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Cookbook Review, The Homesick Texan by Lisa Fain...

I could have written this post some time ago but for some reason I kept pushing it off telling myself I would get to it tomorrow. That's not like me when it comes to blogging. Usually I'm all gung-ho about getting that next post published and keeping the momentum going, I like to blog and would even go as far as to say it was a hobby or maybe an obsessive pastime. Then it struck me, this review is the last part of my affair with The Homesick Texan. After cooking alongside the other bloggers for the past four weeks and eating many awesome meals from this book I'm on my own with no instruction from Heather who set this whole experiment up and chose me to be a part of it.

Truth is this book will always be one of my main go to sources for tasty and straight up good food. The recipes are easy to follow with spectacular photographs and you'd be surprised as to how many ingredients you probably have in your cupboard right now. Sure you might need to go and find some dried chile de arbol but it's there on the end cap that nobody ever looks at next to the dried prunes and goji berries. This book makes you experiment and explore with Tex-Mex cooking and the results are gratifying. The author, Lisa Fain makes the book very personal and this show in her description at the beginning of every recipe, It's all about the memories for her growing up in Texas and now having had to move to New York she's pining for some good Tex-Mex food. I can relate to that as I moved from Scotland to the U.S missing lots of my favorite foods which made me the man I am today, maybe I should write about a homesick Scotsman.

I have a lot of cookbooks and some have a lot of dust and that's okay but The Homesick Texan will gather more food stains than dust. It's a working cookbook and the dust may settle when I have tried all 150 recipes Lisa graciously gave us. Many thanks to Hyperion for offering up this cookbook and to Heather for letting me be a part of this great cook off.

Author- Lisa Fain
Title- The Homesick Texan
Publisher- Hyperion
First Edition
358 Pages
$29.99 List Price
ISBN 978-1401324261



This post is part of The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted at girlichef.
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18 comments:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 22, 2011 at 11:14 PM

    Have already seen reviews on other blogs.And of course recepies from it.It seems an amazing book;)

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  2. CarolynSeptember 23, 2011 at 4:05 AM

    I've seen several reviews of this book and they all come out in its favour. Sounds like a good one!

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  3. Heather S-GSeptember 23, 2011 at 5:32 AM

    This was a great review, Gerry! And I definitely think you should at least do some sort of homesick Scotsman series...that would be killer. Thanks so much for being a part of the Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight & Cook-Off :D

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  4. wendyweekendgourmetSeptember 23, 2011 at 7:45 AM

    I'm not a homesick Texan, but I AM a Texan...I think I must get a copy of this book ASAP. It sounds like it's full of the big flavors I love!! Happy Friday to you...

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  5. ErinSeptember 23, 2011 at 8:21 AM

    This sounds like a good book! I love a good cookbook!

    To answer the question you put on my site - I think Foodbuzz definitely has gotten me the most exposure. It is by far where I get the most hits from.

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  6. SusanSeptember 23, 2011 at 10:40 AM

    I actually purchased this book based on your blog posts about it. I lived in Texas for 5 years - last year of High School & then University of Dallas - so I'm sure to find lots of foods I'm nostalgic for.

    And, of course, isn't it a dream of each of us that our blogs could be turned into a book that someone besides our families want to read?

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  7. Emily MalloySeptember 23, 2011 at 11:35 AM

    Great review!

    And you are so RIGHT about cookbooks. A part of me gets upset when I get a stain on a cookbook, but it just speaks to how wonderful it really is! :)

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  8. Liz That Skinny Chick Can BakeSeptember 23, 2011 at 4:27 PM

    What a great endorsement...sounds like an excellent cookbook. Who doesn't like Tex-Mex???

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  9. KatieSeptember 24, 2011 at 6:50 AM

    I would love this cookbook! After spending $$$ on school textbooks, I'm saving up some side money for a nice cookbook. This one looks like it would fit the bill!

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  10. laxsupermomSeptember 24, 2011 at 2:41 PM

    I'm such a cookbook junkie, and will have to put this on my list of must buys. Thanks for sharing.

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  11. YasmeenSeptember 25, 2011 at 3:42 AM

    Great review, Gerry! I really value an honest, straightforward approach to cookbooks. Sounds like this one is just that!

    I also get you on the Homesick part. Sometimes I miss little things here and there, too.

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  12. Angie's RecipesSeptember 25, 2011 at 6:13 AM

    Sounds like a must-have cookbook! Thank you for the honest review.

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  13. Jill | Dulce DoughSeptember 25, 2011 at 8:25 PM

    Having lived in Texas for awhile, I can completely understand being homesick for the food! What a nice review! It sounds like a great cookbook!

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  14. Deb in HawaiiSeptember 25, 2011 at 11:39 PM

    Such a well-written review. This is such a great book. It has been fun cooking along with you on this adventure. ;-)

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  15. Susan at www.ugogrrl.comSeptember 26, 2011 at 3:45 PM

    I am a TEXAS girl living in Nebraska. I LOVE the Homesick Texan. Thanks for the great review - can't wait to get the cookbook!

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  16. vianney/sweet lifeSeptember 26, 2011 at 6:24 PM

    I felt the same way, the cookbook spolight was so much fun!! glad to have cooked along with you!!

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  17. claudia @whats CookinOctober 9, 2011 at 3:41 PM

    what a great book this sounds like`

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  18. AnonymousJuly 11, 2012 at 1:16 AM

    I'm a displaced Texan living in the Netherlands where they've barely (if at all) heard of a jalapeno. My Dutch Husband got Lisa Fain's book for me and I've found it incredibly helpful. She does a great job of explaining what spices, peppers, etc. are in the beginning of the book which greatly helped in finding substitutions. Such as vinegar in milk for buttermilk, never had a clue about that. I jokingly call my cooking, Texas with a Dutch twist because it's not exactly right, but it gets much closer thanks to Lisa's book.

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I sure do appreciate your comments and opinions