Cookbooks Books

I have now tried almost every recipe in this collection. Every one has been absolutely delicious ... Instructions are clear and easy to follow, and the commentaries are wonderful. It is now my favorite present -- my non-Jewish friends who have eaten dinners chez moi with recipes from this collection have also ordered the book!

`The Essential Book of Jewish Festival Cooking' by Phyllis Glazer and Miryam Glazer and `The New Jewish Holiday Cookbook' by Gloria Kauler Greene are two leading representatives of a great cookbook subgenre which may be unique among all cookbook flavors in that they represent that extraordinary relation between Judaism and food. Like the exceptional `Jewish Holiday Cookbook' by Joan Nathan and unlike the encyclopedic `New York Times Cookbook of Jewish Recipes', both books spend much space and words on the practice of kashrut or keeping kosher. But this is not the whole story. There are numerous Jewish culinary traditions which are not directly related to kashrut, such as the traditions surrounding the number of challah loaves baked for the Shabbat or the number of bumps on the challah loaves (The magic number here is 12, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, so the tradition is to have 12 loaves. More practical is the tradition to have two loaves each with 6 bumps created by the braiding of the bread before baking.)

There is one major difference among these three books which is evident in their titles. Ms. Glazer's book deals with `festival' cooking while Nathan and Greene deal with `Holiday' cooking. The subtle difference here is that the festival book does not cover Shabbat and the two `holiday' books do.

To a non-Jew, my guess is that since there are 52 shabbats in a year, while there are at most seven or eight major `festivals', it is much more important to have a book covering Shabbat as well as the yearly holidays. Between Greene and the Glazers, I find at least one other big difference in that Ms. Greene gives far more coverage to the creation of challah, which may be the single most important Jewish holiday recipe in any of these books, as it seems to be the one food which tradition calls for at every Shabbat. In fact, even though Joan Nathan's book combines two books, one of which is on Jewish holiday baking, Ms. Greene's treatment of challah, at least in the details she give for braiding several different numbers of dough strands is the most extensive. Among the recipes from the three books, the amateur bread baker in me prefers Ms. Nathan's recipe, as it uses the least (1 packet) yeast and calls for the longest raising time. She (and Ms. Greene) also use my preferred `active dry yeast' rather than the `rapid rise' yeast.

All three books deal in depth with Jewish holiday traditions, although Ms. Glazer and Ms. Greene seem to have better rabbinical sources and seem to be more dedicated to the details of the traditions. Of the three, Ms. Greene seems to touch me more effectively in her discussion of these traditions than the other two.

All three writers are primarily from the Ashkenazy tradition, although all three also give fair treatment to Sephardic dishes and menus. If you are really interested in Sephardic menus primarily, Ms. Nathan spends much of her space on Sephardic menus.

If you are willing to take a recommendation from a goyem, I recommend Ms. Greene's book most highly, followed by Ms. Nathan's book for her many baking recipes; however, all three are quality books.

As an avid cookbook reader who tends to like reading cookbooks more than actually using them in my kitchen, I can already sense that my life has been subtly changed by this book (a gift from a friend). It's recipes are very simple, using pure & healthy ingredients -- and absolutely delicious. The food actually feels good to eat, and the writing is both sophisticated and accessible. In fact, I've used it every day since it found me! Too often these days, it seems chefs sacrifice something profound when updating traditional recipes and mixing flavors from different cultures. Not so with Phyllis Glazer. The recipes, and the cultures they come from, are really harmonious,a nd in some sense that seems to be what the cookbook is about -- a very grounded spiritual harmony that sees food as a central way of honoring our lives and our traditions. The information about the festivals is new to me, and though I'm not observant, and thought I would skip over much of it, the truth is that the information has really enriched my experience of cooking. The food has meaning. I've spoken with other friends who are more observant, and found that my newfound information has been new to them as well.
My favorite recipe so far has been the Moshe B'Teyvah -- the little marzipan Moses baby in a cradle made out of date w/ pistachios, which I thought I would practice before bringing to a seder. I didn't need to practice at all! They were so easy, and absolutely charming (delicious, too). I also made the champagne-melon-mint soup w/ feta (meant for Tu B'Av) that was ridiculously easy and mouthwatering.

Kudos to the Glazer sisters. They're welcome at my house any time!

Where did the tradition of eating Kreplach on the Purim originate? Why were pomegranates, of all fruit, adopted for the Shehecheyanu on the second day of Rosh Hashana? You'll find all of this information in this cookbook.

Some holiday foods, say the Glazers, have rabbinic sources. For other foods it is a question of putting your prayers where your mouth is, like the Rosh Hashana honey cake for a sweet year. Other foods have become part of the tradition by word association. Carrots, say the Glazers, are associated with Rosh Hashana because the Hebrew word "gezer" is reminiscent of "gzar din" - we should be judged for a good year.

These and many other bits of Jewish food lore make this cookbook not only a treasure of Jewish traditions and a collection of great recipes, but a truly great read. The recipes are conveniently organized in menus and the ingredients are highlighted in red print. Each dish is gender-coded "M" for meat, "D"and "P" in the menu.

Like the Jewish year, The Essential Book of Jewish Festival Cooking starts with Pesach. There is a treasure of 31 Pesach recipes in 40 pages.

The Glazers quote liberally from their mama's Ashkenazi kitchen, but Sephardic folk traditions are not neglected. Maimonides, we are told, suggesting sipping honey water as a 12th century Viagra. Find this tip in the Tu B'Av chapter, the holiday of love.

The foods of the holidays, say the Glazers, are closely entwined with the agricultural growth cycle in the Land of Israel. The fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices that abound in Israel at the time of year were integrated into the lore of the holiday. During the exile from Israel our food traditions continued to be linked to the land of Israel. This is a nice thesis, but I am not so sure about some of her examples.

This Jewish tradition foodbook/cookbook is a book that you'll use in the kitchen or you'll read curled up with on the couch and discover a thing or two about Jewish food traditions.

Organized by season and offering large dollops of tradition and history along with 200 international recipes for celebrating the Jewish calendar, this is an amazingly complete book.

The Glazer sisters introduce each festival with the history of the foods incorporated into the menu and their spiritual connections. The recipes, which follow, are each accompanied by notes on its roots, historical and familial - which foster a sense of connection and camaraderie as well as providing serving suggestions.

And the recipes! For Rosh Hashanah there's Cornish Hens Stuffed with Bulgur, Raisins and Caraway, Bulgarian Leek Patties, Quince in Spiced Muscat Wine. For Shavuot (Spring Harvest time) there's Pistachio-Coriander Cheese Balls, Classic Cheese Blintzes, Whole Wheatberry Tabbouleh with Biblical (clarified) Butter. And more, lots more.

Whether you're Jewish or not, this is a cookbook to enjoy for its rich heritage as well as its sumptuous, healthful recipes.

easy to read and follow. Great food and nice rating.

I have had this book for a number of years now and everyone who comes to my house asks about it. Finally, I decided to buy a bunch of them and hand them out as gifts.
I have tried many of the recipes - all work great. Even the African recipes - my Peace Corps friends said the food tasted just like it had in Africa. I have been all over Greece and I can attest for those recipes' authenticity. I made a French Tart - great. I make the Tira Misu recipe a lot. You won't be sorry. I have Alice Waters, Williams Sonoma, books on Greek, Portuguese, Italian, Cuban you name it - but this is the book I use the most.

I agree with Shawn, this is hands down my favorite cookbook. I spent my early childhood in Italy and fondly remember the the incredible meals I had there. This cookbook has really taken me back and given me new recipe ideas that I have gotten to share with my parents. Everyone I have cooked for using this book has been impressed and it is a joy to reference. I often take time to sit and thumb through this book to look at the wonderful pictures and get inspired.
Everything I have cooked out of this book, even recipes that I was initially unsure about, has turned out delicious. My boyfriend won my heart forever when he bought me this book.
Anne

This is a fantastic book. Everything from the 6 page listing of the key ingredients in a Mediterranean pantry, complete with color photos of the items, to the explanation of the different types of olive oil make this a very nice book. I like to know how a dish should look and this book delivers. There are color photos on every page.

Recipes are divided into regions, as noted in the previous review, and there are also special sections on such topics as antipasto, making pizza, making pasta, dressings and sauces, tapas and preparing olives. Recipes cover everything from soups, salads, breads, main dishes, and desserts.

I agree, it is a shame that Amazon doesn't do a "Look Inside" feature for this book. It is beautifully done. I expect to get a lot of use and enjoyment out of this book for years to come.

This is, by far, my favorite cookbook. The design and photos are so well done you can't help but to page through it time and time again, wanting to try every recipe in the book.

The recipes are broken up by country/region: Greece, Turkey, Italy, France, Spain, North Africa, and the Middle East. There are even a few recipes that are shared in each of these regions, and the differences between them are plain to see. Fortunately, this doesn't happen so much that you think you're being cheated out of variety. There are quite a few dishes for you to try.

It also has several other sections such as making your own pasta, dressings and sauces, etc, as well as little asides about many of the ingredients you will use. I can't stress enough how much I like this book. I only wish amazon would use the "look inside" feature so people could see exactly what I mean.

Great book that explore a lot Excel using all the examples on calculus in the electronics area.
A lot of examples let easier the electronic enginner live, using Excel in the best way for it.

Great examples of real applications. His method of transference is one of ease, if you pay attention! Before finishing it, I was using several tidbits that had been doging me at work...

My boss sent me home early on a Friday with the instructions to take the wife out to dinner on him! Is this book worth it? What do you think?

I recommend this book highly.

The Excel spreadsheet software includes many capabilities most people do not think about when they use Excel for general business purposes. In this useful book, the author presents 16 complete examples from day-to-day electronics. Those examples include a voltage-to-current converter, a mean-time-between-failures (MTBF) calculator, a resistor color-code decoder using voice input, a voltage-regulator circuit calculator, and others. Instead of simply presenting and describing the examples, the author steps readers through the creation of the needed spreadsheets, formulas, graphs, formats, and other portions of the project.

The examples are not static. In the MTBF example, you will have an opportunity to create "scenarios" that let you try combinations of variables to determine what happens under "what if" conditions. The book comes with a CD-ROM that contains all the examples as well as an eBook version of the book. As you learn by doing, you'll gain experience using Excel so you can better apply it to your own engineering problems.

(Disclosure: I write for several magazines owned by Reed Elsevier, the parent company of the Newnes series of books. I do not work with the book-publishing group, however.)

This is a book you keep around because you forget all the tricks you pick up. I have a copy of the book and have used it a few times. Very handy in those situations where you need to use excel because everyone else is - its good that its for electrical engineers. Its good that it has those things that no one will teach you how to use.

This is book provide practical examples which are useful and helpful to me in my analogue design work, e.g. the variation of anlaogue reference voltages. Besides, this book also covers some digital applications. The book is easy to read and the spreadsheets are available in the enclosed CD ROM and we can use it as a reference, this saves me much time to regenerate the spreadsheet.

This has to be my all time favorite cookbook. I have yet to make something from this book that wasn't easy and very tasty. It is organized and photographed beautifully and offers something for everyone.

I have many, many cookbooks, but none as comprehensive as this. Initially I borrowed this book from a friend and after using it, I bought it that evening. This book has everything from when to use certain spices to how long to cook different types of meats by weight and method. What a find.

I have had this book for three years and have given it as gift to two of my grown children. I am ordering it for my 24 year old son this Christmas. The recipes are elegant and delicious, yet not intimidating. I have many cookbooks, but this is one of my top five favorites. I especially like the captions of "low fat", "low cholesterol", "quick", etc. I highly recommend this book.

I,ve found lots of really great and tasty receipes. They are beautifully illustrated and all clearly described !

This is an excellent cookbook for people who have graduated from Betty Crocker (or think she's too bland) but are not yet ready for Julia Child. I've made many of the recipes in this book and they have all been good to excellent (I haven't scratched out one yet!).

"Feastivals Cooks at Home" is packed with great recipes offered with a simple directness that is a real blessing for those of us who are technically challenged in the kitchen. The book offers an admirable range of formal and informal (try the orange chicken wings!), complicated and simple. And every dish that I've tried has turned out great. Good design, and very good writing make this cookbook a "must have" for any kitchen.

LOVE Chef June Jacobs' new cookbook! The recipes are delicious, the Teachers' Tips are invaluable, and the Wine Tips are exactly what I have wished for. The book is a compact 7 x 9 inches, spiral-bound, perfect for propping up on the kitchen counter while in use, and perfect for wrapping and mailing. The range of recipes in 192 pages is outstanding, everything you could possibly want to prepare--appetizers, soups, main dishes, desserts (GLORIOUS desserts), THE WORKS. And this book has CHARM. One of its most delightful features is the anecdotal material that Chef June shares about family and friends who inspired these recipes. This is a cookbook you can curl up with OUTSIDE the kitchen and read for FUN. I felt as if I were meeting the best of Charles Dickens' characters in this wonderful cookbook. In sum, the recipes are to SWOON over, Chef June's enthusiasm for the art of cooking and for these great recipes is contagious, I am thoroughly enjoying trying these recipes and sharing them with my friends and family. And I know you will, too!

I am really loving Feastivals Cooks at Home! The instructions are so clear that I am having great success with every recipe I try.

The food is delicious, as well. You should really get this book!

If you could have only one cookbook, this would be an exceptional choice for beginning cooks. Feastivals Cooks At Home is filled with over 120 superbly written recipes that are easy to follow. The author includes variations of many recipes which encourages your own creativity. There are simple preparation ideas and each recipe denotes whether you may make it ahead and what kitchen tools are required. You also get to know the author with some anecdotes about her friendships and the origin of recipes.

It's a "Keeper" and you should just leave it in your kitchen so you won't have to go to and from the book shelf. The "Teachers Tips are amazing! It's like she is in the kitchen with you and can read your mind. Try the Mussel Soup aith Aioli and Saffron. Wonderful!

This is a delightful and fun book. It is much more than a "cookbook". You can have your spirituality enhanced while making a great tasting meal. I love that the recipes have variations and options listed, so if I don't have the exact ingredients the book will give me some substitutes. I can vouch for the vegetarian recipes in the book. The recipes have notes listed under the title of the recipe which range from quick tips, to origins of the recipe or ingerdients, to nutritional information. Ther are menu listings to combine recipes. There are many tips on cooking, making the most of your time in the kitchen and preparation tips. I was going to list my favorites - but there are so many that I enjoy. Spicy Red and Black Bean Tortilla Pie, Steamed Kale with Spicy Peanut Sauce, Anasazi Beans, Pasta with Fresh Tomato, Basil and Leeks. The index is great and makes it easy to find recipes for example to use the rest of the tomatoes I had left from the pasta dish. The spirituality joy of this book comes in the sidebars by every recipe. As you wait for something to cook you can contemplate the mysteries and joys of life. This is a book to feed your heart, body and soul.

This is my favorite vegetarian cookbook. Most all the dishes are extremely simple (which aides digestion) and vegetarian or vegan. Also all the ingredients are at most any grocery store. You need not hunt down some bizarre mushroom in the middle of China Town or order some herb online! Also the spiritual sayings in the book are just heart-warming. These are quick dishes to make that make you proud to be a vegetarian or vegan. THE best!

With this book, my and my family's nutritional woes vanished. This book gave us, the relatively normal vegetarian family of four, the ability to eat wonderfully delicious and totally nutritious meals that we could actually prepare!

I definately reccomend this book for anyone who wants to try to live in a healthier way without comprimising taste and without a large portfolio of cooking experience.

Thanks Jeff!!

You'll like this refreshing, peaceful approach to recipes and cooking. Comments prefacing many of the recipes make you feel Jeff is speaking directly to you as he shares some of his expertise. There are many useful hints (the way to properly wash greens or skin garlic, etc.) Simple broiled fish couldn't be easier; Frittata,made with mostly egg whites is one of our favorites when we get home from church on Sunday morning, and last minute guests can easily be accommodated.---A Smoothie is great for a quick, satisfying low calorie breakfast ---the Stir-Fry and Peanut Sauce recipes allow flexibility in ingredients--a feature I really appreciate because I don't always have the exact items on hand.----Jeff introduces many new and interesting foods in a non-threatening way for those unfamiliar with them---it is obvious the Author really cares HOW food nourishes the body,even as George's inspirational and insightful prose provides Food for the Soul. You will find much depth to this cookbook. Give it a try.

"Feed Your Soul" began when Ellen Rolfes asked if I'd help create a cookbook based on "Teaching Your Heart to Dance" by George Fowler. A former Catholic priest and Trappist Monk, he had been writing about spirituality and teaching meditation since marrying a nun and reluctantly leaving organized religion some 20 years earlier.

As soon as his work arrived on my desk, George's writings began working their way into my heart. I felt more gratitude and respect--both for myself and my sustenance. He asked what I could do to be authentic and true to myself, to release self-doubt and self-rejection, and suggested I "... rejoice in the experience of the Presence always... as much when bagging groceries... as when seated alone in deep contemplation..."

I was enjoying the challenges of a new career as a food stylist after ten years working in a demanding restaurant environment. But I had begun to resent helping with meal prep at home - which had become increasingly complicated as my dietary needs leaned further and further from the vegetarian fare my wife and I shared earlier in our marriage. I was also learning to cope with several debilitating food allergies, so dining out was not that simple.

George's enthusiasm was contagious. As he and Ellen encouraged me to give voice to my food 'philosophy', the book's focus sharpened. My understanding of the interaction of food, body and mind inspired a series of affirmations presented at the beginning of each section; basic nutrition and culinary information would be the focus of each chapter's introduction.

With demand still strong for vegetarian books, ours would feature meatless ideas, but I also wanted to reach a wider audience and encourage readers to support producers of high quality, humanely produced animal foods. About 80% of the recipes are meatless, with some offering alternatives for going either way. I regret that I had not yet been introduced to the nourishing qualities of lamb; no such recipes were included.

Years of teaching cooking classes helped me create time-saving ideas -- including prep tips and "quick variations" based on high-quality convenience foods - and many recipes illustrate the efficient use of intentional leftovers. Some of my favorites serve as simple guidelines for speedy improvisation.

Though the cookbook industry was still in the midst of the low fat craze, we resisted the urge to provide nutritional analyses, instead encouraging readers to develop an intuitive approach to preparing meals and snacks, using moderate amounts of oil, butter, nuts and seeds. Many of the recipes offer non-dairy, wheat-free and eggless alternatives; for those sensitive to sugar, the desserts are not overly sweet. While such diverse goals resulted in some fairly conceptual formulas (chocolate cake with no dairy or eggs!) many readers have expressed gratitude for alternatives they hadn't found elsewhere. Some recipes feature the best of the unusual, nutrient-dense foods available at health food stores, such as sea vegetables, cultured soy products, and ancient grains like quinoa and teff; others include my favorite edible wild plants, such as mulberries and lambsquarters.

George's wisdom provided the spiritual 'glue' for the book. Presented as a series of short reflections at the center of each two-page spread, they've prompted many readers to comment that they enjoy reading the book in bed at night. His words help reawaken our awareness of the Divine presence within, often combining practical encouragement with homespun metaphor:

"Learning to love yourself is not some grand gesture you must learn. It is a small act of kindness or compassion in this moment - now again in this one - and then yet again in the next. A crippled old cow makes it out of the blizzard and into the barn with one laborious step after another. And, especially if the storm has been fierce, what a gentle and grateful creature she will be when she arrives inside!"

Ahead of his time in disdaining ironic and cynical humor, George urged readers to persist in their efforts to rest in their own Being:

" If the word 'meditation' sounds too woo-woo or esoteric to you, let us put it another way. Give yourself time every day to recognize and consider your innermost desires and potential and then to watch as you see this clarified vision of yourself begin to manifest in your life. There! You are a meditator!"

George Fowler died in January after a long bout with cancer. His wife Lori relates that he wants us not to mourn his physical absence, but to celebrate his presence in spiritual vibration which is only love and peace now. From cyberspace, I thank you, George. Thanks for believing in me, and for telling it like it is. Know that your words and thoughts will continue to reach those who need them for a long, long time -- bringing peace, joy and authenticity where it is desperately needed.
-JL

I am a mum from the Uk. My 17 yr old son has a diagnosis of ADHD and Asperger's syndrome. without Dr Feingold's diet my son would not have a life. He is not a straight A student, though being very intelligent. This diet helps al kids with challenging behaviours, some become straight A students and others get their lives back - either way this diet is incredible. My son would obviously prefer a meal out sometimes to his gluten free, dairy free, salicylate free diet but he knows that his behaviour will change and therefore all the things he does in life will also be affected. I really truly do not know what I would do without Dr Feingold. In the UK, his diet is not popular, it is not recommended by the experts, so parents know very little about it. If only one parent in the UK read this article and tried it, it is well worth writing it. UK mum

In the late '70s, an earlier version of this book changed my two-year old daughters life forever. I believe that then the title phrase was "hypoactive" instead of "hyperactive". I had an adorable, sweet, little girl that would suddenly go into uncontrollable rages. A neighbor happened to be watching the Phil Donahue show and told me about the cookbook that was discussed on the show that day. I bought it on Tuesday and by Saturday I had a new child. I explained to her that certain things were poison to her and that sugar would make her have what we called a "sugar fit". She, at age 2 1/2, became a helper in the process and would refuse any candy, etc. that was offered to her. She's now age 30, and still is careful about intake, staying aware of how foods affect her. She has never, ever had another "sugar fit". I'm looking for the book again for my son's little boy - age 2 1/2 - who has the same symptoms.

My son was diagnosed last year through his elementary school with ADHD and they pushed medication however I was not about to go that route until I had dissolved every other possible alternative. I purchased the Feingold Diet cookbook and surprisingly the recipies are delicious! I was skeptical at first because my son is 6 years old and I was afraid he would put up an argument to eat these foods but to my surprise we all have liked the recipes we have tried. We have only been on the diet for about 4 weeks in which we have seen some changes in behavior (I think the first couple weeks he was rebelling about having to be on a "special diet" plus when he visits his dad everyother weekend, he has gotten food not approved on the diet which sets us back a couple days). Also to our surprise, my husband has experienced positive changes in his energy level and overall general health. You are what you eat!

I have followed this cookbooks recommendations since 1983. My son is ADHD and my husband always said if you can't read it don't eat it. It definitely made a differnce in my sons actions and he is now graduating from college and we all still eat much healthier than we would have. The recipes in this cookbook are delicious and I would like to give atleast two of these for Christmas presents and I need one l for myself since whoever borrowed it never returned it to me. They must of liked it too.

For parents of children who have been labled ODD, ADHD and other hyperactive and behaivor disorders, this book could change your lives. Dr. Fiendgold has come under critism for his ideas concerning the effect of cemicals in food and their effect on an individuals' nervious systems. When I decided to try Dr. Fiengold's diet I was desperite to help my ODD son and wanted to help him without putting him on drugs. Our whole family tried the diet for six weeks and the results were amazing! Our son is now 20 and a straight A student at the Univerisity of Wisconsin on a music scholarship! He still has to follow Dr. Feingold's guidelines for his diet, but he is a very delightful and productive young man today and has never been on drugs to control his behavior! Thank you DR. Fiengold! We love you!

This book needs to be reprinted!

My wife and I went on our honeymoon to Bali. We ate at the Ritz-Carlton, which sucked, and the Inter-Continental which was excellent, AND the local warungs. We enjoyed the warungs the most. But this book still helps give an understanding of Balinese cooking. Beautiful pictures show how elegant this simple cooking can be!!! Highly recommended. I've cooked a few of the recepies, wonderful! Come on over for dinner!!

During my visit to Bali and my stay at the Ritz Carlton, I was one of the few people who enjoyed a special Balinese meal prepared at my table by the Executive Chef Mr. von Holzen. I had the opportunity to read both his books and found them easy to follow and the finished product as depicted by the numerous pictures do not come close to the real beauty and appetizing dishes that Mr. von Holzen produces in real life. I highly recommend these books for any gourmet or someone who is interested in the Polinesian cuisine. Dr. Steve C. Kemiji

I'm afraid Dnet from Australia has fallen prey to the kind of PC liberal attitude that is every bit as ignorant as any conservative bias. My husband and I recently had the pleasure of taking a cooking class with Heinz, and I'm happy to report he is devoted to sharing the real cusine of Bali with the world. Heinz is married to a woman from Bali, and together they run perhaps the only restaurant on the island devoted purely to the cuisine of that country. At the restaurant, he clearly respects and adores his staff and they him. Dnet might not be aware the the majority of warangs on the island serve mainly Indonesian food with a just a few dishes from Bali. Heinz also has built up a network of sustainable farmers along with independent fishermen and shopkeepers to supply his restaurant. We were struck by by his compassion and understanding of the economic situation facing his fellow islanders, and his efforts to train a new generation of Balinese chefs who might proudly show the world their fine cuisine. In addition, Heinz is devoted to the conservation of the endangered sea turtles of Bali, and has used much of his money toward those efforts. Honestly, I wish people would try to learn a little more about an author before making smug snap judgements about him. Plus, the cookbook is pretty darn great.

Swiss-born chef Heinz Von Holzen has his finger in every cooking pot in Bali as the proprietor of two restaurants and operator of a cooking school (visitors can take an intensive half-day course which includes a provision-buying expedition to local fish and produce markets). Most warungs, restaurants, and hotels on Bali serve classic Indonesian fare: Von Holzen's Bumbu Bali and Kecak restaurants on Nusa Dua peninsula are the only establishments on the island devoted solely to authentic native cooking. A paean to Balinese culinary arts and culture, The Food of Bali reveals and shares the secrets of the Balinese kitchen for the very first time.
An outspoken champion of "Bali's real cuisine," Von Holzen designed this book for the cook who wants to learn about the social and historical context in which Balinese food is created and enjoyed. An extensive introduction explains how climate, geography, and centuries of outside influences (Chinese, Indian, Muslim, Portuguese, Spanish, English, and Dutch traders and invaders) have affected the evolution of this extraordinary diet. He gives would-be chefs much more than the breezy cookbook they bargained for: the first two-thirds of the book offers an intimate tour of Balinese life, household cooking practices, the cult of rice, and the local spice markets and stalls. We come to appreciate the tripartite role of food as sustenance, sacrificial temple offering to appease the gods, and essential ritual component of Bali-Hindu religious ceremonies. As with everything else on Bali, food is inextricably intertwined with faith-it may support mundane human life, but its essence also nourishes the revered,visiting ancestral deities during sacred rites and celebrations.
Divided into three parts, the "Food in Bali" division transports us to an island marked by natural abundance--graced with fertile rice fields, coconut plantations, tropical fruit trees, coffee bushes, flowers, edible wild greens, and fresh fish. Rice, always a subject of great passion, is the staple food of Bali: it thrives in the garden of the gods as the gift of Dewi Sri, the most widely worshipped and beloved deity on the island. The growth, preparation and consumption of food in Bali gives rise to lovingly crafted networks of shrines and a lifestyle of thankful daily offerings to the life-giving rice goddess: every face in Bali lights up with joy at the mention of her name. Von Holzen includes all aspects and rhythms of rice cultivation, from the new high-yield strains to the village "subak" cooperative which regulates rice production and apportions irrigation water for each community.
The second section, "Cooking in Bali," steps through the doorway of the family kitchen to familiarize us with Balinese eating customs and basic cooking equipment and utensils (a wood-fired stove, a blackened clay pot to steam rice and leaf-wrapped foods, and a second gas stove to boil water and fry). Like pirates prying open a buried treasure chest, we explore the contents of the fabled Balinese cupboard: Von Holzen rummages through wooden compartments holding a tantalizing array of unusual local spices, herbs, and seasonings (cloves, palm sugar, dried shrimp paste, chilies, candle nuts, and cinnamon bark). Tourists rarely get to glimpse Balinese life within the high walls of the family compound: here, we have eye-opening photos of villagers hand-making large ceremonial quantities of rice and meat-filled banana leaf offerings and rows of delectable chicken satés. The Food of Bali even penetrates a sacred innermost pavilion to capture white-robed priests enjoying a gorgeous, decorative feast within temple festival grounds.
The final segment, "The Recipes," enables you to recreate "the enchantment of Bali in your own kitchen at home" with Von Holzen's collection of easy-to-follow recipes. The beauty of Bali is reflected in the artistically prepared dishes shown in brilliantly photographed, full-page illustrations bursting with flavor. (These colorful gastronomical displays could incite an excitable reader to jump the first plane back to Jimbaran Bay to gorge on these favorite specialties firsthand!) Traditional Balinese chefs like to use a variety of flavors, textures, spices, and foodstuffs invariably supported by a secure round mound of local "nasi putih," (steamed white rice). We master the popular red, white, black, and yellow rice standbys: coconut rice, nasi goreng, and conical nasi kuning (yellow rice embellished with coconut milk, turmeric, butter, and chicken stock). Exotic tastes and new aromas attack your senses on every page as the authors cover the intricate preparation of the Balinese "base"-the sauces, condiments, and marinades that form the cornerstone of Balinese food presentation. Unfurl a banana leaf plate and fire up your coconut husk grill for a minced seafood "saté lilit" on lemon grass spears garnished with white frangipani blossoms! Recommended for travel and cooking aficionados alike, The Food of Bali celebrates Bali's "tropical bounty set in the shadow of the volcanoes"; it will tickle your taste buds and get your culinary juices flowing. Use its appendix of mail order suppliers to arm yourself with those hard to find ingredients and embark on a private, at-home Balinese eating escapade!

My husband and I recently used our time share in Nusa Dua, Bali. It was a delightful experience, and this book is a wonderful souvenir of our stay on the island. The seafood at Jimbaron Bay was mouthwatering, and I can hardly wait to recreate some of the recipes in this book. It is unusual to find a book that combines the culture, beauty of the island, and food preparation as well as this does. It is a great buy!

This is an excellent cookbook for Burmese food. It not only contains numerous authentic recipes but it also has explanations on Burmese history, traditions, cooking methods, and Burmese ingredients. Recipes are easy to follow and illustrated with colorful pictures. I am from Burma (now living in US) and found the dishes in the book to be a genuine Burmese food. Recipes are not westernize like in many other Asian cook books. If you are a Burmese in overseas or a fan of exotic food, this is definitely a must have book.

This is a cookbook I probably wouldn't have bought it I had been able to flip through its pages before hand. I always avoid cookbooks with color pictures of all the food since color photos seem to always mean they are trying to distract you from other problems. Since Amazon gave me a great discount on it with another book I was considering getting, I went for it. In the end, I'm not dissappointed.

The first 36 pages are info about Burma, and I must admit the color photographs are all excellent. The recipes call for a lot of ingredients that are hard to come by in the small town where I live (small enough that butter is sometimes hard to come by), but they also look great. They are layed out well, and are easy to read. Some ingrediants have alternatives, but not nearly enough to make this usable by people who don't live in metropolitan area with specialty stores.

I am Burmese and I bought this book so I could cook the food of my country. Everything is very authentic and reminds me of home!

Burmese cookbooks are hard to come buy: there are relatively few in print, and this joins only a handful of competitors to bring the food of Burma to the modern kitchen. Fine color photos of completed dishes supplement dishes which do require access to an Oriental market, but which are surprisingly easy to produce. Fans of spicy Asian dishes will welcome this Burmese presentation.

This is an excellent cookbook for Burmese food. It not only contains numerous authentic recipes but it also has explanations on Burmese history, traditions, cooking methods, and Burmese ingredients. Recipes are easy to follow and illustrated with colorful pictures. I am from Burma (now living in US) and found the cuisines in the book to be a genuine Burmese food. Recipes are not westernize like in many other Asian cook books. If you are a Burmese in overseas or a fan of exotic food, this is definitely a must have book

I was really impressed with this cookbook because it is so much more than a cookbook. It has history, culture, food background, and much, much more. In face, it is only part cookbook. I have been fascinated with all that I learned about Santa Fe. I originally bought the book because of a research paper I was doing on Santa Fe, but then I fell in love with the book itself.

There are really some colorful pictures of the foods as well as the city itself.

As far as the recipes, they are easy to follow. It would be easy to cook with these recipes.

Having read and tried recipes from several NM/Santa Fe cookbooks, I feel this one is the one to get. This is the authentic stuff. Although a Californian, I'm a NM visitor and southwest food enthusiast. I grow chiles, mail order what I can't grow properly, make my own tortillas, take this stuff seriously.

The recipes for Carne Adovada, Green Chile Stew,Chicken Enchilada filling, Piquin Chile Salsa are totally great and, if you have the ingredients, very simple. The Carne Adovada recipe, while non-traditional, is off the dial. If you've visited Santa Fe and want to re-live the essence of this earthy, elemental cuisine, get this book.

Directions are simple and direct, pictures are beautiful, local ingredients info and historical background is great. First rate.

Food in Santa Fe is a major part of the style and ambiance of the city. New Mexican regional products, especially chilis and corn, and southwestern cooking styles, everything from barbeque to Tex-Mex to authentic regional Mexican and Indian cooking, are strong influences. But Santa Fe has everything from tiny cantinas with home style New Mexican cooking to 5 star restaurants where New Mexico is an influence, but suave professionalism, integration of tastes, and high presentation is the norm.

The Food of Santa Fe takes you there, telling you about the food, the style, and the best restaurants. We've been to Santa Fe many times and reading the book is like taking a brief (and teasing) visit. I have to head for the kitchen and check out the chili supply. It's also a good way to prepare for a trip -- briefing you on what to expect, what to look for, and where to find the very best examples.

There are many Santa Fe cookbooks -- those from Mark Miller and the Coyote Cafe being the best known -- but this is perhaps a better overview, and a very pretty book to read.

We expect to buy copies for our Santa Fe loving friends as Christmas gifts.

Man! This is a GOOD cookbook. I have many many good cookbooks and this one is just to die for. The recipes are gorgeous to look at and even better to eat. One word of caution, if you are not an experienced home chef and a fairly adventerous eater, tread cautiously. These are restaurant-level creative funky recipes with lots of unusual ingredients. If this is just your speed (as it is mine) then go for it!

Dave and Nancy are gods in the hot and spicy food business. As usual you can expect concise information along with mouth-watering recipes. As host of the television series "The Sonoran Grill" and author of 4 cookbooks, I know good food writing when I see it and this is as good as southwest cooking gets. Just click on "All Books" by either Dave or Nancy and you'll see why they are so qualified to write this important cookbook and why I must add a copy of it to my collection