The Picky Palate Cookbook

August 20, 2012
The idea behind this book, and the popular Picky Palate blog that inspired it, is appealing: offer a storehouse of more than 130 recipes likely to appeal to the most finicky eaters at the table. But few kids will be picky when presented with a breakfast of Nutella-Banana-Stuffed French Toast or One Bowl Buttermilk Pancakes with Buttermilk Syrup, which the author says her boys refer to as "candy syrup." The implicit promise of such a book is that it will contain some healthful and varied foodstuffs, not just snacks like Cheesy Garlic Toast and Mona's Mini Corndogs or entrees such as Bacon-Wrapped Honey-Mustard Chicken Tenders and Pan-Fried Baby Bacon Cheeseburgers with Special Sauce. This volume does contain a handful of gemsâdishes picky eaters would probably try and that most parents would be happy to have their kids eat. But the collection would have benefited from many more entries in the thoughtful, nutritious vein of Parmesan Roasted Carrot Fries; or Veggie, Feta, and Couscous Salad.