Give a Girl a Knife – Review, Tour Dates and Book Giveaway

May 15, 2017 by
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While baking one Saturday in 2013, I had Food Network on in the background and heard a preview for a show called Heartland Table starring Amy Thielen. I went to the remote and rewound the promo. I was thrilled – a real cooking show and from someone in the Midwest! Before the promo was over, I scheduled the recording of the pilot – Butter – and was searching Amazon to see if Amy Thielen had a cookbook – The New Midwestern Table: 200 Heartland Recipes was ordered immediately. 

After lovingly paging through the book a few days later (thanks Amazon prime) I was sold. I sent a message to Amy telling her I was going to cook through her book, start a group and asked for her permission. Cooking from The New Midwestern Table was formed and I have made at least half the recipes from the cookbook – all excellent. 
 
Amy is the girl next door who can cook and write with a passion that raises the bar so high mere mortals cannot compete. She is an easy friend and a beautiful person. When I heard she was writing a memoir, I admit I was disappointed – I wanted another cookbook – but what the world was gifted with was far better. Give a Girl a Knife: A Memoir is a treasure to read and reflects her down-to-earth spirit. It will keep you turning pages well into the early morning hours. Amy had sent me a pdf to read before the book was available.  Let me tell you – reading from a pdf is not joyous on an old slow tablet – but it was worth the aggravation to soak up Amy’s words. 

Touching and funny, Amy shares her journey to becoming a chef and reaching a deeper understanding of her German and French roots. After attending cooking school in New York, she landed jobs in the kitchens of such notables as Daniel Boulud and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. She would frequently return back to Minnesota, soaking up the traditions of her family – her mother’s cooking and the food of her butter and pickle loving German grandmother.  A warm, witty and touching memoir that feels like you are talking with an old friend and experiencing her joys and triumphs from a front row seat. It is a documented love affair with life, family, food and words. Thank you Amy, we are grateful that you opened your door to allow us in. 

The tour dates to promote Give a Girl a Knife are available on our World Calendar of Cookbook Events – check to see if Amy is in your area. 

 
We are pleased to offer three copies of this title to our EYB Members in the US. One of the entry options is to answer the following question in the comments section of this blog post:

Have you ever cooked one of Amy’s recipes before? And if you haven’t, check out some of the recipes available online – you will want to buy both her books. 

Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won’t be counted. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends at midnight on June 17th, 2017.
Photo credit JT Turner

 
Category: Book News, Cookbook Giveaways

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49 Comments

  • lgroom  on  May 15, 2017

    No, I haven't cooked anything of Amy's.

  • sgump  on  May 15, 2017

    Neither have I cooked anything of Amy's–but I lived in the Midwest for a good 15 years and am intrigued by her spin on that region's comfort fare.

  • AnnaZed  on  May 15, 2017

    I never have, I am only learning about her today; she seems very inventive.

  • Siegal  on  May 15, 2017

    No I haven't tried any of Amy's recipes yet

  • mwaters  on  May 15, 2017

    This book looks good!

  • Joy001  on  May 15, 2017

    I have not yet cooked anything of Amy's, but will look forward to trying in the future.

  • Leahspitzer  on  May 15, 2017

    No, haven't heard of her before.

  • Maefleur  on  May 15, 2017

    I haven't tried any of her recipes, but enjoyed and miss her show. Looking forward to this book!

  • tarae1204  on  May 15, 2017

    I haven't tried her recipes but I love this sophisticated approach to Midwestern favorites (and more) from my few years living in the northern Midwest.

  • Karla123  on  May 16, 2017

    No, I have not tried any of her recipes, but I can't wait to.

  • verorenee  on  May 16, 2017

    No 🙁

  • southerncooker  on  May 16, 2017

    I've cooked many many recipes from The New Midwestern Table. Love it.

  • Katiefayhutson  on  May 17, 2017

    Nope

  • NancyLynn  on  May 19, 2017

    Yes I have, I own her wonderful cookbook!

  • meggan  on  May 19, 2017

    No but Fresh cheese ball with ground cherry chutney sounds good.

  • bstewart  on  May 19, 2017

    I haven't yet!

  • matag  on  May 19, 2017

    No

  • artmarcia  on  May 20, 2017

    No, I just heard of Amy through your blog, but I am from Kansas, so I want to check out her Midwestern recipes.

  • cocecitycook  on  May 20, 2017

    No, I have never cooked any of Amy's recipes. Her books sound interesting.

  • Rosesrpink50  on  May 20, 2017

    Yes! My favorite was her chicken and wild rice hotdish.

  • JanScholl  on  May 20, 2017

    no-I haven't. But we share heritage. I am also German and French. This would be an interesting read.

  • lpatterson412  on  May 21, 2017

    No I have not, but looking through them, I totally should! They all look wonderful!

  • skipeterson  on  May 22, 2017

    I haven't tried any of Ms. Thielen's recipes but I'd like to try Cracker-crusted panfish with two sauces.

  • JenJoLa  on  May 23, 2017

    I haven't tried any of Amy's recipes, but I'm also from the Midwest and my interest is piqued.

  • kj_morse  on  May 25, 2017

    No, but i'd surely like to! 🙂

  • Kelos  on  May 25, 2017

    Not yet!

  • Angryyew  on  May 25, 2017

    have not tried her recipes

  • nomadchowwoman  on  May 25, 2017

    No I haven't tried anything. I did buy the previous book to give as a gift to my sister-in-law, an excellent midwestern cook in her own right.

  • Dmartin997  on  May 25, 2017

    No but see I've been missing out.

  • LindaYogi  on  May 26, 2017

    I love this book! Her peanut butter granola is fantastic, it's the only one I make anymore. I loved watching her show and I can't wait to read more about her life.

  • PennyG  on  May 26, 2017

    I have not made any of Amy's recipes. Her blog looks delicious!

  • juazella  on  May 26, 2017

    I haven't tried any, but I've watched her shows and loooove them!

  • t.t  on  May 27, 2017

    No, I've not made any of her recipes.

  • Foodo  on  May 27, 2017

    Unfortunately no, I haven't, but I remember reading an article in the local paper about her.

  • talieUS  on  May 28, 2017

    no I never tried…but I'm looking for

  • RSW  on  May 30, 2017

    Never heard of her.

  • Scotsman61  on  May 30, 2017

    No I haven't cooked anything from Amy

  • annieski  on  June 1, 2017

    I haven't yet, knowingly, cooked anything from Amy

  • rivergait  on  June 1, 2017

    The first thing I cooked from her New Midwestern Table was the braunschweiger, in honor of my mother's Depression-era Nebraska memories. While reopening the book (to check the spelling of braunschweiger), I happened across Ginger Aebleskivers…a breakfast treat to make with the new pan I scored yesterday at the thrift store.

  • sarahawker  on  June 2, 2017

    No, there is only so much time, but I'd love to!

  • klrclark  on  June 9, 2017

    No, I haven't but I love the title.

  • dbielick  on  June 10, 2017

    I have her cookbook but haven't made anything from it yet. There are a number of recipes I'd like to try including the cracker crust pizza.

  • Grywhp  on  June 11, 2017

    Not yet

  • Uhmandanicole  on  June 11, 2017

    I have not tried any recipes yet

  • ktwalla  on  June 12, 2017

    Yes, I love her recipes. Her chicken and kale burgers are delicious.

  • SereneVannoy  on  June 16, 2017

    I love food memoirs. Looking forward to this! (I haven't tried her recipes yet.)

  • Joy001  on  June 16, 2017

    No, but I have her first book (haven't cooked from it yet).

  • mwaters  on  June 16, 2017

    No, I've never cooked any of her recipes. I just printed out Classic chicken and wild rice hotdish to try this weekend.

  • orchidlady01  on  June 17, 2017

    I haven't tried any of Amy's recipes.

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