Books in the category: mostly recipes

Abla’s Lebanese Kitchen, Abla Amad | 2010 | AU

Reviewer says
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Lebanese Australian chef Abla Amad, renowned in Melbourne for her delicious homestyle cooking, this year updated her 2001 book The Lebanese Kitchen. The new edition, renamed to Abla’s Lebanese Kitchen comes on top of the peak of interest in Eastern Mediterranean cuisines. Unlike the first edition, the 2010 version is an attractive hardcover book with numerous photographs to entice the reader, but beyond that there’s barely anything new. The lack of new content is not necessarily a drawback, however, as Abla’s Lebanese Kitchen retains the original simple, personal focus on some delicious food.

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14 Aug 2010 – 23:01
By Duncan Markham | Also posted in 4-star, Lebanon, Middle East, general audience, light content, locally known food author/chef, review | Comments (2)

Ottolenghi The Cookbook, Yotam Ottolenghi | 2008 | UK

Reviewer says
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In Ottolenghi The Cookbook, Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamini share recipes for the sort of dishes which have made their London Ottolenghi food stores popular. Their food is based on the generous use of fresh ingredients and bold flavour combinations, drawing heavily on a wide range of culinary traditions not least those of their homeland, Israel. The recipes here cover a range of ideas for vegetables, through meat and fish to cakes and meringues and offer a modern and imaginative approach which will appeal to the adventurous and curious home cook.

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02 Aug 2010 – 09:54
By Alison | Also posted in 4-star, Food preparation, Middle East, book from a restaurant, general audience, herbs/spices/oils/flavourings, mixed/non-regional cuisine, review, vegetables/grains/pulses | Comments (0)

Iron Chef Chen’s Knockout Chinese, Chen Kenichi | 2009 | US

Reviewer says
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Iron Chef Chen’s Knockout Chinese is a charming, lightweight book from a Japanese master of Sichuan cooking, and one of the original Iron Chefs. For better or for worse, this first translated work skips the traditional, authentic fare and goes straight for the innovative and personal recipes (with a few classics thrown in). The organization is strange and some things are lost in translation, but the recipes are often simple and inviting enough for most people to pick up immediately.

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16 Jul 2010 – 15:32
By Mark Manguerra | Also posted in 3-star, China, book from a celebrity or tv-show, general audience, internationally known food author/chef, light content, meat/fish, mostly savoury, review, vegetables/grains/pulses | Comments (0)

Molto Gusto, Mario Batali | 2010 | US

Reviewer says
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Patterned after Mario Batali’s New York pizzeria Otto, Molto Gusto takes the focus away from complicated “meat-and-potatoes” Italian dishes and towards simple, easy-to-prepare everyday fare (or as limited by your budget for the deli). The recipes are all approachable and the photographs are inviting, but some readers might be turned off by some extremely simple recipes and the dependence on a specific brand of tomato product.

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06 Jul 2010 – 12:47
By Mark Manguerra | Also posted in 3-star, Italy, book from a restaurant, general audience, internationally known food author/chef, light content, meat/fish, mostly savoury, review, small dishes/snacks, specific meals or dishes, vegetables/grains/pulses | Comments (1)

Rasoi: New Indian Kitchen, Vineet Bhatia | 2010 | UK

Reviewer says
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For those readers old enough to remember when parental warnings were placed on certain music, you might remember how that music became the ‘must have’ CDs and records for your collection. Vineet Bhatia opens his recently released Rasoi: New Indian Kitchen with “This book is probably not for the novice cook.” Such sweet warnings are rarely uttered in culinary books. In this very attractive volume, Bhatia presents a wide range of impressive, at times labour-intensive (though rarely too complex) dishes that are a pleasure to eat. Along the way you learn about new ingredients, and realise that the common cliché of Indian dishes can easily be surpassed.

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23 Jun 2010 – 14:00
By Gfron1 | Also posted in 4-star, India, comprehensive, decoration/presentation, internationally known food author/chef, review | Comments (0)

The New Students’ Veggie Cook Book, Carolyn Humphries | 2009 | UK

Reviewer says
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Aimed squarely at the teenage market, The New Students’ Veggie Cookbook addresses not just what a young vegetarian should eat, but also how to keep fit and healthy while doing so. The book covers the basics of setting up a kitchen, stocking a pantry, offering helpful and very clear instructions on how best to chop an onion, boil an egg and, interestingly, how to store food.

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13 Jun 2010 – 16:35
By Lucy | Also posted in 4-star, Food preparation, basic skills, for beginners, light content, mixed/non-regional cuisine, review, vegetarian cooking | Comments (0)

Tender Volume 1, Nigel Slater | 2009 | UK

Reviewer says
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Nigel Slater tells the story of his vegetable patch and provides over 400 recipe ideas for using the vegetables he grows. Already well known for seven previous recipe books, his much admired autobiography Toast and his regular columns in The Observer, Slater’s enthusiasm will no doubt tempt some readers to start a vegetable garden of their own, although this is predominantly a book about cooking. As in his previous books, Slater’s recipes are straightforward and unfussy and his approach to using fresh produce should appeal to many home cooks.

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06 Jun 2010 – 15:16
By Alison | Also posted in England, Food preparation, cooking reference, general audience, growing food, internationally known food author/chef, mixed/non-regional cuisine, quite detailed, review, vegetables/grains/pulses | Comments (0)

The Craft of Baking, Karen DeMasco | 2009 | US

Reviewer says
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Karen DeMasco’s The Craft of Baking aims to inspire the home baker to try new variations of homely desserts and sweets, and is successful at encouraging creativity to some degree. There is a wide range of recipes and some modest but interesting suggestions. However, it is lacking in helpful explanations and is too narrow in its selection of ingredients and special brands, and the use of US-centric measures and terminology may be frustrating to international readers.

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20 May 2010 – 04:17
By Duncan Markham | Also posted in 3-star, biscuits/cookies/sweet delights, cakes and desserts, general audience, ice cream and frozen dishes, light content, mixed/non-regional cuisine, mostly sweet, pastry, review | Comments (0)

Ready for Dessert, David Lebovitz | 2010 | US

Reviewer says
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I come from the school of thought that says rock bands shouldn’t release their Greatest Hits album until their career is complete. Likewise, chefs should restrain themselves from re-releasing their favorite recipes until their career enters a culminating phase. That said, David Lebovitz’s Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes will be excused since some of his previous books are no longer in print, and his greatest hits truly are classics worth reprinting.

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15 May 2010 – 17:16
By Gfron1 | Also posted in 4-star, France, USA, cakes and desserts, general audience, internationally known food author/chef, mostly sweet, pastry, quite detailed, review | Comments (0)

The Italian Cookery Course, Katie Caldesi | 2009 | UK

Reviewer says
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Katie Caldesi’s Italian Cookery Course (published as Cook Italy in the USA) is in equal measure an exceedingly attractive and enjoyable exploration of Italian cooking, and a mild disappointment as a “cookery course”. Caldesi, co-owner of the UK restaurants Caffè Caldesi, Caldesi in Campagna, and an Italian cooking school, seemed to embark on a voyage of discovery in order to find the knowledge to write this book. The result is an enormous range of recipes with many personal preferences, sometimes deviating from what a reader might expect of recipes in a course in Italian cooking. In the end, the book could have been titled “Katie goes to Italy”. Many people will enjoy this attractive, well written book, forgiving or overlooking the weakness of many of the “masterclasses” and occasional gaps in information.

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06 May 2010 – 22:30
By Duncan Markham | Also posted in 3-star, Food preparation, Italy, comprehensive, cooking reference, general audience, review | Comments (0)

Macaron, Alison Thompson | 2010 | AU

Reviewer says
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Alison Thompson’s Macaron is a nicely presented book that offers 35 flavors ranging from classic to creative. However, for such a notoriously difficult petit four to make, the recipe presented is too temperamental and the information too lightweight, with little to offer in terms of troubleshooting and technique.

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03 May 2010 – 08:00
By Mark Manguerra | Also posted in 2-star, France, biscuits/cookies/sweet delights, general audience, light content, mostly sweet, review | Comments (0)

Ad Hoc at Home, Thomas Keller | 2009 | US

Reviewer says
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Ad Hoc at Home is the latest cookbook from award-winning chef Thomas Keller of The French Laundry and Per Se, featuring casual family-style dishes. Compared to his previous works, the book is charmingly earnest and the recipes approachable, consisting of mostly American dishes with a touch of French influence, and plenty of helpful hints from Keller. However, Keller’s meticulous nature still comes through, elevating the dishes in terms of flavor and presentation, but at the same time making them time-intensive and at times expensive and unfamiliar. Even with its lavish production, the book still has relatively few illustrations.

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28 Apr 2010 – 02:23
By Mark Manguerra | Also posted in 4-star, North America, USA, book from a restaurant, general audience, internationally known food author/chef, meat/fish, mostly savoury, quite detailed, review | Comments (3)

New American Table, Marcus Samuelsson | 2009 | US

Reviewer says
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Marcus Samuelsson’s New American Table is perfect for the aspiring foodie with its vast array of cuisines. Although you’ll find nothing ground-breaking or especially innovative, adventurous cooks will enjoy the challenge of cooking across the globe and, ultimately, a modern definition of American Cuisine will appear right on their own dinner table.

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12 Apr 2010 – 16:58
By Gfron1 | Also posted in 4-star, Food preparation, USA, general audience, internationally known food author/chef, mixed/non-regional cuisine, quite detailed, recipes and context, review | Comments (0)

Okashi, Keiko Ishida | 2009 | SG

Reviewer says
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At first glance, you may wonder what the fuss over Okashi is all about. A fairly simple book with attractive photographs, it presents appealing recipes that showcase author Ishida’s particular style, incorporating numerous Japanese flavours into many familiar baked goods and dessert items. Creative and suitable for a broad audience, this book should delight many bakers.

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04 Apr 2010 – 14:53
By Lemonpi | Also posted in 3-star, Japan, biscuits/cookies/sweet delights, cakes and desserts, general audience, healthy cooking, light content, mixed/non-regional cuisine, mostly sweet, pastry, review | Comments (1)

Field Guide to Candy, Anita Chu | 2009 | US

Reviewer says
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Field Guide to Candy packs a lot of recipes for homemade candy from around the world in a compact volume. It manages to include several lesser-known recipes from outside the US, UK and France, even though there are a few glaring omissions and curious inclusions. However, the lack of detail in the recipes make this more suitable as a reference book for more experienced candy-makers.

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30 Mar 2010 – 16:48
By Jason S | Also posted in 3-star, confectionery, food history, general audience, guidebooks/travelogues, light content, mixed/non-regional cuisine, review | Comments (2)

Paco Torreblanca 2, Paco Torreblanca | 2006 | ES

Reviewer says
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What if Mozart or Einstein handed you their notebook and said, “Here, go have fun.” Such a gift would be overwhelming in generosity as well as challenge. When Paco Torreblanca offers this gift in Paco Torreblanca 2, he adds, “Now let’s see what we can do together.” A serious, no-nonsense book for people who take pastry seriously, Paco Torreblanca 2 focuses on integrating natural ingredients into microcosmic eye candy.

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12 Mar 2010 – 22:54
By Gfron1 | Also posted in 4-star, Food preparation, advanced audience, avant garde techniques, decoration/presentation, internationally known food author/chef, mixed/non-regional cuisine, pastry, quite detailed, review | Comments (0)

The Dumpling, Wai Hon Chu | 2009 | US

Reviewer says
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The Dumpling: A Seasonal Guide is one of the first books to collect dumpling recipes from around the world into a single volume. There is an excellent variety of dumpling types and flavors, the recipes are clear and there are plenty of tips for beginners. Unfortunately, a forced definition of the word dumpling as a category limits the book unnecessarily and may disappoint people who are looking for a dish they recognize as a dumpling but has been excluded.

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07 Mar 2010 – 17:34
By Mark Manguerra | Also posted in general audience, mixed/non-regional cuisine, quite detailed, review, seasonal food, small dishes/snacks, specific meals or dishes, specific techniques | Comments (0)

The Modern Café, Francisco Migoya | 2010 | US

Reviewer says
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The Modern Café is an excellent guide and inspiration for culinary professionals and those aspiring to have a great café. Beautiful photographs and informative side boxes generously fill the pages. The knowledge is invaluable, the recipes are fresh and exciting, and the business acumen could move you from failed restaurant to the star of your community.

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14 Feb 2010 – 10:45
By Gfron1 | Also posted in 5-star, comprehensive, food and restaurant industry, for commercial cooks, locally known food author/chef, mixed/non-regional cuisine, recipes and context, review, textbook/technical guide | Comments (0)

Momofuku, David Chang | 2009 | US

Reviewer says
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David Chang, owner of the famed New York restaurants Momofuku Noodle Bar, Ssäm Bar and Ko, chronicles his journey from noodle-eater to noodle-maker and guides us through more than 50 of his most popular recipes that showcase the fusion of modern technique and classic Asian comfort food. Throughout the book he gives us a peek into the creative process and the story behind each dish, citing his influences, failures, and inspirations. The recipes can be daunting and the flavors sometimes need tweaking, but ambitious home cooks should have little problem replicating or improving on the dishes, though the weak instructions and badly converted measurements might lead them astray. While there has been plenty of media focus on Chang’s “bad-boy” image, he still comes across as approachable and self-deprecating at best, and at worst annoying and trying too hard, but never offensive. Fans of modern Asian cuisine and the Momofuku empire will find the book both entertaining and fascinating. [Editor's note: Don't miss our book giveaway too!]

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24 Jan 2010 – 16:49
By Mark Manguerra | Also posted in 4-star, East Asia, advanced audience, avant garde techniques, book from a restaurant, factual stories/tales, food and restaurant industry, meat/fish, mixed/non-regional cuisine, mostly savoury, quite detailed, review | Comments (0)

The Healthy College Cookbook, Alexandra Nimetz | 2008 | US

Reviewer says
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The Healthy College Cookbook is intended for American college students with no knowledge of cooking and perhaps little time. The 300 recipes range from simple healthy breakfast dishes to desserts, with a good range of savoury dishes between. The range of recipes feels modern (though maybe underseasoned) and the advice is very helpful, making this a useful and tasty book, though perhaps a little dry for some students. A good gift for many students or young people living alone.

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12 Jan 2010 – 08:28
By JudithM | Also posted in 4-star, for beginners, light content, mixed/non-regional cuisine, review, textbook/technical guide | Comments (0)

Warm Bread and Honey Cake, Gaitri Pagrach-Chandra | 2010 | US

Reviewer says
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Food historian Gaitri Pagrach-Chandra takes us on a gastronomic journey to more than twenty countries with the recipes she’s collected from her friends and artisan bakers around the world during her colorful life. For many of the recipes, she provides the history and shares the experience of tasting the authentic article. With plenty of beautiful photographs, the book will transport you out of the rut of your usual French and American breads and pastries and take you to less familiar locales.

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06 Jan 2010 – 16:05
By Mark Manguerra | Also posted in 4-star, Caribbean, India, Turkey, bread, cakes and desserts, general audience, light content, mixed/non-regional cuisine, mostly sweet, pastry, recipes and context, review | Comments (1)

Tartine, Elisabeth M. Prueitt | 2006 | US

Reviewer says
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Tartine is a remarkable book that allows the home baker to recreate breakfast pastries, tarts, cakes, and puddings from the renowned California bakery. The authors didn’t hold back anything in making the book, taking from most of their entire menu, yet the recipes are mostly accessible and the skill level required ranges from beginner to intermediate. Most importantly, many of the desserts from the book have a rustic charm but are still delicious and beautiful enough to be showstoppers. The photography of the book, taken behind the scenes at the Tartine Bakery, captures the dream-like quality of the desserts and the remarkable skill of the artisans who make them.

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29 Dec 2009 – 06:00
By Mark Manguerra | Also posted in 5-star, biscuits/cookies/sweet delights, book from a restaurant, cakes and desserts, confectionery, general audience, mixed/non-regional cuisine, mostly sweet, pastry, quite detailed, review | Comments (2)

From Pasta to Pancakes, Tiffany Goodall | 2009 | UK

Reviewer says
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Students seem to have been a new target for publishers in 2009, with at least four student-oriented cookbooks appearing. I guess publishers anticipated that students wouldn’t be able to afford the stereotypical diet of burgers, chips, pizzas, noodles and beer. An entertaining and attractive book, From Pasta to Pancakes, the Ultimate Student Cookbook is the work of young British food personality Tiffany Goodall. Unfortunately, despite the innovative presentation and the worthy intention of teaching food-illiterate students how to cook, the book is disappointing.

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17 Dec 2009 – 20:04
By Duncan Markham | Also posted in 2-star, book from a celebrity or tv-show, for beginners, light content, mixed/non-regional cuisine, review | Comments (0)

Rose’s Heavenly Cakes, Rose Levy Beranbaum | 2009 | US

Reviewer says
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Rose’s Heavenly Cakes is Rose Levy Beranbaum’s follow-up to the acclaimed The Cake Bible, with almost 100 cakes that aim to please a wide variety of tastes. Beranbaum’s meticulous style may please some well-equipped home bakers in a temperate climate, but others might find them too fastidious, controlling, limiting, and overly complicated for what are really supposed to be simple cakes. Frustratingly, even following the recipe to the letter can give results that still leave something to be desired.

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10 Dec 2009 – 01:20
By Mark Manguerra | Also posted in 3-star, cakes and desserts, general audience, mixed/non-regional cuisine, mostly sweet, quite detailed, review | Comments (6)

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New release: The Complete Mushroom Hunter

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The Complete Mushroom Hunter is the only mushrooming book that will introduce you safely and with confidence to the hobby of mushroom hunting and gathering. Gary Lincoff escorts you from getting equipped for mushroom forays to preparing and serving the fruits of the foray.

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New release: Salades

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Acclaimed chef Damien Pignolet shows us the endless possibilities of the salad. Here are entrée salads to stimulate the appetite, side salads to refresh the palate, and warm salads that serve as a meal in their own right.

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New release: Street Food of India

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The acclaimed photographer Sephi Bergerson has been tracking down the very best street food in India. The resulting book is a visual celebration of this splendid everyday cuisine and a virtual feast in itself, with nearly 50 authentic and detailed recipes.

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New edition: The Food Substitutions Bible

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This new edition of The Food Substitutions Bible has the best instructions for the home cook or professional chef who needs to find a great substitution when a vital ingredient is missing at a critical time in the preparation of a recipe.

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New edition: Will Write for Food

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Noted journalist and food-writing instructor Dianne Jacob has revised her award-winning book to include a chapter covering all the how-to’s of food blogging as well as updated resources and new information on working in other popular genres, namely cookbooks and food memoirs.

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New release: The Yogurt Cookbook

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By acclaimed author Arto der Haroutunian, The Yogurt Cookbook offers over 200 recipes ranging from hearty peasant fare to elegant, light dishes. He expands yogurt beyond the narrow limitations of breakfasts and desserts, incorporating it into an impressive array of recipes.

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New release: The Lost Art of Real Cooking

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The Lost Art of Real Cooking heralds a new old-fashioned approach to food-laborious and inconvenient, yet extraordinarily rewarding and worth bragging about. From jam to smoked meat, the authors arm you with the skills that let you connect on a deeper level with your food.

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New release: Leiths Meat Bible

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Leiths Meat Bible is the ultimate meat cookbook. Packed with recipes from all over the world, it has something for every occasion, from a simple after-work supper to an elegant dinner. All recipes are foolproof with an emphasis on proper technique.

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