Showing posts with label Chronicle Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chronicle Books. Show all posts

12/03/2009

Review of Inside the Live Reptile Tent: The Twilight World of Carnival Midway (Paperback)

Carnival fans and amusement park historians alike will delight in the many beautiful images of a dying breed - the small travelling carnival and family owned amusement parks.Mr. Brouws takes us up close and behind the scenes, and the many nighttime photos of the midway's dazzling lights are worth the price of admission alone.Mr. Caron's colorful commentary is definitely not your usually tepid "guided tours" that so many other amusement industry books offer, with wild insights and historic tidbits that are sure to amuse.Many never before seen photos appear from other photographers personal archives, bringing a rich sense of tradition to the subject at hand.
The final chapter is dedicated to San Francisco's Playland.Mr. Brouws takes a look back at the Playland of his childhood, echoing sentiments from any of us who have spent their afternoons strolling along those tawdry but always fascinating midways of yesterday.We see the peeling paint, the crooked games with cheap prizes, the worn out rides and run-down fun house.But we also realize why these places captivated us, the simple, carefree fun these places held for us for just a few days each summer.The few photos he did take (with his first camera) before the park disappeared combine with his childhood tales to add the perfect epilogue to this colorful story.



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11/20/2009

Review of Lauren Groveman's Kitchen: Nurturing Food for Family and Friends (Paperback)

I bought this book after purchasing Lauren Groveman's latest cookbook, I Love to Cook.I became intrigued with Ms. Groveman's message after I visited her website.Her philosophy of nurturing family and friends through cooking really resonated with me.As the mother of three boys and wife of a very hungry husband, mealtimes have always been a struggle for me.I was very glad to read I am not alone and there was someone who had devoted her entire career to spreading her message of hope for those of us who want to create a delicious and satisfying life.
After just a short time I have had phenomenal success with the recipes in this cookbook and I Love to Cook.Already the Sloppy Joes,Honey Roast Chicken and Macaroni and Cheese have become favorites. The Tuna Spread is to die for!Mom's cocoa mix has come in so handy this winter as have all of her pantry staple mixes and spice blends.Cooking has become easy now, this book has shown me how to make meals happen in a big and wonderful way.No more agonizing about what to make for dinner, now I just open the book and there is always something just right for dinner, lunch or breakfast!

This is the kind of recipe collection I have always dreamed about.The recipes run the gamut and there is something here for every appetite and every occasion.This is hands down the most delicious food I have ever made or eaten!My kids are trying things I never thought they would, they especially love knowing I am making things from scratch just for them!The recipes are so well written and so precise that I feel like she is in the room with me helping me along!
I have so many post it notes on different pages with recipes I cannot wait to try; Homemade Bagels, Potato Leek Soup with Chicken and Vegetables, Midnight Brownies( with or without a peanut butter pocket, yum!), the list goes on and on!

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to lavish love and delicious food on those their loved ones.I never thought I could make food like this!I have made homemade bread twice already. For years I just could not figure out through my other cookbooks just how to have success with yeast breads and now after only a month I have had success twice!Ms. Groveman's quick and yeast bread recipes are THE best I have ever had.
I read the bread baking notes(Ch. 9) and it seemed as if the walls of Jericho came tumbling down.Finally I understood exactly what to do!That is the kind of teaching this book has to offer. Precise, accurate and totally delicious!

Not only is Ms' Groveman trying to show us what to cook but how to cook with a purpose, with a larger picture in mind.It is apparent to me now that each time I shop for my family's meals,I am creating a memory through my cooking, not only a sensory memory but a memory my family will carry with them forever- perhaps to their own families and friends, of time shared and love deeply felt.Is there anything else more I could ask for?

I am so glad I found this incredible book(so is my family).It has been a wonderful and delightful journey so far.

Very Highly Recommended!

Product Description
Lauren Groveman, host of the public television series "Home Cooking with Lauren Groveman," has perfected the art of cooking delicious, simple, homemade meals every day of the week--a luxury only dreamed of by most schedule-driven cooks. Lauren Groveman's Kitchen, revised and updated and now available at long last in paperback, makes them possible again with a comprehensive, inspiring book that reinvents cooking as a relaxing, creative, fulfilling activity for even the busiest people. Replete with expert advice on the basics as well as innovative twists on recipes drawn from a wide array of culinary traditions, this is the book that can teach both the novice and experienced cook how to make soul-satisfying meals ranging from the homey to the sophisticated. Detailed, clearly written instructions, tips on time management, and an entire chapter on bread making (not to mention several brand-new recipes!) are just some of the features that make this generous volume the most dog-eared, sauce-stained reference in every kitchen.

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