Product Description

The next best thing to actually living on an island paradise is being able to bring a bit of paradise home. Bob and Melinda Blanchard shared their own “paradise found” in their book A Trip to the Beach, the true story of the couple’s adventures as they escaped civilization to open a restaurant on the Caribbean island of Anguilla. Now in At Blanchard’s Table, the couple extends the celebrated warmth and hospitality of their acclaimed restaurant, and its delicious menu, to our homes. The happy result is a cookbook that’s as much a pleasure to read as it is enjoyable to follow.

Writing with the same humor and charm that made their first book such a success, Bob and Melinda share recipes drawn from their New England roots, their early years in the gourmet food business, and their life in the Caribbean. At Blanchard’s Table is a delectable collection of more than 160 recipes perfect for get-togethers of family and friends, illustrated with glorious photographs that reveal how lucky they are
to have homes in both Vermont and Anguilla.

Although the Blanchards’ restaurant gets rave reviews for the food, Melinda was never trained formally as a chef, so her recipes are for true homemade meals that are appealing and easy. Caribbean-influenced dishes like Calypso Chicken with Lime, Grilled Lobster Anguilla Style, and Jamaican Jerk Shrimp are complemented by New England–inspired fare such as Vermont Cheddar Soup, Balsamic-Glazed Veal Chops, and Vermont Picnic Ham Baked in Dark Beer.

Sections include Casual Starters, Soups, Salads and Dressings, Seafood, Meat, Pasta, Vegetables and Sides, Desserts, and Drinks. Throughout the book, there are dozens of mini-recipes that allow people in a hurry to toss together just a couple of ingredients for a quick and tasty dish. The Blanchards also offer expert cooking tips, as well as more delightful stories about some of their favorite Anguillians.

With simple, eclectic, and flavorful recipes—along with sound cooking advice, charming anecdotes, and the same warmth that made people fall in love with A Trip to the Beach—At Blanchard’s Table is truly a pleasure to cook from and nearly as enchanting as an actual trip to the beach.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #84066 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03-25
• Released on: 2003-03-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Peppering their volume of straightforward recipes with amusing stories and photographs of the goings-on at both their eponymous restaurant in the Caribbean and their life in Vermont ("we commute"), the Blanchards present a down-to-earth, personal cookbook that makes a nice follow up to A Trip to the Beach, which chronicled their experiences opening Blanchard's Restaurant on the tiny island of Anguilla. The recipes here, which represent no particular cuisine, are simple, homemade dishes from self-taught chef Blanchard and her staff at the restaurant, and will delight hungry palates and cooks who are interested in straightforward but pleasing recipes for friends and family alike. Half of the cookbook is devoted to colorful, casual starters and soups, and tasty salads and dressings with a zesty twist. Starters such as Crusty Grilled Shrimp with Soy-Sesame Sauce and Blanchard's Lobster Cakes with Tomato Tartar Sauce (popular with restaurant customers), and salads and dressings such as Spicy Vegetable Slaw and Potato Salad with Lime and Sun-Dried Tomatoes are all easy to prepare. Main dishes include seafood, meat and pasta dishes, from Coconut Curried Chicken to Vermont Picnic Ham Baked in Dark Beer to Calypso Chicken with Lime. The authors also include "In a Hurry" recipes to turn to when time is short supply, and the culinary tips from devoted workers of the restaurant make this charming volume practical as well. 50 full-color and 15 b&w photographs.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Melinda Blanchard and Robert Blanchard have become famous for their restaurant on the Caribbean isle of Anguilla. Patrons flock to this tiny place just to sample the provender At Blanchard's Table. From this record of their recipes, it's easy to understand what the commotion is about. Melinda's cooking combines the verve of West Indian cuisine with New England's Yankee heartiness and with contemporary bistro fare. Vermont cheddar cheese soup contrasts with grilled mahi-mahi in Thai curry sauce. Caribbean corn bread sweetened with pineapple accompanies chicken breasts with Marsala and cream. Each section of the book has an inventory of inspirations that encourage the home cook to prepare attractive dishes that are flavorful and quickly produced. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

From the Inside Flap
The next best thing to actually living on an island paradise is being able to bring a bit of paradise home. Bob and Melinda Blanchard shared their own ?paradise found? in their book A Trip to the Beach, the true story of the couple?s adventures as they escaped civilization to open a restaurant on the Caribbean island of Anguilla. Now in At Blanchard?s Table, the couple extends the celebrated warmth and hospitality of their acclaimed restaurant, and its delicious menu, to our homes. The happy result is a cookbook that?s as much a pleasure to read as it is enjoyable to follow.

Writing with the same humor and charm that made their first book such a success, Bob and Melinda share recipes drawn from their New England roots, their early years in the gourmet food business, and their life in the Caribbean. At Blanchard?s Table is a delectable collection of more than 160 recipes perfect for get-togethers of family and friends, illustrated with glorious photographs that reveal how lucky they are
to have homes in both Vermont and Anguilla.

Although the Blanchards? restaurant gets rave reviews for the food, Melinda was never trained formally as a chef, so her recipes are for true homemade meals that are appealing and easy. Caribbean-influenced dishes like Calypso Chicken with Lime, Grilled Lobster Anguilla Style, and Jamaican Jerk Shrimp are complemented by New England?inspired fare such as Vermont Cheddar Soup, Balsamic-Glazed Veal Chops, and Vermont Picnic Ham Baked in Dark Beer.

Sections include Casual Starters, Soups, Salads and Dressings, Seafood, Meat, Pasta, Vegetables and Sides, Desserts, and Drinks. Throughout the book, there are dozens of mini-recipes that allow people in a hurry to toss together just a couple of ingredients for a quick and tasty dish. The Blanchards also offer expert cooking tips, as well as more delightful stories about some of their favorite Anguillians.

With simple, eclectic, and flavorful recipes?along with sound cooking advice, charming anecdotes, and the same warmth that made people fall in love with A Trip to the Beach?At Blanchard?s Table is truly a pleasure to cook from and nearly as enchanting as an actual trip to the beach.

Customer Reviews

Blanchard's Home Cooked Recipes for the Soul.
To have the skill to bake and cook well is a joy. To know the people who cook and bake so well they have wrtten several cookbooks is even more wonderful. The Blanchards have been an "Upper Valley" treasure for years. They first started out with Blanchard and Blanchard Salad Dressings, and were the first to mix herbs and unusual ingredients into delicious salad dressings.

Mel and Robert Blanchard live in Norwich, Vermont and have a restaurant in Anguilla. Mel is not an educated chef, but a born and bred true cook. Her recipes are simple and so good. Cheddar Cheese soup, cheese and onion bake (tastes like the topping on french onion soup, and is used as a side dish for their New England Thanksgiving on Anguilla) One of the most delicious and unusual recipes is Vermont Picnic Ham with dark beer. Scrambled eggs with herb cheese and chives, surrounded by roasted small tomatoes is mouth watering. Pair that with peach, coconut breakfast bread and you have the makings of a scrumptious brunch.

The Blanchards use simple ingredients because much of what they make must be flown into Anguilla. They use the fruits and vegetables native to Anguilla. At the heart of their cooking continues the use of herbs, fresh and dried. Each recipe is unusual and can be made at any time. None of the ingredients are seasonal or that unusual. Their particular blending of the herbs and other ingredients, however, give their cooking 5 star quality. I recommend this cookbook for anyone, and it will be under the Christmas tree of many of my friends and family. Can't wait to get back to that ham. prisrob

Fabulous recipes that taste great and are good for you
I bought this book because I've been looking for alternative ways to cook fish and shellfish besides boring citrus marinades. I'd eaten at Caribbean restaurants before and knew that this was the cuisine to do it. So far, every dish that I've made in this cookbook has not disappointed me, and I've become so addicted to the the pureed sweet potatoes that I make it at least once a week. (Hint: once they're cooked, puree the potatoes with an electric mixer, most of the fibrous bits will wind around the beaters and your potatoes will be smooth and creamy!)

Upon first reading it, I thought the recipes seemed sort of boring, but believe me, they are more than the sum of their parts. Aside from the above mentioned pureed sweet potatoes, my other favorites include the roasted red and yellow peppers with rosemary and lemon juice, the spice-rub swordfish steaks with balsamic reduction sauce, and the jerk shrimp. All of these recipes are incredibly easy to make, and if you're pressed for time, each chapter starts off with "in a hurry" meals that you can prepare quickly. Who says cooking has to be so time intensive and complicated? A true gem!

A wonderful taste of paradise!
The cover picture of Life at the Beach drew me to it-- reminding me of childhood days in Hawaii and adult vacations in the Carribean. I found the book delightful reading and my husband and I began planning a future trip to Anguilla. Imagine my thrill in seeing that the Blanchard's published this wonderful cookbook. I immediately bought one for a gift and one for me. It has become a household favorite!! First-- it is a TRULY user-friendly cookbook and cooking guide. It has quickly become my most-used cookbook. Many chef-written cookbooks on my shelf (and there are many) sit there because recipes are too involved for our lifestyle (too many steps and ingredients). The Blanchard's cookbook combines all the concepts one would want in a cooking guide--fabulous, fresh and creative tastes; beautiful and tantalizing pictures; clear, simple directions with manageable and available ingredients; AND tips for success from the chef. One of the real benefits of the book is the "In a Hurry" section at the beginning of EVERY chapter-- it lists quick, yet delicious ideas for weeknight dinners-- and include ingredients I usually have on hand. I really appreciated their care in writing each recipe with the "home cook" in mind -- they clearly want to share their joy of food with everyone-- whether or not you make it to Anguilla! Second, I really enjoyed seeing the pictures of all the "family" members at the restaurant. After reading all about them in Life at the Beach, it was fun to "see" them. Now, I can't wait to meet them all in person! Do yourself a favor-- buy BOTH these books-- you'll be taking a little trip to paradise each time you open them!