There’s music included in this cookbook. That alone makes it especially interesting. I love that Jordon mentions things like time estimates. “I don’t know how fast you chop.” There’s a great bit of humor nestled into these pages. “You’re looking for a solid dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. You may need to adjust the amount of water due to factors like weather, altitude, moon cycle, etc. (maybe not moon cycle, but it’s easy to blame that for things since we’re all in touch with our inner werewolf).”

The tarts all seem mouth-watering to me. And I’m excited to try those pesto sauces! Grilled Pineapple & Banana Salad sounds tasty, creative, and different. There’s a rule in the book against store-bought salad dressings, but I didn’t see instructions on making ranch, Russian, or hot bacon dressing. (There were other salad dressings, but not those, which are favorites among my group.) I had to do a search to find out what pepitas are (pumpkin seeds without the shell). And I learned that wild leeks, or spring onions, are also called ramps.

Sea-bass, cod, salmon, halibut, shrimp, and tuna meatballs were all fish under main dishes. Other main dish meats included chicken, steak, lamb, duck, and uni (sea urchin roe). There are also a few meatless options. I like that there are quinoa recipes offered. Plus, there are drinks and desserts. It’s a good mix of recipes for the slightly-experienced home cook.

The book is very entertaining, and the author comes off as an authority. It has a lot of visual appeal. The book comes alive from the combination of food, wine, music, humor, quotes, and great pictures. I received a free ARC in exchange for my honest review. I do not know the author, but will be interviewing for a blog post later.