Review of The Messy Gourmet Cookbook: Fun, Adventurous Cooking (Paperback)

I have a large collection of cookbooks, but this book has rapidly become my favorite.Instead of being the usual dry collection of precise receipes, this book attempts to make cooking fun.It encourages the reader to experiment with the receipes, to make substitutions, to play with the measurements.In keeping with the spirit of the book, I found myself looking for ways to inject a little of my personality into the dishes I was making.

This is the most fun I've had with pots and pans, since the days when I was first learning how to cook.

Product Description
Introducing The Messy Gourmet Cookbook, from the creators of the award winning Web site Messygourmet.com. Created to promote fun, adventurous cooking--and removal of the inevitable stains that result--Messy Gourmet has garnered accolades from the venerable (Encyclopedia Britannica) to the irreverent (Yahoo! Top 50 website).

Now you can experience the thrills, chills and spills of cooking with The Messy Gourmet Cookbook!From Cream of Dracula soup to pine nuts, this book is chock-full of scrumptious, messy creations, and stain removal tips.Cast off your cooking fears, experiment, and experience the joy of accidental cuisine.

This unique messy outlook is shared by the seven Messy Gourmets--Bloody, Sexy, Smelly, Smokin', Tacky, Tipsy, and Trendy.And don't forget Pot Luck--recipes and tips that are just too good to leave out.

So whether you've got a dinner party to cater or just want an entertaining read, you're bound to find a lot to love--The Messy Gourmet Cookbook is a smorgasbord in book form!

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Review of Gifts from the Kitchen for Dummies (Paperback)

This book was written for someone like me!Because I have very little in-kitchen experience, even cookbooks intimidate me, since they tend to assume at least some prior knowledge of cooking and baking.Finally, I have encountered a cookbook author who started at the beginning and who explained the basics in a clear and straightforward way!She then went on to spell out fun and interesting recipes that even I could follow!I'm so excited to be able to give gifts that take time and energy, that are clearly made and given with love, and that also look and taste impressive! -- Home-spun and polished at the same time!I am going to give this book as a pre-Christmas gift, so that my friends will be able to actually use it at Christmastime!I'm thrilled with it!

Product Description
Get inspired with tips on cooking, gift-wrapping, and presentation

Delight your friends and family with tasty, attractive, homemade treats!

Whipping up delicious edible gifts for any occasion is a snap with this fun cookbook and packaging guide. From easy-to-follow recipes to creative presentation ideas, you'll find everything you need to make special, personal gifts that taste great and look terrific.

From the Back Cover
Get inspired with tips on cooking, gift-wrapping, and presentation

Delight your friends and family with tasty, attractive, homemade treats!

Whipping up delicious edible gifts for any occasion is a snap with this fun cookbook and packaging guide. From easy-to-follow recipes to creative presentation ideas, you'll find everything you need to make special, personal gifts that taste great and look terrific.

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Review of Cooking With Grace: A Step-By-Step Course In Authentic Italian Cooking (Hardcover)

I met Grace Pilato at an international cooking class. I was there because I was raised in the Betty Crocker era; I literally did not know how to cook anything but desserts. One time cooking with Grace and I was hooked.

Grace's book is so unlike other cookbooks. Usually I pick up a cookbook, try one recipe, find that it is a dud and never pick up the book again. In Grace's cookbook I can try any recipe and it will be wonderful. Some of the recipes I've made in Grace's classes, but I recently made Rolled Stuffed Salmon, a fairly complex recipe, on my own and it turned out fabulous. Because Grace's recipes have been tested repeatedly by students of her cooking classes, they are easy to follow--not to mention incredibly delicious.

The book is full of both decadent recipes as well as numerous recipes for people trying to eat more healthfully. Grace says Italians eat vegetables not because they're good for them but because they love them. You'll love them too if you try Grace's way of cooking them! Asparagus, salad dressings, marinated roasted peppers--the list goes on! I especially love the Lentil Pumpkin Soup.

I highly recommend Cooking with Grace to everyone, from experienced cooks to Betty Crocker types like me. You'll be addicted, trust me.



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Review of Best Food Writing 2002 (Paperback)

This compilation of food writing is perfect for the foodie who doesn't have the time to sift through enormaous piles of literature to find a handful of good essays.Especially interesting was the article entitled "Josiah & the Giant Onion", describing America's pathetic passion for gigantic chain restaurants.



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Review of The Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook (Hardcover)

A NYC Chef, I took this book with me when going down south to cook for 2 older southern gentlemen because I was informed under no uncertain terms that I would have to cook old-fashioned American country food. This book turned out to be very dependable. I am intrigued by the less than satisfactory reviews of the book. He definitely backtracks on some of his recipes in the Cook's Bible (he tells you where) but he also talks about how he improved the recipe here. To be sure, I have modifications in mind for my own taste on several of the recipes, and find the "master recipe" concept for things like mashed potatoes amusing, but this book's results are very enjoyable home-style cooking. One major feature for me was that I've been used to the organic produce and variety one finds in NY, but there, that wasn't available. These recipes came through because they are written for what one can find in a grocery store anywhere in the country.



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Review of Crab: Buying, Cooking, Cracking (Hardcover)

I've made both the Garlic-Roasted Dungeness "Killer" Crab and Crab and Fuji Apple Salad and they both have become favorites. While it is difficult to get live crab where I live, I substituted with large freshwater prawns in the Killer Crab recipe. The garlicky, peppery sauce that clings to the seafood is to-die for and incredibly addictive. Our friends devoured the plate in minutes - and we even used bread to mop up the sauce leftover on the plate. Next time, I'm going to double the sauce/spices just so we can dip!

Overall, it's a cute little book with great recipes - makes me homesick for San Francisco - with recipes like Foggy Wharf Salad and Fisherman's Wharf Crab Cakes.

Product Description
There's something about crab that makes any dish decadent--whether in a rustic, weeknight pasta or atop a cocktail party hors d'oeuvre. And no matter the species, those sweet hunks of crabmeat always taste like pure indulgence. Along the Pacific, Dungeness crab is most popular, and with crab season extending from November in San Francisco through early fall in Alaska, locals and tourists alike can be found at crab feasts and festivals nearly year-round. Packed with ideas for enjoying this most succulent crustacean, CRAB offers new inspiration for making the ultimate crab cakes, crab chowder, crab Louis, and more.

From the Publisher
* A complete guide to buying, cleaning, preparing, and eat-ing crab, featuring 35 recipes and a primer on crab culture and lore.* Includes 30 location and styled food photos.* Versatile recipes provide crab weight and volume measures, so that any type of crabmeat--whether it's from a Dungeness, blue, Alaska snow, or other native crab--can be substituted.

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Review of Kitchen Spanish - a Quick Phrase Guide of Kitchen and Culinary Terms (Paperback)

This book has really helped me at work.All these people talking about imperfections in the book are missing the point.Spanish scholars don't need this book.Regular folk like me are the people who need it. Believe me, this book helps.



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Review of Home Plate: The Culinary Road Trip of Cooperstown (Paperback)

A very well thought out collection of recipes from local businesses and vendors in Cooperstown NY and surrounding areas. They make wonderful gifts for people and I have been complimented on every recipe I got from this book! Great cook book. A +

Product Description
Home Plate is an original and fascinating combination of both travel guide and cookbook, offeringpriceless travel information and a local's insights on where to stay, where to eat and shop, and what to do in Cooperstown and the surrounding communities. Packed with local history, anecdotes, literary quotes and food lore, Home Plate is a delightful read, designed to make the traveler feel at home before they arrive and providing them wonderful reminiscing when they are back home. The recipes showcase New York State's immense agriculture and are delightfully usable. As a "guidebook for the discerning visitor," Home Plate is impressively researched and filled with thoughtful, valuable information for anyone headed to this charming and beautiful region of Upstate New York.

About the Author
Cooperstown resident Brenda Berstler applies the vast knowledge that made her a Jeopardy! champion to her second book about her adopted Upstate home. Incorporating a lifelong passion for food (that she continues to hone at her Village bed and breakfast,) with her extensive travel experience and knowledge of history, literature and baseball, she creates athoroughly interesting guide to the Cooperstown area, using food as the constant and comforting background.A Missouri native, look for her occasional homages to fellow Missourians Mark Twain and T.S. Eliot.

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Review of Disney Recipes: From Animation to Inspiration (Hardcover)

Since I am a zero star cook myself I don't feel qualified to rate ANY cookbook 5 stars.But, like practically everybody else on the planet, I'm charmed by anything Disney and this book fits right in with the overall beguilement we all feel toward Mickey and his buds.And the idea is so clever you can't help being snookered in yet again.The full color layout rocks, the nostalgia is cool and the recipes, mostly, are easy enough even for a fumble-fingered cook like me.Although it's not aimed at kids they too will love thumbing through its pages.The price is certainly right and I bought five copies to put under various Christmas trees, all for the adult "kids" in my life.Mr. Meyer and Mr. Garofalo are to be congratulated.Is Volume II in the works?

Product Description
From short movies to full-length feature films, characters from the great Disney movies are often seen sipping soups, consuming cakes, or sampling any number of gastronomic delights. One hundred and one delectable recipes, based on favorite food scenes from the films and created by award-winning American chef Ira Meyer, are collected in this colorfully illustrated cookbook. Savor Snow White's Gooseberry Pie, Ariel's Bouillabaisse, or spaghetti and meatballs from Lady and the Tramp. Disney Recipes is a treat for the entire family, with easy-to-follow instructions that include tips for how to involve kids in the preparation. Sprinkled throughout with original artwork and beautiful stills from the movies, this is one tasty treat.

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Review of Disney Recipes: From Animation to Inspiration (Hardcover)

Since I am a zero star cook myself I don't feel qualified to rate ANY cookbook 5 stars.But, like practically everybody else on the planet, I'm charmed by anything Disney and this book fits right in with the overall beguilement we all feel toward Mickey and his buds.And the idea is so clever you can't help being snookered in yet again.The full color layout rocks, the nostalgia is cool and the recipes, mostly, are easy enough even for a fumble-fingered cook like me.Although it's not aimed at kids they too will love thumbing through its pages.The price is certainly right and I bought five copies to put under various Christmas trees, all for the adult "kids" in my life.Mr. Meyer and Mr. Garofalo are to be congratulated.Is Volume II in the works?

Product Description
From short movies to full-length feature films, characters from the great Disney movies are often seen sipping soups, consuming cakes, or sampling any number of gastronomic delights. One hundred and one delectable recipes, based on favorite food scenes from the films and created by award-winning American chef Ira Meyer, are collected in this colorfully illustrated cookbook. Savor Snow White's Gooseberry Pie, Ariel's Bouillabaisse, or spaghetti and meatballs from Lady and the Tramp. Disney Recipes is a treat for the entire family, with easy-to-follow instructions that include tips for how to involve kids in the preparation. Sprinkled throughout with original artwork and beautiful stills from the movies, this is one tasty treat.

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Review of Disney Recipes: From Animation to Inspiration (Hardcover)

Since I am a zero star cook myself I don't feel qualified to rate ANY cookbook 5 stars.But, like practically everybody else on the planet, I'm charmed by anything Disney and this book fits right in with the overall beguilement we all feel toward Mickey and his buds.And the idea is so clever you can't help being snookered in yet again.The full color layout rocks, the nostalgia is cool and the recipes, mostly, are easy enough even for a fumble-fingered cook like me.Although it's not aimed at kids they too will love thumbing through its pages.The price is certainly right and I bought five copies to put under various Christmas trees, all for the adult "kids" in my life.Mr. Meyer and Mr. Garofalo are to be congratulated.Is Volume II in the works?

Product Description
From short movies to full-length feature films, characters from the great Disney movies are often seen sipping soups, consuming cakes, or sampling any number of gastronomic delights. One hundred and one delectable recipes, based on favorite food scenes from the films and created by award-winning American chef Ira Meyer, are collected in this colorfully illustrated cookbook. Savor Snow White's Gooseberry Pie, Ariel's Bouillabaisse, or spaghetti and meatballs from Lady and the Tramp. Disney Recipes is a treat for the entire family, with easy-to-follow instructions that include tips for how to involve kids in the preparation. Sprinkled throughout with original artwork and beautiful stills from the movies, this is one tasty treat.

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Review of Disney Recipes: From Animation to Inspiration (Hardcover)

Since I am a zero star cook myself I don't feel qualified to rate ANY cookbook 5 stars.But, like practically everybody else on the planet, I'm charmed by anything Disney and this book fits right in with the overall beguilement we all feel toward Mickey and his buds.And the idea is so clever you can't help being snookered in yet again.The full color layout rocks, the nostalgia is cool and the recipes, mostly, are easy enough even for a fumble-fingered cook like me.Although it's not aimed at kids they too will love thumbing through its pages.The price is certainly right and I bought five copies to put under various Christmas trees, all for the adult "kids" in my life.Mr. Meyer and Mr. Garofalo are to be congratulated.Is Volume II in the works?

Product Description
From short movies to full-length feature films, characters from the great Disney movies are often seen sipping soups, consuming cakes, or sampling any number of gastronomic delights. One hundred and one delectable recipes, based on favorite food scenes from the films and created by award-winning American chef Ira Meyer, are collected in this colorfully illustrated cookbook. Savor Snow White's Gooseberry Pie, Ariel's Bouillabaisse, or spaghetti and meatballs from Lady and the Tramp. Disney Recipes is a treat for the entire family, with easy-to-follow instructions that include tips for how to involve kids in the preparation. Sprinkled throughout with original artwork and beautiful stills from the movies, this is one tasty treat.

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Review of Cuisine Naturelle: French Cooking Redefined (Hardcover)

He just gets it
Wonderful recipes with good but not overwhelming directions.Light adaptations of traditional favorites without any loss of flavor.This is now dog eared and much used and sits alongside David, Olney and others.

Product Description
From celebrated chef Jean François Méteigner, Cuisine Naturelle is a uniquely accessible cookbook that features the best of French fare with all of the flavor, but only a fraction of the fat. Renowned for his revolutionary approach to French cooking, Méteigner shares 140 time-tested recipes from contemporary interpretations of the classics to adaptations of Mama Méteigner's comfort food dishes that are as light and delicious as they are rich in the tradition of French family-style cuisine.

About the Author
Jean François Méteigner is the chef/owner of La Cachette, which was named by Esquire as one of the top French restaurants in Los Angeles and one of the best new restaurants in the country when it opened in 1994. Since then, La Cachette has won many culinary awards.

Brigit Legere Binns is a food consultant, editor, and author or co-author of several cookbooks, including Polenta.

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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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Review of Feeding the Healthy Vegetarian Family (Paperback)

I too first saw this book at the public library and afterwards had to have it for my own.This book has really given me a lot of range for cooking veggie.Most veggie cookbooks call for things you can only find in specialty stores and yield dishes that husbands nor children will touch.I have really appreciatted a veggie cookbook that also comments on how to get you kid to like veggie food.It made me happy to find a pizza SECTION instead of some off the wall pizza recipe!This is a great cookbook for veggie and non-veggie families alike as it truly considers time, taste and expense.



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Review of The Bride and Groom's First Cookbook (Hardcover)

Having been a newlywed at one time, and having experienced many a bad meal, my wife and I have purchased more than enough cookbooks to fill a small library in an effort to improve our skills.We have made significant progress in the last seven years, unfortunately not to the credit of this book.The recipes are really not geared to an everyday lifestyle, nor are they very appetizing.

Product Description
A simple teaching cookbook for busy young couples who will be sharing cooking and entertaining tasks furnishes a wide variety of recipes and menu suggestions, each of which includes a list of essential utensils, a set of do-ahead instructions, and serving tips. Tour.

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Review of Rotation Diet Cookbook (Paperback)

I received the cookbook very quickly. I am impressed with the info and plan to get started on this diet (well, actually a better way of eating). soon.



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Review of Arrazat's Aubergines: Inside a Languedoc Kitchen (Paperback)

A narrative of a year spent inside the kitchen of an ambitious young chef in the Languedoc region of France. This is not a cookbook, it is a story of one man's dream as he follows a year of working in the kitchen, visiting suppliers, investigation that region of France (on the Med, not too far from the Spanish border). It's a story of love. Mr. Moon has clearly discovered where he wants to be and has been able to arrange his life so that he can be there.

He reports that all of these stories are true, well, if not exactly true, they are inspired by real experience. It's a fun book

Product Description
How, exactly, does a young restaurateur set up business in rural France? In his delightful sequel to Virgile's Vineyard, about Languedoc's winemakers, Patrick Moon offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of life in a serious French kitchen.

Rich in truffles, oysters, olives, and eggplants, the Languedoc region of France is a gourmet's paradise. It's also full of wonders to explore: the secrets of olive oil and salt production, the Roquefort caves, the miracle of the sparkling Perrier Springs. But is it the perfect place for an ambitious young chef to open a restaurant? Intrigued by Laurent Arrazat's determination to achieve perfection on a shoestring, Patrick Moon rolls up his sleeves and pitches in. For a year, he shares in the triumphs, disasters, and sheer hard work of restaurant life. By turns informative and funny, this is a captivating tale of culinary ambition, mishap, and discovery.

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Review of West Coast Seafood: The Complete Cookbook (Paperback)

This book is wonderful for cooks that use seafood comes from the California coast.The recipes do not take require the resume of a rocket-scientist and yet the finished courses look, taste and smell likefine cuisine from a highly rated restaurant.

Great recipes for every dayor special entertaining occasions.



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Review of Party Basics for New Nesters: More Than 100 Fresh Ideas for Holidays and Every Day (Hardcover)

This book is amazing in every way! I just pulled off a dinner party that could have been a nightmare without this guide. I wanted everything to be perfect, and it was. The photos are exquisite and gave me great ideas that are actually do-able. Most helpful were Maria's tips on stocking up on party basics. A must have for all of those who stress before hosting any event- big or small.

Product Description

You did it! You got married and hosted what was probably the most significant party of your life. Now it's time to begin that very important first year as a married couple. Taking your first steps as newlyweds should be an extension of the wonderful events that just took place, paving the way for all of the celebrations to come in your new life together. And there isn't a better guide through this first year than Maria McBride, who knows from experience that spending quality time with family and friends is the healthiest way to embrace and celebrate a new partnership.

With McBride's signature dose of style and elegance, this book guides newlyweds through their new world of couples entertaining, offering ideas for every occasion, including romantic parties for two, weekend feasts, family celebrations, and holidays. Organized by event, each chapter is beautifully designed and filled with photographs that capture the stylish decor, table settings, and menu options that make these ideas extraordinary. From a New Year's Eve midnight buffet filled with crystal vases and caviar shooters, to a Cinco de Mayo celebration highlighted with candlelit trees and salsa-tinis, Party Basics for New Nesters provides newlyweds with plenty of avenues to celebrate and offer a toast to family, friends, and each other.

About the Author

Maria McBride is internationally recognized as a wedding style guru. She produces special events and her work appears in Brides magazine where she is currently the Wedding Style Director. Additionally, she has written columns for InStyle and Country Home, and her work has been featured on Brides.com, TheKnot.com, BizBash.com, WeddingChannel.com, and on her own site, MariaMcBride.com. McBride has also been a featured guest on the Today show and Movie & A Makeover. She is the author of the series of books, The Perfect Wedding, The Perfect Wedding Reception, and The Perfect Wedding Details.

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