Weekend Cooking: Review: D'lish Deviled Eggs by Kathy Casey

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I can't vouch for other countries, but in the United States, one of the classic picnic foods is deviled eggs. These popular appetizers also make their way to festive tables, especially at Easter and Passover, two holidays that feature a lot of eggs.

Kathy Casey's D'lish Deviled Eggs shows us how to elevate these treats from ordinary to gourmet, with flavors and garnishes for almost every occasion all year round. More than just a recipe collection, this cookbook offers advice on technique, presentation, and menus.

Right off, I was attracted to the beautiful photography in D'lish Deviled Eggs. Just take a look at the cover; those pretty eggs would brighten up any buffet spread. Most home cooks will be happy to know that just about every recipe includes a stunning photo of the finished, nicely decorated deviled egg. What's more, Casey includes a section on how to build the perfect egg, from the boiling and cooling all the way to the piping and topping. No need to feel intimidated, Casey is with you through the entire process.

I loved the section on pretty egg dishes as well as the list of eggy holidays. No month is complete without at least one serving of deviled eggs. From the obvious Fourth of July to the more obscure Dry Martini Day and World Egg Day to the why-not of Mother's Day and Valentine's Day, Casey has a recipe that eggs-actly [sorry!] fits the flavors of the day.

The recipes are surprisingly global; I found Thai curry eggs, smoked salmon eggs, Greek eggs, and Mexican salsa eggs. In between you'll find decidedly American recipes, such as Buffalo, onion mix, green eggs and ham, and ranch. Truly, there is something for everyone in this little gem of a cookbook.

I made the Sunny Roasted Red Pepper Deviled Eggs. The yolks are mashed with red pepper pesto, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, orange juice and orange zest, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. The orange is very subtle and perfectly balances the heat of the mustard and hot pepper. They were delicious, and the garnish of sliced almonds and smoked paprika was as easy as it gets.

I cut the recipe down to make only four eggs. Because I was making them for recipe and taste testing only, I didn't pipe my filling, but I absolutely would do this (so easy to accomplish) if I were serving the eggs for company.

You might wonder about the worth of owning an entire book dedicated to deviled eggs, but I highly recommend Katy Casey's D'lish Deviled Eggs. It opened up a whole new world of party food, and I'm looking forward to getting out my egg platter and serving up some beautiful, tasty treats to our friends and family.

For more about Kathy Casey and eggy ideas, visit her website or follow her on Twitter.

Buy D'lish Deviled Eggs at an Indie or a bookstore near you. This link leads to an affiliate program.
Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2013
ISBN-13: 9781449427504
Rating: B+
Source: Review (see review policy)