Kids Cookbook Review – The Silver Spoon for Children (New Edition)

THE SILVER SPOON FOR CHILDREN (NEW EDITION):

FAVORITE ITALIAN RECIPES

Edited by Amanda Grant

With illustrations by Harriet Russell

(Phaidon; $24.95, Ages 7-10)

The popular and influential Italian cookbook for children, The Silver Spoon for Children, has been updated for its tenth anniversary with a newly designed edition. Forty traditional recipes show kids and tweens it’s easy to create delicious meals from a few, quality ingredients. The opening pages include some background about Italian cooking, followed by equipment identification, and helpful techniques—a good place to start if your child is new to cooking, or, needs a review.

Kids comfortable in the kitchen can dive right in, selecting relatively straightforward snacks like Prosciutto & Melon, or making their own dough (for Pizza, Pasta, or Focaccia), or testing delectable desserts such as Hazelnut Cake or Fruits of the Forest Ice Cream. Each recipe has four pages, enticing the reader while clearly conveying the instructions. Recipes begin with an overview listing ingredients alongside a full-page color photograph of that dish. The next two pages have written directions beside illustrations, teaching in two different ways.

Our ten-year-old daughter chose to make Baked Maccheroni with Parmesan and we were pleased with the tasty results. This recipe has simple ingredients but requires some diligence to properly complete the sauce, developing it from roux to béchamel. (What a difference from boxed Mac & Cheese!) As with many of these Italian staples, once a child has mastered a basic recipe, they can add their own flair or vary the ingredients each time thereafter.

While many recipes were familiar favorites, I was happy to discover new gems such as the Banana Cream dessert. It calls for just six ingredients that we usually have around the house and can be assembled in minutes—the perfect weeknight treat.

Parents, if you’re using this cookbook more than your child, there’s also the new and luxurious The Silver Spoon Classic adult cookbook. Put both on your holiday wish list, or treat yourself! Pair the books with an apron or wooden spoons and a whisk for the perfect gift year round.

Find out more about Amanda Grant here.
Find out more about Harriet Russell here.

• Reviewed by Christine Van Zandt (www.ChristineVanZandt.com), Write for Success (www.Write-for-Success.com), @ChristineVZ and @WFSediting, Christine@Write-for-Success.com

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