Nothing Fancy Unfussy Food for Having People Over

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The online life star, New York Times writer, and writer of Dining In encourages you nail supper with unfussy food and the consent to be defective.

"Foe of the mellow, victor of the intense, Ms. Roman offers plans in Nothing Fancy that are crunchy, gooey, tart, citrusy, fishy, smoky and fiery."— Julia Moskin, The New York Times

IACP AWARD FINALIST • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times Book Review • The New Yorker • NPR • The Washington Post • San Francisco Chronicle • BuzzFeed • The Guardian • Food Network

An unforeseen weeknight feast with a neighbor or an end of the week evening gathering with fifteen of your dearest companions—whichever way and wherever in the middle of, having individuals over should be fun, not upsetting. This bounteous assortment of every single new formula—substantial on the simple to-execute vegetables and flexible grains, giving heaps of close consideration to crunchy, salty bites, and with affection for all the meats—is for social events of all shapes and sizes, anytime.

Alison Roman will give you the food your kin need (think DIY martini bar, platters of tomatoes, pots of coconut-braised chicken and chickpeas, dish of lemony turmeric tea cake) in addition to the tips, backtalk, and certainty to pull everything off. With Nothing Fancy, any night of the week merits celebrating.

About the Author
Alison Roman is a columnist for the New York Times Food section and Bon Appétit. She is the author of the bestselling Dining In, named a best cookbook of the year by NPR, the San Francisco Chronicle, and Epicurious, among others. A native of Los Angeles, Alison lives in Brooklyn.

I’m 30 by age but 75 in my soul and this book appeals to both the 30 year old gay man and 75 year old woman named Muffy in me. I generally do not like young food writers and their “burn it all down!” mentality. I worship at the altar of 1980s ‘Gourmet’. I want fussy. I want fancy. But at the core I most love to cook because I love to gather people and feed them. This book does that. It is an exciting new wave, not a daunting and disrespectful one. The recipes are simple but they are revelatory. She champions the most underrated, cheap, readily available, and delicious things! We all should think to use anchovies more. They are such a perfect and neglected ingredient. Salads do not have to be an aggressive display of wealth—Iceberg lettuce and celery are cheap and have fabulous crunch! Effortless, delicious. The night I got the book I made the celery and blue cheese salad. I thought about making my own modifications but decided to follow the book by line. I was delighted. The flavors were big and bold but everything wove together and made sense. It’s the type of dish people will request you bring to another occasion. I think the world would be better if more people cooked and sat at a table (or on the floor if you really are that Bohemian) and this book should make anyone and everyone feel excited and able to do so. I love that the book is dedicated to Roman’s glamorous grandmother because that sets the perfect tone and expectation for the book. In ‘Nothing Fancy’, the old school has not been burned down, it has been thoughtfully remodeled. Use matching china and multiple glasses per place setting if you have them, but the most important thing is to invite people into your home and feed them. Anyone can do that.-SJ

This may be the most wonderful cookbook I have ever bought- and I have many. I have had this book for 3 days and I am already cooking my way through the most delicious, inventive, original (but not weird!) dishes that I have produced in my kitchen in a long time. The green beans with anchovied walnuts? Addictive melt of salty, nutty, fantastic flavors that belong together but I would not have thought of on my own. Peas with burrata and a fantastic blend of arugula, mint, and parsley? It tasted like a restaurant worthy dish but was simple to prepare. Corn nuts with nutritional yeast and sumac- amazing!- and makes you wonder at Alison Roman's evil genius at developing such a simple and craze inducing snack. I cannot find enough superlatives to describe the way Roman layers flavor profiles the way an artist would layer color- deftly, subtly, outrageously, and deliciously. Please buy this book. It is a pleasure to read and the food is mind-blowing.-Lorry Hammer

I’ve had this book over a week now and have made about 10 recipes — every one has been incredible. The chicken with caramelized onions and dates = amazing. Winter squash with pistachios and brown butter = amazing. Pork meatballs with brothy tomatoes = amazing. This is probably the best, most consistently delicious cookbook I’ve ever owned. Thank you, Alison!-Molly G.