Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (1)

Biography of Gordon Ramsay
I couldn't put the book down! Reading about the real Gordon Ramsay, I was very much impressed. Mr. Ramsay is a very intelligent and wonderful person, and I have very much respect for him ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Cookery    5. Gastronomy    6. General    7. Rich & Famous    8. Biography: film, television & music    9. COOKS    10. Cooking / General    11. Food & Drink / Cookery    12. GREAT BRITAIN_BIOGRAPHY   

Reviews (4)

Not for readers with delicate stomachs.
Fascinating reading! In my travels I thought I had seen a lot of strange culinary customs but after reading this book I realize that I had barely scratched the surface. Apparently every living creature on this planet is a delicacy somewhere.

Mannish Water ...a stew with sheep's head????
I don't think so! Traditionally this is made in Jamaica with the Goats' head, tripe and (if you are lucky ) the testes.It is considered a soup. It rarely uses the meat which is reserved for the following course of curry goat. In fact prior to making the soup the head is 'singed' to remove the hair easily,this results in the soup having a delightful smoky flavour.The head is then chopped into bite sized pieces and the soup is slow cooked (best done in an old "kerosene" pan on a traditional Jamaican coal pot outside).Wedding Feasts, breaking ground for a new house,or a funeral were all reasons tokill a goat and have a "goat Feast"
Great Fun... with a Pinch of Salt
I'm enjoying this book, but some of it must be taken with a pinch of salt :-)
Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Essays    4. Regional & Ethnic - International    5. Food & Drink / Cookery   

Editorial Review

Read more

Reviews (4)

A feast for lovers of Gourmet Magazine
The best of writing from the Gourmet Magazine of the 60's and 70's. Writing from the Goumet we know and love.

Very Good Sampler for idle moments.
`Endless Feasts' is a collection of writings about food, drink, travel, biography, and fiction from the pages of `Gourmet' magazine from the magazine's founding in the late 1930s to the present. The selections were made by the magazine's current editor, Ruth Reichl, who has, in many ways taken over the throne of leading American culinary editor long left vacant after the passing of Craig Claiborne.
Delicious tidbits from well-known food writers
This collection of essays from food writers of Gourmet magazine brings the reader to different places and times, from the summer of 1939 when M.F.K. Fisher stumbled upon a cozy Swiss inn, to 1970 when Richard Cassin writes about a dinner intivation in Taos, New Mexico.Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cookery, American    3. Cookery, International    4. Cooking    5. Cooking / Wine    6. Essays    7. Essays & Travelogues    8. General    9. Cooking / General    10. General cookery   

Reviews (1)

I Read This Book in Less Than 24 Hours
Next time I read a John T. Edge book, I'll remember to wear protection. A bib, to avert the Pavlovian swirls that are sure to follow.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Baking - Confectionery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Courses & Dishes - Breakfast    5. Doughnuts    6. Essays    7. Food Science    8. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    9. Popular Culture - General    10. Regional & Ethnic - American - General    11. Social Science / Popular Culture   

Reviews (1)

A Recipe for Food and History
I bought this book for myself and gifts to some favorite people.All of us thought both the historical and recipes were excellent and blended so well together.This book is a treasure. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. General    5. History    6. Regional & Ethnic - American - Southern States    7. Social History    8. United States - State & Local - South   

Reviews (2)

Detailed but a bit dry
This is one of the only books of its kind on a really interesting topic, but it's more of a scholarly survey than a fun read.That's too bad because it could quite easily have been both.It's also not a great introduction to Indian food itself, because, written in India by an Indian, it presumes a basic familiarity with various dishes and native foodstuffs. Excellent, thoroughly researched, enjoyable reading
The book is very well written, and very well researched with lots ofreferences. It is all about Indian food. It is pretty comprehensive andfocuses on the history and origins of various foods, food-related customs,cooking practices etc. There are lots of insights and relations to otheraspects of culture. I found it fascinating and very enjoyable to read.Anyone with an interest in Indian food and culture should find itinteresting, especially those who have lived in India. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Indian Cookery    4. Regional & Ethnic - Indic    5. Cooking / History   

Reviews (4)

Amazing resource!
This is my food "bible". I find it facinating enough to read like a novel from cover to cover. The layout and organization of the book makes it an invaluable reference book when you want to know about a particular foods nutritional information & health benefits, history or general culinary uses. I love the 'Legends & Lore' sections as well. I refer to this book almost daily and have had fun at dinner parties sharing information about where foods come from. For anyone who is interested in learning more about the food they put into their bodies, this book is incredible. I have both versions, but the revised and expanded edition is the one to buy-more info and more foods.

The Authoritative Guide for Lovers of Natural Foods
This is a wonderful book! It is authoritative, detailed, well written, and extremely entertaining.
Great reference
If you are confused about the world of whole foods and want more information, the new revised and expanded Whole Foods Companion is a great place to start.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Biotechnology    2. Cookery (Natural foods)    3. Cooking    4. History    5. Natural foods    6. Science    7. Health & wholefood cookery   

Reviews (1)

Best of the Bests
Best Food Writing is NOT a part of the Best American Series (Essays, Travel Writing, Mysteries, Short Stories, Non-required Reading, etc.) The Best American series does include a best recipes edition, but those of us who don't actually cook aren't interested in reading recipes. On the other hand, the Best Food Writing series, which debuted in 2000 with Holly Hughes doing the editing each year, is more about the writing than about the food. Yes, it helps to be interested in food to enjoy these essays, but all you really need is an appreciation of good writing. (This concept was finally illustrated for me last year when I read Best American Essays 2004 and found that the best essay was a piece about knitting. Before reading it, I was completely ignorant about knitting and, I thought, completely uninterested.)
Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Essays    4. Cooking / Essays   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Cookery, Italian    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Futurism (Art)    5. Gastronomy    6. Regional & Ethnic - Italian    7. Cooking / General   

Subjects:  1. Armed Forces    2. Commissariat    3. Cookery    4. Cookery, Military    5. Cooking    6. General    7. History    8. History - Military / War    9. Military - United States    10. Military Science (Specific Aspects)    11. Reference    12. United States    13. Reference / General   

Reviews (7)

Extraordinary
This is, without a doubt, the most extraordinary book on food and gastronomy ever. Brilliantly written, a true snapshot in time.

The Auberge of the Flowering Hearth
I originally read this book as a library book in it's first edition. It was one of the seminal influences in my discovering France and discovering my own love of cooking and fine food. Over the years I acquired several other books by Roy Andries De Groot and he never failed to inspire me. This one is absolutely a classic for any one who loves food and travel.

Non pareil
One of the other reviewers noted DeGroot's gift for description, and was amazed when he learned that deGroot was blind.I, who knew he was blind before I read the book, was also amazed and continue to be -- though there are telltale clues throughout, as, for example, when he describes eau de vie de prune as deep purple in color.Not in his lifetime or mine: it is clear as water...it simply tastes dark purple. But no matter about DeGroot's blindness or occasional factual slips; this is one of the greatest (and oddest) cookbooks in English, one of the very few to sit comfortably on a shelf with the works of Madelaine Kamman, Elizabeth David, Richard Olney, and MFK Fisher.Like the best works of those other authors, this is fundamentally a book about life-well-lived, not merely about cooking, eating and drinking.Nonetheless, the recipes work well and the stories behind them provide more than enough context and inspiration to pursuade you to try them. The oddness comes from the fairy-tale atmosphere DeGroot creates and maintains throughout.The mysterious old inn (no longer extant, of course) in the village at the top of the alpine valley could almost have come from the Brothers Grimm -- except there are no evil witches, just two kindly and aging lesbians, and the cauldron in the kitchen is not bubbling over with unspeakables. I have been cooking seriously for thirty years, have taught cooking in Parisand other places, and have been the executive chef of a Michelin rated restaurant in London (I'm now a lawyer and business consultant in California).In my restaurant in London (6 Clarendon Road, W11, now run by my friend and grand gourmand, Paul Fisher) I gave a copy to all the senior cooks, and insisted that they read it -- not for the recipes specifically, but for the wonderment, dedication and attention to detail I felt sure it would inspire.It did.Truly, a not-to-missed book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking / Wine    2. Essays    3. General    4. Poetry    5. Regional & Ethnic - French    6. Literary studies: general    7. Poetry texts & anthologies   

Subjects:  1. Cookery, International    2. Description And Travel    3. Essays    4. Essays & Travelogues    5. Food habits    6. International And Ethnic Cookery    7. Regional & Ethnic - General    8. Tourism    9. Travel    10. Travel - General    11. Food & Drink / Cookery    12. Travel & holiday guides    13. Travel / Essays & Travelogues   

Editorial Review

A man of Rabelaisian appetite, with the exquisite palate of the true gastronome and the literary flair to match, A.J. Liebling (1904-1963) was a formidable eater and a remarkable man, and his nostalgic recitation of his years and meals in Paris is a pleasure to read, dream on, and drool about.Read more

Reviews (10)

A Treat
Did anyone ever love Paris, or at least eating in Paris, like Liebling. I share his love for the city and for the cuisine. Perhaps this colors my view but I really enjoyed this book.

reading between the meals
This book was strongly recommended to me by a friend who is from Europe and is very discerning when it comes to American writers. I'm glad that I have it.
A Taste for Life.
I have to say first of all that I'm a sucker for all of the "Paris in the early part of the twentieth century" literature.I love Celine and Miller, but my favorite was Hemingway's A Moveable Feast.Well, Between Meals is no A Moveable Feast but it certainly is a high quality read that I can unquestionably recommend to you.
Read more

Subjects:  1. (Abbott Joseph),    2. American Prose    3. Cooking    4. Description and travel    5. Dinners and dining    6. Europe - France    7. Gastronomy    8. Liebling, A. J.,    9. Paris (France)    10. Regional & Ethnic - European    11. Regional & Ethnic - French    12. Travel - General    13. English    14. Europe    15. Food & Drink / Cookery    16. France    17. Liebling, A. J    18. Literary Collections / Essays    19. USA   

Subjects:  1. Cookery, Estonian    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Europe - Former Soviet Republics    5. General    6. History    7. Estonia    8. National & regional cuisine   

Subjects:  1. Books & Reading    2. Cookery    3. Cookery in literature    4. Cooking    5. Cooking / Wine    6. Food in literature    7. General    8. History    9. Fiction / Humorous   

Editorial Review

Pam Anderson's Read more

Reviews (16)

Too much trial and error
This is a very unusual cookbook. For each recipe, there's a few pages about experiments she did to come up with the final recipe.
I am a GREAT cook and this book has made me even better.
I am a huge cookbook maven.I have hundreds, some good ones and some were a waste of money.This is easily in my top 10 of cookbooks. I will now buy a Pam Anerson book by reputation alone. My entire family adores the Ceasar Salad.The Pasta salad combo's she has, has sent more that one friend to nirvana.We live in Malaysia and the food here is dynamite, but yes we crave good old American food and Pam is my go to girl for those needs.If you like easy recipes that you can find ingredients for, buy this book. Eat and be happy.

always a winner - a reliable source
I'm a busy Mom who none-the-less wants my kids to eat real food.I don't have time for mistakes and trial and error.The book explains the entire process in an easy to read and understand manner and without fail, the recipes have all turned out fabulous.In fact, they are so delicious they have earned me quite a reputation.Now, whenever there is a pot luck - I get requests.The Blue Ribbon Chili is like the filet mignon of chili - I went to a barbecue this weekend and brought the Asian pasta salad and every single person asked me to send the recipe.I just got an email asking once again.I sent them the link to the book instead ;-)I sing Pam's praises often.Now my sister, her brother-in-law and several friends are all devotees.I highly recommend this book (my primary resource) as well as Pam Anderson's "How to Cook Without A Book" - the pan sauces alone make that one a worthwhile purchase. ... Read more

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

Reviews (3)

A Life to Die For

Part cookbook, part travel journal, altogether wonderful
I had the pleasure of taking one of Kate's cooking classes at Sur La Table and bought her book while I was there. The recipes are wonderful and her narrative really puts you in the little towns she describes. My husband and I rented a boat on the Canal du Midi a couple of months later and I brought the book with me as a travel guide and for recommendations of where to shop. We passed the Julia Hoyt on the side of the canal (never expected that!) and stopped and said hello. Ihighly recommend the book, and I highly recommend a trip to the region. We ate like kings, even when I cooked ; )

Simple Elegance
I love this book!I was drawn in by Kate's story - living on a barge floating up the French countryside and wanted to read more about that.Kate not only took me on a beautiful journey but also shared some of her favorite recipes with me.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Essays    4. Europe - France    5. French Cookery    6. Regional & Ethnic - French    7. France    8. National & regional cuisine    9. Places & peoples: general interest   

Editorial Review

Sharyn Tyler Herbst lifted the phrase "Never Eat More Than You Can Lift" from the mouth of Miss Piggy to make it the title for her 12th volume on food. This is a work to love and get lost in. It makes you want to read many of its "1500 Notable Quotables About Edibles and Potables" out loud to anyone around, or reach for the phone to share choice finds. Information about specific foods, cooking tips, and recipes set this book apart from others in the genre of culinary quote collections. Herbst also draws from a wider range than others, quoting from sources as ancient as Aristophanes, contemporary as Miss Piggy, famous as F. Scott Fitzgerald, and obscure as Robert Orben. You'll find quotes here that do not appear in other books of this type. Add this to the appealing look of this book and you have a delicious volume. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Amusing compilation of food-related quotes
"Never Eat More Than You Can Lift" is a goulash, a mix of thisand that and a lot of other things. Read more

Subjects:  1. Beverages    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Essays    6. Food    7. General    8. Quotations, maxims, etc    9. Cooking / General   

Editorial Review

Having written about all it takes to become a chef in Read more

Reviews (27)

Illuminating and entertaining, with more drama than opera!
As someone who follows the restaurant scene with the same level of enthusiasm that some teenagers follow Jessica Simpson, I got caught up with all the brouhaha around the debut of the new New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni. This got me curious about restaurant critics and their methods and whether anyone had ever studied the subject, which led me to the one-of-a-kind book Dining Out by Dornenburg and Page.I found it incredibly illuminating, not to mention entertaining.The authors dissect every detail of how reviews are written and stars awarded, based on interviews with leading food critics such as Tom Sietsema (now of The Washington Post), S. Irene Virbila (of The Los Angeles Times), and Dennis Ray Wheaton (of Chicago Magazine). They also interview leading chefs and restaurateurs about their views on critics and the power of the press. I've come to learn that there is as much or more drama in the world of restaurants as there is in opera! This book even breaks down what it took to get a four-star review when former restaurant reviewer Ruth Reichl was at the helm. A great look at what Ruth Reichl and other top critics do!
As a fan of both Tender at the Bone and Comfort Me With Apples, I've been looking forward to learning more about Ruth Reichl's life as one of America's most influential restaurant critics.This book was a fun look at what Ruth and other top critics do for a living:the secretiveness (and how she used disguises and credit cards with different names), the challenges (such as the weirdest things they've ever eaten, which range from fried worms to braised goat penis!), and the highlights (such as Ruth being told at Le Cirque, "The King of Spain is waiting in the bar, but your table is ready").Dining Out is an enjoyable and informative read for any intelligent reader who loves the world of restaurants and the fascinating people who populate it!

A fascinating insider's look at restaurant reviewing.
I became intrigued by the life of restaurant critics after reading former New York Times restaurant critic Ruth Reichl's wonderful memoirs "Tender at the Bone" and "Comfort Me With Apples" and wanted to learn more about the ultimate profession for people who love to eat (but don't necessarily love to cook).Ruth appears on the cover of "Dining Out" (wearing a beautiful black hat whose brim covers most of her lovely face), and there are lots of photographs of her on the inside as well where she shares some of her hilarious experiences reviewing restaurants.There is probably more about Ruth in this book than any other critic interviewed.One of the authors (Andrew Dorneburg) is a chef who has cooked for Ruth and writes about how nerve-wracking it was when she came in to eat at the restaurant where he was working at the time and she was recognized (despite the fact that she went on to buy numerous wigs and wore various disguises on other visits to other restaurants in order to remain anonymous).I never realized how much a critic's opinion can sometimes make or break a restaurant.I also enjoyed reading Ruth's list of her favorite restaurants across the United States (the back of the book is kind of a restaurant guide, and mentions different critics favorite restaurants in cities across the US) and hope that someday I can eat at every one of them!Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Courses & Dishes - Appetizers    4. Essays    5. Food Service Management    6. Food service    7. Food writers    8. Interviews    9. Methods - General    10. Regional & Ethnic - American - General    11. Restaurants    12. United States    13. Cooking / American / General    14. Food manufacturing & related industries    15. Media, information & communication industries    16. Restaurant & pub guides   

Reviews (6)

Great
I adore this book.At the core of The Chocolate Connoisseur is a true passion for the subject and a completely selfless wish to share it.It tells the history of chocolate as well as the science behind it in a way that is compelling and interesting.But its strongest point is Chloe's encouragement to form your own opinion and deepen to your appreciation and pleasure - great life lessons indeed.That's what food writing is all about.

An absolute must for Chocolate Lovers
An excellent small pink book chock full of essential chocolate information - history, processing, the variety of beans, world-wide brands, manufacturers. But best of all, are the many taste tests to sharpen your pallet/taste buds to a higher level. Doutre-Roussel's passion is contagious so watch out or you'll be eating chocolate for breakfast too.
AN EXCELLENT GUIDE TO THE WORLD OF CHOCOLATE
This book is the perfect interactive training companion to put you on the road to choco connoisseurship. Keep a yellow marker handy so you can refer later to key points. And there are lots of tasting tests worth trying out. I like the size of this book-just right for reading on the train or taking to Europe for more advanced choco trials. A great gift for any chocolate fan. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chocolate    2. Chocolate candy    3. Cookery    4. Cooking    5. Cooking / Wine    6. Courses & Dishes - Chocolate    7. History    8. Cooking / Specific Ingredients / General