The minimalist manifesto

REVIEWS BY SYBIL PRATT

"It all starts with simplicity," states Mark Bittman, aka "The Minimalist," whose hugely popular column has appeared in The New York Times "Dining In, Dining Out" section every Wednesday for the last 10 years. That's a long time to appeal to a savvy audience and that appeal comes not just from the fresh, sophisticated recipes, but from Bittman's underlying culinary philosophy. He believes that less is more, that flexibility—interchanging, omitting and substituting ingredients—is paramount and that recipes are not ironclad dogma, but "descriptions of a general technique applied to a preferred set of ingredients." If that sounds a bit stuffy and academic, it's anything but and Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from The New York Times a one-volume edition—with 350 agile, appealing recipes—of his three previous Minimalist cookbooks, plus a few new additions, proves that his brand of everyday easy is elegant and exciting and a godsend to time-tormented cooks, whatever their level of expertise. This soup to sweets collection—with fast, fabulous, foolproof dishes like Asian-style cucumber soup; coq au vin with prunes; kale, sausage and mushroom stew; pasta with zucchini; and super-easy strawberries with Swedish cream—is bound to do wonders for your recipe repertoire.


On the road again

Jane and Michael Stern, acclaimed authors of more than 20 books, contributing editors to Gourmet, foodie-foragers and road warriors par excellence, have hit the blacktop once more, this time cruising "from sea to shining sea" to sample and sort out the most stellar examples of sandwichery produced in our fair land. Roadfood Sandwiches is the result, a paean to culinary inventiveness as expressed by—and eaten by—ordinary people. Though the sandwich, two pieces of bread and a filling, was originated by the fourth Earl of Sandwich in the mid-18th century, it has become as American as apple pie (oops—that has non-American origins, too), a casual, quick-to-fix meal or snack that can be consumed anytime, anywhere. Close to 100 humdingers are included, each with its provenance and perpetrators identified, each presented with the Sterns' signature enthusiasm and down-to-earth charm. They're arranged in alphabetical order from "Amighetti Special," a St. Louis hero swathed in a super-special, tangy, spicy-sweet house dressing, to "Zep," a Norristown, Pennsylvania, grinder on a 10-inch roll. In between is a medley of regional (check out the Maine lobster roll, Philly cheese steak and Hoosier tenderloin) and ethnic (carnitas, Cuban mix, souvlaki) treats, plus classics and innovations. This is a road trip to sink your teeth into without paying for the gas.


Il giardino italiano

"How does your garden grow?" Viana La Place, author of eight previous cookbooks, answers that question with a charmingly illustrated, instructional offering, aptly titled My Italian Garden. Viana grew up in California savoring her mother's memories of her garden outside Palermo; then she spent time in Italy herself, living an Italian life and learning to love and cook from the Italian garden. She created her own Italian garden in San Francisco and now shares it and more than 125 uncomplicated, seasonally arranged recipes the garden has inspired. Since we're heading for high summer, sample the marmalade-like, candy-sweet chopped fresh tomatoes and the orecchiette with little yellow tomatoes and parsley. When fall befalls us, try the risotto with pink radicchio and golden beets. This winter, opt for broccoli rabe in lemon cream or fettuccine with wild mushrooms and winter herbs. At the first signs of spring, celebrate with leek soup with basil topping (from your year-round herb pots) and a frittata with tender radish leaves. No meat, chicken or fish, so vegetarians can eat it all and omnivores can augment with a non-veg of their choosing.


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