Cookbook Book Club - Nina Simond's Spices of Life

This is the fifth installment of our cookbook book club. I am interested in how each "potluck" has evolved, and I appreciate all of you who have made suggestions for future cookbooks. Keep the recommendations coming!

For those of you not familiar with the premise, it is pretty simple. We have a monthly book club…for a cookbook. Everyone brings a dish from the cookbook, so we are all able to get a taste of what it has to offer.

This month’s cookbook is Nina Simond's Spice of Life. This is an intriguing cookbook that focus not only on great flavors but also works through individual ingredients and their health properties. After looking at several of the recipes, I think there is something for everyone - whether you are on a diet, craving some sweets, or are just curious to try something familiar with a twist.

The cookbook is available on Amazon for $16.30 brand new. The Los Angeles Public Library System has 6 copies, Orange County has 2, and Long Beach has 3.

For those of you who are not ready to commit to buying the cookbook, Nina Simonds has a Spices of Life website with many of her recipes, including videos episodes, a blog, and much more:

http://www.spicesoflife.com/category/recipes/

From Amazon:

Award-winning author, Nina Simonds has had an ear cocked to the healing properties of food since beginning her studies of Chinese cuisine in Taiwan. Give a culture a few thousand years to grow and flower and it will have a thing or two to say about what's good to eat, and what's good for you to eat, no question about it. Other cultures may not have it all quite as tabulated and codified as the Chinese (or Hindu culture with the laws of Ayurveda), but have settled over the eons on a way of life and cooking that works to the benefit, not the detriment, of the body. Mediterranean culture comes to mind.

The 160 recipes are divided into sections that include Something to Graze On, Appetizers that Make a Meal, Homey Soups, Hearty Stews and Braises, Main-dish Salads, Pleasures from the Garden, Versatile Stir-fries and Sautes, East-West Barbecue, Irresistible Vegetarian, Satisfying Staples: Noodles, Rice and Other Grains, Light and Sumptuous Sweets, and Foods that Fight Common Ailments. Simonds's deep experience with Asian cooking comes through in Technicolor Spicy Sichuan-style Green Beans. But so too does her own heritage, as in Great-Aunt Sophie's Chicken Soup.

For Spiced Almonds Simonds explains that the high fat content of almonds is monounsaturated, of a type to help reduce cholesterol, and that the high Vitamin E content can prevent heart disease. As for cinnamon and star anise, Asian physicians prescribe them as digestive aids. A brief profile of a health all star is included with each chapter, the focus on their expertise, and in some cases, their favorite recipes. In Appetizers, Dr. Andrew Weil discusses Vitamin and mineral supplements.

http://www.amazon.com/Spices-Life-Simple-Delicious-Recipes/dp/0375411607

Please, please, please add in your RSVP or the comments what you are bringing so we can avoid repeats. Also, be sure to bring a serving utensil for your dish and Tupperware, so you can cart your favorites home. It is BYOB, and I will provide water, tea, and cokes. I will also provide the plates, cups, silverware, and napkins.

**A potluck item is required of all attendees. Any member's guest(s) must also bring a potluck item.

We hope to see you there!

Past Book Clubs:

January 2012: The Homesick Texan by Lisa Fain

February 2012: Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan

April 2012: Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper

May 2012: Silver Palate Cookbook