Cookbooks Books

You'd be hard put to find a more complete guide on cooking technique. (Okay, Jaques Pepin's book on techniques may be actually be more complete but its black and white illustrations won't grab your attention the way the color photos in this book do.) I think many people would benefit from contrasting Cooking to one of Peterson's earlier works: Essentials of Cooking. That less ambitious book has plenty to instruct the majority of home cooks and might better serve their purpose. For most people the shorter work should suffice and it is as handsomely illustrated as this one.

Great book for anybody looking for basic "How to cook" everything from soups to breads, meats, seafood etc. Great pictures and easy to follow recipes which are not too complicated for anyone starting out. The book also provides flexibility and alternative ingredients for anybody wanting to be a bit more adventurous. Overall a great buy, filled with lots of classic recipes.

I bought this book in December and just started working with it. Fabulous is all I can say. The recipes are delicious. Abundant photos and instructions guide you on technique and explain the purpose of traditional methods. And the results are wonderful. I've had more fun with this book in the past few weeks than any other cookbook I've ever got.

this is great reference book for any level of cook. Everything you need to know about knives, cutting, modes of cooking, lingo...

highly recommended.

After purchasing a leg of lamb I needed to know how to cook it properly and I purchased this book based on a another customer's review, in particular on the comments made about the chapter on lamb. I certainly did not want to ruin such a nice cut of meat! Excellent instructions with lots of color photo how-to's. I was a little uncertain about the cooking temps and duration but I trusted Peterson's experience and followed the directions to the letter. The leg of lamb turned out beautifully! A couple of weeks later I roasted a chicken per his instructions and it too was one of the best we've had.

Highly recommend this for the cook who is looking for adventure and challenges. Lots of french techniques that translate easily to everyday meal preparation.

I live in California, but have spent a lot of time with a friend who lives in NYC for the past 8 years. He has one of the original copies of this special cookbook. This is the one I use when I am there. It is GREAT! But my friend refuses to give it up. I am begging for a reprint. Can you help me? Betty McAlpine, Visalia, California

This Craig Claiborne `magnum opus' was my very first serious cookbook, from which I have probably done more recipes than any five others put together. As such, I have an intimate knowledge of its strengths and weaknesses.

The evaluation of this book depends greatly on an understanding of the purpose that the book best serves. The main feature of the book is its vast size. It weighs in at about 800 pages. The only `cookbook' on my shelves with more words and pages is the encyclopedic `Larousse Gastronomique'. The class of cookbook which most closely approaches this book in size is the all-purpose `how to cook' manual such as `The Joy of Cooking' and Mark Bittman's `How to Cook Everything'. This Claiborne volume fits neither of these two categories. It is also certainly not a restaurant, celebrity, or `terroir' cookbook such as those about Provence or Tuscany. It basically defines a class of which it is probably the premier exemplar. This is the class of book that is simply assembled to provide you with as many recipes as possible. It's reason for being is volume. There are some special cases of this class of book which deal with a particular cuisine, such as the `Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook' by Gloria Bley Miller. Claiborne outstrips this book by a mile, giving us two to three recipes per page, thereby weighing in with about 2000 recipes covering the four corners of the world.

In a sense, the class of cookbook that may come closest to this MS is the fundraising cookbook commonly published by churches and social organizations with recipes supplied by the group's members. The similarity is that the recipes were supplied by dozens of different authors and there are few if any threads connecting the recipes except the organization sponsoring the publication of the volume. This Claiborne work distances itself from such volumes in the quality and diversity of the recipes. It is important to remember that most, if not all of these recipes have appeared in the pages of the New York Times. In order to do this, they would have had to pass scrutiny of not only Times editors but the thousands of readers of the New York Times food columns. Each recipe would have had to survive a second professional screening when it was being considered as an entry in this book. Additional screenings would have been done for each successive edition. The bottom line is that the value of this book is in its providing a widely diverse selection of high quality recipes for a cent and a half per recipe. Compare that to the twenty to thirty-five cents per recipe you pay for a new hardcover cookbook from the latest celebrity chef or the latest send-off of recipes from Rome, Tuscany, or Provence.

The other side of the coin is that the only thing you get in this cookbook is the recipes. Period. Virtually every recipe is composed of nothing more than a title, a number of servings, a list of ingredients, and numbered steps for the procedure to be followed. A very few recipes for truly unusual preparations such as `Taramasalata', a Greek Carp Roe spread have a brief headnote explaining the source and use of the recipe. For pantry items such as the very first recipe in the book, `Mignonette Sauce', there is only the briefest indication of the purpose to which the recipe is to be applied. This is the price to be paid for the book's filling the role of encyclopedic reference, where sheer numbers of recipes is its objective. I must temper this rather austere picture ever so slightly by pointing out that there are some few recipes which do deserve a special treatment such as the recipe for the omelet for one, where there are some sidebar comments on technique and the procedure is considerably more detailed than the average. This is only fair, since, as Alton Brown has said, the omelet is all about technique. Being an only modestly practiced omelet maker, I believe Claiborne's omelet recipe is illuminating without being overly fussy.

The archetypal recipe in this book, to my mind, is the one for Bouillabaisse. It has a very long list of ingredients, none of which are beyond the reach of the average American supermarket, and a very short procedure. In place of a freshly prepared fumet, the recipe calls for clam juice. The most revealing aspect of the recipe is that it shows that Bouillabaisse is, indeed, a relatively simple recipe. The description of the procedure is less than one-fourth the length of the procedure for making an omelet for one, which can be done within five minutes.

What may be easy to overlook is that this book may have been as important as any in creating the market for gourmet food products. The irony is that Claiborne is clearly a writer and not a chef. In fact, some reports describe him as somewhat deliberate and slow in the kitchen, where he simply did not have the well-practiced manual skills of a professional chef who preps and mixes and sautes every day, all day. In fact, this also means that virtually all the recipes in this book were collected and edited by Claiborne rather than being created or even discovered by him.

This book is a classic which makes thousands of recipes available to people who have no time or room for a library of cookbooks and who have the basic skills which will fill out the complete, but sparse instructions. Coverage of savory cooking is exhaustive. Coverage of baking and pastry is limited. I have never been disappointed by my results from making any recipe in this book, and, most have exceeded my expectations, based on the relative simplicity of the procedure.

Highly recommended for experienced cooks who are time or space challanged.

I HAVE OWNED THIS COOKBOOK FOR ABOUT 20+ YEARS AND HAVE USED IT CONTINUOUSLY FOR AS LONG A TIME. WHEN I WENT THROUGH MY DIVORCE, LUCKILY I WAS ALLOWED TO KEEP THE BOOK IN MY POSSESSION, BUT I HAVE TRIED TO BUY A COPY FOR MY EX-WIFE WITH NO SUCCESS. SHE REALLY LIKES IT TOO. THE RECIPE FOR THE LEG OF LAMB IS A RECIPE OF WHICH IS A THOUSAND YEAR OLD FROM MESOPOTAMIA AND IT IS AWESOME. FINGER LICKING GOOD. THE BHUNA GHOST RECIPE IS ALSO AWESOME.

The best cookbook I ever used. I just love it and use so ofen to cook for my clients. Now I want to buy it for my home cookbooks collection.

I have this cookbook in my possession. It has not really stood out for me as being anything special. I have consulted it occassionally and the recipes are not my cup of tea.

I feel like I'm missing out.

Next week I plan to sell my copy on ebay, as I feel it is taking up space in my bookshelf where a cookbook that better inspires me can go.

Several of you have raved and are looking for it. Well, I have it and it's yours if you want to bid on ebay for it.

I have purchased book for a cousin as I've had tremendous success with
many recipes in this book and value it.

This was the first cookbook my parents bought me when I moved out. It's the cookbook I turn to when entertaining. Favorites include the mustard chicken in phyllo and maroon bell cheese spread. Guests always ask for the recipes.

This cookbook is one of the best all around cookbooks ever.
I use this one for so many dinners and I love how it gives
you suggestions on what to serve with the entries.

Likely you too have scanned or even invested in those recipe collections to fund a worthy effort, either not expecting to use the recipes or had to search through to find those that one even would want to attempt. Not the case with this collection of the Jr. League of Denver! And over half-a-million in print to date! You'll want one before it goes out of print!

This is large, rich colleciton that is well thought out, organized and bursts forth with uniqueness, creativity and breadth.

Some unique features are its individual sections on Colorado Wild, Mexican and HealthMark Modifications. For example, the game section using Colorado abundance of wildlife is buy a doctor who is in to this, who gives recommendations on preparing to remove gaminess and to improve flavor and maintain health.
How about Wild Pheasant Stroganoff! Indicative of the stuff you'll love finding here and trying.

Also a plus to this delight is notes which accompany most all of the recipes that tell about alternatives, serving suggestions, history where the dish came from, etc. Adds zest for us foodphiles!

One can easily see why so many other reviewers have raved about this -- it enticed me to try it. I think you will enjoy using this collection too!

I have over 200 cookbooks, I often times go to sleep reading cookbooks and I relate to the world in many aspects through my stomach. I love food and cooking. This is definitely my most-used cookbook, I don't know how many times I've looked for a recipe, finally gotten this book out and there it was all the time. I consult this book first. I have several Junior League cookbooks, this is my favorite. Everything I have cooked out of this book has been good. Don't even think about it, just buy this book. You won't be diappointed.

Sherry Yard, the executive pastry chef for Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, has created a mouthwatering, memorable dessert bible in Desserts by the Yard: From Brooklyn to Beverly Hills-Recipes from the Sweetest Life Ever. Beginning with some vintage photographs, there is a glowing foreword by Wolfgang Puck, an introduction by Sherry, and helpfully enough, notes on ingredients and equipment at the front, rather than the back, of the book.

The cookbook is divided chronologically, beginning with Sherry's childhood in Brooklyn. Her introductions are nostalgic, and she includes updates of her childhood favorites such as rainbow cookies, frozen chocolate-coconut bars, charlotte russe, chocolate-dipped frozen custard cones, and mom's cuisinart chocolate mousse. Nostalgic in origin, Sherry has turned these into elegant creations, but her clear writing and step-by-step instructions make the recipes easy enough to follow, and most call for common ingredients.

The next section, New York City, chronicles her experiences working in the Rainbow Room, and includes showier (and more difficult) desserts such as chocolate souffles, baked Alaska, chocolate velvet, chocolate truffle cakes, and chocolate devil's food cake with chocolate filling. Chocoholics will find this section the most rewarding, although many recipes are time-consuming.

The other sections cover Sherry's adventures in Vienna (including the prerequisite apple strudel), the Asian-themed Chinois on Main, with its exotic Asian fruit concoctions such as mango pudding, yuzu lemon-lime meringue pie, Mandarin granita, and passion fruit sorbet (this was probably my least favorite; besides the forbidden rice pudding, an update on Thai sticky rice pudding, I don't see myself making any of these), a London interlude, and recipes taken from Sherry's special events catering, including the Academy Awards (rather plain chocolate boxes mounted with sugar Oscar statuettes).

This is truly a dessert cookbook for everyone, and Sherry thoughtfully includes several savory recipes as well, such as honey-glazed cornbread and crispy herbed flatbread. For fans of ice cream (sadly, I don't own an ice cream maker, so I haven't tried to make these), there are numerous recipes for gelato (butterscotch, Meyer lemon, pistachio, coconut, stracciatella) and ice creams, including exotic choices such as black currant tea, Calvados, coffee, and yuzu curd.

Sherry's writing makes this a delightful travelogue, and her down-to-earth style includes touches of humor (if she writes an autobiography about her experiences as pastry chef, I'll be first in line to read it!). Her recipes are clearly written (I have several bookmarked to try in the near future), beautifully photographed, and most are simple enough for the beginning home baker to attempt (although some call for more sophisticated touches such as spun sugar adornments, or complicated puff pastry bases). Some do call for hard-to-find and expensive ingredients such as Asian fruits, but most are doable by the average home cook with access to a decent grocery store (Sherry does recommend using top-of-the-line Cluizel chocolate, since desserts are one area where you can't skimp on ingredients and expect a stellar outcome using Nestle).

Verdict: this is an absolutely lovely volume with something for everyone, whether you're a chocoholic, someone looking for a little nostalgia, or a daring pastry chef looking for new challenges (the Oscar desserts are labor-intensive and exacting).

I love this book! The stories are interesting and the recipes are divine. So far I have made the Sticky Toffee Cake (a must), the brownies, the cornbread, the pancakes and the coffee cake. My family and coworkers swooned over them all. I highly recommend this book.

From Brooklyn childhood favorites (slightly refined) like No-Bake Cheesecakes, Black Forest Cake, Bagels, and Chocolate-Covered Cherries to her Oscars triumph - Chocolate Truffle Tarts with Chocolate Crème Brulee Diamonds and Seven-Bean Vanilla Ice Cream - Spago pasty chef Yard shares her memories, recipes and tips.

Gorgeous to look at and luscious to read, Yard's recipes are well organized and easy to follow. Many include tips for success - like baking crumble topping separately so it will always be crisp; getting lacy crepes by adding a bit of brandy to the batter, or choosing the right brand of chocolate or cocoa.

Yard is partial to fruit desserts from Mango Pudding to Raspberry Soufflés and Yuzu (a Japanese citrus fruit) Lemon-Lime Meringue Pie. There are fruit granitas, sorbets, sauces, crepes, compotes, crisps and strudel.

But she doesn't neglect chocolate. Try Whipped Chocolate Sabayon with Raspberries, or Chocolate Purses, or Chocolate-Covered Mint Cookies. Or truffles, brownies, doughnuts, cakes, soufflés and Sacher Torte.

Yard makes it all look doable, from the simplest granita (use sparkling water) to the most elaborate celebrity extravaganza.

An exceptional baking book.

Great book with great recipes, I have already baked about a dozen of the items in the book and they have come out great. My favorite recipe is the upside down mango cake. This book is a must have for any aspiring pastry chef and/or regular joe looking to bake.

"Desserts by the Yard: From Brooklyn to Beverly Hills: Recipes from the Sweetest Life Ever," by Sherry Yard, is a combination baking book and memoir. Each recipe is accompanied by an excerpt from the author's life, from the `A&P Strawberry Sodas' inspired by her grandmother to the `Banded Layer Cakes' she created for the 67th Oscars. The book introduced me to Yard's recipes, though I was familiar with her work beforehand because I saw her on an episode of "Iron Chef" as one of Wolfgang Puck's sous chefs. She was in charge of making the various sweets and pastries that would be presented to the judges, and when she decorated the dishes with spun sugar watching her hands form the ethereally golden strands was breathtaking to say the least.

"Desserts by the Yard" contains an impressive collection of tempting recipes, some of my favorites including `Gingersnap Toaster-Oven Tarts with Peach Filling' (think high-end pop tarts), `Chocolate-Covered Chocolate-Mint Cookies,' `Apfelstudel' (Apple Strudel) and `Pistachio Gelato.' The `Ring of Saturn Peach "Doughnuts"` were also a hit, combining delicious ingredients like anise biscotti and macerated peaches into a treat that's dusted with confectioner's sugar, then served with vanilla ice cream. Recipes range in skill-level from basic to advanced and I appreciated how several of them allowed me to stretch my culinary knowledge. I had to make the `Fig Bars,' which are essentially homemade fig newtons, a few times before the texture was just right, for instance. Yet the treats I found myself making over and over again happened to be the ones that satisfied my simpler tastes: `President Clinton's Oatmeal Cookies' and `Soft Pretzels.' The cookies were a huge hit at the office with two dozen cookies disappearing at lightening speed, while two (soon to be three?) batches of pretzels have already made an appearance in my kitchen. With the exception of one recipe, for `Forbidden Rice Pudding,' I was hugely satisfied with all the dishes I made. Yard even included something for Fido: a recipe for `Real Doggy Treats' made with honey, wheat flour, cornmeal and chicken stock. My Labrador Retriever certainly appreciated those!

Chapters include: Brooklyn Inspirations; New York City: From Cigarette Girl to Pastry Chef; London Interlude; Go West, Young Gal: San Francisco and Napa; Spago Hollywood; Farmers' Market Inspirations; Vienna Interlude; Spago Beverly Hills; Chinois on Main; Special Events; and the Academy Awards.

A must read for all new woodworkers before accumulating all the power tools they think they need.
More than a great instructional book; it is also a philosophy.

Some people just call it furniture - author and craftsman James Krenov, however, believes it be an art form. "The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking" is a guide to turn what's nothing more than storage space to some into a work of art that can be appreciated for something far more than just a place to put things. Going over everything readers need to make a masterpiece of a cabinet, such as wood quality, good hinges, and more, "The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking" leaves nothing to guesswork, making it highly recommended to any woodworking enthusiast and community library woodworking shelves.

Mr. Krenov's work speaks for itself. What is great about this book is he shares with us his feel for wood , and it's spirit. He is a wood fanatic. He is excited by its touch, look and feel. How long should I keep a piece of wood before I use it? Moisture content? Integrating the wood and the piece I am making?

Each persons experience of wood and woodworking is different. I have technical books, written well, and some poorly.

This could be called "Zen and the art of woodworking."

When I need inspiration I look to the masters. Mr. Kenov connects me to the wood.

I love all of Krenov's books. It's easy to find better books on tools or techniques but nowhere will you find books that breathe a love for wood and craft more than Krenov's (Nakashima's "The Soul of a Tree" comes closest.) I've read through each of his books several times and always pick up on something new. "The Fine Art of Cabinet Making" is a bit more advanced than his earlier works in that he covers coopered doors and frame-and-panel work but his philosophy is always evident. Krevnov's love for wood is infectious. After reading his books you find yourself `playing' more with wood. Wondering how things will work if you move this one way and that another. Instead of churning out furniture I instead start to think about the piece I want to make: what wood would look nice? What kind of pulls will fit? How will it sound when the door closes? Somehow all of this combines to make the journey (the making) as nice as the end product. Frankly I think most furniture makers will go broke trying to work like this unless you have a whole lot of cash behind you or can charge very expensively for your work. I really think, though, that these books should be on every woodworker's shelf.

James Krenov is one of woodworking's treasures - an acknowledged master craftsman who is open about both his aesthetics and his techniques. For many of us he is a role model who started out on a shoe string in Sweden and has gone on to create a whole style all his own. He is as devoted to teaching as he is to his work and has a gift for inspiration and straightforward exposition.

Unlike A Cabinet Maker's Notebook, The Fine Art of Cabinet Making spends most of its time talking about technique. The first 50 pages is a vast, rambling essay on wood and how to relate to it. His point, an important on, is that the process of selecting and using wood is every bit as important and any other creative process. If you pay attention you will get a deep dive into the way Krenov's designs come to be - a whole new level beyond buying some dimensioned lumber and whipping up a cabinet.

Then he introduces you to his workshop and tools. Krenov actually does use power tools, but sparingly. Many of us have been taught to value the clean, sharp edged work that a modern power woodshop can produce. Krenov is just the opposite, to him the marks of craftsmanship are part of the harmony of the work. Krenov makes his own planes, and spends a great deal of time explaining how to do the same yourself. I have to admit I'm quite happy with my Lie-Nielson's, but one has to admire the intensity of a man who wants everything 'just so.'

The remainder of the book covers details of Krenov's cabinetmaking, and it is here that you discover the extent of his quality. Whether it be dovetails, delicately curved doors, or cabinet backs, Krenov never settles for less than the best he can do. I admit to a few moments of extreme jealousy when he explains that he never clamps dovetail joints, but, as his discussion demonstrates, his attention to detail is such that he shouldn't have to use clamps. I just wonder how many years of practive it will take to accomplish the same thing.

For all that this is a technically focused book, it is also an inspiring one. A book that will have you eyeing potential lumber completely differently, and making yourself take the time to get things right.

I'm a guy who does not always know what to cook. "Flavored with Love" has really helped me to try new recipes that are simple yet taste great. I also have "The Collard Patch". When cooking a meal this is the book I reach for first.

To those uninitiated in the writings of Mary Lou Cheatham, (aka Jane Riley) I would say "beware." If you're single minded about supper, go to the index, stay focused and find the delectable recipe of your choice. If you choose to browse, you will find that the authoress has planted a mine field, numerous sand traps, speed bumps and other diversions so that when you have finally made your choice, you will discover that the family has gone to bed without supper while you were busy reading documented health hints, and all manner of sad and funny family history, and every kind of edifying, clarifying post script to the recipes in question. Just getting involved in the family tree could result in missing lunch. But it's all great fun and the recipes are by-and-large to die for - particularly stress relievers (positively sinful) and comfort foods. When the world has turned its back on you and all else fails - eat! and eat well with Flavored with Love.

If you like Southern cooking, this book is like one of those church collections of recipes, but in large format and the print is fairly large. The pages will be easy to read as you concoct everything from pancakes, to mirliton (squash) casserole, squash dressing (interesting idea), chicken and heavenly delight dessert.

Not your usual cookbook and up to its third edition. In addition to the recipes, there are stories about the people who came up with the recipes. What does that tell you? These are unusual, home-cooked recipes, not fancy-schmancy food artists. If you like home cooking Southern style, this will really be an asset to the cookbook shelf. But what I really appreciated was how easy this book is to use in the kitchen. If you prop it up behind one of those cookbook shields, you can see the instructions from a good distance away. That's very thoughtful.

Jane Riley is a pen name for Mary Lou Cheatham. "Jane" has garnered recipes from her lifetime of cooking, mostly from family members and friends, to compile this omnibus cookbook. "Flavored with Love" is additionally punctuated with a nostalgic overview of the Louisiana and Mississippi regions, and its people, in particular. One will even come across the occasional poem which much lightens the text. While the author clearly has a religious cultural background, given certain Biblical quotations found throughout the work, she hasn't hedged on the occasional and moderate use of alcohol-based ingredients where they are appropriate and where they ultimately benefit the quality of particular recipes such as fruitcake and tailgater watermelons.

One of my first observations is that this volume can be one of your top ten cookbooks; however, I'm also compelled to say that it's much more than a "recipe book". Here, we have a cookbook which can be read like a good novel. In addition to the recipes, this work is bulging with fun and interesting stories originally conveyed by friends and associates of the author, including culinary tips and territorial folklore of the culturally-notable Mississippi-Louisiana region.

As to my own culinary qualifications to evaluate this work, you can read about them at my profile site, but I can tell you that, at present, I cook from scratch every day and I'm eternally in search of high-quality recipes which I can serve up to my spoiled family, friends, and neighbors. They are spoiled because I feed them only the finest of dishes, generated from the best recipes, all concocted from the freshest (except for my balsamic vinegar!) and the best ingredients available.

"Flavored with Love" includes 320 pages of easy-to-read, large-print text and the reader can expect one or more recipes on about every other page. These recipes are generally each tenoned with a brief story either from or about its respective originator. Here are some reasons why I particularly like this cookbook:

1. The print is large and easy to read while you're cooking. There are over 300 recipes herein. The exterior dimensions are 8 ½" x 11," and it's three-quarters of an inch thick.

2. The binding is soft cover and the book lies open nicely. The cover is shiny and slick and can be wiped free of stains and spills with a damp cloth.

3. The ingredients are mostly common fare, easy to obtain and many are already present in any well-stocked refrigerator, cabinet, and/or pantry.

4. A few recipe ingredients are specific in that the name brand is listed, ergo "Rudy's Farm(tm) Sausage," (page 69), a key component for "Rice Rushing". While I do not have local access to this particular product, I recognize that the author was desirous to convey that a high-quality sausage is called for, so I can simply go out and buy our best local brand, Bob Evans(tm), for this recipe and enjoy full confidence that the end result will meet the standard of the original dish.

5. The short stories and biographies of the recipe authors break up the monotony which comes of reading one recipe after another and also provide some great cooking tips and some occasional levity.

6. I particularly savor this book for what it is NOT... that would be a compendium of "made-up" supposedly old-time recipes which purport to be from "the [Appalachian] mountain people," or "the Cajuns," or from any other group of an ethnically significant culture. Yes, many of these recipes do in fact come from such folks but these people either are or were (many have passed on) real people and these are undoubtedly some of their top recipes. When one runs across cooking activity described utilizing action verbs such as "sopping," "scrunch," "daub," and "whop," you know that you're reading The Real McCoy! This work is clearly not some slick publishing device where the recipes have been gleaned and assembled from the internet, ultimately to be marketed as some manner of culturally historic dishes.

7. While "Flavored with Love" is a sort of regional cookbook, the recipes are still diverse enough to keep this volume ready at hand as a general cookbook as well, which one can use on a daily basis.

8. The ultimate test of any cookbook goes directly to the quality of the recipes. Having received my copy quite recently, the first recipe I tried was the meatloaf, (page 29). Having tested and reviewed many cookbooks in the past, I have discovered that "the meatloaf recipe" in any culinary guide is typically a great measuring device by which one can gauge the appurtenant dishes found in that same cookbook. And this one is a simple, but superb, meatloaf. I also made up a batch of the "Come Back Sauce," (page 112), a unique and delicious approach to salad dressing, just terrific. I've read every recipe in here and I'm confident that they're all as solid as the two which I have tried so far.

While there are no photographs of the dishes, I didn't find that this diminished the book in any sense because the instructions are very detailed and clear. There is also no table of contents but the well-organized, detailed, and lengthy index will guide readers quickly to any recipe which he or she is seeking.

The reader will find a great variety of dishes for all tastes. Some recipes are unique, ("Mustard Fried Venison," page 49; "Mirliton Casserole," page 190); some are hard-to-find recipes, ("Pimento Cheese Spread," page 148; "King Cake," page 244); and, a number of these recipes are simply tons of fun in which your children can be involved in helping you to prepare them, ("Orange Sherbet," page 63; Popcorn Balls," page 37).

There are certain people who would particularly benefit from having a copy of "Flavored with Love". I would especially recommend this cookbook to you if...

...you have children and not a lot of money to feed them.

...you're in a "cooking rut" and everything seems to taste the same lately.

...you have a farming family.

...you are new to cooking (newlyweds) and wish to learn both good and essential culinary techniques.

...you have an angler or hunter in your family who shows up with his or her fish and game, expecting you to prepare it.

...you have a garden which includes tomatoes, bell peppers, squash, and/or okra growing in it.

...you or your family savor Cajun, Creole, or Tex-Mex dishes.

...you collect useful and interesting cookbooks.

...you are a fiend for desserts!

In summary, "Flavored with Love" is an intelligently-written, utilitarian cookbook for busy people who enjoy great-tasting food. In my effort to evaluate this work as a general cookbook, one which the average cook can use everyday to turn out meals for a family, I simply asked myself, "If you had to live on only the recipes found in this book, could you do it?" The answer is a resounding, "Yes"... and you could live well!

This beautiful book aptly titled is flavored with fun, family and friends and above all else love. It is not only a recipe book, but much, much more in one jacket.
A few of my personal favorite pieces of the book is the most precious and adorable tale of the author when she was a tiny four year old on a fishing trip with her Mama and Pa. An entertaining piece on her dance lessons and a poem "Ah,Love" about onions.
"Mary Lou thought the world was a wonderful place", her books certainly make the world a more wonderful place. It's really like being embraced and a part of her world, family and friends.
The recipes are from the author, her mother Myrtle and family and friends. There are charming histories of each person who has contributed recipes.
There are beautiful sunny afternoon stories with almost every recipe ! This is just cause for celebration !
This book presents not as a fling, but as a true courtship, romance and love affair for those of us that love to cook.
I just could not put the book down, reading from cover to cover and becoming absorbed in each and every story and recipe.
Some of the recipes I've tried and have gotten my taste buds spoiled by are Myrtles Chocolate Fudge, delightful and delectable. Pamelas Blueberry Cobbler is another of the desert recipes I've tried. I'm very curious about the Watermelon Rind Preserves. I'm planning on making The Cinnamon Bread recipe this weekend.
It's full of smart suggestions and tips. Making it even more endearing to the reader are quotes and inspirational phrases at the bottom of every page !
Until you are ready to cook some of these absolutely mouth watering recipes, I suggest having some snacks on hand. My appetite found this book extremely stimulating.
She generously shares so much of her life, thoughts and memories, One gets the feeling that you really have come to know this charming, delightful and beautiful person.
Hers are books I treasure and though I haven't much space, I'll always keep them on the top shelf of my book case.
For those who love cooking, humor, memoirs, bright stories and some nostalgia, I recommend this book highly.

not only can she write well
she has a tight body from doing something right
her tips are cool and basic but when compared to the avg lifestyle that produces mounds fo fat is new
her outfit is also kinda appealing
the conent of the book will help your get toned and shapely liek susan
the other books are good too
i think she demonizes men a bit but hey men are kinda evl
her hair is abit much
the books emphaisis on not eating bad foods and exercising a lot aerobically and sterch is excellent
there is a lot of stuff about wirhght lifting making u lost weight that isnt true
aerobic and stretch and eat low gylcemic foods works
most of avg usa diet is hell
zone diet also points this out
also check out www.paulgraham.com for some cool lisp stuff
and the yahoo group bffm for tom venutos tak
robby robinson bodybuilder doesnt do any aerovbics so weird huh more than one way to get lean
funny its all calories
most americans dont exercise enuf

I'm so excited! IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HEALTH ISSUES AND FOOD, FOOD AND HOW IT DIRECTLY AFFECTS YOUR BODY, MOTIVATION to get up and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT(you know what I'm talking about), this is the best gift you could give yourself. I'm dead serious. Grab this book before it is truly gone...Susan Powter speaks up from personal experience and so am I.

I loved this book. Susan gets right to the point and explains fat and sugar and more including the way to catch the tricks on food labels. She also includes recipes to help you become lean light and healthy. I read this book and liked it. I didn't listen though!

Font Small ~~~ not sellers fault ~~ may be something to add in description.

Our building has a bin in the laundry room where people put things that they don't want anymore, in case someone else in the building would like to have them. That's where I found "Food" by Susan Powter. As someone who is sick to death of "fad diets" and believes that carbs convert to starch, then to sugar, then to fat, I didn't hold out much hope for the book. But it surprised me. I absolutely *love* this book, but am reading it very slowly, one small section at a time. It's a bit overwhelming to take in all at once because Ms. Powter is such a powerful speaker, but she speaks good, common sense and has an uncanny knack for knowing what you're thinking, and saying so. I find her style delightful, her research & references sound, the medical information challenging (who knew how many different kinds of fats there are, and what they are?), and her sense of humor refreshing. I like the way she backs up her statements, I liked finding out that I'm not the only one who has qualms about eating animal products. Although I'm not getting radical or turning vegan or anything, I can now see where the fats come from, exactly how much protein we *really* need and where we can get it, exactly what is supposed to be so great about dairy, what it has to offer, and where *else* I can get that. I'm drinking water for the first time in my life, taking vitamins, and most importantly, reading labels, in the store, and teaching my sons how to do so also. We are all implementing her ideas, with good results, slimming down and feeling more energetic for the first time since I was disabled ten years ago. By the time I am finished with this book, and its recipies, and everything else I plan to do with the next book (which I've already ordered), who knows? Might get those Gwen Stefani abs yet, and just in time for summer too...ahh...thank you, Susan, for showing me how to get rid of the flab and eat right, feed my kids healthy, whole foods, cut the garbage out of my diet and take control of my kitchen. I hope this book does the same for others, but my advice is to be patient with it. Take your time, don't go gonzo making huge sudden changes. It is written to cover three phases of changing your diet, so take it slow. Baby steps. Do that, and it will work for you. The best thing about it is that you learn to eat more, not less. You can eat as much as you want, whenever you like. It is *what you eat* that the book deals with, and if you're thinking that it's a bland, yucky diet, no way. The recipies are absolutely delicious with next to no fat, and there are a lot of recipies in there. Tons. And kids like them too. If you're wondering whether or not to buy this book, I'd have to say go for it, and take it seriously. It has more benefits than I can possibly list here, so enough said. See for yourself!

We all have memories of cooking with Mom and her extremely well used cookbook. The one with the dog-eared pages and stains, their ultimate guide to new recipes and old techniques. When I turned 21, I decided it was time that I set out on the hunt to find my own staple cookbook and after looking at everything else out there, I picked this one.

From cover to cover, this book covers all of the information I needed to know but never knew. It has tons of great recipes ranging from the classics (like step by step instructions on how to cook my first Thanksgiving turkey)to new favorites like Pad Thai. The pictures are informative and inspiring. But there are also guides to nutrition, menus for different events and holidays, how to set a table and entertain. There are even explanations as to the different types of cheese or cuts of meat and where they come from.

This is not the type of book that just teaches you how to MAKE recipe. It is a book that teaches you how to know what to buy, when its in season, what it goes with and essentially how to CREATE a great variety of meals. Mom, I think I've found my cookbook. :)

My husband & I received this cookbook as a wedding present and we have yet to find a bad recipe and we've done a lot of them! Our friends now thing we are GREAT cooks and we enjoy sharing these great recipes with them. We've even given this cookbook as gifts multiple times. It is virtually the only cookbook we use! I love the tips and instructions in the front of each section too--really easy to follow and understand.

This was the first cookbook I bought when I decided that I should start learning how to make food that I actually want to eat. There are lots and lots of pictures, showing the process of making a particular dish. This was great, as I didn't even know at that point what equipment I was supposed to make the food with. Anyway, I did a couple of recipes and then moved on to trying recipes from all kinds of books. Last week however, I did two recipes for my guests on my birthday, and they loved it. I did the Salmon with dill and caper sauce and also the Caramel Apple Tart. Other good dishes: Asparagus Gratin, Veal Stuffed with Fontina, Prosciutto, and Basil. I was not to excited about the Green Bean dish with vinaigrette (but then I am not crazy about green beans - but the picture looks good!) If you want to learn from scratch and know how to substitute ingredients and all that, then this book is maybe not the one. But I worked for me, because I wanted to see if I even liked a method of cooking before learning more about it (my mom used to sauté everything, broiling and all that were a new concepts to me).

I was so excited to buy this book after reading the reviews. However I must admit I'm a little disappointed as it didn't meet my expectation. if you subscribe to family circle magazine you will find this book a bit dull as most of the recipes are too plain (some recipes I saw on the magazine itself but I think FC and GH are sister magazines therefore similar stuff is expected) and also the magazine has better step by step instructions than this book. But none the less this is a great first cookbook for a new cook. It has nutrition info as well as many great tips even entertaining ideas. I must also give credit to the book for teaching me one or two new tricks.

This is a wonderful book, and an excellent kitchen resource regardless of your experience level in the kitchen. The book contains a dizzying array of recipes in every conceivable category, and is well organized and illustrated. The illustrations, in fact, are what truly set this book apart: not only are the dishes well presented, explained, and photographed, but the steps involved in preparing the dishes are generally photographed to make it crystal clear how to do all required tasks.

Earlier in my life, I was a Chef at a high dollar restaurant serving mostly beef, so I was largely acquainted with the techniques associated with preparing most meats (and agree with the techniques used here), but I have never been especially knowledgeable about baking (and some other things). This book made it easy to learn the exact steps involved along the way to making every dish contained herein. I was especially enthused with the photographs taken at major preparation steps and decision points. This let me get it right the first time without having a recipe that was almost, but not quite, perfect.

Any level of cook from very beginner to advanced will love this book. There are dishes ranging from simple to complex (biased toward the simple on average) but all the ones I have made have worked well and tasted great. No kitchen should be without this book!

This book is full of delicious and unique recipes. The recipes are very detailed--the writers do not leave out any steps (which is good for a beginner like me). The book is also fun to read through--there are interesting tips on a variety of foods and stories about the original markets.

One of the best I've used and I have a lot. The recipes are well written along with advice and stuff tastes great.

Words cannot describe how great this cookbook is. The pages are all covered with my exclamation points that I don't give out easily. I don't often repeat recipes...except the ones in this book. Inventive but also classic, seasonal, informative, fresh, healthy, flavorful, yum yum yum yum. If you don't like this book I will refund your money--just kidding, but that is how much I love it and want to spread the gospel.

I heartily agree with all the reviews. This cookbook is wonderful. I had never heard of the Hay Day Country Market (being a midwesterner) but was intrigued by the book. I bought it a year ago and it is a constant reference. I have even given this book as gifts to 5 people and each has loved. My particular favorites are the Pecan Crusted Chicken and Homemade Ginger Brew. Buy it and enjoy!!

I received this cookbook as a gift, and bought another copy for a friend from Amazon. This is my favorite cookbook. Everything I have made is delicious, fresh and has an original twist. The recipes are simple to make and fabulous. Everyone that eats one of these dishes asks me for the recipe.

The Healthy Hedonist, by Myra Kornfeld, is a real favorite of mine. A superb collection of palate-pleasing, health-supportive and incredibly flexible recipes, I have turned to it repeatedly to create soul-satisfying meals for clients, family and friends. The recipes lend themselves to dinner parties and weeknight meals alike. The author embraces a wide array of eating habits within the population, and elevates every dish to its highest potential. The resulting meals are delicious, colorful, and texture-rich. Mixing and matching Myra Kornfeld's salsas, sauces, and chutneys, or soups, salads and side dishes makes for endless variety and yes, pleasure. I especially appreciate this author's intelligent use of traditional, wholesome fats and Celtic Sea Salt, and her countless tips enabling you to put your particular spin on a dish. For certain soups, she even provides a pressure-cooker option. I've made over half the recipes in this book and while they are all terrific and carefully written, there are some I'd like to rave about: Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Shallots and Sage; Moroccan Chickpea Soup; White Bean and Spinach Soup with Rosemary; Wild Mushroom Winter Potage; and Indonesian Corn Chowder. The Southeast Asian Miso is also a gem. The salads and their dressings are some of the absolute best I've ever made: Romaine Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing; Green Leaf, Date, and Cashew Salad with Tamarind Dressing; and Baby Greens with Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette and Warm Walnut-Crusted Goat Cheese Medallions, a great holiday salad. As for main courses, the Orange-Glazed Flounder should be renamed, "I can't believe it's flounder", and the Red Snapper Provençale is simple to make and simply divine. The Seven-Vegetable Moroccan Stew, with its accompanying Harissa, is full of authentic North-African flavors. And my family never tires of the Roast Chicken with Maple Glaze. Whether you're a novice cook or a professional chef, this is one cookbook you'll be thrilled to own.

If I could keep only one cookbook, this would be it! I love this book and have given it to friends and family.
The recipes are healthy, easy to follow, clear and delicious! I enjoy experimenting and I know the result will be great! Practical information on natural ingredients, techniques and diagrams facilitate and are educational and the resource section is very useful. In addition, many of the recipes can be made in advance!
I particularly like the Roast Chicken with Maple Glaze, Laquered Carrots with Coriander, Glazed Brussel Sprouts, Braised Cabbage with Cranberries, Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Shallots and Sage, Triple Gingerbread, Chocolate Coconut Pudding ... I could go on!
A must have for those who enjoy good, healthy eating.

The book has easy, creative, and tasty recipes, with a heavy emphasis on Asian and Latino-inspired dishes. That means that if you are looking for basic middle-of-the road vegetarian or flexitarian recipes, like mac and cheese, look elsewhere.

You will also need access to well-stocked specialty markets, or resort to mail order if you live in areas of the country that have limited food market options. For example, the author uses a variety of grains, including millet and quinoa, instead of just brown rice. She flavors her dishes with curry powders and pastes, coconut oil, and brown rice syrup. She uses tempeh and whole grain pastas. The recipes are absolutely wonderful, and I finally stopped bookmarking because I had post-its on every page. My meat eating husband loves the Roast Chicken with Maple Glaze.

Please note: this book has NO photographs. If that's really important to you, consider checking it out from the library first, as I did. I loved it so much I ended up buying it.

I highly recommend The Healthy Hedonist, by Myra Kornfeld, to beginner cooks and accomplished chefs, alike. For the beginners, Myra has a knack for clearly explaining key cooking techniques and tips on what to look for when buying certain ingredients. For the accomplished chefs, the flavor and texture combinations in Myra's recipes will help you expand your repertoire of unusual and interesting dishes even further. As a personal chef, I have made appetizers, salads, and entrees from this book that clients request over and over again. As a cooking instructor, I must say that the most requested recipe for my fish class is the seared sesame-crusted tuna, from The Healthy Hedonist. Congratulations to Myra Kornfeld for assembling such a great book of healthful, delicious, and interesting recipes. We're looking forward to your next book! (By the way, I also use many, many recipes from The Voluptuous Vegan, by Myra Kornfeld, and recommend that you check out that book, as well!)

No longer will I need to put my poor Vegan friends through an evening of dull side dishes that I formerly used to merely accompany my beef or poultry entree! The recipes in this book are varied in their difficulty or ease, and offer so many delicious options for ingredients to make them pop in flavor and presentation! I have become such a fan, I find myself eating 'vegan meals' without even thinking about the chicken or fish or beef I use to have to have, to call it a 'meal.' There are so many reasons to give this book a try if you were once a die-hard 'meat and potatoes' person: you want more tantalizing, flavorful side dishes, you have dietary restrictions, you have vegan friends. Any of these reasons are good enough to start your journey, but you may find yourself appropriating more and more of these dishes as your entrees! (The only thing that kept me from rating it 5 Stars were the absence of pictures.)