Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook by Alex Guarnaschelli

  • Tomato slices on an English muffin with cheddar

    from Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook Old-School Comfort Food by Alex Guarnaschelli

    • Categories: Snacks; Vegetarian
    • Ingredients: English muffins; tomatoes; extra-sharp cheddar cheese
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Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Double decker cheeseburgers with roasted mirepoix

    • NJChicaa on January 24, 2018

      This is a great variation on a cheeseburger. The sauce is wonderful and the roasted mirepoix is such a good addition. We really enjoy these.

  • Mom's meatloaf

    • NJChicaa on January 24, 2018

      VERY wet mixture between the 3 eggs, cup of sour cream, and 2/3 cup of ketchup. The tarragon flavor was very strong. I would reduce the wet ingredients and tarragon if I were to make it again.

  • Baked clams with bacon

    • NJChicaa on January 24, 2018

      Absolutely perfect recipe. Delicious!

  • Slow-cooked brisket, cider-glazed parsnips, and celery

    • NJChicaa on March 01, 2016

      Brisket took longer to cook than indicated in recipe. Otherwise I was happy with the recipe. I served with mashed potatoes. Great as leftovers.

  • Breaded chicken with mustard and dry sherry

    • NJChicaa on January 24, 2018

      I want to love this dish but it keeps underwhelming me. The chicken isn't bad but it also doesn't live up to the hype as described by Guarnaschelli.

  • Mashed potatoes "Chantilly"

    • NJChicaa on February 19, 2018

      Whipped cream deflates when it is folded into warm potatoes. Did not like the flavor of Parmesan cheese on top of the dish.

  • Green bean casserole

    • NJChicaa on January 24, 2018

      The amount of cayenne called for is a bit much. The first time I made this dish (using the full amount) the beans were hot!

  • Yellow cake with chocolate frosting and caramel top

    • NJChicaa on January 24, 2018

      I've made this cake a few times because I really want to love it. The cake itself has been dry every single time. Not worth the effort.

  • Braised short rib French onion soup

    • darylm503 on January 24, 2022

      Made using boneless beef short ribs and Better than Bouillon beef base. Added onion mixture to beef after the first 1-hour braise (recipe omits that step). Result was very flavorful and rich.

    • kateiscoooking on February 12, 2020

      This time I had to make this a short cut way. The short ribs were cooked sous vide. Instead of beef bone broth I used Better than Bouillon beef base. It was still fabulous but not over the top like the actual recipe is.

  • Cranberry sauce

    • Cookie24 on October 28, 2023

      I've tried many cranberry sauce recipes, but I always come back to this one. It's just a classic with warm spices and great taste. Not overly fussy; easy to make ahead.

  • Apple crisp

    • KCKB on February 06, 2022

      This is a straightforward and tasty apple crisp. I’m not wholly convinced that the orange juice and zest work for me - in the future I’ll probably sub a second lemon in place of the orange.

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Reviews about this book

  • Boston Globe by T. Susan Chang

    If anyone would like a technical primer on how to construct a good mid-size cookbook, take a look here. Design-wise, this book does everything right....Headnotes are helpful and personal...

    Full review

  • The Recipe Club

    Q & A with author Alex Guarnaschelli

    Full review

  • Serious Eats

    Owing to her varied adventures in food, the book is full of hard-won information delivered confidently and without pause.

    Full review

Reviews about Recipes in this Book

  • ISBN 10 0307956563
  • ISBN 13 9780307956569
  • Published Apr 16 2013
  • Format eBook
  • Page Count 304
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Random House
  • Imprint Clarkson Potter

Publishers Text

How does one become an Iron Chef and a Chopped judge on Food Network—and what does she really cook at home?

Alex Guarnaschelli grew up in a home suffused with a love of cooking, where soufflés and cheeseburgers were equally revered. The daughter of a respected cookbook editor and a Chinese cooking enthusiast, Alex developed a passion for food at a young age, sealing her professional fate. Old-School Comfort Food shares her journey from waist-high taste-tester to trained chef who now adores spending time in the kitchen with her daughter, along with the 100 recipes for how she learned to cook—and the way she still loves to eat.

Here are Alex’s secrets to great home cooking, where humble ingredients and familiar preparations combine with excellent technique and care to create memorable meals. Alex brings her recipes to life with reminiscences of everything from stealing tomatoes from her aunt’s garden and her first bite of her mother’s pâté to being one of the few women in the kitchen of a renowned Parisian restaurant and serving celebrity clientele in her own successful New York City establishments. With 75 color photographs and ephemera, Old-School Comfort Food is Alex’s love letter to deliciousness.

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