Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Chickpea Skordalia and a Giveaway

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I admit was predisposed to like Michael Symon's Live to Cook: Recipes and Techniques to Rock Your Kitchen. I am a proud Clevelander; I love a man who embraces his ethnic heritage; I got a free copy from the publisher, and I love pretty pictures (shiny things too, by the way.) On the other hand, my judgmental nature meant that it wasn’t going to be a sure thing for Mr. Symon.

Symon’s book reads like a cross between an index card recipe file and a journal. The personal nature of the book is only heightened by the fact that the requisite styled food photographs are punctuated by candids of the chef in action. In total, one has the sense that Symon has let you into his life from his stepson’s favorite mac and cheese (which was delicious) to his ya-ya’s tomato sauce (also yum.)

The conversational writing, particularly in the passages that introduce the recipes, has an enticing honest charm. To me, when a cookbook transcends the realm of technical manual and becomes memoir, it is a keeper.

This book strikes me as an ideal holiday gift for a man who likes to cook but has moved beyond the Fred Flintstone world of grilling. J loved the book so much that he attempted to steal it. (I reminded him that thanks to the vows we now share property.)

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Have I whet your appetite? You will need to get the book for the recipe for Chickpea Skordalia pictured in this post.  Well, I would like to offer you one for your very own. Michael Symon is a proud Clevelander, and so I thought we would make this giveaway hometown themed. If you want the book, you get one entry for a comment (include your email address). You get another entry for tweeting about the giveaway. BUT, you will get TWO additional entries if you state in your comment that you vow never to make fun of Cleveland. [Contest entries close on Monday, November 23.]   

And, finally, as we are going into a season where no one should be hungry, I will donate $1 for each comment to the Cleveland Foodbank.  

44 comments:

amna said...

Cleveland Rocks if it has dishes like the above native to it. I got hooked to your site since I saw you it in Jugalbandi. That write up on heritage was amazing.

I have also tweeted about this. My twitter id is bindya909 and my email is naagu.v[at]gmail[dot]com

lisaiscooking said...

I can't wait to have a look at Symon's book. Sounds like a good one! I'll have to buy it if I don't win. And, I would never, ever make fun of Cleveland.

Joanne said...

This is such a thoughtful and giving event. Perfect for the spirit of the upcoming holidays. Not to mention that the food looks great! I can't say that I've ever had chicken skordalia before. But the name kind of rolls off my tongue...skordalia.

My email address is jhbruno87@gmail.com.

And I vow never to make fun of Cleveland :D

Veggie Belly said...

It is so wonderful of you to donate to the cleveland foodbank. Would love to win Michaels book!
veggiebelly AT gmail DOT com

glamah16 said...

I am so going to tweet this!Email is cococooks(AT)hotmail(DOT)COM. I promise never to make fun of the fair city of Cleavland again!

Zachary said...

right on...

http://www.theoceanharvest.com
salutes you!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I have been to Cleveland the home of Chef Boyardee where he opened his first restaurant, Il Giardino d'Italia, in Little Italy in the 1940s. How could you not love a town with a Little Italy!!!Go Cleveland!!

NKP said...

This seems like a great book!
So nice of you to review it for us, I am looking forward to checking it out one day.
I would love a chance to win one, my email is
livinginthekitchenwithpuppies AT hotmail DOT com
And I would never make fun of your town, I have it on good television authority that Cleveland Rocks!

Johanna GGG said...

you got me all confused because the seminal Australian culinary history One Continuous Picnic is written by Michael Symons but I guess it is a different bloke.

I am not sure if it is a good or bad thing that I don't know enough about Cleveland to mock it but I do know that you are very generous with the foodbank donations - it makes commenting feel all the more satisfying

Deeba PAB said...

Love love love your review. Yo have me eating out of your hand. I'll do anything...LOL. Enticing charm sounds just right. Yes, cross my hear...will never ever make fun of Cleveland! Love the chickepea skordalia too...YUM!
vindee@airtelmail.in
Off to RT!

Chou said...

Sounds like a wonderful cookbook. Cheers!
ccs316 AT nyu DOT edu

Barbara Bakes said...

Chickpeas never looked so good! Love that you are donating to the Foodbank. One of my favorite charities!

grace said...

not only have i never made fun of cleveland, but i also hereby promise to never do so. also, michael symon is adorable in a goofy, silly, awesome-chef way. :)

Anonymous said...

I would love a copy of Michael Symons book and I would never make fun of Cleveland -- maybe the Browns, but not Cleveland. We just had a fantastic foodie weekend in CLE and I can't wait to go back and try more places. Have you been to On the Rise? I loved their almond croissants. I enjoy your blog - thanks for hosting the competition.

Reeni said...

These look delicious! So fresh and healthy looking! I love Michael Symon!

Reeni said...

I tweeted it for you! @cinnamonspice

Reeni said...

I vow never to make fun of Cleveland! I'm giving away two cookbooks on my blog - hope you'll stop by and enter if you haven't already.

Sandie (Inn Cuisine) said...

I've thought about picking up a copy of Michael Symon's cookbook, but have yet to do so---would be better to win! And yes, I vow never to make fun of Cleveland ;)

What's that song from the old Drew Carey show, "Cleveland rocks..."

(Expect a Re-tweet too, what's that I'm up to? 4 entries now? Can you tell I would really like to win that book? Keeping fingers crossed! inncuisine {at} gmail {dot} com)

ssomerville said...

Great give a way! I promise not to make fun of Cleveland! lol.

Dani H said...

I love "reading" cookbooks that are more than just the basic recipes. (Although I love those, too.) I promise NEVER to make fun of Cleveland! Or Ohio. I absolutely LOVE that you will also donate to the foodbank. My email is dd.h930@gmail.com. Thanks for a chance at the giveaway.

Dani H said...

I tweeted the giveaway - ddh77. dd.h930@gmail.com

Nutmeg Nanny said...

Great giveaway! I love Michael Symon!
Nutmegnanny (at) hotmail (dot) com

Nutmeg Nanny said...

Having been born and raised in Ohio and a die hard Browns fan I never make fun of Cleveland. If anything I have to stop people from making fun! But in any case I vow to never make fun :)

Peter M said...

Thannks for bringing Michael's book to my attention! I do enjoy his cooking and I'm intrigued about the chickpea Skordalia.

Bertie said...

I'd love to win Michael Symon's book- he's so funny and down to earth. And I'd never make fun of Cleveland- I'm way to close to there, could never get away with it. :) My email is bjvarmuzek AT yahoo DOT com.

TS of eatingclub vancouver said...

Oooh, I want! I don't have twitter or anything, but I do vow never to make fun of Cleveland. (Besides, I don't even know what one is Cleveland-y thing one is supposed to make fun of!)

Great charitable twist to the standard giveaway, btw. =)

Anonymous said...

"I am a proud Clevelander" - I am very proud of you :)

Kristen said...

My boyfriend would love this book! No making fun of Cleveland here, promise! Email is kad042181@gmail.com

Elizabeth said...

It actually has never occurred to me to mock Cleveland but now that you say I have to swear I won't, I find myself perversely neeeeeding to mock Cleveland. (Must look up reasons that Cleveland should be mocked....)

The real reason I came in to comment was to say that this chickpea skordalia looks delicious. Did you use canned chickpeas or dried and soaked overnight?

-Elizabeth

(I'm assuming that being in Canada also eliminates me from being entered in the giveaway contest.)

Anonymous said...

I've been to Cleveland and I thought it was a lovely city!

angela@spinachtiger said...

I've been to Cleveland and I promise I will never make fun of Cleveland.

Chibog in Chief said...

Clevelad is the best place in the world :-)What a great contest! Can't wait to win!!!

ps, i love beautiful pictures in shiny pages too! This book is really for me

Laurel Miltner said...

As a fellow Clevelander, I can't vow to never make fun of it. I love my city, but you have to admit that once in awhile, things happen here that are so disappointing to those of us that want to see positive change, that all you can do is poke fun at yourself.

I do vow to never talk poorly about Cleveland in a serious manner, however.

And, I think it's incredible that you are donating to the Foodbank for all comments. Kudos to you!

Bite Buff said...

Ok, those pictures alone could make someone want to enter your giveaway! It's wonderful that you are donating to such a worthy cause as well.

I also promise promise promise to never make fun of Cleveland. I am a transplant who absolutely loves it!

P.S. I also tweeted it. @BiteBuff

Indian Food Rocks said...

Why would anyone make fun of Cleveland? :-D

Retweeted your tweet. I'm indianfoodrocks on gmail

So glad you are helping your local foodbank!

farida said...

I would love to have a copy of Michael Symon's book. It is so nice of you to donate to foodbank.

Anonymous said...

I vow to never to make fun of Cleveland. I tweeted about the giveaway. My email is boomette1 at yahoo dot ca

Jan said...

I will never make fun of Cleveland! Honest.
I would love to win this blog give away.
Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I already have an order in for the book, but I want to help the hungry, so I'm leaving a comment! I found your blog after reading about you on Ruhlman's blog...I have been so impressed by the thoughtful way you live your life, and look forward to each new entry you post.

Carey

P.S. WHY would anyone make fun of Cleveland?!?

Alicia Foodycat said...

The only thing I know about Cleveland is the Drew Carey theme - but that looks like a very fresh-tasting snack! Your generosity in this post is really humbling.

Palmloop said...

Can't wait to win the book so as to try Chickpea Skordalia and Zucchini Crudo and . . .
Why would anyone make fun of Cleveland? Seriously. I would never, ever make fun of Cleveland.
Email: msburrows@mac.com

Sarah Berridge said...

I love MS, and would love to win his book!

I vow to never to make fun of Cleveland!

sarah.a.berridge at gmail dot com

Diana Bauman said...

Oh darn, I missed out on this giveaway :( I am always so impressed by your photos! I'm dying to know what the recipe is! Your images are making me soo hungry! I will definitely look into this cookbook!

annelies said...

I am stoked to see how Symon is involved in the Cleveland food culture. Chefs like Nate Appleman, also proud of his Ohio background are keeping their roots close to them. My twitter handle is anneliesz and my email address is anneliesz at gmail dot com.