cover image Cook's Freestyle Cuisine

Cook's Freestyle Cuisine

Magazine Cooks. Simon & Schuster, $18.45 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-671-62007-3

The editors of COOK'S magazine present their philosophy on eating, which suggests that home diners emulate the restaurant trend, in which any combination of appetizers, soup, salad or light fare, followed by a light dessert, replaces the traditional multicourse gorge. The excellent cookbook, slightly flawed by the editors' sense of mission, emphasizes freshness, innovation and presentation in recipes that reflect current food fashionswarm salads, vegetable entrees, grilled foods, pasta. All the recipes, excepting the desserts, can be appetizers or main dishes, or combined for a single course. This book is a COOK'S magazine project, and the resources of a cooking magazine staff are evident in the authoritative wine, technique and menu suggestions, seasoning tips and sheer breadth of information. Many of the recipes have come from restaurant chefs, as this lighter style of eating originated in their dining rooms. Typical of the selections are ham and pear pate, char-grilled vegetable soup, eggplant and smoked cheese pie, steak and wilted watercress sandwiches and champagne-cassis ice. The recipe presentation is especially sensible and helpful: instructions are clearly blocked into sections on preparation, cooking and serving, allowing chefs to plan, organize and save time and ingredients. Illustrations not seen by PW. (November 17)