Antoni: Let's Do Dinner

by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Antoni: Let's Do Dinner is a recipe guide and cookbook dedicated to pared down weekday meals by Antoni Porowski. Due out 14th Sept. 2021 from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, it's 272 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

I confess to being a (not obsessive) fan of Queer Eye and have enjoyed the clips I've seen; I don't watch much TV at all, but I did have a vague idea of who the author was before reviewing the book. This is in style with the down-to-earth casual but stylish vibe. The advice is sensible and emphasizes planning a little ahead and having a well stocked fridge and freezer. There is an included suggested pantry list with staples for cabinets, fridge, freezer, and countertops. The ingredients are widely available and reasonable and most of them will already be available in the moderately well stocked kitchen.

The recipes are grouped roughly thematically and include a generous number of plant based options for meatless meals. (Reviewer aside: the falafel salad with yogurt-tahini dressing is outstanding and very easy to make). Recipes have their ingredients listed in a sidebar, bullet point style. Ingredient measures are given in American standard units only, followed by step by step instructions. Alternative ingredients and presentations are abundant and interesting. Nutritional info is not included.

The photography is spectacular; clear and abundant. In the advanced publication version provided for review, all the recipes are accompanied by color photos - many of them have more than one. Serving suggestions are appetizing and appropriate and I loved the casual food styling throughout. The dishes looked realistic and very tasty.

I always read intros, author's notes, and acknowledgements and I have to say that I smiled reading the gently humorous, humble, and sweetly written thank-yous at the beginning of the book from Antoni and Mindy. I haven't figured it into my overall rating of the book, but it was very nice to read.

Five stars. This would be a perfect choice for casual family dining, or for newly fledged young adults living on their own. The ingredients are reasonable and the dishes are healthy and nutritious and don't take a ridiculous amount of time to prepare.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.