Cookbook Reviews - Some Like It Hot

Some Like It Hot
Publisher: Plume
© 1998 by Robin Robertson
ISBN: 0452278694

From the Author

Robin Robertson:

I’ve been working with food since 1980, when I worked my way up from line cook to chef in the restaurant business. Because I love animals, there was always a vegan inside me waiting to get out, so in 1988, I decided to follow my heart: I left the restaurant business and became a vegan. I wanted to apply my cooking experience to promote vegetarian cooking, and so I began teaching cooking classes in how to adapt classic cooking techniques to vegetarian ingredients. I also began to write articles and cookbooks at that time. I am now the author of ten vegan/vegetarian cookbooks—with more on the way. I’ve been married to my husband, Jon, for 32 years and we have a wonderful 16-year-old cat named Douglas Fur. (More...)

Reviewer: S.B. from Washington, DC., U.S.A.:

While I haven't made a lot of the recipes in this book yet, I consider it a nice overview of spicy foods of
various countries. For instance, there's a chapter on the United States that includes Spicy Okra Gumbo and
Texas Barbecue Sauce.

I tend to skip to the Asian chapters and return time and time again to "Ginger Broccoli," which we call
"spicy broccoli" around here and eat with brown rice. I've also made the Thai spring rolls, which were good
even though I'm not adept at frying. Japanese Soba Noodles are yummy. The Middle East's recipe "Rice
with Lentils and Onions" didn't quite work for me, as the rice came out a little mushy, but the crispy
onions you put on the top made up for it - I like the mixture of textures on that one.

There's even an African section with things like Egyptian fava beans and Senegalese Soup. The
Caribbean section has Jerk Tempeh, and the Italian section has all sorts of roasted pepper dishes.

Obviously this book isn't for people who can't handle or just don't like spicy foods, though I should note
that not every recipe is fiery. There's an index on each one to let you know the heat factor. "Arugula
Potato Salad" has one flame, while "Stir Fried Ginger Seitan and Bok Choy" has three. The recipes on the
low end of the scale actually don't taste spicy to me at all and often just have a tablespoon of paprika in
them but no peppers.

I would have liked to see more recipes with dried peppers in them (ancho, chipotle, etc.) because I love
their flavor, but I confess it is a lot easier to shake in some cayenne or dried red pepper flakes. In
fact, most of the recipes are fairly easy and short. I see no reason why a beginner wouldn't use and love
this book.