Posted on Thu, Oct. 30, 2008
Shook and Dotolo's first book,
Two Dudes, One Pan: Maximum Flavor From a Minimalist Kitchen, is as colorful and scruffy as the chefs themselves. The book is a happy mishmash, with recipes ranging from spicy citrus-glazed duck breasts to basic buttermilk pancakes.
Some recipes are successful riffs on the traditional: Bacon-wrapped meatloaf is shot with herbs, moist and deeply flavorful. But other dishes are disappointing.
Vinny's spaghetti Bolognese was too heavy, thickened with unnecessary butter and cream. Pan-roasted eggplant with shallot vinaigrette turned out underseasoned and undercooked.
Although some new user-friendly cookbooks are uneven, the standouts - Appleman's and Oliver's - are practical yet imaginative, with accessible instructions. They're also a bargain - compared with many of the for-pros books: All six hardcovers come in at less than $40 each.
Meanwhile, chefs, wannabe chefs, and collectors willing to spend ($250 for Blumenthal's
The Big Fat Duck Cookbook) or who have a handy immersion circulator (needed for Keller's sous vide book) will have a stack of great cookbooks this fall, too.
Almond Biscotti
Makes 42 Biscotti
8 tablespoons (1 stick)
unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
11/2 teaspoons baking
powder
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
Flourish
today's 
