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A review by lukenotjohn
Nothing Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having People Over by Alison Roman
4.0
I've been a fan of Roman and her most famous recipes for about a year now, and have been thoroughly impressed with the accessible, delicious, and creative stuff she puts out. After realizing that her caramelized shallot pasta, #TheStew, and chicken thighs with caramelized dates, lemons, and onions (the latter of which is featured in this book and is currently the most delicious meal I know how to make) had become frequent features in my monthly meal rotation, I figured it was time to invest in one of her books.
I'll be honest, I felt underwhelmed and a bit nervous after completing the first two sections, Snacks and Salads, neither of which had a ton that I was especially eager to try out (with some notable exceptions; the scallion oil dip, spicy cabbage slaw, and smashed cucumber salad sound particularly appealing). But then we made it to the Sides section, and I personally consider that the highlight of the book. I jotted down 10 recipes that seem super accessible, interesting, and delicious and I'm sure more will join that list as I get more comfortable in the kitchen. That section in particular feels like a nice distillation of what I value most about Roman: an inclination to rely on mostly-familiar foods and techniques paired with an element (usually a zingy sauce or crunchy topping) that brings so much excitement to the dish. The Mains section had loads of options that I'd love to order a restaurant, but they aren't necessarily budget-friendly, especially for a still-somewhat-intimidated newcomer to the kitchen like myself. Still, there were a number that I'm eager to try right away and many more I plan to build towards. I'd say something similar for the dessert section, which I will praise for its abundance of recipes that don't require a homemade crust or stand-mixer! I'm especially excited to bake the chocolate hazelnut cake from this section, perhaps for NYE.
As many have noted, "fancy" is in the eye of the beholder, and I think many of these dishes are reflective of Roman's hip, wealthy NYC lifestyle in a way that would ensure they'd garner a few quizzical looks at a Midwestern church potluck. But...isn't that sort of the fun of them! The book seems to entertain a coy self-awareness that these obviously aren't the most straightforward recipes possible (because what fun would that be), but they're also not tremendously fussy either. Along those lines, it seems as though Roman's trademark sass has turned off some readers, but I think it's a definitely asset to the book and made for a reading experience that was not just informative and encouraging but also super funny and fun. I'm genuinely pumped to own this and can't wait to start cooking from it soon.
I'll be honest, I felt underwhelmed and a bit nervous after completing the first two sections, Snacks and Salads, neither of which had a ton that I was especially eager to try out (with some notable exceptions; the scallion oil dip, spicy cabbage slaw, and smashed cucumber salad sound particularly appealing). But then we made it to the Sides section, and I personally consider that the highlight of the book. I jotted down 10 recipes that seem super accessible, interesting, and delicious and I'm sure more will join that list as I get more comfortable in the kitchen. That section in particular feels like a nice distillation of what I value most about Roman: an inclination to rely on mostly-familiar foods and techniques paired with an element (usually a zingy sauce or crunchy topping) that brings so much excitement to the dish. The Mains section had loads of options that I'd love to order a restaurant, but they aren't necessarily budget-friendly, especially for a still-somewhat-intimidated newcomer to the kitchen like myself. Still, there were a number that I'm eager to try right away and many more I plan to build towards. I'd say something similar for the dessert section, which I will praise for its abundance of recipes that don't require a homemade crust or stand-mixer! I'm especially excited to bake the chocolate hazelnut cake from this section, perhaps for NYE.
As many have noted, "fancy" is in the eye of the beholder, and I think many of these dishes are reflective of Roman's hip, wealthy NYC lifestyle in a way that would ensure they'd garner a few quizzical looks at a Midwestern church potluck. But...isn't that sort of the fun of them! The book seems to entertain a coy self-awareness that these obviously aren't the most straightforward recipes possible (because what fun would that be), but they're also not tremendously fussy either. Along those lines, it seems as though Roman's trademark sass has turned off some readers, but I think it's a definitely asset to the book and made for a reading experience that was not just informative and encouraging but also super funny and fun. I'm genuinely pumped to own this and can't wait to start cooking from it soon.