… yesterday afternoon The Viking and I knocked on my dad’s front door in Sonoma, California to surprise him for his 70th birthday… you should have seen his face… apparently he’d just been moaning to his wife that she hadn’t been putting enough effort into organising his birthday party and then we turn up… it was genius!… his party isn’t until the 4th but in the meantime we’re in sunny California and being surrounded by sunshine, family and good food it’s given me inspiration for this month’s random recipes…
… i’ve asked my step-mum Jette if I could choose my random recipes from her cookbook collection this month and i’d like you all to do the same… no, not from her collection but from someone else’s kitchen… you all must have a good friend or a neighbour, or even your parents or grandparents who must have the most interesting collection of books… and you can be as random about it as you like… perhaps ask them what their favourite book is, or get them to do the selection for you over the phone and read out the recipe… however you do it it should throw up some interesting recipes…
… Jette’s current favourite book is the hefty How to Cook Everything Mark Bittmen, which is probably why they bought me a copy for Christmas and it’s companion book How to Cook Everything Vegetarian for The Viking… it is a bible of a book and literally has the answer to cooking anything that may be an enigma to you… with chapter that cover everything from soups to desserts and even has full menu’s for major holiday celebration meals from Chinese New Year to a traditional Jewish Friday Night Dinner… I will never be lost again… it is very American which I find fascinating and even skim reading it today it’s amazing to read the small differences in how to cook all kinds of things… and there on page 167 is a recipe for Croque Monsieur… you really couldn’t get any more random!
so here’s how to join in…
… The Viking and I are off South to LA for a few days next week so look out for a few posts about the wonderful food and beautiful sunshine… oh and Happy New Year!
eat and of course, enjoy!
You know, if you leave it to me to pick a random page, I'll most likely cheat. lol. This does sound fun.
Sonoma, CA is so close to where I live! Crazy!
This is funny also, because I have been at my mom's for the last week and a half and I figured this month I would be picking a cookbook from her shelf due to the fact that I've been here..
Coincidence!
Now that really is a challenge!
Hope you have a great time in California!
Noooooo! First you tell me your are basking in Californian sunshine, then you hit me with a mean RR! Too, too cruel, Dom. So can I randomly mis-read this again? Thought not, will nobble my friend and work colleague tomorrow, I think she has about five cookbooks, at least two of them being gifts from me!
Oh and Happy Birthday to your Dad, brilliant wheeze turning up like that!
Can I say that I am very jealous. My husband and I honeymooned in Northern CA. Sonoma and Napa are breathtaking. Have a safe and wonderful vacation. Happy Birthday to your Dad.
Okay, I may be a random recipe virgin, but I will join in the fun. I know whose books I can get access to. Best wishes for fun times in California.
Oh this isn't quite as mean as I was anticipating, I was feeling a little nervous about this month's challenge.
I've asked a friend to pick a recipe for me – she is the only person I know who owns more cookbooks than I do so I'll be interested to see what she comes up with.
FABULOUS plan to surprise your dad! LOVE it! And I also love your RR theme too! Happy Birthday to your dad and you and the Viking have a GREAT time! Karen xxx
Belleau Kitchen in California?? Yay! Have a wonderful time, and don't forget to wear your sunscreen!
Have a FANTASTIC holiday, Happy Birthday to your Dad, and Happy New Year to yourself and the Viking.
have a great holiday dom, I'm probably too much of a blog challenge wimp to try this one, but I do wish you all the best!
Surely we could come to sunny California and choose a cookbook from your step-mum's collection…wink.
Woot! Woot! British Invasion! Have a wonderful visit with Pops! Have fun sipping that California wine and daytripping with Mums and Pops! Happy New Year!
That's so cool! Love this idea, m'dear, now just wondering who I should ask… in any case, hope you have a wonderful time (how could you not, now you're just across the sea from me?) and look forward to hearing more about your California exploits. (I'm imagining Sideways, but with less moaning) x
I discovered your blog and the random recipe challenges a couple of months ago. Now is the time to take part.Excited and challenged! (Goes off to peruse my mum's cookbook collection)
Oh, that sounds great. I wouldn't mind escaping this rather grey and wet and cold area for a while.
Have fun!
Hm, that RR theme is giving me some more headache …
'Open randomly and make the recipe', well I think I will have to cheat slightly and find a simple cookbook else I'll land myself in trouble!
… so if someone could send me a recipe …
Surprising your dad was a great wheeze and glad you are having a fabulous time. Strangely, my dad lives in California too. This is a bit of a mean New Year's challenge, but quite a good one. Annoyingly my aunt in Cambridge had loads of cookbooks I was browsing whilst I was there – will have to think up another victim now.
What a great RR…I'll have to have a think about whose kitchen I can raid! I hope you are having a great holiday…I'm not at all jealous of all that Californian sunshine…especially with the temperatures set to plummet here! 😉