Book review: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

You got to love Amazon, I mean truly. This company might bankrupt you but it doesn’t make it less lovable :-).

I got today another bunch of books from there and so far I have managed to browse through one, „The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook”.

To leave aside US measurements, its incredible book, full of easy and apparently tasty recipes. Ina Garten have friendly writing style and this book includes useful tips, like how to make your own vanilla extract and how to set up fruit and cake platters so that they look nice both to eyes and to mouth.

She stresses the same principle which I believe in, use the freshest available ingredients and when it's season. I can't agree more, tomatoes taste totally different when you buy them in the middle of February or in the middle of August.

I tend to use post-it bookmarks to mark recipes which I definitely want to try and I must say this book is pretty much covered with them :-).

My “cook these as soon as possible” list includes:

• Maple-oatmeal scones – I love oatmeal and maple syrup so this should be perfect combination for me :-).

• Cheddar-dill scones – Cheese is always great, in fact I consider it as one of the food groups :-).

• Coconut cupcakes – everybody loves coconut and cupcakes!

• Parmesan smashed potatoes – Parmesan is one of the cheeses which I buy as big chunk, since I know I always eat half of it so I need to buy more than recipe calls for!

• Roasted carrots – I love carrots, and no, you don't get bunny ears if you eat too many carrots :-)!

• Indonesian ginger chicken - well, it’s chicken!

• Filet of beef bourguignon - I have always wanted to try beef bourguignon but I have been quite intimidated by the recipe but Ina’s seems pretty easy so I’ll give it a try.

• French potato salad – I love classical potato salad (although some might know it as Russian Potato salad), so it’s about time to try some other versions.

• Parker’s split pea soup – I love my grandmother’s pea soup which she used to make on cold winters. Since winter is approaching what could be better time to test this pea soup.

• Grilled lemon chicken – Chicken and lemon go well together so I am sure this is one great recipe.