Cookbook Reviews

Simply Bishop's
Jim Bishop is the owner of Bishop’s Fine Dining in Vancouver and author of a number of cookbooks. From 2002, Simply Bishop’s emphasizes simple and seasonal making this an inviting and refreshing cookbook.

It’s a cozy read full of seasonal inspirations and entertaining tips. Each recipe is presented simply and elegantly, highlighting quality local ingredients. The book is organized into sections: appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, sides, desserts and stocks.

For the winter season, Bishop suggests, earthy beets make a great winter salad or soul-warming soup. Crunchy salads using cabbage and fennel, braised winter organic greens, saffron-coloured seafood broth and roasts that have been slow-cooked for hours with root vegetables.

This is one of my favorite cookbooks because the recipes are so clear and concise, laying out each dish step-by-step. One of my favorite recipes is for pesto-crusted halibut with red lentil dahl. This is a superb recipe that turned out well the first time I made it. A few years ago, I was lucky enough to attend a cooking class with Jim Bishop as the guest chef. To my delight, he made this very recipe and it turned out exactly as it does when I make it at home- proving that these recipes are truly simple to make.