Crazy for Casseroles: 275 All-American Hot-Dish Classics

by James Villas

Overview

Crazy for Casseroles is the final word on American casseroles. Acclaimed food writer James Villas is a man on a mission, presenting all manner of casseroles from every corner of America that feature meat, poultry, game, seafood, or vegetables, plus appetizer, breakfast, bread, and dessert casseroles. All can be prepared ahead of time and popped in the oven for warm-up, which makes them ideal for entertaining, potluck, or weeknight dinners. They can be simple and homey, like Texas Beef Hash Casserole; No-Nonsense Spinach Casserole; or Sunday Sausage, Apple, and Cheese Strata. But they can also be fancy and fabulous like Venison and Wild Mushroom Bake or Deviled Crabmeat Ramekins.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781558325456
Publisher:	Harvard Common Press, The
Publication date:	01/08/2003
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

JAMES VILLAS's work has appeared in Esquire, Food & Wine, Gourmet, Bon Appetit, and the New York Times. He won James Beard Awards for Journalism in 2003 and for Pig: King of the Southern Table.

Editorial Reviews

In his newest book, Villas, the food and wine editor of Town & Country for 27 years and author of Between Bites, indulges his love of the traditional dishes that make up much of America's regional cuisine. After covering the "Essentials of Modern Casserole Cookery," including a guide to casserole dishes and their baking dish equivalents, he moves on to freezing and the basic pantry before throwing himself into the recipes. The recipes cover the gamut of courses and ingredients, from appetizers like the flavorful Crusty Wild Mushroom Bake to desserts such as Hot Brandied Fruit Casserole. In between he includes many classics such as the Yankee Hot Pot, All-American Chicken Pot Pie, Jambalaya, and Country Captain as well as many modern adaptations and innovations like the light yet robust California Tuna, Potato and Olive Casserole that uses fresh tuna rather than canned. In "Casserole Chat," Villas imparts helpful hints such as how to store dried mushrooms or how to reheat leftovers. The resulting volume highlights why Villas has maintained his position as one of America's foremost traditional cooks. (Feb.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Villas, who was food and wine editor of Town & Country for almost 30 years, has written eloquently about American regional cooking in many cookbooks, including Stews, Bogs, and Burgoos. His latest is something of a companion to that title, as he believes that casseroles "boast a versatility that is matched only by soups and stews." He also believes that they, more than any other dish, "illustrate what authentic regional cooking is all about," and he offers dozens of recipes from around the country to prove his point: Chicago Shrimp de Jonghe, Portland Oyster and Bacon Pie, Yankee Corned Beef and Vegetable Pot, and Ann Arbor Venison and Wild Mushroom Bake. Villas's text is informed, opinionated, witty, and a pleasure to read, and with its wide-ranging selection of recipes, it will interest culinary historians as well as home cooks. Highly recommended. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

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