Sunday, March 4, 2012

Giveaway!: Tamar E. Adler's "An Everlasting Meal" and Michael Ruhlman's "Ratio"

My initial plan had been to hit 1,000 followers on Twitter and finally giveaway one of my favorite books of the past year: Tamar E. Adler's An Everlasting Meal. Unexpectedly, Michael Ruhlman stepped in like a knight in Twitter armor to tip my follower count beyond 1,000 (more than 20 people) in less than 30 minutes. So rather than just give away one favorite book, I thought why not also give away one of my favorite Ruhlman books as well? In addition to Tamar's book I will be giving away a copy of Ratio.

So here we are! I had been hearing a lot about Tamar Adler's book before I actually bought myself a copy. Similar to how it took me a few months to decide to pick up Lauren Shockey's Four Kitchens.  What gave me the go-ahead to check out Tamar's book was after she started following me on Twitter (before I even knew she was on Twitter!). I took that as a bit of a sign to find out for myself what all the buzz was about An Everlasting Meal. Gladly, I was very quickly enchanted by her writing style, the easy way she instructs her audience to fearlessly get in the kitchen, cook what you have, and make the most of every bit of food you buy. Economy and grace, indeed. 


This is not a book with exacting recipes, written in the formal format. It is literally chock full of recipes, but they are amid her gently penned paragraphs with anecdotes, easy confessions, and one must actually read her prose to know the recipes she gives in many cases. Due to this style, I have taken to marking this book more than my other cookbooks. As you can see below, I make my usual notes about the cooking discoveries I find, but also circle the dishes she writes in paragraph form, the ingredients, cooking time, etc. Anything I want to stand out to me. This is her recipe for cooking polenta or grits. It is far less intensive than the Giada DeLaurentiis recipe I've been using which is of the constantly stirring nature. You can also see her structure for the standard recipes she gives, here for rice pudding.
Ruhlman's Ratio is similar to An Everlasting Meal because he teaches his reader essentials and also confidence. Both of these books want to get you into the kitchen and forget about needing to follow a recipe. They aim to empower their readers to be able to comfortably cook through the week and do many basics, like bread and hollandaise, at home without fear. These are great books to have in your kitchen to keep you inspired and invigorated in your culinary pursuits, be you a once in a while home cook to a chef at a top restaurant. 


Now for the giveaway details. There are two books on the table here, each will be won by one reader. Please follow the instructions below.

To win a copy of An Everlasting Meal leave a comment (or email me, if the comment form doesn't work for you: theculinarylibrarian[at]gmail[dot]com) answering the following question:
  • How do you cook with "economy and grace" when you cook at home? 
To win a copy of Ratio leave a comment (or email me, if the comment form doesn't work for you: theculinarylibrarian[at]gmail[dot]com) answering the following question:
  • What recipe/ratio do you think you would use most from Ruhlman's book? Use this Amazon link to see the book's table of contents.
You may leave two separate comments answering both questions if you wish to win either book. However, both books will not be won by the same reader.

The contest will close Thursday March 15th at 11:59pm EST. The winner must provide an address within the US where the book will be mailed. 

For 2 additional entries do any or all of the following leave an additional comment (or list them in an email) for each telling me that you did. Also, at the end of the comment tell me for which book you would like the extra entry to count:
  1. Follow me on Twitter (@culinarylibrari) and tweet this to your followers: "Enter to win @tamareadler's An Everlasting Meal or @ruhlman's Ratio on the @culinarylibrari's blog! http://t.co/iSNwFZIK"
  2. "Like" my Facebook page then post the giveaway link on your own Facebook profile/page being sure to tag my page The Culinary Librarian, the An Everlasting Meal page and Michael Ruhlman's page. 
I will randomly select two winner and will post a separate entry announcing the winners the week of March 19th.

Both books were purchased by me from Kitchen Arts & Letters. Support your independent (cook)book stores! 

This giveaway is not sponsored by the authors, their publisher, or Kitchen Arts and Letters.

Good luck!

21 comments:

alice said...

Well, first let me say that a friend told me about Adler's book just the other day and I can't wait to read it! I think I already practice some of her suggestions for rolling one day's leftovers into another day's meal, but I can't wait to read the details.

I cook at home just about every day, and economy and grace come in both with my selection of ingredients (mostly from the farmers market, which provides the blessings of real food) and by not letting anything to go to waste (for example, veggie scraps go into the freezer to be saved for making stock, after which they are composted).

alice said...

I followed you on twitter (and @tamareadler! I was already following @ruhlman...) and tweeted about the contest (I'm @thorg). I already have Ruhlman's Ratio, so I'm gunning for An Everlasting Meal.

alice said...

... and I jumped through the facebook hoop, again for an extra shot at Tamar Adler's book...

Beth said...

Cooking with "economy and grace" is certainly something to aspire to! I've cultivated a knack of making dinner out of whatever happens to be in the fridge. Mostly I like to think my weekday cooking is just smart shopping, but I refuse to go to the market more than once a week. If I don't have an ingredient, I'll either substitute, or change my dinner plans.

Beth said...

and I tweeted, entry for Adler's book, please

laura k said...

I always try to cook with economy, by re-using leftovers in new ways and using up scraps and dying vegetation in stocks and soups. I don't know about grace, but maybe Tamar's book would help!

Joan Starr said...

I cook with food I've grown as often as I can, and as locally sourced as possible otherwise. I also use cooking tools (spoons, in particular) that have been passed down to me from my mother, and to her from her mother. The spoons are worn down from stirring. And so I bring those women into my kitchen adding their love to the love I put into the dishes when I cook.

Chrissy said...

I went to college (the first time) and got a degree in hospitality management because I wanted to own my own catering company, but since life took many twists and turns and that didn't pan out,I have circled back around in recent years and I have found an even greater love of cooking & food and I have a far great appreciation for food and what I'm capable of. I feel like I am now starting to develop economy & grace in the kitchen. I am far more diligent about cooking with what's in season and finding local farmers & purveyors with high quality ingredients... as far as grace, I'm def still honing that trait!!

Amy said...

I just heard about An Everlasting Meal from my sister who LOVES it and was raving about it. I have 5 kids and my husband and I eat GF and have been learning more and more about how to cook good healthy food for family and myself. I am looking forward to knowing more about cooking vegetables in different ways. I love to make meals my family likes that I feel good about them eating. Thanks for the chance to win this book! (I've checked it out from the library so I can get started on it!)

Julie R., AZ said...

I would love to win Ruhlman's book! I would personnaly use most of the baking ratios...if one distinguishes between a cook and a baker, I am undoubtedly the former! And it had the magic word - - POPOVERS!!! I have lots to learn about baking and this would be an invaluable asset. I follow you both, and appreciate the chance to win. I will get busy on the other items to increase the odds! Thanks and keep up the good work!

Tracy said...

I'm sorry to say that if I won Ratio (Am I the only person on the planet who does not yet own a copy?), I would not be making one item the most, but rather would be making every single item in the "Doughs and Batters" chapter over an over and over....

Tracy said...

Now following you and tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/saladgoddess/status/177054515860738054

Cracklin' said...

I think I'll definitely be using the dough ratios. Especially bread and pasta.

White Toast with Butter said...

I would love to win a copy of Adler's book - I try to cook with economy and grace as well - not wasting food, not rushing through the act of preparing the meal...enjoying the ingredients.

White Toast with Butter said...

I follow you on twitter @icywit and I tweeted the giveaway.

White Toast with Butter said...

I like CL on Facebook.

Nil Zed said...

My mother taught me to cook with Economy and Grace, to think about what I was cooking and to know what I was going to do with the rest of it. To her, having leftover roast for a pie or hash was convenience food!

I got out of the habit for some years. As a working parent with two kids and a husband who also cooked, my rhythm was disrupted. As the children got older, more and more I found myself cooking from recipes 'for two'. Every meal was standalone, and involved singular grocery lists, and by the end of a week we'd have lots of unused half-jarsful of ingredients or cooked leftovers in small amounts that eventually went into the trash.

Then late in the game, we had a third child and I became a stay at home mom. As this child has joined us at the table, I've rediscovered cooking big on some days in order to cook small on other days. Relearned how to think of food as a long term plan, not a meal by meal series.

Nil Zed said...

I tweeted the link, was already following you.

Nil Zed said...

Also tried to follow through on the FB, not sure that the tagging worked, shouldn't it automagically turn your name into a tag since I 'like' your page? Ruhlman's too.

patsy said...

Pate a choux. I want to make pate a choux!

Allie M said...

I love the concept behind Ratio! I think I would use cookie dough recipes the most as I am a cookie fiend and would love to be able to experiment with cookie creations on my own!