I Just Bought Molly Baz's Cook Book & You Should Too
I just received my copy of Cook This Book in the mail and I’m so excited. “Cook This Book: Techniques That Teach and Recipes to Repeat” is the recently released cookbook from lovable internet chef Molly Baz (formerly of Bon Appétit video fame). On my first flip through, I can already tell you that this book is so authentically Molly. The book is full of her characteristic abbreves and quirkily named recipes. The hednotes (or headnotes as I learned) exude her charming relatability and we even get a cameos from her beloved weiner dog Tuna (aka the Toon).
Molly begins the book with a few explanations about personal taste and how to achieve bold flavor. She includes checklists for kitchen tools (the graphics are so stinkin’ cute) and must-have pantry supplies. In short, she’s setting up the novice home cook for success. She posits that a clean kitchen, proper mise en place and a clear grasp of the recipe before you start cooking, is, well, a recipe for success.
Beyond her delightful explanations and recipes, the creative design of the book is one-of-a-kind. Her husband Ben Willet and designers Violaine et Jérémy have created something entirely unique in the cookbook market. The bold, primary colors and elementary fonts are playful and distinctive.
Most importantly, and the reason we all buy cookbooks, is that the recipes are SO GOOD. I mean, seriously, SO GOOD. I flipped through the entire book in one sitting, audibly sighing and making mental notes about which recipe I want to try first. A few stick out like the Pastrami Roast Chicken with Schmaltzy Onions & Dill and literally all of the pastas in the “Noods” section. I can’t wait to Cook This Book!
Each recipe has what you expect from any cookbook—an ingredients list, measurements, timing and process. What sets this book apart is a clever trope in the form of a friendly graphic egg. Anytime you see one of these, simply open the camera on your smartphone and center the QR code on your screen. A link will pop up and take you to helpful video tutorials led by Molly herself where she will guide you through some of the more nuanced techniques required in each recipe. How neat!
Molly Baz is a cook, recipe developer, video host, cookbook author, weenie lover and self-proclaimed caesar salad enthusiast with a lifelong love of cooking, eating and teaching other people how to cook. She believes she was placed on this earth with one mission: to convince you all that cooking is nothing but FUN, salt is the single most important ingredient in your kitchen, and delicious food is really not that hard to make.
All images via Amazon and MollyBaz.com
