Cookbooks Books

There are not enough good things to say about this cookbook. We are now known as expert Vegan Bakers among our friends and relatives...and our secret is that we're not! We follow these recipes and everyone loves them! The best things about this cookbook are: the tips and tidbits that are tucked in on the pages and the indices that are very comprehensive. Everyone should have this cookbook!

This is one of my favorite cookbooks. It has made my transition to a vegan diet easier and I refer to it often. Not only is it full of great recipes (and I have tried several), but there are also tons of useful tips throughout the book. Definitely worth the investment!

This book has a lot of great familiar desserts that most people will not know are vegan. It includes one of the easiest and most delicious chocolate cake recipes I've seen, and chocolate chip cookies that are fabulous. A lot of great frosting recipes too that can go with anything and be modified in many ways. This book is essential for vegans who love classic desserts and want to impress their friends.

how delicious! i've been baking out of this book for a few months now, so i can honestly say its recipes are excellent. I've been wowing vegans and non-vegans alike since my first attempt (the fudge) straight through my most recent (the cinnamon coffee cake). In fact, I've had to buy two extra copies because I was getting tired of being asked for the recipes and will give the book instead.

I want to start out by saying that I really do enjoy this cookbook, and I use it often, however I believe that is because it is one of the only dedicated vegan baking books out there at the moment.

I was very excited when this came out and I was able to purchase it. It has a wide range of recipes that also includes breads and ethnic treats. Here is the slight problem I have with it. Nearly every recipe requires the use of Egg Replacer, Vegan margarine, regular sugar, and basic all purpose flower. Although in the beginning of the book I believe it talks about the use of substitutes for these items, it doesn't really give many examples of it. In some recipes it uses large quantities of vegan margarine. Basically you can take any non-vegan recipe, look at it and substitute milk for soymilk, butter for vegan margarine and eggs with egg replacer. It does not make the recipes unique, it does not give them much more thought, it doesn't really show off what vegan baking can be in its creativity and health benefits.

Until a better vegan baking book comes out, it is worth the purchase. You can always try your hand at playing around with the recipe ingredients.

A 1000 recipes for comfort food, maybe not from your mother, but from someone else's.
Just good cooking, straightforward, cooking that you can do at home.

Give this cookbook to all your friends, even the ones addicted to complicated cooking full of exotic ingredients.

This book is GREAT!!! It has a ton to mouth-watering recepies and is really worth the money.

I have really enjoyed this cookbook. I'm finding that it's a great source for good, basic recipes for all of my favorite traditional dishes. I also like the variations I've discovered on some old favorites -- the Baked Acorn Squash, for example, which uses orange juice to create a delicious sauce.

I really like this cookbook. Some parts seem very retro and homey, others quite current. A few of the recipes seem so simple you'll wonder why they're in a book, but they're helpful anyway, and sometimes become a springboard to lily-gilding (my weakness). I've only had a problem with one recipe, the bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin (the instructions call for way too much time in the oven). I have also had to spice things up a bit for our tastes, but I think families with small children or picky eaters will be happy with the level of seasoning. This book has become my go-to for weeknight recipes especially because they're reliable and mostly utilize pantry items.

Wonderful cookbook! I read the reviews and just had to go out and buy it for myself! I've been looking for a cookbook with EVERY classic American comfort food recipe, and this is it! It has everything from Appetizers (Spinach-Artichoke Dip and Deviled Eggs) to Breakfast (Biscuits and Gravy; French Toast and Oatmeal), Main Dishes (Chicken Parmesan, Turkey Tetrazzini, Crown Roast) to Sides (Green Bean Casserole from scratch!) and luscious Desserts (Apple Turnovers, Chocolate Cream Pie and Lindy's Original New York Cheesecake!). If you love to cook and want to get back to the good old days of comfort food, this book is a must buy!

This cookbook is so much more than recipes. It's an approach to food that's gentle, kind, thoughtful and practical. The recipes are great, nothing to out there, just good food my family will love. The ideology behind this book is nothing less than inspirational. Highly recommended for those interested in taking care of our bodies, our families and the entire planet.

When I visited a friend she recommended this cookbook to me. She told me that no matter her circumstances, she feels like she always can come up with a meal with this book. Since we are feeling the pinch of rising prices and less money, I bought the book. What she said is correct. You can make some tasty, substantial meals with pretty much what you have on hand.

The author compiled recipes from frugal people, many of whom were missionaries that had to learn to "make do" what local fare. The recipes are simple, easy to understand and fix, and satisfying.

Over the last 10 years as the global food market has opened up, I've enjoyed access to international ingredients and new cooking styles but have sometimes forgotten that a meal doesn't have to be unusual to be good. More with Less is simple without being pedestrian. It includes international recipes that don't require running to a specialty market. More with Less touches on nutritional and environmental issues as well as eating as a spiritual act. The author calls for "low-cost, low-fat, low-sugar and less expensive proteins." There are eye-opening dietary tables, cost breakdowns and equivalents. It's a very handy and comforting book. I'll be reaching for it again and again.

I am reading the best cookbook I have ever read. It is called The More-With-Less Cookbook, by Doris Jantzen Longacre. The first fifty pages are about food politics, how the food industry developed into its current state, and why what North Americans eat effects the entire world and causes other people to go hungry. This book cuts to the core of these issues better than any book I've ever read, even Fast Food Nation or Diet for a Small Planet. So even if you don't read any of the recipes, it still is worth reading the first fifty pages.
this book has helped me to look at food in a new way. It has reiterated what both of my nutrition teachers have preached, as well, which is: Don't trust the government and certainly don't trust health claims by food manufacturers. They don't have your best interests at heart.

The author of this book was a Mennonite missionary, and wrote this as a church cookbook in the '70's. It became so wildly popular that a publisher picked it up, but even still it is obviously written with a Mennonite community in mind. However, I found the ethics that the author espoused to be absolutely universal- all Golden Rule type stuff. Also, she quotes a Muslim, expresses admiration for Southeast Asian Buddhists, and advocates on behalf of birth control, so I think she must have been a pretty hip lady.

Plus it has spiral binding! All cookbooks should be bound this way. So it shall be when I am in charge.

Anyway, if you stumble across this book in the library, snap it up. It's awesome.

I have just ordered my second copy of this excellent book as mine (that I have bought back in 1991) is torn, stained and well-used and loved. This book is full of recipes that are simple, delicious, filling and can be adjusted according to the size of your family (I have five children and have to adjust my recipes accordingly). The author writes about being more frugal and how today's diet is high in sugar and wasteful things. I have learned much about re-using leftovers and planning my weekly menus with the ideas in this book. With today's rising food and fuel prices, this book would be an invaluable resource if you're looking to save money and seek more recipes using leftovers.

I guess because I know how to cook there was nothing in the book that I did not know how to make. I think it makes fantastic book for a newly wed or house warming if cooking is new to them and they want to make some food with soul.

Typically, I'm King at the BBQ Grill. But, LaBelle's cuisine has brought a male figure (namely me) barefoot and into the kitchen. Two years ago, my sister emailed the Geechie Geechie gumbo recipe to me. This was the first ever I attempted to make gumbo. The family and I slopped this gumbo like we were fat pigs in the mud! I purchased LaBelle's book this year for my wife and the first thing she did was put together that Geechie Geechie gumbo. Patti put her foot in this one!

This is the best cook book I've ever read. Plus all the meals are Very GOOD!
I have given this book as gift, and I use it during the hoildays.
Very well done patty!

While I have not really read the stories, I have enjoyed the recipes. Everyone loved my macaroni and cheese.

I love this cookbook. Patti and I have a lot in common, she loves cooking and singing and I love cooking and writing...that must make us soul sisters. Patti's Pointers, pictures, introductions and notations throughout the book, along with its yummy recipes added a special touch to the book. Pork Chops and Applesauce: A Collection of Recipes and Reflections

Firstly a warning, this is the second edition and covers Windows 2003. There is a third edition that covers the newer OS. I bought this book by mistake and it's too big (postage would be too expensive) to return. So buy with care.

This is a big book in terms of pages but the content is less than stellar. Don't expect to find too much on designing AD in real world situations such as integration with networking topologies and devices. Nor expect to find details on integrating AD with other Microsoft technology such as SharePoint. No this cookbook is really an administrator companion, and I think it does a pretty decent job in that but not more.

Very handy cookbook reference for my office bookshelf. I've used it a number of times, and it's more than paid for itself in expediting regularly-scheduled inquiries of our AD structure here at GEICO HQ.

Excellent reference if you work with AD on a regular basis either as an admin or a developer. Each "how to" offers methods for manually performing a specific task as well as (where possible) how to automate the task using code. Should be on every Windows admin/developer's desk.

Overall, this is a great book for reference.

There are a number of areas where I think the book falls short - all of the scripts are very hard coded scripts that don't tell you how to do some functions that would make their scripts actually useful (like "pull the list of users with attributes from a tab-delimited file and create them" or something similar, this would make mass creation of users actually useful, instead of "create user1, user2, user3, etc..."). I think that the writers expect you to be a VB expert (or at least close to it) if you're going to actually make the vb scripts useful.

Most of the scripts are "How to use a script to do the same functions that you can already do in AD with ADUC or another MMC", but I think that the most important thing for me about the book is what it inspires me to think of doing. Things that MS doesn't necessarily expect you to do. I'm still not seeing a way to add sidHistory to an object (MS does it with another applet - there is a way...), but there are so many things in the book that just have me thinking about how you can implement changes to an environment that MS says you can't do. What they really mean is "You can't do that with the GUI tools that we provide you".

I am so glad that this book was recommended to me by a guy I took a class on scripting from. I use this book everyday (almost). I even took it on vacation with me for light reading.

Alton Brown is a genius. His forward in the book explains that a recipe is analogous to a set of directions to a house, but what if there's a detour? Or what if you want to go somewhere else after? You're stuck. But now, what if you knew the whole map of the area, not just rote directions. That's what Alton teaches. He organizes by chapters centered on methods of cooking, not types of food. He explains things in software (food) and hardware (pans, utensils, etc).

It's more of a science angle at food, and probably won't help expert cooks, but for someone like me it's great.

If you like Good Eats, then buy this book. Immediately. If you want to learn about the science of cooking and use it as a springboard to improve your cooking technique across the board (and seriously, who wouldn't), then buy this book. Immediately. Through Good Eats and his books, Alton Brown has been become my culinary inspiration and hero. Just get it people. You won't regret it. :-)

Get this, and read it as if it is a novel or some non-fiction.

Yes, of course, there are recipes. But, the most interesting parts are the narrative sections and not the "put 12 oz of something, and 10 cans of something else" you'd find other books - perfection through preciseness don't work in cooking (well, there is a place for it, but not all the time).

Enjoy the book, and enjoy the food!

Like most people here, I bought this book because I enjoy Good Eats on TV.
I am, however, a very experienced cook...so while I enjoyed this book a great deal, I can't say I learned anything or even picked up any new recipes. (Plus, it's just not the same without Alton's voice.)
However...
I am going to give this as an XMas gift to two young gentlemen I know who are fresh out of college & who will be cooking for themselves for the first time ever come September. I have no doubt it will come in handy for them.

I bought this book based on the reviews on Amazon and also from watching Good Eats and really enjoying the series. My husband and I have learned so much from reading this book (in addition to many laughs from his writing style). We tried Alton's suggestions and they worked. Highly recommended.

This is a beautiful book, with pictures and quotes that are lovely and inspiring. Not to mention that the recipes are really fabulous! Great for entertaining vegan and non-vegan guests and having everyone feeling satisfied and complimenting the chef. The restaurant in Portland, Oregon is well worth the trip, as I'm sure the one in Hawai'i is as well. A must-have for any vegan kitchen.

I'm a vegan living outside NYC. I am a huge fan of your book, the hardcover, it's actually my favorite cookbook. It is beautifully photographed and just a lovely book to own and use in your kitchen!

I've tried about half of these recipes and had good success. Breads, pastas, pizzas, salads, dressings, deserts - it's all here. This is vegan heaven!

When my husband and I started following a plant based diet 19 months ago I never thought we'd make it. We borrowed about 10 vegan cookbooks from a doctor we know and most everything was awful. For a whole month I flat out did not enjoy eating. We then found 4 vegan cookbooks that were o.k. and I could finally enjoy what I had made.

Then, in March my husband stumbled upon Vegan Fusion. The cookie lover in me thinks the chocolate chip cookie recipe is worth the cost of the book in itself! Vegan Fusion is my "go to" cookbook every week. I have made quite a few recipes and all that I can say is, "YUMMMMY!". My 4 year old picky, "I just want a meat sandwich" daughter said of the split pea parsnip soup, "This is the best soup ever!" and had 2 helpings.

There are so many aspects of this book that I like. Of course the recipes are fabulous! Being new to the whole vegan scene, it has a lot to offer a novice vegan i.e. the legume cooking chart, tips on roasting everything from veggies to nuts, startling statistics on "global footprints" of the different diets people follow.

I live in a small town (<2,500 people) and I can find most of the ingredients at our local healthfood store. The only thing I'm sure I can't get locally is green coconuts. I guess I'll just have to go to Kuaui - oh, darn!

I recommend this book to every vegan and health conscious friend I know!

this cookbook, over any other, has the power to show omnivorous foodies that vegan food can be just as delightful as their common fare. highly recommended!

We love this cookbook. We have tried at leat 15 recipes and have been pleasantly surprised by all. We have never had such a wonderful and reliable cookbook.

Great book which weighs too much because the publisher chose very expensive HEAVY paper which makes it hard to hold and the pages must be forced down to read the recipe. Better done with a spiral binder and lighter weight paper.

Very informative, haven't had a bad meal yet. Price of book was very good compared to retail and shipping was reasonable.

This is the best cookbook i have ever used. Many of the recipes are easy to follow but it is also a grill exclusive cookbook. Now you may be thinking - so you can make chicken or steak - great cookbook right? Wrong, you can cook vegetables, starches and desserts in addition to every meat under the sun. Every recipe has a beautiful picture - the drawback is you are competing to make yours look that good and it makes you hungry to make everything in it. Overall an incredible buy.

This is an awesome recipe book. Every recipe has a color photo, with excellent instructions. Every recipe we have tried is as mouth watering as it looks! I used to let my husband do all the grilling, but now I am hooked. There are great tips on how to grill just about everything.

That's a big statement but I can tell you with all honesty. This is the best cookbook I've ever read, more importantly it is the best cookbook I've ever USED. And, do I use it often, YES! Here Tony Bourdain shines not only as an amusing and talented writer but exposes to us all to the REAL principal behind all great dishes, and not just French food, that good, quality ingredients coupled with time-proven methods ARE the best. I have been a cook for many years and I specialise in Italian cookery but Tony's book brought me back to appreciate French-style cookery as never before. But the country of origin doesn't matter, it's the approach. No BS! Tell it like it is. All cookbooks are, to me, guides, but Tony has the nous to say, in places, you MUST do this and that. Little details and quality advice tips that take a good dish to 'great' status. His, utterly correct emphasis on the basics like a good stock or jus, tells us that these are the real fundamentals of good cookery. And, he shows us that which is so true: all great cookery has its origins in 'peasant' food, be it French, Italian, British or Asian. I class this book and Fergus Henderson's, 'Nose To Tail Eating' as two of the most important cookbooks of the 20th Century.
William Kenneth Halliwell
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

The recipes includes are a bit difficult in my opinion (especially finding the right ingredients), but Bourdain's aim is to challenge you and not to dumb down everything, which I appreciate.

His writing style is very approachable and unlike with most cookbooks you feel like he's talking to you as he warns you to not overfill the blender when you are making soup and hold the top down tight unless you want soup all over you.

I've made one thing so far which was mushroom soup and it was delicious, so I can imagine the the rest of the food is equally so.

Classic cooking done in classic Anthony Bourdain style. If you like his TV show, you'll love this book.

I was quite pleased to receive this cookbook as a gift, but disappointed once I started cooking the recipes. Mr. Bourdain's talents as a writer are not to be denied, but it must be said that these recipes are a bit anemic and wanting. While I definitely appreciate his passion for good food, that passion doesn't seem to extend into making the actual food himself. Which is totally fine -- Bourdain's advocacy for top-quality cuisine is definitely appreciated -- but it means I'll look elsewhere for the nuts and bolts of good recipes.

This is a bible and a foundation for anyone interested in seeing good results from their efforts in undertaking french cooking. These recipes are durable and refined for someone who wants to illicit "oh wow" responses from their guests. I can't overstate the social value of enlisting your friends and local grocers and butcher for this journey. This is a book for someone with some time and love to dedicate.

Continuation of Volume I. This volume has breadmaking for one that wants to duplicate wonderful French bread. Unless you live near a fabulous bakery, the recipes in the bread and pastry section will make life better.

Both Volumes I and Volumes II are must have and make absolutely wonderful gifts for any new bride.

Being french and a lover of cooking, and living in United States for the last 15 years, I was intimidated by this thick and presumably academic American Cook Book, until I read "my life in France" also written by Julia Child.
In this book,the way she describes how she wrote "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" was so lively and appealing that I decided to give it a try.
And I was not disappointed.
Not only she gives all the equivalent proportions, quantities and temperatures, but she explains very clearly and simply how to make a dish a success. I tried several of the recipes, my best being a "souffle with orange and Grand Marnier" .
To get the most of her explanations I also borrowed a couple of DVDs of her first cooking shows from my local library, and I got the same good feeling.
The reason I gave only 4 stars is because of the presentation of the recipes, with a very detailed master recipe, and just a few lines for the variants. That makes a little bit uneasy to go back and forth during my usual rush cooking time. But that is part due to my own lack of organization.
I was so thrilled by this book that I also gave it , as a gift , to a friend who loves cooking.

Julia's book was recommended to me by a French Chef we met in the Caribbean. It is the perfect book from which to learn French cooking. Julia's instructions are very detailed and make it easy to prepare each recipe. I highly recommend this book.

This book bring together years of cooking by recipe. It actually explains things so I can understand why I'm doing them.

The best Coq au Vin and Boeuf Bourguignon recipes you'll find are in this book. I've had Mastering the Art of French Cooking for years and recently gave one to my son, who also loves to cook. This cookbook tells you what to do, how to do it, and where to easily find the ingredients in your American supermarket. I don't do much (any?) baking, so don't have Volume II Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol. 2 (Paperback), which I understand is primarily about baking, but this one, Volume 1, is fantastic.

This book and The Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition - 2006 are the first ones I turn to in the kitchen. Together, they will teach the new cook how to cook and the experienced cook how to cook much better.