Cookbook review: Deep South Parties: How to Survive the Southern Cocktail Hour without a Box of French Onion Soup Mix, a Block of Processed Cheese, or a Cocktail Weenie

By Tom Mentzer
Scripps Howard News Service
Dec. 18, 2006

A new cookbook by Mississippi writer and restaurateur Robert St. John offers up a batch of fun, tasty Southern party favorites the whole country can enjoy.

St. John sprinkles a few witty essays into the mix for laughs, and he surely didn't hold back on the title: "Deep South Parties: How to Survive the Southern Cocktail Hour without a Box of French Onion Soup Mix, a Block of Processed Cheese, or a Cocktail Weenie" (Hyperion, $19.95).

Cajun-Spiced Nuts
From Deep South Parties: How to Survive the Southern Cocktail Hour without a Box of French Onion Soup Mix, a Block of Processed Cheese, or a Cocktail Weenie, Hyperion

2 tablespoons bacon grease or canola oil
2 teaspoons fresh garlic, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups dry roasted, unsalted peanuts
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup walnut pieces
1 cup whole, unsalted cashews
1 cup whole, unsalted almonds
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground

1. Preheat oven to 175F.

2. In a small saute pan, melt the bacon grease over low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes. Do not brown the garlic. Place all nuts in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the bacon grease and garlic mixture over the nuts and toss well to coat evenly.

Baked Shrimp Toast
From Deep South Parties: How to Survive the Southern Cocktail Hour without a Box of French Onion Soup Mix, a Block of Processed Cheese, or a Cocktail Weenie, Hyperion

1 quart water
1 teaspoon crab boil
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups small shrimp, approximately 10 ounces)
1 eight-ounce package cream cheese
1 tablespoon onion, finely minced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 teaspoon Creole mustard
2 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

Recipe: Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
From The PlumpJack Cookbook: Great Meals for Good Living, Rodale Books

2 slices bacon, finely chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
3 tablespoons water
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a large, ovenproof skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it starts to turn crisp, about 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the onion and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the garlic. Cook for 1 more minute.

Recipe: Chicken Liver Flan Creme Caramel with Apple "Caviar"
From The PlumpJack Cookbook: Great Meals for Good Living, Rodale Books

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup water
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into tiny dice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 chicken livers, trimmed (about 4 ounces total weight)
2 tablespoons dry sherry, such as amontillado
1 cup heavy cream
3 egg yolks

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Preheat oven to 300F.

In a small saucepan, heat the 1/2 cup sugar and the water over high heat, stirring occasionally, until a thick, golden brown syrup forms, about 15 minutes. Immediately (before it begins to harden) pour the syrup into four 3-inch-wide ovenproof ramekins, dividing it equally. Set the ramekins aside.

Cookbook review: The PlumpJack Cookbook: Great Meals for Good Living

By Tom Mentzer
Scripps Howard News Service
Dec. 11, 2006

Tucking California cuisine neatly into a cookbook is a tricky affair, like fitting a square chicken into a round pot.

California cuisine leans heavily on whatever happens to be fresh that day, so recipes must be flexible enough for home cooks and their local supermarkets. In addition, the fusion dishes of California regularly rely on a variety of cooking methods, so techniques must be simplified for home cooks and their kitchens.

"The PlumpJack Cookbook: Great Meals for Good Living" (Rodale Books, $35) does an admirable job of overcoming those obstacles, balancing quality with accessibility and aptitude with simplicity.

Restaurant review: Elevation Burger
442 S. Washington St.
Falls Church, Va.
(703) 237-4343

West Coast natives should be familiar with In-N-Out Burger, the fast food equivalent of crack. Burgers are cheap and fabulous, fries out of this world. Potentially the best fast food ever, with a cult-like following.

Washington now has its equivalent, Elevation Burger.

Restaurant review: Casey's Coffee
2000 L Street NW Washington, D.C.
(202) 530-8897

This coffee shop serves up a pretty good lunch on the go, and their coffee isn't too shabby either.

Restaurant review: Old Hickory Grille
7263 Arlington Blvd.
Falls Church, Va.
703-207-8650

This is the kind of restaurant I wish wasn't so far away; it would make the perfect neighborhood hangout. The staff is very friendly, service competent, and the extensive menu has more hits than misses.

Restaurant review: Bobby Van's Steakhouse
809 15th St. NW
Washington, D.C.
(202) 589-0060
Web site

This manly bastion of wood panels and leather, steps from the White House, offers the typical Washington "power" dining experience: decent steaks, crappy service.