Vrattos

San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf has long been known for its sourdough bread bowls filled with piping hot chowder. Not just for chowder anymore, these hollowed-out rounds serve as edible vessels for meals of all kinds. Now, The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook will help you get started serving food this way.

Whether you’re using sourdough or pumpernickel, and whether your loaf is out-of-the-oven fresh or store-bought, authors John Vrattos and Lisa Messinger begin by showing you the simple method for hollowing out a bowl that is both beautiful and functional. What follows are over 100 sumptuous kitchen-tested recipes, ranging from traditional dishes such as Fisherman’s Wharf-Style Clam Chowder to innovative creations like Teriyaki Chicken Bowl and Warm Baja Shrimp Taco Dip. Soups, salads, appetizers, entrées, even desserts--all are fun to make and delightful to serve! Throughout the book you’ll also find outstanding bread bowl recipes developed by top restaurant chefs who have honed their culinary skills at such restaurants as the famous Scoma’s on Fisherman’s Wharf and the prestigious Tadich Grill--San Francisco’s oldest eatery.

Whether you’re hosting a Super Bowl party, preparing a meal for the family, or simply cooking an intimate dinner for two, make your event a little more special with some tasty selections from The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook.

Lisa Messinger is an award-winning cookbook review columnist and food cover story writer for Copley News Service, and a long-time newspaper food editor.

John Vrattos is a gourmet cook who has been in the sourdough bread business for over two decades, working for the world’s top producers of sourdough breads.