Shrimp Books

I just cooked a new recipe from this book and, as usual, It tasted wonderful. I decided that It was time to write a review about this book and for my SURPRISE I got the information that this book is out of print. This is one of the most well written book that I have about thai food (and I have more than 40 thai cookbooks). If you read (or cook from) this book or "It Rains fishes" (the other out of print book from the same author) you will just ask loud: "PLEASE, PRINT THIS BOOK AGAIN".

I'm not going to buy ANY Thai cookbooks by other authors until her books come back into print. There is no point in assessing Thai cookbooks if this book and It Rains Fishes are not included in the mix. I can't encourage anyone to pay nearly a hundred dollars each for second hand copies. And who ever heard of cooking from a Palm Pilot ebook? I really mind that old fashioned cooks who as recently as less than five years ago were recognized authorities are now fallen by the wayside because they are not on Food Network. If not for Sara's Secrets, one wouldn't see masters like Jacques Pepin and Madhur Jaffrey outside of PBS reruns. That means our food intellect is shaped by name brands instead of quality earning a brand.

The secondhand prices are outrageous. Since Thai cuisine is now more popular than ever, there are more interested readers who would love to have authentic instruction.

p.s. I contacted the author through her website and received the advisement that there are NO plans to reprint her titles. That's strange that an authentic Thai with superior knowledge is out of print when so many new books are out from fans of Thai cuisine who don't have a comparable foundation in the food culture that they are writing about.

Her books are kind of fantastic. I prefer this book to It Rains Fishes and hope to try the pan seared scallops recipe soon.

Right off, I bought Golden Boy fish sauce from the local Chinese supermarket based on her recommendation and found that is wonderful; no more Thai Kitchen for me.

I am also going to look for her recommended brands for other condiments.

Much of the information in her books are available on her website so see for yourself why she is good.

At last, a book that truly offers extraordinary recipes combined with someone who can really write very well. I spent over a year in the Kingdom of Thailand and have rarely been able to find any culinary author that could actually bring me back to the sights, sounds and overall sensory assault Thailand delivers on a daily basis. As a working chef myself, I can truly tell you this is one of the finest books you will find on Thailand, no other author goes into the detail of ingredients, cooking processes and traditions that make this cuisine so exquisite. I especially enjoyed the essays on how the staple ingredients are made, fish sauce, oyster sauce, dried fish and seafood, etc.. Can't go wrong here, I'm afraid Im sounding a bit biased, but this book does reign as king among my shelf of Thai cookbooks, looking forward to many more by this author

I bought this book based on the reviews here and really have to thank the reviewers who gave 5 stars for this book. I am a native Thai and I have to say that Kasma's recipes really give you authentic Thai food. I have tried at least 10 recipes from her book and have enjoyed my home-made cooking with no MSG (that I would mostly get at restaurants). What I like best about her book is the ingredients and tips section where she describes properties of Thai spices and Thai ways of cooking such as steaming, 'yam' salad making, etc.. Reading through her recipes is quite enjoyable since she usually gives a bit of history about the food along the way. The trick to get delicious dishes is to make sure you can acquire all ingredients you need (some are hard to find, but she has a web site that directs you to some online Thai groceries if you can't find the spices from your local stores).

Unexpectedly picked up this book at a half price store. Did not even realize it was by the author of 'It Rains Fishes', which has been sitting on my wish list for some time.

Full of extensive and practical information re: ingredients and cooking techniques. This I found quite interesting and useful despite not being new to either Asian cooking or ingredients. Also gives sources for ordering things like Kaffir lime trees which I had not been able to find by searching the internet or asking around several Asian supermarkets in Houston.

The anecdotes and descriptions accompanying the recipies betray Ms Loha-Unchit's enthusiasm for and utter joy in food. I cooked 3 recipies out of this book last weekend and found them easy and straightforward in execution as well as restaurant quality taste-wise. surprisingly simple! Highly recommended.

As breeder for other marines species I've to say this book is an absolute must. The author answer many questions for those maintaining happy (=reproducing) shrimps. Its really practical, giving straight answers. Thanks April for this excellent and fun job.

This is a great introduction to raising peppermint shrimp and aquaculture in general. The book is written in a light hearted and enjoyable way. It doesn't take itself, the topic or the reader too seriously.

This is the kind of book that beginning/armature aqua-culturists need. More over, we need a series of books written from this paradigm, the point of view and method of presentation, that can take us to the point of raising and trading fish and inverts with each other instead of having to purchase them.

If you have any interest in getting your shrimp to reproduce, this is the book to get you stared. I have been 'fragging' zooanthids and some ricordia coral, but this is a challenge that far exceeds my current activities. I will be giving this a go in the near future and I look forward to the challenge.

A great book! The book has been written in such a fun manner that it would have been great to read even if I wasn't thinking of raising my own peppermints!

It is also full of useful information, more aquarist books should be written like this! :)

I found this book to be easy to read, helpful, and practical regarding many specific details about peppermint shrimp, and especially how to raise the larval young.

Well and thoroughly written with an excellent, humorous style. Ms. Kirkendoll provides detailed well researched steps to selecting, breeding and rearing peppermint shrimp, as well as other varieties of cleaner shrimp. Ms.Kirkendoll obviously has a tremendous amount of personal experience, and selflessly reveals details and secrets of breeding, with plenty of DIY ideas. More books like this are needed in the trade.

Another fabulous cookbook by my favorite southern cooking author. I've already tried a recipe and it was a huge hit with my family. PS -- They don't particulary like grits.

This is a terrific guide to real southern good food, centering around grits and, of course, shrimp. The truth is that grits are very closely related to polenta, and they can be great. This book is a terrific guide to good grits & good shrimp as they are eaten in the South. I am a California inhabitent myself, but this food is good. The receipes also are not too complicated and good for family or guests.

I had checked this book out sooo many times from our Public Library I was finally compelled to get online and find a copy for keeps!!! I absolutely love this book... I guess you can tell I love Shrimp and Grits too!
This book is a jewel from cover to cover. There's some history that was great to learn but the recipes are awesome. If you're like me, this is one for your culinary library. Read, Eat, and Enjoy!

You don't have to be from the South to LOVE Nathalie Dupree's Shrimp and Grits.
And who would have thought that an entire cook book on these lowly, but Heavenly ingredients could be so varied, so intriguing and so straight forward.
Every kitchen should have this cook book on the shelf.
Tomie dePaola (from New Hampshire)

There seem to be three basic reactions to grits; in the Southern U.S. it's "Yum, grits!" In the rest of the U.S., "Yuk, grits!" From outside the U.S. ask, "What the heck are grits?"

As a Yankee, I had to read up to learn that grits are white corn kernels with the hull and germ removed by treatment with lye, cooked into a thick porridge. Polenta is similar and may be substituted, but you'll lose the characteristic hominy flavor.

Grits date to the earliest days. In 1607, settlers at Jamestown were met by the local Indians with a slumgullion of boiled ground white corn that they called "rockahomine." The first English appearance of the word (always in the plural) appeared in 1725 according to the OED: "The bigger kind of Oat-Meal, which is call'd Greets, or Corn Oat-Meal."

Dupree has done a brilliant job of celebrating and describing one of the best variations of grits which evolved in South Carolina's Low Country - the coastal strip around Charleston. Shrimp abounded in the region's coastal waters and enhanced the nutritious but bland grits. Shrimp and grits became wakeup grub, or "breakfast shrimp."

Dupree's history of the dish, and her recipes are excellent, the photographs and printing are clear, and the binding is excellent. A perfect introduction to grits and shrimp, and if you want to skip the grits, the book has great value for shrimp lovers.

I've included a recipe for shrimp and grits by my friend Robin Garr, the editor of the Wine Lovers Page and author of The 30 Second Wine Advisor: Learn about wine in 30-second tastes -- quick, easy & fun. The dish has migrated to Louisville Kentucky, 700 miles from the nearest salt water, where a number of restaurants offer excellent variations. Robin's recipe matches the best recipes that Dupree has to offer.

Robert C. Ross 2008

Chef Dirt puts out a book that is a must for all sea food lovers. We have had most of the recipies in the book and can't wait for the next one. There is no sea food like what is found on the Outer Banks and Jerry does it the best.

I found this book while vacationing on Outer Banks this summer. Tried most of them and loved them all. Great crab cakes, crab dip and tuna recipes.

While vacationing in Kitty Hawk, NC this past Octobrt,we met Jerry (Chef Dirt) and he introduced us to his Outer Banks Cookbook. receipes are easy to follow, fun to make and great tasting. Our favorite dish is Chef Dirt's crab dip - a little spread on an english muffin and broiled til golden brown turned out to be a great appettizer.

Many people argue the flies look "too good" in this book to be real. But I have to say if you want a book that not only gives _the_ most complete history of the flies within, but a book that gives a _clear_ picture of what the fly should look like, then look no further. I had the opportunity to meet with author/illustrator Chris Mann in Cheltenham, England March 2002. I sat with him as he illustrated a fly for one of his upcoming books. The flies are illustrated with every detail involved and constructed on screen as you would tie them: every hair, every thread wrap, every fiber, every shadow and every hue is represented just as Chris sees the fly in his studio. And, I have to say the flies he received are just as perfect as his drawings, no kidding. So, if you start with perfect flies, you get perfect drawings. To top it off, an evening's dinner with Chris reveals that he clearly has more historical fly fishing and fly tying knowledge in his head than he could ever write; what you get in the book is just the tip of the iceberg. The book's four-color printing and richness in history and fishing style recommendations make this an invaluable source for the global salmon and steelhead angler. I certainly look forward to his future three books in this four book series.

This book gives us the complete, world-wide and historical shrimp and spey patterns and a lot of information about the origin of the patterns. It provides us with hundreds of useful patterns that can be used not only in the U.K. and Ireland but will seduce salmon and steelhead on many rivers elsewhere. One small remark would be that the computer drawn flies look a bit to correct and are hopefully not the standard in the average fly - box.

Many people argue the flies look "too good" in this book to be real. But I have to say if you want a book that not only gives _the_ most complete history of the flies within, but a book that gives a _clear_ picture of what the fly should look like, then look no further. I had the opportunity to meet with author/illustrator Chris Mann in Cheltenham, England March 2002. I sat with him as he illustrated a fly for one of his upcoming books. The flies are illustrated with every detail involved and constructed on screen as you would tie them: every hair, every thread wrap, every fiber, every shadow and every hue is represented just as Chris sees the fly in his studio. And, I have to say the flies he received are just as perfect as his drawings, no kidding. So, if you start with perfect flies, you get perfect drawings. To top it off, an evening's dinner with Chris reveals that he clearly has more historical fly fishing and fly tying knowledge in his head than he could ever write; what you get in the book is just the tip of the iceberg. The book's four-color printing and richness in history and fishing style recommendations make this an invaluable source for the global salmon and steelhead angler. I certainly look forward to his future three books in this four book series.

Who Ordered the Jumbo Shrimp? is a hilarious book. When I first opened it, it didn't look to funny. But as i got into it, I began laughing out loud at the ones like, "Poor Little Rich Girl," where the rich girl "hasn't had decent caviar in two days, please help. $50, $100, $200 donations. VISA and EMAX excepted." All in all, this a great book to read if you want some good laughs, and if you are looking for a book to stick your nose in. (I gaurantee that once you start, you won't put it down untill you have read the back cover)

Jon Agee's Who Ordered The Jumbo Shrimp? And Other Oxymorons is a delightfully humorous book that brings classic contradictory phrases like "freezer burn", "concrete jungle," "inherited debt" and more to life with the simple, stylistic black-and white cartoons of the wryly talented Jon Agee. A laugh-out-loud funny selection of visual and verbal gags and an ideal giftbook for anyone who enjoys a quick read and a good chuckle.

Oxymorons are, of course, words or phrases that are inherently contradictory: "jumbo shrimp", for example. Jon Agee has taken everyday phrases that so easily fall from all our lips and made us realize how delightfully ridiculous they really are. A scorched and burned man stands at his refrigerator while fire shoots from the top compartment. Why, it's FREEZER BURN, of course!! How about a group of drivers pulling their racecars?? Yup, you got it: that's DRAG RACE for you.

Mr. Agee is perhaps better known for his children's books, "Dmitri the Astronaut" and "If Snow Comes", but he's also a master of wordplay, with three other books of palindromes (words or phrases that are spelled the same way forward as backwards) and a book of anagrams (words that can be spelled with the same letters: "Elvis Lives"). These books of oddities of English would be as at home in a classroom as on the living room shelf. Indeed, as a teacher, I often pull one or two of his works into class to get the creative juices flowing with my students as they try to compose their own anagrams, palindromes and oxymorons.

While the book is by no means complete--there are hundreds of oxymorons--it is one of the few published books of contradictory phrases and certainly the only one I know that is illustrated! While I would have liked to see some of the more "controversial" ones (you know, the one's that might--GASP!!-- offend someone, like "military intelligence", "friendly fire" or "athletic scholarship"), the book is definitely recommended to add to your collection, whether you're a wordsmith or not.

This book touches your heart, and lifts your spirits....it talks about life,love,loss, and rising from the ashes. This new author is definitely here to stay....can't wait to see what comes next!!!!

THIS BOOK IS BY FAR THE MOST INSPIRATIONAL BOOK EVER. I LIVED IN CHARLESTON, SC FOR MOST OF MY LIFE, AND IT TOUCHED ON A LOT OF MEMORIES FOR ME. SHE DID A GREAT JOB, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HER NEXT BOOK

Jack Leigh has another winner in this collection of nautical photos. Makes me want to run out & catch the next sloop to anywhere..

A photograph is much more than just a piece of paper, especially if Jack Leigh's touch is on it. Then it becomes art - - photographic genius. As he captures the shrimping industry near his coastal home, his perspective is awe inspiring. Leigh manages to portray the mystery and beauty of the sea, while at the same time capturing the humanity and realism of the arduous life of the shrimpers. After setting the story with his introduction, Leigh keeps the written commentary brief; allowing the reader to be enfolded into the story told in the pictures. Though only still frames, each photo has a fluidity as if in motion: the sea's waves, the reflections of a boat, the flight of the gulls. The textures and shadows provide a clarity which might be lacking, had Leigh chosen a format other than black and white photography. By the end of the book, one knows that not only is this story over; but an entire Southern family heritage is also passing away.

This is a valuable reference for anyone who lived and eats from the Pacific North West Marine environment. The descriptions are consise and well written. The colour plates are clear and make identification fairly easy.
It is well organized and will probably be on my Christmas shopping list for a few select friends.

I knew Greg when I was a grad student at Western Washington U. while he was still writing this book and photographing subjects. I had many lengthy conversations with him then and would consider him an authority on west coast crustaceans. Now I work at the Humboldt State U. Marine Lab and frequently use his book as a reference (when students aren't borrowing it!). It is easy to use and more up-to-date with the latest taxonomic changes than many other books on the subject.

-Grant Eberle, Equipment Technician, HSU Marine Lab.

I love cookbooks, and try a lot of recipes. The recipes in this book are wonderful. They're easy, varied, and use a wide selection of produce, which is important to my family. We eat no meat but fish, and no dairy. I often get dismayed that so many cookbooks base recipe after recipe on these "forbidden" ingredients, but few of the dishes in this book rely on dairy; those that include some cheese are perfectly delicious without it, such as the Salmon Cobb Salad.

Ms. Pendleton has created many dishes which are healthy and out of the ordinary. She has a real talent for giving meals an ethnic flair, for instance Asian or Mediterranean, yet they are unique, not cliched. And they are not elaborate or difficult, yet have a very gourmet result, especially for how easy they are.

This is a very different cookbook; you will not find it redundant to your collection, even if you have dozens of other cookbooks. I highly recommend it, especially if you're trying to eat healthy. You will not have a boring diet with this book to give you ideas!

I am always looking for good, simple to prepare fish recipes. Simply Shrimp, Salmon, and (Fish) Steaks, fits the bill perfectly. The text is well written, the recipes are easy to follow, and the menu suggestions helpful. A creative use of ingredients gives these recipes distinct flavor. Dinner guests have been pleased with the results so far. I particularly enjoyed the salmon baked with apricots and water chestnuts and the swordfish (I used halibut instead) with onions, raisins, and pine nuts. I will eat a lot more fish because of this fine book.