Special Occasions Books - Page 23

The Food Service Professionals Guide To: Waiter & Waitress Training: How To Develop Your Wait Staff For Maximum Service & Profit (The Food Service Professionals Guide, 10)

Lora Arduser

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Editorial Review:

This new series of fifteen books - The Food Service Professional Guide TO Series from the editors of the Food Service Professional are the best and most comprehensive books for serious food service operators available today.

These step-by-step guides on a specific management subject range from finding a great site for your new restaurant to how to train your wait staff and literally everything in between. They are easy and fast -to-read, easy to understand and will take the mystery out of the subject. The information is "boiled down" to the essence. They are filled to the brim with up to date and pertinent information.

The books cover all the bases, providing clear explanations and helpful, specific information. All titles in the series include the phone numbers and web sites of all companies discussed. What you won't find are wordy explanations, tales of how someone did it better, or a scholarly lecture on the "theory". Think of them as "Cliff Notes TM" on the subject matter.

Every paragraph in each of the books are comprehensive, well researched, engrossing, and just plain fun-to-read, yet are packed with interesting ideas. You'll be using your highlighter a lot! The best part aside from the content is they are very moderately priced. You can also purchase the whole 15 book series the isbn number is 0-910627-26-6. You are bound to get a great new idea to try on every page if not out of every paragraph. Do not be put off by the low price, these books really do deliver the critical information and eye opening ideas you need you to succeed without the fluff so commonly found in more expensive books on the subject. Highly recommended!

Catering: A Guide to Managing a Successful Business Operation

Bruce Mattel, The Culinary Institute of America

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Catering: A guide to Managing a Successful Business Operation 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is a well-organized text with comprehensive coverage of business challenges faced by a caterer, ranging from in-hotel to off-site mom/pop style businesses. It is very helpful and readable, although I hoped for more recipes and display ideas to leaven the text.

Editorial Review:

In this invaluable reference, The Culinary Institute of America provides all the information that caterers and would-be caterers need to set up and run a successful catering business of any kind. From launching the business, establishing pricing, setting up a kitchen, staffing, and marketing to planning events, organizing service, preparing food, managing the dining room and beverages, and developing menus, it provides detailed guidance on every aspect of the catering business, showing operators how to troubleshoot and creatively solve problems. Illustrated throughout with 50 photographs and 30 black-and-white illustrations, Catering is an indispensable guide for anyone who wants to succeed in this highly competitive field.

Kitchen Playdates: Easy Ideas for Entertaining That Includes the Kids ** 70 Delicious Recipes

Lauren Deen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Good cookbook, nothing my kids would ever eat. 2 out of 5 stars.
18 of 19 people found this review helpful.

This is a cookbook. That's it. Now, what is so bad about that? When I got this book I thought it would be more of a party-planning book, such as Christopher Lowell's: themes, and dishes to go with the themes. But it's not. It's just a book telling about how she likes to cook with her kids and other families, the fact that she is a Food Network producer and trained chef, and all the places she has lived in. The dishes are arranged the usual way: appetizers, mains, desserts, etc. There are maybe four-themed "parties," and all she does is reference the page numbers of the recipes, and several themes use the exact same recipes for each!

Now tell me something: would your kids eat dishes like

pickled shrimp with mango and fennel? (and would you serve shrimp to a crowd of people, kids included?)

duck and andouille jambalaya? (and once again, would you serve duck to a crowd, only to be thrown out and wasted by the children?)

grilled lobsters with garlic butter? (um, yeah, what part of this are the children going to be able to do? Grilling around children? My idea of a supervision nightmare.)

This is a beautiful cookbook full of color photos and beautiful graphic design (not a photo for each dish, however). And there are some kid-friendly recipes, like Spaghetti carbonara and Parmesan chicken fingers. But do you need a kids' cookbook for that? Your standard Betty Crocker cookbook has these recipes, I'm sure.

This is a fun idea, and cooking with your kids is wonderful. But this is not marketed correctly. If you're going to cook with $40 ingredients, don't try it out on your kids or others' kids. Let them Try your entree at a restaurant and THEN make it at home.

Editorial Review:

Kitchen Playdates: Easy Ideas for Entertaining that Include the Kids ò 70 Delicious Recipes ò Plus Menus, Activities, and 10 Playdates By Lauren Bank Deen Photographs by Tina Rupp"Sophisticated entertainingùwith kids? Lauren Bank Deen proves that it is no

The America's Test Kitchen Cookbook

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Based on the popular PBS TV series, Cook's Illustrated's America's Test Kitchen Cookbook presents more than 200 recipes in short, essay-like investigations that reflect exhaustive ingredient, equipment, and method testing. Over the years, Cook's Illustrated magazine has set itself to the task of finding the best versions of favorite dishes. The result has been often-definitive reports on how to achieve fare like thin-crust pizza, oven-fried chicken, and blueberry muffins. Readers who look to the magazine for the last word on dish preparation, and others seeking reliable, enlightening cooking counsel, will welcome this book.

Each recipe includes a What We Wanted statement (in the case of french fries, for example, "Golden brown fries with a nice crunch on the outside and an earthy potato taste"); explores various dish approaches (the perfect fat for fries is investigated and determined, among other cooking issues); What We Learned ("Use russet potatoes, soak them in ice water, and fry in peanut oil twice); the recipe itself; and other features such as Testing Lab (a detailed view of the dish's perfecting process). A full range of dishes are explored, from puréed soups, sandwiches, and barbecue fare to holiday dinners, seafood classics, and sweets such as apple pie, bar cookies, and chocolate desserts. Fully photo illustrated, and with useful step-by-step technique drawings, the book is a valuable kitchen resource that will help readers cook better. --Arthur Boehm

Cast Iron Cooking: 50 Gourmet-Quality Dishes from Entrees to Desserts

Dwayne Ridgaway

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

Editorial Review:

The adage "everything old is new again" is proven to be true once more as evidence of the resurgence in popularity of cooking with cast iron. Celebrity chefs like Emeril, Paula Deen, Rachel Ray, and Alton Brown are touting the virtues and versatility of cast-iron cookware. Now cooking enthusiasts can learn the age-old techniques that have made cast iron cooking a perennial favorite.

Cast Iron Cooking describes attributes of cast-iron pans and how best to use them; provides a review of all shapes, kinds, and brands of iron utensils; and explains what each is best suited for. It includes recipes for easy, healthy, gourmet-quality dishes from entrees to desserts made in cast-iron pans. A special chapter covers live-fire and charcoal cooking and grilling with cast iron. (Psst! Cast-iron cookware is perfect for outdoor cooking and entertaining.)

Sidebars cover interesting facts about cast iron, such as its history as a chuck-wagon favorite, how to use a Dutch oven with live coals, how to prepare and maintain a natural no-stick surface (a process called "seasoning") on these pans, and more.

A Passion for Parties: Your Guide to Elegant Entertaining

David Tutera, Laura Morton

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

With a client list that ranges from corporate heavyweights Morgan Stanley and Marriott Hotels to style-setters Tommy Hilfiger and Kenneth Cole to Elton John and the Prince of Wales, David Tutera's party-planning prowess is indisputable. A Passion for Parties, his first book, reveals the secrets of the Tutera touch, so now partiers of all stripes can benefit from his decadent aesthetic. In 10 chapters that cover everything from choosing the date and the invitation to design concepts and the icing on the cake, Tutera distills his years of creating gloriously unrestrained events into practical advice for artful entertaining.

Whether planning an intimate dinner for four, a formal wedding, a New Year's Eve gala, or a Memorial Day clambake, the key to a successful party is, of course, passion. Tutera addresses the basics of organizing and hosting various types of parties, and throughout shares colorful anecdotes and "Tutera Tips" that vary from the obvious ("If you use open flame candles, make sure you keep the flame away from flowers, tablecloths, and other flammable materials") to the conscientious ("Leftover food from your event can be donated to a local homeless shelter soup kitchen"). Menu ideas, flower arrangements, table settings, and more are discussed in detail, and photographs from Tutera's occasions demonstrate his special flair and provide plenty of inspiration. If Martha's too New England and Colin Cowie too L.A., Tutera's touch could be just right for you. --Rebecca Wright

Mario Batali Holiday Food

Mario Batali

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

With the infectious enthusiasm of a kid on Christmas morning, Mario Batali--who presides over a culinary empire that includes the popular Food Network television show Molto Mario, four acclaimed New York restaurants, and a wine store--presents four complete menus for the holidays and captures all the fun and festivity that epitomize Italian celebrations. True to the commitment to simple cooking evident in his first book, Simple Italian Food, the dishes here deliver maximum flavor and enjoyment without being overly complicated.

Batali's version of the famous Italian seafood extravaganza traditionally served on Christmas Eve--known as the Feast of Seven Fishes--includes no fewer than 15 enticing dishes. Marinated Fresh Anchovies are both surprisingly delectable and delightful in their simplicity. Salt Cod with Capers and Mint, Grilled Lobster with Herbs and Arugula, and Sea Bass Ravioli with Marjoram and Potatoes would each be showstoppers as the centerpiece of any meal. Served together, they comprise a truly unforgettable feast.

The Christmas Day menu is equally lavish, centering on a succulent boned turkey breast stuffed with chestnuts and prunes, while the New Year's Day spread is pure decadence. The latter begins innocently enough, with a refreshing aperitivo of tangerine juice, Compari, and soda, then proceeds through a parade of richly flavored dishes, from the hot-pepper-spiked Octopus in the Style of the Prostitutes of Napoli, to the meatball-filled "mythic pasta dome" known as Timpano di Maccheroni, to the prosciutto-wrapped Braised Pork Roll. An irresistible selection of dolci (sweets), including Cinnamon Chocolate Pudding with Pine Nuts and Waffle Cookies, rounds out the meal. New Year's Day welcomes a relaxed daylong open house replete with an ever-changing spread of antipasti, pasta, and dolci, most of which can be prepared at leisure and served at room temperature, enabling the hosts to enjoy the party as much as the guests.

Photos, along with helpful wine suggestions and practical advice on technique, accompany each menu. Throughout, Batali paints a portrait of his Italian-American family that reminds readers that the simple joy of being together is what the holidays are really about. The 60 simple yet elegant recipes can be mixed, matched, and adapted for any occasion. Served together or separately, each is cause for celebration. --Robin Donovan

Perfect Tables: Tabletop Secrets, Settings And Centerpieces for Delicious Dining

William Yeoward

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

Gorgeous Tabletops....... 5 out of 5 stars.
14 of 14 people found this review helpful.

I purchased this book for myself with an Amazon gift certificate. We give a lot of dinner parties and I am always fussing with the table. This beautiful book is filled with enough ideas to last the rest of my life. Even if I don't use the entire lay-out of a featured tabletop, there's at least one or two ideas that can be taken from each page and incorporated into my own design. If you love to "dress up your table," then this is the only book you might ever have to buy.

Editorial Review:

"Perfect Tables" showcases the artistry of acclaimed tabletop designer William Yeoward in setting a beautiful table. He begins with an essential section on Getting Started, so you have all the linen, china, and glass you need. Next, themed chapters from Celebrations to Informality showcase twenty-four stunning creations, covering occasions including Thanksgiving, a Summer Wedding, Halloween, and Valentine's Day, and informal settings such as a buffet supper, a girl's lunch, a child's birthday, or the perfect breakfast tray. Inspired by William's love of entertaining friends, "Perfect Tables" reveals the secrets behind his eye for detail and colour, and shows how you can find inspiration in a fabric or item you may already own. William's invaluable hints and tips include reassurance for the nervous hostess and even dealing with dining disasters! The book concludes with myriad ideas for tying napkins, arranging glasses, and laying cutlery.

Naked Chef Takes Off, The

Jamie Oliver

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 37 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Affable Essex boy Jamie Oliver continues the British culinary invasion with The Naked Chef Takes Off, the smashing follow-up to his bestselling The Naked Chef. For Oliver, the young Food Network import, food is all about "passing the potatoes around the table, ripping up some bread, licking my fingers, getting tipsy, and enjoying the company of good friends and family," and cooking up "what real people at home really want." The thing is, "real people" picking up cookbooks are often seeking easy-to-follow recipes. But that's not Oliver's bag. The layout of many of his recipes may frustrate traditional-cookbook readers--instructions often appear as one big chunk of conversational text with nary an ingredient or measurement in clear view--but that's part of the charm of Oliver's cookbooks. His commentary, tips, and cooking steps come across in a very approachable, colloquial style and leave plenty of room for individual flair or improvisation. Oliver's enthusiasm for cooking is infectious; the recipes and chapter introductions spill out like a best mate who just can't stop talking about food and how much fun--and simple--it can be to whip up these spectacular dishes.

Oliver kicks things off by stocking your pantry with best-quality ingredients, and he's an apostle for fresh herbs, raving on about growing and drying your own at home. "Morning Glory" is a chapter full of dishes like Midnight Pan-Cooked Breakfast (bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, sausages, and eggs brought together in the "biggest nonstick pan available" and sopped up with buttered toast--a rustic one-dish cure for any oncoming hangover). "Tapas, Munchies, and Snacks" brings Slow-Cooked and Stuffed Baby Cherry Chili Peppers to the table (when you're done snacking on the chilies, you're left with a jar of terrific flavored oil, perfect for salads or pasta). There's Squashed Cherry Tomato and Smashed Olive Salad, and a Fragrant Thai Broth, infused with lemongrass, ginger, and lime leaves. Once you've mastered his basic risotto recipe you can turn out Shrimp and Peas Risotto with Basil and Mint, and likewise his basic bread recipe is the foundation for Chocolate Twister Bread. "Easy peasy" dessert ideas like Strawberries Marinated in Balsamic Vinegar or Malted Milk Balls and Ice Cream (bash a big bag of Whoppers into bits and sprinkle over quality vanilla ice cream) are a refreshing end to any meal. Now, be a "right little tiger" and get cooking--Seared Scallops and Crispy Prosciutto with Roasted Tomatoes and Smashed White Beans and other fabulous dishes await. --Brad Thomas Parsons

Kosher By Design Entertains: Fabulous Recipes For Parties And Every Day

Susie Fishbein

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 24 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

BEAUTIFUL BOOK 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I GAVE THIS BOOK AS A GIFT, BEFORE I WRAPPED IT I LOOKED THROUGH IT. THE PICTURES OF THE FOOD ARE BEAUTIFUL. THE RECIPES SOUND GREAT, MOST OF THEM NOT TOO DIFFICULT.

Fantastic recipes! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I purchased this book right before Sukkot, at my (21yr. old) daughter's request - before she was due to arrive for the holiday. Not only did it arrive (early) in time for the holiday - but the recipes were great!. We brought one of the salads to a friend for one of the meals, and she insisted on getting the recipe from us. The recipes are doable - and come out delicious. Would definitely recommend this book.

Editorial Review:

Susie Fishbein has done it again! A new cookbook with all the elegance and flair of the original best-selling Kosher by Design, with more magnificent photography, great ideas and an array of fabulous recipes! Each recipe is simple yet elegant enough for any Shabbat, holiday, party or everyday meal. In addition, Susie reveals the secrets of successful hostesses. From an outdoor picnic to a formal anniversary dinner, Susie knows how to make your guests feel at home.

Kosher By Design Entertains features:
Over 250 brand new recipes and 200 stunning color photographs
Triple-tested recipes ensure accuracy, ease of preparation and elegant presentation
Nine different party formats complete with menu suggestions
Tips on creating the perfect ambience
Special Passover index
Resource and Buying Guide