Needless to say, I was very excited to get my hands on this cookbook!
I love cookbooks of all shapes, colors, sizes, genres, and attitudes. As a collector, I’m not very picky. If it says Cookbook on the cover, I’m going to hear it out. However, I do prefer cookbooks with the following traits…
- Beautiful Pictures – I’m a really visual person and I love colorful photographs.
- Creative Recipes – Ones that you don’t see a million and one times online, on Pinterest alone!
- Recipes I’ll Make – Ingredients I’ve heard of and can readily get and recipes that don’t take the patience of Job to make.
- Easy to Make Substitutions for the gluten free diet I must adhere to.
- It’s a “little thing” to most, but I love for recipes that are Gluten Free to tell me right off the bat. Sure, a quick scan and common sense lets me know, but when the cookbook provides the information on gluten (as well providing information for vegans), I know they care. That means a lot.
The spirit of the book is light-hearted and fun and were they to make 100 cookbooks, I’d want each and every one.
Looks and personality? That’s worth a WOW.
As for the recipes, they are even more impressive. They’re easy to make, yet are beautifully creative and imaginative. They’ll add fun and spark – to say nothing of deliciousness – to your kitchen.
From the Back Cover:
The Duluth Grill is back for its second cookbook. It’s big. It’s bad. And after gaining fans from around the country, it’s better than ever.
Do you want to know why it’s taken so long to get that fish farm going? That’s in here. Wondering about that time the catering van almost got set on fire? That’s in here too. From digging up the back parking lot for a new garden to (not) getting sued by Heinz to having a Real Housewife of Miami endorse their first book, the last three years have been a whirlwind.
But the food is really the star here. You’ll find raw vegan marinara, but also a bacon ice cream sundae; gluten free options, but also homemade flaky biscuits. From the cilantro lime vinaigrette to the North Shore paella, from the beet lemonade to the bison stuffed peppers, this is Minnesotan food like you’ve never seen at a potluck. Whether you’re making the carrot cake (good), the sriracha aioli (good), or the bacon-blue cheese coleslaw (real good), you’ll be glad you picked this up.
So treat yourself. Support a family-owned business. And most of all, enjoy the read. Because when a New York Times published food writer, an award winning photographer and designer, and a nationally famous restaurant get together, you’re not going to be disappointed.
How creative and awesome are the recipes? Check out a few of my favorites listed below…
- Pork Rub
- Pickled Jalapeno
- Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- Kale & White Bean Soup
- Italian Sausage
- Carrot-Daikon Slaw
- Cuban Black Beans
- Salmon Salad
- Swedish Meatballs
- Lemon Chicken
- Vanilla, Chocolate, and Peppermint Whipped Cream
- Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Hummus with Preserved Lemon
- Marinated Kale
- Bacon-Blue Cheese Coleslaw
- Besan Chilla (Vegan Omelet)
- Gluten Free Buckwheat Caraway Bread (pumpkin, chia seeds, carraway seeds, honey….)
- Chorizo
- Cold Press Coffee
- Blueberry Lemonade, Mint Lemonade, Beet Lemonade
- Raspberry Syrup
- Cashew Sour Cream
- And many more – 100 GREAT recipes in all.
Order a copy of The Duluth Grill Cookbook II on The Duluth Grill’s website. They also have a “first cookbook” that I’m sure would be a great choice too. This one’s extra special.
