there was something I was getting fed up of seeing in cookbooks, and I only just thought of something... It will mark me as a little geezerish I guess, but I get annoyed when people call out for only particular types of produce, like "Make this only with Russian Banana Fingerlings"! I think it's unreasonable. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:54 Susie Chang

10:55

Kim ODonnel:  I don't think that's geezerish at all. If a cookbook author can't offer alternatives, it's very short sighted. It's a big country & we have varying levels of access. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:55 Kim ODonnel

10:55

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  Kevin: I'm not so sure. I have to say, I have almost completely given up on buying paper books because it's so much easier ot read and store them on my Kindle. But, I still love paper cookbooks. But, maybe as the iPad use grows, that will change. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:55 Jeanne in Seattle

10:55

Susie Chang:  There was a bit of a trend in that direction a few years back when everyone was going crazy with heirloom tomatoes. But I think it's settled down a bit and authors are more conscious about offering alternatives... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:55 Susie Chang

10:55

Kim ODonnel:  But Kevin: cookbooks continue to be ahead of the pack in book sales overall... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:55 Kim ODonnel

10:56

[Comment From Kevin (Seriously Good) Kevin (Seriously Good) : ]  So did computer magazines when I got into that business... Thursday October 27, 2011 10:56 Kevin (Seriously Good)

10:56

Susie Chang:  I wonder if maybe they should come bundled together--you get the digital edition with the paper one so you can both search fast and browse at leisure. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:56 Susie Chang

10:57

Kim ODonnel:  Susie, that's an interesting idea. As an author, I'd actually welcome it. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:57 Kim ODonnel

10:57

Susie Chang:  Although, as long as publishers make more money selling them separately, it will never happen...! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:57 Susie Chang

10:57

[Comment From Kevin (Seriously Good) Kevin (Seriously Good) : ]  cool idea, and a (paper) publisher could offer a means of searching their entire back list. That's brilliant! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:57 Kevin (Seriously Good)

10:57

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  Ah, the magazine question. Now that I have my iPad, I am considering going over to digital subscriptions of my magazines. The iPad offers full color, so you don't lose anything with it being electronic. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:57 Jeanne in Seattle

10:57

Kim ODonnel:  Susie, before you sign off, please make sure you share links on where people can find you & your work! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:57 Kim ODonnel

10:58

[Comment From Jeanne in Seattle Jeanne in Seattle : ]  Thank you so much for the fab chat, Susie!! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:58 Jeanne in Seattle

10:59

Susie Chang:  Ah! I'm at Susie Changchang.com. That's my blog. It has links to events, reviews, stories and info about the book etc. My book's facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/T-Susan-Chang/274896169200512 It's been wonderful being here and "meeting" all of you! Thursday October 27, 2011 10:59 Susie Chang

10:59

Kim ODonnel:  Thanks so much for taking the time, Susie. A lot of good food for thought, if I may be punnish. You're a peach for joining us & sharing your insights. Thursday October 27, 2011 10:59 Kim ODonnel

11:00

Susie Chang:  Thanks so much Kim for inviting me! What a wonderful forum, great people, and a terrific host! Off to make Moroccan pastry leaves... Thursday October 27, 2011 11:00 Susie Chang

11:00

Kim ODonnel:  Bon appetit! Take care everyone. All best. Thursday October 27, 2011 11:00 Kim ODonnel