http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com collaborative book reviews about all things food and wine Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:58:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/11258_odd-bits-jennifer-mclagan-2011-us http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/11258_odd-bits-jennifer-mclagan-2011-us#comments Mon, 26 Sep 2011 02:54:51 +0000 Gfron1 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=11258 Jennifer McLagan’s final stage of her trilogy, including the much lauded Bones (2005) and Fat (2007), is a comprehensive exploration of those animal parts that are ignored or tossed in the bin, and the word fascinating would be the ultimate understatement in describing this book. Odd Bits is her final manifesto to the world of daring or squeamish cooks to take a new look at less common parts of the animals, and is one of the best cookbooks of 2011.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/11258_odd-bits-jennifer-mclagan-2011-us/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/10441_penguins-great-food-series-4-more-reviews http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/10441_penguins-great-food-series-4-more-reviews#comments Sun, 26 Jun 2011 13:38:42 +0000 Duncan - admin http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=10441 This is the second feature article about the Great Food series from Penguin Books. This article reviews books by Claudia Roden, Dr A.W. Chase, Alexis Soyer and Colonel Wyvern. Slim paperbacks with pretty covers, the GREAT FOOD series is a hit with many food lovers. We asked our reviewers to have a look at a number of them and give their thoughts.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/10441_penguins-great-food-series-4-more-reviews/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/10410_penguins-great-food-series-4-reviews http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/10410_penguins-great-food-series-4-reviews#comments Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:25:02 +0000 Duncan - admin http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=10410 Penguin Books has released a set of 20 books of writings by authors who penned their food wisdom anywhere between 400 and 20 years ago. Slim paperbacks with pretty covers, the GREAT FOOD series is a hit with many food lovers. We asked our reviewers to have a look at a number of them and give their thoughts. Part 1 features reviews of books by Alexandre Dumas, Samuel Pepys, Pellegrino Artusi and Alice B. Toklas.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/10410_penguins-great-food-series-4-reviews/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8177_the-lost-art-of-real-cooking-ken-albala-2010-us http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8177_the-lost-art-of-real-cooking-ken-albala-2010-us#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:58:42 +0000 Zora ONeill http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=8177 As I'm typing this, a crock of briny cucumbers is sitting in my basement. In a couple of weeks, in theory, the cukes will (in theory) be big, crunchy dill pickles. I'd been meaning to try this for a couple of years. I knew vaguely that it's not a complicated process, just pickles in salty water, with a splash of vinegar for safety. But The Lost Art of Real Cooking, a book that's both accessible and bursting with personality, was the book that finally inspired me to stand up and do it. So I give it full credit. ]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8177_the-lost-art-of-real-cooking-ken-albala-2010-us/feed 2 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8096_foods-of-the-americas-fernando-and-marlene-divina-2010-us http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8096_foods-of-the-americas-fernando-and-marlene-divina-2010-us#comments Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:11:10 +0000 Gfron1 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=8096 Recently released in paperback version, Foods of the Americas: Native Recipes and Traditions, brings renewed life to this James Beard Foundation book award winner of 2005 (originally published in 2004). Numerous books have been written about native or indigenous cooking in the Americas, but most focus on a small subset of people, and are rarely written by accomplished chefs. Fernando and Marlene Divina, in partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, have created a book that documents important cultural history, and thankfully convert it into a useful culinary tool.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/8096_foods-of-the-americas-fernando-and-marlene-divina-2010-us/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/5753_new-release-the-ministry-of-food http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/5753_new-release-the-ministry-of-food#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:53:27 +0000 admin http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=5753 This book tells the story of how people coped with wartime food shortages and became healthier than ever before, with step-by-step illustrations showing how to grow your own vegetables, baking, preserving and lots of thrifty family recipes.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/5753_new-release-the-ministry-of-food/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/4609_year-end-countdown-food-writing-food-guides-and-famous-names http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/4609_year-end-countdown-food-writing-food-guides-and-famous-names#comments Mon, 14 Dec 2009 07:47:23 +0000 admin http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=4609 In the last installment of our feature on year-end releases, we're taking a look at cookbooks from famous chefs and restaurants, as well as the un-cookbooks: books with essays on food, food issues, and guidebooks on specific subjects. ]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/4609_year-end-countdown-food-writing-food-guides-and-famous-names/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/3193_sicilian-food-mary-taylor-simeti-2009-uk http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/3193_sicilian-food-mary-taylor-simeti-2009-uk#comments Sat, 19 Sep 2009 03:50:08 +0000 Duncan Markham http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=3193 A buzz of joy courses through some readers when they discover certain books of special note. Sicilian Food by Mary Taylor Simeti had this effect on me. The author’s prose has that rather stiff, knowledgeable and cheekily irreverent prose familiar in parts from writers like Elizabeth David or MFK Fisher. From discussion of the probable diets of different classes of people in classical times to descriptions of contemporary foodsellers to notes about making your own tomato extract, Simeti captures the culinary atmosphere, context, attitudes and flavours of deepest, hottest Sicily.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/3193_sicilian-food-mary-taylor-simeti-2009-uk/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/1568_vefas-kitchen-vefa-alexiadou-2009-uk http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/1568_vefas-kitchen-vefa-alexiadou-2009-uk#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:15:25 +0000 Peter Minaki http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=1568 This comprehensive book of Greek food offers an assortment of delicious dishes, from salads and soups to mezedes (appetizers) for the summer to slow-cooked Greek dishes we grew up with as Greeks. Vefa's Kitchen also showcases a huge array of regional desserts and pastries, breads and other baked delights. At more than 650 recipes, the scope of this book is nearly unparalleled.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/1568_vefas-kitchen-vefa-alexiadou-2009-uk/feed 5 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/935_the-scented-kitchen-frances-bissell-2007-uk-review http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/935_the-scented-kitchen-frances-bissell-2007-uk-review#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:34:23 +0000 JudithM http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=935 Any comprehensively stocked kitchen will have many scented ingredients in the spice rack, drawer or cupboard, ranging from pungent to aromatic, depending on the types of dishes prepared and enjoyed in each household. This book is not concerned with any of them. The subject matter of The Scented Kitchen is perfumed flowers from the flower garden, using them in various ways to impart flavour and aroma, and in some instance, colour also. Had I come across this title on a shelf, I might well have passed it by, thereby missing an interesting read.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/935_the-scented-kitchen-frances-bissell-2007-uk-review/feed 0