Breezy but thoughtful, a timely, practical resource for newbie cooks.
This compact cookbook offers young adults affordable options for feeding themselves on their journeys to independence.
The first of four sections aims to build culinary confidence in the novice cook, interspersing recipes (for example, avocado toast, grilled cheese sandwiches, pasta, and chocolate chip cookies) with food-preparation principles, safety, and techniques (such as tips on knife handling). Recipes in “Dorm Room Dining,” most requiring only a microwave oven and access to a refrigerator, range from variations on ramen noodles to gourmet popcorn crowd pleasers for feeding hungry friends. For those living with roommates, the third section offers heartier, more complex, but still budget-conscious choices (e.g., bean chili and options for using a rotisserie chicken) and includes practical tips on shared-kitchen etiquette. The final section, “First Solo Kitchen,” presents more sophisticated dishes, including bruschetta, risotto, braised pork, and lemon pound cake. As the recipes progress in complexity, photo-illustrated culinary techniques are introduced—e.g., caramelizing onions, deep frying, and braising. The lively, colorful layout packed with useful tips is a plus, as are the plentiful hacks, simple variations that accompany most recipes. Recipes geared to impecunious students honor today’s dorm life and shared-housing realities. Each section includes annotated lists of ingredients and kitchen tools required. Reliance on processed foods is limited. There are vegetarian options but fewer for vegans.
Breezy but thoughtful, a timely, practical resource for newbie cooks. (index, blank pages for notes, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5415-7854-8
Page Count: 168
Publisher: Zest Books
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
Small but mighty necessary reading.
A miniature manifesto for radical queer acceptance that weaves together the personal and political.
Eli, a cis gay white Jewish man, uses his own identities and experiences to frame and acknowledge his perspective. In the prologue, Eli compares the global Jewish community to the global queer community, noting, “We don’t always get it right, but the importance of showing up for other Jews has been carved into the DNA of what it means to be Jewish. It is my dream that queer people develop the same ideology—what I like to call a Global Queer Conscience.” He details his own isolating experiences as a queer adolescent in an Orthodox Jewish community and reflects on how he and so many others would have benefitted from a robust and supportive queer community. The rest of the book outlines 10 principles based on the belief that an expectation of mutual care and concern across various other dimensions of identity can be integrated into queer community values. Eli’s prose is clear, straightforward, and powerful. While he makes some choices that may be divisive—for example, using the initialism LGBTQIAA+ which includes “ally”—he always makes clear those are his personal choices and that the language is ever evolving.
Small but mighty necessary reading. (resources) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09368-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Brief yet inspirational, this story will galvanize youth to use their voices for change.
Testa’s connection to and respect for nature compelled her to begin championing animal causes at the age of 10, and this desire to have an impact later propelled her to dedicate her life to fighting plastic pollution. Starting with the history of plastic and how it’s produced, Testa acknowledges the benefits of plastics for humanity but also the many ways it harms our planet. Instead of relying on recycling—which is both insufficient and ineffective—she urges readers to follow two additional R’s: “refuse” and “raise awareness.” Readers are encouraged to do their part, starting with small things like refusing to use plastic straws and water bottles and eventually working up to using their voices to influence business and policy change. In the process, she highlights other youth advocates working toward the same cause. Short chapters include personal examples, such as observations of plastic pollution in Mauritius, her maternal grandparents’ birthplace. Testa makes her case not only against plastic pollution, but also for the work she’s done, resulting in something of a college-admissions–essay tone. Nevertheless, the first-person accounts paired with science will have an impact on readers. Unfortunately, no sources are cited and the lack of backmatter is a missed opportunity.
Brief yet inspirational, this story will galvanize youth to use their voices for change. (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-22333-8
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
