The Good Food: A Cookbook of Soups, Stews, and Pastas

A little more than 30 years after its initial publication we see the rerelease of the beloved The Good Food, this time coauthored by Ecco president and publisher Halpern and retired psychologist Strand. The authors begin with a section on ingredients, noting, "It goes without saying that the better the ingredients, the better the dish." Readers will find an array of recipes for soups, stews, and pasta, plus a number of accompaniments such as salads, condiments, and appetizers that draw on global traditions. Included are dishes based on Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Latin American cuisines, to name a few. Meals such as tagines, moussaka, picadillo, shepherd's pie, and murgh masala will interest home cooks willing to dedicate the time, and each recipe is followed with specific advice and directions. Vegetarians and vegans, however, will find few offerings as most recipes don't lend themselves to substitutions. The book emphasizes fresh, high-quality ingredients and invites cooks to embrace a more relaxed rhythm and reap the benefits of rich flavor inherent in time-tested techniques such as braising.