Author: cvegnad

The iconic Sophie la Girafe will turn fifty five on May 25th this year. Sophie is a simple giraffe who was born on May 25th, 1961 in France on Saint Sophie’s Day. She has taken the world by storm with her simplicity and gender neutrality and has become a much desired item on baby shower lists around the world.

Who is Sophie la Girafe?

Sophie was first introduced to the world in France as a teething toy at a time when most baby toys consisted of farm animals and pets. Sophie looks exactly the same today as she first did when she was introduced to the world fifty five years ago. Her fame quickly spread across Europe and eventually to North America as she is made from 100% natural rubber from the sap of the Hevea tree and she contains natural materials and toxic free paints making her an ideal teething toy for infants (SophieLaGirafe.Co.UK).

Oh How Sophie la Girafe Has Grown!!

As Sophie’s fame has grown, with over fifty million teethers sold, she has expanded into the world of books with her loveable friends. She now proudly adorns many books geared towards infants and toddlers that will quickly become a cherished family favourite. DK Canada has a large selection of Sophie la Girafe books that can be found in their boutique. From first words and numbers to peekaboos and  touch and feel, the boutique has a wealth of books that cover all the important firsts for your baby.

Happy Birthday Sophie: Pop Up Peekaboo

This book stars Sophie and her friends in adorable party scenes, each featuring flaps to flip and lots of colorful surprises.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Sophie and Friends: Touch and Feel

In this book, infants and toddlers are introduced to the world of Sophie and her five special friends. They are invited to touch the soft, shiny and bumpy textures and share in all the fun at Sophie’s house.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Both of these books are perfect gifts for parents to be and for young infants and toddlers. If your child loves Sophie la Girafe they will be delighted to see her and her friends come to life in these hard cover books. In Sophie and Friends touch and feel, you can begin to teach your child about textures as they learn to spot and feel the differences. In Pop up Peekaboo, your child will be inspired with the imaginative play as you turn each page. Each page holds a new exciting surprise for your child as they lift the flap. Make reading fun for your little one and watch as they grow with these adorable books featuring one of their favourite characters. I love how the books are in soft, pastel, gender neutral colours that stay true to Sophie la Girafe. The entire book collection will be an important part of your child’s first library. With simple sentences that allow the focus to be on you and your child, both of you will love reading time!

Help celebrate Sophie la Girafe’s birthday online with DK Canada by following the #sophielagirafebirthday hashtag on Twitter.

Disclosure: I received the above books free of charge in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Summer is just about here, we are finally getting warmer weather and the May long weekend has just passed by. Now what does this typically bring? If you are like our family it means lots of time spent outdoors, cooking on the grill and get togethers with friends. But sometimes you need to spice things up on the grill to keep it fresh and unique. If you are looking for new unique foods to cook on the grill, then Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas is for you. This book is full of recipes, ideas, suggestions and more just in time for the outdoor summer season.

About Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas

Chef Craig Priebe’s culinary creativity comes to life through his innovative Italian dishes. Focusing on his award-winning pizzas and piadinas, he uses a variety of ingredient combinations to deliver delectable meals right into the home cook’s kitchen.

Mouth-watering recipes for grilled pizza with meat, chicken, seafood, and vegetables comprise the first part of this book, followed by chapters on crispy grilled piadinas, fresh salads, and grilled desserts. A typical recipe of Priebe’s calls for smoky, thin, and crispy crusts and vibrant combinations of toppings such as grilled figs, Gorgonzola, and prosciutto.

Through quick and easy instructions for 75 recipes, full-color photographs, step-by-step techniques, and party menus, a beginner cook or a seasoned chef will be inspired to fire up the grill.

My Thoughts

We love grilling in the summer months, especially when you combine this with family and the pool. Out of habit sometimes the foods we grill can be routine and the same over and over. Sometimes I blame my husbands love of steak and chicken (he literally can eat this every day) but other times its just a lack of knowing what I can cook on the grill and not being adventurous enough to try new things.

Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas takes the guess work out of the way for you. The book contains 187 pages of party planning advice, recipes and all the gadgets you will need to become the boss of the grill. They spend about eight pages going over grills, grill care and maintenance, indoor grills, basic grilling tools and kitchen tools that you will need to make your pizzas. They also give advice on their preferred tools and even how to properly measures pantry items.

The recipes start with a basic grilled pizza dough with an alternative for a thicker crust variation that will be the base for every recipe that follows. Step by step instructions help guide you through the process of making the dough, which isn’t as easy as it sounds. I have made pizza dough a couple of times and sometimes it can come out too doughy or just not quite tasting right. This recipe makes a delicious pizza crust that your whole family will love.

The book also teaches you how to cook a pizza on a grill, which may seem obvious but honestly it wasn’t until I read this. They gave tips on how to figure out if your grill is too hot and what to do to avoid this. I have scorched pita breads on the grill in the past so it is helpful to know where and what to do if this happens.

The recipes are divided in sections by pizzas with meat/chicken/seafood/vegetables, piadinas, salads and desserts. Each recipe is easy to follow with simple instructions, ingredient list and with an introduction to the individual recipe with large, bold photographs following each recipe. My personal favourite recipe? The Verduran – mixed vegetables with olives and basil, yum yum!

If you are looking for new, fresh and exciting recipes to impress your guests – this book is the perfect recipe book for you. You will find plenty of new healthy ideas to suit a variety of dietary needs. You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.