I have a new addition to my cookbook collection that I want to tell you about. It’s Domestic Chíc by Kristin Sollenne. The book came out earlier this month and it’s lovely. Kristin Sollenne has been on a few Food Network TV shows as a judge or mentor and she’s oversees the three kitchens of New York City Restaurant Group’s Bocca Di Bacco. Her style is lightened Italian-American fare that aligns with what’s in season. 

Domestic Chíc isn’t just recipes though, it’s about making entertaining easier and more enjoyable. The book is divided into four sections for each of the seasons, then within each season there are menus for different entertaining occasions. So, for winter there is a New Year’s Eve menu, a Super Bowl menu, as well as a few other menu ideas. The idea being that if you were having a party you could cook everything from a given menu and you’d have your starters, mains, and desserts – but alternatively you could go à la carte and just pick and choose what you liked.

I’m really into the menu ideas. I think it’s helpful for holidays when you know you’ll be cooking – like Thanksgiving, or maybe Valentine’s Day. I also think it’s nice because it could encourage you to be festive even without an occasion – like her Nautical menu. Also, I really loved that she used similar items across menus. I think this makes cooking really easy and less expensive – especially for new or infrequent cooks. If I was going to be asked to buy pecans for a pecan pie – then I knew I could go back to Domestic Chíc and find one or two other recipes that called for pecans. I love that because then nothing gets purchased and then left to take up space forgotten in my cupboard.

Above each menu is a head note with a little anecdote about Sollenne’s own memories or experiences and then a decorating suggestion to complement the menu’s theme. On the surface I like the idea of this. I think when entertaining it’s valuable to set a whole mood. And why not run wild with your theme? But, I really wished the accompanying photos showed what she described. For with a fall menu she suggested using jewel tone plates to highlight the bold colors of autumn, but the photo was of white plates and some orange leaves. I like the visual inspiration and just thought that would have been helpful.

But, while we’re talking about photographs let’s talk about Kristin Sollenne. She’s crazy beautiful. She looks like Princess Jasmine. In the cookbook there are a few photos of her working as a chef, and those are my favorite. There are also a few photos of her in heels and a cocktail dress wearing her Cellini aprons (I think it’s a brand she designs). She’s super cute. However, I’m not sure anyone can cook for a dinner party in a cocktail dress and heels. You gotta throw that on right before guests arrive so they can be all, “wow you are so put together,” and you can nod and say, “oh thanks!”

What makes the book though is the recipes. There were so many recipes that I immediately wanted to make. In reviewing this cookbook I made four recipes. I made a cheesecake with berries, melting brie with fruit, pumpkin gnocchi, and this recipe for pumpkin bread. As this is an entertaining book the portions are huge. Specifically, this pumpkin bread recipe makes two really big loaves! I made the cheesecake first and it was really delicious and much easier than I thought it would be. It also was really delicious with a subtle flavor of vanilla and lemon zest. It was so good Ryan and I decided I shouldn’t bring any in to work to share with my colleagues.

For this recipe, and for some of the others I made, I would have liked visual indicators in addition to time indicators. I had never made cheesecake before… and as it cooked it rose and looked like a giant cheesecake muffin. I was nervous. Should it look like that?! The recipe just said how long to bake it. I listened to the recipe and the cheesecake deflated and looked and tasted great in the end. But I was worried, I didn’t know! It worked out well though, so maybe I’m stressing too hard.

The melting brie was beyond easy and would be perfect for an appetizer at a party. Who doesn’t love melted cheese? The pumpkin gnocchi is where I ran into problems. I was not able to get the dough to come together and so all I had was orange goo. I’m willing to try it again as it might have been user error. As well, sometimes I have problems with US recipe using UK dairy. My guess it that the fat contents are different and so things don’t come together in the same way. Who knows, it didn’t work.

The pumpkin bread however was a different story. It worked like a dream and was so delicious. I love pumpkin bread from Starbucks or from the Pillsbury box – so I’m excited I can now make this on my own. It was so easy to make and tastes delicious. The bread is soft and tasty. It’s great for breakfast, probably with enough structure to toast, and infinitely snackable. I know snackable isn’t a word, but it should be. I can see this pumpkin bread becoming my autumn staple. It’s perfect for the season, sweet, and simple to make. I can see bringing it to work to share with coworker, I can see making it for cabin weekends with my friends, and I can see making it just to have for breakfast.

Although I have a few issues with the book, overall I’m really into it. I can completely see turning back to it on Thanksgiving to make a pecan pie, or on Christmas for cinnamon buns, or just for dinner so I can make curried linguine al’vongole. I think it will become a book with food splattered pages and creases in the spine. Check it out, it’s great.

Domestic Chic was given to me for free by Waldorf Publishing. The opinions, writing, and photographs in this post are all my own. 

Recipe from Domestic Chic by Kristin Sollenne. No changes or additions from me.

Messy level: Pretty straightforward recipe, you just need two bowls, mix, and bake. Very simple.

Pumpkin Bread

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

90 mins

Total time

1 hour 40 mins

 

Author: Kristin Sollenne from Domestic Chic

Serves: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 3½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups pumpkin
• ⅔ cup water
• ½ cup candied pecans, loosely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two loaf pans. In a medium-mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, sea salt, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and cloves.
2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, blend sugar, oil, and eggs. Stir in pumpkin. Slowly blend the flour mixture into pumpkin mixture. While blending the mixture add the water incrementally. Pour the batter into two prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top. Bake for 90 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the oven.

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