Bite Me

Cookbooks tend to have one particular format that goes something like ingredients, instructions and photos. I can buy a cookbook on the recipe titles alone, but sometimes the same old thing gets a little, well, boring. That is not the case with Bite Me: A Stomach-Satisfying, Visually Gratifying, Fresh-Mouthed Cookbook. How many cookbooks can you think of that include a photo of a cookie crushed over the head of a luchador action figure as an illustration for a recipe? Not many others, to be sure.

This cookbook lives up to its subtitle as a fun, yet satisfying, book to read and tool to use in the kitchen. Visually, it is very appealing, with lighthearted and dramatic images of gogo dancers, action figures playing with food and Elvis impersonators. There are plenty of great photos of the food, too. The book covers a wide range of recipes, from appetizers, soups and salads, to sides mains and desserts, and offers colorful commentary in addition to the colorful photos. For instance, you might find a quick conversation between the two sister-authors introducing a recipe, or a few reminiscences about childhood favorite foods. There is so much going on in the book, that it is actually very difficult to boil it down to just a few words!

Getting past the visuals, the recipes are very good. They’re in a large font (as some readers always like to see in books!), with well laid-out ingredient lists and clear, numbered directions. They’re easy to follow along with, but the recipes don’t take shortcuts. You’ll be making Caramelize Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza with fresh cheeses, fresh veggies and fresh herbs, and Gooey Monkey Bread with Caramelize Glaze with a from-scratch dough. There is a lot of variety, both new and familiar flavors, and it’s easy to have fun cooking along with this book. And it is always nice to be able to have fun in the kitchen.