The Girls Who Dish!

Susan Cleyle is a systems librarian in the QEII Library at Memorial
University of Newfoundland.

The Girls Who Dish was such a success in 1998 that Seconds Anyone
followed on its heels the following year. The authors are all top-notch
Vancouver-based chefs.

Both of these well-designed books are organized around the following
categories: appetizers, salads, soups, entrées, vegetables, and
desserts. (Seconds Anyone includes an additional category, Pet Snacks.)
The recipes are clearly presented and include preparation tips and ideas
for substitutes. Among the many tantalizing names are Tomato Prawn
Bruschetta; Turkey Breast with Chipotle Bourbon Cranberry Sauce;
Award-Winning Biscotti Pears with Caramel Sauce; Roast Squash and Pear
Soup; Gorgonzola and Pecan Souffles; and Potato Salad with Tuna, Capers,
and Anchovy Vinaigrette.

Seconds Anyone includes some new features. Interspersed throughout are
caveats on such topics as Hints, Quick Fix Recipes, and Secrets. Italic
fonts identify these caveats in the indexes. A list of pantry items that
many of the recipes have in common is included; this list can serve as a
good shopping guide for the book’s essentials. Best of all, the new
“Dishing it Up” section offers a dinner planner with recipe
suggestions from both books.

The recipes are not low-fat and, consisting as they do of multiple
phases, take some time to prepare. That in mind, we recommended both of
these wonderful cookbooks—they complement each other perfectly.