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tresgrumpy's review
2.0
Alison Roman's style of cooking does not mesh with mine at all. That said, I have made and liked the candied walnuts in this book a few times. It's the only keeper recipe for me in a book that otherwise I find completely unmemorable.
This is nothing to say about the quality of the recipes, although many smarter people than me have said a lot about the Alison Roman-ness of completely divorcing ingredients from their context, and acting like you have invented daal and whatever. idk, reviewing cookbooks is a (for me, not a critic) a totally subjective experience. These recipes exist for somebody I guess, and that person is not me.
(2 stars because I went to the trouble of writing out a single recipe when I ditched the book)
This is nothing to say about the quality of the recipes, although many smarter people than me have said a lot about the Alison Roman-ness of completely divorcing ingredients from their context, and acting like you have invented daal and whatever. idk, reviewing cookbooks is a (for me, not a critic) a totally subjective experience. These recipes exist for somebody I guess, and that person is not me.
(2 stars because I went to the trouble of writing out a single recipe when I ditched the book)
thekuster's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
This is the first cookbook that I have actually read cover to cover - not just flipping through pretty pictures, browsing lists and skimming recipes, but reading every little excerpt and footnote. I first discovered Alison Roman during 2020 pandemic lockdowns on some NYT cooking Youtube videos and found her unfussy and approachable attitude rather charming, but nothing I'd write home about. I made a note of a few of her recipes to try (Caramelized Shallot Pasta? Creamy Farro with Crispy Mushrooms...maybe?), but honestly never got around to cooking any.
Fast-forward to 2021, amidst a reading slump (caused by indecisiveness) and a cooking slump (caused by trying out a decent mealkit service but unwilling to continue with the cost and excessive packaging), I thought I'd sign out a few cookbooks from the library to possibly alleviate both slumpy issues.
Perhaps it was because it was the first cookbook I'd ever read as an e-book (rather hard to skim), or perhaps it was the scarcity of pretty food photos, but I found myself reading through the pages rather thoroughly. And well, gosh darn if Alison Roman's writing/voice didn't feel like hanging out with an old friend! A friend who enjoyed throwing unfussy house parties for people she loved, which brought on so many heartwarming reminders of pre-pandemic life and hope of a post-pandemic gathering.
Now, despite how much I enjoyed reading Nothing Fancy, I realize it can't really be a 5-star cookbook without some amazing recipes. And I am here to ensure you - THERE ARE!
#1) Coconut-braised chicken with chickpeas - INCREDIBLE! Make this, just do it! (I've already made this twice in the last 3 weeks)
#2) Spicy pork meatballs in brothy tomatoes - "Best meatballs you've ever made" says my husband (and I've tried A LOT of meatball recipes)
#3) One-pot chicken with dates and caramelized lemons - scrumptious with just the right balance of sweetness.
I cannot wait to try more recipes out of this book - including some rather interesting sides that normally would not be in my repertoire. I am rather confident when I say this is and probably will continue to be my favourite cookbook for a very, very long time.
Fast-forward to 2021, amidst a reading slump (caused by indecisiveness) and a cooking slump (caused by trying out a decent mealkit service but unwilling to continue with the cost and excessive packaging), I thought I'd sign out a few cookbooks from the library to possibly alleviate both slumpy issues.
Perhaps it was because it was the first cookbook I'd ever read as an e-book (rather hard to skim), or perhaps it was the scarcity of pretty food photos, but I found myself reading through the pages rather thoroughly. And well, gosh darn if Alison Roman's writing/voice didn't feel like hanging out with an old friend! A friend who enjoyed throwing unfussy house parties for people she loved, which brought on so many heartwarming reminders of pre-pandemic life and hope of a post-pandemic gathering.
Now, despite how much I enjoyed reading Nothing Fancy, I realize it can't really be a 5-star cookbook without some amazing recipes. And I am here to ensure you - THERE ARE!
#1) Coconut-braised chicken with chickpeas - INCREDIBLE! Make this, just do it! (I've already made this twice in the last 3 weeks)
#2) Spicy pork meatballs in brothy tomatoes - "Best meatballs you've ever made" says my husband (and I've tried A LOT of meatball recipes)
#3) One-pot chicken with dates and caramelized lemons - scrumptious with just the right balance of sweetness.
I cannot wait to try more recipes out of this book - including some rather interesting sides that normally would not be in my repertoire. I am rather confident when I say this is and probably will continue to be my favourite cookbook for a very, very long time.
maylingkuo's review
4.0
this is for sure fancy, but unlike the other haters, i'm not going to dock it a star just for that reason. just like with 'dining in,' roman writes what you want to read. even for recipes i know i don't plan to make, i love reading her stories about the food and descriptions before every recipe. it's the kind of food book that you read cover to cover.
will i make most of these recipes? no. i only cook vegetarian food at home and i'm too lazy to create most of these dishes. that said, i learned a lot about many ingredients and dishes and it was a joy to peruse. what i really need is a friend nearby who cooks like this where i can sidle up to the table!
will i make most of these recipes? no. i only cook vegetarian food at home and i'm too lazy to create most of these dishes. that said, i learned a lot about many ingredients and dishes and it was a joy to peruse. what i really need is a friend nearby who cooks like this where i can sidle up to the table!
megholo's review against another edition
funny
informative
2.0
I liked Alison's writing but found most of the recipes to be A. far too lemon based for my liking, and B. ingredients too hard to source out in rural Saskatchewan.
sionnac's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.5
Great banter between recipes, I liked the spirit but the few recipes I tried failed (might be me).
thejourneyofmybooks405's review
3.0
I'm a fan of Alison Roman from her Instagram and watching her Bon Appettit YouTube and her New York Times column, but I had never read any of her cookbooks, so I decided to start with this one. I like her personable writing style, it was like talking to a witty, sarcastic, attentive friend who good at hosting parties and can sense when you need a refill on your natural orange wine. That being said, even though the book title is called "Nothing Fancy", um a good chunk of the recipes are kinda fancy (which she admittedly acknowledges in some of the recipes). For the recipes that aren't "fancy", even though they're simple, they're pretty pedestrian.
Also, this book is tailored to her personality so you have to be on board with her brand to want to attempt a lot of these recipes. She is extremely opinionated about a lot of food products and she lets it be known, which I enjoyed reading. I found myself only finding a few recipes from this book that I wanted to try.
Also, this book is tailored to her personality so you have to be on board with her brand to want to attempt a lot of these recipes. She is extremely opinionated about a lot of food products and she lets it be known, which I enjoyed reading. I found myself only finding a few recipes from this book that I wanted to try.
samanthalaurene's review against another edition
5.0
I have read so much good work during this quarantine and nothing has been more soothing than reading this cover-to-cover.
gl8's review against another edition
5.0
I can’t wait to cook my way through this cookbook this winter!
aliibera's review against another edition
4.0
Lots of good ideas and recipes here -Alison Roman is aspirational for entertaining today in the same way that The Silver Palate was aspirational 20 years ago but also completely different - messier, simpler. Especially enjoy the various vegetable/sides recipes which is very much how I cook now.
geriatricgretch's review against another edition
4.0
3.75? I do love Alison Roman's recipes and way of writing (especially all her lazy person tips - I love a cookbook that tells you when you don't actually have to peel something). There's a lot more shellfish/tinned fish stuff in here than I will probably make, but all the recipes I've tried so far have been excellent. Lots of hearty salads and solid ways to prep vegetables.
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