"San Francisco Chronicle" Cookbook

Reviews From:

Bon Apetit

Appellation

San Francisco Chronicle food editor Michael Bauer and Chronicle copy editor Fran Irwin combed through ten years of the newspaper's weekly food section and compiled 350 of its finest recipes for The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook. The recipes represent the diversity and innovation of Northern California cooking by such Bay Area culinary heavyweights as Paul Bertolli of Oliveto and Nancy Oakes of Boulevard.

Choosing the best recipes ever published in the San Francisco Chronicle's weekly food section must be like selecting jewelry at Tiffany's: It's difficult to make many mistakes. For this cookbook, the editors draw on some of San Francisco's reigning restaurant chefs and numerous proficient, local food writers.

Experts on the cuisines of Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas contribued recipes that attest to a multicultural San Francisco, where walking a few city blocks can mean traveling thousands of culinary miles. I tested more than a quarter of the 350 dishes printed and found almost all of those worth making again and again. Many are quick and simple, but most require at least an hour in the kitchen and some cooking know-how.

I only wish this cookbook had photographs, because choosing the best recipes without visual clues is like shoping at Tiffany's in the dark.

Choosing the best recipes ever published in the San Francisco Chronicle's weekly food section must be like selecting jewelry at Tiffany's: It's difficult to make many mistakes. Appelation

Fran Irwin has worked for the San Francisco Chronicle since 1977 and is an editor in the food section.