International Books - Page 9

The Filipino-American Kitchen: Traditional Recipes, Contemporary Flavors

Jennifer M. Aranas, Brian Briggs, Michael Lande

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Tuttle Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 24 new & used starting at $15.55

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> Asian -> Pacific Rim
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> Asian -> General
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> Asian -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Asian but with a lot of foreign influence 5 out of 5 stars.
18 of 21 people found this review helpful.

The dishes in this book fit the title: Filipino American. That is, they are based on the traditional foods of the Philippines but modified to allow the chef to take advantage of fresh local products, and of a minimum of specialty spices. The resulting foods are thus more suited to both the American taste and the American supermarket than highly traditional recipies.

Philippine food traditions are based on their particular variant on oriental cooking, but modified by years of invluence from incoming cultures. The Spanish took over the island in 1542 and left them with a deep impression of Spanish culinary heritage (paella for instance, but without saffron). The Spanish in turn brought with them some Mexican influence. And then there were the Americans, the Japanese, the Chinese.

Ms. Aranas has done an excellent job of fitting these into an American kitchen. You will be hard pressed to flip through this book without finding something that you want to try.

Editorial Review:

Containing over 100 traditional and modern adaptations of Filipino recipes, this cookbook is perfect for Americans with little to no experience with Filipino cuisine, and for Filipino-Americans interested in learning new adaptations of traditional dishes. A comprehensive guide, The Filipino-American Kitchen includes a brief culinary history of the Philippines, a list of Filipino ingredients used in the recipes, and a guide to navigating Asian grocery stores. There is also a resource section for ordering ingredients online or directly from stores, followed by 10 chapters of recipes organized by course, with main courses organized by food type. Anyone interested in Filipino cooking will find this book an invaluable resource.

Black Forest Cuisine

Walter Staib, Jennifer Linder

Amazon Price: $24.85 List Price: $35.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Running Press Amazon Marketplace: 26 new & used starting at $8.75

Buy at Amazon.com

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

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

Editorial Review:

If the only thing that comes to mind when you think of Black Forest cuisine is the infamous cream-slathered, cherry-studded Black Forest Cake, then Chef Walter Staib has a thing or two to show you!

Nestled in Southwestern Germany, the region surrounding the Black Forest, or Schwarzwald, is known throughout Europe and beyond for its rich and internationally influenced cuisine, making it a top destination for gourmands from around the world. In Black Forest Cuisine, renowned chef and cookbook author Walter Staib takes home chefs on a mouth-watering tour of the culinary treasures found in his homeland. Each chapter introduces dishes as they are served in a variety of Black Forest environs—from the comfort food of a Home Kitchen to the more portable meals of the Café, from the complicated banquets of a Gasthaus to the grand menus featured in fashionable Hotels. In this compendium of local yet worldly cuisine, Chef Staib shows that the cuisine of the Black Forest inspires much more than just a cake. Recipes include: • Hungarian Goulasch
• Spätzle & Potato Stew
• Bienenstich
• Sauerbraten
More than just a cookbook, Black Forest Cuisine is a photographic and culinary exploration of the famous region, lovingly presented by one of its own sons. Fully illustrated with 4-color photographs of the enchanting Black Forest and its mouth-watering food, this cookbook will transport readers to the warm and magical land that many Europeans already know and love.

the girl & the fig cookbook: More than 100 Recipes from the Acclaimed California Wine Country Restaurant

Sondra Bernstein

Amazon Price: $19.80 List Price: $30.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Simon & Schuster Amazon Marketplace: 49 new & used starting at $7.46

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Drinks & Beverages -> Wine -> Food & Wine
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> International
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> U.S. Regional -> California

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

Editorial Review:

In 1997, Sondra Bernstein opened the doors to the first girl & the fig restaurant, showcasing her love of locally grown ingredients and her passion for French food. She named her restaurant for the fruit that symbolizes passion: the fig. Now with three restaurants in Sonoma County and with chef John Toulze at the helm, the girl & the fig restaurants are not only local favorites but also captivate thousands of visitors every year.

In the girl & the fig Cookbook: More than 100 Recipes from the Acclaimed California Wine Country Restaurant, Bernstein offers an inspired collection of simple, yet sophisticated recipes from the restaurant, featuring the finest, freshest ingredients. These are restaurant-quality recipes adapted for the home kitchen, with dishes for beginners as well as experienced cooks. Bernstein brings the culinary traditions of France to the California wine country.

The author's devotion to seasonal ingredients is wonderfully apparent in every recipe -- from the savory appetizers, soups, salads, and large plates to the innovative desserts. Starters such as Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho, Cauliflower Gruyère Soup, Shrimp and Salmon Cakes, and Grilled Asparagus Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette make the most of the region's bounty. Large plates such as Grilled Salmon with Lavender Beurre Rouge, Pan-Seared Scallops with Orange-Tarragon Beurre Blanc, Wild Mushroom Risotto, and Grilled Pork Chops with Apple Cider Sauce make wonderful main courses, while French classics like Coq au Vin and Duck Confit with Lentils, Applewood Smoked Bacon, and Cabbage will comfort you on a cold winter's night. Side dishes that can complement a large plate or be eaten alone include Braised Fennel, Citrus Pearl Couscous, Apple-Yam Gratin, and buttery Basil-Scented Potato Cakes. Bernstein's desserts range from the sinfully scrumptious (Chocolate Pots de Crème and Lavender and Wildflower Honey Crème Brûlée) to the unique (Roasted Figs with Honey and Vanilla Ice Cream and Warm Fig and Thyme Crisp with Fig Syrup).

With gorgeous photographs throughout, the girl & the fig Cookbook also offers tips on wine pairings, highlighting California wines inspired by the Rhône Valley; imaginative ideas for aperitifs, charcuterie platters, and cheese plates; detailed sidebars on ingredients (including Bernstein's favorite food -- the fig!); and brief glimpses of the author's favorite artisan food purveyors.

This is country food with a French passion, perfect for a casual dinner or a formal dinner party. Let the girl & the fig Cookbook bring a taste of California to your kitchen.

A Taste of Croatia

Karen Evenden

Amazon Price: $15.96 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: New Oak Press Amazon Marketplace: 2 new & used starting at $15.96

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> European -> European
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> European -> Mediterranean
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> International

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

Editorial Review:

A Taste of Croatia...savoring the food, people and traditions of Croatia's Adriatic coast...is both a user-friendly cookbook and an intriguing travel memoir dedicated to the land that the New York Times recently dubbed the "New Riviera." Packed with straight-forward recipes, photos, food facts and anecdotes, the author has created a publication that goes beyond the bounds of what makes a great cookbook...she delivers the spirit of the culture, the country and the cuisine and then ties it all together with a collection of recipes that will make you want to run to your kitchen and start cooking. Today, throughout America, we are hearing more and more about the benefits of eating fresh, seasonal, local foods that are grown and produced using sustainable methods. However, for today's cooks, it can be difficult to know exactly how to incorporate these concepts into our busy lives without it being too complicated, time consuming or expensive. Toss in a dash of ethnicity and even the most competent home cook can become discouraged. Fear not: A Taste of Croatia provides a straightforward and easy way to celebrate a culture whose dishes can be created anywhere fresh ingredients can be found...all the while capturing you with an inspiring story that will allow you to set out on your own adventure...without leaving your favorite chair. A Taste of Croatia is based on the author and her husband's three-year odyssey sailing the Adriatic coast and living aboard their 50-foot sailboat. It is the story of the lands they explored, the people they met, the markets they visited and the foods they enjoyed. Presented as a well organized, easy-to-use cookbook, most of the recipes have been savored by generations of Croatians and all of the recipes have been adapted for use in American kitchens. It is the author's hope to provide each reader with his or her own enriching, delicious, inspiring and thought-provoking "taste of Croatia."

Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2007: An Entire Year of Recipes (Food & Wine Annual Cookbook)

Amazon Price: $21.56 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: American Express Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 130 new & used starting at $0.42

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> General AAS
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Drinks & Beverages -> Wine -> Food & Wine
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> International

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

Editorial Review:

Almost one million subscribers heartily agree: there’s always something delicious going on in Food & Wine. And it’s all here in the annual cookbook, which includes every recipe published in the magazine during 2006—more than 500 dishes accompanied by scrumptious-looking photographs. The contributors remain absolutely stellar—cuisine’s finest—including such cookbook authors, chefs and food luminaries as Jacques Pepin, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Paula Wolfert, and Eric Ripert. Mouthwatering recipes like Smokey Spiced T-Bone Steaks with Chilean Salsa (from Stephen Raichlen, author of Barbeque Bible), Spring Pea Falafel with Marinated Radishes and Minted Yogurt (from personal chef Nicki Reiss), and Fluffy, Buttery Cinnamon Rolls (Deborah Racicot of New York’s Gotham Bar & Grill) were tested on home appliances, making them easy to re-create. In addition, the volume includes 50 brand-new test-kitchen tips, as well as an extensive glossary of accessible wines. Here’s real food that real people who want to eat well can actually prepare; dishes that reflect the many ways we cook today.

Please to the Table: The Russian Cookbook

Anya Von Bremzen, John Welchman

List Price: $27.95 By: Workman Pub Co Amazon Marketplace: 3 new & used starting at $39.95

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking -> General
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> European -> Russian
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> International

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 37 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Very interesting, but in need of re-editing 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This is a book that I really really wanted to like, but which has some irritating quirks of format, editing, and omission that could have been avoided with some better editing.

STRENGTHS:
* Unlike all too many books out there, the author(s) went to the commendable effort of discussing the regional differences in cuisine amongst the many countries that used to comprise the USSR, and they provide recipes for each in separate chapters. Major kudos for that. I wish that other all-in-one type books on Chinese, Italian, Indian, and (to a lesser degree) American cuisine were as diligent. Such nuances add clarity and focus to one's comprehension of foreign cuisines.

WEAKNESSES:

* First of all, the title is a little off. This is a book about SOVIET cooking, because it covers many regions within what (at the time it first came out) was still the USSR (of which Russia is was only one country among many).

* FORMAT/LAYOUT: I think the publisher went a bit overboard in trying to stretch the page count to make the book appear far more encyclopedic than it actually is. Through a combination of recipe headings printed in oversize fonts, wasteful margins, a plethora of useless sidepanels that add little of value, and overly generous line spacing, the publisher managed to stretch this book to 659 pages. If they'd used the same layout and font size used by Julia Child, this book would probably be well under 250. A page count of 659, in order to cover 400 recipes, most of them fairly modest in length and complexity, represents a lot of needlessly wasted paper, and it reduces the book's readability. The New Joy of Cooking, for instance, has almost 4x as many recipes in roughly the same page count. In this book, a recipe that SHOULD be less than 1 page is stretched out to 2 or 3.

* TABLE OF CONTENTS: There doesn't seem to be a convenient list of recipes anywhere in the book - there's only the table of contents (which merely overviews each chapter in general terms), and the index (which is arranged by searchable ingredients).

* GAPS: Despite the commendable efforts by the authors to cover many of the provinces of the old USSR, there are still some gaps - some small, some gaping. Some of the smaller gaps involve having dedicated too little space to pickled dishes (only 17 pages), and dressed cold salads (19 pages), both of which are FAR more prominent and commonplace in working-class Soviet cuisine that the book would have you believe. A particularly glaring gap is a total void regarding caviar. All that you'll find in this book is 3-4 call outs for cooked or smoked sturgeon meat, and 2 recipes that call for salmon roe, even though the caspian is the virtual culinary homeland of sturgeon caviar. A book on russian cuisine that omits caviar is lie a book on American cuisine that omits apple pie. At least the authors covered borsht and infused vodka.

In my opinion, this book would benefit from some fairly substantial re-editing and layout optimization to refine its focus, eliminate wasted space, improve indexing, and fill in some culinary gaps.

Editorial Review:

Discover the entire continent in this classic collection of 400 recipes. Please to the Table is the first book to interpret the joyous cacophony of Russian flavors, techniques, ingredients--even rituals. Winner of the 1990 James Beard Food and Beverage Book Award. Illustrations throughout.

Monet's Table: The Cooking Journals of Claude Monet

Claire Joyes

List Price: $34.50 By: Simon & Schuster Amazon Marketplace: 92 new & used starting at $1.29

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Schools, Periods & Styles -> Impressionism
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking -> General
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

One of the most influential painters of modern times, Claude Monet lived for half his life in the famous house at Giverny. It was after moving here in 1883 with his future second wife, Alice Hoschedé, and their eight children that Monet's work finally achieved recognition. His growing success meant that he was able to indulge his passion for comfort and good living. Family meals, special celebrations, luncheons with friends, picnics: all reflected the Monets' love of good food. Just as the inspiration for many of Monet's paintings was drawn from his beloved gardens and the surrounding Normandy landscape, so the meals served at Giverny were based upon superb ingredients from the kitchen-garden (a work of art in itself), the farmyard, and the French countryside. A moody, reserved, and very private man whose daily routine revolved totally around his painting, Monet nevertheless enjoyed entertaining his friends, many of whom were leading figures of the time. As well as his fellow Impressionists -- in particular Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, Degas and Cezanne -- other regular guests included Rodin, Whistler, Maupassant, Valery, and one of Monet's closest friends, the statesman Clemenceau. They came to dine in almost ritual form, first visiting Monet's studio and the greenhouses, then having lunch at 11:30 (the time the family always dined, to enable Monet to make the most of the afternoon light). Tea would later be served under the lime trees or near the pond. Guests were never invited to dinner; because Monet went to bed very early in order to rise at dawn. All the guests were familiar with Monet's rigid timetable. The recipes collected in his cooking journals includedishes Monet had encountered in his travels or had come across in restaurants he frequented in Paris as well as recipes from friends, such as Cezanne's "bouillabaisse" and Millet's "petits pains." For this book, the author Claire Joyes, wife of Madame Monet's great-grandson, has spent years selecting the Monets' favorite recipes and writing a wonderfully evocative introductory text. All of the recipes have been artfully prepared and brought back to life in Monet's own kitchen by master chef Joel Robuchon. Illustrated with sumptuous reproductions of Monet's paintings, spectacular original four-color photographs of Giverny, selected shots of finished dishes, and facsimile pages from the notebooks themselves, this book provides a fascinating and unique insight into the turn-of-the-century lifestyle of one of the world's most celebrated Impressionist painters.

The Great Chiles Rellenos Book

Janos Wilder

Amazon Price: $11.53 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Ten Speed Press Amazon Marketplace: 41 new & used starting at $8.44

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> International
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> Mexican
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Que viva el chile relleno! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My favorite item on the menu of any Mexican/New Mexican restaurant is the chile relleno. It is THE item I gauge the quality of the restaurant by. Unfortunately most restaurants do not make the grade. I have also searched high and low for good recipes, some basic ones along with some a little more adventuresome....this book has them all! There are step-by-step instructions, side-bar hints, lots of great pictures, simple and not-so-simple recipes - all devoted to the chile relleno. I am very happy with this purchase.

Editorial Review:

James Beard award-winning chef Janos Wilder offers more than 30 recipes for delicious chiles rellenos, ranging in complexity to suit beginning and expert home cooks alike. Wilder introduces regional Mexican rellenos, then provides contemporary interpretations, including jalapeño poppers, roasted poblanos, sauces, and more. From choosing the right chiles to preparing them for stuffing, THE GREAT CHILES RELLENOS BOOK provides plenty of inspiration for anyone craving a taste of the Southwest.

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 $46.30

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.

The Hippy Gourmet's Quick and Simple Cookbook for Healthy Eating

Bruce Brennan, James Ehrlich

Amazon Price: $10.19 List Price: $14.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wellness Central Amazon Marketplace: 40 new & used starting at $4.99

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Natural Foods
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Quick & Easy -> General
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Quick & Easy -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Cooking the Hippy Way: It's as Simple as Following Your Pleasure


Bruce Brennan, the host of the hit PBS show The Hippy Gourmet, travels the globe sampling local, healthy cuisines. The show is a global sensation, airing across the U.S. and in-flight international airlines such as Lufthansa and Swiss Air. Now in a cookbook packed with over 150 recipes, Bruce shows how you can make these easy, delicious dishes using freshly-grown ingredients, in your own home. His vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian meals will transform your eating experience--and change the world for the better, one meal at a time. Don't miss:

• 
  
  AMAZING BREAKFASTS--Enjoy Blueberry Pecan Pancakes that will make you flip!


• 
  
  SIMPLE SOUPS--When it's too hot to turn on the stove, taste Cold Cucumber Soup and spend the rest of the day skinny dipping.


• 
  
  GLORIOUS BEANS--Try Brazilian-Style Black Beans that'll make you tango.


• 
  
  SOLAR PIZZA--Prepare everyone's favorite meal and if the mood strikes, bake it in your homemade solar oven. (It really works!)


• 
  
  SHARE THE LOVE DESSERTS--Make Mocha Mousse, a dark and powerful end to your meal that tastes as soft and light as a cloud.

...PLUS SALADS, SANDWICHES, SIDE DISHES, AND MORE!