Gastronomy Books - Page 21

The Food Life: Inside the World of Food with the Grocer Extraordinaire at Fairway

Steven Jenkins, Mitchel London

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Bacon in book form 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This book is a funny fast and irreverent guide. You can learn enough about all sorts of comestibles, though the author wouldn't use a pretentious word like comestibles when a simple clear one like FOOD would do, to impress your friends or just feel a little more secure throwing your next dinner party. Like all the best books about food it teaches you a lot about the local culture. Sounds like there's more culture in the cheese dept than in the aisles of Fairway. It's a book worth buying because you feel smarter when you're done, unlike some of the claptrap that's been written about gracious living and good eating. Unlike shopping at Fairway, which now approaches a blood sport, it doesn't matter if you lose your place the book is just as good when you go back. If you're planning a trip to NYC it's an indispensable volume.

Editorial Review:

From Fairway Market's master buyer and author of the hugely successful Cheese Primer comes a celebration of the store's extravagant food collection and the stories surrounding its culture.

Fairway, a local institution in New York City for more than fifty years, is the busiest food store in the world. There shoppers can find innumerable artisanal food products, which, for three decades, Steven Jenkins has traveled the world to find. With a wonderful narrative and anecdotes from the man who personally brought so many of the world's greatest foods to New York and the United States, readers will become more enthusiastic shoppers and better cooks. Jenkins's longtime associate, Mitchel London, provides recipes that will attract not only Fairway customers but any home cook who has access to great ingredients.

One Hundred & One Beautiful Towns in Italy: Food and Wine (101 Towns)

Paolo Lazzarin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

More than any other country in the world, it is Italy that we turn to for gastronomic inspiration. 101 Beautiful Towns of Italy: Food and Wine takes readers along on a one-of-a-kind tour through the tantalizing tastes of Italy's varied landscape to explore hilltop and seaside towns, where the flavors of Italy scent the air, a good meal is considered the highest form of art, and a fine bottle of wine is never hard to come by. In Alba, savor the refined taste of the white truffle accompanied by a hearty glass of Barolo. Head to Parma for a sampling of prosciutto di Parma, and don't forget to pick up a wheel of parmigiano-reggiano. Travel to the hills of Tuscany, where a glass of red Vino Nobile di Montepulciano accompanies your meal of filetto d'anatra con tartufo (truffled duck breast) and to Campania, home of Naples, the Amalfi coastline, and, of course, pizza, in its many forms, but almost always topped with mozzarella di bufala. Descriptive sidebars key readers in to the best restaurants in town, where to buy the ingredients to prepare the dishes featured (and where to shop for the wine to accompany them) as well as tips on what to see during a visit. A sprinkling of recipes rounds out this information-packed resource. Included is an appendix with in-depth listings to help travelers plan their culinary journeys: what wine cellars to visit, where to dine, and how to navigate a busy market.Whether you're an armchair traveler or an Italophile planning another trip, this volume provides an excellent guide.

Don't Try This at Home: Culinary Catastrophes from the World's Greatest Chefs

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Don't Read This While Hungry ... 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I don't watch cooking shows on TV nor do I read gourmet cooking magazines or anything like that ~~ the names of the chefs in here don't mean anything to me. It's not personal. I just don't have the time nor the interest to read about them nor do I travel to eat at fine restaurants ... But this book is hilarious. It is one of the few books where I am lost in the giggles over the mishaps in the kitchens. And I love it.

I do cook and am a fairly good cook ~~ though not as good as these professionals are. I have messed up dishes often and have my embarrassing moments ~~ but not on the grand scale as these chefs. And I love the stories ~~ the wedding cake mishaps are my favorite ~~ especially Michel Richard's "Alibi" ~~ that one literally brought tears to my eyes. I can just see it all. Another favorite is "Our Big Brake" by Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. One that brought sighs to my heart is Paul Kahan's "(Not) Ready for My Close-up." Another one is Tamara Murphy's "For The Birds" ~~ I just lost myself in the giggles over a plate of grilled cheese sandwiches (Ah. A dream to come true would be having a chef cooking for me!).

To be honest, I don't think there's a story in there that I didn't like. They all are funny and very human ~~ it brings a touch of humanness to the world's greatest cooks. And since I like to cook, I can definitely relate to their stories. And I love all of their stories. I cannot remember the last time I had so much fun reading a book!!

However, don't read this while you're hungry ~~ some of their descriptions of food will make you hungry and if you're like me, that doesn't have a modern up to date kitchen or pantry ~~ you'll find yourself raiding something wishing that you can finally taste what they are famous for making. A Ding Dong just won't do it. But maybe it will spur you to become a better chef in your own kitchen ~~ knowing that the greats are just as human as we all are.

10-18-07

Editorial Review:

Finally in paperback, the hugely popular anthology in which forty of the world’s greatest chefs, including Anthony Bourdain, Daniel Boulud, and Ferrán Adrià, reveal their worst kitchen disasters.
 
From Gabrielle Hamilton on hiring a blind line cook to Michel Richard on rescuing a wrecked cake to Eric Ripert on being the clumsiest waiter in the room, these behind-the-scenes accounts are as wildly entertaining as they are revealing. A delicious reminder that even the chefs we most admire aren’t always perfect, Don't Try This at Home is a hilarious must-have for anyone who’s ever burned dinner.

The Forgotten Art Of Building And Using A Brick Bake Oven

Richard M. Bacon

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 1.0 of 5

Not a good option 1 out of 5 stars.
24 of 24 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book expecting it to be an explanation of how to build a brick oven. Far from it. If you want history and sixty pages of "facts" this is your book, if you actually are researching to build an oven it won't do.

Editorial Review:

First published by Yankee Magazine in 1977, this book remains the authority on how old-time brick ovens were designed and used. The book explains the evolution of the brick oven from the 17th through the 19th centuries, out lines the basic points to consider in building such an oven today, and describes in detail construction of a brick oven, ash pit complex, including the tools required, procedures to be followed, types of brick and mortar, lintels and doors, plans, dimensions, and actual brickwork, graphically illustrated with photographs, diagrams and drawings. Also covered is how to heat and use such an oven, once built.
Richard M. Bacon has written numerous articles for such publications as Yankee Magazine and the Sunday New York times. He also wrote The Yankee Book of Forgotten Arts, Simon & Schuster, 1978.

Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey

Najmieh Batmanglij

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This book is at once an exploration, a celebration, and a little-known tale of unity. It presents 150 delicious vegetarian dishes that together trace a fascinating story of culinary linkage. As renowned cookbook writer and teacher Najmieh Batmanglij explains, all have their origins along the ancient network of trade routes known as the Silk Road, stretching from China in the east to the Mediterranean in the west. On this highway moved not just trade goods but also ideas, customs, tastes and such basics of life as cooking ingredients. The result was the connecting and enrichment of dozens of cuisines. In Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey, Najmieh Batmanglij recounts that process and brings it into the modern kitchen in the form of recipes that are venturesome and yet within reach of any cook. They are intended for vegetarian, partial-vegetarian and non-vegetarian alike--anyone who is looking for balanced, unusual and exceptionally tasty dishes. The book offers a wealth of information derived from the author s extensive research and her travels along the Silk Road during the past 30 years. She complements the recipes with stories, pictures, histories of ingredients, and words of wisdom from her favorite poets and writers of the region. The scope of her culinary journey of discovery is vast--from Xian in China, to Samarkand in present-day Uzbekistan, to Isfahan in Iran, to Istanbul in Turkey, and to the westernmost terminus of the ancient trade routes in Italy. Her recipes all of them personal favorites include such exotic yet simple fare as Sichuan Crispy Cucumber Pickles; Afghan Boulani, a savory pastry stuffed with garlic chives; Persian Pomegranate and Walnut Salad; Kermani Pistachio and Saffron Polow with Rose Petals; Chinese Hot and Sour Tofu Noodle Soup; Turkish Almond and Rice Flour Pudding; Uzbek Candied Quince with Walnuts; and Sicilian Sour Cherry Crostata. Fortunately, all the ingredients for these recipes can be obtained at local supermarkets and farmers markets. In recent years America has become a kind of modern Silk Road, where wonderful ingredients from all over the world are available to everyone.

Contents Introduction: A Traveler s Tale; The Era of Caravans; New Foods East & West.
Toward a Silk Road Cuisine: Salads; Soups; Eggs; Rice; Fruit & Vegetable Braise; Pasta, Pizza & Bread; Pastries, Desserts & Candies; Teas, Coffee & Sherbets; Preserves, Pickles & Spices.
Silk Road Glossary & Resource;
Credits & Acknowledgments.
Index

All the Presidents' Pastries: Twenty-Five Years in the White House, A Memoir

Roland Mesnier, Christian Malard

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This extraordinary success-story-told by the hero himself-of a young French pastry chef who climbed his way to the top, embodies the great American dream. After working at the Savoy in London, the George V in Paris, the Princess in Bermuda, and the Homestead in Virginia, Roland Mesnier took on the job of a lifetime as pastry chef to the White House. He provides behind-the-scenes insight into the characters, tastes, and obsessions of the five presidents and first ladies he served during his 25 years in Washington. Having witnessed major world events from the hub of the world's superpower, Mesnier has unique perspective on both crises and celebrations. He recounts stories such as Carter's incessant battle for the return of American hostages in Tehran, the aftermath of the attempt to assassinate Reagan, Bush senior's doubts after the war in Kuwait, and the shock of September 11. He uncovers intimate details such as Mrs. Reagan's bad moods and Prince Charles's embarrassment at not knowing how to use a tea bag. Fiercely loyal to each of the first families, Mesnier's bipartisan message is positive and inspirational. Twelve easy-to-follow recipes include the favorite desserts of presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.

The Story of the Irish Pub: An Intoxicating History of the Licensed Trade in Ireland

Cian Molloy

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Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

More than one hundred of the oldest family-owned pubs 5 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

The Story Of The Irish Pub: An Intoxicating History Of The Licensed Trade In Ireland by Cian Molloy is an engaging and recommended survey of the social history, origins, and evolution of Irish pubs, some of which have been owned by the same family for a century or more. A uncommon and involving study of a unique cultural gathering place and experience (and peppered with anecdotes and black-and-white photographs), The Story Of The Irish Pub includes profiles of more than one hundred of the oldest family-owned pubs in Ireland.

Much Depends on Dinner: The Extraordinary History and Mythology, Allure and Obsessions, Perils and Taboos of an Ordinary Meal

Margaret Visser

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Winning unanimous praise on its publication and now available in paperback from Grove Press, Much Depends on Dinner is a delightful and intelligent history of the food we eat. Presented as a meal, each chapter represents a different course or garnish. Borrowing from Byron's classic poem "Don Juan" for her title ("Since Eve ate apples, much depends on dinner"), writer Margaret Visser looks to the most ordinary American dinner for her subject - corn on the cob with butter and salt, roast chicken with rice, salad dressed in lemon juice and olive oil, and ice cream - submerging herself in the story behind each food. In this indulgent and perceptive guide we hear the history of Corn Flakes, why canned California olives are so unsatisfactory (they're picked green, chemically blackened, then sterilized), and the fact that in Africa, citrus fruit is eaten rind and all. For food lovers of all kinds, this unexpectedly funny and serious book is a treasure of information, shedding light on one of our most favorite pastimes.

Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving Recipes and History, from Pilgrims to Pumpkin Pie

Kathleen Curtin, Sandra L. Oliver, The Plimoth Plantation

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A Delicious Exploration of the Thanksgiving Holiday

Thanksgiving is the quintessential American holiday, with 97 percent of Americans eating turkey on that day. But beyond the bird, the menu is as varied as the cultures of the nation’s melting pot—and every recipe tells a story. Giving Thanks explores the delicious, fascinating history of Thanksgiving, complete with trivia, recipes, and an amazing collection of archival imagery of the holiday’s history.

Perfect for parents, kids, teachers, history buffs, and of course Thanksgiving cooks, Giving Thanks is a true keepsake cookbook, meant to be shared and enjoyed year after year. Thanksgiving specialists Kathleen Curtin and Sandra L. Oliver and the world-famous Plimoth Plantation trace the colorful history of the holiday, from the story of “The First Thanksgiving” to twenty-first-century customs. Then the real fun begins—a delicious assortment of more than eighty recipes, from appetizers to desserts, old-fashioned mincemeat pies to modern pumpkin cheesecake, generously seasoned with plenty of fascinating trivia.

Giving Thanks shows that there’s definitely more to Thanksgiving cookery than sage stuffing and pumpkin pie, highlighting favorites from throughout the holiday’s history and from an incredible variety of cultures. Recipes include five different ways to prepare turkey, from Classic New England to Indian and Cuban; Oyster Stew and Pomegranate and Persimmon Salad; Creamed Onions and Corn Pudding; and pies galore, from Cranberry Pear to Texas Buttermilk.

Filled with a vibrant, fascinating collection of Thanksgiving photographs and illustrations from Plimoth Plantation’s unparalleled archives, Giving Thanks brings the history of Thanksgiving to life in an incredibly delicious way.

Wild, Wild East: Recipes and Stories from Vietnam

Bobby Chinn

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The world is discovering Vietnamese food, and it’s a happy discovery indeed! Wild, Wild East is the creation of chef Bobby Chin, Hanoi’s enfant terrible and renowned master of Vietnamese cuisine. He characterizes Vietnamese food as having fresh, clean flavors, and as being light, healthy, and diverse. More than a recipe book, Wild, Wild East is the author’s authentic guide to Vietnamese food as it is prepared and enjoyed today. Combining his lively text with Jason Lowe’s striking color photos of Vietnam’s markets, kitchens, people, and foods, Bobby Chin starts out with instructions for preparing Vietnamese sauces, garnishes, and dips. Next, he provides recipes for a host of exotic and delectable dishes that include—

Minced Prawns on Sugar Cane

Chicken Wings Cooked in Caramel Sauce and Ginger

Braised Banana Blossoms

Meat, Crab, and Grapefruit Salad

Shrimp and Pork Crepe

Stir-fried Noodles and Beef

Pan Roasted Salmon and Wasabi Mashed Potatoes . . . and many, many more

Also included are delightful salads and special Vietnamese desserts that the author calls Sweet Sensations. This entertaining and informative book features approximately 100 recipes for exotically delicious dishes and 200 color photos.
(Sidebar)
From the Book’s Foreword by renowned chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain
“Bobby Chinn, chef, long time resident of Southeast Asia, television personality, hustler, International Man of Mystery, and now author, is the first guy you want to know in Hanoi if you want to find where to get the good stuff to eat, how to make it, and why it’s made that way. . . . what Bobby doesn’t know about Southeast Asian food is not worth knowing.”