Reference Books - Page 17

Festivals Family and Food

Diana Carey, Judy Large

Amazon Price: $14.96 List Price: $22.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Floris Books Amazon Marketplace: 60 new & used starting at $6.21

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> General AAS
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Reference
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Lots of suggestions 4 out of 5 stars.
13 of 14 people found this review helpful.

This book covers many festivals, or holidays, throughout the year. For each, a selection of poetry or very short stories excerpted from longer works is provided. Sometimes the legend(s) behind that day are given. Also included are games, recipes, and craft projects. The recipes use British measurements and ingredients, so for Americans they will require some adjustment to find ingredients in some cases.

This is a useful book, but given its length it could have been better. Perhaps it's that the recipes aren't as accessible for Americans; I can't quite put my finger on what left me underwhelmed. Common holidays in America are of course not covered. Still, it's a very useful resource. If you're just beginning with the celebration of seasonal holidays, I'd recommend Mrs. Sharp's Victorian Traditions by Breathnach instead to start off with, then add this one later when you're ready for more.

Editorial Review:

This family favourite is a unique, well loved source of stories, recipes, things to make, activities, poems and songs. Each festival has its own well illustrated chapter. There are alos sections on Birthdays, Rainy Days, Convalescence and a birthday calendar. The perfect present for a family, it explores the numerous festivals that children love to celebrate..

Roasting-A Simple Art

Barbara Kafka, Maria Robledo

Amazon Price: $23.96 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: William Morrow & Co. Amazon Marketplace: 128 new & used starting at $0.50

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking -> General
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking -> General AAS
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Reference

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 29 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Changing the Way we Roast 4 out of 5 stars.
18 of 18 people found this review helpful.

Perhaps once in a decade there is a book which changes the way we think about cooking. Julia Child's introduction to French cooking did this in the 1960's and started culinary revolution in the United States that still rages. This book's influence may not be quite so profound, but it will forever change the way we think about roasting meats and vegetables. Or at least it ought to do so.

Kafka's implicit thesis is that it is the browning of meat and vegetables that imbues each with the rich 'meaty' flavor we love dearly. Most recipes for roasted meats fail to get the surface temperature high enough to cause browning. This means that almost every recipe for roasting chunks of meat at 350 F cheats both chef and diner. The solution to the problem is to crank up the temperature.

In my own oven, following Kafka's instructions will inevitably set off six smoke detectors, fog the house in thick smoke, and dispatch the local fire company. This is not how I wish to spend my mealtimes; for there is never enough food in the oven to feed them all. So I have adapted one or two recipes from this book. And in any month I will treat myself several times to a perfectly roasted chicken using one of these. (Click on my profile to reach the website that will soon have my favorite poultry recipes adapted from this book.)

Do not be put off by the fire alarm problems. Buy the book and try cooking at 425F or 450F instead of 500F. Make sure the bottom of the pan onto which the drippings fall is kept moist by covering it with vegetables of one kind or another during the entirety of the cooking process and that these same vegetables or a rack holds the meat out of the liquid. Do all these things and roasting will become a painless, economical and delicious way to prepare a meal. You will never look back.

Editorial Review:

Kafka believes in "hot ovens, short roasting times, and rare meat," so most recipes in this cookbook start with "heat oven to 500x F." The result is food with profound flavors that is sensible, even primal, yet has the flair you'd expect from an opinionated pro. Despite controversy over her recipe for roast turkey, this book so impressed her peers that they voted it a Julia Child Cookbook Award in 1995. Herbivores rejoice: There are over 100 mouth-watering recipes for vegetables and some fruits, too, along with those for roasted meats, poultry and fish.

With Love from My Kitchen

Amazon Price: $12.89 List Price: $18.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Paint Box Studio Press Amazon Marketplace: 24 new & used starting at $5.55

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Reference
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> General
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Family Recipes 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is a great recipe journal. It offers everything you need. It has tabbed dividers, lined pages with "recipe for" and "from the kitchen of" on the recipe pages and has a lined page in the front of each tab to create an index. I bought this one for my sister for her birthday. I put a favorite recipe in each category to get her started. Hopefully she will pass it down to her daughter.

Not sure I would purchase again... 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The concept of this book is good/sweet, but anyone could essentially create their own cookbook using a nice/high quality spiral bound notebook and placing sticky tabs where they want. I have medium size handwriting and I often have to squeeze words in because the illustrations on each and every page take-up valuable writing space and then when you couple the loss of writing space from the illustrations with the border... I am using my book but I'm also keeping my eyes open for a better version.

Great transaction 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very smooth transaction, very quick shipping. Item was packaged very well and completely as described

Wonderful Wedding Gift~Old Fashioned Love 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I gave this to a young bride who did not know how to cook. I put all my best family recipe's in there and all the litlle helpful hints I knew from my grandma. Like what to substitute for this or that, how to make yogurt last longer. I didn't fill up any section so she can add to it over the years and pass it down to her children. A unique gift that the bride will not have another just like it.

New Spain: A Complete Guide to Contemporary Spanish Wine (New (Mitchell Beazley))

John Radford

Amazon Price: $27.44 List Price: $40.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Miller's Buying Guides Amazon Marketplace: 20 new & used starting at $23.45

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Drinks & Beverages -> Spirits
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Drinks & Beverages -> Wine -> Wine & Winemaking
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Drinks & Beverages -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

For Anyone Interested in Spanish Wine 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I'll be brief: there is no finer in depth book about Spanish wine on the market to date. I cannot recommend the books published by Mitchell Beazley highly enough. I have found them indespensible for my studies towards my Master of Wine.

Pros: beautiful photos, in depth regional info, producer bios.
Cons: you need a 'decent' wine education before tackling this one.

Editorial Review:

This brand-new, second edition of The New Spain is the only up-to-date, illustrated reference to Spanish wines. John Radford takes the reader on a region-by-region tour of Spain’s rapidly changing vineyards and wineries. All aspects of Spanish wines are covered in depth, from soil types and vineyard classification to the most innovative bodegas and newest styles of red, white, and sparkling wines. There are comprehensive producer profiles for each wine region, as well as tips on the best wines available and an easy-to-use glossary of Spanish wine terms. More than 150 color photographs and detailed maps showing the location of all wine regions complete this indispensable book.

Food & Wine Magazine's Wine Guide 2009 (Food & Wine)

Anthony Giglio

Amazon Price: $9.56 List Price: $11.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: American Express Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 33 new & used starting at $6.00

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Drinks & Beverages -> Spirits
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Drinks & Beverages -> Wine -> Buying Guides
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Drinks & Beverages -> Wine -> Food & Wine

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

Editorial Review:

Give a toast to the all-new 2009 edition of the Food & Wine Magazine’s Wine Guide and the debut of Anthony Giglio—the leading New York-based wine expert, writer, broadcaster, and educator who has completely revised and updated the book.
Produced by America’s most trusted and popular publication on the pleasures of the table, Food & Wine Magazine’s Wine Guide remains the most authoritative of its kind. Reflecting the make-up of the wine market (and the layout of wine shops), the ’09 edition is divided into two major sections: Old World and New, with countries organized alphabetically in each. Giglio rates more than 1,000 of the most drinkable wines from the world’s major wine-producing regions, from the traditional giants (California, France, and Italy) to the exciting, up-and-coming winemakers of South America, Australia, Portugal, and Eastern Europe. His tasting notes are not only concise and easy to grasp, they’re in-depth, with expert assessments of a wine’s taste and qualities, plus essential information about its producer.
The recommended wines cover all price ranges, but with an emphasis on ones that offer the best value for the dollar. In addition to its on-target suggestions, this edition is loaded with special features, including an invaluable section on pairing wine with food, a Bargain Wine Finder, a Wine Tasting Guide, The Year in Wine review, handy at-a-glance Vintage Charts, and fascinating sidebars by local wine experts surveying the latest trends and stars in their respective countries or regions.

Grand Livre de Cuisine: Alain Ducasse's Culinary Encyclopedia

Alain Ducasse

Amazon Price: $50.40 List Price: $80.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Stewart, Tabori and Chang Amazon Marketplace: 37 new & used starting at $45.53

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking -> Desserts
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking -> Pastry
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Reference

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

Editorial Review:

A true master class in haute cuisine by a true master
Features 700 recipes with ingredients from anchovies to zucchini
An extensive appendix offers a complete description, including the choosing and buying, of the 100 basic ingredients used in the recipes

World-renowned French chef Alain Ducasse has built a reputation on meticulously selecting and preparing ingredients. Grand Livre de Cuisine: Alain Ducasse’s Culinary Encyclopedia brought his 25 years of culinary expertise to kitchens nationwide when it hit bookshelves two years ago. Now, with the release of the first paperback edition, this comprehensive culinary resource has become enticingly affordable for professional chefs and experienced home cooks alike.

Featuring 700 recipes culled from the best of French and Mediterranean cuisine, and more than 1,000 photographs and original drawings, Grand Livre de Cuisine is an invaluable tool for reviewing or perfecting one’s knowledge of culinary fundamentals. The recipes, organized alphabetically by main ingredient—from a thin-crusted anchovy tart to zucchini blossom fritters—are clear and concise, with a special emphasis on finish and presentation. The book also includes a glossary of 100 basic ingredients, as well as a primer on recipes such as stocks and sauces.

As proprietor of four first-rate restaurants and founder of a professional-level cooking school, Ducasse is a natural teacher who can demystify the most complex of recipes. In writing Grand Livre de Cuisine, he has created an impressive guide to appreciating and practicing the art of French cooking. It is sure to teach and inspire cooks of every level.

Oz Clarke's Pocket Wine Guide 2009 (Oz Clarke's Pocket Wine Guides)

Oz Clarke

Amazon Price: $10.20 List Price: $15.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Harcourt Amazon Marketplace: 11 new & used starting at $10.20

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Drinks & Beverages -> Spirits
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Drinks & Beverages -> Wine -> Buying Guides
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Reference

Editorial Review:

Indispensable as ever, Oz Clarke’s now-classic pocket wine guide has been thoroughly and meticulously revised and updated for 2009, with much-anticipated lists of favorite wines, top values, and producers and regions to watch, as well as new vintage reports. For increased browsability, this year’s guide also includes a country-by-country index.

As user-friendly as it is complete, Oz Clarke’s Pocket Wine Guide 2009 lists each wine, grape, winery, producer, and region alphabetically for easy reference. It is a perfect pocket reference for novices—and essential for the seasoned wine lover wanting the latest information.

The Spice Bible: Essential Information and More Than 250 Recipes Using Spice, SpiceMixes, and Spice Pastes

Jane Lawson

Amazon Price: $19.77 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Stewart, Tabori & Chang Amazon Marketplace: 46 new & used starting at $9.06

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Cooking by Ingredient -> Herbs, Spices & Condiments
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Reference
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The only book on spices that any chef or aspiring cook will ever need, The Spice Bible is a fully comprehensive guide to the fascinating history and enticing culinary uses of 45 fiery foods from around the world. Each entry—from ajowan through wolfberry—includes a description of the spice’s origin and uses, guidelines on how to integrate it into your own cooking, and a trove of other helpful information. (Which are the best spices to pair with saffron? When is the right time to throw away that leftover ginger?)

Like its companion volume, The Produce Bible, this must-have book also features more than 250 recipes—for appetizers, soups, entrees, side dishes, breads, desserts, and more—that highlight each ingredient’s distinctive taste and character. Carrot soup with caraway butter, seared salmon with sesame and cucumber, and beef filet poached in Asian-spiced broth are among the delectable dishes presented here, all created with flavorful spices and easily mastered by any cook.

The book also includes tips on purchasing and storing spices, along with sections on spice mixes and pastes such as curry, zaatar, and chermoula. Filled with evocative photographs throughout, The Spice Bible is an invaluable resource for anyone looking for a pinch of personality in their cooking—or a dash of inspiration.

Food Storage 101 Where do I begin? (Cookin' With Home Storage)

Peggy Dianne Layton

Amazon Price: $10.75 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Peggy Layton Amazon Marketplace: 21 new & used starting at $7.67

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Culinary Arts & Techniques
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Reference
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

This book is one in a series of books written on the subject of food storage. With the upcomming world events and the scare of food shortages many people are starting a food storage program for their families. This book has everything you need to know to begin and maintain a food storage program in your home. It is referred to as having your own home grocery store and pharmacy. You store what you eat and eat what you store, then you replace what you use. With this plan in your home you will never be caught short without enough food to feed your family in case of an emergency. This is a workbook with an inventory and planning guide, as well as a 14 day menu planner to help you calculate how much food you need to continue eating the way you do now without having to change your diet in a crises. This book will help anyone from beginners to advanced. It covers: Where to store bulk food, How to store bulk food, What kind of containers to use, and how much food to store! . This book is written in an easy to follow format with a 6 step plan of action. This plan eliminates the overwhelmed feeling you get when you think of storing at least a three month to a years supply of food. This book is a must for anyone concerned about the problems our nation faces in the near future with food shortages and Y2K proble

What Einstein Told His Cook 2: The Sequel: Further Adventures in Kitchen Science

Robert L. Wolke, Marlene Parrish

Amazon Price: $17.13 List Price: $25.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: W. W. Norton & Company Amazon Marketplace: 79 new & used starting at $4.70

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Gastronomy -> Essays
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Gastronomy -> History
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Reference

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

Worthy Sucessor to the first book! 5 out of 5 stars.
30 of 31 people found this review helpful.

As a big fan of the first book in this series, I was glad to see another one pop up and quickly put it on my wish list. I was also glad to see that it was even longer than volume 1, with an extra 110 pages. The style is great -- well paced, well laid out, with the 'harder' science very skimmable and yet approachable to non-chemists. I particularly like the way he challenges conventionally held assumptions by, in many cases, doing simple experiments that seem to answer things conclusively. The inlined recipes (by his wife, Marlene Parrish) look delicious and provide a nice break to the flow of questions. Some of my favorite answers:
Why does iced tea turn cloudy? Will coffee stay hotter if I put the cream in right away or only when I'm ready to drink it? Why are there sulfites in wine? How can I get a red wine stain out of a tablecloth? Why do onions really make me cry? Why are "sweet" onions sweet? When an banana ripes and gets sweeter, does it contain more calories? What is a free radical? What makes mashed potatoes gluey? How can I best match a pasta shape with a sauce? Does marinating work? (suprising!) What's the difference between browning and caramelizing? Why do we cook with wine?

And so on. If you like cooking and like knowing more about what's going on inside the pan and aren't afraid of a few polysyllabic words (mmmm, alpha-galactosidase... don't worry, they are defined in context) then grab this book. I couldn't put it down!

Editorial Review:

In this sequel to the best-selling What Einstein Told His Cook, he has added a new feature for curious cooks and budding scientists, "Sidebar Science", which details the chemical processes that underlie food and cooking. In the same plain language that made the first book a hit with both techies and foodies, Wolke combines the authority, clarity and wit of a renowned research scientist, writer and teacher. Also including 35 recipes by Marlene Parrish.