I've Got to Have That Recipe!

Greg Turko is a policy analyst at the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and
Universities.

Without question, this is a populist cookbook. The authors establish their “simple is good” ground early, using an aggressive and somewhat forced introduction. What follows is a selection of recipes, many of them named after a seemingly endless line of relatives and friends (e.g., Ted’s Mom’s Everyday Style Casserole), which are often described using words such as “gooey,” “chewy,” and “yummy.”

The style and appeal are decidedly middle-brow. For example, desserts are sometimes based on cake mixes and other dishes can lean towards ‘n’ ingredients (e.g., honey ‘n’ garlic sauce). The recipes cover everything from appetizers and breads to sauces and “Perfect Endings.” People who enjoy cooking, and for whom the doing is an important part of the final result, will probably not find much that is appealing in this book.

However, this is not to say that this cookbook does not have a place in many kitchens. The authors have developed or collected many recipes that are an excellent answer to the question, “What are we going to eat today?” when today is not an extra-special day. Main courses, to take one example, include dishes which can be made quickly after coming home from work; others, such as casseroles and stews, which can be reheated and served the next day.

In fact, when one looks closely at many recipes there is a strong suspicion that the authors have more knowledge and interest in food than their loudly proclaimed “What, us fuss?” attitude allows them to claim. What they have done is provide a useful day-to-day source for meal ideas. You may not want to use this book for those “nothing-is-too-good-for-us” meals, and you may want to have the book in a plain brown wrapper if the Gourmet Club meets at your house, but it is nonetheless a worthwhile addition to most kitchens. Everyday meals would certainly become less (there is no other word for it) everyday.