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Strictly Sundays Reviewed By Wendy Thomas Of Bookpleasures.com
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Wendy Thomas

Reviewer Wendy Thomas. Wendy lives in Southern New Hampshire with her husband and six children, ages 9-17 and has been published in various regional magazines and newspapers. She writes a weekly column, Simple Thrift for the Nashua Telegraph.

 
By Wendy Thomas
Published on November 18, 2009
 

Author: Joe Fitzpatrick – the blue collar gourmet
Photography: Steven Potter
Publisher: Book Publishers Network
ISBN: 10: 1-935359-19-3
ISBN: 13: 978-1-935359-19-7

Strictly Sundays is like having an inspirational pocket sized gourmet magazine at your fingertips


Author: Joe Fitzpatrick – the blue collar gourmet
Photography: Steven Potter
Publisher: Book Publishers Network
ISBN: 10: 1-935359-19-3
ISBN: 13: 978-1-935359-19-7

Click Here To Purchase Strictly Sundays: Making every cook a hero on Sundays

Strictly Sundays may just be my new favorite cookbook.

Long ago, before children, I remember preparing and eating food from the pages of magazines like Gourmet and Bon Appetite. The photos were beautiful and the recipes easy enough to follow that even I could figure them out. Then came the kids and with them years of, well, let’s just say blander, more industrial food.

Strictly Sundays is like having an inspirational pocket sized gourmet magazine at your fingertips. It gives me hope that not only can I make and eat beautiful food again but that my kids might even enjoy it with us. The subtitle on this one says it all “making every cook a hero on Sundays.”

Fitzpatrick admits that he does not own a restaurant but that he loves to cook. He and his wife loved to go out to dinner at different restaurants but when his business went away so did the money. Because he still liked good food, he started to make gourmet dinners for the two of them on Saturday nights.

As the family grew, the Saturday night dinners turned into Sunday family dinners where meals were showcased and enjoyed. Strictly Sundays was born from a request of his daughter to write down a Cesar Salad recipe. Fitzpatrick decided to create a cookbook where an average person can be a hero on Sundays and holidays.

Filled with stunning, elegant, and colorful photos that are literally mouthwatering, this cookbook goes out of its way to impart its culinary information while at the same time remaining ever classy. Included are recipes for John’s Stuffed Flank Steak, Spicy Shrimp, Monica’s Guacamole (the best Fitzpatrick has ever had) and my personal favorite, Mustard Seed Pancakes with Smoked Salmon and Caviar.

Many of the recipes have short descriptions like this for the French BLT – Oh my!: 

“These sandwiches are a great summertime meal. Requested by the kids several times.”

Based on that recommendation I made the sandwich which consisted of fresh basil, mayonnaise, thick sliced bacon, French bread, tomatoes, avocadoes, Parmesan cheese, onion, Romaine lettuce and seasonings – and served it to my kids (aged 9-18).

Yup, they all loved it. Nailed that one, Joe.

Another feature of this cookbook that I absolutely love is that desserts are not covered. I can’t tell you how many cookbooks I’ve seen where the majority of recipes end up being on desserts and sweets. How refreshing to see a cookbook about Sunday meals be about the meal itself and not what follows.

Joe (also called Joy by some of his German friends) Fitzpatrick – the blue collar gourmet –has been working wonders in the kitchen and on the grill for decades. Trying unique combinations whether at work or in the kitchen comes naturally to Joe with wondrous results. He has tested his culinary skills on the world’s toughest critics – his family. Still they beg for more.

Click Here To Purchase Strictly Sundays: Making every cook a hero on Sundays