Bride & Groom: First and Forever Cookbook

I adore this cookbook - so much that I had to write a review. I've had it for about a year and every recipe has been fantastic. I collect cookbooks for reading and cooking. This is one of those rare cookbooks that is beautiful AND useful. I love that there is a picture of most of the recipes. I recently made several of these recipes for my extended family on vacation. I already knew the recipes were great, but they raved about every one - a true crowd pleaser. Even my mother, who thought some recipes "sounded weird" was pleasantly surprised (it was "Couscous with Melted Leeks"). There are plenty of simple, delicious standards, along with some more "exotic" offerings. They are all wonderful.

I am what is known as a "cookbook junkie". I buy them to try the recipes, but mostly just to read. Let me tell you, I have tried almost every recipe in this book. They are easy to follow with good pictures and good suggestions for making it a meal. I turn to it on a harried evening when I don't feel like cooking and whenever I am going to have a dinner party. I am searching for more books by these ladies. Awesome.

As a wedding present to myself this summer, I bought The Bride and Groom First and Forever Cookbook, and it is now my favorite cookbook! Having cooked and baked a lot growing up, I had a collection of recipes I liked, and I loved being in the kitchen. But, this cookbook has made cooking new and even more exciting for me! The recipes are not difficult- in fact, I'm trying recipes for things I was afraid to fix in the past (like fish). These recipes are easy to follow and understand. The authors give you helpful tips that you'd wish you'd known much earlier on (like adding grated onion to mashed potatoes!) And having never cooked a Thanksgiving turkey before, this year I followed their recipe and the turkey truly was the moistest, best turkey my family had ever eaten! As newlyweds, meals shared are so much fun, and this cookbook has brought more joy to our table than I could have imagined. Every recipe I've tried so far has turned out delicious! Buy it for your engaged friends, for married couples on anniversaries, or even better-- buy it for yourself!

I received this book as a wedding present and so far have made many of the dishes and been pleased with all. i acutally read it while riding in the car on the way to one of our honeymoon destinations and picked up so really great tips instantly (in the panty/set up intro section). did you know that all you need to do to have your own high quality vanilla extract is buy bulk beans and put them in vodka? and that the beans will last indefinately? little gems like this are worth having the book for in and of themselves.i made the pork tenderloin with mango salsa and blueberry syrup for dinner guests and them loved it. it was SO pretty! i'm a practiced entertainment cook, but presentation has always been a weaker spot for me. however, this recipe just insists on being pretty! complimented perfectly by the twins decadent coconut rice recipe and some roasted aspargus (what veggie doused in salt and oil and roasted isn't wonderful?). yesterday's menu was the texas chili and the ultrarich and nutty peanut butter pie.all of these winners. i also made 2 of the drinks from the beverage section (fresh strawberry daquiris and mojitos) and the shrimp with cherry tomatos and pesto. even though they suggest homemade everything, they also tell you when store bought subs can be used, and this is much of the time. i used store bought pesto that was in the fridge and the shrimp pasta was still great-- and quick! while many of the meals are special occasion fare (and presented as such to be fair), some of the things are easy enough to be weekday dinners, and much can be prepared ahead and frozen/reheated.i look forward to trying their quick throw together menus and their cooking side by side sections. i've only been married 2 months and really have gotten lots of use out of this book. it's been reliable enough to make something once and serve it to people. the instructions are clear and precise, most cooks could use this book if they have patience and desire.

A useful cooking manual and a feel-good read!I ran across this cookbook one rainy Saturday, and newlywed nostalgia and the beautiful format drew me in. After buying the book and reading it in two sittings, I've begun to cook my way through it. The recipes are considered and fresh, not complex or pretentious. I like the emphasis on seasonal ingredients, especially since this book provides a table of when various fruits and veggies can be expected to be at their peak. Rather than overwhelming you with recipes, the book offers a small, balanced selection to take you from appetizers to dessert. The culinary authors were caterers and their recipes seem likely to appeal to a wide range of palates. The overall message is that cooking isn't mysterious: with a little preparation it can be done well. For example, you're encouraged to caramelize a large batch of onions and then keep them on hand in the fridge--an easy but pleasingly sophisticated addition to weeknight dishes.Another thing I found to like about this book came unexpectedly. Less tangible than all the cooking help but equally gratifying is the revelation of the amazing bond between the book's twin sister authors, who have apparently been cooking together since they were kids. Their views on how food helps shape and define our relationships (fortunately, nothing preachy or pseudo-psychoanalytic) are a simple acknowldegement that food can be a chance to do something nice for other people. The book's modernity is really refreshing. There are sections on cooking with your mate and how to stock a pantry so that you can still eat in when you don't really feel like cooking. There's an overall sense of realism; the bride isn't cast as a Good Housekeeping-style kitchen slave, but the book is subtly geared toward the one partner with a greater interest in cooking, with hints about involving and empowering the less interested partner so that he or she can help with preparations or stocking the fridge and pantry.Other sections have been useful in surprising ways. Ironically, the tutorial on necessary kitchenware for the new kitchen gave me some insight on simplifying my existing, overstocked one.Most of the recipes can be described as new American classics and all have been good so far. I look forward to trying more recipes and am frighteningly addicted to the slightly decadent, easy-to-make herbed popcorn. I would recommend this book as a great gift for couples or singles, or for anyone willing to make a moderate time commitment for simple, stylish food.