Stewart Books

This is one of our most used cookbooks in our house. The Cajun Meat Loaf and the Shrimp Ragout are outstanding. Takes some time but it is worth every minute. I agree with others that the title is somewhat misleading as dieters are likely to look into the book. I find that when I entertain one of her dishes is always on the table. Have recommended this book to all of my friends that love to cook.

I am an avid cookbook collector and cook, and I am not kidding when I say that this is one of my most often used and enjoyed cookbooks. It was given to me by a dear friend, I would never have bought a low-calorie cookbook on my own. This is not a great low-calorie cookbook, it is a great cookbook, period.

There are wonderful recipes for a home smoked salmon, a great Irish Soda Bread, and a few brilliant ideas for duck that have become favorites in my house.

I love her general approach to eating. She does not promote the use of "diet" ingredients like margarine or artificial sweeteners, but encourages judicious use of the real thing. She has tested the recipes carefully to determine just how much of the "fattening" ingredients are necessary to make a dish, like cassoulet, for example, taste good without the outrageous amount of fat that is usual for that dish. She also provides nutritional info for each recipe.

My only concern about this book is that the only readers who are likely to look at it (because of the title) are dieters, and that's a shame because it's likely to be appealing to a much broader readership is they only knew to check it out!

I love everything about this book - the pictures, the recipes, the low-fat aspect of it! This is a fabulous cookbook period, lowfat or not! Actually because it is a lowfat cookbook, the delicious recipes deserve even more credit. This is the only lowfat cookbook I have that actually consistently delivers delicious results that do not in the least bit taste lowfat.

The other reviews are on target: this book is full of great food that never feels like "diet" food. I would recommend Sally Schneider's work to anyone who loves to cook, especially to tackle "project" cooking, but is looking for tricks for cutting fat and calories.

That being said, I was a little disappointed when I received this book. I already owned the much larger, more recent "A New Way to Cook," and most of the recipes in this volume (especially the best ones) are repeated in that one.

Not to say these aren't great, but A New Way to Cook is a far superior book: vast collection of recipes with tips on changing them by taste and availability of ingredients, plus a huge chapter on sauces, techniques, marinades and the like, etc.

So between the 2, I would definitely recommend A New Way to Cook.

As for this book, I've enjoyed the cajun meat loaf, though I usually modify just a little (eg., add green peppers back in) and the greens and rice. I tried the soda bread, and maybe I made mistakes, but it came out heavy and dry. Reminded me of that scene from About a Boy where he hits the duck with the loaf of bread.

I too would've never bought this book based on the title. Lucky me, a friend gave it as a present. Ok, favorite recipe: the roast chicken with a pierced lemon in its cavity is so tasty, I dare you pass up on the skin! I make it all the time. Oh, and it works with a small orange just as well. Then there's the polenta recipes, and the chicken pot pie...

God bless this woman because she loves food and finds ways to prepare delicious food that's healthy. She's experimented plenty in order to deliver flavorful recipes for dishes that are low in fat, sodium and calories. I think anyone who loves food and cooking should own this book. And anyone who's on a restricted diet should definitely try this cookbok.

Finally, I have to say that I think Maria Robledo is the best food photographer in the business. It's impossible to look at her pictures and not feel like making and/or eating the food in them. It's no wonder that they've teamed up again. Bravo to both women on an excellent cookbook!

As one reviewer mentions, this guide fits nicely into the big empty, underserved middle of guidebooks that cater neither to broke backpackers or the wealthy. It leans toward the lower end with its inclusion of hostels in the accommodations section, but overall it's a nice alternative to the extremes. I suppose Rick Steve and Frommer cover the midrange budget too, but this one does so with much more originality--its choices are usually a bit less bland or stuffy than those guides.

The guide is particularly welcome in its choices of many interesting cafes, bars and restaurants I did not find in any other guidebooks, including great casual and non-budget breaking neighborhood places for food, and small, atmospheric, authentic cafes frequented by ordinary locals, rather than the usual Paris choice of moneyed professional locals or tourists.

The guides to sights and neighborhoods are, on the other hand, disappointing, for the most part repeating standard guidebook recommendations or, worse, stating the obvious (we recommend you see the Eiffel tower!).

But the goods more than outweigh the bads. (With the exception of the astonishingly obnoxious cover--nothing can make up for that atrocity.)

There are unfortunately only two main kinds of travel books written in the English language today. You have the scruffy, nasty travel book that expects you to hitch hike, stay in hostels and wear a back pack. Think, "Lonely Planet" or "Let's Go." Then there are the ones that contain many color photos and only lists five star anything in five star cities; I suspect such things are written for wealthy retirees, or people who wish they were. Both kinds of travel book are pretty much useless to me.
I want travel books which tell me interesting things to do, and don't assume I'm going to live like a jerk on my trip abroad. I want a damn Vacation Book. Avant Guide writes the kinds of travel books I want. I've read all the ones they've published (unfortunately, too few). The Paris one is excellent. The descriptions are colorful, informative and useful, as are the maps. They do not assume I am a millionaire with a Yacht, or a wannabe Hobo who enjoys living like a dirtbag. Instead, they write for the rest of us: young professionals who might visit a city for a week or two. The franchise is small enough they are able to maintain the quality. Hopefully they stay that way.

I just got back from my first trip ever to Paris and sadly, had to leave my copy with a friend who lives there. In short, this guide was so good, so comprehensive, honest, easy to read and understand that she wanted it for herself. (And my copy wasn't even the current one!) I bought four other guide books "just in case" and found them useless compared to this one. I can't wait to buy other Avant-Guides for future trips.

I must say that when a friend gave me this Paris guide as a Christmas present last year I thought "oh great, another guide book." Once I started reading it, and after the first time I put the book down, I found myself obsessing about my trip to Paris. This guide is written in an unusually fun and kicky style - which is a big difference from other travel books. Wandering around Paris I found the information about each of the restaurants and bars was spot on. And better yet, I didn't feel so much like a tourist. This guidebook was the most useful I have ever come across! So I just wanted to let everyone know - superb guidebook. I'm certainly going to grab the Avant-Guide London for my next trip there. Maybe it will even change my opinion of that town!

This was the best guide that I've ever used for truly gaining a native's perspective of a city. (An almost impossible task in a tourist's timeframe!) I found Avant's information easy to get at, funny to read, and amazingly accurate for finding the hot spots, and also some hidden beauties I would have overlooked. The only major negative was the book's weight. Heavy paper stock and lots of photos definitely made you aware it's with you. After a few successful outings, I had friends from Paris asking to keep my book when I went home!!!

This is such a great book. Like everyone else I read it more or less in one very long sitting, with a few breaks for sleep. Happened to see the movie "Center Stage" many years later -- a very nice movie that lifts its story directly from "Ballerina" -- but note that Edward Stewart is not given any movie credit whatsoever. Such is Hollywood, I guess. Booo.

My grandma bought this book for me years ago at a yard sale and I read it when I was still in high school. I'm a college dance major and believe this is one of the best books written in the dance field. The story line is as close to reality as you can get. The ballet vocabulary is well understood and is easily picked up by even readers who know little about the subject. Everyone will enjoy reading this book.

Hello amazon-ers! I consider myself an avid reader. I have read many different books, relating to many different topics.


This masterpiece stands out consideriablly. I read this 514 page novel in 3 days. It was utterly fantastic and made me cry at certain parts.

If you are even remotely interested in dance- either as a dancer, a preformer, or an audience member...then reading this fantastic book is an absolute must!


believe me....you WILL NOT regret it :D

This book painted the difficult life of a dancer with exquisite style and harsh realism. Edward Stewart has created a wonderful read in this book. It's impossible to put it down! For anyone involved firsthand in the ballet world, it's a must-read; for all the ballet illiterate--by the time you finish, you will be able to speak with authority and confidence on the subject. Very, very good book, and I'm saddened to see it's gone out of print.

I picked this book up at second book sale - lucky me! I didn't know much about the world of ballet when I started but certainly knew more by the time I had finished. Well written, I could easily get involved with the characters' emotions. I ended up feeling sorry yet joyful for all the main characters at the conclusion, especially Stephanie and Christine. It is well worth reading if you can get hold of a copy. I think it is a shame it has gone out of print.

As someone who has been through a blood stem cell transplant, I can not emphasize enough how helpful and informative this book was. I was fortunate to have "found" it before the procedure and it provided me with information that not only helped me make informed decisions, but also went into enough detail so I understood how I was going to benefit from a transplant and what I was going to go through.

I consider this must reading for anyone facing this medically and emotionally complex process.

Bone Marrow and Blood Stem Cell Transplants: A Guide for Patients is well written and comprehensive in its coverage of the transplant process. I was fortunate enough to be a stem cell donor and this book helped me understand what I would be going through when donating, but more importantly it helped me understand what a transplant recipient must go through.

I wish this book had been written 15 years ago when my daughter had a bone marrow transplant for AML leukemia. It explains in clear but sensitive language not only the procedure but answers the myriad of questions that confront a patient's family.

This book should be required reading for healthcare providers prior to working with transplant patients. As a healthcare provider, I found the information in this book to be invaluable in explaining the transplant process. This book covers all aspects of the patient's experience from diagnosis through coming home and the post-transplant years.

People who have told me how helpful this book is are right! It explains the procedures so that those who aren't medical professionals can understand them. It explains how to understand test results, much of what the transplant patient will go through, and how to deal with the side effects and ramifications. It even offers suggestions of ways to help out patients and their caregivers and family!

I have never seen a more comprehensive, down-to-earth book about this subject. My friends and I strongly recommend it.

This book is great for ways to help "blended" families celebrate both Chanukah and Christmas in a way that does not short change either celebration. Lots of crafts and recipes that the children can use to help them understand that it is possible to respect and enjoy both of their parents religion. I am glad I bought it. They will be glad to receive it.

I love this book! At first I thought it was just a humor book, but although it is quite funny, it also has a serious purpose. It really has a lot of information about how to create a holiday to celebrate during December that both members of a Jewish-Christian interfaith couple can be happy with. It has recipes and lot of other ideas and information. It actually has instructions for making a dreidel out of clay and playing dreidel, as well as recipes for Shirley Temple Emanuel and Meshuggeh Nog Latte, as well as a good list of famous half-Jews. It also has a great glossary with definitions like "Kibbitz: To chat, gab, engage in frivolous conversation. What WASPs like to do during cocktail hours before the holiday dinner. Not to be confused with kibbutz, a farm in Israel." A great gift for interfaith couples or people with interfaith couples in their family who have an interest in and sense of humor about religion.

THE BEST, MOST HILARIOUS--AND USEFUL--BOOK EVER FOR MIXED FAITH FOLKS WHO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS AND HANNUKAH WITH DOUBLE-THE-FUN FANFARE! FOR EVERYONE WHO KNOWS THE JOYS AND OYS OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON, THIS BOOK VALIDATES, ENRICHES, ENTERTAINS, AND IS SO FUNNY EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, "YULE PLOTZ!"

This book fits my life...I decorate our Chrismukkah tree with menorahs as well as colorful glass balls. The wreath on our door has dreidels on it instead of pine cones and holly. Our daughter looks forward to both lighting the tree AND the Hanukkah candles. There are lots of funny tips and trivia about those who also celebrate both holidays in December. The author also has a self-published cookbook with lots of hilarious and yummy recipes - [...]

I've only said that a couple times in my life. Gompertz treats the subject with insanely clever humor and heart and is a top-notch writer. This isn't just a gimmick; it's clear this guy really cares about Jews and Gentiles embracing and carrying on their own traditions...together.

I'm getting this book for all my interfaith couple friends (and the list is growing). What a terrific gift for the holiday season!

The book is very helpful, especiallly formatted for the comic book fan. It is also great because of how it is organized. I think it is as good as Overstreet.

I picked up this book simply because I was interested in pricing my comicbook collection. Imagine my surprise when I read the wonderful editorial on heroes (both real-world, and the four-color kind) as well as the moving tribute to those heroes of the 9/11 tragedy. I highly recomend this book to everyone!

If you are looking for a great price guide to price out your comicbook collection, then this is the book for you! Fair, realistic pricing, and fine editorial content as well

As always, the Team of Malloy, Wells, and Sodaro bring sanity and clarity to the multi-tiered world of comicbook prices. This guide has consistently ranked as one of the best price guides on the market. Malloy truly has a handle on what stuff is truly worth. This edition is especially relevant in the post 9/11 world, as it contains a pair of stirring tributes to "Heroes" (both the four-color and the real-world kind). I heartily recommend this book

The 2007 edition of Comics Values Annual from Krause Publications is out and it continues to get better and better each and every year. This book gains momentum every year as an alternative to the more well-known Overstreet price guide. The main problem with Overstreet is the endless pages of dealer ads that grow longer each year. Who needs 150 pages of dealer ads anyway? Do people really order that many comics from dealers, especially with eBay? I also don't need the dozens of pages of dealer market reports that are basically already stale by the time the book comes out.I just want prices and information, which is what Comics Values Annual 2007 delivers in a no-frills package.

This edition gives a brief introduction on the industry, a grading guide, and features an interview with artist Joe Jusko. The CV Annual is very different from the Overstreet in its layout, Rather than simply list each title alphabetically, this guide lists titles alphabetically by MAJOR publisher beginning with DC and then continuing with Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, Classics Illustrated, and then tossing in miscellaneous Golden Age titles, Misc. B & W, titles, and misc. color titles from modern publishers like Valiant, Gold Key, Gladstone, Malibu, etc...Now this may not be to every collector's liking as we've been conditioned to one type of delivery, but I personally like it. I mean it's still a Marvel and DC world to most collectors, especially in regards to Silver and Golden Age books so why have to thumb through all the junk no one's interested in when Marvel and DC have their own sections.

Another big difference between the CV Annual 2007 and Overstreet is that this book only lists the NM price per issue while the Overstreet gives three prices. I can go either way on this one. On one hand, it's nice to have all three major grades listed. On the other hand, it's not all that hard to calculate the price yourself based on the grade. Plus, Overstreet has to end up using a miniscule typeface to fit all those prices in the book.

I think the biggest advantage of the CV Annual is that instead of listing a range of issue numbers, it lists each title number by number. This allows for more information to be supplied such as story arc name, character appearance, artist credits, etc. This is a BIG plus!

If you want a price guide that gets right down to it without all the fluff and waste, I cannot recommend the Comics Values Annual 2007 any more highly!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

I own this book, and my friend keeps trying to steal it away!

I was desperately trying to get her a copy for herself, but to no avail...

Bring it back!!

please- a friend has it and I am tired of borrowing

We purchased this cookbook several years ago and liked it so much we purchased 5 or 6 more for friends! Ingredients are easy to find and recipes are quick, simple, and DELICIOUS!

I have a friend who would like a copy, and I have been searching for her, but now find the book is out of print...

PLEASE reprint. This is a GREAT cookbook!

I saw a friends and what a great cookbook. It has fantastic recipes and are easy to follow. Even a beginner could not go wrong with the recipes The author Jillian Stewart did a great job. Unfortunatly I tried to purchase it and the publisher is out of stock. I would love for them to make it available again. I would like a copy for myself and to purchase as gifts.

This is an excellent cookbook with detailed instructions and beautiful full color pictures for every recipe. Highly recommended for any cook from the novice to the advanced!

I have always been a Delia fan. This book maintains the typical high standards.

Very pleased with the book and extrenely pleased with Amazon and the service they offered in replacing a damaged copy.

This certainly not the be all and end all of vegetarian cooking (I am an omnivore) - indeed many things Delia sees as suitable for vegetarians apparently must all contain cheese of some sort; that can get a little tedious at times I must admit! And what about vegans?

That said, for dealing with basic vegetables and some interesting accompaniments for meats or for enjoying alone, I think nobody should be without this book in their library. Wonderfully illustrated with clear, concise instructions. Highly recommended, as are all of Delia Smith's cookery books.

This is the one that you should really own above all others. Being of English stock, I was brought up with Delia all my life. to be short and sweet, the recipes are inspiring easy and very tatsty. I am not a vegetarian but would be more than happy to make most of these recipes for myself.
If you really want to cook something that is different from your average American recipes, this is the one to buy.

Well worth paying the extra money for.

While this was not my first vegetarian cookbook, it does rate among my favourites - for those nights when I have a bit of spare time on my hands.

The book itself is beautiful, with a solid hardbound cover, thick smooth pages, and absolutely gorgeous photography. The pages are crisp and vibrant, and the design is elegant and reader-friendly. The makers of this edition had an eye for quality and for readability.

The food is in keeping with the care put into designing this book. I've prepared quite a few of the recipes therein and have had fantastic results - and I'm no gourmet chef. The food is incredible. The only cautions I would give are as follows: (a) it's not an everyday cookbook... some recipes are complex, and some take quite a bit of time and patience to prepare; (b) some of the ingredients are a bit rare, or don't translate well from UK to Canadian terms; and (c) there is no nutritional information accompanying the recipes - but looking at the ingredients suggests an overall moderate to high fat content.

That said, the recipes are more than worth the time and effort. And we all need a little sweet in our diets. You do, however, have to enjoy cooking to fully appreciate this book.

A final disclaimer: this book is ovo-lacto-vegetarian, and uses eggs, milk and cheese in a good number of its recipes.

-Whether you work from home on a daily basis or simply want somewhere to put your home computer, you will need an efficient space where you can work. In 12 stylish projects, described and illustreated in simple step-by-step sequences, Easy Home Improvement: Your Home Office shows you how to organize your space--from clever storage silutions to desk and printer units designed to suit your own requirements. All projects graded for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels and contain full materials lists and measurements, combined with expert advice.

Okay, I know this author and I'm crazy about him. I am not what you'd call an accomplished cook, and further, I live smack in the middle of white bread country in an area where mainly Jewish people eat Jewish food and mostly in the privacy of their homes. I might not know about kreplach, kugels, and knishes, except from the Jewish folks I went to college with, and subsequently, from the few Jewish restaurants here in St. Louis, where shiksas like me go to eat exotically. On the other hand, I own a lot of cookbooks and really do use some of them on a regular basis. I watch Food TV on a fairly regular basis and pull recipes off food.com. I like to discover new (Okay, they're usually only new to me!) dishes and test them on my family and friends. Most important, I eat-a lot. While these facts hardly make me a food critic, they do make me feel completely qualified and objective in my decision to award this book all five stars.

1st star: For recipes that are easy to follow and that include vivid descriptions of the finished products. Further, a trip to my local chain grocery store confirmed that the ingredients are not difficult to find.

2nd star. For recipes that deliver, use fresh ingredients, and offer tips for simplifying preparation and also for amplifying flavors and textures. I made Petti di Pollo alle Erbe on the first night I owned this book. It was a good training dish for a Jewish food novice like me--very easy, and the recipe encourages herbs of your choice. I chose thyme and oregano and my family of five proclaimed it truly sumptuous. So encouraged, I made Potato Kugel-my first kugel ever-on the very next day, and it was another hit. The caramelized onions really rock! Next weekend I have to entertain a houseful of friends and relatives and guess what we're having? Probably one of the featured briskets, but I'm dying to try one of the meatball recipes. Conclusion: Even a tentative cook like myself can turn out a great dish using this book. I can't wait to try more.

3rd star. There is a wide selection of recipes; in fact, all the great Jewish dishes you might expect are here, along with many treasures. Recipes are presented from different countries-29 to be exact-and often offer more than one variety of a specific dish.

4th star. This book has been designed with use in mind-lots of clean, white space and good-sized, readable typefaces, making it a great choice for folks who like to write in their books (God forbid!), and those who are visually challenged. There are sections devoted to Poultry, Meat, Appetizers, etc., making it a cinch to find recipes and plan meals around the foods in your pantry-not the case with too many other cookbooks. Also, the ingredients are smartly listed like sidebars alongside the step-by-step instructions, a layout that makes a lot more sense than the usual manner of listing them above the instructions and forcing impatient readers like me to look up and down, up and down...

5th star. What's really special about this book is its lovely collection of essays, which are truly every bit as delicious as the food. They appear in the front of each section and before every recipe and they provide insights and anecdotes that touch on the geography, history, and culture of the people who originated the dishes. They also offer how-tos on cooking and tasting, and even a few savory tidbits from Goodman's own life and experiences. They make this book a treasure to own, and in contrast with most cookbooks, a pleasure for even a culinary proletarian to read, cover to cover.

As entertaining as it is practical, Jewish Food: The World at Table would make a lovely gift for Jew or Gentile-for anyone who enjoys cooking, eating, and a very nice story. I intend to give several to friends and family this year. I pre-ordered my own copy months ago and I'm thrilled to be among the first to own it. I'm already looking forward to Matthew Goodman's next book, and also hold onto the hope that he'll come to St. Louis soon and sign my copy of this one!

This volume is almost two books in one. One part is a story of the Jewish diaspora told from the standpoint of the foods they had in their new lands. This takes the form of a series of essays that discuss the movement of food with the people. As they went to new places, they encountered new ingrediants and couldn't get others. The food had to change accordingly. These essays give a history of some of these changes and are fascinating to see how foods develop through change.

The other part of the book is a cookbook of Jewish dishes from around the world. Of course there are the old standbys, mostly originating in the middle east. But the variety is what is striking here, you wouldn't think of Bombay curried fish as being a Jewish dish. What about Mexican Baked Blintzes -- what, you don't usually put poblano peppers in your blintzes. Then there's sweet and sour pot roast, brisket with coca-cola and many, many more.

This is an unexpected book because so many Jewish cookbooks only have the traditionals and here there is so much more, and the stories to go with the dishes.

Author of Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes from the Rabinowitz Family

from the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
April 15, 2005

When the El-Ghriba synagogue in Tunisia was bombed by Al Qaeda in 2002, the fragile remnant of a once thriving Jewish community was even further shattered.

"The Tunisian Jewish community is one of the oldest continuous Jewish communities in the world," said Matthew Goodman, author of "Jewish Food: The World at Table," from his home in Brooklyn, "and the site of El-Ghriba was one of the most ancient, going back, I believe, to the fifth century B.C.E. As of 1948 there were 100,000 Jews in Tunisia. Today there are fewer than 2,000."

As the "Food Maven" columnist at The Forward, Goodman used his reporting skills to search out diverse cuisines of far-flung, once vital centers of Jewish life, some now on the brink of extinction.

"What I tried to do with this book was to locate and preserve food traditions from communities around the world that are today endangered because the communities themselves are endangered," he said. "So many of them weren't able to survive the 20th century or survive only in the most attenuated form."

More than 170 recipes, some of which have never before been written down, document the rich and varied Jewish culture of 29 countries, linked by law and ritual, yet distinguished by unique customs, traditions and celebrations, the history of a people told through its food.

But what is Jewish food? Can it even be defined?

"There are very few dishes that are shared by all Jewish communities around the world," Goodman noted, "only two or three, and only one shared ingredient, matzah. You couldn't define a cuisine based entirely on matzah. Jewish food is food that has been made by Jewish communities through the centuries and sustained by them, wherever they happened to be."

Both Ashkenazic and Sephardic cuisines and cultures are celebrated, so you see the Sabbath stew, one of the few dishes shared by all Jewish communities -- charoset is another -- in the Solet of Hungary and the Moroccan Dafina.

"Jewish Food" is an exciting read, filled with fascinating history. Did you know the mother of King Ferdinand of Spain was a converso, that Yemenites were the only people on earth who used Hebrew for communication before it became the official language of Israel and that the earliest borscht was made not from beets but from parsnips?

Nestled among the recipes are essays on selected ingredients, dishes and communities, deepening our understanding of their historical context.

"Food is kind of a repository of a community's history," Goodman observed. "You can see the wanderings of people over time. You can see the influence of conquest, of poverty, of travel. Food becomes a history lesson on a plate."

As an example, he cited the use of pine nuts and raisins in Roman Jewish cooking, as in the Italian Matzo Fritters with Honey Syrup.

"These ingredients were brought to Sicily by the Arabs where the Jews learned how to use them. Then when they got kicked out of Sicily during the Spanish Inquisition, they brought them when they moved up to Rome. The cinnamon and honey sauce, giulebbe, you find in a lot of Roman Jewish desserts. You can see the history of these people in this dish."

And what would Passover be without macaroons? But, if you've tasted only the store-bought variety, you're in for a treat.

"The same way that gefilte fish has gotten a bad name because most people think it comes out of a jar, macaroons got a bad name because they think they come in those metal tins," noted Goodman. "Macaroons you make yourself are so much better and just phenomenally simple to make."

The Pistachio Macaroons are made with rosewater, "a very common ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking, as are pistachios, and used a lot by Syrians," he said. "They're a nice alternative for people who want something a little different than the typical coconut macaroons."

Sadly, some recipes are irretrievable, Goodman said.

"There are so few of these dishes left," he said. "It's really like an extinct species. So many generous people shared their recipes with me. Some in the New York area would invite me to their home and let me cook with them in their kitchen. It was just an amazingly moving experience for me. But with each recipe they'd give me, they'd say, `I wish you could have tried these other two that so-and-so used to do, but she died.' That dish is gone forever."

Pizzarelle Con Giulebbe (Italian Matzah Fritters with Honey Syrup)

Syrup
1 cup honey
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Fritters

5 matzahs, broken into small pieces
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher for Pesach vanilla
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 egg whites
Vegetable oil for deep frying

1. Make the syrup: Combine the honey, water and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cover and bring to a boil, then uncover, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into a serving bowl.
2. Make the batter: Place the matzah pieces in a bowl of cold water and soak until soft but not falling apart, one to two minutes. Drain in a colander and squeeze out any excess water. In a large bowl, mix together the matzah pieces, sugar, vanilla, salt, raisins, pine nuts and egg yolks.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the matzo mixture.
4. Make the pizzarelle: In a Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot, heat at least 2 inches of oil to 375 F on a deep-fat thermometer. In small batches, drop heaping tablespoons of the matzah mixture into the oil. Fry in batches, turning as necessary, until they are a deep brown on all sides, about five minutes total. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve warm or at room temperature, accompanied by the honey syrup.
Makes about 25.

Pistachio Macaroons

3 cups (about 1 pound)
shelled pistachios
1 cup sugar
3 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons rosewater

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease two baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
2. Grind the pistachios with the sugar in the bowl of a food processor, leaving some chunks for texture; transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
3. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gently fold them, with the rosewater, into the pistachio mixture.
4. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoonfuls in balls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1 inch between. Bake until lightly browned, 17 to 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Makes about 30.

This book is addictive. I spent an entire weekend reading it cover to cover. I received this book as an engagement present from a good friend. We are both cookbook collectors. The essays in this book are fascinating. They give you a real feel for the breadth of Jewish experiences in the diaspora. The recipies are exciting. I love to cook interesting and exotic foods and keep a strictly kosher home. It is a joy to have so many sumptuous recipes to choose from. One not of caution for the kosher crowd, I have still not been able to find all of the exotic spices and seasonings with kosher supervision. The majority - yes, but there are a few hold outs. The cookbook is still well worth the money.

Stanley Stewart presents several stories from air incidents with a brilliantly narrative manner, keeping a fine balance between the technical and non-technical aspects of every case during each presentation.

I truly enjoyed reading this book, and currently looking to order other titles by same author, simply because of the way he writes (which, to me, is compelling).

Highly recommended.

This book is based on actual events and has a lot of details. It is very readable for an aviation fan working in non-aviation fields. That is, it has enough technical details to help understand the sequence of events, but not overly burden the reader with too much jargons. The stories are very well told, and each has a happy ending - not a single life was lost during the events described in the book.

I bought this book after getting Flying The Big Jets by the same author. This book reveals the story-telling talent of Cpt. Stanley Stewart in a way that is both entertaining and easy to read.

There is something for everyone in this book based on true accounts... from airships, prop planes to the big jets. The analysis into the mishaps by Cpt Stewart is in depth technically enough and not only touching on the competency of the aviators, but also the mental side of the pilots and how it affects decisions made.

Cpt Stewart is not afraid of placing responsibilities for the incidents illustrated in this book on the appropriate shoulders of those involved. Be it the pilots, ground engineer, nor airline. I am touched by his coming to the defense of a 3 flightdeck crew, who by showing incredible airmenship, cool headed-ness and knowledge of flying, averted a potential air disaster, only to be accused by investigators for illegal actions concerning usage of slats during a flight.

This book, though about mishaps, serves to remind the average air commuter out there that air travel is very safe and the pilots whose hands we put our lives and comfort in are well trained for nearly every situation. The superb airmenship described in this book is testament to that fact.

All in all, a very enjoyable book.

The Amazon Editorial Review above does not do this book justice. This is truly one of the better books written about what goes on on the flight deck during an in-flight emergency and how nerves of steel and teamwork have helped to avoid many potential disasters.

Right up front you are told that there was no loss of life in any of the incidents described. Yet, you will tend to forget that as you read each chapter and find yourself turning the pages and wondering what the crews can possibly do to avoid certain disaster.

What was interesting is the detail that is put into describing the individual actions taken by each member of the crew. As you read about the events unfolding and how the crews respond, it becomes even more amazing when the author tells you just how short the time-span was for the crews to realize there is a problem, determine what the problem is, and then take the necessary action to solve it. In some cases, it is only seconds.

The 747 that loses power in all 4 engines after flying through volcanic ash is the final chapter in a book that will keep you riveted from the moment you start reading it. An unpowered Glide towards a nightime ditching of their 747 in the ocean, the crew never gives up trying to save the aircraft and their passengers...

A great book.

A common cliché about flying is that "it's hours of boredom punctuated by moments of stark terror".

This book is a collection of moments of stark terror where disaster seemed inescapable. Yet, through the sheer ability, perseverance, bravery and resourcefulness of the crew, the worst was avoided and the aircraft was landed safely.

Every single incident described in the book is remarkable in its own right. The viewpoint taken is that of the flight-crew, corroborated by CVR transcripts, accident reports, ground staff testimonials. Although it might seem that reading such a book would require prior knowledge on aircraft systems or aviation practices, this is not the case. Great care is taken so that the narrative is comprehensible; maps are used to show routings or the position of points of interest, be they radio beacons, waypoints or airfields; pictorials are used to aid with the comprehension of various aircraft operating systems or extreme attitudes.

Read about a stewardess that survived a fall from 33,000 ft after being blown out of the aircraft following an explosive device detonation. Read about a first officer landing safely while the captain is half sucked out of the window after the windscreen shot out of its frame...

Entertaining, informative, and written by an experienced airline pilot. This last bit says it all.