Cookbook: The Bride & Groom's First Cookbook

Cookbook

The Bride & Groom's First Cookbook

Happily Ever After In The Kitchen

Can two people who are used to the space of their respective kitchens find true happiness and culinary success working together in one kitchen? Absolutely—especially if they have The Bride & Groom's First Cookbook: Recipes and Menus for Cooking Together in the '90s (Doubleday; February 2, 1996; $27.50/hardcover) by Abigail Kirsch with Susan M. Greenberg. Deftly avoiding the many potential potholes along the road to happily-ever-after, newlyweds will find this simple, but sophisticated book a practical guide to sharing cooking and entertaining chores.

With both partners working, it's important that weeknight meals provide easy, satisfying, flavorful food. As their married lives settle into the day-to-day routine, couples will appreciate this time as the perfect opportunity to unwind and catch up on the day's events. They can ease into the dinner hour with a quick appetizer like Bruschetta Crisps with Black Olive Pesto. Follow that with a hearty Black Bean Soup with Kielbasa and Brown Rice Salad with Oranges and walnuts and the only other decision will be which dessert—Almond Pudding, Bananas and Berries or Orange-Butter Cookies—to serve.

Entertaining can easily intimidate even the most confident homecook. The Bride & Groom's First Cookbook removes all the guess work and allows the newly married couple to easily impress their family and friends. Imagine guests happily munching their way through such tasty hors d'oeuvres as Apricot-Glazed Chicken Wings, Chili Meatballs with Zesty Tomato Sauce or Swordfish Brochettes with lime and Ginger. Kirsch also offers complete menus for an array of occasions: "A Cornucopia of Brunch," "Tailgate Antics," "The Roast Chicken Dinner," "An Informal Barbecue," "A Howling Halloween," "Fondue Frenzy," and "The Dinner Party." In addition to the recipes for each menu, Kirsch offers advice on "working together"-a timetable suggesting how chores can be divided effectively between the two cooks.

Newlyweds can fill their home with the aroma of freshly baked bread and have the pleasure of enjoying Parmesan-Garlic Breadsticks, Smoked Ham and Swiss Muffins or Rosemary Bread. Side dishes like White Beans, Spinach, and Tomato or Twice Baked Stuffed Potatoes will subtly reveal their culinary prowess. Whether hosting their first Thanksgiving dinner—Abigail Kirsch generously shares her recipe for Orange-Glazed Vermont Roast Turkey with Gravy and Pear-Pecan Stuffing—or having friends over for sautéed Scallops with Bok Choy and Snow Peas, the new homemakers will delight in the skillful way they now prepare and serve dinners.

Taking nothing for granted, Kirsch offers basic information ranging from tips before you enter the kitchen, to a list of necessary equipment and clear do-ahead instructions to Cook's Tips for serving, storing and varying recipes to what to have in a well-stocked pantry. She even recommends what cookware and bakeware to request when registering for your wedding gifts.

Wedding authority Abigail Kirsch is the co-chairman of Abigail Kirsch at Tappan Hill, the well-known catering establishment in Tarrytown, New York, and of Abigail Kirsch Culinary Productions, known for its elegant, off-site catered events. She has catered for numerous charity events, and for thousands of engagement and wedding parties. Susan M. Greenberg is a professional freelance writer who, as Abigail's sister-in-law, is well acquainted with her food, style and taste.

Recipes from The Bride & Groom's First Cookbook:

The Bride & Groom's First Cookbook
Recipes and menus for cooking together in the '90s
by Abigail Kirsch
with Susan M. Greenberg
Illustrations by Stephanie Langley
Doubleday, 1996
$27.50 (hardcover)
ISBN: 0-385-47635-3
Reprinted with permission.

This page originally published as part of the electronic Gourmet Guide between 1994 and 1998.