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The Portlandia Cookbook: Cook Like a Local by Carrie Brownstein, Jonathan Krisel, Fred Armisen
erincataldi's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: I've only watched about three episodes of the show, but I was still easily able to recognize characters and their quirky mannerisms in the book. If I had never seen the show I would definitely been a lot more lost. While there are recipes (this is a cookbook after all), there are also many anecdotal sidebars, tips, and stories that refer back to the show and characters. I was hoping that there would be more vegan or vegetarian options, but alas, I believe there was only two or three vegan recipes, not including drinks (but plenty of vegetarian options). I actually was impressed with how good some of the recipes sound. I thought this would be mainly a humorous book, with cooking thrown in as a joke, but there are some pretty damn legit recipes in here. I have bookmarked: kale and quinoa bowl with tofu and mushrooms, tomatoes and snap peas with roasted corn chile dressing, and the tortilla espanola. The pictures looked heavenly and the recipes didn't look overly complicated so I think they are definitely worth a try.
After reading this book, I definitely want to start watching the show again, this book was laugh out loud funny! Unfortunately, only fans of the show or people who live in Portland will really get all the jokes, but as long as you're one of those two you will definitely love this humorous cookbook!
I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.
After reading this book, I definitely want to start watching the show again, this book was laugh out loud funny! Unfortunately, only fans of the show or people who live in Portland will really get all the jokes, but as long as you're one of those two you will definitely love this humorous cookbook!
I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.
floribunda52's review against another edition
4.0
This is a real cookbook, but it's well-seasoned with commentary from your favorite Portlandia residents. I might even try a handful of the recipes...
mariposa_ca's review against another edition
5.0
A wonderful treasure trove for serious fans of the show, with thoughtful recipes designed to appeal to Portland food lovers and stoners alike.
Yes, you will see plenty of recipes** featuring Colin the chicken. Maybe two loveable characters will appear throughout reminding us to, "Put...an....egg...on...it"! Will we get to meet the infamous, Craig? Behind those crazy guac tacs? Doug and Claire will give you one more reason to stay on the couch, though: Nacho Cheese Popcorn.
You may be tempted to stop here, and buy a copy simply as a knickknack. But you would be wrong in so doing, friend. Very wrong. As a Portland native, myself, I can tell you that only two to three recipes do not appeal to me. The others, all look fantastic, tasty, and surprisingly easy to do--think America's Test Kitchen if a young, west-coast, flannel-wearing Christopher Kimball knew about Sleater-Kinney.
So far I've only tried Mr. Mayor's Jerk Chicken and the Nacho Cheese Popcorn (obvs!) but you bet I'll get to Puree Home Comp-Onion this fall, the Korean BBQ will be perfect for the Super Bowl...the list goes on. Excited to have a funny cookbook to add to my selection.
**recipes in the book are attributed to real Portland chefs (is the wings recipe a Pok-Pok derivative?) as well as anonymous individuals who make delicious food at home.
Yes, you will see plenty of recipes** featuring Colin the chicken. Maybe two loveable characters will appear throughout reminding us to, "Put...an....egg...on...it"! Will we get to meet the infamous, Craig? Behind those crazy guac tacs? Doug and Claire will give you one more reason to stay on the couch, though: Nacho Cheese Popcorn.
You may be tempted to stop here, and buy a copy simply as a knickknack. But you would be wrong in so doing, friend. Very wrong. As a Portland native, myself, I can tell you that only two to three recipes do not appeal to me. The others, all look fantastic, tasty, and surprisingly easy to do--think America's Test Kitchen if a young, west-coast, flannel-wearing Christopher Kimball knew about Sleater-Kinney.
So far I've only tried Mr. Mayor's Jerk Chicken and the Nacho Cheese Popcorn (obvs!) but you bet I'll get to Puree Home Comp-Onion this fall, the Korean BBQ will be perfect for the Super Bowl...the list goes on. Excited to have a funny cookbook to add to my selection.
**recipes in the book are attributed to real Portland chefs (is the wings recipe a Pok-Pok derivative?) as well as anonymous individuals who make delicious food at home.
yardsard's review against another edition
3.0
The recipes were more extravagant or time-consuming than I was expecting. I don't think I'd ever pull off ribs, paella, Korean stew, shawarma, etc at home from a book. I might try a few of the easier ones, especially the veggies and brunch options. The in-between vignettes were fun, but seemed kind of slapped together. I love the show, so I'll just stick with that.
m0rganh's review against another edition
3.0
A belated wedding gift from friends after our Portland elopement is now a fun/special addition to my cookbook collection.
heart1lly's review against another edition
5.0
I received this book as a Christmas present!
I was afraid that this book would be mostly hilarious and not very useful as far the recipes go, but everything in here is legit! Nothing so obscure that you couldn't find it at your local Giant supermarket. The funny bits are JUST like the show - and if you love the show and like to cook then you must own this. Great!
I was afraid that this book would be mostly hilarious and not very useful as far the recipes go, but everything in here is legit! Nothing so obscure that you couldn't find it at your local Giant supermarket. The funny bits are JUST like the show - and if you love the show and like to cook then you must own this. Great!
lesread's review against another edition
5.0
Check out this review and others on my website!
4.5 Stars
Recommended to 15&up
REACTION:
The book is fun and beautifully laid out in colorful, glossy pages. There are a lot of humorous breaks between recipes. The recipes themselves are pretty easy to follow with minimal “baker terms” (except the Fruit Semifreddo, but that may just be challenging to make), so I think this book will be understandable for most inexperienced cooks like myself.
CRITIQUE:
This is a bit confusing to read if you are unfamiliar with the parody TV show Portlandia. At first, I was confused because I did not understand the humor, and had not heard of the show. After looking it up and watching en episode, the cookbook made more sense, and I understood some of the less “serious” business. I feel that those who have not heard of the show may come into the cookbook with slightly higher expectations from the recipes, but I was still able to enjoy The Portlandia Cookbook.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I find this to be more of an entertaining, nice-pictures cookbook than a true investment in cooking. There are some good recipes, and it makes for a fun cookbook, but it is not a must-have. However, do not get me wrong, I really enjoyed reading through The Portlandia Cookbook. And I do recommend it!
DISCLAIMER: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books (a.k.a. Random House) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
4.5 Stars
Recommended to 15&up
REACTION:
The book is fun and beautifully laid out in colorful, glossy pages. There are a lot of humorous breaks between recipes. The recipes themselves are pretty easy to follow with minimal “baker terms” (except the Fruit Semifreddo, but that may just be challenging to make), so I think this book will be understandable for most inexperienced cooks like myself.
CRITIQUE:
This is a bit confusing to read if you are unfamiliar with the parody TV show Portlandia. At first, I was confused because I did not understand the humor, and had not heard of the show. After looking it up and watching en episode, the cookbook made more sense, and I understood some of the less “serious” business. I feel that those who have not heard of the show may come into the cookbook with slightly higher expectations from the recipes, but I was still able to enjoy The Portlandia Cookbook.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I find this to be more of an entertaining, nice-pictures cookbook than a true investment in cooking. There are some good recipes, and it makes for a fun cookbook, but it is not a must-have. However, do not get me wrong, I really enjoyed reading through The Portlandia Cookbook. And I do recommend it!
DISCLAIMER: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books (a.k.a. Random House) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.