Bananas for BAZ
More is More; Get Loose in the Kitchen by Molly Baz
Cookbook Type: Comfort, Barefoot Bohemian, Asian Inspired Italian?
Favourite Recipe: Cozy Bowl (pg 131) and Gingery Clams with Chili Crisp & Tofu (pg. 165)
Favourite Page: A Last Meal for the Living (pgs. 168-173)
Favourite Quote: “Shake the shit out of it until the shaker is so cold, you can’t hold it a second longer” (pg. 187)
Rating: 3/5 Larousse Gastronomiques (📕📕📕)
What I love about Molly Baz’s cookbook is that I find it both chock full of inspiration and wildly annoying at the same time. It’s flashy, it’s bright, it’s got SOOO much going on that it’s easy to get dizzy, but the FOOD - omg the FOOD - is good. On one end it reminds me of Vivian Howards “This Will Make it Taste Good” in that the components of each recipe are so good and inspiring, I feel I can steal tidbits from each recipe and make my own creations. On the other hand it’s hyper contraction-abbreviation-hip talk is hard for your Auntie to follow. What does she mean when she says she’s never been “much of a spag and balls girl”?? God, I must be old.
But you can’t help but fall in love with Molly and her zaniness, passion, barefoot California vibes. She’s unapologetic. She sits on the counter, she swears, she is unwavering in her love for her dogs, her friends, her husband, salt, etc.. Her eight drink recipes make me want to take up day drinking in the sunshine.
So while I may not connect with every aspect of this book because I feel like it’s there’s a generational gap for me, I can see how people would fall in love with every aspect of this book. But it’s a solid 3/5 in Auntie’s mind, because even if I don’t “get it” it’s delicious in both recipe and charm.
Maybe I am a spag and balls girl? Oh my.
