Native New Yorker CJ Allen, author of “C’s Holiday Kitchen: Holiday Cooking with Soul” has been cooking all his life - some might say obsessively so. In fact, when I checked his Twitter feed this morning, I saw he had already baked a batch of bread. Hmph! Made me feel kind of small for sleeping in and tweeting about Demi and Ashton.
I should divulge that I know this author personally and have been to several gatherings at his house. More importantly, I have eaten his food. At Allen’s famous holiday parties, where the food table is more crowded than the bar (and that means something in New York), the crowd spends virtually the entire night bent over the buffet, instead of scanning the room for other luminaries.
Memorable foods from those parties (and I fought hard for my plate of food, thank you) include his moist, savory cornbread, tender collard greens (he is a lifelong aficionado), creamy macaroni and cheese, coconut cake and … must stop writing, getting too hungry.
Allen is no snob and helps us out with painless instructions for turkey roasting, “one of the easiest meals to prepare,” he writes. “Try it!” He also provides simple recipes for dishes I had assumed were beyond my reach – like lemon curd! Who knew it was a snap? In fact, most of the recipes in this delectable ebook reveal what all experienced cooks know: food doesn’t have to be complicated to be great.
Now, I know that everybody can’t go to CJ Allen’s house for dinner, but having this little treasury handy on your iPad, Nook or Kindle is almost as good. (Almost!) The simplicity of the recipes will appeal to families with young aspiring chefs, and the book makes a thoughtful gift for the foodie in your life. (Strategic, too - that foodie might make one of these dishes for you.)
So let the easy holiday cooking begin! And save a plate for me, will ya?
“C’s Holiday Kitchen; Holiday Cooking with Soul” by CJ Allen for iPad, Kindle and Nook.
Published by CAC Digital arts.
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