{"id":13241,"date":"2016-07-06T07:00:23","date_gmt":"2016-07-06T14:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailywaffle.com\/stage1\/?p=13241"},"modified":"2018-07-28T15:17:09","modified_gmt":"2018-07-28T22:17:09","slug":"book-review-pure-food-by-kurt-beecher-dammeier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailywaffle.com\/stage1\/book-review-pure-food-by-kurt-beecher-dammeier\/","title":{"rendered":"PURE FOOD by Kurt Beecher Dammeier |Book Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pure Food: A Chef\u2019s Handbook for Eating Clean, with Healthy, Delicious Recipes by Kurt Beecher Dammeier<\/a><\/p>\n

\uf005<\/span> \uf005<\/span> \uf005<\/span> \uf123<\/span> — 3 and 1\/2 stars<\/p>\n

**ARC provided by the publisher for review**<\/p>\n

Effort\u00a0to get Americans cooking and eating clean\u00a0gets a bump this week with the release of Kurt Beecher Dammeier\u2019s latest cookbook, Pure Food.<\/em><\/p>\n

The campaign to\u00a0get Americans to eat less processed food doesn\u2019t start and end with one man. Aiming to educate and inspire, chef and restaurateur Kurt Beecher Dammeier\u2019s latest cookbook, Pure Food, is moving the ball forward with a building block approach focused on flavor.<\/p>\n

\"Pure<\/p>\n

If the name Beecher is familiar, the cheese shop\u2019s Mac and Cheese was one of Oprah\u2019s Favorite Things in 2010 and there are Beecher’s Handmade Cheese<\/a> locations in both Seattle’s Pike Place Market and NYC’s Flatiron District. As you might suspect,\u00a0Beecher\u2019s Cheese figures into several recipes. (Alternatives are recommended if Beecher\u2019s isn\u2019t available in your area.)<\/p>\n

Part handbook, part cookbook, the recipes are sectioned by a primary protein \u2013 beef, turkey, lamb, etc. — that can then be used in multiple\u00a0recipes, maximizing the time invested. Condiments, vegetables, grains and a brief dessert chapter round out the book.<\/p>\n

Inspired by his personal experience eliminating processed foods and additives from his diet, Dammeier\u2019s definition of \u201cPure Food\u201d is almost literal. The book includes recipes like chicken stock, roasted vegetables\u00a0and even sriracha.\u00a0For some cooks, that\u2019s going to be far too basic and for others too much work, but it’s addressing the needs of the broadest possible audience.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, it\u2019s up to you how literal you want, or can be, in adhering to the \u201cpure food\u201d mantra. \u00a0I’m in favor of eating clean, but I’ve got Heinz ketchup and barbecue sauce and boxed chicken broth\u00a0in my cupboard. If this book at\u00a0least reminds you to read\u00a0labels and think about what\u2019s in what you\u2019re eating, that\u2019s a step forward. And, we\u2019ll be coming into chile season in a month, so why not<\/em>\u00a0try making your own sriracha? I haven\u2019t done it\u00a0either, but I\u2019ll give it a go this summer.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get to the cooking.<\/p>\n

\"pure
Maximum\/Minimus Grilled Chicken Thighs from Pure Food – you’ll want to grill these all summer.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The big winner\u00a0in my cooking from the book so far is the Maximus\/Minimus chicken thighs. You\u2019ll be grilling them all summer. They\u2019re a great example of how pure food doesn\u2019t have to be time consuming or complicated.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a fast marinade, so it\u2019s a perfect weeknight dinner, or if you\u2019ve got guests showing up last minute for a barbecue. On the Maximus\/Minimus truck, I think it\u2019s usually served with a chipotle mayo, but since I\u2019ve got non-mayo eaters around here, we threw a couple of nectarines on the grill and served the chicken sandwiches with a nectarine salsa with\u00a0a little red onion, brown sugar and some minced\u00a0jalape\u00f1o.\u00a0Seriously delicious.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"pure
Farro Cakes with Bacon and Parsley make a great salad *and* a great breakfast.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Farro cakes with bacon and parsley also caught my eye.\u00a0They\u2019re delicious salad-style with some arugula and cherry tomatoes and make a great\u00a0breakfast a couple of days later with a sunny side up egg over the top.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re building flavor from the ground up with bacon, Beecher\u2019s Flagship cheese, the Butcher\u2019s Table Seasoning and pickled red onion (both of which are in the condiments chapter). \u00a0Just be sure to check the cooking time on your particular brand of farro. The book calls for\u00a025-30 minutes, but the one I used recommended nearly double that. Your mileage may vary.<\/p>\n

On the seasoning, take advantage of your market\u2019s bulk spice section to keep it from breaking the bank. Even lapsang souchong tea was available in bulk at my local PCC Natural Market.<\/p>\n

Pure Food is available now<\/a>. Kurt Beecher Dammeier will be doing a book signing at Costco in Issaquah, WA<\/a> on July 16 and will be doing a class and book signing at Hot Stove Society<\/a> in Seattle on July 19.<\/p>\n