Book Review: "Burnt Toast and Other Disasters" by Cal Peternell

In his newest book, Burnt Toast and Other Disasters, renowned chef and cookbook author Cal Peternell shares advice on how to weather common cooking mistakes and what to do when the food you've cooked or have at your disposal isn’t quite what you’d hoped.

Some of you may know that I went to culinary school about 16-17 years ago and worked as a personal chef for a while, so needless to say, I love cooking. But no matter how much I’ve cooked through the years, and for how many people, I’ve had disasters, and there also have been times where things just didn’t work the way they were supposed to.

What I love so much about this new book Peternell gives great advice on what to do when your meat is too dried out, your bread is too burnt, your vegetables are too boring or too mushy. He shares tips, advice, and great recipes to either transform your mishap into something else or rescue it.

The subtitle of this book, A Book of Heroic Hacks, Fabulous Fixes, and Secret Sauces, really lives up to its name. There are so many recipes in here I’m going to try, from sauces to ideas on how to jazz up store-bought mac and cheese or cans of beans. I often say one of the greatest things I learned in culinary school was how to make a meal using stuff in my refrigerator; with this book in hand, you’ll feel just as empowered.

Many thanks to William Morrow Books for the complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review!