Ten-Minute Meals, zen cooking, low-carb sensations, and crock pot sustenance have infiltrated the nutritional lives of millions of people. But for many people who possess a Crappy Little Kitchen (CLK), the idea of making these dishes, gourmet or otherwise, is more ambitious than whipping up a chocolate soufflé. Enter Jennifer Schaertl, who discovered her love and calling for cooking in her own Crappy Little Kitchen and is now a gourmet chef turned Crappy Little Kitchen advocate.
In her debut cookbook, Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens, Jennifer tackles the myths about gourmet cooking (you don't need expensive cutlery and a gazillion ingredients!) and shows readers how to make delectable meals despite the lack of counter space and high-tech appliances and gadgets. In fact, she offers readers a range of dishes from appetizers and salads to soups and one-pot wonders to side dishes and entrees, and of course, dessert. The heart of the book tackles the frustrations of working with limited space, appliances, cookware, and ingredients all on a limited budget.
Packed with color inserts of beautiful gourmet meals all prepared in the author's own Crappy Little Kitchen, plus fun line drawings, interactive sidebars, cartoons, and a two-color interior, owners of CLKs will learn:
Why a CLK can actually be an asset, not a liability
The must-haves for every CLK pantry
Crappy Kitchen Saboteurs: Pointless items that eat up small spaces
How to enhance the functionality of your CLK space-emphasizing the surprising attributes of working in a small kitchen, plus space-saving ideas that help expand space and utility, allowing for the creation of the most complex dishes
How to double or triple the function of utensils to eliminate clutter and superfluous tools (toss your ungainly meat mallet and use your sauté pan as an effective meat tenderizer)
Swap It Skills: Replacing hard-to-find, gourmet ingredients with everyday items without sacrificing taste
How to cohabitate in Crappy Little Kitchens-Jennifer tells readers how to share the tight space and avoid Crappy Little Casualties with chef-proven techniques she learned working in busy and cramped restaurant kitchens.
Ways to create beautiful plating presentations with secretly guarded tricks of the trade
Chefology: culinary terms and 'did you know this crap' facts to awe guests and increase one's culinary knowledge in fun and inspiring ways
Whether you have an apartment-size galley kitchen, dorm room, or oversized, but completely outdated kitchen, Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens takes the stuffy out of gourmet and shows you how to love the kitchen you are in with practical hints and tips to make the most of any CLK space. Seasoned foodies and novices alike will learn how to recreate the delicious gourmet meals that Jennifer has served in several five-star restaurants over the last eight years.
