Reviews (102)

Cooking the Books
He shows off reproductions of illustrations for a cookbook devoted to toast, perhaps an extra bonus when you bought one of those newfangled toasters back in 1935.The booklet actually looks pretty stylish, and indeed copywriters in those days put ours to shame, but it inspires predictable hilarity in Lileks: "Ladies, serve toast, and well-groomed twins in tuxedos will want to have sex with you!"
I Was ROFLMAO From The First Page...
and all of the way through the rest of the book.Like previous reviewers, I laughed so hard I had tears rolling down my cheeks.I'm sure my Grandma served up food like this from time to time because I recognized some of it.And I'm very glad she didn't do it too often, you'll see why when you receive your copy of this book.The worrying thing is, I have 3 cookbooks that were given to me in the 1980's (they were published in 1972 and I still have them, I'm 38 now), and the pictures are eerily similar!!This book will make your day.It certainly made a blah day a whole lot brighter.On another note, I first saw this book advertised in a catalog for a different company, and found that Amazon's price is cheaper.

Absolutely Hilarious
I bought this book about a year ago on a trip to read in the car.I was laughing so hard I had tears streaming!My husband kept asking me to to read the parts to him I was laughing about and I couldn't catch my breath long enough to finish each paragraph.I remember my mom making very similar things to this and she had a knack for making them actually taste good. (a gift of hers I wish I had) Trust me, you MUST buy this book!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. General    5. History    6. Humor    7. Cooking / General    8. Form - Parodies   

Reviews (4)

Simple, easy, wonderful in every way
This book was given to me by my sister as a part of my bridal shower gift.This is quite possibly the most useful gift I recieved.As a new homemaker and wife I have faced reality that I need to learn to cook and this book has come in handy just about every week.The recipes are easy and most ingredients you will already have in your cupboards and fridge.I also like the fact that they don't take long to make especially when everyone in your house works, the last thing you want to wait for is dinner!I highly recommend this to anyone and would also think it would be good for kids since the recipes are so easy.Five stars!

Best of the series - more variety
If you told me that someone had made a book of recipes that only take five ingredients and three steps to make I would not have believed it contained so many delicious recipes.From appetizers, to breads, to brunch, soups, salads, sandwiches, vegetables, side dishes, main dishes, and sweets just about any type of recipe is represented here.This is a great cookbook for the novice cook or people in a hurry.The recipes are so simple that even a young teenager can prepare a complete meal without any problems. Finally - a super simple cookbook!
This is really a neat book!Just like the title says, all recipes contain 5 ingredients, some even less.The main chapters are: Appetizers & Beverages; Breads, Brunch & Breakfast; Soups, Salads & Sandwiches; Vegetables & Side Dishes; Main Dishes; and Sweets.There is a page to take notes next to the main dish chapter, plus the main dish chapter gives suggestions as to what side dishes and/or desserts to serve them with.The last half of the main dish chapter is entitled "Your Guide to Left-Over Turkey, Chicken and Ham" with recipes using up the leftover meat you might have. There is also a couple pages in the Sandwich chapter that gives "new and different combinations" for sandwiches, a page listing 6 "special sandwich spreads" and a basic hamburger recipe along with a page and half of creative ways to spice up the average hamburger. All in all, I think this is a really cool book, despite the fact there are no pictures, especially if you are really busy or don't want to take the time to fool with long complicated recipes! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Quick & Easy    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Essays    5. Methods - Quick & Easy    6. Specific Ingredients - General    7. Cookbook    8. Quick and easy cookery    9. Recipes   

Reviews (4)

Great Cook Book
Purchased this for my parents, who are diner fanatics, and they absolutely loved it. My dad particularly enjoyed the pictures of diners-old and new-from across the country. And my mom loved trying to duplicate some of her favorite recipes-liver and onions, apple pie, etc. Makes a great gift to tuck into a basket with a favorite diner gift certificate.

The Diner experience - at home
If you are looking for recipes that contain wheat sprouts and tofu you won't find them here.On the other hand, if you are looking for those wonderful, delectable foods served by diners all over America in the forties or fifties you will find them. A welcome addition to any kitchen cookbook collection
The roadside diner was once a fixture of American popular culture and to be found in almost every community. A place where good food, reasonable prices, friendly service, and great conversation all came together. In The American Diner Cookbook, Elizabeth McKeon and Linda Everett collaborate to present more than 450 recipes for dishes that were the staple of the diner era. From Hush Puppies; Roadside Chili; Sea Captain's Chowder; and Mushroom Burgers; to Veal Parmesan; Chicken & Dumplings; Sloppy Joes; and Chocolate Chiffon Pie, The American Diner Cookbook is a nostalgic and welcome addition to any kitchen cookbook collection, which features the added bonus of numerous historic black and white photos. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cookery, American    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Courses & Dishes - General    6. Diners (Restaurants)    7. General    8. History    9. Quantity Food Production And Service    10. Regional & Ethnic - American - General    11. United States   

Subjects:  1. Americas (North Central South West Indies)    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Essays    5. Food    6. Food supply    7. General    8. History    9. United States - General    10. Food & beverage technology    11. Food manufacturing & related industries    12. The Americas    13. USA   

Editorial Review

Peter Mayle, author of the bestselling Read more

Reviews (42)

Ils sont fou, ces Gaulois!
I didn't think I would enjoy this book so I kept putting it off. Boy, was I wrong! What I enjoyed even more than the detailed descriptions of his degustations, were his extremely accurate descriptions of Frenchmen. I studied in French schools throughout my young adulthood and this book brought back so many memories... To top it off, I'm a big cheese lover and cheese plays a big role in this lovely work.

Peter Mayle
My son is very into the french language and culture and this book is excellent is filling in gaps that he does not get at school and through french movies and videos. Thank you.

French food par excellence
Peter visits the fetes of food throughout France - escargout, wine, cheese, etc., etc., etc.A plethora of flavors and smells in Mayle's wonderful style. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Dinners and dining    3. Europe - France    4. France    5. Gastronomy    6. Regional & Ethnic - French    7. Restaurants    8. Travel    9. Travel - Foreign    10. Travel / Europe / France   

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Courses & Dishes - General    4. Etiquette    5. Gastronomy    6. Popular Culture - General    7. Reference    8. Restaurants    9. Reference / Etiquette   

Reviews (4)

A rising culinary star with a notable first book. Buy it.
`Crave' by the `award winning' executive chef of the Los Angles restaurant Bastide, Ludo Lefebvre elicits anticipation from its oversized format, its high price, and the very hip, tattooed pic of the author on the front cover. I am happy to say that the book delivers on it's expectations with a better than average restaurant cookbook.
The Passion behind the dish!
I have had the great pleasure of eating Ludovic's one of a kind creations at both L'Orangarie and Bastide.This book is not only a treasure in that enables me to try to prepare some of his dishes at home, but it is also a great read for any "foodie" who appreciates the love and passion of food. Ludo is a master!!

Scrumptious, Enchanting and Stylish
I purchased this book for my love who is a shining star in the realm of culinary delights. So far, we have been nothing less than delighted! Finally a charming book that serenades the erotic senses with effortless and approchable charm. So stylish and delicious! Not a book that you will want to hide away in a cookbook drawer, it is worthy of the coffee table! ... Read more

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

Reviews (2)

Fine for beginning foodies but not for educational purposes
While comprehensive, this is too broad, too general and very stereotypical.Each 'cultural' group represented in the United States has the same diet as their fellows, it seems.It can also be very bland:since coming to the U.S., X group's consumption of 'junk' food, milk, and such, has increased.
A Remarkable Achievement
Cultural Foods: Traditions and Trends, by Pamela Goyan Kittler and Kathryn P. Sucher, Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, Belmont, California, is a remarkable achievement. The authors, both nutritionists with a gallopinginterest in culture, have examined the manyethnicgroups and cuisine traditions which comprise "what Americans eat." I was pleased to find that Native Americans, usually leftout of such surveys,were included, along withUgandans, Yemenese, Armenians, Basques and many, many others. Though initially written with food service professionals inmind,this is a book any foodie would devour. Itstarts with the food customs ofindividualcountries and then looks at how arriving immigrants have adapted their usual ways of preparing foods to American ingredientsand customs. Theauthors examine regional Americanfoodways and typical specialties andprovide anethnic foods glossary, a lengthy bibliography and a dense index which allows the reader to dip in and out of the book withease. Even the margins are peppered with food lore tidbits. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery, International    2. Cooking    3. Cross-cultural studies    4. Customs & Traditions    5. Ethnic Issues    6. Ethnic Studies - General    7. Food habits    8. History    9. International And Ethnic Cookery    10. Methods - Professional    11. Quantity Food Production And Service    12. Regional & Ethnic - General    13. Cultural studies    14. Customs    15. Food & Drink / Cookery    16. Medical / Nursing / Nutrition   

Reviews (1)

Superb reconstructions based on research
For years, people reconstructing Roman food have taken Apicius literally, and without any thought into the many elements of Roman food. Usually, the food is at best tastless, often inedible, and the excuse is usually an emphatic "this is how the Romans did it! Their taste is not ours". Rather, Apicius is a guide for experienced cooks, much like 18th and 19th century US cookbooks, where the recipe leaves almost all the explanations and cooking instructions out.
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Subjects:  1. Ancient - Rome    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. History    6. Regional & Ethnic - Italian    7. Roman Archaeology    8. Ancient Rome    9. Cooking, Food & Wine / Cooking    10. General cookery    11. Italy   

Editorial Review

The Coes, both anthropologists with a culinary bent, delve deeply into the history of their mouth-watering subject. The material on ancient cultures is particularly fascinating--did you know that the Maya used unsweetened liquid chocolate as currency?And in a chapter called "Chocolate for the Masses," they detail the modernization of chocolate manufacture, which has allowed more than 25 million Hershey's Kisses to roll off the conveyor belt each day. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Awesome Story
Story book style of delivery made this book enjoyable for the entire family. This book was packed full of information yet the manner in which it is written made it enjoyable to read as well as retain. Very informative and interesting as well as fun.

Delightful Reading!
This book was an extremely readable examination of the history of chocolate, starting with the ancient MesoAmericans and ending with contemporary European and American chocolate makers. Anyone interested in the history and development of their favorite confection or beverage should read this book - it's written engagingly in the first half, and then peters out just a tad towards the end. I wished for more about the modern chocolate industry, and a little more about the current manufacturing spike in fine chocolates. But as an anthropological study revolving around the development of chocolate, I could ask for nothing more. Coe and Coe have inspired a chocolate tasting party and an academic interest in a gastrologic subject.

Engaging: Academic yet Readable
This book went beyond my expectations by presenting the history of chocolate in an unbiased, academic yet readable format. A far cry from high school history textbooks, the authors enchant the reader with stories and historical tid-bits while maintaining a cohesive whole. I definitely recommend this book to chocolate connoisseurs, history-buffs, and chocoholics alike. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Courses & Dishes - Chocolate    4. History    5. World - General    6. Cultural studies    7. Food & Drink / Cookery   

Editorial Review

Have the French always enjoyed their renowned cuisine? When did Russians begin to eat pirogi? What was the first Indonesian spice to be cultivated elsewhere in the world? Questions such as these make for good Read more

Reviews (12)

Not a good enough reference to be worth the money
This is a tremendously expensive reference that one should expect to be trustworthy. But it isn't. Nor is it as definitive as should be expected, though it does have some fascinating entries, such as the role of dogs in the history of food. For the price, there should be line drawings for some of the more unusual fruits and veg, because as it is, the verbal descriptions would lead a reader to think that something looked quite different than it does. So I use these two volumes with caution, referencing further anything said here before I take it as a given. Although some other reviewers here have criticized the dryness of style, that is what I want in this sort of thing, so I have no complaints there. Of far more importance is the slant that many of the articles have, which clearly have a political agenda that the information is wrapped around. So, while the bibliographies for same are useful, they also are selectively chosen. Given the guides to food now, and the many histories, I would think that a few books judiciously chosen are better value than this one reference, though if you are monied, this is an interesting addition to your library, to be read with a grain of salt in every 'Oh, my! I didn't know that.'

Taking a class with the editor
Argghhhh I have Kenneth Kipple for a teacher, arghhhhh. The greatest use of this book is in the bibliographies at the end of the chapts. Skip the articles and look for the books in the bibliography.

Food for thinking with
Part of the dissatisfaction among some reviewers is that this book is not a light, cheerful cook-book/dictionary.For those who want something more along those lines, there are plenty of light-weight volumes that purport to tell the story of this or that cooking tradition with lots of nice glossy pictures and maybe more than three accurate facts if you're really lucky.Try Jane and Michael Stern's road trip food voyages for example.Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Food    4. History    5. World - General    6. ASIA    7. Africa    8. BCE to c 500 CE    9. Europe    10. Food & Drink / Cookery    11. Food--History    12. History / World    13. History of specific subjects    14. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    15. The Americas    16. World history    17. c 1000 CE to c 1500    18. c 500 CE to c 1000 CE   

Reviews (4)

lWhat Einstein Told His Cook 2: The Sequel: Further Adventures in Kitchen Science
Actually, I never read the book.I bought this for my ex-wife.I'd purchased her "What Einstein Told His Cook", & "What Einstein Told His Barber".She just loved "Cook" & would give it 5 stars, but once she got "Cook 2: The Sequel", she liked it even better than the original, so both books get 5 stars from her.This from a woman who rarely reads books.

Entertaining Foodie Read plus Superior Explanations.
`What Einstein Told His Cook 2, The Sequel' by retired chemistry professor and columnist, Robert Wolke is in the same format as the first volume, of which I said:
What Einstein Told His Cook #2
If you are looking for useful information to cooking questions you've always wondered about, look elsewhere.Harold McGee's "On Food & Cooking" and Shirley Corriher's "Cookwise" are both full of useful and interesting stuff.Wolke tries to be cute, and some may like his sophomoric style, but I couldn't get past the first chapter.Now who do I know who is dumb enough to like this drivel? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Essays    5. Food Science    6. History    7. Miscellanea    8. Reference    9. Science    10. Science (Specific Aspects)    11. Food & Drink / Cookery    12. Popular science   

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

Reviews (16)

Wonderful, enlighten read, with one caveat.
I deeply enjoyed this engrossing read. Tannahill has done a superb job mixing history, culture, and the culinary arts.As a student of culture and a lover of food I was drawn in by Tannahill's attention to detail, while at the same time writing an informative work that was easy to read and hard to put down.My one and only criticism lies in her choices for footnotes.I was puzzled by her choice to footnote the definition for porter (it's possible that porter was a unique drink in 1977 when the book was first written), while on numerous occasions not footnoting the references to regional foods, ingredients, and preparations. I soon found that referring to my copies of the Food Lover's Companion (Herbst, 1995) and the American Heritage Dictionary (2001) made for a much fuller reading experience. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with a love of food and culture, Tannahill will not disappoint.

Very Interesting!!
My class and I found this book very interesting.High school kids don't usually want to be read to, but they continually requested that I read to them once I started this book.So many weird and wonderful facts about foods we eat everyday are presented.It lead to a great deal of discussion!

What we eat and where it came from
"Food in History" is a survey of world history from the standpoint of what people ate and when.The time period covered is from the prehistoric up until nearly the present.Along the way the author gives us a brief history of the eating habits of the Romans (unborn rabbits!), China, India, the Arabs, the Europeans, and the modern world. She includes brief histories of tea, coffee, salt, jerky, chocolate, human beings, and many other food items.
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Subjects:  1. Cooking / Wine    2. Dinners and dining    3. Education    4. Essays    5. Food    6. Food Science    7. General    8. History    9. General cookery    10. History / General    11. History of specific subjects   

Reviews (4)

Not what I expected
This book is good for what it is, but not what I expected.I was expecting to buy this book and be able to make cheese, but that's not the case.
Karen Darbinyan
This book is a great asset for start-up cheesemakers. I am from Aremnia and I own small new cheesemaking business. Thanks to this book many things got clear for me and my business.
American farmstead Cheese by Paul Kinstedt
Professor Kinstedt has produced a very complete treatise on farmstead cheese making. This book will become THE textbook for all those who anticipate making cheese as well as for those who are already in the business. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cheese    2. Cheesemaking    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. History    6. Specific Ingredients - Dairy    7. United States   

Reviews (15)

Love Bourdain!
I really like Anthony Bourdain's writing style. It's conversational and unpretentious. This is a great book if you don't know the story of Typhoid Mary; however, if you are already familiar with it and are looking for something in depth with lots of details, this might not be perfect.
The Best History Books are NOT Written by Historians
It just goes to show what someone with some desire to learn and a talent for writing can do.Tony Bourdain proves it yet again with his interesting and well-researched look at Typhoid Mary.Who knew she was a cook?I bet most people think she was a prostitute (I did).Bravo to Tony for having the ingenuity and the humility to do some top notch historical research here and produce a useful work of historical scholarship.

Tasty morsel
This slender volume is a lot like the sumptuous meals that were popular among the wealthy turn-of-the-last-century New Yorkers: it's rich and overstuffed. "Typhoid Mary: An Urban Historical" by Anthony Bourdain is loaded with references to that milieu's passion for all things fancy, especially food, and how one woman, without intent ormalice, sent a panic throughout it.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Diseases - Contagious    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History - U.S.    6. History: American    7. New York    8. New York (State)    9. Quarantine    10. Typhoid Mary,    11. Typhoid fever    12. United States - 19th Century/Turn of the Century    13. United States - State & Local - General    14. Women    15. d. 1938    16. Medical / Diseases   

Reviews (10)

a magical adventure
I found this book in the bookstore at the Culinary Institute of America while I was waiting for the college's tour to begin.The title caught my attention, and the first paragraph hooked me.After reading parts of it for 10 minutes, I bought it and finished reading it over the next three days.I took my time, savoring each chapter, each conversation, each morsel offered up by this delightful young author.
Delightful culinary hunter / gatherer memoir. Read it.
`The Scavenger's Guide to Haute Cuisine' by hunting and fishing sports writer, Steven Rinella is, as another reviewer points out, much less of a culinary memoir than the title may suggest, but that is not, I believe, a legitimate reason to give this memoir a low score.
A DIY geek's introduction to hunting and cooking.
I don't read outdoor books, and am only mildly interested in food writing, but I really admire renegade DIY personalities.This book is all about people doing things their own way.From the author to the crazy characters he encounters, this book will inspire you to think about doing things yourself rather than having them done for you.Which is an interesting way of life, to say the least.Maybe I won't build an eel weir anytime soon, but I'm glad to have read about somebody who did. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (Auguste),    2. 1846-1935.    3. Cookery    4. Cooking    5. Cooking / Wine    6. Escoffier, A.    7. Essays    8. Guide culinaire    9. Hunting    10. Methods - Cookery for One    11. Methods - Quick & Easy    12. Biography: general    13. Cooking / General    14. General cookery    15. Travel writing   

Features

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Reviews (11)

bi-polar chef
This book is worth reading if you have an interest in the culinary arts even though the author doesnt put any life into his portrait of the characters and we are left wondering why anyone did what they did.The book is a recitation of facts...nothing like Jacques Pepin's autobiography which is similar in its stove-slave beginnings.Neither chef went to culinary school.But Jacques got out of France.In France, the only way to succeed big-time is through the Guide Michelin's demands.That led Chef Bernard Loiseau to go into fantastic debt and neglect his personal life.We really don't get a feel for our hero's personal life.Chelminski doesnt like either of Bernard's wives and maybe Bernard didnt either.Maybe he was gay and couldnt come out of the closet due to Guide Michelin.Who knows?The author thinks Bernard killed himself at 53 because he was a manic depressive and didnt take enough drugs.An interesting fact Chelminsky reveals is the large number of important chefs who die of heart attacks or strokes in their 40's and 50's.The description of the changes in French cuisine was interesting.However, he doesnt say how prevalent the olde style still is and how much these meals cost.Im surprised the insurance paid off all Bernard's debts when he committed suicide.Did he have a suicide clause?

This is an important book for any artist/professional
I picked up this book after learning of the untimely passing of Bernard Loiseau.I previously read "Burgundy Stars" while I was in culinary school and considered that book to be an inspiration.I recommend reading "Burgundy Stars" before tackling this book to get a perspective of Mr. Loiseau during his rise to three stars that is not communicated in "The Perfectionist".The two work in tandem well.
Cooking for The Stars
Shortly after beginning his culinary apprenticeship, Bernard Loiseau declared his intention of becoming a Michelin three star restaurauteur.By dint of relentless effort and unusual talent, he attained that much coveted goal just after his fortieth birthday, in 1991.For more than a decade, he continued to share that lofty height with fewer than twenty other chefs in all of France.Yet it would all end tragically with his suicide in early 2003.
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Subjects:  1. 1951-    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Cooking    7. Cooks    8. France    9. Gastronomy    10. Loiseau, Bernard,    11. Personal Memoirs    12. Regional & Ethnic - French    13. Biography & Autobiography / General    14. Bargain   

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Essays    6. Food writing    7. General    8. United States    9. Women food writers    10. Cooking / Essays   

Editorial Review

Surveying America's food scene, Joan Nathan, author of the much-praised Read more

Reviews (7)

Great cookbook
I received this cookbook for Christmas and I love it. First of all, the concept is great. I enjoy the food of all different cultures and it is fun to have them in one cookbook. The recipes are easy and for the more unusual ingredients, there is often a substitute written which I find helpful.Finally and most importantly, everything I have made from this cookbook has been delicious