Seasonal Books - Page 12

Holiday Cocktails

Jessica Strand

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Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Drinks & Beverages -> Bartending
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Drinks & Beverages -> Spirits

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

The necronomicon of cocktail books. 1 out of 5 stars.
6 of 10 people found this review helpful.

I had this great plan. I would host a Christmas cocktail party, brimming with fabulously festive beverages. Friends would marvel at what a clever hostess I was, and I would be a shining star. If only I hadn't relied on this book to be my silent sidekick.

Every drink from within it's pages sucked. The Christmas Kiss was dull and without flavour. The White Christmas smelled of floor cleaner, and another whose name has been forgotten tasted of it. Page after page of damning drinks, not a single one worthy of repetition.

This book is dreadful, and every single one of the author's books should be avoided like the plague. In the end I tossed the entire book into the recycling bin, disgusted with the money I had wasted, and grateful I hadnt waited till the night of my cocktail party to discover what garbage these recipes were.

Editorial Review:

Hardly bigger than most fruitcakes and much more fun, Holiday Cocktails is a complete guide to getting the mix right. This bartending bible features classics such as the cozy Hot Buttered Rum and the classy Kir Royale, as well as smart and sexy libations like the elegant Christmas Morning Mimosa and the virgin Gingersnap Punch. Holiday Cocktails is the place to turn for advice no matter what's on the holiday social calendar, whether it's a New Year's blow-out, a bustling dinner party, or an intimate night for two. In addition to scores of clever ideas and party-planning tips, author and veteran holiday hostess Jessica Strand includes her take on festive garnishes, glassware, and must-have ingredients for the most wonderful time of year. Decorated with sparkling photographs, this is both a fine addition to the home bar and a pretty present for the entertainer on Santa's list.

I Am Almost Always Hungry: Seasonal Menus and Memorable Recipes

Lora Zarubin

Amazon Price: $24.00 List Price: $30.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Harry N. Abrams Amazon Marketplace: 37 new & used starting at $4.04

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

Editorial Review:

From her early catering days and her time as proprietor of the charming West Village restaurant Lora to her current role as House & Garden's food editor, Lora Zarubin has always been hungry: for experience, for travel, and for friends, but most of all for new recipes and new tastes. Here she invites readers to share in this lifelong love affair with food, and practice her straightforward approach: She uses the best ingredients possible, keeps her recipes simple, and makes cooking fun. I Am Almost Always Hungry is a cookbook that will make you want to get in the kitchen. Zarubin offers 30 seasonal menus and more than 100 recipes drawn from her childhood, her extensive travels throughout Europe and the United States, and her years as a caterer and restaurateur-which gave her unique insights into the subtleties of seasonal entertaining. Among Zarubin's featured creations are Fennel and Parmigiano-Reggiano Salad, Short Ribs with Chocolate and Cinnamon, Creamy Grits with Pureed Celery Root, and Roasted Peaches with Cardamon Sugar and Mascarpone Sauce. Throughout, stunning images by pioneering food photographer Tessa Traeger reveal the beauty of these dishes.

I Am Almost Always Hungry also features a foreword by novelist and Zarubin-fan Jay McInerney, who writes the wine column for House & Garden.

Lorenza's Italian Seasons: 200 Recipes for Family and Friends

Lorenza de'Medici

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Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Regional & International -> European -> Italian
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Special Occasions -> Seasonal

Editorial Review:

With the expertise that is the hallmark of her famous Tuscan cooking school, The Villa Table at Badia a Coltibuono, Lorenza de’ Medici teaches us to savor the best of seasonal ingredients. Sweet, tender fava beans from the spring garden are used in a simple salad with pecorino, olive oil, and parsley; apricots from summer orchards are transformed into a delicately fragrant mousse; musky wild mushrooms from the autumn woods become the basis of an elegant dish of roast pheasant; and the dark-leaved cavolo nero from the frosty winter soil is an essential ingredient for ribollita, the thick bean and vegetable soup of Tuscany. Holiday menus for every season accompany each chapter, while a pantry section provides recipes and tips for preserving and storing produce for future occasions. Illustrated with artful color photos, this is an essential companion for all lovers of Italian cooking. Lorenza de’ Medici is the author of more than 20 bestselling books, including The Villa Table, The Renaissance of Italian Cooking, Lorenza’s Pasta, Lorenza’s Antipasti, and A Passion for Fruit.

Seasons for Sharing Cookbook: Year Round Inspiration for Yummy Gift Mixes,Tasty Recipes... (Gooseberry Patch)

Gooseberry Patch

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Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> Spirituality -> Inspirational

Editorial Review:

It's always the season for sharing! This cookbook is filled with inspiration for making each day a celebration, from popular holidays like Valentine's Day and Halloween to fun and lighthearted events like National Bubble Bath Day, Chocolate Chip Cookie Week and Love Your Pet Day. With our Seasons for Sharing Cookbook, you'll be celebrating all year long...try terrific recipes and how-to's for chocolate-covered espresso beans, beef & barley stew mix, teacup candles, brownies baked in a jar, birthday bash in a bag and lots more. We've included gift tags to copy & color, plus each chapter is chock-full of tips for clever ways to wrap and give your creations.

Summer: Recipes Inspired by Nature's Bounty (Williams-Sonoma Seasonal Celebration)

Joanne Weir

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

Great little cookbook 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This is a brief, but great little cookbook. Everything I've tried, I've loved. The flatbread with tomato salad has been a huge hit every time I've made it.

Cozy Country Christmas Cookbook (Gooseberry Patch)

Gooseberry Patch

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Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Special Occasions -> Holidays

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

Nice, Homey, Recipe Book 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 9 people found this review helpful.

Cozy Country Christmas is the latest in a long line of Gooseberry Patch cookbooks. As a collector, I've come to appreciate the friendly tone of these cookbooks, and the fun (and easy to make) recipes. Cozy Country Christmas was delightful... I really got in the mood for the holidays after reading this one.

My only concern/minor dislike was that there were 48 pages of memories in the first section, and while I enjoyed reading them, I don't think they have much re-read value.

Overall, an excellent book by the fun folks at Gooseberry Patch. When will the next one be out?

Editorial Review:

Warm gingerbread fresh from the oven, the smell of fresh-cut pine and loved ones gathered 'round the big Christmas feast...all this and more is wrapped up in our newest holiday cookbook, Cozy Country Christmas Cookbook. Along with a chapter full of heartfelt memories and one with all your best ideas for decking the halls, we have your favorite festive recipes like yuletide coffee cake, snowdrift snack mix, parmesan pull-aparts, chicken chestnut casserole, crockery sage dressing, peppermint eggnog punch and cranberry-apple pie. There are plenty of gifty goodies and presents to pamper everyone on your list.

Making Great Gingerbread Houses: Delicious Designs from Cabins to Castles, from Lighthouses to Tree Houses

Aaron Morgan, Paige Gilchrist

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Miniature houses have an undeniable appeal, especially when they're made out of food. But the architectural achievements in this guide are so charming and sometimes so elaborate that it's hard to imagine actually eating them; they're meant to be admired, not devoured. From rustic to royal, humble to ornate, this eclectic assortment ranges from cooking-school complex to child-simple. Some were even designed by kids and could certainly be constructed by them. (Just be sure to buy extra trimmings, since the budding architects are bound to do some nibbling!)

The authors lay solid groundwork in the introductory section, explaining the key points of gingerbread building, pattern making, and utilizing various types of trimmings, and offer basic recipes for gingerbread dough, royal icing, marzipan, pastillage, and fondant. Then it's on to the structures themselves, contributed by more than four dozen designers. Houses, cabins, inns, chapels, castles, lighthouses, even whole little villages drip with snowy icing, as candies, cookies, and other goodies mimic stone, brick, shingle, stucco, logs, and landscaping. This is not a step-by-step guide but rather a gallery of wonderful ideas, with photos of each creation and some very general suggestions about making them. The photography is not high quality but is adequate enough to show detail, and templates are included for many of the structures. One designer even found an ingenious solution to the edibility dilemma, turning the flat roof of her elaborate Victorian concoction into a serving surface for Christmas cookies. --Amy Handy

Le Cordon Bleu Home Collection: Winter (Le Cordon Bleu Home Collection , Vol 10)

Le Cordon Bleu Chefs

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Summer Smoothies: Over 130 Cool and Refreshing Recipes

Donna Pliner Rodnitzky

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

Am I glad I bought this smoothie book! 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

This is one of the best smoothie books I have seen. I use the recipes so often, the pages are getting worn. I'm the type of person who gets bored very easily and the recipes in this book have been a great way to add some novelty to my routine, which usually includes at least one smoothie each day. The smoothie recipes vary from very simple to a little exotic, and I can choose either type depending on my mood. The recipes are all very clearly written, and as an added bonus there's even some humor inserted in most of the descriptions. Between reading the recipes and then enjoying the final product, it really makes my day.

Editorial Review:

Delicious & Nutritious Summertime Favorites
Nothing is more satisfying on a hot summer day than a brisk, refreshing smoothie. Inspiring and energizing, this book includes over 130 innovative and succulent smoothie recipes. From revitalizing fruit and dairy drinks to sweet-tooth specialties and cocktail-hour delights, inside you'll find easy-to-make recipes for cool concoctions sure to please every palate, including:
·Bye-Bye Blackberry
·California Whirls
·Lime All Shook Up
·Lord of the Bings
·Mango Overboard
·Peached Blonde
·Pineapple Pixel
·Te-kiwi Sunrise
·Yogi Berry
·And many more!
You'll also learn important tips and hints on how to select, prepare, and store fruit suitable for smoothies; what equipment to use; optional ingredients; and glorious garnishes to create these delectable treats from your own home!

Classic & Contemporary Christmas Cakes

Nadene Hurst, Julie Springall

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

For the English, sugar paste (fondant) cake decoration is truly an art. Nadiene Hurst and Julie Springall are professional cake decorators in England, specializing in royal icing and sugar paste. They both teach and write for a variety of cake-decorating and bridal magazines. Each of the more than 20 exquisite Christmas cakes photographed and described in Classic and Contemporary Christmas Cakes was done by one or the other.

Step-by-step instructions with photos follow ingredient lists so comprehensive they include even the tools and materials necessary to re-create these elaborate cakes. Each cake begins with either a traditional Rich Fruit Cake or an alternative Light Fruit Cake, and you can choose whichever you prefer. The recipes for both are in the back, and they are scaled so that you can make as many cakes as you need, as large or as small as you'd like. A recipe for royal icing is followed by instructions for covering cakes and cake boards and for piping decorations.

Some of the cakes described are timeless. The Crown of Holly, the cover recipe, is beautifully draped with a two-tone yellow sugar paste and a mass of holly leaves and berries made of gum paste. Midnight Snowflakes is simple enough for beginners; covered with dark blue sugar paste, snowflakes made of royal icing are carefully piped on top. It may sound difficult, but there's a template for the intricate snowflake pattern in the back (there are templates for almost every design and decoration shown in any of the recipes).

For a traditional Christmas gift, you could make a project out of Yuletide Slices. Small slices of fruitcake are covered with marzipan and sugar paste, and then each one is decorated differently. The authors suggest making two or three different designs and then arranging a few of each in gift boxes. The designs include simple ones like Stars, Trees, Ribbons, and Bells, and more elaborate ones such as Taffeta and Holly, Fruits (made of marzipan), and Christmas Rose (made of gum paste).

There are also modern cakes like the brightly colored Three Kings, which is topped with gold stars springing out on wires, and Festive Drapes, a magnificent creation decorated with gold holly leaves, pearl pears made of marzipan, and red taffeta drapes made of sugar paste. The recipes are certainly complex and time-consuming, and you'll need to find a good cake-decorating supply store for the tools and materials, but the final results will amaze and astound and be well worth the effort involved. --Leora Y. Bloom