Memorable Recipesby Renee Behnke and Cynthia Nims
Price: $35.00
ISBN-13: 978-0-7407-7393-8
ISBN-10: 0-7407-7393-3
Format: Hardcover
Size: 9 x 10 in.
Page Count: 256 pages
“Memorable Recipes gives you help in throwing a great dinner party with tips and tricks, do-ahead methods and allowing you to enjoy the party instead of being in the kitchen. This exciting collection of delicious recipes, ingredients, tools, and preparations is inspired by the memorable gatherings hosted and celebrated by Renee Behnke.” ––Food Reference http://www.foodreference.com/html/b909-memorable-recipes.html
“Behnke grew up in a family who valued good food, and she begins her cookbook “Memorable Recipes to Share With Family and Friends” with some of her own food memories. The introduction continues with a guide to planning parties as well as some wine notes by Dan McCarthy, co-owner of Seattle’s McCarthy & Schiering Wine Merchants.” ––The Register Guard http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/sevendays/17143762-35/story.csp
“Reading Memorable Recipes is like raiding the files of the best cook you know. The book is packed with party-friendly bites. Tested tried and true recipes set you up for entertaining success. And in the back of the book, Renee arms you with the the tools for great party planning: menu planning ideas, checklists, and copious wish-someone-would-have-told-me-that tips” ––Seattle Tall Poppy http://seattletallpoppy.blogspot.com/2009/06/memorable-recipes-with-sur-la-tables.html
“In Memorable Recipes to Share with Family and Friends, (Renee) Behnke shows how to throw a dinner party, with advice, tips, menus and recipes to do just that. She offers everything from appetizers to desserts and theme meal ideas such as an Evening in Spain, Celebrate Italy, Dining Alfresco and a Mardi Gras Feast. Some of the recipes have an ethnic touch such as Pakistani Vegetable Samosas, Moroccan-style Biscotti and Lemon Israeli Couscous.
The hardcover cookbook is easy to navigate with color codes for the chapters, do-ahead tips and menu ideas for each recipe and plenty of color photographs scattered throughout.” ––Appleton Post Crescent http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090603/APC0405/906030497
“I really don’t have anything negative to say about this book. I am happy to have received a copy of it because my cookbook collection is so large that I have a tendency to buy more specific cookbooks (ethnic, vegetarian, healthy, etc.) This is a book I might have over-looked, thinking it was too general and that would have been a mistake because it has so much to offer. The recipes I tried would make for memorable evenings and events, so it is aptly named. Memorable Recipes is a beautiful book and is perfect for anyone who likes delicious, simple but elegant food and entertaining at home. ” ––Kahakai Kitchen http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/2009/06/cookbook-review-memorable-recipes.html
“As president emeritus of Sur la Table, one expects a cookbook by Renée Behnke to be elegant as well as meticulous. Memorable Recipes lives up to, even surpasses, those high expectations, but adds the generous, personal touch of Behnke herself. Each recipe is a star on its own, but each is accompanied by a brief, often nostalgic note about the recipe, as well as with ideas to create an entire menu to accompany the recipe.” ––In Mamas Kitchen http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/Book_Reviews/PARTY/Memorable_Behnke.html
“Memorable Recipes gives you help in throwing a great dinner party with tips and tricks, do-ahead methods and allowing you to enjoy the party instead of being in the kitchen.” ––Foodie In Disguise, Scott Mindeaux, Editor http://www.foodieindisguise.com/2009/05/18/cookbook-giveaway-memorable-recipes/
“Ms. Behnke is the president emeritus of the culinary mecca Sur La Table, and she brings a bounty of tastes from around the world to her new work. The 140 unique recipes Behnke has created from her home and discovered in her worldly travels, will keep family and friends connected.” ––Marin Independent Journal http://events.marinij.com/san-francisco-ca/events/show/87209787-renee-behnke-memorable-recipes
“Memorable Recipes has wonderful photography and the recipes are structured well. In addition to the recipes, Renée Behnke talks about menu plans, do-ahead tips, decor ideas, and shortcuts we can all appreciate. Her book is ideal for anyone who enjoys cooking for themselves and for family and friends.” ––Foodie In Disguise, Scott Mindeaux, Editor http://www.foodieindisguise.com/2009/03/30/renee-behnke-and-memorable-recipes/
Renée Behnke, president emeritus of the popular kitchenware retail chain Sur La Table, loves to entertain. She’s been doing it famously for decades, and in Memorable Gatherings: Favorite Recipes to Share with Family and Friends she shares her passion for food, friends, and travel through superb recipes, sound advice, and her extraordinary flair for creating wonderful but easy meals. Memorable Recipes is all about the delight of cooking delicious foods, serving them stylishly, and enjoying them with loved ones around a vibrant table. It might be an intimate table for two on the patio for a soup-and-salad luncheon or a grand table for twenty in the dining room for an exotic Moroccan soirée. But no matter what size the gathering, the true theme will be intriguing flavors, wonderful company, and great fun. As her friend Joanne Weir (cookbook author and TV host) writes, what makes Renée Behnke so special is “the smile on her face, the twinkle in her eye, and the heart that aims to please.”
Renée brings to Memorable Recipes: To Share with Family and Friends the same qualities she brought to her job as president of Sur La Table: knowledge, enthusiasm, inventiveness, joy, sophistication, and a passion for the diverse cuisines of the world. Memorable Gatherings includes lavish four-color photography along with more than 140 recipes inspired by the culinary traditions of the Mediterranean, Asia, South America, and many regions of the United States—especially Renée’s native Pacific Northwest. Each recipe will find its way into your everyday collection of favorites. In addition to a broad range of recipes—from Classic Corn Bread to Clam and Mussel Cataplana—she presents detailed party-planning guidance, mix-and-match menu ideas, and dozens of do-ahead tips, plus seven unique start-to-finish, step-by-step dinner party menu plans (including wine notes) that will have you entertaining with style and ease in no time.
Renée Behnke grew up in Beaverton, Oregon, in a family that made it easy for her to fall in love with cooking. Food was such an important part of her childhood; every family meal and food-related excursion left a lasting impression on Renée. As a buyer for Nordstrom, she frequently traveled from New York to Los Angeles and gained exposure to new food, people, and cultures from around the world, which motivated her to try new dishes at home and share those experiences with family and friends. In addition, she has taught cooking classes and worked for a catering company.
Renée and her husband, Carl, purchased the originalSur La Table store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market in 1995. Her retail background and her lifelong passion for food and cooking, paired with her husband’s business savvy, have made a dynamic partnership. Renée was the President of Sur La Table from 1995-2004, and her travel opportunities buying products took her around the globe. Today she is the president emeritus of the cookware mecca that has grown to over 75 stores nationwide and 22 cooking class programs. She is on the advisory committees for the International Housewares Association Show and the Gourmet Products Show. She also works with foreign agencies to organize food tours in countries such as Spain, France, Italy, India, and Vietnam.
Writer Cynthia Nims is a lifelong northwesterner who reveled in growing up surrounded by great food. Cynthia studied cooking at Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne in France where she received the Grand Diplôme d’Etudes Culinaires, and worked on numerous cookbooks with the school’s president, Anne Willan. She is the author of ten cookbooks and was previously editor of Simply Seafood magazine and food editor of Seattle Magazine. Currently, Cynthia is a contributor to Cooking Light, Alaska Airlines Magazine, Seattle, Sunset, and other magazines.
From Memorable Recipes: To Share with Family and Friends, by Renee Behnke and Cynthia Nimms
Now that wonderful pomegranate juice is readily available year-round, this recipe is a snap. You can omit the Campari—a bitter Italian apéritif—if you don’t have it on hand, but the addition gives the sorbet a real hit of flavor. Sometimes I’ll sprinkle each serving with afew fresh pomegranate seeds and perhaps a bit of fresh chopped mint. Makes 1 quart
1½ cups water
⅓ cup sugar
⅓ cup light corn syrup
1 cup pure pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons Campari (optional)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1. Combine the water, sugar, and corn syrup in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool completely.
Read More…
From Memorable Recipes: To Share with Family and Friends, by Renee Behnke and Cynthia Nimms
Asadero cheese, used to garnish this soup, is a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese from the Mexican state of Oaxaca; it has a mild flavor and nice melting texture, which is ideal for this recipe. Look for asadero cheese in Mexican or Latin American groceries or specialty cheese shops; Cheddar or Jack cheese can be substituted.
To make this a main-course soup, I add thin strips of grilled chicken breast just before the garnishes. You might want to pass a bottle of Tabasco sauce around the table so guests can add more heat to their taste. Makes 6 to 8 servings
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
6 corn tortillas
5 tablespoons corn or vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced (see page 220)
1 jalapeño chile, cored, seeded, and diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon ground cumin, toasted (see page 220)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, toasted (see page 220)
2 dried bay leaves
8 cups chicken stock (page 82) or top-quality chicken broth
1 can (14½ ounces) diced tomatoes
1½ teaspoons chili powder
1½ teaspoons salt
From Memorable Recipes: To Share with Family and Friends, by Renee Behnke and Cynthia Nimms
I grill fresh tuna (outdoors, or in a skillet grill pan) for this twist on the classic Niçoise salad. Traditionally a high-quality canned tuna is featured, which you can certainly use if you prefer. I also make three different dressings to toss with the different salad elements, so the individual character of each stands out a bit more. Makes 6 servings
2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and halved
½ cup Crème Fraîche–Tarragon Dressing (page 59)
1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
6 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 to 1½ pounds ahi tuna fillets, 1 inch thick
1 head Boston or Bibb lettuce, rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
¼ cup minced fresh herbs (tarragon, chives, thyme, and/or flat-leaf parsley)
4 medium tomatoes, cut into 1-inch wedges
6 hard-cooked eggs (see page 219), peeled and quartered
¾ cup Niçoise olives or other cured black olives
Lemon Israeli Couscous
From Memorable Recipes: To Share with Family and Friends, by Renee Behnke and Cynthia Nimms
Israeli couscous is different from the North African version, which has a more fine-grained, fluffy texture. Also known as Middle Eastern couscous, Israeli couscous has larger, pearl-like balls that cook up with a chewy texture that is similar to pasta. Makes 8 servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅓ cup finely chopped yellow onion
1½ cups Israeli couscous
2 cups chicken stock (page 82) or top-quality chicken broth, or more if needed
1 cup frozen petite peas
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
