Cook with Me - by Alex Guarnaschelli (Hardcover)

About the Book

"The Chopped judge and Iron Chef shares 150 family recipes, including selections prepared throughout her life by her cookbook-editor mother, Maria Guarnaschelli, including Blueberry Crumble, Baked Ziti and Godfather- and Goodfellas-style spaghetti and meatballs"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Through 150 decadent and smart recipes, the Food Network icon explores how the relationships with her family have shaped her as a chef and home cook.

"Each recipe overflows with love and purpose, technique and soul, and, most of all, genuine joy for nourishing the people in your life who matter most."--Gail Simmons, food expert, TV host, and author of Bringing it Home

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR AND FOOD NETWORK

Growing up with a legendary cookbook-editor mother and a food-obsessed father, Alex Guarnaschelli has always loved to cook. Now, with a daughter of her own, food and cooking mean even more to Alex--they are a way for her to share memories, such as shopping in Little Italy with her father for cured meats and aged cheeses, and tasting the recipes her mom would make from the cookbooks of the iconic authors she worked with.

And, more than anything, cooking is what Alex and her daughter, Ava, most love to do together. In Cook with Me, Alex revives the recipes she grew up with, such as her mom's chicken with barbecue sauce and her dad's steamed pork dumplings, offers recipes for foods that she wishes she grew up with, such as comforting and cheesy baked ziti, and details dishes new to her repertoire, including sheet pan pork chops with spicy Brussels sprouts and a roasted sweet potato salad with honey and toasted pumpkin seeds. From meatballs two ways (are you a Godfather or a Goodfellas person?) to the blueberry crumble her mom made every summer, Alex shares recipes and insights that can come only from generations of collective experience. These recipes reflect the power that food has to bring people together and is a testament to the importance of sustaining traditions and creating new ones.

Review Quotes

"Alex Guarnaschelli is one of the best cooks I know . . . and I know firsthand. Alex has the best food vocabulary in the game, and now those words come to life in her book Cook with Me. I'm placing this one right on my kitchen shelf at home just for the Spatchcocked Chicken and Slow Cooker Brownies alone . . . destined to become instant classics in anyone's kitchen, including mine."--Bobby Flay, chef

"I trust Alex with my taste buds. In Cook with Me, every dish has an aha moment of unexpected flavor and texture. What's not to love? The recipes are comforting--and daughter-approved!"--Carla Hall, celebrity chef and author

"What I love about Alex is not just her amazing knowledge as a chef and her passion for food, but she's also the greatest combination of storyteller and teacher. With this book, you'll learn something new on every page while also feeling like you're cooking alongside a close friend."--Molly Yeh, blogger and Food Network host

"Cook with Me is 100% Alex -- whip-smart, honest, unfussy, and exactly how I want to cook (and live!). Each recipe overflows with love and purpose, technique and soul, and, most of all, genuine joy for nourishing the people in your life who matter most. This book is a must for every kitchen!"--Gail Simmons, food expert, TV host, and author of Bringing it Home

"Every once in a while, I read a cookbook that makes me want to drop what I'm doing and rush into the kitchen. Alex Guarnaschelli's Cook with Me is one such cookbook. It's filled with love, family stories, and sophisticated yet extremely doable recipes for home cooks."--Jennifer Segal, author of Once Upon a Chef

"There has never been a time when Alex Guarnaschelli has invited me to her home for dinner that I didn't jump on the opportunity. Her meals are as special as her friendship, and now with this cookbook I don't have to wait to be on the East coast to enjoy her delicious and inspired dishes."--Giada de Laurentiis

"Food Network personality [Alex] Guarnaschelli (The Home Cook) serves up a compendium of doable dishes with plenty of encouragement and cleverness."--Publishers Weekly

"Cook with Me blew me away . . . Only ICAG (Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli) can make cheese toast or flaming broiled provolone seem like a four-star dish. Throughout the book, her signature way with flavors and global influences make this a must-have title of 2020."--Eat Your Books

About the Author

Alex Guarnaschelli is a judge on numerous Food Network shows including Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay, the host of her digital series Fix Me a Plate, and one of three women Iron Chefs on Iron Chef America. The daughter of esteemed cookbook editor Maria Guarnaschelli, Alex grew up in Manhattan immersed in food. She moved to Paris to work at Guy Savory for four years before returning to cook at Daniel. She has been the executive chef at Butter Restaurant since 2003 and lives in New York City with her daughter, Ava.