Food Books

This is my favorite macrobiotic/whole foods cookbook. This is what I love about it:
-The easy-going no-guilt, listen to your body perspective
-All the suggestions for making healthier foods with similar textures, tastes and appearances as the less healthy more conventional foods
-The many charts, drawings, tables showing you how to diagnose what you need by the emotions you are feeling - ie do you need a cleansing meal or a calming one? Do you need to feel inspired or grounded? etc
-There is a variety of recipes
-Many recipes have suggestions for changing or adding things (which suits me just fine because I don't always follow recipes when I cook anyhow)

Overall, the book makes me feel good. It tells you to slow down, savor the food, pay attention to how it makes your body feel, understand the connection between emotions and weakness in your organs and also covers how to get sufficient iron, calcium etc on a non-dairy diet.

I highly recommend this book.

As someone who is new to the world of macrobiotics, the Self-Healing Cookbook actually became the most useful to get me started. It gives the basics but gives confidence to just jump in and begin cooking. It's a great resource.

I refer to this book often - just this morning I was feeling down and turned to the Food/Mood page. Feeling better already! I keep this one on hand for my own reference and give a copy to all my clients. - Jennifer Howe, Holisitic Health/Food Counselor (www.HoweToEat.com)

I got this cookbook because it was highly reccommended. I can see why! It gives more than just recipes, it gives you a plan to better health. I am still working through my plan but I am loving it. Great book.

I found this book to be a great resource. I am at a time in my life where I am ready to make a change and this book was the perfect introduction to a new life - consciously living healthy.

Take This Bread: A Radical ConversionThis book is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the community of food! Sara Miles is a writer and was an athiest who came to understand the role of sharing a meal in building community. After a varied career of cooking in restaurant kitchens and serving as an activist in poverty stricken and war torn countries, she comes home to a radical conversion resulting from the simple words: "Take this bread" said to her at a service of Holy Communion. Her conversion leads to growth in understaning the community that God intends for all humankind. Along the way, she is drawn into the community with afforded by a food pantry program she starts at her newly found church community.

Its all about the human hunger for belonging and for the meaning that comes from sharing food!

A wonderful book and a quick read!

Sara Miles' book "Take This Bread" is a perfect read for our times. Her realization that feeding others is an ultimate act of goodness came during a worship service. But the real story is what she did next. She went out from that church and created a feeding program when others said it couldn't be done. Then she helped others create feeding programs. I have recommended the book to people of different faiths and political views. They all love it. And even more, they have been inspired to get involved in helping the hungry. The new paperback version contains a Readers' Guide - perfect for book groups.

take this bread is one of the best left-of-center spiritual memoirs i've read, ever.

sara miles is a self-described liberal, an intellectual journalist who spent much of her life covering wars from the side of the oppressed (often in stark contrast to u.s. policy). she grew up in a staunchly athiest home (though both of her parents were children of missionaries, which ends up playing into her story in surprising and deeply satisfying ways), and was, as she says, the last person her friends would have expected to start talking about jesus.

sara walked into a san francisco church one day -- called, one might way; compelled, she wasn't sure why -- and took the eucharist. and something clicked, in that moment. she had an encounter with jesus that she was never able to dismiss or shake off. eventually, her connection with jesus became a compelling call to feed others, as she was fed. sara started a food pantry, literally ON the alter of her extremely nervous church. the book walks through her multiple conversions, and those of the people around her, many of them already professed christians.

the comparisons to anne lamott are easy (especially to anne's first spiritual memoir, traveling mercies). both are brilliant with words; both are liberals from san francisco, who grew up in book-loving, athiest, intellectual homes; both are liberal in every sense of the word; and both are deeply in love with jesus and passionate about following his lead. this -- i think -- is what seperates both anne and sara from classical liberals, who spent a good deal of their time distancing themselves from jesus.

but sara miles and anne lammott are not the same. sara doesn't have annie's wit, which, while i absolutely adore annie's wit, makes this book somewhat more compelling, and a bit less like a collection of witty, liberal, jesus-y essays. if annie's "theme" is her self-loathing and insecurity, sara's strong-willed theme is: food. food weaves its way through every chapter of the book: from her childhood, to her experiences as a chef in new york, to her connections with people in the third world, to her intitial and ongoing experience with jesus, to her establishment of one, then many, food pantries. it's hard not to read this book and not simultaneously hanker for a chunk of some cheese you can't pronounce, and want to give that cheese to someone who wouldn't otherwise experience their next meal.

wonderful, wonderful reading. challenging at points. highly edible. deeply nourishing.

From the moment I began reading to the last page I was hooked. I think this is a book that every church should own and require all outreach workers to read. In my view, Ms. Miles grasps and conveys in a succinct and direct manner just what it means to act out one's faith, a faith that has nothing to do with politics or what is expedient, or what will please people the most. There is a need, one responds, and that's all there is to it. Ms. Miles does not romanticize working with the homeless, feeding the hungry. She presents the challenges and difficulties clearly and realistically. This is not "fun" work. It's not meant to be fun. Yet,as I read this, I was struck by her understanding and acceptance as well as the clear conviction that this is what she was meant to do. Again, a very worthwhile read,immensely helpful and hopeful.

'Take this Bread' is a wonderful book, funny and profance and touching. I loved every page. I liked the commentary on the clergy and learned so much about how to love the other. Miles brought me to face my fears. Her take on Christianity as a complex, disturbing, scary way to live is so real. With fine writing she takes us into what it means to incarnate our religion, and it's painful to face that. Luckily, her humilty, mistakes and humor keep us on her side and thinking about how we might go forth too.

I remember my mother reading Frances books to me when I was little, and I couldn't wait to read them to my daughter. The Frances books are wonderful children's stories.

The book is great, and my daughter had to "read" it as soon as it was opened.

I loved the Frances books growing up and now my two-year is enjoying them. I just read Bread and Jam to her and she loves it, especially the songs Frances sings (I sing them to the tune of Mary has a Little Lamb). I love the parenting advice in the book, too. We love the description of the lunches these little badgers unpack and eat at school. I love the quality of the illustrations and the writing. I think it's children's book writing at the best. So many books now are just plain silly!

I read the FRANCES books to my daughters (now grown) and am buying every one I can get my hands on to read to my two grandsons and my granddaughter. The character of Frances is so very human, and she has such realistic foibles that every child can identify with. Frances is a classic.

(I have no qualms about the parental roles portrayed in the book. Can't parents choose the roles they wish, and isn't the traditional role a valid choice?)

It was one of my favorites as a kid and now I read it to my little girl

But Diane Grindol is a genius!!! Her book cockatiels for dummies is excellent, informational, and entertaining. I'm sure this is too. I recommend buying both books before getting your cockatiel! If you already have one/some, get these books anyway.

SARAH

I am an avian health care advisor and author who offers assistance to those who are thinking about acquiring a bird, or to those are experiencing diffculties with bird/s they already have. My experience with birds and other animals stems back to when I was just a very little girl, but I have foucsed primarily on parrots for the past 11 years.
Nearly two years ago when I was presented with the opportunity to rescue a Cockatiel, and since I lack in experience when it comes to this species, I queried my avian list serv buddies about a good book on Tiels. The response was overwhelmingly that I should get a copy of The Complete Book of Cockatiels by Diane Grindol. I might add that several of those who recommended this book to me have bred Tiels for over 20 years, and although some no longer breed, they own Tiels. I got a copy right away, and I am so glad I did. This is an excellant book for many reasons...
Diane does cover all the topics necessary for someone who is interested in getting a Cockatiel eg. requirementes of the species, and the topics a beginner would find necessary eg. ongoing care, emergencies, etc. but she also includes information that experienced Tiel folks would find very interesting eg. visual sexing and genetics. The cover is so beautiful, and is one of a kind as far as I am concerned...it is just beautiful. The pictures inside are not only beautiful but informative as well.
Generally, when I need info. on a particular species, I will go and buy all the books I can find about it, but after reading Diane's book, I didn't do that!

I just bought this book because I just bought a cockatiel. I
have had cockatiels when I was younger & needed a refresher course. This book has alot of information on nutrition, training, colorings of cockatiels etc. All the information you'll ever need!

This book is a wonderful overview of Cockatiels. It covers all the basics: Feeding, behavior, health, basic genetic info, etc. It also has wonderful pictures. I would recommend this book to not only people with cockatiels, but to owners of other parrots, too. Great book!

What a fantastic book! I have read it from cover to cover, and it is my primary resource book. From a discussion of diet, to the different kinds of cockatiels to different behaviors and what they mean as well as some advice on breeding -- wow!

If you have not bought a book about Cockatiels, or even if you have, this book *must* be added to your library.

I have been a vegetarian for many years, and I eat mainly Asian style food. My cooking skill are about average. I don't normally cook from a book or follow exact recipes. However, I fell in love with this book at first glance. I had no difficulties with any of the recipes (and I have tried them all). All the recipes are well-written and clear, most are easy to follow even for beginners, and the results will please even non-vegetarians because they taste so good. If you are a beginner, the lists of ingredients and shopping advice will be very helpful, and not complicated or overwhelming. A great user-friendly introduction to a world of delightful vegetarian cooking.

I bought this book many years ago to place with the other vegetarian cookbooks that I had collected. Many of the other books have been lost or given away, but this one stays. Madhur Jaffrey's explanations and techniques are simple and the outcomes are delicious. I haven't made anything from this book that I haven't liked. As I have gradually become more vegan in my cooking (not completely), I will often substitute firm tofu for the panir, and olive oil for the ghee, but the taste is still great.

The instructions are pretty clear and correct. But in following them, I don't think I've ever made anything which didn't leave the stove wanting spices, salt, garlic, or hot pepper. I'd recommend anything by Book Publishing Company or Moosewood over Jaffrey's tempting, consistently diverse but bland offerings.

There hasn't been one recipe from this book that I haven't loved. I found in my public library and started copying the first few recipes onto cards. After my third time of checking this book out, I realized that I would be copying the whole book if I continued. My personal favorites are the Very Spicy Chickpeas, Her recipe for Paranthas, tofu and Broccoli.
All I can say is don't be intimidated by the spice lists. It makes the ingrediants and recipe look twice as long and complicated as it really is.
I also love the artwork! It is beautiful and elegant to me.

the first time I tried a recipe from this book was thanks to a friend who owned the first edition from the eighties. since then, the book was on my wish list for a long time, it took me a while to find another copy again (it was out of print).
the qualities of the book can be summarized as follow. first, the recipes are simple to reproduce: even the most elaborate Persian treats are easy to make. second, their variety is incredibly rich, from Korean kim-chi to the most elaborate Indian curry.
as a lover of international vegetarian cuisine and definitely an experimenter, I find this one of the most comprehensive, unpretentious complete book I could have on my kitchen shelf.
the only flaw: every time I cook a new recipe I have to increase a bit the amount of spices suggested. definitely not a book for those who expect to produce very hot dishes.

Well, I can't say anything less than great about the book because every page was useful. I read and reread the book several times to appreciate all of it since you get so much information without any thats garbage which is what most books contain when they are as thick as this one. The recipes I already had a chance to try to make were a success. This is only my 8th book in the culinary field so I am no expert but if my word means anything- i say get this book and learn A LOT!

I have been trying to buy a copy of this book on Amazon ever since hearing the authors speak at the Cascadia Culinary Arts conference here in Washington on May 22 (they were incredible) but it's been "out of stock" for weeks. VERY frustrating. I wish that I had bought a copy at the conference, but I didn't want to carry it around at the time. If I knew how hard it would be to find a copy, I would have! I spent two hours reading a friend's copy of "The New American Chef" and found it fascinating. The authors joked that it's the "Cliff Notes" of 10 different cuisines, but it's so much more. I love the idea of their "culinary compass" that they wrote about in the beginning of the book that maps out the way chefs cook today, and whether their focus is on experimentation or authenticity. It was obvious from their talk and from what I saw of this book that they think about food differently from other writers. I want my own copy!

As a fan of the Dornenburg and Page duo, I love their new book The New American Chef. I am also happy they expanded beyond restaurant chefs to include some of my favorite culinary writers in their roundtable of experts (Paula Wolfert, Corinne Trang and Julie Sahni are three of my favorites).

With summer here I am looking forward to making Jose Andres's "Gaspacho Andaluz" and Daniel Bouloud's "Cherry Gratin".

I only have one problem with this book. I am dying to order copies to take as house gifts this summer but it's been listed as "out of stock" on Amazon for the last three weeks.

A great book for year-round cooking or summer hammock reading.

THE NEW AMERICAN CHEF has a simple premise: Interview some of America's pre-eminent experts on 10 different cuisines (Japanese, Italian, Spanish, French, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, Moroccan), and share their knowledge and insights with readers through honing them down into 35 fascinating pages per cuisine. The result? Readers are able to take an educational and delicious tour around the world through the histories, cultures and cuisines of 10 nations. This is a great book to read, and an even better book from which to cook, as it features dozens of recipes perfected by some of the country's best chefs and cookbook authors including Mario Batali, Rick Bayless, Daniel Boulud, Penelope Casas, Susan Feniger, Lynne Rossetto Kasper, Zarela Martinez, Mary Sue Milliken, Julie Sahni, Piero Selvaggio, Nina Simonds, Masa Takayama, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Paula Wolfert, Su-Mei Yu, and many more. This single volume can take the place of 10 tomes on your cookbook shelf. However, if you're looking for even more great reading about each of these cuisines, Nach Waxman (legendary owner of New York's infamous Kitchen Arts & Letters bookshop) provides his recommendations for further exploration at the end of each chapter. THE NEW AMERICAN CHEF is the perfect gift for the food lovers in your life (even yourself!).

Andrew and Karen are at it again! After writing excellent, provocative works such as two of my favorites: Becoming a Chef and Culinary Artistry, combine again to research and bring together this impressive volume sketching out the emerging New American Chef. Words like fusion and New World and other concepts seemed to fall short of what they were trying to get at, so this concept: New American Chef showcases ten world cuisines which bring there own philosophies and emphases and ingredients and techniques to these United States to combine with our burgeoning wealth of culinary talent to produce this wonderful new cuisine which this book showcases.

I can remember becoming first interested in high school when taking a date out on that impressive prom meal when gourmet was specific dishes, e.g. Steak Diane, etc. But now, there is such a wide variety of everything, with so many more choices of not only dishes, but cuisine specialty houses and more. This book gets to that. The mixture of cultures and global reach has brought us to this melting pot concept of gourmet. Here there are ten major world cuisines: Chineese, French, Mexican, Indian, Spanish, Moroccan, Italian, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese. Each of these is represented by its approach, similarities and specialties, then a representative recipe sampling.

While there is ample opportunity here to learn more about cuisines I'm already into: French, Moroccan, Italian, Mexican, Chineese, Japanese; there is certainly opportunity here to explore some new cuisine such as Thai, Indian, etc. although I'm not all that enthralled with them in my experience so far.

And just that is the beauty here, one doesn't have to be excited about all ten, or the majority of them. There is so much here to be learned and experimented with. The standards of each are explemfied in all: balance, aroma, harmony, seasonality, etc.

Recipes that caught my attention to make include: Deep-Fried Fillet of Trout(Masu no Agemono); Shrimp in "Crazy Water" (Gamberoni al'Acqua Pazza); Barcelona-Style Flounder with Raisins, Nuts, Lemon Butter and Anise; Cherry Gratin (Gratin aux Cerises); Maine Lobster Tail on Salsify with Pinot Noir Sauce, Vanilla Oil, and Crispy Leeks; Rock Candy-Ginger Short Ribs; Chile-Orange Cold Noodles; Braised Lamb Shanks with Masala Raan;Guajillo-Spiked Pork-and-Potato Tacos (Tacos de Puerco y Papas al Guajillo; Salmon Panang (Grilled Salmon in a Creamy Red Curry Sauce); Quail Bisteeya;Chicken Tajine with Prunes; Couscous Mango Mousse.

Many of the contributors are already great culinary friends and inspirations to millions: Batali, Bayless, Boulud, Feniger, Vongerichten, Wolfert to name a few. I'm sure many of the others will go on to such fame and become regular fixtures in this growing, wonderful world of cuisine.

With each cuisine there is ample background text as well as cookbook and other reference suggestions. No color photos, just the author's usual nice contrasty B&W but with unbelievably good text for chefs both pro and amateur.

This is definitely one to grow and have fun with. It proposes one choose a cuisine direction and then gives advice on that pursuit. An unusual and welcome addition and approach.

Lots of alternatives to canning and freezing. A very interesting read while you dream of your very own root cellar!

Excellent product, I am really enjoying this book! Also very prompt postage and arrived in good condition

Well researched and considered. Thorough, yet practical and attainable. I appreciated learning about all the different types of root cellars and how to build them. Previous to reading this book, a root cellar to me was and expensive underground project with stairs and cement walls and electricity. Until I can afford that we can inexpensively create/build/dig the other options.

I build a root cellar before purchasing this book. In hind sight I probably should have done it the other way around. Anyway, this book gives all the in's and out's about root cellaring, and has been most helpful to me. Since I've read the book I have improved the ventilation in my root cellar. And it has learned me that I should have more than one. There seems to be no easy solution for storing everything together, it's always going to be a compromise. Temperature fluctuations, humidity, combinations of fruits and vegetables that don't like each other, it's a more complex matter then I like it to be. This book gives answers to most questions, and is very good at giving you alternatives when you either don't have the space, the right environment, or the money to get to an optimal situation. Even in less then ideal conditions you can do a lot in terms of storage, and the book is very good to point you in different directions. There is only one topic that I miss in this book. How to create a root cellar when you live in an area with a high ground water table. Not all of us live on hill sides or high in the mountains. In low lying areas you can't just dig and forget about groundwater. It would have been helpfull with a chapter dedicated to this situation. Otherwise, if you want to store fruits and vegetables, highly recommended.

This is exactly what we were looking for so we could build a root cellar and it also gives creative ways to use space you already have. Recipes are included in the back also. If you want to make your garden last through the winter read this book.

This book is the real deal! Truly authentic. Just like my Nonis cooking. Try the tortellini recpie and cookem in Chicken broth, en brodo! You will die and go to food heaven!

I love cookbooks, and I love to cook. I have an extensive library of cookbooks, and this one is absolutely one of the best. The instructions are clear, the food is exquisite, and, above all, this book is a pleasure to read. I love learning the history of the recipes, the anecdotes add to the enjoyment. This is by no means a basic cookbook, it is definitely for the cook who goes beyond the basics, and many of the recipes require a long list of ingredients and lots of time. The results, however, are well worth the effort, and, for those who enjoy cooking, this book is a must.

I used to work in a great italian restaurant. One of the books from the chef's library that stood out was this one. It has great recipes. Very true to the food. Close your eyes. Pick a recipe. Make it and its a hit!
I am one that LOOOOVES to "twik" recipes. With this book, there is no need.

This is a fantastic book. At first glance I set it aside as it looked labor-intensive, but as I tried it out I've had nothing but great results. Most recipies involve a *lot* of overall time and work, especially getting some of the ingredients (hard to find veal neck bones) but so far worth it!

Delicious.

I adore this book. I love sitting down just to read the histories and evolutions of dishes. And I love the actual recipes I've made so far from it.

But most importantly, I've learned not to be afraid to make homemade pastas thanks to Kasper's easy conversational style.

The pasta doughs are simple and forgiving, and the pastas are delicious, filling, and a huge cost and nutrition savings compared to packaged.

This book has been a life saver. This is the first year we have canned anything and we have actually canned 30 jars of tomatoes. This book provided so much useful information. The book arrived very shortly after it was ordered.

This book should be a Bible for those wanting to learn how to can and those who are experienced. A great tool for those who want to preserve. Not only are there complete instructions but there are wonderful recipes too!

This book was great! I have 2 other books which I read before receiving the Ball Book but I endended up using the Ball. The visuals and instructions helped the process move along like "Balls of Fire" smoothly. I highly recommend the Ball Book.

Amazon itself had a decent price for this book originally. Now they can't get it and want you to buy it from one of their partners for 21 bucks. You can get this book on multiple other websites in the seven dollar range, which includes shipping and handling.

I'm a first year canner and this book is great for me. The instructions are very clear as are the illustrations. There is a troubleshooting guide in the back with instructions for reprocessing--very handy!
There's lots of classic canning recipes as well as some contempory ones. A great variety. There are also sections for freezing and dehydrating. This will most likely be my second most used cookbook.

If I could give this book 6 stars I would. My children love this book and it is so much fun to read. The story is very interactive as the kids shout out "Salsa!" and "Ole!" etc. I have read this to my own children and groups of children and it never fails to capture everyone's attention (even the adults) and make everyone laugh. I don't think there has been a single time that I have read this book that I was not asked to please read it again, and again, and again..

Chicks and Salsa is a delight! Our little ones loved the story, funny names for familiar southwest food (Quackamole), and especially the refrain: "Olé."

Great gift book! We bought two as gifts for grandchildren, then two more for other friends, and finally one for the kindergarten teacher, along with a grocery gift card, since her classroom's certified for cooking. She loves it too. Chicks & Salsa's so ... "Ooo, la la!"

Wonderful read aloud. Illustrations are super and so is the vocabulary. You can't go wrong with this one. Wacky farm animals who are tired of the same old, same old. They are cooking up some interesting recipes. My daughter loved it and so did my 5th graders.

I picked this one up at the library because the title caught my attention. This book has been read every day since we checked it out, and had to buy our own copy. Wonderful illustrations and the cadence of the story is fun and easy for kids to get in to.

A pig can eat only so much slop. Fowl may need to part from their feed. Even a duck might tire of fish.

This is the premise of "Chicks and Salsa," a celebration of culinary diversity in general, salsa in particular. The "salsafication" of the farm animals is the brainchild of a rebellious rooster, although there's a rat (literal, not figurative) who--behind the scenes--supplies the ingredients. The rooster is the face of the salsa revolution, but the rat, lurking stealthily on most pages, is the muscle.

Like a great chef or musician, Aaron Reynolds riffs on salsa within a structured format. AS the zest for salsa spreads from one species to another, the recipes change. The rooster and chickens pick farm fresh (naturally) onions and tomatoes, the ducks dine on cilantro and garlic, and the pigs go for beans and chopped chilis. Paulette Bogan gives these mischievous animals distinctive personalities and emotion. She draws a bored chicken like no one else. A pig turns fier red after eating chilis, while another pig proudly juggles them. Bogan's seems to thrive on low-light scenes; the animals become luminescent, and their glow warms the barn and surrounding farmland. Her shadows and shadings use unusual color combinations, and the fiesta preparations are vivid and rich.

Sadly, the fiesta never takes place, as the humans, who finally wake up and smell the animals' spices, seize all the ingredients for a tamale entree entry at the state fair. The conclusion is a little bit abrupt, but it's clever: The rooster sneaks into the kitchen, and with the rat's help shifts from one cuisine to another, becoming a master at crepes. The fiesta turns into something of a salon, and--zut alors--the animals done "French" clothes, a bit of attitude, and share the hors d'ouevres. "Chicks and Salsa" is delightfully entertaining, with mugging animals and other silly stuff alternating with keenly observed humor. The very talented Bogan gives the reader a visual feast on every page; the animals look as welcoming as teddy bears. 34 pages long, with a book cover that can be made into a poster, and three recipes to try: "Hog Wild Nachos," "Quackamole," and "Rooster's Toasted Salsa."