Food Books

I purchased this cookbook so I could cook something for a Native American presentation in my sociology college course. This book is great because it has lots of pictures and info about where the recipe came from or something else interesting about it. I haven't cooked anything from it yet, but I look foward to using the recipes for everyday cooking in adition to my presentation.

This is a "must have" cookbook if you'd like to prepare authentic Native American food. The ingredients are easy to find in any well stocked grocery store, and the recipes are not difficult. No "weird" ethnic foods here- just good meals made with what's available. The historical background for the foods of different tribes is an interesting read. The photographs and drawings are absolutely beautiful- those alone are good reasons to purchase this book!

i loved the book it gives you many different ideas to make things out of the ordinary

The photography is unbelievable and the recipes work! The book gives us a palatable way to enjoy the true native american way of cooking. I would highly reccomend this book to everyone that loves to experience the enjoyment of cooking new recepies and the even greater enjoyment of eating what they have re-created. A great book for all ages and ethnic backrounds. Good food and lots of it!

Great recipes...I orignally bought a copy of this book in 1994 and have tried virtually every recipe in the book. I subsequently purchased a copy in 2006 as a gift for a family member. I asked my family to consider a new tradition in 2006; replacing the standard Christmas dinner with a "Native Harvest" the outcome was brilliant. Consequently my entire family agreed to embrace this concept and pass it along to the children. We found inspiration in the recipes from this truly amazing cook book and an opportunity to honor our ancesters and Native American culture as a whole.

While it is about dieting and weight loss as an attempt to try to fit in to a world that demand a certain body shape for women, that is not the entire purpose of this book. "Squeezing Your Size 14 Self into a Size 6 World" is about trying to fit yourself into other people's ideas of what you should be. The book is about breaking free from the molds you are trying to squeeze into just to satisfy others. Throughout the book Carrie Smith provides a gentle coaching method to get you to start breaking free and living a life true to yourself.

The book starts out by correcting false conceptions of reality - Barbie is not real, most magazine images are fake, don't base your idea of reality on fantasy, don't compare yourself to other women. Of course it does not end there but goes on into other ways that women tend to try to fit into the molds of others. Examples of these include games like the perfection game, reward and punishment, and head games you use to fool yourself into thinking you are healthier than you really are. All the head games are basically things we do to ourselves or that others do to us in order to alter our perception of reality. She concludes the body size section with a simple, yet profound statement. Don't give yourself away to the marketing hype, your true size is the size you were meant to be - the size your body is most happy with. Instead of striving for a size, strive for well-being.

Other suggestions include getting rid of clutter, both physical and mental. Decide what is important and get on with your life. She then turns back to the striving for well-being and discusses using your eating personality to your advantage, choosing a personal trainer, and myths and misunderstandings about exercise, strength training, etc. This is a recommended book for anyone who wants to proclaim independence from the commercial and social entrapments of life and become who they were meant to be. Will it work? I don't know. For many people it is an intense struggle to try to overcome the constant bombardments of the media trying to force you into a mold that will create a regular stream of monetary income for them. This book shines a light onto the correct path, but it is not an easy walk in our current social environment.

It seems there is no end to diet and self-help books -- with most of them not being worth the paper they are printed on. Then there is Squeezing Your Size 14 Self Into A Size 6 World: A Real Woman's Guide To Food, Fitness And Self-Acceptance by Carrie Myers Smith who draws upon her considerable experience and undeniable expertise to create a truly effective and "user friendly" manual that will enable her readers to successfully deal with the kinds of head games and body games that so often derail simple happiness and ordinary satisfaction with our selves. Carrie delivers the keys to successful self-care; shows how to control stress and not let stress be in control; how wellness means uncluttering our lives; how to overcome obstacles to fitness; figure out a fitness plan specifically appropriate for the reader's particular needs; as well as discovering what "eating personality" is ours and how to use it to advantage. Also very highly recommended is the companion title, Carrie Myers Smith's Squeezing Your Size 14 Self Into A Size 6 World Workbook (1891400967, $18.95) complete with exercises and worksheets to create a truly customized personal wellness plan.

Finally a book that has a realistic approach to who we are and how we feel about ourselves. The author reveals a very realistic and attainable approach to the health and well-being of women. Thank you Carrie for writing this book! I feel better already!

This book should/could be required reading for ALL women throughout the lifespan! The author, in a clever but straightforward manner, de-myths the impossible images and roles women feel compelled to fulfill. Her unique "coaching" approach can teach anyone how to analyze, cast-off, and adopt a love for her own self: body, mind, and spriit.

"...did you know you have a higher chance of dying from being skinny and sedentary than you do from being overweight and active? It's true." ~Carrie Myers Smith

With all the makeover shows on TV, we already realize it takes a lot of effort to look like a model. Since I tend to be one of those tall people who can't fit into petite clothes no matter how much I weigh, I'm always hunting for longer sleeves and wondering why being taller often forces me to buy clothes that are just too big for me. I had also started to disassociate myself from those who wield photo-capturing devices because I rarely liked how my pictures turned out. Is this because I'm comparing my pictures to pictures on the covers of magazines?

As I viewed the most recent Swimsuit Edition, I did wonder if even men were not longing to view some women with hips or a more comfortable shape. The facts are, most of the models we view are tiny or look sickly in reality. If pictures add pounds, imagine how skinny they really are. Many models (size 2-8) say they feel sick all the time. Why do we all want to look like teenage boys? I don't. I'm proud of my hips and feminine curves.

Carrie Myers Smith is also tired of the Media pushing an unrealistic image on the public and presents a realistic view of the fashion industry. Most of us will never be a size 4 or 6 and the facts are that the average American woman is a size 14. So, this book is definitely needed to show us the reality instead of the fantasy.

There is the fantasy body image and then there is reality. You can be healthy and not be a size 6. If you are tired of quick-fix theories and want to be who you are, then you can read about what is "eating you" instead of what to eat. Topics Include:

Why Diets Don't Work
Living Life on Purpose - Not by Accident
Stress-Savers
Self-Care or Self-Nurturing
Games Other People Play


Carrie talks about the much-needed topic of "Healthy Living Saboteurs." As my husband said, "Those are people who are purposely trying to sabotage your diet." To him I say: "Honey, stop bringing home those boxes of cookies and giant tubs of cashew nuts." OK, I can't eat either of those items, but still I think after reading this book I realized he does tend to bring home all the food I would never buy.

There is also a spiral-bound version of this book or you can download a workbook from the books' site. Each chapter has "Stepping Stones" points for reflection.

Do you need to:

De-clutter your life? Donate Items to Charity?
Develop healthy habits?
Be happier with your body type?
Set realistic goals?
Hire a personal trainer?

So, can you enjoy a few Leonidas chocolate squares and not feel guilty about it? Sure the author isn't presenting a diet plan. She is presenting an "Indi-Fit-ual" Plan. What are you trying to accomplish? There are many ideas for how you can multitask to fit in exercise. I've found I can fold laundry while doing the Walk Away the Pounds workouts, but you could also listen to motivational CDs while on your treadmill or take your pet out for a walk. I was thinking I couldn't go walking with my pets, but then I found a pet stroller for my cats.

Carrie Myers Smith has decided that no one and absolutely nothing is going to get in the way of her self-esteem. So, reading this book gives you a good helping of personal power and creative ideas for implementing her ideas. I loved her "Bringing the Spa Home" section where she talks about creating a sanctuary. Can I just say: "Er'go candles!"

This book could take any woman from tired and frazzled to self-nurturing and in control. It is amazing how much information this book provides in 250 pages. A must-read for every woman in our society who is fed up with being told she has to look like she is starving to death. While I know I'll never be a size 6 I have nothing against airbrushing a picture. I sure hope someone airbrushes the pictures from my last photo shoot. Hee..hee...

Buy this book and then go sit out in the sun, read this book and enjoy life. Life is far too short to worry about being a size 6 when you may always be a size 14. Look into Yoga, Pilates and a walking routine, it helps with the stress of life.

~The Rebecca Review

I was suprised by how much valuable information this book has. I happened across it while helping my Mother-in-Law clean out her shelves one day. I've only recently become aware of the garbage we eat in America today, and wanted to change for the health of my family, but wasn't sure where to start. This book was a huge help in that pursuit. I would highly recommend it to anyone trying to eat organically, or "as God intended" as I like to call it. Our bodies aren't made to run on all the unpronounceable man-made chemicals in the food in most grocery stores (& most homes today). It's unfortunate that most people aren't aware of how destroying their bodies from the inside out they are, this book will show you a natural approach to eating and fighting disease. It's great.

My copy is nearly falling apart.I bought it in 1981 and have referred to it over and over since then. I love it and use it often. Not just for recipes though, as a matter of fact, I think I have gone to it more often for general nutritional information about a particular food item. I realize that some of the information in this book might be a bit outdated but I still find it very helpful.

This book, which I've used for years, contains menus, recipes, and very helpful information about vitamins and minerals (including in which foods we can find them). Under the "Vegetable" section, we are shown ways to prepare 97 different vegetables. I am ordering one as a gift.

This book, while overpriced for the condition and binding,was indeed very helpful in our quest for natural healthy food. A lot of good recipes as well as information on grains, fruits, vegetables and other ingredients.

This book, which I've used for years, contains menus, recipes, and very helpful information about vitamins and minerals (including in which foods we can find them). Under the "Vegetable" section, we are shown ways to prepare 97 different vegetables. I am ordering one as a gift.

Excellent depiction of what truly environmentally conscious companies and individuals can and should do to help ensure sustainability of our planet for future generations. Stonyfield Farms and their CEO Gary Hirshberg provide an ever improving benchmark for making ecologically-minded decisions while achieving business success. Highly recommended.

Historically and at present, every school curriculum, be it at regular school or college level stresses the importance of getting and spending, about materialism, about maximizing profits and return on investment, all with good intention, but nowhere are we thought about living in harmony with nature, about sustainability and preservation of the environment, every class in business emphasis maximum profit, but not one of them
teaches us about the impact to the environment and at what cost it is to Mother Nature.
We are taught about making short term profits but not about the long term impact to the environment, this practice is going to cause untold misery and suffering for future generations.
We as custodians of the environment, nature, the animal and plant world, supposedly of a higher intelligence are suppose to safeguard and protect it, but we are all guilty of abusing it.
Industrialization and modernization has certainly given us a more comfortable lifestyle, but at what price? As a species, we human beings have consumed, exploited, and destroyed more of the earth's resources in the past fifty years than all of the previous years human existence combined.
Besides the reduction of carbon emissions and finding alternative energy sources, one of the other solutions is to change textbooks to factor in climate and environmental issues into the business equation, as well as to change our mindsets as to how we impact the environment in our daily lives.
No other news item, activity or event is going to dominate our lives in the future more than Global Warming, the climate and the environment.
If we don't reverse this trend or stop it, generations of people in the future will be facing a life of hardship and suffering to difficult to fathom, for a preview of this view the movies "Mad Max" and "Waterworld".

Hirshberg has proven that businees can work in harmony with nature and still make profit, this book should be read by the CEO's of all companies so that they can drive the changes from the top, like what Lee Scott of Walmart is doing. Let's hope that Hirshberg's predictions for the year 2028 will materialize (chapter 8). The Green Revoluion has to start now, or else it may be to late, history will be the judge.

A Great Read, highly recommended!

Bharat Vala Patel
Lenasia, SA
Cincinnati, US

FDR once said ""We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we know now that it is bad economics."

The flipside of this is that not only is running your business with the environment in mind is not only good morals, it is good business, and Hirshberg, who has made millions incorporating earth-friendly practices into his business is proof, and this is a great, entertaining book that shows how he and others are lining their pockets and saving the planet at the same time. Kudos.

this is a great book because it shatters one of the big myths and that is that there, somehow, is a disconnect between being successful in business and doing something right for the earth

the stories about Timberland, Patagonia, and even Wal-Mart are really interesting and it's very interesting read - especially for a business book, something I rarely read

plus there are about $10 in coupons in the back for Stonyfield products :)

Gary Hirshberg is the CE-Yo (I'm not making that up) of Stonyfield Farms where they make great yogurt. I love it because it's good. It is also organic. For me, the yogurt eater, that is mostly irrelevant.

Hirshberg titled his book, Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World. The subtitle should be a clue that there are two kinds of material in this book.

There are the places where Hirshberg writes as if he's trying to pass some sort of environmentalist purity test. These are mostly long expository sections that may be of great interest to you. If so, read them. I found them stupifyingly boring most of the time.

If you're reading this as a business book, you may be tempted to write Gary Hirshberg off as a nut case. But consider the following.

His company makes a great product. The only limit on his production is the number of organically certified cows he can get to supply his farm and meet his standards. And his company makes a lot of money. That's why you want to pay attention to the other parts of the book.

The other parts of the book are where Hirshberg tells the story of his business and several other businesses including Timberlake and Patagonia. He tells about how Wal-Mart is making "environmentally friendly" changes to its operations because those changes are good business.

Those were the parts of interest to me. They are written in a less formal style. They are mostly stories. And there are a lot of lessons in them about business, business practices, and what both successful businesses and Mother Nature might have to teach us about them.

Here's an overview of the book.

The first chapter, Natural Profits, begins with the simple, but profound, observation that nature does not produce waste. When nature is functioning naturally, everything thrown off by one process is used by another. Hirshberg suggests that following that principle with business practices will make things more efficient and, thus, more profitable.

He tells us the story of how he wound up at Stonyfield Farms. There's info on the early stages of the company and how many of his principles about how to live on the planet also helped his company survive and grow. The story of Stonyfield Farms runs through the book.

Mission Control gets us into the mission statement for Hirshberg's company. Frankly, this is as good a chapter on mission statements as I've seen anywhere.

Hirshberg says that a mission statement, in addition to guiding operations, should be simple and enduring. He also points out that Exxon's mission statement at one time only cited "increasing return to shareholders" as a guiding principle and he describes how that informed the company's response to the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Hirshberg makes the point that if you have only one purpose, as Exxon did, it's relatively easy to make decisions and to be blind to other concerns. But if you have several sub-missions or groups of stakeholders to consider, things get more nuanced. The main story in this chapter is about Patagonia, whose CEO, Yvon Chouinard, says: "Profit is what happens when you do everything else right."

From CO2 to COno is about Stonyfield's efforts to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide. There's excellent material on doing analysis of a problem, seeking solutions and using metrics to gauge success or lack of it. This chapter includes the stories of Timberland, Wal-Mart's recent changes and Adobe's efforts to make its campus carbon neutral. Hirshberg describes cost-saving benefits to the corporations.

Hands Across the Aisle has a lot of excellent material on Hirshberg's marketing methods. In the beginning there was no money for marketing so Stonyfield had to be creative. They were. They also developed the idea of marketing as making a "handshake connection" with everyone. He has important things to say about how the quality of the product is important because that's what gets customers to come back.

The Delicious Revolution includes the story of Honest Tea. In 1998, Seth Goldman left his job at the Calvert Group of "socially responsible" mutual funds to join Barry Nalebuff and found Honest Tea. Nalebuff was Goldman's professor at Yale, where Nalebuff is known as an expert on business strategy and game theory. You may know him for his books such as Co-Opetition : A Revolution Mindset That Combines Competition and Cooperation : The Game Theory Strategy That's Changing the Game of Business and Thinking Strategically: The Competitive Edge in Business, Politics, and Everyday Life.

No Such Place as Away is all about recycling and re-using and planning in ways that leave you with less to transport somewhere else. A lot of this sounds new, but it's not. There was a time when Henry Ford demanded that suppliers of engines for his cars pack their engines in boxes made of boards of a particular size. Ford then took the crates apart and used the wood to make floorboards for his cars.

A real strength of this chapter is the description of Interface Carpet. Interface Carpet is two things. It is the world's largest manufacturer of carpet tiles, a publicly traded company worth almost a billion dollars. It's also a company with a commitment to sustainability.

Nurturing Those Who Nourish the Earth is about Stonyfield's dealing with suppliers. There's good material here about the importance of relationships along the supply chain. Stonyfield Farms may be an "organic" business, but when Hirshberg talks about thinks like marketing and cost analysis, and supply chain relationships, the lessons are solid business.

Future Perfect is Hirshberg's vision of an ideal future. Since it's a true "Utopia" or "nowhere" he feels free to let his inner zealot run free. This chapter is awash in unexamined and unsupported assumptions.

Worse, from my perspective, is that Hirshberg tends to present only his own favored solution or technique. So you don't get any discussion of whether offsets, for example, are actually a good idea or how to make them work better. There are no alternatives in this chapter.

Zealots are often insufferable. Practical zealots have the capacity to change the world. Gary Hirshberg is definitely a zealot, but because he's also both practical and successful, you will find a lot of good business advice in this book.

This book is pretty short and is very easy to read -Its filled with a lot of interesting information. I would highly recommend it.

This book is so informative. I really think every woman should read this. I have learned so much!

I liked the way this book didn't take a completely one-size-fits-all approach, but gave you ideas about changes or suppliments that may help with different common female complaints. The exceptions were in regard to sugar and sweeteners (the authors don't like most of them) and the requisite meal plan and recipes at the end. If I tried to eat that menu, I'd be sick as a dog from dairy and gluten issues. However, the rest of the book was good enough to earn a place on my (relatively small) reference book shelf.

This books really should be read by every woman. It's very user-friendly, it explains simply how many problems women typically suffer from are simply symptoms of conditions that can be easily solved (and she tells you how).
This is not a diet book per se, but she includes also an explanation of what might be hindering a woman's weight loss efforts. However she also targets things that go more to the general wellbeing, and you can choose to implement all of her suggestions or just a few - either way, you'll see a definite improvement in your health and wellbeing!

This is one book you'll want to share with every woman you know. But don't lend out your copy for too long, you'll want to refer to it again and again because it contains so much info and it's so accessible.

Ann Louise Gittleman a nutritionist and weight loss expert has put together a fantastic comprehensive guide that is educational and eye opening. This book is full of common sense health and nutrition advice every woman should know.

The book begins by categorizing general eating habits based on the current nutritional trends of the last 45-50 years and then details to our horror, how insufficient those eating habits are in maintaining a healthy weight let alone a healthy body. Whether low fat, low carb, high carb, or chronic dieting the book demonstrates the damage women inflict on their health by indulging in diets that are trendy and harmful. The book promotes balance and natural foods for both weight loss and overall health while detailing the importance of quality choices in our food consumption.

For me the most interesting and educational are the chapters that deal with fats and sugars in our diets. Gittleman's theorem is that the right kind of fats can be and are beneficial to women. For example, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids are essential to proper bodily function and assist in the distribution of other vitamins and minerals throughout the body.

I also found the book informative in regards to the hormonal and reproductive health of women and the correlation to proper and balanced nutrition. She not only explains why but how to get all that you need by making wise choices in available foods and how they effect menstrual cycles, menopause, and P.M.S..

I will admit at times the book will detail scientific studies by different doctors and universities that reaffirm Gittleman's nutritional stance that although necessary I thought a bit dry. Overall this book is full of information about what women should be eating, should be avoiding, and how to go about it. On top of all the education the book has recipes, suggested menus, and a shopping list to help you on your way to a more balanced healthy lifestyle. I thought the book exceptional.

girldiver:)

My grandson is THE pickiest eater I have ever experienced, and this book gave me insight on how to relate to it! Relax, children will eat when they are hungry!!!

Finally a book that really addresses the needs and wants of both parents and children. As a mother of four, I am finally able to help each one of my children develop their own eating styles that will enable them to have a healthy lifestyle. Thank you!

"I was constantly running after my 2 year old with food; that's how worried I was that he was too thin. Even though my doctor said not to worry, I always left the office wondering what to do, and how to stop worrying; this book saved me from becoming a nervous wreck and from creating more problems!"

I was being driven nuts by all my kids' different demands for meals! This book helped me figure out how to deal with all of their differences, and to stop fighting about it with my husband! Excellent guide !

There wasn't anything that I thought was revolutionary here, but since I tend to get really stressed when my son doesn't eat (especially since he's pretty slim) this book helped and continues to help me relax some about it. I understand that my pushing food on him is a bad tactic in the long run. So, I'm glad I have it. Two unique things: a focus on our own "food legacy" that for some may ring true but for me was just not really an issue (I didn't have overly involved parents pushing or preventing my food habits) and two-a stronger focus on OVEReaters (reasonable in this era of obesity but far from my area of concern).

It may give you some peace of mind.

My sister has been wanting this after many visits at Tassajara....She finally got it for her birthday

I'm surprised that there aren't more reviews for this wonderful book. I am a new vegetarian and my husband and I have been less than impressed with a lot of the veg cookbooks we've tried so far. This one really does deliver great flavor and wide variety without getting too wrapped up in exotic or hard to find ingredients. My picky hubby gets *filled up* on these meals and even gobbles up the leftovers! The other thing I like is that the recipes are well-explained with simple down-to-earth instructions and there's a nice smattering of Mr. Brown's sense of humor and Zen observations throughout. Even if you never try a single recipe, it's a pleasant read.

So why 4 stars instead of 5? I have two minor complaints about the book.

Firstly, it's apparent that many recipes are conversions from much larger portions. After all, the original recipes were meant to feed a whole retreat's worth of folks. Sometimes the amounts in the ingredients lists are a bit off - nothing that destroys the recipe, but they do take a bit of tweaking to make right. Not all the recipes have this problem. On the upside, most of the recipes are very flexible so you can change the ingredients quite a bit to suit your taste or whatever veggies you have on hand. (He gives many suggestions of substitutions if you're not feeling daring enough to try your own.)

Secondly, he must really like "sour" as a flavor. There is a lot of vinegar usage in this book, many vinaigrettes, and several recipes that can best be described as pungent. If that's your thing, you will be very happy with this book! If not, don't automatically dismiss it. For one, there are other recipes here that are more than worth the cost of the book and secondly, you might just surprise yourself! We tried both the "Cumin Cheese and Onion Tart" and "Mustard Butter Pasta with Broccoli" and went into both meals with a LOT of skepticism - but they're awesome! They're both now regular favorites.

Even if you aren't a vegetarian, I highly recommend this book. It will add great flavor and variety to your cooking repertoire. :-)

The Tassajara Recipe Book is a great cookbook for families moving to a vegetarian diet(like mine). The recipes are delicious, simple to follow and use common ingredients available at the grocery store.

Edward Espe Brown's commentaries, descriptions and poems are thoughtful and full of humor.

We are enjoying the recipes, and love the philosophy re using natural products, wasting as little as posible. Learned more about varioius grains, greens.

Every single recipe in this book is amazing-- they are all wonderfully balanced and do not call for hard-to-find ingredients.

The collection features a good blend of exotic, gourmet, health, and American-traditional dishes (with a touch of flair, of course!) Check the index under sample pages for listings.

Instructions are straight-forward and easy to follow, however there are no pictures or diagrams to help (but for most people, the written instructions will be sufficient.) The book helps you develop a sense of intuition with cooking, sometimes the techniques are open-ended.

This is among the best and unique recipe books I have.

Absolutely fantastic!!!! Some could ask for pictures to go along with it. However, I feel as though part of utilizing recipes is unwrapping the mystery of it's visual beauty. As a culinary student I find that not having pictures allows me to add my own touches to the dishes without visual bias.

I'm impressed with the author's use of authentic as well as contemporary ingredients and techniques. And I was quite taken by the vast coverage of the topic - appetizers, gumbos, salads, sides, entrees, desserts, lovely book!!

I love this cookbook. The recipies are well written and easy to follow! Try the Shrimp Creole!! You wont Regret it!!!

This book is excellent. I like it because the recipes are good for everyone to try. Chef Joe's cooking school in Savannah is a rare treat also for an activity during your Savannah weekend.
After he tortures and teases you with the sights and aromas, he gives you a meal you'll never forget.

I love this book. So far every recipe I have tried has turned out excellent. The recipes are easy to read and well written for the home chef. To date I have tried the Oven Roasted Rosemary-Garlic Chicken with Corn Bread Dressing, The Rustic Macaroni and Cheese and the Potato Salad to name a few. I just tried the Sweet Potato Pie and everyone loved it. The Authors did a wonderful job, and I have recommended it to my friends and plan on giving the book as gifts.

For anyone who's dined at this gorgeous restaurant in St. Helena and wants to get better acquainted with it's secrets, this book is a must buy! I got this book as a Christmas gift for my husband and we've cooked a couple of the recipes and both turned out really well.

A book of artistry and inspiration, Terra is sure to please the intermediate to advance chef and their diners. A cookbook and a reference, simply wonderful.

Great cookbook for those special occasions where you want to spend the time and resources on making something special. The recipes are a little more time-consuming, the ingredients a little harder to find, but the result is wonderful. Jacques Pepin is simpler (and excellent) and French Laundry Cookbook is even more complicated (but also excellent) - Terra is a great in-between.

I've cooked over 10 of their recipes already and every single one has turned out really well. They're not simple nor for a beginner cook, but if you have a little experience, it'll make for some very memorable dinners.

The desserts are especially great, as are the appetizers.

For those of you fortunate enough to have dined at this world class restaurant, Hiro & Lissa'a book needs no introduction. I was fortunate enough to have found Terra shortly after it opened in 1988 (living in St. Helena at the time) & have been hooked ever since. The BEST dishes of their menus past & present are included in this beautifully illustrated book. Most importantly the instructions are well detailed & the dishes turn out exactly as they do in the restaurant. What more can I say? THIS IS A FABULOUS BOOK!!!!!

Much like it's worthy counterpart's book (Tra Vigne), this wonderful piece should not fail to delight and please all those who happen across it.

First, if you are lucky enough to have dined at Terra, you'll already understand the beauty of (and behind) this book. Quite simply, this is a work of art. Why is that the case? Well...

Design--Beautiful graphic design and photographs. The layout is incredible and the photos are enough to make you drool.

Dialogue--Add to that delightful text and dialogue. Much closer to what this book achieves is the word "prose" as opposed to merely "text." The stories and dialogue are true pleasure to read. It makes this much more than simply a "cookbook."

Recipes--The recipes are, much like the food at the restaurant, exquisite. They are just delicious. Their difficulty ranges from relatively easy to moderately difficult. But, they are very easy to follow, making even the harder recipes accessible to the average "joe."

I strongly urge those considering this one to just go ahead and make the purchase. You will not be disappointed. It will be book you will treasure, and will reach for time and again.

Also, look into the Tra Vigne cookbook. It too is on the same level as this piece.

This cookbook may not have a ton of recipes, but it is all worth it for the Cilantro-Arugula pesto. One of my favorite recipes of all time. This stuff goes great with noodles, as a spread, on sandwiches, everything. The spring rolls were the first new recipe that I tried, I had a little bit of trouble with them, but the directions were very easy to understand,they came out tasting great! Like I said, it's not a huge book of recipes, but the commentary was so interesting and a great read, they really add to the cooking.

The personal essays in this book make the food that comes from the recipes...I'm serious...better. I have already made Panzanella from this book, even though I just got it. I didn't have much to season with (onion, ol. oil, salt, pepper, and vinegar)...so it was truly the peasant's version...yet it tasted rich. I love this book because it lets you cook with the spirit of recipes, not just ingredients. There are so many lists in life we are required to follow...why not loosen up and cook?! Highly recommended.

This complilation of recipes is not your usual cookbook, but I appreciated the personal writing style, the bits of history, and the author's love of creating in the kitchen -- all the things that should go into good cooking. This has been a great guide for me, as I have been intimidated to buy anything outside my of my usual repertoire at the my local farmer's market, but the cookbook has some simple suggestions for how to prepare seasonal produce such as greens and root vegetables. The spring rolls are superb, and it is worth purchasing this book for that recipe alone.

A cultural infusion of yummy and easy to make recipes. This book is filled with delicious, creative, and fun to make meals. So get your cook on!

This has got to be the most unique and charming cookbook I've ever read. I say plunk down the $5.50 and treat yourself to a good time. I find myself reading it over and over. It's pretty amazing. Is it really a cookbook, or a book that also has recipes? I think it's a little of both. I say check it out.