Will It Skillet?

March 20, 2017
Shumski’s follow-up to 2014’s Will It Waffle replicates its one-tool approach, right down to the recipe count. Though home cooks are likely already using their skillets to prepare dishes such as seared steaks and grilled cheese sandwiches, Shumski offers novel takes for unexpected fare such as parmesan tuiles; a spinach and feta dip; ricotta, spinach, and mushroom lasagna; and even chicken pot pie. He shows readers how to get the most out of their skillets, with instructions on basic care, seasoning, and cleaning, and illustrates how skillets can amplify the flavors of spices by toasting them. Though some dishes seem to be included solely to boost recipe count—such as waffle bread pudding, which employs frozen waffles as its centerpiece—the majority of the fare here is practical and doable for even the most inexperienced, and the book would make a fine accompaniment to a gift of a skillet for a novice cook.