Cookbooks Books

I am looking for a copy. Can anyone help? Harriet

Please contact me at either : hiltonpu@fedsure.co.za . . . or P O Box 371, Noordhoek, 7975, South Africa Many thanks!

This beautiful book illustrates both with magnificent photographs and excellent recipes why the Pacific Northwest has such glorious food. From authentic regional appetizers to zesty main courses and tasty desserts there is great food to make and enjoy. We have given several as gifts, and are trying to find more!

This cookbook is magnificent! With breathtaking photography,stellar production values and innovative recipes which emphasize the unique bounty of the Pacific Northwest, what more could anyone ask for in a cookbook? Grab your own copy to use and treasure forever!

Of all my cook books, this is my favorite. The beautiful illustrations are a plus along with the truly unique recipes. It's such a beautiful book I leave it on my coffe table for my friends to look through and comment. As much as I like experimenting with different styles of cooking, I seem to always return to this book. It truly represents the unique style of cooking in the beautiful Pacific Northwest!

It is nice to find a book that is light and uses real ingredients. I do not like using any "fake" stuff when I cook.

I am a starter baker, so my husband bought this book for me as a Christmas present. I love the concept presented here by Nick Malgieri - real ingredients (real butter, real sugar, etc), less the amount, and still delicious desserts. I have tried two recipes so far, and both have turned out well (even though the tart crust contains only THREE tablespoons of butter, a minor miracle indeed!). What I also like about this book is that the ingredients and the equipment are simple and common in local supermarkets. None of the recipes requires fancy, exorbitantly priced rarities from the other side of the world. In addition, the recipes cover a range of dessert genres: chocolates (with an entire section devoted to it), cakes, tarts and pastries, ice creams, cookies. Nick also teaches you the basics of ingredients and baking techniques, along with helpful tips - so the book is educational as well (my husband was reading it for fun the other day!). One thing that this book doesn't have, but that I would've appreciated having, is prep time. Otherwise, no complaints from me. I look forward to trying all the recipes in 2007!

Malgieri certainly is a fine baker, as his extensive cookbooks demonstrate. Here he teams up with healthfood writer Joachim to provide dessert collection with reduced caloric recipes, each said to be under 300 calories. Each recipe has nutritional breakdown.

They achieve this by reducing or eliminating amount of sugar, butter and eggs. They do not use articial sweeteners or egg substitutes or whole grain flours. One can try and substitute some of this out if glycemic index is important.

There are some fine recipes in this collection with nice large format, paper stock and color photos galore, along with Source recommendations, Ingredients & Equipment discussion. I'm into the likes of Gratin of Summer Berries (with a magnificent sabayon topping); Honey and Hazelnut Biscotti; Earl Grey Panna Cotta; Strawberry Meringue Tart; Chocolate Banana Custard Tart.

`Perfect Light Desserts' by baking teacher extraordinare, Nick Malgieri and veteran cookbook author David Joachim is a classic meld of baking technique and substitution cooking, fitting the skills of the two authors. There is probably no other baking writer's work on a `healthy' baking book I would expect more from than Malgieri, since I always go to his books first whenever there is a specific kind of recipe I wish to make. He doesn't always have what I want, but every time I use his recipe, the results exceed my expectations. I have even found better recipes in his book, especially `How to Bake' than I have in books which specialize in the subject I am searching.

David Joachim's contribution is utterly appropriate, as his latest opus was `The Food Substitutions Bible', being an encyclopedia of what ingredients, as in lower calorie for higher calorie, can be swapped for what.

The authors' introduction shows their technique is entirely in the direction I would have hoped. They use no `non-fat' ingredients and no artificial sweeteners, although they do use `lowered' fat products. Just as I am fond of Rachael Ray's take on fast cooking without relying on prepared convenience foods, these authors fill their book with low calorie and low fat recipes by concentrating on those recipes which tend to be lower in the bad stuff to begin with.

There is little mystery to how the recipe slimming is done. First, as stated above, the authors choose recipes that are not high in sugar and fat to begin with. Second, high fat ingredients such as dairy products are replaced with `moderate' fat substitutes or dairy products with extra body such as buttermilk or yogurt. Third, fat is replaced with vegetable products such as applesauce. Fourth, rich icings are removed, so bulking up with rich stuff is an option. The classic examples of all these techniques put together would be a cheesecake recipe replacing cream cheese with ricotta and a carrot cake which makes heavy use of vegetable textures to begin with. Both these examples are also classic cases of picking good recipes to begin with. The ricotta cheesecake is not a diet faddy invention, it is based on an old Neapolitan recipe.

The authors claim to have maintained reasonably sized portions. I suspect a good symptom of the Americans' inflated notion of portion size is that these portions seem just a bit on the small size. When I am not in `dieting' mode, I would not imagine getting 8 portions from a 9-inch fruit pie or even less 16 portions from a 10-inch Bundt pan cake. But, the portions all seem to be of reasonable size, and most of the time, the calorie count for the portion is actually well below the target of 300 calories per portion.

One corollary to the fourth technique above is that there are very few double crusted pie recipes in the book. And, the pie crust recipes are all for a single 9 inch piecrust or maybe a 10 inch tart crust. Virtually the only caveat I have about the book is that unlike some of Malgieri's other books, this is not a serious tutorial on baking techniques. This is not to say there are no good guidelines and lessons here. Just the opposite. It's just that you will do much better with this book if you are already a fairly adept baker. The recipes for the pastry crusts, for example, assume you know most of the tricks of the trade in making a nicely flaky crust with a food processor. I am not overly fond of using the food processor and I do fine with my old-fashioned dough cutter. But, since these recipes use less butter and even less water, I suggest you go along with the recommended food processor technique, as this will work better on the smaller quantities.

On the other side of the coin, I find things in this book that I would expect and do not find in a lot of other books. My favorite is a little table showing when many popular fruits are in season. Unless you are a strict carbophobic, it is clear to both me and the authors that fruit is one of the very best ingredients for healthy desserts.

One thing to take very seriously is that this is not a book on baking in general, but only on DESSERTS. This means there are no recipes for lower calorie biscuits, breads, muffins, or breakfast pastries. But, you do get a generous helping of recipes for vegetable bulked breads.

It is no surprise that the book starts with chocolate, as that seems to be everyone's favorite dessert ingredient (except for my mother, probably because she spent several decades working in a candy factory). The very best news about chocolate is that not only is it not, in itself, fattening, it is literally good for you, just like tea and (dare we hope) coffee. The bad side of chocolate is from the level of sugar added to cut its natural bitterness. The authors accommodate this by using sugar-free baker's chocolate plus complex sweeteners or use Dutch process cocoa power, which is less bitter than unprocessed cocoa powder. My only regret here is that while there are many fine chocolate recipes, a classic chocolate layer cake is not among them. The authors redeem themselves by giving us a `healthy' recipe for chocolate chip cookies (sorry, no nuts). Even better is the even healthier oatmeal raisin cookies. Now why didn't I get this book before Christmas!

Reading this book in December makes one regret that all the best berries and stone fruits are out of season. Just Wait!!!

I have by now made six of the recipes in this book, one of them (the brownies) three times. Most cookbooks that I keep have an eight in ten success record. This book, however, is ten out of ten. The brownie recipe is one of the best I've ever tasted and certainly the best I've ever made. The fruitcake ended up being the highlight of a recent holiday potluck. The coconut poppy seed cake was the perfect birthday cake, and the reason I'm reviewing the book at this moment is that I handed a slice of spice cake to a co-worker who praised it for a good three minutes.

I always knew Malgieri was a great baking book author. I didn't realize how great until just this moment. I haven't had a failure yet from this book, and I can't even say that about classics like "The Joy of Cooking." Bravo, Mr. Malgieri!

p.s. Buy this book if you want to make some scrumptious, lower fat and calorie, desserts.

I purchased this book because it was listed as a favorite by a rheumatologist who wrote an article on "painfree life". I would not be without this book and use it several times a week. I didn't know there were so many delicious and very simple ways to cook fish, shrimp, muscles, and other seafood. I give this book my highest recommendation. Try it, you will love it!

Having been to Pike Place Public Market and a huge fan of Pacific Northwest seafood, this was a no-brainer. The recipes are organized in sections. The first describes a history of the market. The next section is about fin fish, then shell fish, and then the odd kettle section talks about tuna, squid, and seafood combination dishes, to name a few. The recipes are easy to follow and the results are worth the effort and turn out extremely well. I bought this book along with Ray's Boathouse: Seafood Secrets of the Pacific Northwest and Pure Flavor: 125 Fresh All-American Recipes from the Pacific Northwest. So when all three arrived, I was in my glory--three Pacific Northwest cookbooks to complement my Wildwood Wildwood: Cooking from the Source in the Pacific Northwest cookbook. I did a tasting and made seven of the recipes the weekend after receiving the books. Everything was great, and I felt like I was in the Pacific Northwest again -- not in Jersey...well...

Pike Place Market is one of my favorite places to visit. I was excited to get the cookbook and the recipes do sound yummy. However, they also require a lot of work & ingredients that I don't have time to shop for. Maybe someday when I have a lot of time on my hands....

The Pike Place Market is a destination point for anyone visiting Seattle. The market is a vibrant maze of fish stalls, vegetable vendors, meat purveyors, etc. To local foodies, the market is shopping central, especially for seafood. Tourists love the sense of history, plus the entertaining fishmongers singing and acrobatically tossing whole fish across the counter.

Braiden Rex-Johnson, an expert on the Pike Place Market, captures the essense of the market in this gift-size cookbook. The stunning photographs bring alive the color and commotion of the market, and the exceptional recipes reflect the diversity of Northwest cuisine. Don't miss trying the recipe for Baked Whole Salmon with Vietnamese Dipping Sauce. I made it for a dinner party and it was a dramatic presentation. The Fried Oyster Caesar Salad was another winner, along with the Shellfish Risotto. I'm looking forward to trying many more, whether I'm cooking for the family or entertaining friends.

I was given this book as a gift and I'm delighted with it. It's sized smaller, like a gift book--so portable and easy to use. I appreciate Rex-Johnson's introduction that focuses and guides consumers on ocean and fish sustainability. This is befitting any bonafide cook from the Northwest (or anywhere!). Besides great recipes, she includes a helpful Appendix of techniques, everything from making bread crumbs to a chiffonade. The book seems basic enough, and sophisticated enough, for a broad range of cooking skills. And the photos and presentation are beautiful, interwoven with historial trivia related to fishing. There's a lot in this little gem.

If there is someone out there who is not familar with Eggplant,introduce yourself to this wonderful vegtable via this Fabulous Recipe. For many years I have cooked it the traditional way. Margo certainly has made it so simple to make and the result is rewarding,. I served it to a group in Los Angeles and should have tripled the recipe. I gave the credit to Mama Lena and know that her recipes will soon be used in California. Many thanks Margo and Sal for sharing her recipes with all people. Ciao

This cookbook is so filled with heart and joy and great food it gets my strongest recommendation. Based on the recipes from the fabled Chicago restaurant of the 1970s, Mama Lena's Italian Kitchen, this is the best Italian food you'll ever have. Period. My wife and I made the Sausage with Brown Sugar Peppers and it was a heavenly delight! Best of all, it was amazingly easy to prepare. Margo Madonna has done a wonderful job of writing these recipes down so that anyone can make them. But what really makes this book special is the love and affection that went into every word on the page. Salvino and Margo Madonna have done the memory of Mama Lena proud. What a great book!

Salvino and Margo have enriched my life and the lives of my seven sons by sharing their recipes. I tried for 13 years to get my Sicilian mother-in-law to give me her recipe for her "sugu "(gravy...that's Italian pasta sauce to you non-Italians). She never would tell me her secret ingredients. This book has her recipe! The other recipes and the stories behind them are a treasure. They say you can't go home again...but with this book you can eat as though you were home again. Molto bene!

Reviewing "This Book" is not difficult, because of the fact That you can actually "sense" The Love and The Patience that These Authors had while putting This Treasure together. We can honestly say that we have never owned a Cookbook that was So Easy-To-Follow. Usually, we feel like the author has just abandoned us, and all efforts at a so-called cooking creation turns into an absolute disaster. However, that's not the case with This Cookbook. This Book made us feel as though These Authors were in Our Kitchen every step of the way - In fact, we set Our Table for Four, when there was only my wife and myself. Also, The Stories remind me of when I was young. I must admit that I did see a Twinkle in My Wife's Eye, as she moved around our kitchen, knowing without any doubt, that the outcome of this meal would be successful by the ease of the instructions. And, because of this, it was amazing how we were able to work together in perfect harmony, without any conflicts of direction. Then, the real payoff came when we felt just as though we were dining at Mama Lena's Italian Kitchen again. We were really sorry that Mama Lena's closed in the early 80's, but we are So Very Thankful that Salvino and Margo Madonna decided to bless the world with Their Treasured Recipes. This Story-Cookbook will be treasured in My Family for generations to come. Words cannot express the feelings we felt while reading The Stories throughout This Wonderful Book. Thank You Again, Salvino adn Margo, and Most of All, Thank You To Mama Lena - This Book is Just Great!

Lots of people called Lena Modonna "Mama Lena" but I got to call her "Gramma." My mother, Anna, was the oldest of Mama's children. Her family was her life and cooking was her way of keeping her family together. Mama Lenna's Italian Kitchen Restaurant was opened because of her love for her youngest son, Salvino. Sure, she loved to cook, but my Uncle had a passion for it. He just loved serving and entertaining his friends, which included just about everyone he ever met. When you walked into that restaurant you became a dear friend. A remarkable feature of the restaurant is that there was no menu. When you got there, you ate what Mama Lena cooked that night. It was always wonderful but the choice was Mama's, not yours. It was like eating a family meal with your mom in her kitchen. This cookbook is more than just a story about the life of a unique restaurant ... it's a story about what put the life into it. That tiny Chicago restaurant was embraced by thousands of friends and family and this book will be embraced by thousands more. Buy it for the wonderful recipes and read it for the stories of Mama Lena and this Fairytale Italian Restaurant.

I gave this book to my future sister-in-law for a shower present. I love it. I have made many of the receipes.

I can only echo the previous reviews! This cookbook was given to me as a gift 30 years ago when I was living in New Orleans. It is tattered and torn and my most cherished cookbook. Everything is wonderful. I have just ordered two copies for friends.

This, my most treasured cook book, was a gift from my beloved New Orleans mother-in-law in 1972, the year I began law school at Tulane. I know for a fact the Garden District and Uptown Junior Leaguers submitted these recipes from their fantastic family cooks and from the "back room" at Antoines. With these can't- fail recipes, you can prepare incomparably authentic and delicious New Orleans cuisine. I live in California now, and last night I did the Plantation Cookbook's extraordinary crayfish etouffe' with whole, frozen crayfish I found at Ikea of all places!

This cookbook has lived in my kitchen for over 12 years and has survived several moves and a flood. It provides excellent recipes for classic New Orleans and South Louisiana cuisine. The directions are easy to follow and the variety of recipes will never leave you without choices of what to have for dinner - be it a family affair or a formal occassion. Also, you can find the ingrediants for most of the recipes regardless of where you live. I've made my favorite dishes while living in four different states. (don't miss the recipe for banana-nut bread)

This cookbook provides the foundation for more recent cookbooks that feature New Orleans style cuisine. And as previously noted, it also gives you a wonderful description of many famous Louisiana plantations and New Orleans homes.

Every single recipe in here is perfect. I have made about 95% of the dishes and if you follow the recipe exactly your dinner party will be a smash!

This is far and away the best cookbook I have ever had the pleasure of cooking from. I am serious when I say that every recipe is wonderful and easy to assemble. There are some that have even become family staples and are made frequently. Anyone who loves to cook should have this on their shelves.

Pure and Simple is full of great recipes. There are so many simple recipes in this book, as the title implies, yet many are also elegant dishes that are great for serving company. My shelves are full of cookbooks, but this one is the one I use the most!

Although I have almost 2,000 cookbooks, this remains one of my all-time favorites, to which I turn again and again. I received a copy from a friend whose recipe was included in it -- and have since give copies to my own favorite people. Everything I have tried has been outstanding. The recipes were contributed by members of Neiman-Marcus's InCircle group of customers from all over the country, and almost all of the contributors included brief descriptions of the dishes, how they acquired the recipes, etc. They were then tested before publication. And all proceeds go to charity. I can't think of anything else I'd want in a cookbook -- delicious recipes, well-tested, described by the contributors, and all proceeds go to charity. And it ia a beautiful, professionally-printed book, to boot. VERY highly recommended.

This has been my favorite cookbook for a long time! Every dish Ihave made from this book has been excellent and is easy to prepare. Party Steaks are the only way to cook fillets...it's a foolproof recipe and very impressive!! Party Ryes are a fav appetizer...everyone always asks for the recipe. I have so many cookbooks but this is always the one I go to. My sister has it too and we always compare notes.

I received this book as a wedding gift 8 years ago from my little sister in my soroity. Unfortunately, it sat on my shelf for two years until I finally got around to trying one out. Well, the first recipe was easy (Lemon bars) and a hit. (which built my confidence as I wouldn't call myself The "Galloping Gournet") Anyway, every recipe I've made has been great and I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone...."seasoned or not" in the kitchen. I especially like the chicken recipes...and the Christmas Stew has become a family tradition each Christmas Eve. I think of my sorority sister Leslie, every time I use the book and consequently thank her again each year in my Christmas card for giving me such a wonderful gift that has lasted all these years. I'm only disappointed that Neiman Marcus never came out with another one! Cheers!

Innovative / Different
Practical
Fun to read / bravo to the writers
Beautiful / the photographers capture the region's essence
Doable recipes [mostly]
Exposes an underknown area of American cuisine

That pretty much sums up my opinions of the excellent book.

I have made nearly a dozen recipes from this book, and every one has been delicious. New-to-me ingredients and interesting new flavor combinations have put some spark back in my cooking. Northwest Nicoise is now a regular in our weeknight dinner rotation, and the Salmon with Herb Butter and Blueberry Sauce was the star of our Christmas Feast this year. I have many cookbooks in my collection -- this one is definitely going to stay at the front of the shelf.

I was not familiar with Kurt Dammeier before receiving a copy of his book, but I was certainly familiar with his contribution to the culinary influences of the Pacific Northwest. I am a fan of his artisan cheeses and have had a Pasta & Co dish at my table or presented at a potluck on more than one occasion. We are lucky to have him among us and in the company of the likes of Tom Douglas as another Pacific Northwest institution. The book itself is sheer art if you, like me, enjoy reading recipes and looking at the pictures of the final result. In addition, the recipes are sheer delight for the palate. The black eyed pea and mustard green salad was a recent hit with my party crowd. The Scollop Orzo with Wild Mushrooms and Sherry was a quick after work dinner pleaser for me and a husband who can be a bit fussy about his food. Kurt demonstrates what makes Pacific Northwest cuisine special and spectacular by making use of and showcasing ingredients that abound in our waters and on our shores. And he does so to perfection! He takes his bows but shares the spotlight with those who have been an influence on his development as a restaurenteur, entrepreneur and sure to be Pacific Northwest Icon.

One of the best cookbooks I've ever owned. Not only does this showcase the usual suspects of Pacific Northwest American cuisine (hazelnuts, salmon, etc.), but also teaches how to use American artisan cheeses in creative, delicious ways. With the tips on selecting different cheese types (semi-hard, semi-soft, soft-ripened, hard graters), you're given the freedom within the recipes to mix and match different cheeses to create macaroni, strata and, yes, salmon that's all your own. I personally recommend mixing up the star Beecher's Macaroni and Cheese recipe with French Ossau-Iraty, Mt. Townsend Trailhead (also a great Seattle-area cheese), Beecher's Flagship and Tillamook Sharp Cheddar. Positively sinful. All of the recipes we've tried so far have turned out great, with the exception of the crab cakes, which were a little too bready. The instructions are extremely detailed and user-friendly.

The photography and profiles of influential chefs in the area make a gorgeous presentation, a delight on the coffee table as well as the kitchen. Makes a great gift for friends around the country, as well as local foodie fans.

Yummy recipes that are both for dinner parties AND weeknight cooking. Yes the mac and cheese is great but there are also simple tips on things like cooking broccoli just right that I love. I also appreciate that every recipe has 'make ahead' instructions. This is a winner all around.

I'm not much of a gourmet chef, but everything in this book is super easy and incredibly tasty. My sister in law made the mac & cheese and when I asked her for the recipe I thumbed through the book and wanted just about every reciepe in the book. Which prompted me to just by it. Well worth the $$.

What can one add to this review's title?

We have made a large fraction of the many recipes in this delight, and never had anything but wonderfully good eating as a result.

It is truly "the never-fail cookbook".

I love to cook yet I barely look for cookbooks. Interestingly, my boyfriend starts cooking and he is the one finding this book excellent to follow step by step(and he's never cooked for anybody at all!). The book also gives you an overview on essential ingredients, tips for variation and even wine recommendation. For the person like him - has no ideas what will turn out from a recipe, this book is perfect with its pictures and detailed description. He has tried more than half of the recipes and honestly, those are all quick but great pasta dishes!

This cookbook is easy to follow and the recipes are really good. It gives some different recipes to add to your pasta repertoire, rather than the usual red sauce. I like this book so much, I've bought it and given it as a gift several times. The bolognese recipe is awesome!

I love this book! It is so well done. All recipes are quick, easy and beautifully photographed. You will feel like a gourmet every time you make one of the recipes! Each recipe also has a wine suggestion. This is great for trying new wine pairings with your meals. All recipes are so easy that anyone can make an impressive meal.

love this book so much that i'm taking a trip to the restaurant!this book is beautiful in it's simplicity and every recipe is easily doable,with delicious results.the rice bowls are inspirational.this is a beautifully photographed book with high quality printing.i love this cook book, and i'm sure i will love the restaurant as well.

As a vegan of several years and an avid cook, I feel safe in saying that I own the majority of the vegan cookbooks out there. Imagine my surprise, then, when I found this gem at my local Borders - a cookbook that I had not only never heard of but that also featured beautiful photographs and healthy recipes. I will admit, I was wary when deciding whether or not to purchase it because more than half of the book is full of recipes for different juice concoctions, and I'm not a big juicer.

I am so glad I bought this book.

The recipes are relatively simple and make you feel great - they are jam packed full of fresh veggies, grains, nuts, and seeds. I made the Green Goddess Rice Bowl, expecting it to be your average, run of the mill, boring brown rice topped with steamed greens, but MY GOD! The tahini sauce on the rice played beautifully with the "Simple Sauce", which was drizzled over the steamed bok choy, kale, broccoli, and chard; the sunflower seeds added a hint of crunch, and the pickled ginger gave it just the right amount of sweetness. The Singer's Saving Grace Juice is also amazing, and my best friend - a singer - swears by it. I am so glad that I bought this book, it is easily one of the best I have ever encountered.

I've eaten at Fresh a few times, and was a bit skeptical about this book - thinking it was probably just promo and that I wouldn't be able to recreate their food.

I was wrong, and am so glad I bought this book! This is the best vegetarian cookbook I've ever used. I am a novice cook, so recipes that are easy to follow (no assumptions) and that are actually tested are important. With a few exceptions (for example, what quantity of dried soba noodles makes 8 cups cooked?), I haven't been disappointed.

I started off making the veggie broth - when you have 10 cups of fresh broth, you start looking for things to use it in! My favourites from the soups section are Sweet Potato and Coconut, Tuscan White Bean with Pesto, and the Marrakesh Curried Stew.

I bought some soba noodles recently and decided to try the Khao San Soba noodle recipe - it is easy and fabulous! We've also made the Buddha Rice Bowl, Marinated Tofu Cubes (these keep well in the fridge and can be used in a variety of recipes). The Thai Peanut Sauce makes a lot, but thankfully I found some other recipes on the internet to use it with (Chinese Peanut Salad).

The main drawback is that I loved the first few recipes I made so much that I wanted to keep making them and didn't explore the book further. While not everything I've made is a favourite, I have been diving into the book more, and I'm really enjoying what I'm discovering.

Don't be put off by this book if you aren't vegan - you will not notice or miss the absence of eggs or dairy products in these recipes. If you're a vegetarian wanting to go that extra step towards a vegan diet, this is a great jumpstart!

Fantastic! Thank you, Ruth Tal.

"Refresh" is a fresh twist on vegan cooking. Being in a rural location some of the ingredients are a bit hard to find, but other than that this cookbook is fantastic! Recipes are easy to follow and this book includes numerous photographs of many of its colorful dishes. The Coconut Tempeh was super simple to make and extremely flavorful, but best of all it had the perfect texture. The most difficult thing about this book is having to choose just a few recipes at a time to make. It says a lot that this is my Husband's favorite cookbook and he is NOT even vegan (but he is an incredible cook!) A must have for vegan entertaining!

There are quite a few curry recipes and a curried tempeh with coconut that's delicious and relatively easy. I baked mine instead of frying and it came out great.

What an amazing journey! Scoops you up and takes you on the ride from the 1st page -- emotional, raw, and REAL. Phil brings you right to the images, smells, and reality of traveling. Fabulous, fast read.

An extremely easy read. Motivating to search our inner self and find the desire and will to explore all that life and this great country has to offer. A book that will be very difficult to put down and will cause pain in the side from laughing so much as well as blood shot eyes from the tears that flow. The author opens himself up to feelings and emotions that we have all experienced in our lives and does it in a humorous and loving way. Strongly suggest reading this book and enjoying the delicious recipes from this professional chef.

THE ROAD LETTERS by Phil Ribaudo

The Road Letters is a novel about love, travel, personal growth and recipes. Phil Ribaudo has presented this pot-pourri of life in a unique, interesting manner-including an audio journal of Nick Anthony's travels and thoughts, photographs, recipes and letters to Laura.

The book is well-written and well-edited, and if you're interested in novels written with a unique twist, this story may appeal to you. If one aspect is not of interest, possibly another will be. If you are interested in travel and personal growth, I can certainly recommend this novel.

Phil is a native New Yorker who now calls San Francisco and the Bay Area his home. He is a private chef which adds to the value of the recipes he shares. In addition to The Road Letters, he has written The Princess and the Servant Boy, an illustrated fairy tale.

Reviewed by Kaye Trout for Kaye Trout's Book Reviews, specializing in POD published books.

As Presented to me:
Gabby, from New York has this to say:
23 Aug 2006 (updated 24 Aug 2006)

As someone who has already read the book and who has purchased some copies for my book club, I would highly recommend it for you all who enjoy a fun read, a tear jerker, a laugh-out-loud read, an "I can really relate to that" read... It really reads quick and easy but also packs some punches and leaves you thinking!

Comment taken from [...]

Excerpt from a letter sent to author on first reading of TRL:
28 Aug 2006
by Melinda Roberts
At the risk of sounding like a totally crazy, unstable stalker chick, I am so touched you trusted me with your manuscript and that you let me in like that.

The Road letters is an incredible moving love story, happy and sad all at once--you... you... you.

I was with you all the way cheering you on and not wanting to touch you, to let it unfold. In the airport, on the plane, here out at the marina between the waterfalls and the boats, the sun setting between the masts in front of me, I have been totally subsumed and sucked in.

I was vaguely aware of people staring as I sniffed and then coughed, and looking up as I threw my head back and did the whole hyena thing and wiping my eyes under my glasses. Normally people ask me what I'm reading (It's like I have a sign on my forehead) but this time it was if no one wanted to break the spell, the feelings.

Thank you for sharing this with me.. thank you. Thank you. I wanted to tell you all this while I was still full of it and feeling it and wishing to God the main characters could get together.

And for the record, I have been asked to read and review many books, and while I have appreciated, and laughed, and suggested, and asked questions, I have NEVER been so moved.

I am so impressed. I still have tears on my cheeks.

Mindy
www.themommyblog.com