Cookbooks Books

This book made me laugh until I cried. Clearly the author has "been there." Forget about the recipes; it's the commentary that matters. I particularly liked the cookies sent to the child at boarding school with "love from Mummy" written in the cook's handwriting.

10/24/03 The book is entertaining with much levity since it comes across absurd(e,g recipe for Green Leaf Salad: Boston lettuce,red oak leaf lettuce,Newman's Own Salad Dressing)...or.. "Mary's Knees" :orange juice,lemon juice,lime juice,lemon vodka(Absolut Citron),Grand Marnier liquer).The book does not come across "as believable",based on books and other mediums(TV,Magazines) for biographies and autobiographies which have exposed the "life styles" of the "low keyed" bluebloods(The Paparazzi have shown their radicals such as the Spencer Family(Princess Diana),Kelly Family (Princess Grace).The rich's conservatism with their cash have made them able to be philanthropists and "powers behind the throne" of most politicans(who do take them seriously!)..The products mentioned (in the many foods not made from scratch e.g. for "Barn Parties:"Spring Chicken Potpies( ingredients incuded 4 cans of chunk white chicken(5-oz ea.)..4 cans creamy potato soup(10 oz ea.)...6 pkg. of pie crust mix (10 oz. ea)) as well as the events,categorized by season(e.g. Winter:Debutante Ball Cocktails(Pg 90) appear to show a faction not "atypical" of the sterotypes which have been depicted.(Possibly because the book shows "only leisure time"(before graduation from school,at lunches,brunches,showers,weddings,egg hunts,fox hunts);not inside the corporate board rooms or an actual easedropping of the "cigar guys" in their private clubs..

Alexandra Wentworth should receive the Nobelprice for collecting these recipies. Also the comments were great fun to read.

SAMPLE REVIEW, (ONE OF 3) FROM THE COVER OF THIS BOOK: 'A very funny, nostalgic trip through WASPland. Chock-full of sociological information".....Letitia Baldridge

If you are a person who pronounces the word as "QU-LIN-AIR-Y', and NOT as "cull-in-ary'; if you admire and aspire to the "WASP" (White, Anglo-Saxon Protestant) lifestyle, love books such as "Elegance", by Genvieve Darieux, and "Faro's Daughter" by Georgette Heyer, (which....I herein must admit, in shameless self-promotion, that I have also reviewed for Amazon), and all other exquisitely written regency novels...would die to become a debutante, or a debutante's glamourous escort, if you read the "Style" sections assiduously, and agonize, daily, with your sense of fair play, and political correctness coming into conflict with your love of the good life and material success....THIS IS YOUR COOKBOOK!

It helps to have a wry sense of humour, as well, in reading this book. For the authoress, ALEXANDRA WENTWORTH, is not only a genuine, top-drawer WASP, but is also an accomplished comedienne, having appeared on "IN LIVING COLOUR", and other entertainment vehicles. (Ms. Wentworth seems to have found THE answer in how to assuage a guilty conscience and STILL enjoy the "good life": simply to SHARE the wisdom and wealth, of that good life, with others! She did so in the TV programme, "IN LIVING COLOUR", and does so, as well -- and with obvious glee and relish, (no pun intended -- by me, at least), in this book.

The book is divided, firstly, into the four seasons of the year: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Each season has several subsections, (such as "Annual Family Meeting Tea", in 'Spring') Each subsection contains one or more receipies....many with pithy, and insightful comments showing the good, (and yes, the bad) sides, of real WASP life. For instance, in "Annual Family Meeting Tea", there are two receipies, prefaced by a delightfully humourous, and very knowing introduction. Herewith, the introduction, and one receipie, (together with the comments given)

.........A N N U A L....F A M I L Y....M E E T I N G....T E A.........

The annual family meeting used to be a time when the extended family gathered to discuss property, financial accounts, and the name of a good doctor who can declare Grandpa legally incompetent. Alas, as WASPs have, over the years, lost much of their estate and holdings, owing to n'er-do-well offspring, the annual family meeting has become more of a de facto reunion. If you have married into such a family and are of a different background, I suggest you feign the flu or a slipped disk and stay home.
As WASPs can't cook an elaborate meal, family meetings have mercifully taken on a tealike quality.

.......................M A R Y ' S.....K N E E S.......................

Serves 15-20. An important drink for calming nerves and provoking hearty laughs, (ie: add extra vodka).

6 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 cups fresh squeezed lime juice
4 cups Absolut citron (lemon vodka)
2 cups Grand Marnier liqueur

Mix ingredients with plenty of ice and orange wedges.

Seven other topics, (making a total of eight topics) each including several recipies, are given for "Spring", (many with similarly pithy insights), These include one or more receipes for "Easter Supper", "Bridal Tea" and "Baby Shower Bruch" -- amongst receipies for other crucial Spring events in the WASP Calendar. In "Summer" are shown receipes for ten events, including: "June Graduation Supper", "Fourth of July Cookout", and "Wimbledon Fancy", (amongst others). "Autumn" gives receipes for six events, including "Prep School Send-Off", "A Middleburg Foxhunt" and "A Racquetball Lunch", and other important events. And "Winter" again gives culinary musts for six events, including "Debutante Ball Cocktails", "Boxing Day Lunch", and "Vail Weekend".

(This reviewer notes the fact that several receipies are given for both "Fourth of July Cookout", and for "Boxing Day Lunch". This shows this book to be a genuinely AMERICAN WASP cookbook.....as, by and large, both American WASPS -- and WASP Admirers -- find absolutely no contradiction in being proud to be American, and being an unashamed Anglopile, at one and the same time. Or, at least, we try very, very hard to find no contradiction in liking, and being proud of, our interest in both. I mean, after all, it HAS been over 200 years since the American Revolution, and, with the "Special relationship" between the U.S. and the U.K. And, after all, Boxing Day DOES involve giving presents to the "help" -- which is a good, democratic idea...or is it a condescending one???? Well, it appears that, though WASP wanna-bes, like me, struggle mightily to join our sometimes conflicting admirations, real WASPS, such as Ms. Wentworth, have absolutely NO compuction of combining their seemingly conflicting admirations. At least, no apologies of any kind for admiring things English is given in THE WASP COOKBOOK. And, after all, why should there be -- as a WASP, Ms. Wentworth, and others like her, are only admiring their own genetic heritage. Oh....why can't everyone be lucky!?

I noticed, by comparing similar receipies in "The WASP Cookbook", and "The Jewish Cookbook", (by Mildred Bellin....which, yes indeed, I have also reviewed for Amazon), that the WASP recipes use FEWER INGREDIENTS. Thus, to "Waspisize" any receipie, it MIGHT be an idea to simply take away some ingredients....preferably those with the most calories or fat. However, for GENUINE Wasp receipes....along with eye-opening, very true, very humourous, and often self-depricating comments, this slim volume with 110 numbered pages, a WONDERFUL velveteen cover, (with golden printing on the cover!), and lovely pale-blue endpapers, can't be missed! It is a very true, and very real, treasure-trove, both for WASPs, and for anyone who wants to eat like one!

This is a great book. I bought it for myself - and I'm now buying them for my WASP girlfriends for their birthdays - a very funny book with some good (not great) recipes.

I really stress about what to make my family for dinner. I am able to create healthy, exciting, tasty, and best of all quick meals for my family thanks to this cookbook. I have many others, but I consider this my bible of all my cookbooks.

I'm a WW lifetime member. Unfortunately I fell off the wagon recently ... using this cookbook I'm able to get back on the wagon, and stay in check when I'm at goal without sacraficing flavor.

This is a wonderful cookbook! It is great for students and people on the go. I tried the Deep Dish Pizza Casserole and it tasted great! I can actually eat it as leftovers until it's gone.

Who wants to spend hours in the kitchen unless it is a special occasion? I appreciate that I don't have to spend a lot on groceries and I can still make a homecooked meal. I also like that the recipes are things I would want to eat. Most importantly though the recipes are healthy and low calorie!!

5 ingredients? 15 minutes? I can do that. Need to watch points or calories? Weight Watchers is great for that. Recipes here I like:

1. Fettucini and shrimp,
2. Athens-style grouper
3. Summer squash over polenta
4. Taco chicken wraps

One of the best of Weight Watchers. shopping list in front, points and exchanges on recipe. A winner.

Three years ago, My wife took our daughter to Weight Watchers and the gym simultaneously to drop some weight thus preventing a "Big" girl in Ballet. The wife signed up for both just to keep the daughter company and on track.

It worked. My wife dropped 24 pounds and looks like the girl I picked up on that train 27 years ago, perfect size 5. (yeah Roseanne, I know beautiful just doesn't come in size 5)

I also dropped 20 pounds, -- It's the cookbook.

But I gained it back after doing the Bill Phillips 12 week Body for Life transformation, this time though, it's lean muscle.

We're all prety happy about it and bought a mirror for the wardrobe door first time in 20 years.

Get it and cook out of it. it works, the food is interesting and tastes magnifique.

Had to add another five-star review here. As the male side of a Weight Watchers household, I've approached some of the recipes hesitantly. Let me tell you, after more than a year of using this book, not one recipe has failed to impress! They are all quick and relatively cheap and easy to make. Tasty too!

When you sensibly order this deal of a book, don't be surprised to find yourself promising to make EVERY SINGLE RECIPE as you flip through. The pictures are delectable, and the recipes easy to follow. They also include sidebars with both general information and that which is specific to the dessert at hand. I also enjoy their suggestions for alternate flavor additions. There are 6 sections of recipes: The Classics, Simple Desserts, Summer Fruit Desserts, Holiday Desserts, Special Occasions, and Chocolate Decadence. There are 7 recipes per section, and the book ends with basic dessert tips, glossary, and index.
Note that they use chocolate rather than cocoa in the chocolate-based desserts. I have a double boiler, but still generally prefer to use a metal bowl sitting atop a saucepan with gently boiling water. The bonus is that you can then use that as the main mixing bowl for zero chocolate loss.

I really love this book! The pictures are great and the recipes are what I was looking for! I highly recommend it!

Excellent book for anyone interested in desserts. I can't cook, but for some reason I can make excellent desserts. The berry fool is very easy to make and you can change it up a bit and put it in individual graham cracker pie plates. This book is loads of fun. Read the whole thing first though.

Most of the recipes in this book are suitable for bakers of any level.

What makes this book a standout, is the fact that even the simplest recipes look expensive and difficult, when complete. For example:

The Poached Pears With Raspberry Coulis, is simple. It looks like a million bucks when properly plated, though.

My boyfriend made the Lemon Curd Squares in the middle of the night. He isn't known for his cooking or baking skills (unless Noodle Roni counts). They came out perfect. From the way he carried on, you would think he solved cold fusion.

If your baking challenged, significant other, reads this book and is motivated to make just one recipe, then your money was well spent.

This book is a must have.

I have not even tried a recipe yet but I've read it cover to cover. You can usually tell a good cook book by how well it's written. The authors explain in great detail each recipe which is very easy to follow. To top it off a picture accompanies every dessert so you know exactly what to expect. In the back of the book is a guide for baking novices, like myself, on the importance of preparation before baking and some other tidbits as well.

The same day I received my copy I watched a program that aired on the Food Network: Good Eats w/ Alton Brown. He made Crème Brulee, Pear Coulis', and a Soufflé. His method followed the book to a tee. As you can see I highly recommend this book.

I placed the order and in just days I received the book very fast and in very good quality. Thanks a million !!!

This is a true must have. This is an elegant and beautifully crafted book, that contains best simple recipes from the Chuck Williams Collection: Simple Italian Cooking, Simple French Cooking, and Simple American Cooking.

The book includes nearly 200 recipes, beautifully formatted and at a great price. I say it again, a truly must have.

I have collected some very interesting and promising cookbooks over the years, and all of them combined could not teach me what this one book has. I literally went from Novice to Gourmet when I started making some of these recipes. I rave about it and give it to everyone on my gift list.
You can make any of the recipes everyday and not feel overwhelmed because they are truly simple! My favorite is the Lamb Shanks with Rosemary and Leeks served with mashed potatoes. Although it takes 2 hours to make, your actual work time is less than 20 minutes. Just leave it to simmer and check on it every half hour, and Viola you are a gourmet chef!
I have such confidence in the kitchen because of this book! I hope, if you decide to purchase this book or put it on your wish list, that it will give you half the joy it has given me because even that would be heaven sent!

This cookbook demostrates that combining good ingredients with simplicity can result in wonderful dishes. I have an extensive cookbook collection, some are beautiful to look at and some are a great resource for recipes; this is both a joy to browse and a pleasure to cook from. The instructions are clear, the lists of ingredients and number of steps are reasonable, and the results have always been very rewarding. As an indication of how highly I think of this book, I purchased copies for both my mother and daughter. This is a great book to have in your kitchen library.

I have collected some very interesting and promising cookbooks over the years, and all of them combined could not teach me what this one book has. I literally went from Novice to Gourmet when I started making some of these recipes. I rave about it and give it to everyone on my gift list.
You can make any of the recipes everyday and not feel overwhelmed because they are truly simple! My favorite is the Lamb Shanks with Rosemary and Leeks served with mashed potatoes. Although it takes 2 hours to make, your actual work time is less than 20 minutes. Just leave it to simmer and check on it every half hour, and Viola you are a gourmet chef!
I have such confidence in the kitchen because of this book! I hope, if you decide to purchase this book or put it on your wish list, that it will give you half the joy it has given me because even that would be heaven sent!

I got this book for my mom for Christmas, who really likes it so far. I read through it first and was impressed with the layout and extra things that made this cookbook unique and interesting. I love how it helps with eating in the seasons. So many recipes looked intriguing, although I haven't had a chance to make any yet. I'm excited to get another copy for myself!

I have had this book since it was published. It is not only informative, but provides an easy way to dip your cooking skills into the waters of whole food cooking in an easy and educational way. My favorites are Black Bean and Polenta Casserole, White Corn Tortilla Soup, Taco Salad, and Banana Muffins. I have to say that every recipe I have made has turned out well and been delicious. I love that eating and cooking healthy can be so fun and easy. As a busy mom, these are important things to me. 12 Thumbs UP... way up!

I was so thrilled to find this amazing cookbook, categorized by season! I always feel instinctively inspired to eat certain things during different seasons, and once I had this cookbook, I understood why! And I was so thrilled with the fantastic variety of recipes that are offered using ingredients connected with the various seasons. The recipes are easy, yummy, AND kid friendly! And I have been amazed at how good I do feel, when I am eating according to the seasons! I highly recommend this cookbook for anybody wishing to find a way to eat in harmony with the seasons.

This recipe book is wonderful! I love how the author makes good for you foods actually taste really good. I absolutely love this book! If you are looking to eat better and feel better, this is the book for you.

Lots of real-food recipes! I won't have to make a quick trip to the health food store to try out this book. Also looks kid-friendly. The book is well put together and easy to read. I'm sure I'm going to be using it a lot!

The great thing about a McDougall recipe is the spice blends. Mary McDougall really knows how to put spices together to make things delicious. I highly recommend this and other McDougall books.

In an 8 month battle with the health effects of years on the standard Western diet, this book is now the first off my shelf of cookbooks. (McDougall Quick and Easy is second).

The index is useful. The food is filling and tasty. The health effect is 65 pounds lost and cholesterol cut in half. You will satisfy your desire for good food and possibally save your life!

I think all of Dr. McDougall's books are very very good. The cookbooks are really a big help to me as I learn how to cook this new way. The China Study got my husband and I started in this direction and we are very happy it did! We do feel a lot better already but expect to feel even better after a few more months (we are in our first month). This is a cookbook that I plan on using for a long time. I also like the Almost No Fat Cookbook by Grogan (it uses no animal fat).

McDougall rocks! I think Dr. McDougall has the answers to our health problems and reading all of his books, even the ones that are out of print or hard to find is so worth the effort. If you want to see your blood pressure go down, your cholesterol drop and your aches and pains go away - you've got nothing to lose by giving his program a try. You quickly become accustomed to a change in your diet. If you want to stay away from the doctor, get rid of your prescriptions and chuckle at the commericals for medications - you need to begin McDougalling. Life changing!

Dr. McDougall's change of food has helped me a great deal. I was having trouble with high sugar, triglycerides, etc and now am having trouble with iron in my blood. Eating no meat, dairy, white bread, white rice has brought all down and I am not hungry. It is filling and his books give me ideas for new recipes.

Collected in 7 Ways for 7 Days is an amazing variety of recipes, from ones for fondly remembered dishes that our mothers and grandmothers set on the table to the latest concoctions dreamed up by today's expert cooks. From simple recipes to gourmet delights, it's easy to find one or more dishes to make any meal a special treat. We salute you, Carole. You have turned out a truly fine collection of recipes for every taste.

Jeannie and Tom Chappelle

This book is very well written and the format is easy to follow. The recipes are very consise and well explained that anyone can follow them even a bachelor. There is something here for every taste and many easy and nutritious recipes. I have made many of these dishes and they are fast and the most delightful dishes that I have ever prepared. The many desserts are very tasty, easy to make and look like you have spent a day making them. These dishes and desserts are a huge success...Thank you for writing such a wonderful guide.

I love this cookbook! So many times I purchase items in bulk because of buy one get one free. This book allows my bargins to have unique tastes, because I can prepare them MANY different ways. It also is wonderful when I have food that is soon to expire and I am not quite sure what to do with it. I have so many choices with this well organized cookbook. I know you will find this book and true guide in the kitchen. Enjoy!

Carole has organized this book by "ingredients", so if you find something in your pantry or refirgerator and can't remember what you were going to do with it, add this book to your shopping cart! There are seven ways to prepare each ingredient, from appetizer to dessert. Some of my favorites are: "Potato Chip Chicken", "Bryna's Pork Chops" (I still can't believe there is 1/2 cup of peanut butter in this), and "Jean's Death by Chocolate". A great everyday reference to add to any kitchen.

Carole has done a lovely and complete job of organizing recipes to make this a cookbook that will surely become a family favorite. The regular user will become regarded as both a creative cook and, more importantly, a good cook. You can't go wrong.

As soon as I took the books out their package I knew I would love them, and as soon as I started to turn each page, I was so amazed at the quality of the book. I highly recommend it. It is packed with beautiful pictures and excellent recipes. I bought this book after reading other reviews about them. I purchased Vol.I,II. Both are amazing and are my favorite cookbooks so far. Now I am going to purchase both for my mother-in-law for Mother's Day!

This is by far my favorite cookbook. It is wonderfully laid out, and every recipe I've tested has been wonderfully delicious. Every friend I've lent it to has gone out and bought their own copy, after deciding that they'd like copies of more than half the recipes!!! Every recipe has a finished product picture, complete list of ingredients in a sidebar, step-by-step instructions with pictures if anything is unclear, as well as tips and tricks (e.g. if something can be done ahead of time)

It's not like the type of cookbooks where you can look up a chocolate chip cookie recipe and make it... but I've made approximately 15% of the recipes so far and loved each one. I highly recommend Better Home and Gardens America's Best-Loved Community Recipes Volume I and II. My favorite recipes are in Volume I, though it's somewhat difficult to find. Also, don't loan this out, I've had to buy another copy of Volume II because my first one was borrowed and never returned.

When I first got this book as a gift I wondered to myself "how good can some collection of random people's recipes be?" After trying a few of the recipes I discovered that the answer was "VERY good." Now I just need to find Volume I.

This is an incredibly diversified mix of American cooking recipes in easy-to-read sections and bright and beautiful color photographs. The sections include: poutry, meats, fish & seafood, soups & stews, pasta rice & legumes, salads & dressings, vegetables, breads muffins & sandwiches, cakes & cookies, desserts, and appetizers beverages & snacks.

I have never had a bad experience with any of the recipes in this book. For that reason it has earned its place with my other two all-time favorite cookbooks "Betty Crocker Cooking Basics" and "Farmhand's Favorite Pies" as an "ACK! Company's Coming!" type of cookbook... a book that I can run and grab off the shelf and with a little bit of effort turn out a flawless and decadent meal.

Just in case you were wondering, my favorite recipe in this book is that of "Grasshopper Bars" featured on page 366. It's a fudgy brownie base topped with a sinfully rich mint cream, and a cool chocolate topping. Try it; you'll LOVE IT!

Each little town has probably put out a small cookbook sometime, Best Loved Community Recipes highlights the tastiest.

You'll find tried and true favorites along with new twists on old recipes. Eggplant Appetizers, Mary's Cheeseball, and Mini Calzones could spice up a gathering.

If you need a good basic recipe like Caramel Corn, Oatmeal Bread, or Hot Cross Buns- this is your cookbook.

From muffins to rolls, cookies, cakes and pies, you'll find what you need. Try the delicious Apple Dessert Pancake, I served it for dinner one night with rave reviews!

Grand recipes for fish and seafood as well as meats, pizzas and noodle dishes fill the 464 pages.

Do yourself or someone else a favor and add this cookbook to your collection. Your crew will thank you time and time again.

America's Best Loved Community Recipes Better Homes and Gardens Published by: BH&G ISBN:0-696-200095-3

Imagine if you could sit down and open a book of your Grandmothers, Aunts and Ladies of the Church Auxiliary's favorite recipes. That is exactly what this book is. Imagine being able to bake that perfect egg custard pie just like your Grandmother used to make. Or perhaps make that wonderful chicken casserole like Mrs. Smith in the church choir. You never could get her to write down what that secret ingredient was.

It takes all the recipes from the many community cookbooks from around the United States and picks out the most popular and requested ones. They are then nicely pictured with a photograph of the finished dish as well as illustrations on how to do some of the techniques. Also included is information about the cookbook it was taken from and a quote or information from the person who contributed it

Reaching for this cookbook is just like reaching out to touch a dear and trusted friend. Not only are all the ingredients listed but also those techniques you are a little unsure about are explained well and then they are illustrated also. I was never sure how the best way was to take the skin off chicken pieces and this book shows exactly where to start and how the pieces should look when you are finished

This book has tons of great recipes for a cake mix. I honestly didn't know you could do this much with one! I can't wait to begin trying them out. I highly recommend this book!

I love baking cakes & making sweets. But being a mother of two little ones I don't have enough time (or energy) to make cakes from scratch. This book is a treat for me, because I don't need a lot of planning ahead nor to spend too much time in the kitchen!!

A few days ago I made the Peanut Butter Cake & it looked impressive and was delicious!! I felt like a million dollars presenting it.

The book is full of appetizing pictures for nearly all the recipes, easy to use & follow directions, and has lots of tips & ideas. It also tells you how many calories are in a slice (for all you gals who want to know, although my advise is to skip that particular line).

In the book you will find all kinds of recipes for cakes, trifles, cupcakes, cookies & more.
Indulge yourself & your family.

I love cookbooks and this one, a gift from my sister-in-law, is my favorite. These easy cakes are unique and delicious! Impress your friends and family and save time too. I cannot recommend it enough.

In my circle of friends, I'm known as a Master Chef. I can whip up delightful lemon curds, Sky High Meringue Pies, and shortbread that floats off the plate. BUT....I had NEVER baked a cake, never wanted to BAKE a cake, and didn't even LIKE cake...thanks to the miserable examples that I grew up trying to swallow in the 1960's! Dry, chemical tasting; they were featureless and a sure sign, in my myoptic view, of "Lazy Cooks", especially where Box Cake Mixes were concerned.

Enter 2005: I am asked to cater a British Tea Party...and one of the projects was to bake and decorate a CAKE! I expected to 'job it out' (having a bakery make it) but decided to tackle the Beast Formerly Known as Cake, instead.

I signed up for Wilton Cake Decorating Class. The instructor, who runs a famous bakery in Michigan, SWORE by cake mixes and insisted that they "had improved since my childhood". With her 30+ years of experience, she recommended ONLY Betty Crocker Cake Mixes and also recommended THIS BOOK, as a way to personalize the taste of cakes.

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound of butter, I say. I started the classes, I ordered the Betty Crocker Ultimate Cake Mix Cookbook, and four weeks later, I've baked over 12 examples from the book, pulled off the British Tea to accolades, AND...learned that CAKE.IS.GOOD!

This book is incredible! It has a history of HOW cake mixes have changed throughout the years; it explains what the ingredients "do" in a recipe, and it offers ways to make crisps, cookies, bars and other goodies with a mix.

Out of my 500+ cookbooks, THIS cookbook has been the MOST used one in the past month! And I've brought it to class, where the other 5 students also ordered it!!!

When professional bakers, who are making their mortgage payments and sending their kids through school via cakes, tell me that they use mixes 80% of the time, it's time to listen! You'll LOVE this book!!!

Every recipe in this outstanding cookbook is easy to make and delicious to eat! This book is in colour with lots of pictures, so you can decide what to bake based on how the cake looks as well as how the recipe sounds.

From quick "bake-and-take" cakes for church potlucks, to elaborately designed masterpieces for parties and weddings, to brunch cakes, this book has it all! Why no try the decadent Tres Leches Cake, or the fun Chocolate-Chip Cookie Surprise Cake, or maybe you want a cake in the shape of a train. This book has it all!

About three-quarters of the recipes in this book call for ingredients that you may not be able to find in the supermarket, such as besan, atta, kari leaves, and urad dal. But if you have access to those, dive in!

It is simply too bad that this book is out of print!

My husband loves Indian food and although I consider myself to be a pretty good cook, I was intimidated about trying my hand at something that seemed so foreign and exotic. An Indian friend had even brought me a few cookbooks, but I found them hard to follow. The last time he came to visit he brought me Neela Paniz' "The Bombay Cafe." Wow! What a difference! The directions are easy to follow even for people completely unfamiliar with the workings of an Indian kitchen. And while some recipes call for hard to find spices, there are plenty that use nothing more exotic than fresh ginger, garlic or serrano peppers. Special favorites are the Shrimp with Chiles and Garlic, Pepper Chicken (made with nothing more exotic that black peppercorns) and Nan (Indian flat bread.)

I highly recommend this book to the novice Indian chef.

Bombay Cafe was my favorite haunt when I lived in Santa Monica. When I discovered that Neela had published a cookbook of her remarkable food, I bought it immediately. I am happy to say that this book includes many of my favorite dishes, written simply and clearly enough that I can faithfully reproduce everything I loved when dining at Bombay Cafe. In my experience, this is not something that 'restaurant' cookbooks commonly achieve. An excellent effort by an uncommon chef. Thank you, Neela!

The Bombay Cafe Cookbook is one of my favorite cookbooks and I have scores of Indian cookbooks, as I'm sort of a gourmet chef. I wrote a cooking column for a sailing magazine for a couple years and one of my favorite articles was my "Two Ways to Tandoori" which you can read in one of my "Amazon So You'd Like to Guides," if you want. Tandoori chicken is just delicious. Anyway, while I was making the guide, I listed fifty cookbooks from my collection. I have more. I know, I know, one would think a couple books would be enough, but it's sort of an obsession with me, making food taste great and I just love to see how others have done it.

While I was doing the guide, I pulled out all my Indian Cookbooks, had them all stacked around me. Then I decided to pull out all the ones I didn't think I could live without. It came to an even dozen and The Bombay Cafe Cookbook was one of the books. The recipes are just divine. I've never been to India, been a lot of places, but never there. Delhi, Bombay, Ganges, names that just ring with adventure. I imagine I'm there every time I cook up something Indian. I can feel the smells as they wrap their delicious flavors all around the kitchen, or galley, if I'm cooking on board the sailboat my husband Dub and I live on half the year. You won't go wrong with this book. Check it out. Check out my other eleven too. Cook up something from India tonight, taste the adventure.

Review submitted by Captain Katie Osborne

This is one of the best cookbooks I have come across. I love the recipes - they are creative and light - like the Tandoori Chicken salad, or the Garbanzo beans sweet and sour salad. There are also some very Indian recipes that make you travel back in your mind to India - like the Railway station potato curry, or the Frankies. Most recipes are fairly easy to make.

This is Indian cooking with a fresh approach, and a lot of style.I have tried and served so many recipes to friends, and the reactions are always - that tastes GOOD!