http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com collaborative book reviews about all things food and wine Fri, 16 Jul 2010 05:32:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7688_iron-chef-chens-knockout-chinese-chen-kenichi-2009-us http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7688_iron-chef-chens-knockout-chinese-chen-kenichi-2009-us#comments Fri, 16 Jul 2010 05:32:31 +0000 Mark Manguerra http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=7688 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.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7688_iron-chef-chens-knockout-chinese-chen-kenichi-2009-us/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7500_molto-gusto-mario-batali-2010-us http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7500_molto-gusto-mario-batali-2010-us#comments Tue, 06 Jul 2010 02:47:49 +0000 Mark Manguerra http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=7500 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.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7500_molto-gusto-mario-batali-2010-us/feed 1 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7159_the-craft-of-baking-karen-demasco-2009-us http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7159_the-craft-of-baking-karen-demasco-2009-us#comments Wed, 19 May 2010 18:17:36 +0000 Duncan Markham http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=7159 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.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7159_the-craft-of-baking-karen-demasco-2009-us/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7048_ready-for-dessert-david-lebovitz-2010-us http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7048_ready-for-dessert-david-lebovitz-2010-us#comments Sat, 15 May 2010 07:16:19 +0000 Gfron1 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=7048 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.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7048_ready-for-dessert-david-lebovitz-2010-us/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7084_new-release-the-ciao-bella-book-of-gelato-and-sorbetto http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7084_new-release-the-ciao-bella-book-of-gelato-and-sorbetto#comments Sat, 15 May 2010 07:15:37 +0000 admin http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=7084 The premier gelato and sorbetto maker in America may be known for using the world’s finest ingredients, but you don’t need to travel the globe to experience the bold flavors yourself. All you need is a handful of simple ingredients, an ice cream machine, and your imagination.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7084_new-release-the-ciao-bella-book-of-gelato-and-sorbetto/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7102_new-release-douceurs-de-christophe-felder http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7102_new-release-douceurs-de-christophe-felder#comments Sat, 15 May 2010 07:10:48 +0000 admin http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=7102 Feel like all-chocolate desserts? Have a craving for an ice cream or cake classic? Chocolate, ice cream, cakes: this set features 120 recipes of master patissier Christophe Felder, with 120 recipes that are easy and delicious to share, for moments of pure pleasure.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/7102_new-release-douceurs-de-christophe-felder/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6855_new-release-52-loaves http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6855_new-release-52-loaves#comments Thu, 06 May 2010 12:30:57 +0000 admin http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=6855 William Alexander is determined to bake the perfect loaf of bread. He tasted it long ago, in a restaurant, and has been trying to reproduce it ever since. Without success. But now he’s going to try again—every week for one year—until he gets it right.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6855_new-release-52-loaves/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6815_macaron-alison-thompson-2010-au http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6815_macaron-alison-thompson-2010-au#comments Sun, 02 May 2010 22:00:41 +0000 Mark Manguerra http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=6815 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.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6815_macaron-alison-thompson-2010-au/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6916_new-release-dulce http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6916_new-release-dulce#comments Sun, 02 May 2010 21:59:07 +0000 admin http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=6916 This is the first cookbook devoted to Latin-American sweets, uncovering a whole new world of exotic flavors. The desserts presented range from baked cakes to ice cream to chocolate, with step-by-step recipes for both traditional favorites as well as original creations.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6916_new-release-dulce/feed 0 http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6898_new-release-united-cakes-of-america http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6898_new-release-united-cakes-of-america#comments Sun, 02 May 2010 21:58:07 +0000 admin http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/?p=6898 Loving cake is a natural part of Warren Brown’s constitution. Now, in order to form a more perfect union of flour, eggs, butter, and sugar, he’s offering his unique take on classic dessert recipes from all fifty states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.]]> http://www.thegastronomersbookshelf.com/6898_new-release-united-cakes-of-america/feed 0