A Book A Week

You probably have yet to hear of Erin French. The odds of you having ever dined at her exclusive restaurant The Lost Kitchen are slim. The 40-seat eatery has been lauded with awards and recognition, becoming one of the world's most coveted places to eat. Diners are selected by submitting handwritten postcards to the local post office. Only a lucky few are drawn to attend. French has become more well-known in recent years due to her appearance on her own show on Johanna Gaine's Magnolia Network. That's where I first learned of the chef and her restaurant. I was drawn by her connection to her hometown of Freedom, Maine, and her commitment to only using fresh/local ingredients from her community. I devoured the three seasons of her show, and have been eagerly waiting for more from her. When I learned that French had written a memoir, I rushed to my library to borrow a copy. 

The story of Erin's life is centered on her hometown of Freedom, Maine. Freedom is the place she grew up. It is where her father owned a diner and the place she honed her skills in the kitchen. Freedom is also the place she couldn't wait to get away from. As soon as she was able to, she ran away to college, hoping to leave her small town behind for good. An unplanned pregnancy halted her dreams and forced Erin to move back home. It was here that she began hosting small dinners, part of a traveling supper club that she used to support herself and her small child. It was here where she first fell in love, both with the idea of cooking for people and with her first husband. As she chronicles the events of her life, it is clear that Erin would not be where she is today without the never-ending heartbeat of her hometown.  

In Finding Freedom chef Erin French highlights her journey to becoming a food superstar. She writes honestly about her struggles. French faced abusive relationships that nearly sidelined her dreams of being a chef. She doesn't hold back in writing about how she lived through those terrible moments in life, hitting a low when she checked herself into a rehab facility and completely lost her business and custody of her son. Despite these trials, French stayed true to who she was and persevered. Ironically, she ultimately found her own freedom in her aptly-named hometown. As a fan of her and her show, I really enjoyed learning about how the events in her life brought her to where she is now. Her past is rarely mentioned in the show, so it was fascinating to learn of her beginnings. Even if this review is the first time you've heard of Erin French, I think there is a universal relatability in her story that will appeal to all readers. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 15)

It is not every day that I do something new for a book review. After so many years of posting weekly, I've pretty much read and reviewed just about every kind of book there is. That's what makes this review such a rarity. For the first time in the history of A Book A Week, I'm reviewing a cookbook! Now, anyone who knows me outside of the book blogging world knows that I'm actually an avid home chef. I love trying new recipes and spending time in the kitchen. I'm also a fan of home and lifestyle guru Joanna Gaines. I fell in love with her design and family while watching her hit HGTV show Fixer Upper. I've read her book about the founding of her company, and have enjoyed watching her turn her humble little Texas design shop into a full-on empire. Her first cookbook was a wonderful mix of family recipes, photos, and stories. When her publisher offered me a copy of her next cookbook Magnolia Table, Volume 2, I jumped at the chance to give it a read!

At first, I struggled when trying to figure out how to review this one. Usually, I can just summarize the plot of the book and give a few reactionary shots. Somehow that didn't seem like the best approach for a cookbook. A book can look great and be aesthetically pleasing, but the recipes have to be cookable. I mean, if the food isn't any good, the book didn't really do its job. And so I did the only logical thing I could think of in this case. I dove into my kitchen and got to cooking.

A recent article said that the demand for yeast has grown around 647% since the COVID-19 outbreak. It seems that being forced to stay home has inspired us all to try our hand at bread baking. I'll be the first to admit that baking is not my strong suit, but I'm fortunate to have a boyfriend who is a master at all things baking. One perk of being forced to stay home is that my house has kept a steady supply of fresh baked goods. This week just so happened to have a loaf of home-baked brioche, the perfect base for trying out Gaines's French toast recipe. Armed with all of the proper ingredients, I set out to give this recipe a try.

One of the great things about the recipe, from the very start, is that the ingredients are all pretty much staples in most kitchens. With the exception of heavy cream, I had everything ready to go. While that's not necessarily the most important thing in judging the effectiveness of a recipe, it is certainly helpful right now. My local grocer has been pretty hit or miss when it comes to having even common food items in stock. The only thing I ended up omitting was the Strawberry Butter. I couldn't get my hands on Strawberries, so I used just regular butter instead. No one's ever complained about butter of any kind at my house anyway!

From there the recipe was fairly straightforward. Gaines suggests keeping a wire rack on a sheet pan in a warmed oven to keep the French Toast warm. This was the kind of helpful hint I always appreciate in a cookbook. You could really tell that she tested this out in her kitchen with her family. The toast is cooked in batches, so this tip ensured the complete serving was hot at the end of cooking. I'm normally not a huge fan of sweets, but this French Toast recipe was a perfect balance. Crunchy on the outside, softer on the inside, well seasoned, picture-perfect. I was honestly most surprised at how pretty my plate looked. It was so appealing, in fact, that I almost didn't want to eat it. Almost.

Magnolia Table, Volume 2 serves as a wonderful companion to Gaines's first cookbook and is sure to inspire creativity and gathering with the recipes it contains. The French Toast recipe was simple to prepare but super tasty, the kind of recipe that I can easily foresee being added into the rotation of staples at our house. Something new to this installment is a brief guide to herbs and seasoning substitutions. This illustrated guide includes suggested parings and spice blend recipes that are informative and integral to having a basis for preparing recipes. Glancing through other recipes reveals that not only are they mostly minimal effort with the maximum end result, but they are also endlessly riff-able. I could see myself mixing and matching seasonings and sides to create more unique dishes. Whether you are an avid home cook like myself or a more novice chef, I think Magnolia Table, Volume 2 would make an excellent addition to any home kitchen.

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2020, 20)