Gourmet Books - Page 3

Michael Mina: The Cookbook

Michael Mina, JoAnn Cianciulli

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

Not Mina's Food 2 out of 5 stars.
15 of 34 people found this review helpful.

If you know Michael "Haj" Mina and where his real influences come from you will know that this book does not contain his work, but rather the work of Chef George Morrone whom Mina trained under and worked for, for over a decade.

For example the Mussel Soufflé with the Saffron Sauce originally came from a seafood Soufflé pioneered at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles back in 1988 - believe it or not.

At the time Morrone was talking about opening his dream restaurant "Aqua." He eventually did and it became the hottest seafood restaurant in San Francisco. Mina went along as Morrone's right hand man. After Morrone left Aqua, Mina stayed on as chef. He parlayed this through hard work and a little luck and Andre Agassi into the Mina Group.

He may be a good business man but the creator and the genius behind his food is not him. Though Mina does give Morrone credit in the book Morrone deserves more - he deserves his name on the cover.

Still it's an awesome book and written more for a professional than the average home cook.

Editorial Review:

With four award-winning restaurants and one set to open in the Savoy in London, Michael Mina is a man with a mission: to bring the best flavor combinations to his diners. Mina knows that as a cook, you like to master one recipe or the way to prepare a main ingredient. But then you'd like to try different flavors with that ingredient. This book allows you to do this; then it offers three different ways to prepare it so you can add variety to your weekly menus. A Crispy Loin of Pork can be served with an Orange/Carrot flavor combination-i.e. Orange-Glazed Carrots, Kumquat Relish, and Carrot Risotto, an Apple/Sage combination, or a Tomato/Corn combination of accompaniments. Also included are classics from Mina's restaurants including: Maine Lobster Pot Pie, Whole Fried Chicken with Truffled Macaroni and Cheese, and for a comforting close to the meal: Root Beer Float with Warm Chcolate Chip Cookies.This book will cause a big buzz in the food world.

Jean-Georges: Cooking At Home with a Four-Star Chef

Jean Georges Vongerichten, Mark Bittman

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The cooking of Jean-Georges Vongerichten--sophisticated yet startlingly uncomplicated, hinting at French and Asian influences yet entirely original--has earned endless raves and accolades from every quarter.  Why?  Because Vongerichten has invented a culinary style that is highly creative and intensely flavorful but uses few ingredients and is remarkably simple.

Now, Jean-Georges, with award-winning coauthor Mark Bittman, brings this extraordinary cuisine to the home kitchen. There are no mile-long lists of instructions, the recipes use readily available ingredients, and many can be prepared in thirty minutes or less. Some of the recipes are taken directly from the kitchens of Vongerichten's three restaurants--Jean Georges, Vong, and JoJo. They not only sound simple but are simple--and irresistible. Fennel and Apple Salad with Juniper. 10-minute Green Gazpacho. Sautéed Chicken with Green Olives and Cilantro. Warm, Soft Chocolate Cake.

Jean-Georges's signature dishes are all here and made easy for the home cook. Scallops and Cauliflower with Caper-Raisin Sauce. Chicken Soup with Coconut Milk and Lemongrass. Salmon and Potato Crisps. Looking for simple, midweek fare? Try the quickly-put-together Savoy Slaw with Citrus, Ginger, and Mustard and the Dill-Stuffed Shrimp with Baked Lemon. For weekend entertaining, start with Beet and Ginger Salad, move on to the Gently Cooked Salmon with Mashed Potatoes, and dazzle your guests with the spectacular Apple Confit.

This long-awaited cookbook makes it easy to turn your kitchen into a four-star restaurant. All it takes is the inspired recipes and innovative techniques of Jean-Georges.

The Gourmet Toaster Oven: Simple And Sophisticated Meals for the Busy Cook

Lynn Alley

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

long overdue 5 out of 5 stars.
20 of 21 people found this review helpful.

As an empty nester and avid cook, this book is perfect. Very tasty recipes without making huge quantities. The author has done her research and deserves credit for filling a rare niche
in this cookbook category. Shhh, don't tell my away-at-college children, but they will be receiving a copy of this book along with a nice toaster oven for Christmas. This is a cookbook everyone could use for fresh ideas, from Anzacs to Yogurt Baked Chicken with wine pairings suggested for many dishes. I wish I had thought of it first.

A Gem! 5 out of 5 stars.
15 of 15 people found this review helpful.

"Gourmet" and "Toaster Oven" in the same title? You bet! I usually don't review cookbooks unless I feel they are special enough to encourage others to purchase them, and this one I recommend highly.

My family has downsized but my cooking enthusiasm has not and I am entertaining more often but with smaller guest lists. Heating up a gas oven for a small quiche to feed four seems a waste of energy (the planet's and my own) and time (my large toaster oven takes four minutes to reach 400 degrees: my oven, almost 15.) Also, with most recipes in the book serving 2-4, there is not the problem of reducing larger recipes and the resulting dreaded calculations. Quality ingredients well combined and engagingly presented replace long grocery lists and too many leftovers for a small family, singles, empty-nesters and the diet conscious (I mean, who of us really wants that chocolate cheesecake that serves 8 sitting temptingly in the 'frige after a dinner for 2-4?!)

The book itself is a quality paperback, large enough for lovely photos, a brief description of the recipe and suggestions, as well as print that is easy to read.

Well organized, with a good index, the book is divided into five sections, (as well as an informative description of toaster ovens and their features) which makes finding a recipe quick and easy. And, sit down for this, there are even wine suggestions for many of recipes...from toaster-oven cooking! Too cool.

The recipe chapters are: Breakfast, Lunch, Appetizers and Sides, Dinner and Tea and Goodies. Short lists of commonly available ingredients make it easy to take a basic recipe and imagine many substitutions for variety and what is available in your larder.

The Herbed Oven-Fried Chicken, Quiche Lorraine, Artisan Whole Wheat-Walnut Loaf, Banana-Walnut Muffins, Savory Cheesecakes (yup, that's what I said), Turkey, Tarragon, and Apple Meatloaf, Chocolate Lava Cakes...if I have to pick "favorites" these are just super. Yes, you can probably find similar recipes in your cookbook collection, but again, you don't have to do the arithmetic. I guarantee that no one will associate that toaster oven sitting innocently on your kitchen counter as the source of these lovely dishes. And you don't have to tell them, you know.

Of course, you will have to re-think baking pans, casserole dishes, etc. for these smaller amounts, but I have found some lovely and very useful such items on sale in most all places that carry cookware. Besides, if you are a true "foodie" imagine how happy your friends and relatives will be to have something new to give you for birthdays and holidays! And, think of all the room you can free up in your kitchen (large baking pans and huge casseroles can be stored under the bed with those "extra cookbooks"...well, it works for me!)

Editorial Review:

The follow-up book to the best-selling Gourmet Slow Cooker (60,000 copies) featuring simple yet sophisticated meals for the toaster oven.

Live, Love, Eat!: The Best of Wolfgang Puck

Wolfgang Puck

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

Editorial Review:

The legendary Wolfgang Puck has created his most comprehensive, delectable, and easy-to-use cookbook yet. Live, Love, Eat! takes its title from his signature catchphrase, which sums up his exuberant approach to cooking and entertaining. Featuring more than 125 of his favorite dishes, this book is an indispensable compilation of the simple, sumptuous recipes from Puck’s world-renowned repertoire.

Live, Love, Eat! contains recipes for appetizers such as Puck’s acclaimed Crab Cakes with Sweet Red Bell Pepper Sauce; a variety of seasonal soups and salads, including his famed Chinois Chicken Salad; and, along with innovative pasta and risotto recipes, the California-style pizzas that first made Puck and his original Spago Hollywood a favorite of international celebrities. Puck also serves up all manner of main courses, including seafood recipes such as Lobster Imperial in Black Bean Sauce; poultry dishes such as Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Bell Peppers with Sweet Green Onion Sauce; and meat recipes such as Wolfgang’s Bacon-Wrapped Meat Loaf and Rack of Pork with Caramelized Maple Onions. To round out the collection, he offers a wide variety of vegetable and other side-dish recipes, plus spectacular desserts, including Decadent Warm Chocolate Cupcakes with Molten Centers and Classic Spago Cheesecake. A section covering basics, sauces, and techniques provides invaluable guidance for beginning and experienced cooks alike.

Illustrated throughout with more than 150 color images of finished dishes and close-up how-to shots demonstrating key techniques and tips, this stunning book is a must-have for cooks who share Puck’s passion for fresh, interesting ingredients and creative recipes.

Betty Crocker More Slow Cooker Recipes ( Hardcover-Spiral Edition)

Betty Crocker Editors

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

Editorial Review:

With your slow cooker and Betty Crocker, you'll enjoy homemade goodness on your schedule.

At the end of a long day, when everyone's home and hungry, what could be more welcoming than a delicious, hot dinner ready and waiting for you? With Betty Crocker More Slow Cooker Recipes, it's easy to find just the right dinner for you and your family to enjoy! Here's a collection of All-New Recipes, created to help you get the most out of your slow cooker-for everyday cooking and weekend meals, for casual get-togethers and holiday special occasions. If you're new to slow cooking, you'll find all you need to know to get started. And if you already love your slow cooker, there are more than 130 tempting new recipes to enjoy and more than 50 full-page color photos to inspire you to try something new.

You'll find ALL-NEW recipes for fix-it-and-forget-it favorites like:
* Appealing Appetizers: Cheesy Chicken and Peppers Dip, French Onion Meatballs, Teriyaki Smoked Riblets
* Super Soups and Stews: Meatball Stone Soup, Pork Tortilla Soup, Fisherman's Wharf Seafood Stew
* Easy Everyday Dinners: Turkey-Sausage Bean Bake, Zesty Italian Beef Tips, Ham with Cheesy Potatoes
* Perfect for Potluck: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya, Swedish Meatballs, Texas-Style Barbecued Beans
* Simply Delicious for Summer: Southern-Style Green Beans, The Ultimate Creamed Corn, Teriyaki Barbecued Chicken Sandwiches
* Hearty Holiday Treats: Apricot-Glazed Pork Roast and Stuffing, Bacon and Corn Bread--Stuffed Turkey Breast, Ham with Currant-Cherry Sauce
* Luscious Leftovers: Chinese Beef and Broccoli, Cheesy Pork Quesadillas, Supper Ham Frittata

The Cook's Book: Techniques and tips from the world's master chefs

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

For Beginners and Seasoned Cooks Alike 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 0 people found this review helpful.

"The Cook's Book" by Jill Norman is a text that has increased my kitchen skills by leaps and bounds. Regular pizza became stuffed pizza pie, ordinary chocolate chip cookies took on a cappuccino flare, and maduros were added to our realm of savory side dishes. (See site for photos.) More than these particular dishes, "The Cook's Book" expanded my knowledge of cooking techniques. I learned, for example, how to make an array of sauces, ranging from velouté to berbere and many places in between. But before you are even given a specific recipe the first page of the "Sauces and Dressings" chapter takes you step-by-step through the terms used when making sauces (skimming, sieving, deglazing), then explains the various ways in which sauces can be thickened (roux, butter, arrowroot, etc). All this is done through the use of clear explanations and - get this - photographs for every step. By page 57 an entire world of possibilities had opened before my eyes, and I hadn't even reached the "Foam," "Soups" or "Flavoring" sections, not to mention the remaining 537 pages of the book! It's astounding what a well-written, beautifully photographed cookbook can accomplish. The Editor, Jill Norman, collaborated with some of the world's best chefs when putting it together, including Rick Bayless, Pierre Hermé and Greg Malouf. I have to say that while working through this book you feel as if you are learning directly from the chefs you admire.

In addition to the chapters mentioned above, "The Cook's Book" includes sections on eggs & dairy products, fish & shellfish, poulty & game birds, vegetables, pasta & dumplings, breads & batters, and pasty & sweet doughs. The list goes on. These topical chapters are supplemented by sections on Indian cooking, Chinese cooking, Thai cooking, Mexican cooking and Middle Eastern cooking - each presented by a chef who has mastered the area and has created a menu for you. Hence, the Mexican cooking chapter written by Rick Bayless includes recipes for squash blossom-filled corn masa boats; tortilla soup with chili, cheese & avocado; braised pork in red chili sauce and lime ice cream with cajeta. Chapters in "The Cook's Book" are relatively short and by no means comprehensive, but that's alright because the point of this text is to teach you essential skills that will enhance your overall ability. Recipes range from simple (how to cook rice perfectly), to challenging (how to make frankfurter kranz), to difficult (how to make croissants), but I appreciated this fact. This is a cookbook that engages you, the cook, on every level. I had to make the stuffed pizza pie referenced above twice before it came out the way I wanted, the same goes for my gnocchi from semolina flour. Yet the end results were delicious and I gained a tremendous sense of accomplishment from learning such tasty new skills.

There isn't much that can be said about this book that would fall into the negative category. It is a huge text and hence a bit cumbersome, but that is to be expected from a book that transmits such a monumental amount of knowledge. At times the ingredients are a bit esoteric, yet I don't see how this can be avoided in a book that truly tackles the gourmet side of cooking and baking. Most of the less-common ingredients can be found at Whole Foods or your local speciality food store, and if those avenues fail there is always the internet. Overall I strongly recommend this book to cooks and bakers of every level.

Editorial Review:

Bursting with luscious color photography and clear step-by-step techniques drawn from the world's top chefs, this is a one-stop reference for all home cooks-from those who want to gain more confidence in the kitchen and hone their skills- to anyone who is eager to learn basic methods from scratch.

Vegetable Love

Barbara Kafka

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Barbara Kafka has been shaping the way America cooks for three decades. She’s doing it again.

With her customary originality, thoroughness, and passion for great cooking, Barbara Kafka has created the cook’s ultimate vegetable resource: 750 original recipes showcasing everything she adores about the vegetable world, from the lowly green bean to the exotic chrysanthemum leaf—even stretching the definition to include potatoes, mushrooms, and avocados just because she’s crazy mad for them.

Her love of vegetables shows in every dish, each impeccably researched, consistently foolproof, and put to the Kafka taste test. Among these delectable dishes are dozens of essays, including personal reflections on the garden and migrations in the vegetable world, for example; all are erudite and unfailingly entertaining.

Kafka’s book within a book—an at-a-glance, we’ve-done-all-the-work-for-you Cook’s Guide—provides practical, encyclopedic information on how to buy, measure, substitute, and prepare every food that ever called itself a vegetable.

Balsamic Vinegar Cookbook

Meesha Halm

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

Editorial Review:

An estimated 1.75 million liters of commercial balsamic vinegar and 1,760 liters of traditional balsamic vinegar are sold annually. Noted for its rich color, intense fruity aroma and exquisite sweet-and-sour flavor, it has become America's most coveted condiment. It is now served in the trendiest restaurants and is frequently featured in gourmet food magazines.

For gourmets who want to learn more about this uncommon elixir and use it to add a touch of flavor to their own home-cooked meals comes The Balsamic Vinegar Cookbook. Featuring more than 40 tantalizing recipes that make the most of balsamic vinegar's assertive, complex flavor, it offers dishes such as Minestrone Modena-Style, Maple-glazed Balsamic Carrots, Salmon with Gingered Balsamic Vinegar and Strawberry Granita. An engaging history of balsamic vinegar combined with a fascinating look at how it is produced round out this tribute, which also defines terms, clears up misconceptions and provides a list of mail-order sources to ensure that readers have access to the best balsamic vinegar possible.

The Wine Lover Cooks Italian: Pairing Great Recipes with the Perfect Glass of WIne

Brian St. Pierre

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

Editorial Review:

Glass in one hand, fork in the other, Brian St. Pierre explores the regional wines and cuisines of Italy in this dream of a cookbook. As you'd expect from the author of A Perfect Glass of Wine, St. Pierre brings to the table fabulous recipes and inspired wine pairings. Whether it's a hearty barolo from Piedmont in the northwest that complements a pan-roasted veal tenderloin, a refreshing pinot grigio from the shores of the Adriatic paired with succulent risotto di frutti di mare, or a glass of easy-going Apulia primitivo from the southern reaches to enjoy with the rosemary and oregano notes of slow-baked lamb, each wine suggestion is designed to enhance the flavor of the recipe. The sweeter side of the wine spectrum is also represented with such treats as zuppa inglese with strawberries served alongside a glass of sparkling prosecco a finish with flourish to a remarkable meal. With a glossary of wine terms and gorgeous photographs of both the wine and the food, this stylish cookbook is as beautiful as it is informative.

Made in Italy: Food and Stories

Giorgio Locatelli

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Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Giorgio Locatelli started helping out in the family restaurant at age five. He was raised in Corgeno in northern Italy, close to the Swiss border and Milan. Almost everything his family ate and drank was produced locally. He was told by the head chef at his first real Italian restaurant job that he would never make it as a chef. His grandmother, who shared her great love of food with him, said Giorgio would have to go back and show him. And so he did. After getting suspended from cooking school because of kissing a girl on the school's steps, he went on to become a greatly admired chef.

Made in Italy is a 624-page, vibrantly illustrated book full of Locatelli's recipes, insight and historical detail about Italian food. He combines food narrative with hands-on expertise of a top chef. He peppers the book with evocative stories and funny and often outspoken observations on the state of food today. This is the contemporary Italian food bible, from the acknowledged master of modern Italian cooking.