Reference Books - Page 10

The Ultimate Soup Cookbook (Reader's Digest)

Reader's Digest

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Simple ingredients, elegant results 4 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

If you are a soup lover, this is the book for you. Simple to follow instructions and, generally, easily obtained ingredients. Every recipe I've tried has been excellent, and it includes a wide variety. This is not a "gourmet cookbook" but the results look great when served and won't take all day for you to make them. Only improvement would be if it was bound so it could lie flat.

Great variety of recipes 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This is certainly a comprehensive book on soups. I am yet to try any of the recipes at the time of this review, however, I could not help notice that if you are not totally familiar with American cooking ingredients, you may find yourself somewhat lost at times. Here's an example, "cannned chicken" along with a few other ingredients, but in saying this I am more than prepared to learn about them. Unfortunately, this book does not have a glossary section, although it does have a brief conversion section on the very back page (with the most common conversions). I have tried googling for subsitutes for these items but have been unable to find any substitutes. So there are possibly some recipes I may never get to try due to this, which is a shame.

This book also mixes both imperial and metric measurements on some of it recipes, which is confusing to say the least.

It certainly does have a wide variety of soups, even quick 30 minute soups (although, these do utilise canned soups to quicken the cooking time). I am impressed with the inclusion of recipes for larger quantities ie; serves 10 or more. These are particular good for dinner parties.

Even though, I feel this book would benefit from an informative glossary section explaning food substitues for non American buyers, I would certainly NOT AVOID BUYING THIS BOOK due to this. I guess this is a common problem in reality when purchasing books from other countries, if only the publishers could see this and make the books more universal (now wouldn't that be nice).

Depression Era Recipes

P. Wagner

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

A good book 3 out of 5 stars.
21 of 26 people found this review helpful.

Anyone who is into History will like this cookbook. Many of the recipes don't look appealing but it contains a lot of interesting facts about lifestyles in the 30's.

Depression Era Recipes 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 13 people found this review helpful.

As a child of the depression, it was a way of remembering what the women of that era had to do to feed families often larger than those of the 21st Century -- families of farmers fared much better that those in the industries (which often became defunct) and for white-collar workers when there was no money to pay their wages. We "murdered through", we thrived, we learned serious lessons to do more with less, and to substitute. Would not want to repeat the depression era, but feel very fortunate recipes were concocted to get us through it with a smile on our face.

Surprising 3 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Quite frankly, I found this a little disappointing. Flipping through the pages, there is nothing to indicate that these are recipes from a time of such hardship, apart from the few little snippets at the bottom of some of the pages, giving some fact about the 1930s. A recipe for Banana Cream Pie surprised me. Glad to know that bananas were easily and cheaply obtainable - as I suppose they must have been, as this is apparently a depression era recipe. The book could have been so much better with just a few embellishments - such as the occasional picture, or interesting and useful facts about life during the Depression, such as average wage, cost of eggs or milk or basic staples. There were no substitute dishes - along the lines of "mock - whatever" True, the recipes are simple, without enormous lists of ingredients, but the book lacks flavour. The "Farmer's Wife Cookbook" has a lot of the elements that could have improved this book.

Frida's Fiestas: Recipes and Reminiscences of Life with Frida Kahlo

Marie Pierre Colle, Guadalupe Rivera

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Lovely book, recipes need an editor. 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Since everyone has raved about this book, perhaps I'm looking at an old edition (1994). I agree that the photos are beautiful and the stories wonderful, but in the version of the book I have the instructions for the recipes are in the wrong order. For example, for Chiles en Nogada, the first sentence of the recipe's instructions are "Rinse the chiles and pat them dry. Spoon some of the filling inside each one..." Well, you have to go down the the second to last paragraph to get the instructions for making the filling. Obviously, the recipe should first tell you how to make the filling. Also in this recipes, it tells you to pour the walnut sauce over the chiles, BEFORE it tells you how to make the walnut sauce.

I have published a cookbook and these type of errors mean one thing: an editor who has not read the recipes and thought them through! (Much less tried to follow the recipes.) I noticed that in several of the recipes I've used, I have, with my editing pen, moved paragraphs around with arrows so that the instructions are in the right order.

Editorial Review:

In the tradition of the best-selling Monet's Table, Frida's Fiestas is a personal account in words and pictures of many important and happy events in the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, and a scrapbook, assembled by her stepdaughter, of recipes for more than 100 dishes that Frida served to family and friends with her characteristic enthusiasm for all the pleasures of life.Full-color photographs.

Cooking: The Quintessential Art (California Studies in Food and Culture)

Hervé This, Pierre Gagnaire

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Editorial Review:

From its intriguing opening question--"How can we reasonably judge a meal?"--to its rewarding conclusion, this beautiful book picks up where Brillat-Savarin left off almost two centuries ago. Hervé This, a cofounder (with the late physicist Nicholas Kurti) of the new approach to studying the scientific basis of cooking known as molecular gastronomy, investigates the question of culinary beauty in a series of playful, lively, and erudite dialogues. Considering the place of cuisine in Western culture, This explores an astonishing variety of topics and elaborates a revolutionary method for judging the art of cooking. Many of the ideas he introduces in this culinary romance are illustrated by dishes created by Pierre Gagnaire, whose engaging commentaries provide rare insights into the creative inspiration of one of the world's foremost chefs. The result is an enthralling, sophisticated, freewheeling dinner party of a book that also makes a powerful case for openness and change in the way we think about food.

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:
*

A complete guide to culinary knives
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Comprehensive instructions for knife sharpening
*

Guidance on using specialty knives and cutting tools
*

Detailed cutting techniques for a variety of ingredients
*

Advice on tools for measuring, baking, and mixing
*

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.

Semi-Homemade Cooking 2

Sandra Lee

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Sandra Lee books 5 out of 5 stars.
18 of 19 people found this review helpful.

I am a man with a family. I own Semi-Homemade 1 and 2 as well as grilling and slow cooking. Until then I've had some luck with cooking as long as I follow instructions to the letter. Most cookbooks seem geared to spending a half day in the kitchen which after 15 minutes is gone. Sandra's books have given me the confidence to cook. They don't take much time, they are always good, and with her books I cook meals as fine as the finest restaurant in our town. My family is impressed. Her books with their pictures are almost like a menu in which I can see what I want and then set out to make it and most importantly, know that it will be good when I'm finished. There are some minor flaws and if I can work around them, anyone can. Some of her ingredients are hard to find (pre made crepes for example. Some are just not available in our area but what difference can there be between a can of soup with roasted garlic and a can of mushroom soup with a couple of cloves of garlic added? Her books are fast becoming my bible. Thank you Sandra for giving me the feeling that I am a gourmet cook and the confidence to be one. People, especially women, seem to think that a man in his 60's couldn't possibly cook but the women who eat at my house are treating me with new respect. One more thing, we're eating at home more because I can now make everything that a restaurant does but mine is better.

Editorial Review:

Fabulous family-friendly recipes for every palate and mood, created from an inspired pairing of fresh and convenience products. Recipes feature the best of Italian, Asian, and Latin American cuisine, barbecue favorites, comfort food classics, slow cooker creations, everyday dinners, and special occasion inspirations.

Sandra lends her Semi-Homemade, worry-free, time-saving approach to a host of delectable appetizers, snacks, main dishes, side dishes, salads, and desserts.

The on-call pantry—a foolproof list of at-the-ready convenience foods for recipe success at a moment’s notice.

Tasteful tablescapes make every dining experience special.

Beautiful color photo of every recipe.

Aveline Kushi's Complete Guide to Macrobiotic Cooking: For Health, Harmony, and Peace

Aveline Kushi, Alex Jack

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

Excellent macrobiotic cookbook 5 out of 5 stars.
13 of 14 people found this review helpful.

I own multiple macrobiotic cookbooks, and this one is the one I come to time and time again. Learning about the specialty ingredients in macrobiotic cooking is tricky, but once you have found a source of these ingredients, the recipes in this book are simple and tasty.

The thing I like most about this book is the simplicity of the recipes. Most of the recipes call for the same 4-5 cooking styles, with the same 4-5 condiments. Many of the recipes in this book have become staples of my diet.

I am not a 100% practicing macrobiotic, but when I feel the need to eat healthy and lose weight, I always turn to this book as a refresher course to how to eat healthy.

This book is an excellent companion book to "The Macrobiotic Way" by Michio Kuchi. Another book I highly recommend is "The Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics". These three books are used more than any other in my cookbook library.

The authoritative reference on macrobiotic cooking 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

From the teacher herself comes a huge book which distills more than 35 years of macrobiotic cooking and teaching. This book covers everything on the subject, from food preparation prior to cooking (an area most American cooks know little or nothing about) through "Medicinal Cooking and Home Cures."

Menu planning is included to incorporate acid/alkaline balancing which is so critical to the macrobiotic practitioner's path to total health.

I predict that those who study macrobiotic cooking will never again be able to enjoy fast foods such as meat burgers, french fried potatoes, sodas, chips, etc. They will KNOW when food is creating an imbalance and why. They will understand at what point disease kicks in and how to reverse it.

This book is required for all who seek health, harmony, and peace. We develop an appreciation and understanding of the role which whole foods, organically grown and properly prepared, play in our physical, mental, and spiritual health.

I might point out that prescription drugs, refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, dairy, and meats (other than fish) are huge contributors to imbalance and have no part in macrobiotic health. In a diet consisting of 50% whole grains, 25% vegetables, and the remainder made up of beans, sea vegetables, fish, and soups, it is amazing to see how many creative recipes are included in this 414 page book.

Buy it. Everyone needs this education.

Making & Using Dried Foods

Phyllis Hobson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Similarities to previous out of print Garden Way Book 5 out of 5 stars.
46 of 49 people found this review helpful.

This book will be a happy surprise for those of you who are looking for the out of print and hard to find "Garden Way's Guide to Food Drying" by Phyllis Hobson. This is basically the same book, with all the tips and hints for drying vegetables, fruits and herbs, but with even more recipes than the out of print book. Both the author and the publisher are the same.

Compare to How to Dry Foods 5 out of 5 stars.
28 of 30 people found this review helpful.

This has more methods of drying (including sun-drying), it has information on pretreating foods.

How to Dry Foods on the other hand has metric to american conversion, and it tells how long specific foods last while dry.

If you want methods buy this book, if you want specific facts, buy How to Dry Foods. Personally, I'm buying this one.

Making and using dried Foods 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I'm a first time drier and got several other book on this subject but this is my favorit. Highly recommend.

Awesome 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This book is great. Very informative. Bought a dehydrator, Nesco American Harvest FD-75PR. Already dehydrating foods to take on flying trips.

Editorial Review:

Step-by-step instructions for drying almost everything with or without a commercial dehydrator. Includes more than 200 delicious recipes using

dried foods.

Nantucket Open-House Cookbook

Sarah Leah Chase

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Sarah Leah Chase, co-author of The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook, knows that summer means long, lazy days of fun and getting together, of throwing the doors open and inviting over everyone you know for the pleasures of good company and good food. Now, cooks everywhere can create more than 250 of the recipes that have drawn hungry visitors and residents to her popular gourmet shop, Que Sera Sarah on Nantucket Island.

The author's eclectic combinations center on the freshest of seafood and produce, and induce hearty summer appetites to indulge in a unique chilled clam chowder, a fresh beachfront salad of Scallops with Orange and Chervil Vinaigrette, savory empanadas and turnovers, or a beautifully grilled bluefish redolent with lavender. Sumptuous meals must end with the proper desserts: an extravagantly rich Chocolate Bombe or a fruit tart glistening with a fortune of fresh raspberries and blueberries.

Complete with just-baked muffins and breads for breakfasts best enjoyed in a huge wicker chair and cool summer drinks for whiling away long afternoons, Nantucket Open-House Cookbook is for anyone who wants to make the most of fair-weather dining all year round.

Over 214,000 copies in print.

Extending the Table: A World Community Cookbook

Joetta Handrich Schlabach

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Extending the Table calls itself "a world community cookbook," but it is far more than that. Yes, there are recipes here from all over the globe: Sesame Spinach Salad from Korea, Hunter's Stew from Poland, and Watermelon Jan from Botswana. There are myriad rice dishes, lots of recipes featuring beans and lentils, and an array of delicious beverages--from Philippine Punch to a Ginger Cooler from the Ivory Coast. But what makes this cookbook so special is its social conscience: following the lead of Doris Janzen Longacre, author of the More-with-Less Cookbook, Extending the Table invites readers to reduce their own levels of consumption and share resources with others around the world. Even more, it encourages us to learn from the global community. In addition to the recipes, there are stories about both individuals and whole cultures, explanations of the importance of certain types of food in different lands, and the rituals that surround particular meals. Extending the Table is the work of the Mennonite Central Committee, and many of the contributors are missionaries whose faith in the values of humility, community, and respect for others imbues the pages of this thought-provoking book. Extending the Table is truly food for the body and soul!