Nothing Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having People Over

Product Information

Nothing Fancy is a 2019 cookbook by American cook and writer Alison Roman. The cookbook stresses casual recipes to prepare for friends. The Guardian included Nothing Fancy on its list of the "Best cookbooks and food writing of 2019". [7] Meera Sodha, who compiled the list, wrote that the book presents "heart, soul and food frequently and unapologetically made using store-cupboard ingredients." [7] This was delicious! The sauce for the beans was perfect as written, I would make more of it next time. I used Rancho Gordo beans and would suggest that rather than canned.

Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman | Hardie Grant Publishing

Nothing Fancy” has served me as Roman intended. At a Sunday dinner that started two hours later than planned, I put out her labneh dip with sizzled scallions and chili, and everyone declared it “bomb.” On a weeknight, I made her “Casual Apple Tart with Caramelized Buttermilk” for my roommates (the people I’m always “having over”), and they called it the best apple pie they’d ever had. But my favorite discovery is her “Perfect Herby Salad”: half lettuce and half herbs (parsley, cilantro, tarragon, mint), drizzled with lemon, olive oil, and, of course, Maldon. Like many of her best ideas, it has a why-didn’t-I-think-of-that simplicity. Recipes are so simple, and, if you’re a seasoned cook, it is a great inspiration, as said recipes leave a lot of room for improvisation (say, if you cannot find some of the ingredients, as you may not live in a culturally diverse neighborhood in New York) Transfer to a large bowl or serving platter and top with the sesame seeds, lots of pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Nothing Fancy's recipes are on-trend but unpretentiously so. . . . Most relevant of all is Roman's attitude toward hosting: that all of us can do it, that we should embrace the imperfections of our plans, and that it's more fun to try than to stress. . . . Roman is leading the charge in revitalizing the art of gathering your community around the dinner table." -- Eater

Become a Member

Roman makes food more interesting. . . . [ Nothing Fancy]has a why-didn’t-I-think-of-that simplicity.” — The New Yorker a b Grechko, Irina (22 October 2019). "Alison Roman's New Book Sings The Praises Of "Unfussy" Food". Nylon . Retrieved 14 July 2020. tablespoons distilled white vinegar, white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar, plus more if you need it (I like my salad impossibly tangy) Escarole with mustard and bread crumbs: A good, interesting salad--I never buy escarole, and it helped to have someone tell me what to do with it! I did not have guanciale (see, fancy!), so I just used bacon. Our staff and contributors share their latest enthusiasms in books, music, podcasts, movies, TV, and more.

Alison Roman Recipes from Her Nothing Fancy Cookbook 3 Best Alison Roman Recipes from Her Nothing Fancy Cookbook

This lady has been in a food scene too long because while these recipes are indeed unfussy, they are also surely fancy. These might pass as comfort food if everyone you know is a foodie, but every single recipe has that horrible celebrity-food-show word "elevated" written all over it. Recipes with photos: Nearly 100 percent of the 125 or so recipes in this book have corresponding photos. No fewer than 33 of those photos feature pristinely manicured red nails (on fingers spooning caviar from a tin, plopping an uncooked yolk on top of kimchi-braised pork, squeezing lime over blistered shishito peppers). Nothing fancy! I would love to try the Buttered Salmon with Dill (also here: https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com...) and Scallops with Tomatillos, but alas, there is a hold on the book at the library . . . Roman has said the book contains advice and recipes for an "attainable" life rather than an "aspirational" one. [6] Reception and accolades [ edit ] Toss the scallions, celery, cilantro, chile, fish sauce, vinegar and lime juice together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and add the oils. Season again with more salt and pepper, adding more lime juice or vinegar if you like. 3.On the positive side, the recipes look absolutely delicious, and I'd love to eat everything in the main dish chapter. Plus the author, while totally missing the not-fancy mark, at least isn't precious about it. Clearly this is actually how she eats. Cons: For all of the reasons mentioned just above, the vibe and the title of this book clash. A better title for this book would be: "Fancy." Add the anchovies, capers and red-pepper flakes, swirling until the anchovies melt and sizzle, the capers pop slightly, and the red-pepper flakes toast and bleed into the oil, about 2 minutes. I don’t want to be trendy, or flash-in-the-pan,” she says. “I want to be making things people incorporate into their lives forever.” Feeding friends is totally relaxed with Roman, author of Dining In and New York Times columnist. This abundant collection of all-new recipes is for gatherings big and small, from the weeknight to the weekend.