Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Cooking for Jeffrey: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Top positive review

Not exactly what I was expecting regarding Jeffrey, but so far the recipes have been worth it.

Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2016

I've had such consistently good results making Ina Garten's recipes that I would have felt remiss had I not added this newest cookbook to my collection. While I mostly like it, I have to say that I am a little disappointed in a couple of ways.

But first, the good part - the verdict on the recipes I've tried so far:
--- Lentils & Kielbasa Salad - I loved this, but, although he liked it, my husband didn't think it was particularly noteworthy. I liked the idea of cooking the lentils with a whole turnip and clove-studded onion thrown in and thought that it would deliver a flavor punch that I hadn't tried before, but for my money (and time), I think Alice Waters's Lentil Salad from The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution packs just as much flavor with less than half the work. These lentils, with those flavors, along with the heavily mustarded vinaigrette, worked really nicely with the kielbasa and were delicious. I will likely make this again, but Alice's remain at the top of my lentil recipe list.
--- Maple-Roasted Carrot Salad - We LOVED this salad. So perfect for fall. Although Ina suggests it for lunch or a side, we found that it made a satisfying light supper with a glass of crisp, white wine. My son, who also had it, loved how flavorful it was and even asked me if he could have the recipe! Although the recipe instructs that everything be tossed together, I would have preferred leaving the goat cheese and almonds to be scattered over the top of the tossed vegetables.
--- Spaghetti Squash with Garlic and Parmesan - This is the recipe to try if you're not sure how to make spaghetti squash. It is similar to Sara Foster's delicious recipe from Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes from Foster's Market, which is made with balsamic vinegar and without garlic. The addition of garlic is a good one. Freshly-grating the Parm is a must. This is yummy.
--- French 75 - a standard recipe for this cocktail, but messing with it would make it something other than a French 75, wouldn't it? I'm so glad she included this, though. It's a lovely cocktail that's not seen often enough.

What disappointed me about the book was that I didn't feel as though the theme - cooking for Jeffrey - was realized in the way I was expecting. Although some of the recipe descriptions say "Jeffrey likes this" or "Jeffrey and I had this when...", Jeffrey's favorite recipes appear at the back of the book as a list of dishes, the recipes for which are in Ina's other cookbooks!
What?
I thought that's what this cookbook was supposed to be!

In addition, there are a lot of recipes that seem to be little more than variations on recipes from earlier books.
As usual, desserts take up the lion's share of pages, but as much as I like to complain about that, desserts from Ina's earlier books (coconut cupcakes, those brownies!) have easily been among the best I've ever made.

Bottom line:
There are good recipes here. The first few I tried assured that I will be delving further into these recipes.
I'm not sorry I bought this book, but I do have to say that it was not exactly what I was expecting.

379 people found this helpful

Top critical review

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Ms. V

Jeffrey ate these recipes early on? No way.

Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2020

Really disappointed with this one. From all of these recipes, I bookmarked only about 7. * though did not include any desserts *
I appreciate Ina's work very much. However, I really don't think that Ina was serving Jeffrey Kale Salads or naked cauliflower recipes back in the day.
To me, this is more of eating healthy cookbook.
Which is fine, but I already know and have cookbooks on that subject. Tons frankly.
I was expecting recipes that they used throughout their many decades of marriage.
That is definitely not what this cookbook is about.
Perhaps the advertising of what this cookbook is really about, needs to be revisited.

5 people found this helpful

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From the United States

Not exactly what I was expecting regarding Jeffrey, but so far the recipes have been worth it.

Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2016

I've had such consistently good results making Ina Garten's recipes that I would have felt remiss had I not added this newest cookbook to my collection. While I mostly like it, I have to say that I am a little disappointed in a couple of ways.

But first, the good part - the verdict on the recipes I've tried so far:
--- Lentils & Kielbasa Salad - I loved this, but, although he liked it, my husband didn't think it was particularly noteworthy. I liked the idea of cooking the lentils with a whole turnip and clove-studded onion thrown in and thought that it would deliver a flavor punch that I hadn't tried before, but for my money (and time), I think Alice Waters's Lentil Salad from The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution packs just as much flavor with less than half the work. These lentils, with those flavors, along with the heavily mustarded vinaigrette, worked really nicely with the kielbasa and were delicious. I will likely make this again, but Alice's remain at the top of my lentil recipe list.
--- Maple-Roasted Carrot Salad - We LOVED this salad. So perfect for fall. Although Ina suggests it for lunch or a side, we found that it made a satisfying light supper with a glass of crisp, white wine. My son, who also had it, loved how flavorful it was and even asked me if he could have the recipe! Although the recipe instructs that everything be tossed together, I would have preferred leaving the goat cheese and almonds to be scattered over the top of the tossed vegetables.
--- Spaghetti Squash with Garlic and Parmesan - This is the recipe to try if you're not sure how to make spaghetti squash. It is similar to Sara Foster's delicious recipe from Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes from Foster's Market , which is made with balsamic vinegar and without garlic. The addition of garlic is a good one. Freshly-grating the Parm is a must. This is yummy.
--- French 75 - a standard recipe for this cocktail, but messing with it would make it something other than a French 75, wouldn't it? I'm so glad she included this, though. It's a lovely cocktail that's not seen often enough.

What disappointed me about the book was that I didn't feel as though the theme - cooking for Jeffrey - was realized in the way I was expecting. Although some of the recipe descriptions say "Jeffrey likes this" or "Jeffrey and I had this when...", Jeffrey's favorite recipes appear at the back of the book as a list of dishes, the recipes for which are in Ina's other cookbooks!
What?
I thought that's what this cookbook was supposed to be!

In addition, there are a lot of recipes that seem to be little more than variations on recipes from earlier books.
As usual, desserts take up the lion's share of pages, but as much as I like to complain about that, desserts from Ina's earlier books (coconut cupcakes, those brownies!) have easily been among the best I've ever made.

Bottom line:
There are good recipes here. The first few I tried assured that I will be delving further into these recipes.
I'm not sorry I bought this book, but I do have to say that it was not exactly what I was expecting.

379 people found this helpful

Helpful

In the top 3 Ina books. This, Foolproof, and Parties.

Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2016

Verified Purchase

Terrific book! If you’re an Ina fan you wont be disappointed. This is in my top three Ina cookbooks. I can’t pick a favorite between this, Foolproof, and Parties.

If you haven't tried one of her books yet, you're in for a treat. One of the things that really makes her stand out is that there are never any scaling or other kinds of errors in her books. You can make a recipe for the first time when entertaining, because her recipes turn out perfectly every time.

Because it’s Cooking for Jeffrey, I was surprised that there were only two chicken dishes in it.

Pictured below:
1) Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken p.90 and Roasted Broccolini p.162. Absolutely wonderful, and tremendously easy. 45 minutes, but only about 5 involve the cook.
2) Raspberry Rhubarb Crostata p.205. Yummy, pretty, and a piece of cake to put together.
3) Paella Salad. Delicious Paella. It has kielbasa and curry powder in it, which are on the unusual side. I love the inclusion of olives in it. I used a paella pan as my serving dish, but this recipe is prepared in a Dutch oven. --I ordered the book after I saw this recipe on her show with the same name, but it's not in the book, so Google it and paste it inside the cover!
4) Roast Chicken with Radishes - p93. Perfection! Flavorful, moist, and a lovely crispy skin.
5) Maple Roasted Carrot Salad - p46. Fabulous fall salad! Delicious, colorful, and unusual. Love this one.
6) Filet Mignon with Mustard and Mushrooms - p104. Love! This is so wonderful and decadent that I should have made it for Christmas or some other really special occasion instead of a random Tuesday. Easy, but I wouldn't want to scale it up for 12 or anything. I just made roasted asparagus to go with it.

93 people found this helpful

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Tasty stuff.

Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2017

Verified Purchase

I don’t normally review cookbooks, but I’ve actually cooked a lot of dinners and snacks from this one, so I figure why not share my thoughts?

This is yet another book of recipes from the uber-popular Ina Garten. All of the recipes in here relate to Garten’s husband, Jeffrey, in some way or another. Mildly entertaining stories about their courtship and marriage are sprinkled throughout the book. But the recipes, of course, are the most important part.

The book is divided into six sections: 1) Cocktails, 2) Soups, Salads, & Lunch, 3) Dinner, 4) Vegetables & Sides, 5) Bread & Cheese, and 6) Dessert. There is also a list of “Jeffery’s Favorite Dishes” in the back, followed by a section on Garten’s basic pantry items (i.e., a few pages of fancy Williams-Sonoma-type pictures that make you think you desperately need a food mill, a juicer, a knife sharpener, and every single ALL CLAD pan in existence, even though, psst, you absolutely don’t.)

I’m not gonna lie: the recipes in here are delicious. I still haven’t found one that is even a hint of gross. Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel…da bomb. Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken…delish. Herbed Goat Cheese…get out of here with that goodness.

The problem is, the reason all these foods taste so good is because they are LOADED with cream and butter and oil and cheese. It should be illegal to cook like this. And somehow I always end up feeling guilty when I eat her food–like there are going to be consequences for all that tasty. (Oh wait, there are. It’s called heart disease.) Sometimes the food is so rich I feel like I can’t even finish it. After a few bites my body’s like, “Hm, I don’t know about this next one. I just don’t knoooow.” But then I cram it down my throat anyway. At which point it becomes an intestinal issue. Another good title for this book would be Totally Worth-it Diarrhea. Or maybe How to Gain Five Pounds of Stomach Fat in Three Days.

Anyway, there are a lot of good recipes in here. The woman knows how to cook, straight up. But just prepare yourself for significant stomach discomfort and third-trimester-level bloating. I spent about a month cooking from this book and then decided the pleasure just wasn’t worth the pain. I still think about that goat cheese, though…

45 people found this helpful

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Ms. V

Jeffrey ate these recipes early on? No way.

Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2020

Verified Purchase

5 people found this helpful

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Fred P.

Any cookbook by Ina is absolutely aces for one simple ...

Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2017

Verified Purchase

Any cookbook by Ina is absolutely aces for one simple reason:
If you absolutely follow her directions, you will a successful dish for yourself or your guests - no slip ups! Her offerings are detailed and delicious.
You may proceed with confidence!

25 people found this helpful

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Frances

Ina Garten has written another wonderful cookbook. But this time

Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2016

Verified Purchase

As with all her other cookbooks (which I own!), Ina Garten has written another wonderful cookbook. But this time, it's even better, since we all get a more personal view - pictures and all - of Ina, as she cooks for her the love of her life, Jeffrey.

17 people found this helpful

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mary catherine spiller

Not what I was looking for

Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2018

Verified Purchase

I love watching Ina Garten and her recipes. I was very excited to get Cooking for Jeffery, but it was not what I was expecting. The recipes just did not seem to fit the title. I guess I was looking for a lot of her recipes from her shows and that was not the case. I still think she is awesome & I love how she tells you exactly how much to use & tips along the way!

One person found this helpful

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Aegis

I was a little disappointed to find that these are all heavy fall recipes

Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2017

Verified Purchase

I was a little disappointed to find that these are all heavy fall recipes. I haven't used book yet since I got it in the spring and it'll be way too hot for months to make this stuff.

8 people found this helpful

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Barb

Ina Garten is a wonderful baker & cook/chef

Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2018

Verified Purchase

I have tried some of the recipes in this book. I actually own every one of Ina Garten's books. She is an amazing baker & chef, whenever we have company I go thru all of my cookbooks looking for just the perfect meal to make for our guests. I love to cook, just wish I had more time & energy.

5 people found this helpful

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ThatsWhatJenniSaid

Solid recipes, scale back on the salt

Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2016

Verified Purchase

This month, the cookbook discussion and dinner party group that I lead met to enjoy and discuss selections we cooked from Ina Garten's 2016 cookbook, Cooking for Jeffrey: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (Clarkson Potter publishers).

(Menu)

Butternut Squash Hummus
Herbed Fromage Blanc

Lentil and Kielbasa Salad
Asparagus and Fennel Soup

Brisket with Leeks and Onions
Roasted Italian Meatballs
Roasted Ratatouille
Creamy Parmesan Polenta
Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Bourbon Honey Cake

I've flipped through many a Barefoot Contessa cookbook in my bookstore adventuring, but I'd never found a volume to be so compelling as to demand a purchase. I decided to go out on a limb and picked up Ina's newest release to give it a fair review, thinking with this many successful cookbooks under her belt there must be something to her recipes right? No publisher is going to keep giving you book contract after contract if your recipes fall flat.

I'm very glad I took the gamble; Cooking for Jeffrey: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook provides page after page of tasty things to make in the kitchen and lovely pictures to accompany. As one of the dinner party guests mentioned, her recipes are well structured and very detailed, making them easy to follow for inexperienced cooks. She relies on ingredients that are relatively easy to source in American markets. And she has drawn from a great mix of ethnic influences for her recipes.

With regard to the recipes our group cooked and sampled, my favorite was the Asparagus and Fennel Soup, as well as the Ratatouille served over the Polenta, and the Lentil and Kielbasa Salad (which I never thought I'd enjoy and which has this unique but surprisingly delicious pairing as it is served over herbed goat cheese spread on crackers). Perhaps the only criticism I can muster for Ina's latest cookbook is that most of the recipes were seemingly oversalted, especially the hummus and the meatballs. Luckily our member chefs spotted the excess of salt and scaled it back during dinner prep, but if they had followed Ina's recipes as written it would not have been a happy ending. So go forth and Garten it up, but pull back on the salt.

56 people found this helpful

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