Many families have traditions that are passed down from generation to generation. Most of those traditions have a base in or around food. This is no different in my family. For at least four generations, the family will try to get together for Sunday dinner. Even if you live in a different country, when you’re down, you’re having dinner with the family on Sunday. It’s a great way to reflect on the week, catch up with some of your favorite people, laugh and most of all eat the most delicious meal you are going to have all week. This is the day that family recipes are shared, passed down and cooking skills are learned. In my family as well as in Best of Bridge, Sunday dinners always have the best stories, funniest moments and greatest memories.
Sunday suppers mean so much to so many people. A Sunday dinner may be the first time you bring home a special someone, where your baby gets spoiled by the rest of the family or just a time to overeat and hopefully get some tasty left overs to bring home. It’s a great way to end the week and to ignore the fact that the next day, you’re back to the grind.
When Publishing Company Robert Rose gave us a copy of Best of Bridge Sunday Suppers, we were excited as memories of all of our Sunday suppers came flooding back. The Best of Bridge brand in itself is a Canadian staple. Known for more than 40 years, The Best of Bridge series has sold over four million copies and is a beloved cook book brand. The new coauthor of the series, Julie Van Rosendaal is a delight. She is a Calgary based cook book author and a CBC food columnist. She also ran a bakery called One Smart Cookie.
How did the book series get the name Best of Bridge is one of those Sunday Suppers tales. In 1975, eight Calgary women who all played for the same Bridge club, took a weekend away which became a weekend of sharing cooking stories and recipes. The ladies decided to collaborate all of their recipes into a book that they called The Best of Bridge. The first of many cookbooks was born. The history of these series of books is as interesting as the latest book itself.
Now it was hard to hold back and not to go all Julie and Julia on this book. Each recipe looked so delicious but I had to gain my composure and try each recipe one at a time and really appreciate what each one was about! I wanted to experience the care and love that went into each recipe.
With over 200 recipes to choose from, it was hard not be delighted about the latest Best of Bridge book. I decided to cook a meal based on the recipes of The Best of Bridge: Sunday Suppers. But where to start?
The book is divided into easy to understand categories:
Introduction
Salads
Soups
Big Roasts
Small Meats
On The Grill
Stews and Braises
Casseroles and Savory Pies
Pizzas and Pastas
Sides
Homemade Breads
Sauces and Condiments
Desserts
I was really excited to see a homemade bread section. I can think of nothing more delightful than a fresh piece of bread being served. The smell, the look, the texture of fresh bread fills your senses. But, unfortunately in today’s busy world, I fear that the art of making bread is becoming a lost art on the average home cook. I was happy to see that this book dedicated a section to homemade breads as you will be the hit of any Sunday Supper if you bring a delicious bread to the table.
I decided to go to one of my favorite salads the Fattoush. This Middle Eastern salad is made with the addition of crispy bits of toasted pita. Topped with Crumbled feta cheese, it’s my go to salad when I am out. This Fattoush recipe allows you to bring the delicious salad home to you and has a generous serving of 8-10. I was happy to make it for my family and I actually had a little bit to take home later!
Our soups I had to stick to a family favorite, French onion. My family loves French Onion Soup so much that they will try it if it is offered at any new restaurant. My Mother could tell you who had the best French Onion Soup in Montreal in each and every burrow. Now it is a delicious habit of my family and me to try French Onion Soup at different restaurants and see how it measures up.
This recipe is entitled French Onion Soup for a Crowd and I have to agree. This yielded servings for 12 people! The little piece of advice for the French onion soup cooking novice is to cook long and slow. I could not agree more! The results come with the wait. This recipe is generous and delicious and can beat out the restaurant French Onion Soup you may be used to. Impress your friends and family for the next Sunday Supper with this recipe!
Pot Roast is a family favorite during Sunday Suppers so this was the recipe I had to try. The Mississippi(ish) Pot Roast was the recipe I chose as I was looking for a variation of a traditional recipe. What is going to be that comfort food that my family loved but a variation on the taste to surprise them? This was the recipe that did just that. There were a few ingredients where I was pleasantly surprised to see on there but yielded such a great taste, it was a hit at my dinner party. You will have to check the last two ingredients for yourself in the book to see! It gave the kick and pleasant surprise I was looking for.
Lastly, I made a Peach Crumble which had some great tips at the end of the recipe that you must follow for excellent results. When a Peach Crumble is made right, it is a sure hit with guests and this recipe did just that.
There are a number of sauces and appetizers that will get your families mouth-watering that you can have dinners figured out for the rest of the year! This recipe book is great for all seasons and can be used all year long! Revel in its deliciousness and impress your family and guests!
Sue Duncan, Elizabeth Chorney-Booth and Julie Van Rosendaal are all authors to this book and they impress. I was happy to keep referring back to this cook book over and over again, each week and it has become a great helper in my kitchen. It’s time to keep Sunday Suppers a family favorite by getting Best of Bridge Sunday Suppers today!
