Book Review: Mark Bittman's Kitchen Matrix

I loved Mark Bittman's book A Bone to Pick so much that I jumped at the chance to get his newest book, Mark Bittman's Kitchen Matrix.  Kitchen Matrix is a different type of cookbook.  Rather than featuring hundreds of individual recipes, it provides various options for recipes.  You start with a basic recipe and are then presented with alternatives  For example in Tomatoes +12 ways readers are given four categories of tomato preparation:  salads, soups, stuffed, and sauces.  Each category then has three options.

My favorite part of Kitchen Matrix is that it helps cooks build on basic recipes and techniques.  I can see using it to expand from a simple recipe to something with flavors that I would not have normally considered.  I already make gnocchi, but this cookbook offers instructions for turning a basic gnocchi into carrot or spinach gnocchi.  Kitchen Matrix covers everything from soups and salads to desserts.

Most of the ingredients are common.  For those of us living out in the middle of nowhere some are impossible to find.  The knafeh a la creme looks amazing, but I will never (ever, ever) be able to find knafeh pastry (shredded phyllo).

I am not sure that this will be one of my top go-to cookbooks, but it does offer something for everyone.  I can easily see me using it to expand my menu.  The 10 recipes for spice blends is a great section.  I love cookbooks that are made with basic, real ingredients.  This cookbook fits that perfectly!

disclosure:  I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.  All opinions are my own!