Reviews (6)

The best for a nutrionist-chemist-chef- anyone involved in cooking
Excelent book. Written in short (2 pages at most) concrete ideas of the subject but very ilustrative. The writer shows expertise and real practical knowledge of the topics described. A second volumen should be written by the same author. Anyone interested in cooking, after reading this book will be capable of deciphering the why, what and how to cooking...

Disappointed
I purchased this book to shed some light on some food preparation and storage beliefs and perhaps better understand why some things work together and why others don't.Since the author was a chemist, I was expecting a clearly stated hypothesis and conclusion in each chapter.Instead, each chapter read like a movie review.(Where at the end, you still don't know if the movie was good or bad).It was deep on explanations, but short on clear conclusions to the hypothesis proposed.I am well educated with a technical background, and still found the reading a little challenging.

Scientific Fun
The author takes the reader deep into the molecular level of cooking and the principle behind the process. If you ever wanted to know why butter response to heat like it does from room temp to cooking with it -this book is for you. Learned new information on the cooking and the effects on foods. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Flavor    2. Food    3. Food Science    4. Gastronomy    5. Life Sciences - Biology - Molecular Biology    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Sensory evaluation    9. Technology & Industrial Arts    10. Cooking / History    11. General cookery   

Editorial Review

The Mekong region, which extends south from China through Laos and Thailand to Cambodia and Vietnam, offers extraordinary food. Read more

Reviews (31)

Wonderful
This was given to me by a good friend.I love to cook, and over the years have struggled with South East asian, Thai in particular, cooking.But this book lays it all out in such a way, and has such clear instructions that, in combination with an asian grocery store, it is foolproof.As a bonus, the travelogues and side bars are wonderfully interesting. Even if you don't cook, you will be taken away on a wonderful culinary journey through the region.

Some issues with book
Pondering on whether to return book or not. Purchased for Cambodian recipes, having a hard time finding a Cambodian cookbook, this was the best bet = and it does have dishes for things we ate like Khmer soup, pumpkin curry and a similar version to Amok.(oddly i have the amok recipe in my New York Cookbook, a favorite standby)
Very Good Coffee Table Book. Good recipes, but expensive
`Hot Sour Salty Sweet' by husband and wife team, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid is a troublesome book to evaluate. Its biggest problem is its relatively high list price ($45) for no more than average culinary content. Much of that inflated price is based on its oversized heft and the fact that it mixes cooking content with comments on culinary regionalism and pure travelogue in text and pictures.
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Subjects:  1. Asia - Southeast    2. Cookery, Southeast Asian    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. History    6. Regional & Ethnic - Asian    7. ASIA    8. COOKING / History    9. Cooking / Asian    10. National & regional cuisine    11. South East Asia   

Editorial Review

Journalist Michael Ruhlman talked his way into the CIA: theCulinary Institute of America, the Harvard of cooking schools. It hadsomething to do with potatoes a grand-uncle had eaten deacades earlier,how the man could remember them so well for so long, buried as they hadbeen in the middle of an elegant meal. Ruhlman wanted to learn how tocook potatoes like that--like an art--and the CIA seemed the place togo. The fun part of this book is that we all get to go along for theride without having to endure the trauma of cooking school.Read more

Reviews (90)

What It Really Takes ...
One can probably forgive Michael Ruhlman for being a bit obsessive. This volume pairs with his `Soul of a Chef' to provide a veritable one-two punch of cook training voyeurism; he has covered this field with skill and obvious enthusiasm. Between the two books I doubt he leaves any stone unturned in describing the various joys and horrors of modern culinary indoctrination. I'll also give him visionary credit: this particular book dates from 1997 - a full nine years before Bill Buford published his abused-apprentice tome `Heat', whose success will do doubt spawn dozens of ridiculous imitations.
recommended to my fans
Journalist Michael Ruhlman talked his way into the CIA: the Culinary Institute of America, the Harvard of cooking schools. Not only a great description of the trauma of cooking school, but many of the sections sound remarkably like a Marketplace training house!

Great for the Prospective Culinary Student
As a prospective culinary student, I picked up this book with the hope that it would prepare me for the first day of class. I've learned so much from reading this book. I feel confident now in starting school next month. There are a handful of French culinary terms in the book that are discussed such as "bechamel" "mise en place" "roux" "patisserie" and so on. The only problem I had with this book was that there was no dictionary in the back of the book with the correct pronunciation and definition, minorissue. Being new to French I found it difficult to pronounce the words but did find an excellent website on French culinary terms and the correct pronunciations. http://library.sullivan.edu/CPI/culterms.htm This with the book are a great help for the prospective culinary student. You'll geta glimpse of what it's like to work in a professional/classroom kitchen/setting. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1963-    2. Biography    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Cooks    6. Culinary Institute of America    7. General    8. Methods - Professional    9. Ruhlman, Michael,    10. United States   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (143)

Great Idea, Poor Execution
In a nutshell, this book stinks.It's more about the trials and tribs of a 30-year-old in a dead-end job in New York than it is about Julia Child or cooking or food in general.And the whole book is larded with profanity which serves no purpose, except perhaps to bolster the author's hipster creds.But at the end of the read, where are we?Roughly the same place we started, except in need of a shower.Because of the book's great potential, I think it's fair to call the book a huge failure

Maybe it's a generational thing
Firstly, yes, if you're bound and determined to ride the Republican train into the ground, or if you're afraid of potty words, don't read this book.It could say stuff you don't like.Most the folks I know are real tired of that sort of holier-than-thou posturing.
Know what you're getting
Like many other readers, I thought this book was going to be about food. I don't do Julia Child-style gourmet cooking; it frustrates me more often than not, but I do like a good bit of food writing and this is not it. It's a memoir of sorts and a vent for the writer's self-absorbed angst. Not that most people don't have similar moments, but most people don't write about them either. The pettish slaps at Republicans(otherwise kind, intelligent people who still vote Republican? please) get old after about three such intervals and the frank discussion of friends' sex lives as well as her own-well, it's just not what I was looking for. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography And Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Cookery    7. Cookery, French    8. Cooking    9. Essays    10. General    11. Personal Memoirs    12. Powell, Julie    13. Women cooks   

Reviews (29)

Interesting, if a bit unconvincing
A History of the World in 6 Glasses is an interesting read, detailing the stories behind 6 of our most popular beverages: Beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola. The book is well-written and the author does an excellent job describing the discovery and refinement of each drink and explaining the factors that lead to its popularization.
This is a very informative and entertaining book
This is a very comprehensive book about the history of some of the world's most popular drinks like beer,wine, coffee, tea, rum and coca cola. Tom Standage did a lot of research for this book.He went to San Francisco to gather information about beer.He went as far as France to get information about wine.
an charming, informative overview
Tom Standage's stellar writing skills and effortless scholarship are both shining in his latest book, "A History of the World in Six Glasses."I first encountered Standage was when he was interviewed on NPR one weekend, and my initial reaction was, "He can't be serious about this lightweight topic!"But I was taken with his erudite, expressive language and his half-humorous, half-serious demeanor.
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Subjects:  1. Beverages    2. Beverages - General    3. Drinking of alcoholic beverages    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Tea    8. World - General    9. History / General   

Editorial Review

Baking bread is mysterious enough. But creating truly great pizza--the transformation of next to nothing into something extraordinary--is downright alchemical. It is for no small reason that there are distinct words in Italian for those disciples of these mystic arts who bake pizza and focaccia, Read more

Reviews (27)

Not Even Close
I can't comment on Reinhart's other recipes, but his Chicago deep dish is not even close to the authentic item.

In search of the perfect pizza
The dedication on the fly leaf reads: 'To Sonia- May your pizzas be perfect!' and I certainly wish it had been written directly on the book and not on a bookplate......Alas, Peter Reinhart has not been able to make a book or demonstration tour to Hawaii...yet...!, but thanks to the efforts of another foodie friend and baker extraordinaire at least I got the signed book plate!I love cookbooks with 'meat' in them.....stories, anecdotes, history and background rather than one with just recipes.I love it when the author takes you along for the ride.........!I have enjoyed every bit of this search along with him......and the pizzas and focaccias I tried have all worked out....Thank you Peter for a wonderful trip to the world of great pizzas and the revelation of the focaccia col formaggio di Recco!!!!!

The Wonderful World of Pizza!
Mr. Reinhart, thank you for opening the world of pizza for me.
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Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Courses & Dishes - Pizza    5. Description and travel    6. Essays    7. Italy    8. Pizza    9. United States    10. Main courses    11. National & regional cuisine    12. USA   

Reviews (21)

This just makes the rest of us feel better...
This is a must have for home cooks, would-be chefs, and people who just love the kitchen. In this humorous collection of stories, many chefs that have no reached the pinnacle of their careers share tales and snippets of life that include moments they were less than perfect. How many of us have ruined a dish by putting too much salt in the pot, or burned a turkey (or served one raw)? Turns out those sins are mild compared to some of the things these gods of food have done.
Mixed Plate
Some of the pieces in this book are really funny, such as a tale of what happened when a hollandaise delivery met up with LA rush hour traffic. Many remind the reader than even the greatest of chefs is still human. Some of the pieces will amaze you with chefs' creativity in the face of diaster (one chef, for example, stuck with a ruined wedding cake, calls in the dogs). Unfortunately, some of the pieces are just plain boring. In one, for example, the "disaster" is that the narrator gets yelled at for throwing away some onions. I'm sure it was painful to him, but it's just not that much fun to read. In total, I'm not sure the good parts of the book make it worth shelling out money for. I borrowed mine from the library.

Fun read about tales of mayhem in the kitchen.
Cooking at home has become it seems, a very big business indeed. Turn on the television and you find networks that show chefs demonstrating cuisines and styles, vendors hawking the multitude of cookware and gadgets, and in bookstores shelves abound with volumes that cater to every whim, fad, fashion and idea. Sometimes, what you get is junk. And rarely, you come across a jewel of a book that digs down into the heart and mystery of food, and you find something that's utterly new and bewitching.
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Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Cooks    6. Essays    7. General    8. Cooking / General   

Reviews (6)

keep reading no matter how boring it seems
When I began reading the book, I thought it was a complete waste of money- the begining was just aweful. BUT, after a while it gets so interesting that I did not want to put it down. I give it 4 and not 5 only becaUSE you cannot begin a book that is full of good stuff with the most boring stuff:disappoint people with the first chapter- its a waste of a great book since poeple will not want to keep reading it!!

Thinking about it.
This book is an excellent read. I love to cook and this book put into perspective what the restaurant industry is like. I highly recomend getting this book if you are intrested in becoming a chef.

Thinking of being a chef? Read this book first.
AS a professional of 10 years now(currently working with Wolfgang Puck), this book should be a must read before you commit to being a chef.
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Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Cooks    5. Essays    6. Food service    7. Methods - Professional    8. Training of    9. United States    10. Vocational guidance    11. Advice on careers & achieving success    12. Cooking / Essays    13. General cookery    14. Hotel & catering trades    15. USA   

Reviews (5)

Just as much a NYC history without the oyster.
The Big Oyster is an excellent history of New York City.Unlike many of Kurlansky's books, which always kept the spotlight on the subject (like cod and salt) and its role in history, The Big Oyster often strays far from the oyster.Many of the tales of NYC, from business and prostitution to transportation and development have nothing to do with the oyster.Had this book kept the focus on oysters it would have been much shorter.
Weaves the story of oyster farming & dining into the greater history of New York to provide a lively culinary & cultural expose
For centuries New York was famous for its oysters which played a hue role in the city's economy and culinary fame. Oysters were the city's most celebrated export, a staple food, and more, and THE BIG OYSTER: HISTORY ON THE HALF SHELL celebrates this era, from food markets to the extinction of natural beds around the city as the decades passed. From cultivation techniques to recipes, THE BIG OYSTER weaves the story of oyster farming and dining into the greater history of New York to provide a lively culinary and cultural expose.
Delicious history...
BIG OYSTER is Kurlansky's latest food-themed history (following his previous COD and SALT). It differs from his previous books in several ways, but still serves up a tasty morsel.
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Subjects:  1. Commercial Fishing    2. Cookery (Oysters)    3. Cooking    4. Fish Cookery    5. Fisheries & Aquaculture    6. History    7. History - U.S.    8. New York    9. New York (State)    10. Oysters    11. Social History    12. Specific Ingredients - Seafood    13. United States - State & Local - Middle Atlantic    14. History / General   

Reviews (5)

SAVEACORNER PIECEWITHFROSTING,PLEASE !
Fannie Farmer was a favored ikon during my growing-up years in Ithaca. Later, I inherited her revered & well-worn cookbook, and after copying a few choice recipes such as my brother's favorite Snow Pudding, passed it on to an interested daughter.
A Family Heirloom
I LOVE THIS COOKBOOK! My Grandmother owned this book and bought my mom a copy when she was married in 1937. When my grandmother died i got her copy.Now my daughter is 19 and moving away from home.I am buying myself a new copy as I am passing on my grandmothers original book to her.It provides all the basic down to earth information that a new cook needs and is not found in most modern day cookbooks.

Nana to Mom to Daughter to Daughter and now to Grands.
My original copy of Fanny Farmer's Cookbook has no cover, pages behave as falling leaves unless handled with care, but I would not give it up for a new one, never never. What would I do without my years of scribbled notesin the margins? The copies I am buying now are for two granddaughters whoare college frosh this year.They will get Fanny, Miss Manners, NewCollege dictionary, etc. to start their own home libraries. Every homeneed Fanny Farmer because it is basic, easy to read and understand andcalls for ingredients readily available - if not on the home shelf then atany grocery.FYI, when the grandson goes off to college he will also get acopy of Fanny to take with him, along with his microwave and a coveredfrying pan. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery, American    2. Cooking    3. History    4. Regional & Ethnic - American - New England    5. Sale Adult - Cooking / Wine    6. Cooking / General    7. Illustration & commercial art    8. Individual designers    9. Sale Books   

Editorial Review

Alton Brown, host of Food Network's Read more

Reviews (163)

Great Recipes for Bad Cooks
All of Alton's recipes have turned out great and I'm no great cook! The discussions about food and how/why it cooks under certain conditions helps me to better understand what I'm doing in the kitchen when the cookbook says to 'simmer' or to 'braise.' Normally these words don't make sense to me in cookbooks and my recipes don't turn out well. Alton generally avoids using these in his recipes unless he's described them in the chapter. Highly recommended book!

Alton's Cookbook
It wasn't what I expected because there are not many recipes.However, he explains the rationale behind the mechanics of cooking and tells you how to achieve desired results, which can be applied in any situation.We are pleased.

Typical Alton Brown...and that ain't a bad thing!
Much like its companion, this book retains much of Alton Brow's typical Good Eats flair while successfully adapting it for print. Not much is lost in the tranfer from film to paper. The recipes are easy to follow, the explanations are, as always, informative, and the humor is...well, humorous. I've got the Director's Cut on preorder (I am, after all, a Good Eats fanatic), and I can't wait or more in the future! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. History    5. Reference    6. Regional & Ethnic - General    7. Cooking / American / General    8. General cookery   

Editorial Review

A collection of essays by one of America's best known food writers,that are often more autobiographical or historical than anecdotal musings on food preparation and consumption. The book includes culinary advice to World War II housewives plagued by food shortages, portraits of family members and friends (with all their idiosyncrasies) and notes on her studies at the University of Dijon, in France. Through each story she weaves her love of food and passion for cooking, and illustrates that our three basic needs as human beings--love, food and security--are so intermingled that it is difficult to think of one without the others. The book won the 1989 James Beard Cookbook Award. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Defines the word "classic"
"The Art of Eating" recountss the tale from post World War I to World War IIFrance in gastronomic terms. This is a collection of several books. "Serve It Forth," first published in 1937, is a history of gastronomy.In "Consider the Oyster" written in 1941, Fisher finds her voice."How to Cook a Wolf" published in 1942, when wartime shortages were at their worst includes recipes for stretching the smallest of ingredients to meet nutritional needs and the needs of the spirit."The Gastronomical Me" is this reader's favorite, which recounts Fischer's life in France. If you have any interest in good food, well-written memoirs or French culture, you really must read this book.It defines the word "classic."

Delicious, with a Wee Aftertaste
Even in paperback this is a thick and heavy book, which is a compilation of several of MKF Fisher's individual works offering different aspects of her thoughts on food in terms of origin, recipes, culinary preparation, and history. In addition, it divulges her own observations on the whole dining experience that we as humans go through in terms of customs, etiquette, ambience, socializing and so forth. But what makes this book stellar is the eloquent, imaginative, and sometimes even haunting style of Ms. Fisher's writing. She expresses her own thoughts and oftentimes outspoken opinions, mixing them with historical facts, tempting recipes, and home-cooked tales. With such a satisfying horn of plenty within the confines of two book covers, it is easy to understand why she still reigns as the queen of prose inspired by food and dining. I wish I had her ability to master in writing such joi de vivre and enthusiasm for food, eating, and drinking, which after all are such basic elements to our very existence.
Needs more stars!
I found this book in a stack of books on sale outside of a Harvard Square book shop, selling for $1.00 in hardcover when I was a poor student.I think that I bought it mainly because it was a thick fat book and the paper quality was was so good.A few hours later I opened it to peruse while sitting in Hamburger Cottage and have never looked at food, human appetites, memories, and other hungers the same.Fisher is now a cult figure but, back then, was barely still in print.Just try reading only a few pages of her writing.If you're a poor student, read the chapter about how to keep the wolf from the door, written during the Great Depression in America people had to work hard to keep their spirits up and did it...even in style. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Courses & Dishes - General    4. Food Science    5. Gastronomy    6. Technology    7. Cooking / General   

Subjects:  1. Consumer Health    2. Cookery    3. Cookery, International    4. Cooking    5. Food habits    6. Gastronomy    7. General    8. Humor    9. Nutrition    10. Cooking / Reference   

Subjects:  1. Bread    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Courses & Dishes - Bread    5. Food Science    6. History   

Subjects:  1. Cookery (Herbs)    2. Cooking    3. Essays    4. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    5. Herbs    6. Mystery & Detective - General    7. Specific Ingredients - Herbs, Spices, Condiments    8. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General   

Editorial Review

Nancy Oakes and Pamela Mazzola opened the doors of Boulevard in San Francisco in 1993, and fans have been waiting ever since for just this cookbook. A bigger and better payoff for all that patience is hard to imagine. Read more

Reviews (10)

Nany Oakes is a Goddess!
It is sad for me to see so many "bad" reviews for this wonderful cookbook; I think Nancy Oakes and her crews have done a fabulous job in sharing her delicious recipes.Grand it I have just started cooking for less than a year, sometimes the recipes are challenging and overwhelming but with patient I was able to follow the recipes and cooked wonderful meals with it.The gig for me has been grazing the farmer markets and seafood stores every Saturday for the ingredients to cook from this book for my family, so far I have done more than ten of her recipes, and let me tell you, they are all fabulous.Cheers to Nancy for sharing!

Not Suitable for Home Use
I'll be brief:this lavishly-designed book is eye-candy, straight up.It is the quintessence of that lamentable recent breed of art-house "cook"books that are far better on the coffee table than on the kitchen counter.One overwrought, decorative, fussy recipe follows another in a titilating but ultimately boring succession of vanity shots.Basically, this book and its ilk are an extension of the interior decorating market: if you print it, they will come.Any experienced cook can glance through this book and instantly dismiss its recipes as outrageously unsuited to the domestic kitchen. Very silly indeed.But nice pix!!!

NOT AKEEPER
This is a beautiful book for the coffee table but forget the kitchen unless you have a brigade of chefs. Most of the ingredients are special purchase not something you would have in your pantry. A cup of blood anyone?? And what the hell is "paradise" as in "a few grains of paradise". I can't even find that one in my dictionary of foods and cooking terms. I am an excellent cook with more than 40 years of cooking experience Thomas Kellers "The French Laundry" was workable, albeit complicated. A cup of blood anyone, I think I have 1 left after paying more than $35.00 plus $8.00 shipping for this book. (not from Amazon) Amazon I have learned my lesson I will write 500 times I will not buy books from any source other than Amazon and I will not pay shipping on purchases over $25.00 Thank You!!! However I will keep this book and frame it as a reminder never to purchase thru over priced cook book clubs. Membership now canceled. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. California    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. History    6. Methods - General    7. Reference    8. Regional & Ethnic - American - California Style    9. San Francisco    10. General cookery    11. National & regional cuisine    12. USA   

Reviews (6)

History, travelogue, and cookbook all rolled into one
This book is a combination history, travelogue, and cookbook all rolled into one.
A powerful visual treat blends with culinary history and some fine deli standard recipes
For an outstanding blend of history and recipes you won't want to miss America's Great Delis: Recipes And Traditions From Coast To Coast, deserving of ongoing mention as standing out from the crowd of recipes-only deli cookbooks to add an extra dash of history and vintage photos to the mix. Both black and white and color photos embellish discussions of the origins of classic deli foods around the world, from Matzo Ball Soup to Potato Latkes. A powerful visual treat blends with culinary history and some fine deli standard recipes.
I'M GETTING HUNGRY JUST READING IT!
Oddly, while deli food is considered one of the great American traditions, it's roots are steeped in our invaluable immigrant ancestors.Honestly what's better than a great corn beef sandwich or a steaming bowl of matzo bowl soup?America's Great Delis takes a fond look at these hallowed halls of dining pleasure in a book that is part tribute, part history, and part cookbook and all a pleasure to read.
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Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Courses & Dishes - General    5. Delicatessens    6. Regional & Ethnic - American - General    7. Restaurants    8. United States    9. Cooking / History    10. National & regional cuisine    11. USA   

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Essays    5. General    6. Specific Ingredients - General    7. General cookery