Straight Up Tasty: Meals, Memories, and Mouthfuls from My Travels, a Review

I have to be honest, prior to reading this book I had never heard of Adam Richman. Not that this is particularly a bad thing. I came to this book with no preconceived notions as to who he was, what he cooked, or where he had been. In short, a pair of fresh eyes looked at this book and liked what they saw.

Adam Richman is a traveling TV foodie who offers up an quite an eclectic collection of culinary delights in Straight Up Tasty: Meals, Memories, and Mouthfuls from My Travels. This book features over 100 unique recipes that are a combination of favorites from his family and friends, as well as regional and international favorites from his travel experiences from around the world. According to Richman this book is a “road map to great eating.” It is also a heck of a lot of fun. With the look and appeal of a personal scrapbook, each recipe contains notes and reminisces on the food as well as interesting facts.

I loved the section on “Leftover Holiday Candy” recipes. Who has not found themselves in a spot like this, trying desperately to avoid just diving into the candy and polishing it all off in one swoop? The recipes in this section offer tasty ways to pace yourself while slowly eliminating that excess chocolate baggage.

With recipes to suit all tastes and budgets, some of the offerings include: Bacon and Cheddar Frittata, Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled-Cheese Sandwich Dumplings, Chili-Frito Sloppy Jose with Sliced Avocado and Crunch Pickled Onions, Wild Mushroom Tart, Salted Caramel Candy Apple Tarts, and Oh, Hell Yes Cheesecake (and who does not love that name?).

This is a well-organized cookbook with large, colorful photos, and written in a relaxed, conversational tone. While everyone will easily find something to love here, if you are looking for a gift for your favorite man who loves to cook, he will particularly enjoy this one.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.