The Ultimate Potato Book

April 7, 2003
You can never have too many potato cookbooks. Weinstein and Scarbrough, of Morrow's Ultimate series, distinguish their work from other spud books by emphasizing potatoes as a main-dish ingredient rather than as a side. This can be distracting when what you really want is a side (you have to go to Shepherd's Pie or Bangers and Mash for mashed potatoes), but the results are generally impressive. Recipes are alphabetical and presented without excessive fanfare; a one-word title often suffices. There is something really appealing about being able to look under the letter H and find a basic recipe for Hash. Weinstein and Scarbrough hedge their bets by offering up a multitude of variations, which can take them into some uncharted territory (Prune-Armagnac Potato Coffee Cake, Sake Fondue). Some purists may wonder if Ceviche, Borscht and Shrimp Balls really belong in a potato book. But the more obvious entries—Latkes, Moussaka, Knishes, Potato Skins—are included, along with a few pricelessly eccentric applications ("a cut potato makes a great tool to remove a broken light bulb") There's the usual guide to potatoes and the potato-vs.-yam lecture, as well as a strikingly meticulous list ("yellow and red" vs. "yellow or red") that indexes recipes by potato type used. Witty and user-friendly, this volume is a fine contribution to potato publishing.

April 15, 2003
The latest entry in the "Ultimate" series, which covers both sweet (Ice Cream) and savory (Shrimp) foods, follows the format of the earlier titles, with dozens of alphabetically arranged recipes, and many more variations on each. The authors focus on main-dish recipes, from Ajiaco, a Colombian stew, and Manhattan Clam Chowder to Venetian Pasta e Patate, although, of course, some of the potato "subcomponents," like the sour cream mash in Bangers and Mash, could also be served as sides. It's true that some people can eat potatoes every night, but how many potato cookbooks do you need? Roy Finamore's big One Potato, Two Potato includes 300 recipes, and Lydie Marshall's A Passion for Potatoes is a classic. For larger collections and where the "Ultimate" series is particularly popular.

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