A good book to get your cooking groove back. Not that you won't be flagging pages left and right for recipes to try, but I find Tamar Adler perfect for getting the feel of cooking back again. I have made only one recipe, but they were divine: The deviled eggs she 'concocted' with the amazing Samin Nosrat. (Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is another wonderful cookbook)

TITLE: Sophisticated and novel interpretations—old recipes retold

Old recipes retold—and the entire book is intriguing and encouraging. The book is amazingly interesting: Novel, chic, modish.

This is not a recipe book for referencing its index on your busiest of days. But--while in a contemplative mood--you read these recipes together with Adler’s introductions and comments to each one, you will surely remember these recipes on your busiest days. And you will be able to ease them—with savoir faire and great aplomb--into your afternoon or evening meals—even on your busiest days. Ah, yes, an introductory paragraph that begs a second read-through......

This is not the type of cook book you are used to experiencing these today: There are many recipes and variations without regimented ingredient lists, but given almost as if the recipe was being recited verbally over a cup of tea. If the recipe sounds appealing to you, you may want to grab an envelope from your bag, or a napkin from the table, or if you are organized, maybe a post-it note, and write down the basics and slip it between the pages. There is no color photography. There are some line drawings. There are references to the original old-time-y recipes tucked here and there. You understand what I'm trying to convey? Not a book to pursue on your busiest days, but you’ll remember them—or their techniques—or their variations--for your busiest days.

At one point in this book, the author offers us the words of H. A. Rey, “It may be even that the new way is not so new after all.” Of course, Rey, the illustrator and author that brought us Curious George, has not much to do with cooking and recipes. But this author’s inclusion of Rey and his observation helps to point out how this author combines all sorts of everyday events and ideas to help her fully explain her culinary opinions, concepts and philosophies.

Writing style is cultured and has a 1930’s modish, chic, voguish type of panache or élan to it. (Yes, quite a few adjectives here, but it’s difficult to describe her style of writing and get it right….) The book exudes experience, and is capped with a dry humor. Sentences are often whimsical and peppered with analogies and combinations of words and ideas that are vivid in the mind’s eye. (Raw vegetables to be dipped in dressings, “that ask to be eaten but, like naked babies, resist being dressed.”

It's not your usual cook book to keep on the kitchen shelf, but it is one to keep near your favorite comfortable chair in front of your fireplace or favorite window view, to pick up when you are in a contemplative mood. And you will be surprised how often you will be taking it into the kitchen to prepare remarkable meals.

*I received a temporary download of this book from the publisher.

I love reading Tamar Adler. Her ingredients have personalities, and her recipes are as much an exercise in nostalgia as in nourishment. I’m reminded of the food writing of MFK Fisher or Elizabeth David. She follows in the footsteps of those greats, and carefully acknowledges debts to them, and to other food greats like Frank Stitt, Craig Claiborne, John Thorne and the chefs at Cibreo (and thats only in the first 50 pages.)

Finding myself on page 32 , with no oysters in sight, and a pound of hamburger in my refrigerator, I jumped pages, and did a quick search for “hamburger”. I am not disappointed in the hamburger (er steak haché) with porcini butter and salsa verde that I found.

The invocation of the triad of Elizabeth David, Edna Lewis and Roy Andries de Groot as an introduction to “Limas and Eggplants à la crème is reason enough to cook the dish. Adler knows her antecedents, and treats them with respect.

This book rehashes a great many classic, upscale recipes and provides some history of the dishes which was interesting. Most of the recipes are things I wouldn't ever cook and many I wouldn't even want to eat. I like a lot of different foods, but have to admit I'm not adventurous when it comes to some of these offerings. However, it was interesting to read about the various type of dishes - many of which were served up during the 1950s - 1960s as very special treats. I did notice there were a lot of recipes that were French in origin. The book was separated into sections about appetizers, soups, etc. and provided menus with wine pairings - which was a nice touch.

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me, but I'm sure some people would truly enjoy it. It was just a little too pretentious for me. I liked the illustrations and thought they were well done, but throughout I wished for some photos of the prepared recipes.

Thanks to Tamar Adler and Scribner through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Author Tamar Adler has collected and update 100 recipes in her cookbook Something Old, Something New Classic Recipes Reinvented.

Some of the recipes you'll find in her cookbook include:

Pickled Eggs
Filet Mignon on Toast
Watercress Soup
Shrimp Bisque
Herb Salad
Charlotte Russe

Recommend.

Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.

I received this book to review for free from netGalley in exchange for an honest review. I thought I would love this book because An Everlasting Meal is one of my favorites. However, this book didn't translate well in the free Kindle proof I received. It was very hard to read. I will look for it again when it comes out in a paper format and see if it is easier to follow then.

Not exactly what I was expecting, yet still very informative. This may just be the cookbook many have been waiting for.

Wonderful take on classic recipes. Tamar Alder writes beautifully, and draws the reader in to each recipe's background and history.

If you've ever been fascinated by the wobbly aspics and funny gherkin hors d'oeuvres of the "old days", this book was written for you. Adler aims to bring these forgotten slices of history back into the culinary forefront, with recipes that adapt them to more modern tastes. It's a noble goal, and it is always interesting to see what was considered trendy in the food world decades ago.

The book is laid out in an interesting manner, more resembling a long conversation rather than a cookbook. Adler introduces each classic dish by first telling a story about its historical context. This can go on for longer than necessary before she eventually drops off a recipe, describes the recipe in detail, then moves on to the next sometimes-unrelated dish.

I have seen complaints from other reviewers that the writing tends to ramble, and they're not off-base. While I think there's more method to the meandering nature of her writing than meets the eye, she does tend to go into a lot of unnecessary detail before presenting each recipe. Lots of names are dropped, and a lot of classic literature is quoted. Her writing style is definitely high-brow and a far cry from the more approachable writing you'll see in cookbooks nowadays. You'll either love it or hate it. I personally found it exhausting to read after a while, and my interest petered out by page 23. I think more illustrations (there were very few in my ARC) or photos of the traditional vs. modern dishes would have been a nice palate cleanser between all of that flowery writing. As it is, the writing is a bit too much for the average reader.

The recipes themselves are interesting with a heavy French influence. Some are still found on modern kitchen tables (such as Clam Chowder and Fresh Bean Succotash), while others are more rediscovered classics (such as Duck Confit a l'Orange and Turnip Gratin). While I didn't try any of the recipes before writing this, there were a good number that I bookmarked and intend on cooking, which is impressive for a book that is devoted to more retro recipes.

Organization is a bit of an issue. Despite being divided by course, the recipes are sprinkled throughout each chapter in a way that makes them hard to find without an index, which wasn't included in my ARC. A mini table of contents at the start of each chapter would have helped.

Overall, this is a cookbook that despite many lovely qualities and a writer who clearly did her research on the subject was just not enjoyable enough for me to finish reading. I hate reviewing a cookbook without reading every page, as I appreciate all the time and effort it takes for a book to be published, after weeks of slogging through this, I admit defeat.

Overall Rating: 2/5 stars

I have a lot of cookbooks, A LOT! So, to have one that redefines old recipes, it has to be spectacular. This one falls short. I am an extremely visual person, and the book had very limited illustrations and no pictures. The recipes also seem out of a compilation of books I already own (Julia Child and Joy of Cooking). It really doesn't bring anything new to the table.

I am a big fan of Tamar Adler, and regularly consult her previous book, AN EVERLASTING MEAL. Reading Adler's work is like having a witty, worldly, inquisitive, and generous friend--one who is willing to invite you in to her kitchen for a wide-ranging and informative chat and who will then proceed to spoil you with her cooking.

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW is at once a personal cookbook, with references to Adler’s mother, brother, husband, and son and nods to their contributions and influences; a nostalgic remembrance of the recipes and wisdom of old culinary friends like James Beard, Julia Child, M.F.K. Fisher, Pierre Franey, and Craig Claiborne; and an introduction to authorities of the past through rare recipe collections and cookery books that Adler has tracked down and whose gems she highlights and reinterprets for modern cooks here.

This work may be read purely for the pleasure of Adler’s high-spirited, exuberant, and elegant prose. Readers will be inspired to explore the simpler recipes and techniques right away (such as those in the vegetable section)—and may also flag more complicated recipes for future exploration and possible preparation. And armchair cooks will enjoy following Adler’s careful instructions for making French Creamed Oysters, Caviar Leeks Pots De Crème, or Grilled Quails on Canapés.

The featured menus are very helpful. Wine pairings suggested by sommelier Juliette Pope may be difficult to source precisely, but the description for the type of wine that would complement each menu will be helpful in describing the desired characteristics to your local wine consultant.

Mindy Dubin’s watercolor illustrations add a dash of color and whimsy and enhance the book’s appeal as a gift book.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Scribner for allowing me early access to this lovely book in exchange for an honest review.

This is an odd "cookbook" - full of rambling, somewhat pretentious, extremely purple prose, in more quantity than actual recipes. And, for recipes that are supposed to be "modernized" and/or "simplified," there sure is a lot of extremely rich (butter, eggs, mayonnaise, animal fats, etc.) or pretty "luxurious" (caviar, pate, oysters ingredients.

If you're SUPER into the history of "fancy" food from days gone by, or if things like caviar pie sound appetizing to you, you'll probably like this book way more than I did.

I really enjoyed Tamar Adler's 'An Everlasting Meal'. But this one falls short. I like the idea of old or dated recipes a lot, but the recipes just didn't appeal to me. I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley offering this prepublication opportunity to read it.

Tamar Adler is my heroine for the concept of the family meal, it revolutionized my love of cooking for one without eggs of any kind! This
worked better as cooking literature as somehow the recipes didn’t seem doable, I enjoyed the prose style and the forward was five stars