Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics
This is my new favorite cookbook, which I got a few weeks ago for my birthday (thanks Doug!). If you’ve ever watched The Barefoot Contessa on TV, you know that she has an amazingly soothing voice and that she cooks with a lot of butter. The good news is that her writing style is just as soothing and her recipes include a lot of butter (or is that bad news?).
I’ve actually made quite a few recipes from this book already, which is unusual for me; usually I find a couple of favorites and stick with them, never trying anything else. So far I’ve made the pasta with truffle butter, cacio e pepe (a classic Roman pasta dish), fresh tomato soup, and this past weekend I made the delicious tomato and goat cheese tarts - AMAZING! 
The only cookbook I own is a Barefoot Contessa one, since I need the glossy, full-page color photos and coffeebook-style layout to motivate me to spend any amount of time at all in the kitchen! Her banana and sour cream pancake recipe is my favorite so far.
I meant “coffee TABLE book-style.”
You’re right, the pictures are really amazing. I also love her tips (like “what NOT to server at a cocktail party”). Makes me feel like if I ever actually HAD a cocktail party, I’d know exactly what to do - LOL
Wow! That looks yummy! Is there something you can bring in for the next birthday breakfast?
I’m not brave enough to cook for other people yet