Cooking Books

I ate this book up and still wanted more. I am 1/2 Italian as well, the same age as the author, have 2 boys as does the author, and have what I thought was the only mixed up crazy family. I chose education and career over learning how to cook, so I loved hearing about her search. Laura write a sequel! More pictures!

This is one of the oddest books I have ever read and I recommend it to anyone -not just food lovers. It kept me facinated until the end. One of those books which enlightens one to the small but exciting adventures people can find themselves caught up with. You don't have to be a movie star or run for president to find some exciting things in your own life. Laura Schenone did this and brought the reader along with her. I don't know this lady but it would be fun having her for a neighbor - especially for Christmas ravioli.

Schenone has written a mesmerizing meditation on food that is a mystery, a memoir and a love letter to ravioli all at once. The book made me wish I had Italian ancestors, so I could go hop a plane and explore the mountains of Italy to track down secret recipes, and hidden family lore, too. Instead I made the walnut sauce--which was delicious. This book is a beautiful and honest memoir about a woman's search to understand her family and herself. Honestly, I didn't want the journey to end.

I love this book! It is a little bit cooking, a little bit history, a little bit travel, a little bit genealogy, a little bit family drama. I had borrowed a copy from my local library, and I enjoyed it so much that I had to buy it.
I am intending to try some of the recipes and make my own ravioli.(My all time favorite food)

Lending libraries strong in culinary history, particularly American regional dishes, will delight in THE LOST RAVIOLI RECIPES OF HOBOKEN, based on the author's quest for a great grandmother's recipe for ravioli. Her journey takes her to family history and archives, surveys conflicting ideas of culinary history, and journeys from New Jersey's suburbs to her Italian ancestors' home. The result's a lively food history not to be missed.

My 4 years old love this book. You can find activities to do with your child, is very easy for them to understand.

All the books in the "If you give...." series are wonderful. My 2 year old granddaughter had four individual books (and often chooses them when picking a story for me to read to her); but my "out of town" granddaughter, who is 2 1/2, was not aware of them. I was going for a visit; so I bought Mouse Cookies, a collection of four of the books. What a fun surprise when she found a CD and many recipes that went along with the stories. I would recommend this book for 2-6 year olds - the characters are endearing to adults and kids and the stories are so much fun and encourage "memory" too. I play games with my 26 month old granddaughter when we go for a walk, by asking her, "If you give a mouse or pig or moose something, what will s/he want next?" She stops and thinks and usually comes up with the answer or will ask what it is. So much fun.

This book is great, stories, activities. It is really several books in one and the Amazon price is great.

These stories are so cute, but this collection with songs and recipes is perfect. My 5-year old son received this for Christmas and he loves it.

My 3-year-old loves all of the books. I like the mouse-cookie one the best, personally. Each story gets more and more far-fetched as the plot progresses, but it's very entertaining.

This book is perfect for Indians who live abroad and really miss home cooked food. I grew up in Zoroastrian household and the few recipes I've tried from here came very close to the food I ate growing up.
The introduction to the book also makes it a great gift to non-Zoroastrians who are interested in the culture and the cuisine ! I bought a copy for myself and a few more to give away as gifts.

A wonderful cookbook that I've read cover to cover. My husband is Indian, I own a dozen Indian cookbooks and this is easily my favorite (and he and I love the results). In addition to My Bombay Kitchen's delicious recipes, fascinating history of Parsis, and friendly, accessible tone, I love that this cookbook dispenses with glossy photos and obsessively detailed instructions and instead teaches the reader to cook by using the seven senses (smell, sight, hearing, touch, taste, sixth, and common). The author is not just teaching me how to cook Parsi food, but how to use seasonal, fresh produce and techniques that will improve the taste and presentation of any dish.

Great book, I have tried a number of recipes and all have worked out very well

Anyone who loves parsi must get this book. I enjoyed preparing and serving the dishes to my friends. I also recommend Finger Licking Different!!!

Some people use cookbooks, I read them. I believe a cookbook, especially an ethnic or exotic one, should be as entertaining as a novel, as detailed as a travel guide, and as warm and witty as a good neighbor's kitchen. It's rare to find a cookbook that fits the bill as completely--and cleverly--as this one. No tiresome list of esoteric ingredients and daunting prep, Niloufer's explanations of products, procedures and substitutions are clear and organized enough for newcomers to Middle- and Far-East cooking to march confidently, yet salted with options for more advanced cooks to flex their jazz and improv muscles. The obsessive attention to detail and organization presciently addresses issues like storage and substitution, often with memorable mirth. (In a description of a recipe that can be successfully "thawed": "Note, I didn't say 'frozen.' Anything can be successfully frozen.") Moreover, she provides a brief and eloquent history of the Parsi people, giving the reader a solid foundation to better appreciate this somewhat obscure culinary creole.

Of course, the deal breaker is, "How's the food?" Well, her Major Ordle's Chutney is the best mango chutney I've ever made (and she explains why), her Mother's Wobbly Cauliflower Custard slides into a pie shell to become God's own quiche, and her masur (without tongue, thank you) is itself worth the price of admission.

I bought it in 1984, then misplaced it, I liked the recipes, and with Summer coming, decided to by it again

What a great cook book full of good ideas for entertaining. The recipes are unique and easy to follow. This is a go-to book for potlucks and parties.

Ms. Chase has a fresh, innovative style in her writing and recipes. I enjoyed reading this book as well as trying out some of the yummy, creative dishes. As I was researching Ina Garten's website, I discovered that Ina herself finds this cookbook to be indispensible in her own food preparation and also in sparking her culinary creativity. If Ina says it's good, it's gotta be good!!!

I lost almost all of my cook book collection to hurricane Katrina. This is the book that I replaced first! I was so happy to find it here at Amazon since I have been looking for it for awhile. The recipes are those that I use over and over and they never fail to please.....Ms. Chase has a wonderful way with food that is both comforting and elegant. You will enjoy this book!

Looking for interesting foods, lush ingredients, reliable recipes? Sara Leah Chase has it in her blood; these recipes are perfect in their uniqueness, but are so do-able. The comments prefacing each recipe are helpful, and bring back many memories of my 15 Nantucket summers. Her recipes often include traditional foods with an inventive, flavorful twist. This book is also just plain enjoyable to read. Chase's attitude is Good Food + Warm Hospitality = Memorable Times. Best recipes: hummous, scallop puffs, swordfish kebabs, duck breast w/ grilled radicchio, cranberry-kumquat relish...and every dessert.

Este libro te ayudará como prevenir el CANCER, ya que hoy en día esa enfermedad se adquiere hasta de lo que comemos y aquí nos da unos consejos para prevenirlo. TE LO RECOMIENDO NO TE ARREPENTIRAS!

PUES NO SIRVE PARA NADA, PÒRQUE SIGUES COMIENDO ALIMENTOS QUE PROVOCAN CANCER...
Si quieres eliminar ese riesgo segudo, que algunn dia te hara retorcerte de dolor antes de quitarte la vida, NO COMAS ALIMENTOS CANCERIGENOS...
Este libro te da los ingredientes PARA EL RESTO DE TU VIDA !

Asi lo establece el dicho y ES VERDAD!
Y nosotros, los seres humanos, vivimos en el peligro diario, CONSUMIENDO ALIMENTOS QUE PROVOCAN TODO TIPO DE CANCER, pero basicamente de estomago y colon...
Esta obra es SABIA, LAS RECETAS SON EXCELENTES Y NO CONTIENEN UN SOLO INGREDIENTE QUE PROVOQUE O DISPARE EL CANCER...
Es una obligacion moral NO ENVENENAR A LA FAMILIA...

SOBRE EL CANCER DEL APARATO DIGESTIVO, ES QUÉ ALIMENTOS LO PROVOCAN Y LO ACELERAN..
Y ESTE RECETARIO ESTA CONSTRUIDO CON LOS ALIMENTOS QUE NO PROVOCAN CANCER !
POR TODOS LOS SANTOS , AMIGA, UTILIZALO POR EL BIEN Y LA VIDA DE TU FAMILIA Y POR LA TUYA PROPIA...

yo casi no dormimmos...sólo de pensar que por tantos años, HEMOS ESTADO JUGANDO CON NUESTRA VIDA Y LA DE NUESTROS HIJOS...

DESDE ESE DIA, EN CASA NO SE COME NADA QUE NO ESTE APROBADO POR ESTE LIBRO. Diana prepara las recetas que vienen aqui, o sus propios guisos pero basados en los elementos no CARCINOGÉNICOS que enumera este valioso libro

God, I loved this book! At times fascinating (why is pork eschewed rather than chewed by millions of muslims and jews?), funny (the stuffing of sausage), and evocative (virtually every description of a meal well set), I was enthralled by this most excellent jaunt through the porcine world. Kaminsky pulls off a difficult balance: making us admire and care for the pigs even as we long to eat them as soon as we can apply some of the author's recipes. He makes a valid argument that we must eat them in order to save them, offers a call to arms to take back pork production from the industrial torture chambers that pass as 'agriculture' and return to a more humane and respectful treatment of this remarkable animal.

I am a lover of all pork products. This book presents the history of pigs, ham, and how it has evolved to what we know today. The author has an entertaining style, and his love of ham shines through. I was moved to buy a Kentucky Country Ham, just after I had finished the first third of the book. My knowledge on the history, raising, breeding, and processing of hogs has increased dramatically from this book. An interesting look into the present and future of pigs is given. This brings back memories of Fast Food Nation, and its description of the cattle industry.

real informative book on how to raise a pig the old and real way.raising world class hams

This book is brilliant. The author keeps the readers engaged from cover to cover. It is definitely a book for foodies, particularly those of us who are obsessed with pork, but it would be an entertaining read for most anyone.

Most ham is the U.S. is barely edible. There are exceptional country hams put up in the South, but these are seldom available to the casual shopper. If you do love ham, you just have to try the Pure Bellota Iberian ham from Spain.

Now what this book does is illustrate, educate, and sharpen you taste buds for the incredible delight of eating great ham. There are taste matches made by the Creator: Iberian Pure Bellota ham with an ice-cold glass of Fino Sherry is one of them.

Very good layout and pictures of final product. The book doesn't have thin paper pages like the others, but rather thick semi-gloss paper that you can easily wipe off if you spill something on it.

The item was delivered in a timely manner. It was purchased as a gift, therefore I am unable to give a review on the book itself.

This book is fabulous! A must have for anybody who loves to eat and cook pizza! The recipes are easy to follow and the pictures make your mouth water. There are many unique pizza's that look fun to try as well as your basic pizza. The dough recipes are exceptional.

This cookbook is made well. It has thick pages and colorful pictures. The recipes all look delicious and have ingredients that are readily available at the market.

First of all, this book is fantastic. Follow the recipes because a lot of effort went into them.
I have the habit of doing things my own way, but not this time and the results were great.
This book got me started on a wonderful path to making excellent pizzas.

I saw Tony tossing pizza on the Food Network a couple of weeks back and was very impressed by his record holding techniques. There was a part of the competition where only limited ingredients could be used and Tony mentioned the use of Caputo flour. I went to Amazon and punched in for Caputo and here was this book and I found out that Tony co-wrote it with Diane Morgan no less.

I supplied my kitchen with the necessary tools and ingredients to attempt to make New York style pizza dough.
The steps for making the dough were right-on and I allowed it to rise overnight in the fridge. My wife and I made the New York-Style Pizza sauce and also Ray's Pesto sauce while the dough came up to room temp.
The oven was heated for an hour ( with a stone inside) and then I put the toppings on and it turned out excellent!!
My wife and I knocked out three pizzas last Sunday and they all turned out great!
Now we are going to try some different flours (Caputo) and move on through the recipes in this book.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in making pizzas at home even if you are interested in only a couple of types.
The introduction to each chapter is entertaining and informative.
Thanks again to Tony and Diane for teaming up to write such a wonderful book.
I know from recent experience that they are both very nice people and I look forward to heading up to Northern Ca. to stop by Pyzano's to maybe see Tony in action and to eat some great pizza.

The book dispels the cloud of semantical gymnastics over meat. It makes you knowledgeable of what to look for - no matter what it is labeled in the store. It does require a bit of reading but it definitely helps in the purchase and preparation of what benefits us most. It is well illustrated and explained in easily understood terms. You don't have to be a butcher to understand it.

As Chicken-licken was going one day to the supermarket, whack! A book fell from a tree on to his head.
"Gracious goodness me!" said Chicken-licken, "it is a book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall explaining how we must treat farm animals if we want to get the best from them. I must go and tell the King."
So Chicken-licken turned towards the palace, and met Hen-len.
"Well, Chicken-licken," asked Hen-len, "where are you going?"
"I'm going to the king to explain that it is our moral duty to buy good meat," said he.
"Oh Chicken-licken, don't go!" said she, "for battery meat is far, far cheaper and it looks just as good when wrapped in plastic in the supermarket."
But Chicken-licken explained, "Unless you care about the welfare of animals bred for food, like Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall, you will never eat a good meal dish."
So Hen-len turned back with Chicken-licken, and both went their way to the palace, and met Cock-lock. "I'm going to the supermarket," said he. Then Hen-len said: "Oh, Cock-lock, don't go, for I was going, and I met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken has been reading The River Cottage Meat Book, about how farm animals should be treated, and how to select meat so that it tastes good, and we are going to tell the King."
So Cock-lock turned back and all went their way to the palace, and they met Duck-luck. Well, to cut a long story short, also Drake-lake, Goose-loose, Gander-lander, Turkey-lurkey, Fox-lox. And Fox-lox said: "Where are you going?"
And they said: "Chicken-licken was going to the supermarket, when a book fell on her head. The book said it is ideologically sound, and most fully flavoursome as well, to buy our meat from butchers or the best farms and we are going to tell the King."
And Fox-lox said: "Come along with me, and I will show you the way."
But Fox-lox took them into the fox's hole and he and his free-range cubs soon ate up poor Chicken-licken, Hen-len, Cock-lock, Duck-luck, Drake-lake, Goose-loose, Gander-lander, and Turkey-lurkey; and they never saw the King to tell him that Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall knows a thing or two about enlightened self-interest.
And the moral of the story is, treat animals fairly and they will repay you in taste, health and quality, but don't, for goodness sake, go bragging about it to foxes.

Youth Market: Chickens or Television - Which Comes First? (Spawater Chronicles I) Stop the cruelty

I bought this book for my adult son and the whole family has enjoyed it. The author knows his subject and is fun to read. So far, we've enjoyed homemade bacon and brassiola (dried beef). If you're interested in meat or learning more about the cuts, etc., this is a great book for you.

I found his analysis of the food industry original (why it is not necessary to be vegetarian) and inspiring. It is a tough and often depressing subject, but Fearnley-Whittingsall covers it in a very readable way, offsetting the bad news with an enthusiastic account on how things can be mended. I was a bit disappointed about his axclusively British focus. If we are only allowed to eat British produce, what should we as non-Brits do? Import everything? Surely there is excellent beef in other countries! But this is only a minor objection to an otherwise splendid book!

This book was my first exposure to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and it was long overdue. After having read it, I hope to eventually acquire ALL of the author's other books. I've reviewed more than my fair share of culinary offerings, but this one easily elbowed it's way into my tight list of top favorites.

I felt an immediate connection with the author, who clearly resonates to the reality that FOOD is LIFE. How we raise it, how we harvest it, how we prepare and consume it, and how we respect and revere the ENTIRE process as a whole, is a microcosm for how we revere, and partake of, the entire experience of life itself. Food *IS* Life. Our earliest prehistoric hunter-gatherer ancestors understood this implicitly, and documented their awe and reverence of that sublime truth in their sacred places (re: cave art), in much the same way that many modern religions still use the apt metaphor of sacramental food and wine as a metaphor, and vehicle, for communing with the divine. In other words, to me, this book is essentially a modern-day cave painting ode to our animal companions, upon whom we rely for our sustenance ... and who have not been getting the respect and reverence they deserve in these fast paced modern times of disposable convenience food. I have little doubt that the author's other books address their respective subject matter in the same reverential spirit.

What I liked:
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INTRODUCTION: The author opens this book with a philosophical fusillade on the subject of commercial "intensive farming" practices ... not only from the standpoint of being inhumane, but also because it results in meat of vastly inferior quality, and of poorer nutritional value to the soul. For many idyllic culinary daytrippers who've never before been privy to the sad realities of beakless `battery chickens', turkeys unable to walk because they were bred for overdeveloped breasts, diseased `downer' cattle pushed into slaughter pens with forklifts, and hogs driven insane by chronic overcrowding, this book will come as an eye-opening gut shot. He also goes on to wax poetically, and at erudite length, on both sides of the equally heated vegetarian vs carnivorian debate, and then dives headlong into a personal vision of more compassionate and sustainable animal husbandry practices, more educated consumerism, and of everyone eating less meat, but of much higher quality ... raised compassionately, slaughtered humanely, matured properly, and then prepared with proper reverence, skill, and minimal waste. Personally, I don't think this book stands much chance of putting a serious fiscal dent in the harsh fiscal reality of "intensive farming" and our society's increasing reliance on food that's fast, cheap and convenient ... but despite that, I admire the author, and I adore this book. If I could afford to leave the rat race behind, and live someplace a bit more bucolic, with a garden and a few animals of my own, and close friends with whom to make and share simple old world fare worthy of divine visitation, I would do so in a heartbeat. In any case, the introductory chapters alone are worth the entire cover price of this book.

RECIPES: Everything I like is in there ... educational information about meat quality and proper maturation, food philosophy, techniques for slow cooking, nose-to-tail eating, informative headnotes, etc.


What I Disliked: I only have a few nits, all of them fairly minor.
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PHOTOS: Some of the photos are wonderful, but part of me wishes that all the rest of the photos within were of higher overall quality, and (in particular) that there were more and better procedural photos (ex: p.308 calls for trimming out the coarse ventricles of a pig's heart and removing sinews from a liver ... something less experienced culinary aspirants who've rarely, if ever, worked with offal before would doubtless appreciate pictures of). I also found myself pining for a few more photos of the pans and/or grills described in the various recipes, and more photos of finished dishes ... esp of the ones that the author clearly mentions are his favorites. In other words, I wish the book were as well marbled with photos as the beautiful beef on the cover is with fat.

RECIPES: This is just a minor nit, but more than a few recipes have not been optimized for the most efficient sequencing of steps, or the number of pans used. They also frequently omit helpful information, like recommended pan sizes. Not a big deal. Some of his seasonings are extremely British in their conservativism ... such has his wonderful braised trotters recipe, which I've found benefits from the addition of a little pineapple juice and star anise. Again, those are just minor nits.

SERVING SIZE: There are some minor inconsistencies with the stated number of servings a given recipe generates. For example, the Pot Au Feau recipe calls for 9-12 lbs of bone-in meat cuts, and serves 8-10, yet the Curried Goat recipe calls only ½ - 1/3 as much meat (4lbs) yet serves the same number. That's the sort of thing a good editor should catch.

I use this book at least twice a week because every dish has been a hit with the family and the dishes are so easy to prepare and healthy too. Even when I don't have all the ingredients for a recipe and I need to improvise, the dishes always turn out tasty anyway. Every recipe comes with a very appetizing picture of the finished product and several, very helpful, how-to photos. She also gives detailed descriptions of unfamiliar ingredients and photos of brands she uses. This a great beginner cookbook!

This is an art book accompanied by wonderful recipes. The photos that accompany the recipes are so beautiful!! I could taste the dishes!
It's a fantastic book for a beginner because some of the dishes are wonderful yet simple and looks do-able. But, there are dishes for more advanced cooks too.
Kylie includes a lot of step by step photo instructions like how to fold wonton, how to cut and fry tofu cubes, how to clean and score squid, etc... In this instructional aspect with the photos, she's the BEST. This book will be appreciated by all who wants to learn Chinese cooking.

I love this book! Kylie Kwong has put some fantastic fresh ideas forward that really liven up any meal. It's a great book for the beginning cook as well as the experienced, not everything is traditional and both will find something that is surprising and inspiring. I have to say that I adore the vegetable section in this book, it's fantastic.

i bought this book not sure if it was any good.the photos are excellent n the recipes are superb n easy to find frm the asian market.i would really recommend anyone who likes to cook chinese food at home.

What more could an aspiring cook of Chinese food desire? This is a beautiful book, complete with glorious photographs, easy to follow recipes and includes a menu planner.

Variety is the essence of Chinese cuisine. Fortunately variety need not mean complexity. Every recipe we've cooked from this book has been a success, and the tips and presentation are superb.

All of Ms Kwong's books are superb, but if you have to choose just one, then this would be my choice.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

This book has it all,what can I say :"It Sizzles"
Fantastic recipes,great tips and directions for the not so seasoned outdoor chef,it will bring grilling and outdoor cooking to a whole new level for you,you'll love it.

Finally a barbeque book with gorgeous pictures that actually look like the food coming off the grill. Simple recipes with a New Zealand twist make for a perfect barbeque. Now I look forward to firing up the Weber...

Crab Cakes! Bruschetta! Even Pancakes! OK, I always thought I was decent on the BBQ. But that was with the basics. These recipes put a whole new twist on what you can cook on the BBQ. I would have never thought to make Bruschetta or Garlic Bread on the grill. Some personal favorites include Crab Cakes w/Cambodian Dressing, Asparagus Prosciutto Wraps, Pots of Gold, Devilled Chicken Wings, Coconut Fish Cakes, Mussels in Lemon Grass Broth, Breakfast Tomatoes and my number one favorite, Blueberry Pancakes! The BBQ tips section is very useful. Truly unique ways of cooking on the BBQ.

If you believe you eat first with our eyes... then you will consider "SIZZLE - Sensational Barbecue Food ", by Julie Biuso a virtual feast. The photography alone is worth the price of this book! If you're a fan of the simple, easy to prepare, yet delicious recipes found in the Barefoot Contessa series of cookbooks by Ina Garten, then you need to order SIZZLE today.

SIZZLE was originally published in New Zealand. But when translated for the American market... it revealed the origins of "California Cuisine". Dishes prepared with the freshest of ingredients, simply prepared and seasoned with a veritable fragrance and spice tour of the Pacific Rim Nations.

This book celebrates the ideal of summer: friends and family gathering together to share sun filled days and warm nights delighting in the "chit-chat and laughter", while enjoying amazing food, with cold beverage in hand and a reminiscence of BBQ smoke lingering in the air. To quote Julie; "barbecuing should be fun". When done properly, barbecuing is the quintessential manifestation of fun with food. "SIZZLE" is now the barbecue handbook for my summer. Enjoy!

I absolutely cherish my new cookbook by Julie Biuso. My husband and I both love to barbeque and try new recipes. Julie has given us some of the easiest, yet tastiest recipes of all. To top it off, the book is immensely helpful in providing new ways to display the food--makes me look like a gourmet chef! This book is quite an achievement to say the least.
I read in the book that Julie received a World Cookbook award--ditto on that honor!!