"Food Porn Daily" - really that's the title!

“Food Porn Daily”
If ever you should judge a book by a cover it’s “Food Porn Daily”. The cookbook by Amanda Simpson is amazing so don’t let the title scare you off. Or maybe you have an epicurean sense of humor and have visited their website also titled FoodPornDaily with .com added. The popular website features only mouthwatering pictures without any recipes so the new cookbook to go with the photos is brilliant.

The website has the motto “Click, Drool, Repeat.” For the cookbook the motto needs to be changed to “Flip, Drool, Repeat.” I agree it would be even better to add the words cook and eat to the list of activities for the motto. Every page has a very close up picture which entices the most reluctant chef to rush off to the grocery store with a list of ingredients while focusing on that picture of a perfect dish in their head.

In the introduction Simpson offers helpful tips on seasoning, preheating, frying and measuring flour. She also states, “Recipes are simply guidelines. In my opinion, there is no definitive right or wrong way to create a dish so long as the outcome is a tasty, satisfying experience.” The recipes do allow for adaptation but I would worry about that perfect picture from the book not appearing in living color on my plate if I make any changes.

What’s to recommend about this cookbook? The pictures of course and recipes ranging from grilled hot dogs to oysters on the half shell. I also like the creative chapter divisions by season. It implies a mood for food which I subscribe to wholeheartedly. Hot, thick soups like Loaded Potato Soup with bacon, cheddar, sour cream and chives are perfect for winter and Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes can be made from our own garden-ripe fruit at the end of the summer.

I enjoy reading cookbooks while sitting in the kitchen with a cup of cocoa. I enjoy making new dishes from cookbooks. I also enjoy eating delicious food – especially cooked by other people. My new “Food Porn Daily” cookbook was created in response to salivating viewer requests on their website. I am hoping the next product to be generated by these food-lovin’ folks will be a restaurant menu. Then I can have my cake picture and eat it too.