The 2nd International Cookbook for Kids

by Matthew Locricchio

This cookbook includes more than 60 recipes from India, Greece, Thailand, and Brazil that children and their families can make together as they follow easy step-by-step directions. Stunning full-color photographs accompany each recipe, and there are dishes for every time of day, from breakfast through dinner. Chef Matthew Locricchio emphasizes the use of fresh, organic vegetables and includes special sections on safety in the kitchen, cooking terms, and definitions. A great introduction to international cooking.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Childrens, Nonfiction

176 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2008

Reviews

[Rich Stoehr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ask any kid - cooking is a messy business. A good cookbook may be stained, dusted, maybe even torn. I'm happy to say that The 2nd International Cookbook for Kids is already showing signs of wear, and I only see it getting better in the weeks and months to come.

It's almost a ritual now - every couple of weeks I have my youngest daughter pick a recipe (or even two) from the book and we make it together. Her choices have been without fail delicious and surprising. The little girl who not too long ago would barely eat pizza or a simple chicken casserole has now taken on a Brazilian roast pork tenderloin (Lombo de Porco Assado) and Greek roasted potatoes (Patates Riganates), and is excited to try her hand at Thai noodles (Pad Thai), grilled chicken skewers (Satay Gai), and Brazilian birthday candies (Brigadeiro). Her palate has expanded dramatically since we started cooking from these books, right along with her cooking skills. Needless to say, I've learned a few new tricks myself!

Like the first book, the recipes are presented to be kid-friendly, with names in easy-to-understand English and step-by-step instructions divided into an "On your mark...get set...cook!" format. The ingredients are clearly laid out and the instructions are very approachable and easy for kids to understand. The book is a large spiralbound hardcover and can be laid flat on the counter or in a book holder. The photographs presented with almost every recipe are beautiful and appetizing - some of them get my mouth watering just to look at them, and she loves to go through it and pick out the tastiest-looking ones.

The recipes included in this volume are from Greece, Thailand, Brazil, and India, and each one includes the original name and a little bit of cultural history around the food you're making. A whole section in the middle is devoted to "An Indian Feast" and brings in everything from Indian Bread (Chapati) to Lamb Curry (Shahi Gosht), and a sweet rice pudding (Kheer) from the desserts section rounds out the meal.

The only thing notably missing from this volume was the same thing missing from the first: breakfast. We're big on breakfast in my house and we'd love to learn and experience a little more breakfast foods like the ones found in this book - but most everything found here is for lunch or dinner.

If that's a disappointment, it's a minor one - what it comes down to is this: it's something we look forward to doing every couple weeks. My daughter and I love to cook these recipes together, and everyone in the house looks forward to trying the latest culinary exploration of other cultures that she's chosen for us.

And like all of my best cookbooks, this one is already showing signs of use - stained, dusted, a little rough around the edges, and filled with more delights to be tried.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Matthew Locricchio’s The International Cookbook for Kids, an introductory cookbook suitable for anyone of any age. Locricchio’s sequel, The Second International Cookbook for Kids is just as wonderful.

Whereas the first cookbook focused on what Locricchio called “the big four” cuisines — Italian, French, Chinese and Mexican — the sequel explores the cuisines of India, Greece, Thailand, and Brazil, complete with more than 60 recipes. With recipes easy enough for a child and flavors complex enough to please an adult, The Second International Cookbook for Kids would make the perfect gift for a novice cook of any age. Just be sure that you snag a second copy for yourself so that you can see these delicious recipes, too, which feature fresh, organic ingredients.

Any added benefit? This book is available free as part of the Kindle Unlimited program and costs just $1 to buy in the Kindle format. The paperback edition costs less than $7.

[Selena Pigoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tasty tasty food from Brazil, Greece, India, and Thailand. The recipes aren't too difficult, nor are most of the ingredients hard to find (nice thing about kid's cookbooks). And the recipes aren't stupid things like "This is the Thai chocolate chip cookie!" or Americanized foods. It seems that Locricchio doesn't subscribe to the "kids only eat x and won't try new things" belief. Which is nice.

The nice thing is how the recipes are set up. The instructions are not only step-by-step, but the process gets broken down into "prep" and "cook" sections. Very helpful indeed.

I've made the Coconut Rice and plan to try a few other recipes in this book.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting cookbook that has good instructions and enticing photos by Jack McConnell. All of the recipes seem to be Greek, Thai, Indian, and Brazilian. There's a good list of Essential Ingredients and what they are, a descriptive list of Cooking Terms, and sketches of kitchen equipment. I might actually try a couple of these.
Recipes are organized in chapters: Soups; Appetizers, salads, and relishes; Noodles, rice, and beans; Vegetables, potatoes, and curry paste; An Indian feast; Main dishes, Desserts.
Ingredient quantities are given in American terms of cups and teaspoons instead of by weight, and temperatures in Fahrenheit not Centigrade.