Cookbook: Photographs and Memories - Recipes from Croce's Restaurant & Jazz Bar by Ingrid Croce

from CrocesStore

Ingrid Croce opened Croce’s Restaurant and Jazz Bar in 1985, as a tribute to her late husband, singer-songwriter Jim Croce. Her dream was to create a dining experience that offered the warmth, music, and energy, which Ingrid and Jim Croce shared in their home.

Since its founding, Croce’s has become a treasured San Diego “landmark” and an international destination for many visitors and Jim Croce fans. Croce’s contemporary menu offers a unique blend of classics and imaginative American cuisine with elegance, flair, and bold bursts of color and flavor.

Featured on these pages, you’ll find all the Croce’s recipes that have become customer favorites over the years, including the popular Warm Spinach Salad with Poached Figs in a sweet, warm, vanilla bean dressing; Sesame-Seared Sashimi Ahi with Japanese Vinaigrette; and Grilled Free-Range Chicken with Forest Mushroom Risotto. Ingrid and Chef James Clark also share some of their personal favorites, such as Bordeaux-Braised Short Ribs with Mac-n-Cheese; Croce’s Famous French Onion Soup; and the wonderfully decadent Caramel Apple Tart with Caramel Corn.

Every recipe in Photographs and Memories have been paired with Croce’s Wine Spectator Award winning wine list and many local craft beers. We hope, when you open this book and prepare one of our dishes, you’ll feel some of the warmth and comfort that has made Croce’s one of San Diego’s most successful dining destinations.

PRAISE FOR PHOTOGRAPHS AND MEMORIES

“Ingrid’s “Photographs and Memories” is not only a tribute to the great and talented legend Jim Croce, but a beautiful story. From a chef’s perspective, the recipes are inviting and very approachable for the everyday cook. The photographs are natural and evoke a mouth-watering response. Simply put, I want to eat this food.”
— Gary Danko, Chef/Owner Restaurant Gary Danko, San Francisco; Michelin Guide One-Star Rating, 2012

“Ingrid’s heartfelt memoir and cookbook is a reminder that good food tastes even better when it’s based on the longing
for family, and when it’s served with the hospitality and love of a warm home.”
— Danny Meyer, NYC restaurateur and author of Setting the Table

“Since working together at The Food Network I have admired Ingrid’s passion for hospitality. These pages tell an engaging story of a woman who has met daunting challenges and achieved great success. This book will inspire you, and the recipes are wonderful, too!”
— Drew Nieporent, Restaurateur Tribeca Grill, Nobu, and Corton

“These recipes are really exceptional! They made me want to go to the kitchen at once. Ingrid and James have a gift for making simple, basic food a delight to remember!”
— Deborah Szekely, Founder Rancho La Puerta and the Golden Door