Filed under: Books, Cookbook of the Day

Winter is the season associated with warm, filling meals, while spring and summer usually feature lighter fare. Maybe fall should get more wintry fare, but I know that I have not yet committed to soups and stews for the season. Lately, I've really enjoyed doing small plate dishes, where I can mix lighter and heartier foods, and this current mindset led me to check out Big Small Plates. This book actually has nothing to do specifically with fall, although it does make seasonal menu suggestions at the end of the book, and is more about enjoying small foods with big flavors than anything else.

The recipes come from all over the world, from Italy to Japan to South America, but in an unusual move, are arranged by how they are eaten and not by origin. This turns out to be a handy feature in a book that is about appetizers/tapas, since you can easily find recipes when you want finger foods vs foods that require utensils. One other nice thing, which also seems to make it a book for serious cooks, is that the recipes tend towards less commonly seen foods, so instead of 12 variations on bruschetta, there are recipes for "plates" such as Crispy Fried Rabbit with Dijon-Chervil Sauce and Baked Goat Cheese and Tomato Fondue.