Cooking Com Bigode is a cookbook which contains recipes from the Bigode restaurant off the Salvadoran coast. Specifically, it is in Bahia, a state in Brazil. As one might imagine, the recipes are a little more exotic than the typical American fare.
The concept is one of duality. First, it is meant to be a comfort for those who do not cook often or perhaps well. Looking at each recipe, one can be inspired to take chances. Of course, one person's dash is another's tonnage.
Second, this book is meant to teach revolutionary soldiers how to cook when they are out in the field. The latter half of the concept is interesting - isn't the idea for survival to get by on what is close at hand? This, no doubt, helps explain the subtitle: Vegetarian Improvisational Peasant Fusion Cuisine For The 22nd Century.
Whatever the case, the restaurant philosophy is a cross between a vegetarian-focused menu and slow cooking, in which one takes time to enjoy the process of preparation rather than simply fixing, then inhaling, food.
How does one enjoy the preparation phase? The authors were kind enough to begin with a list of items which one might need. Although not every item is required for each recipe, having all of them would probably help. If you are a reader who likes to cook, more than likely you have most of them in your kitchen already.
Recipes are not typically meant to be complicated, so the first set starts with a staple of the Brazilian culture, red rice. As someone who adores rice, I was pleased to see there are only two ingredients required, rice and water. Anything else to be added is at the discretion of the cook.
Within each cookbook section are notes of encouragement so people would not be tempted to throw out the book when the frustration starts.
Yes, there are some authentic recipes from Brazil listed towards the back of the book. The instructions are sketchy, so you may have to do a bit of guesswork in order to make the food.
Overall, I found some interesting reading. While I freely admit I don't cook often, I just might have to try a few recipes. Indeed, as the Cooking Con Bigode website says, "Welcome to the New Cookery!"
Article comments
1 - Mayank Austen Soofi
I have a problem with cookbooks dealing with restaurant cooking. Yes, they have wonderful photography. Yes, they are attractively packaged. But ultimately, in most of the instances, they are marketing ploys by restaurants, in spite of the pretensions of going deep into the intricacies of peasant cooking. However, the above review suggest that this book could be different. Perhaps.
2 - Lisa McKay
Mayank, I recommend that you go to the website that Nancy has linked to in her review. The entire cookbook can be downloaded as a PDF -- it's not at all what you think! No flashy photography or styled food (and I quite agree, for the most part, with your assessment of restaurant cookbooks) -- this is really more of a labor of love, with sociopolitical implications as well.
3 - ankur
lisa, thanks for your comment. rather than the book being a marketing ploy for a resturant, the restaurant was a playground for a philosophy. my only concern is the huge ad for a very different cookbook facing the title of this article; but perhaps that's just my browser... - ankur
4 - Alfonso
This is beautiful book -- and yes, author of this article should mention that you can get whole book free on internet!
Smart messages in book, author is knowing about life and funny.
Anyone can cook now with this book
5 - Mayank Austen Soofi
Thanks Lisa. I will download it.
6 - Mayank Austen Soofi
Folks, have you read Hungry Planet? Its a cookbook but of a different kind. I have it in my library but still to read it. A review must be written.
7 - Lisa McKay
Ankur, we need to link to Amazon products in our articles -- unfortunately since the book isn't available on Amazon, the author needed to make a different choice, which is why she linked to the website in her article.
8 - karen
I am vegan and hope many people will join in this