Professional Books - Page 6

Zagat 2009 Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts & Spas (Zagatsurvey: Us Hotels, Resorts and Spas)

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Editorial Review:

ZAGAT 2009 Top US Hotels, Resorts & Spas rates and reviews more than 850 of the foremost hotels, resorts and spas nationwide. Candid, no-punches-pulled appraisals are based on the opinions of the people who know best: nearly 8,000 fellow travellers who have been to these places and are happy to share their unbiased reports on what they found. Over 8,000 people have participated in this survey. The average participant spends approximately thirty-one nights per year in hotels basing this survey on 240,000 hotel room nights per year, or 660 visits per night. The participants are equally divided between men and women with 41% in the 20s and 30s and 59% are 40 and over.

Zagat Paris Restaurants 2008/09 (Zagatsurvey)

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Subjects -> Travel -> Europe -> France -> Paris

Editorial Review:

Paris Restaurants (English) covers over 1000 restaurants in Paris and the surrounding locales. This handy guide contains Zagat Surveys trusted ratings and reviews for area restaurants based on the opinions of diners like you. The trademark reviews and corresponding ratings for Food Décor Service and Cost are organized alphabetically in a user friendly format. Use the indexes arranged by cuisine neighborhood and special features like In Places Winning Wine Lists or Romantic Places to find the perfect restaurant for any occasion. Also includes stick on bookmarks.

Chef for All Seasons

Roz Denny

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Excellent Addition to the Gordon Ramsay French/Scottish repitoire 5 out of 5 stars.
13 of 17 people found this review helpful.

`A Chef for All Seasons' by the English high tempered chef, Gordon Ramsay looks like and is very much of a `follow the trend' book, just as `healthy eating' and `quick cooking' themes are bandwagons on which cookbook writers jump to squeeze another ounce of interest out of their audience for their latest book. Unlike some other seasonally or calendar oriented books such as Alfred Portale's `The 12 Seasons', Nigel Slater's `The Kitchen Diaries' and Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette various `Twelve Month' cookbooks, the recipes in this book offer little real guidance to when it is best to make these various recipes. As the author himself says, for him, summer begins in early May and most of the best produce is available closer to autumn than in high summer.

Except for a very few fruits and vegetables such as fava beans and strawberries in spring, tomatoes and corn in late summer, there is little reason aside perhaps from cost from restricting oneself to strictly seasonal produce, except for price. While my favorite local supermarket carries excellent asparagus the year around, it's price jumps from $1.99 to $2.99 in late summer, to drop back a dollar in March, and briefly drop to $1.69 (a pound) in May and June. So, I don't eat asparagus at $3 a pop, but do eat it every other month. Similarly, I don't make dishes with beefsteak tomatoes quite as often in the winter and spring as I do in high summer, but I don't eschew them entirely in winter. So, unless you are willing to literally graph out prices and availability of produce based on supermarket prices in your area, most seasonal considerations seem like a waste of time. Because, if you can't get it at all (like fresh fava beans in October), the question is moot, and if you can get it at a reasonable price and at a reasonable quality, the small difference between seasonal and off seasonal produce shipped in from Chile probably won't make a big difference to you, especially when you are looking at Master Ramsay's recipes, where the prep and cooking time are worth far more than that extra dollar you may pay for off season blueberries.

The other side of the coin is that Gordon Ramsay's recipes are very, very good without using excessively expensive ingredients except as options and they are (relatively) easy for `haute cuisine' dishes. So, this book is more of an argument to select Gordon Ramsay as your primary source for fancy dishes, instead of Eric Rippert or Albert Portale or Tom Colicchio or Joel Robuchon or Michael Romano or Charlie Trotter. Compared to many of these chef / authors, Ramsay is equally as fussy, but manages to follow the dictum of using the best ingredients and being as careful as possible not to muck them up. And, unlike some of his preachier colleagues, he concentrates on the simple procedures rather than on the gratuitous yapping about using fresh ingredients. For us in the peanut gallery, we pick the best that we can get without traveling 20 miles out of our way. Even foodies have a life beyond cooking and marketing.

For those of you unfamiliar with Ramsay's style, it is very, very French in technique with lots of creamy sauces, soups, and confits. It may not be the kind of thing you would pick for a low calorie diet, but it is not quite as fat laden as the provincial cuisine of southwestern France (see Paula Wolfert's excellent new edition on the subject). As usual, the most sprightly and revealing blurb on the back cover comes from the always eloquent Tony Bourdain, who describes this as `...food porn at its most lush...', a far more original approbation than the overworked `decadent'.

I confess I was not immediately as impressed with this book as I have been with some of Ramsay's other books, but this is largely due to what seems like less general information on cooking technique and more space on the recipes themselves. There is, however, still a fair amount of gems on various foods here. For example, he gives an excellent argument for preferring your mangoes firm and not quite ripe to the squishy red ones soft to the touch. But, the very best part of the book for the foodie cook is the last section on `basic recipes and techniques', especially if your library is not already filled with tomes from Jacques Pepin, the CIA, and James Peterson on basic kitchen skills. The most interesting recipe here is the one for `Vegetable nage' that on the surface is very similar to a vegetable stock, but it seems to be a cross between a veggie stock and a court bouillon. It is not cooked as long as stocks and it seems to have a longer refrigerator life than meat or fish stocks. While this is a classic French term and concept, I have not seen recipes for it in many other books. By pure coincidence, I noticed a very similar recipe in the book `Full On Irish' by Irish Michelin starred chef, Kevin Dundon which he describes as a kitchen garden vegetable stock. I don't even recall seeing this in Deborah Madison's great works on vegetable stocks.

All of Ramsay's measurements are Yankee friendly, as everything is measured by cup, spoon, or count and not by gram or liter. He also does a better job of displaying ingredients lists so that units and ingredient names are all put on separate lines or columns. Unfortunately, he does not do this in the `basic recipes' section. But, since almost all items are simply counts, the problem is not acute.

This is another reason to make Gordon Ramsay your celebrity chef/writer of choice, especially as his books are reasonably priced and very attractive to look at, with full oversized pages of well-chosen pics (but without captions!).

Recommended.

Editorial Review:

Known for his irresistible dishes and volatile public persona, Gordon Ramsay is London ’s most talked-about chef, an international sensation whose eponymous restaurant boasts three coveted Michelin stars. Now, Gordon is becoming a household name across the Atlantic, with the U.S. premiere of his hit reality show, Hell ’s Kitchen. In this new paperback edition of his seminal cookbook A CHEF FOR ALL SEASONS, he shares 100 recipes that embody his commitment to working with ingredients in their prime. Each chapter is dedicated to one of the four seasons, with detailed descriptions of key ingredients and recipes that utilize them in delicious, often unexpected combinations. Accompanied by lush color photography, Gordon ’s expert culinary advice and seasonal musings will enlighten and seduce the senses year round.

Craft of Cooking: Notes and Recipes from a Restaurant Kitchen

Tom Colicchio

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

From Tom Colicchio, chef/co-owner of New York’s acclaimed Gramercy Tavern, comes a book that profiles the food and philosophy of Craft, his unique restaurant in the heart of New York’s Flatiron district, and winner of the 2002 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in America. From its food to its architecture and menu design, Craft has been celebrated for its courageous movement away from culinary theatrics and over-the-top presentations, back to the simple magic of great food.

Realizing that his own culinary style had grown increasingly unembellished, and gambling that New York diners were experiencing that same kind of culinary fatigue (brought on by too much “fancy food”), Colicchio set out to prove that the finest food didn’t have to be the most complicated. From its opening in March 2001, Craft offered diners simple, soulful dishes centered around single ingredients that went on to shake up many people’s ideas of what “restaurant food” should be like.

Craft of Cooking leads you through Colicchio’s thought process in choosing raw materials—like what to look for in fresh fish, or how to choose the perfect mushroom—to show that good food is available to anyone with access to a good supermarket, farm stand, or gourmet grocery. The book also features “Day-in-the-Life-of-Craft” portraits, which offer a fascinating, behind-the-scenes glimpse at areas of the restaurant beyond the dining room. These segments allow the reader to peer into the fast-paced prep kitchen, to witness the high drama of reservations, and to get a taste of the humor and empathy necessary to serve New York’s colorful visitors and foodies.

And then there are the recipes. Craft of Cooking presents 140 recipes that range from the simplest dish of spring peas to roasted fish; from lush but effortless braises to complex brining and curing of meat for homemade charcuterie, included to give the reader a “fly-on-the-wall” experience of visiting the Craft kitchen for themselves. Dishes are divided–like the Craft menu itself–into categories of meat, fish, vegetables, potatoes, grains, desserts, and pantry, and then further delineated by technique–roasting, braising, sautéing, etc.–with abundant suggestions and technical tips. Using Tom’s straightforward and friendly voice, Craft of Cooking offers recipes suited to any purpose—from a quick family meal to a festive dinner party for twelve.

As he did in his James Beard award-winning book, Think Like a Chef, Colicchio uses Craft of Cooking to teach, tell his story, and offer inspiration to cooks of any skill level. With more than 100 full-color and black-and-white photographs, Craft of Cooking is destined to become a staple of home cooks everywhere—the one “restaurant cookbook” they can’t live without.

In the Hands of a Chef: The Professional Chef's Guide to Essential Kitchen Tools (Culinary Institute of America)

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Sharpen Your Knife Skills and Hone Your Knowledge of Kitchen Tools

A precise carrot julienne . . . A perfect basil chiffonade . . . A neatly quartered chicken . . . Proficiency with knives and other kitchen tools is essential if you want to perfect your culinary artistry. Written by the experts at The Culinary Institute of America, this indispensable guide delivers all the information you need to assemble a knife kit, build your knife skills, and use a wide range of additional tools, from peelers and pitters to Parisienne scoops and pastry bags. Featuring instructional photographs throughout plus insights and tips from top professional chefs, In the Hands of a Chef provides:
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A complete guide to culinary knives
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Comprehensive instructions for knife sharpening
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Guidance on using specialty knives and cutting tools
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Detailed cutting techniques for a variety of ingredients
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Advice on tools for measuring, baking, and mixing
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Equipment sources as well as checklists for knives and tools

"This comprehensive overview of techniques associated with knives and other key kitchen tools truly benefits those concerned with preparing food safely and efficiently. . . . In the Hands of a Chef is an impressive guide, as important as the tools themselves."
-Richard Von Husen, co-owner of Warren Kitchen & Cutlery

Founded in 1946, THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA is an independent, not-for-profit college offering bachelor's and associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts. A network of more than 37,000 alumni in foodservice and hospitality has helped the CIA earn its reputation as the world's premier culinary college. Courses for foodservice professionals and food enthusiasts are offered at the college's main campus in Hyde Park, New York, and at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, in St. Helena, California. Greystone also offers baking and pastry, accelerated culinary arts, and wine certifications.

Zagat 2009 Philadelphia Restaurants

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Editorial Review:

Philadelphia Restaurants covers over 975 restaurants in Philadelphia and the surrounding Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania areas. This handy guide contains Zagat Survey's trusted ratings and reviews for Philadelphia-area restaurants based on the opinions of diners like you. The trademark reviews and corresponding ratings for Food, Décor, Service and Cost are organized alphabetically in a user-friendly format.

Staff Meals from Chanterelle

David Waltuck, Melicia Phillips

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

It's the other menu at Chanterelle, New York's dazzling four-star restaurant. Customers eat foie gras and truffles. The staff eats Venison Chili with Red Beans. Customers swoon over the signature seafood sausage. The staff, elbows on the table, cheerfully tucks into Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Rosemary. Of all the great restaurants in New York, Chanterelle serves the finest staff meals--nothing fancy, just delicious home-style peasant and bourgeois dishes. And here they are, in Staff Meals from Chanterelle.

In 200 recipes, Chanterelle's chef, David Waltuck, brings the superb culinary insights and techniques befitting one of America's best chefs (Gourmet) to the delectable stews, pasta dishes, roasts, curries, one-pot meals, and blue plate specials that have made families happy forever. Outstanding yet easy-to-make, these are dishes for home cooking and entertaining alike, including Fish Fillets with Garlic and Ginger, Thai Duck Curry, Sauteed Pork Chops with Sauce Charcutiere, and the most requested dish of all, David's Famous Fried Chicken with Creamed Spinach and Herbed Biscuits. Tips throughout put cooks in the hands of a four-star teacher, from the best way to boil a potato (uncut and in its jacket) to shaping hot, oven-fresh tuiles into sophisticated dessert cups.

Zagat New Jersey Restaurants 2008/09 (Zagatsurvey: New Jersey Restaurants) (Zagatsurvey: New Jersey Restaurants)

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Editorial Review:

New Jersey Restaurants covers over 850 restaurants across the entire Garden State. This handy guide contains Zagat Surveys trusted ratings and reviews for New Jersey restaurants based on the opinions of diners like you. The trademark reviews and corresponding ratings for Food Décor Service and Cost are organized alphabetically in a user friendly format. Use the indexes arranged by cuisine neighborhood and special features like In Places Winning Wine Lists or Romantic Places to find the perfect restaurant for any occasion. Also includes stick on bookmarks.

In The Heat Of The Kitchen

Gordon Ramsay

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

small town texas review 3 out of 5 stars.
12 of 16 people found this review helpful.

This book includes recipes that have so many hard to find or expensive ingredients it is just not pratical for the average middle class cook. The recipes sound wonderful and the pictures are very appealing but I will probably never be able to make any of them because of the expense and the hard to find items.

Editorial Review:

The exciting, new book by Gordon Ramsay, star of "Hell's Kitchen," the hot reality show airing now on Fox. Gordon Ramsay, the temperamental and demanding star of "Hell's Kitchen," which is airing on Fox this summer, is known around the world for his culinary expertise. How does he achieve such success? Ramsay's brand-new cookbook, In the Heat of the Kitchen, reveals all, from techniques and short cuts to clever cooking tips. This is also a collection of superb recipes, every one tested to ensure success in the home kitchen, including gorgeous full-color photographs of finished dishes and photos of step-by-step techniques as well. With chapters on fish, poultry, meat, vegetables, salads, fruits and breads, this is a cookbook you will turn to whenever you want to cook with lots of style and a minimum of fuss.

Cooking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America

The Culinary Institute of America

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

A complete illustrated volume of home-cooking lessons and recipes.

The Culinary Institute of America is the place where many of America's leading chefs have learned and refined their cooking skills, and its methods are widely revered as the gold standard among culinary insiders around the world.

Now everyone can learn from the best, with Cooking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America. This complete-and completely approachable-illustrated guide gives home cooks an outstanding course in the essentials of cooking along with a wealth of irresistible recipes. Drawing on the CIA's extensive expertise, it shares all the basic information on equipment, ingredients, and techniques needed to become a great cook, from proper knife skills to cooking methods such as braising, grilling, sautéing, and stewing. Readers learn the techniques step by step, with detailed instructions and extensive color photographs that clearly explain both what to do and how to do it.

Perfect for practicing skills and building a repertoire, the book's 200 stylish recipes are delicious and easy to make, from Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce to Roast Chicken with Pan Gravy, from Shrimp in Chili Sauce to Pasta Primavera with Basil Cream Sauce, French Style Peas, and more.

Generously illustrated with 250 beautiful full-color photographs of techniques and finished dishes, Cooking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America is a complete package of home-cooking lessons and recipes that home cooks can use to master the art of cooking in their own kitchens.