Culinary Books

This is a must have book for food lovers. It is full of useful information. When I hear a term, I can come to this book and find out what it is before embarrassing myself.

I found this book in the bookstore and thought it would help me with a new job as a cook. Well, it did more then that because it discribes nearly every type of term you could come up with when you cook.

I like how it discribes a particular food item and it's best usage. For example apple: Which are better for baking, eating, and cooking.

There are charts for every conversion possible and tables galor to help you prepare better meals.

I think reading this book has made my cooking at home better because it make me less scared that I might not get the correct taste by using the wrong foods. They even go gover you meat seltion and where they come from. This great for desiding what and how to prepare it.

The good thing about this comprehensive guide, is that there are no recipes with some minor exceptions; like a rux. This is good because it is a guide, not a cookbook.

Enjoy

A marvelous book. Full of facts about food along with interesting related information. Truly a fun-to-read book as well as a valuable reference.

This is a great reference book for anyone who loves to cook or just has an interest in foods of the world. At date I have bought 12 of them and have given them as gifts to friends arouond the world.

For the past 4-5 years I've been trying to learn how to cook and of all the cooking books I have, this is one that is ALWAYS stuck between my desk and my kitchen for easy grabbing. No other book as been as handy as this, with the exception of my substitution book that sits right next to it.

It's also a great idea to include this in start kits for new cooks. Anytime one of my friends asks me what books they should get as starters I recommend this.

If you've read the Mitford Series, you will want this book. Even if you don't try any of the recipes, it's a fun book to read.

Absolutely beautiful cookbook - it appears brand new. I very much enjoyed the 9 of the Mitford Series novels, and didn't know if I would like the cookbook. But, I love it. It is filled with excerpts from the Mitford Series along with the many recipes that were so enticing as I read all the novels!! Very impressed with the condition of the book and the speed of the delivery. Thank you.

If you are a Father Tim, Cynthia, Puny or Esther Bolick fan, this book is a must. Not only will you be able to create the yummy foods found in the Mitford series, but passages from the book highlight the significance of many of the recipes.

If you have read the Mitford series, you will not want to miss this cookbook. The recipes are fantastic and the stories and characters that go along with them make you feel that you are right there in Mitford in someone's kitchen. This is definately a MUST for Southern cooks (and consumers).

This was a very unique cookbook. I recommend it to anyone who needs a little story to go with their newly created dish. I truly enjoyed reading this book.

Great Book! If you're looking for the hard to find ingredigents ie Invert Sugar try pastrychef.com.

This book is a gold mine of technics and recipes for chocolate lovers. There are multiple time saving technics and clear instructions. From beginners to experienced candy makers, the information contained will inspire.

I have literally been looking for a bit of information on sugar crystal candy for years, and I found it here. It was well stated and understandable. Wonderful book. Perhaps not for the person looking for pages and pages of recipes, but certainly for the person who wants to go behind the recipes, this is the place.

All you need to know about chocolate is in this book. It gives a review of all topics related and explains why chocolate is such an special ingredient in culinary arts.

Superb handmade and production based artisanal chocolate book. Everything under the sun and more. The recipes and techniques are outstanding. The flavor combos are delicious. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in chocolate making or a budding pastry chef or chocolatier.

This book is just amazing. Great help for those who want to master or learn the basic cooking techniques.

Le Cordon Bleu's Complete Cooking Techniques: the indispensable reference demonstrates over 700 illustrated techniques with 2,000 photos and 200 recipes

An excellent book, with easy to follow receipes and which allows you to see what the finish product should look like. Would recommend it to anyone.

This book is a "technique" book, plain and simple.

You will NOT find numerous recipes for dishes (there are a few), but you will find a blend of visual and textual descriptions about how to technically prepare foods.

This is a superb book if you are looking for clear, wonderful color photos depicting food selection, identification, and cutting techniques, ideas for preparation (forming mushrooms into flowers, etc), and other non-recipe food information that is ACTUALLY USEFUL to an amateur chef.

You will find a few general recipes, but overall this is a great way to visually observe how to perform a myriad of professional techniques.

As an avid cookbook collector I have used this cookbook as a basic for many years. I purchased another one for a friend. He owns a restaurant and uses this tool everyday. This is my go to book to find anything! Great for beginners to advanced cooks.

This is a great aid in really understanding how to do almost anything basic in the kitchen - from picking produce at precisely the right time to making cheese in your own home. This is not a cookbook - although some basic recipes are covered for the purpose of instruction.

I got this book and read it cover to cover in one sitting - I discovered I had been doing some things incorrectly or inefficiently, I drooled over the pictures of perfect produce, and really took in every bit of information it provided. The pictures are great and so helpful and the book serves as a great reference for how to do stuff you were never taught how to do.

For example, my mother who makes tasty comfort food, has never purchased fresh chicken or beef from the butcher - I grew up on frozen proteins purchased in bulk, so I never knew what to look for or what to ask for if I wanted to buy from the butcher's counter - I was too intimidated and therefore continued my mother's frozen bulk traditions. With this book as my guide, I am now more comfortable stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something new.

If the other Le Cordon Bleu's books are anything like this, I'm investing in the whole set. :)

This is the first volume of the two volume herbal set.If you like classical literature and recipes,you will enjoy reading this book.Also has information on tonics and liniments for various aliments.Methods of harvesting and chemical dosages are discussed.And preparation of the extracts and tinctures are detailed.Some illustrations,from the root to the bud,are drawn clearly.Folk tales and cosmetic aspects are included.It's a bit old-fashioned ,yet it reads like an enchanting medieval Herbal Arthurian text. If you're a serious student of herbalism and classical studies,then you'll find this botanical set engrossing reading.

I enjoy this book because it has so many plants in it, even plants we don't usually consider herbs. It gives a lot of info about each plant listed. Very good!

Wish this was back in print in one volume but glad I was able to pick this up. One of the most invaluble resources I have give tons of wonderful information very comprehensive...love it. Only wish the pics of the plants were with each description instead of in their own lil groups.

I received my book in excellent condition and in very short order. I am pleased to add it to my library and am sure it will be well-used.

Although I preferred the older verison this is great for the beginner and advnce alike.

I was thoroughly disgusted to read the baseless criticisms of this superb cookbook. It is precisely to obtain an accurate account of the cookery of this region along with first-rate recipes that one needs to own "Recipes and Remembrances." Although Claudia Roden's "A New Book of Middle Eastern Food" is better than Paula Wolfert's "The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean," when it comes to recipes and text neither can approach "Recipes and Remembrances" in quality. I have cooked extensively from many Middle Eastern cookbooks, including these three, and I can honestly say that Uvezian's book upholds the highest standards of eastern Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cooking and is in a class by itself.

This is an absolutely wonderful cookbook that provides a wide range of authentic, workable recipes that make use of healthful and readily available ingredients. Both the text and illustrations are fascinating, the glossary alone is worth the purchase price, and there are also valuable menu and serving suggestions. Highly recommended!

A gastronomic find, especially for those who evaluate the quality of their lives in terms of what they eat. Uvezian's dedication to excellence is apparent on every page. Impressively authentic recipes and outstanding culinary background information make this richly illustrated volume enormously useful to both professional chefs and home cooks.

Another great cookbook by this author is "The Cuisine of Armenia."

`Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen' by Sonia Uvezian, a native of Beirut, Lebanon, and a leading culinary journalist on Middle Eastern cuisines, is both a personal and scholarly account of food history and modern practice from the Arab (and other) traditions of Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.

The very best thing about the book is the mix of scholarly history, personal observations, and culinary content. While the scholarly aspect is firmly grounded in copious footnotes and a five page bibliography, mostly of 19th and early 20th century travelogues and histories, it is neatly tucked away, below the level of our stream of consciousness read of the excellent prose. The personal observations have all the richness of an upper class native, whose family could afford a country house up in the mountains east of Beirut, and also afford all of the best ingredients, and were familiar with the full range of the cuisine of the Levant.

All this makes the book very different from the long-standing authority on cooking of the Levant, Paula Wolfert's celebrated `The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean'. Not only is the approach different, but Ms. Uvezian does not even cite Ms. Wolfert, even though Wolfert's well-known book was published five years before Ms. Uvezian's volume. Ms. Uvezian also does not cite the other great writer on eastern Mediterranean cooking, Claudia Roden, with her `The New Book of Middle Eastern Food'. I point this out not as a criticism, but as an indication that Ms. Uvezian has much of her own thing to say and does not need references to other modern culinary writers. I compared Ms. Uvezian's recipes with those from Mme. Wolfert, and was surprised to find little overlap there, even in the very well defined realm of breads. All this adds up to the conclusion that if you have an interest in Arab cooking of the Levant, you would do well to get both books (although if your interest is strictly culinary, Ms. Wolfert has a slight edge, as she is the better writer, and has an extremely good eye for describing recipes, even if they were not learned at her mother's knee.)

Ms. Uvezian gives us a lucid description of the history the culinary history and landscape of Arab, Turkish, Druse, Persian, and French influences on the cooking of the Levant. It should be no surprise that in spite of the presence of Israel smack dab in the middle of this region, ancient Hebrew and modern Jewish food traditions are not covered, although there are shelves of other books dedicated to this subject.

This cuisine is part of the greater Mediterranean world of food, with some very important differences from the western (European) Mediterranean of Spain, France, and Italy. First, there is no charcuterie to speak of, since there is the prohibition against eating pork. Thus, there is also no cooking with lard; however, the rich sources of olive oil and nut oils make this absence virtually unnoticed. And, butter is more important than in pig-rich Spain and southern Italy. Next, there is no cooking with wine, due to the Muslim prohibition against alcoholic beverages. And, cheese (especially hard aged cheese) is largely replaced by yoghurt (The primary hard cheeses mentioned are kashkawan, imported from Turkey or Rumania and the famous Italian Parmesan). On the positive side, there is far more cooking with sugar and other sweet products such as dried fruit. While the Italians give little thought to sweet desserts, the Arabs of the Levant love sweet desserts and pastries. They also make much heavier use of spice mixtures, based on their being closer to the source, and somewhat under the influence of the great Indian tradition of spice mixtures. Where the great French cuisine can muster but two named spice mixtures, the Levant has a dozen or more.

While the book is subtitled `A culinary journey through Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan', the direction of the text is oriented more toward a historical rather than a geographical perspective, with each chapter giving an historical overview of how various food lines evolved.

One of the great surprises, given the absence of a tradition of bars, taverns, or other alcoholic dispensers, is the tradition of Mazza, virtually identical in social and culinary function as the tapas of Spain, the merende of Italy, and the mezze of Greece and Turkey. The typical mazza spread looks remarkably like all those other traditions, with ample portions of olives, spiced nuts, fresh fruits and bread-based bites, but without the salamis and hams and wide variety of cheeses. In the place of cheese there is the rich variety of seed and eggplant-based dips plus yoghurt preparations.

Like the very best studies of Italian, Spanish, and French regional cooking, the book includes chapters on virtually every corner of the culinary landscape, including chapters on Appetizers; Salads; Soups; Dairy Products and Dishes; Egg Dishes; Fish and Shellfish; Poultry and Game Birds; Meat; Kibbeh; Stuffed Vegetables and Fruits; Grains and Pasta; Vegetables and Fruits; Sauces Marinades, Garnishes, and Stuffings; Pickles and Preserves; Breads and Savory Pastries; Desserts; and Beverages.

The book includes a list of middle-Eastern food markets from practically every state; however, these are only in major cities, and there are no Internet sources. If your family is from this region, this book is satisfying oasis of great culinary history, lore, and recipes. For all others, it's a great supplement to Ms. Wolfert's famous volume.

While I haven't cooked a tremedous amount of food out of this book yet, it is probably the first cookbook that I have read more than once. It is some wonderful information on the people, history and food of the Levant. It goes through how the different groups in the Middle East serve and prepare food. Talks about the influence of foreign powers on the food and culture. I really enjoyed this book. It's only flaw if that it is long and difficult to wade through if you just in the mood to cook a simple Middle Eastern dish. One of the strengths is the spice mixes. I keep the prepared spice mixes in my cupbard within easy reach and use them a lot.

You will love this book . It's fool proof . Let it guide you . Just follow the instructions . Start creating your own from here . (why 100 and not 86 or 105.3 ?)

Book of Soups: More than 100 Recipes for Perfect Soups A great all around soup cookbook. Basics to elegant. You won't be disappointed

I purchased this book a few years ago when it was first published. At that time, I let a lady at work borrow it because she really liked to cook soups. She made several recipes and told me how great they were every time. Needless to say, I never got the book back and have since left the company. Recently, I ordered another copy for myself and thus far, have made quite a few of the recipes, which were all great. The book is structured very well, easy to understand, and breaks down the different soup categories; e.g., cream, cold, etc. The photos are also very attractive. This is a Culinary Institute of America cookbook, so we know that it will be a great addition to any cook's library. I have several other books published by them: Vegetables; Grilling; One-dish Meals.

I am a pretty good cook and I can prepare very good soups. I bought this book without a lot of expectations. I made one soup: Mushroom - barley; to be honest I was surprised how good it came. It was very simple recipe, but taste was good enough for high rating restaurant.

This book is fantastic. In fact, the recipe for the most delicious soup I've ever had -- Minnesota Wild Rice Soup (with carrots, celery, leeks, heavy cream, and white wine) came out of this book. Of course, I may be a bit biased, being a Minnesota girl, but I don't think so.

Dang it, now I'm hungry for soup.

I've been delighted with this book. After leafing through it at a bookstore, I bought it even though it seemed a little pricey, because its recipes seemed so interesting and it was so visually beautiful. With most cookbooks, I've found that the quality of the recipes has varied, but with this book very dish I've tried has been a winner. One of the things I find especially helpful is that the recipes call for ingredients that I can find locally (I live in the rural midwest, which can be very limited in its culinary offerings).

It's hard to find recipe books on Arab cuisine. In quality, I rate this book up there with Claudia Roden's "A New Book of Middle Eastern Cuisine" (although the latter book is far more encyclopedic in coverage). That pretty much says it all.

So many recipes & history. I love this book. Everyone that saw it wanted one too.

The Arab Table by Mary Bsisu is a must have for anyone interested in Middle Eastern cooking.

I have read the other reviews and agree that it is a 5 star book.

One thing of note---one of the other reviewers criticized Bsisu for citing too many contributors to her book. Why? She had her own recipes and if she collected recipes from others that indicates only that she knows a good recipe when she finds it and if she felt that it belonged in her book than good for her for adding it, it can only benefit us the readers.

I used to live in the caribbean and made perfect baklava there many times. When I came back to the States all my batches of baklava were ruined by sugar syrup that had crystallized by the next day. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what was going on and wondered if it had something to do with the humidity?!?! My sister in law cooks her sugar syrup for 10 minutes, my mother in law for an hour, so I knew it had to be something scientific, maybe due to temperature not length of time cooked. Neither my MIL or SIL could explain it.

WHile reading BSISU's cookbook (it makes fine reading even when you don't have anything particular you want to look up), i came across a recipe for Kunafa bi Jibin, or Shredded Pastry with Cheese. In this recipe, she gave instructions on making the sugar syrup, including " Let the syrup boil until it has reached the thread stage (about 225 on a candy thermometer)". HELLO! this was my mistake and this is the ONLY cookbook i have seen this mentioned in out of many, many middle eastern/greek cookbooks. So I applaud her (and THANK her because imagine making a whole pan of baklava only to have it ruined by the next day---heartbreak). BUT, to the subject of the other reviewers comments about her book being a collaboration of recipes from many people, I have to point out that the ONLY place this temperature is mentioned is in the Kunafa with cheese recipe, not the Sugar syrup recipe (which is on the page before), or the baklava recipe, or the regular konafa recipe. I do think that this is an omission because such a simple instruction should have definitely been in the sugar syrup recipe, and the fact that it is not leads me to believe that the recipes came from different people or sources.

Anyhow, the price of the book definitely pays for itself just for saving my baklava.

The explanations of customs and holy days are interesting and entertaining, and nowadays any book that can shed light (in a positive way) on how arab/middle eastern people live can only help to broaden the understanding between people which will benefit us all.

Very comprehensive, representing the best of Arab culinary traditions. Explains ingredients and methods well, makes it easy for people in the U.S. to find ingredients or get the same result using "western" ingredients. Would recommend to friends who have never made Arabic dishes before.

I found this book to be a turn-off mainly because it lacks illustrations. I hope the next edition will take care of this major flaw of otherwise a decent effort.

Here you will find mouthwatering recipes I know you will want to try. This book makes a good read and you'll be baking with it for years. This is a book to hand down to your children. I love it.

I'm very satisfied with my purchase of this cookbook. Being of Norwegian decent, it was very nice to see recipies from my fathers homeland. I've already made 2 things out of the cookbook, and can't wait to go home and make something for my father to bring back some memories to him.

I've purchased and read a variety of cook books over the years and have always had an interest in European traditions and cooking. This is one of the best baking books I've come across! Its definately the best european cookbook I've come across to date. Its got U.S measurements, easy to read recipes, a good variety of recipes, and interesting notations about the cultures.


I give it 4 stars instead of 5 because some of the intricate braiding recipes could have had better illustrations/instructions and I'm overwhelmed by some of the recipe sizes. (For example, Some recipes make 3 loaves of bread, or 4 dozen cookies.)

This is the best most complete Scandinavian baking book that I have ever come across that is published in English. It has many recipes that my Great Grandmother brought over from the old country (Denmark), just not all her familie's special variations. The recipes are easy to follow and always come out tasting great. Many of them taste just like you were sitting at a Cafe in Kopenhagen and any of the recipes in this book will enrich your gifts of Christmas cookies and make you a big hit at the holiday parties.

The Great Scandinavian Baking Book is an addictive collection of recipes from author Beatrice Ojakangas. From Cardamom Coffeebread (Pulla) and Sweet Cream Waffles to Danish Strawberry Scones (Kraemmerhuse) and almond glazed Swedish Tea Rings (Vetekrans), once you start baking from this book you'll have a hard time putting it away. I was delighted with everything I made and appreciated how Ojakangas introduced me to the many delectable ways Scandinavians use cardamom in their baking. Her recipes are easy to follow and accompanied by conversational intros that share cultural tidbits or serving tips. Although there are no photos in this book, when more complicated steps are required to complete a recipe the how-to portion is frequently illustrated with helpful diagrams. The lack of photographs is really the only thing about it I didn't absolutely adore about the book, which will make a welcome addition to any kitchen and is appropriate for beginner and experienced bakers alike. You'll revel in the heavenly aromas emanating from your oven, not to mention the baked goods you'll soon be enjoying with a cup of hot coffee or tea.

Chapters: Breads for Meals, Breads for Coffeetime, Cookies and Little Cakes, Cakes and Tortes, Pastries and Pies, Savory Pies and Filled Breads. Chapters about mail order sources, baking tips and ingredients are also included.

I was very satisfied with the speed of shipping with this product. Everything has been working out great!

The book I ordered was brand new, and even cheapier than the used books at my college. I am a Culinary Arts Student. The books came within a few days. What a great find!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am using this book as a reference in the culinary program at Grossmont College. Good book, with lots of tips for the professional baker as well as student baker.

It's a great book, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to make fine pastries, cakes, chocolates etc.

I gave this book to my daughter when she was promoted to pastry chef at a Boca Raton private club. She said it was very helpful and had a lot of ideas she used on the job.
Then she quit that job to sell resturant equipment. It pays better.