2 comments about Lonely Planet World Food Morocco (Lonely Planet World Food Guides).

1. I have lived in Marrakesh, Morocco for the past ten years, and eagerly picked up this book as soon as I saw it. Both the text and pictures in the book are REALLY lovely. If you are planning to travel in Morocco, it is a wonderful introduction to Moroccan cuisine.

   However, don't try following the recipies given in this book, because some steps have been left out, and your result will not be correct. I found problems with several of the recipies. For example, the author tells you to make tagines (Moroccan stews) by putting meat or chicken in a pot with spices and water, and bringing ot a boil. While her lists of ingredients are correct, she has forgotten the all-important step of searing all sides of the meat in the pan BEFORE adding any water. If you don't do this, it will jsut taste like boiled meat. For correct and easy-to-follow recipies, adjusted to American kitchens, choose Paula Wolfert's book, "Good Food From Morocco."

   The other small problem I found with this book is that some of the author's explanations for Moroccan behaviors are just plain not correct. For example, she states that most Moroccans never eat in restaurants because this would be an insult to the wife's or the mother's cooking. Having lived here for ten years, I can tell you the real reason is that most Moroccans just plain cannot afford even the cheapest restaurants. Upper-class and wealthy Moroccans DO eat in restaurants, nevertheless, often a couple of times a week.

   Overall, however, I think the author has done an excellent job, and this would be a great book to either take with you on your trip to Morocco (it's pocket size), or to read in advance of your trip.




2. This small book is truly a gem. I would not use it as a cookbook or a travel guide--there are other books that cover these bases well. However, this gives excellent cultural insight though one of our most intimate human experiences--the preparation and serving of food.
   
   The author, a woman, is able to go inside a variety of Moroccan kitchens and see Moroccan women in a domain where they are truly in charge. She explains how a wife may use food to communicate feelings and to pass on family customs. She discusses how foods are used in specific Moslem observances. She gives details about the etiquite of eating in a Moroccan home and how to avoid social mis-steps.
   
   There are no specific recommended restaraunts, but she discusses the specialties of different Moroccan regions and does recommend the open air seafood cafes of Essouria. There are some recommendations for vegetarians and an anecdote about how a vegatarian managed during a Moslem observance that involves eating lamb for a number of days. There is general information about food hygeine and water safety. For people who are watching their diet, there is some limited advice on how to manage in Morocco.
   
   This book explains the various cooking pots and other implements used in various types of Moroccan kitchens. When we have visited other countries, such as Vietnam, we had to do a lot more reserch on our own to learn about the various cooking customs and implements used.
   
   When I travel, I like to learn about the culture in advance. I also insist that my children do background reading too. Yes, the kids complain about the tons of mandatory reading and educational DVDs, but it enhances our experience. When children start asking informed questions, guides and residents open doors not available to most tourists. Interestingly enough, my children, aged 11 and 15 liked the book and read the whole thing. My husband and I also enjoyed it and read it from cover to cover.
   
   If you are interested in visiting Morocco, you should suppliment this book with a more general travel guide such as the Lonely Planet Morocco or the Rough Guide to Morocco. If you want to do a lot of Moroccan cooking, you should get a Moroccan cookbook. However, if you want to understand the interaction of food and culture, this is the book for you.

5 comments about The Gospel at Colonus.

1. Yes, this video performance must be re-released! How important is this production to me: 1987 -saw this live seven times! 1997- took 15 people to see the 10th Anniversary show! Have the soundtrack on vinyl, cassette and DVD. A good friend GAVE me a copy of the PBS performance (still in excellent condition).
   
   Here's a production that is more than just creative staging. It's a life lesson about forgiveness and redemption.



2. This play has been one that will not be easily forgotten. A really good play for all to see. I am searching really hard to find the video/disc. The soundtrack to it is great but seeing would put me there with the orginial cast especially the narrator and performers. Please email me and tell me how to acquire one. Great and wonderful play.



3. I want the tape as well! Saw it on PBS and like the rest of the reviewers can't find it any where. HELP!



4. I saw the play on PBS and was amazed at the production. It was one of the best plays that I have ever seen. I have been in search of the video version of the play for years and have yet to find it. I have the cd version of the Philadelphia cast of The Gospel at Colonus, but I would be ecstatic if I can own the video/dvd version of the play. If anyone knows where I can get a video version of the play, please share the information with the rest of us.



5. This is an outstanding DVD/CD/Book. Anyone who loves traditional Gospel should have this in their collection. I looked for this for over 10 years! Thanks Amazon.com!!!!!

2 comments about Moroccan Cookbook, The.

1. Day's book was originally published in 1975. My copy cost me $3.95 new. At the time, it was one of the few books, perhaps the only book, on the topic that was readily available. It was great to have and to use.
   
   Day tells interesting stories of her experiences in Morocco, and her recipes aren't bad. But there are now far better and more complete books on the subject, such as Paula Wolfert's "Couscous and other good food from Morocco" and several books by Kitty Morse.
   
   If you are a completist, i'm sure you will find something intriguing in Day's book, as i do. If you are new to Moroccan food, or you only want one good book on Moroccan food, try Wolfert or Morse.



2. This is an excellent cookbook. It doesn't have any pictures to go with the recipes but the recipes are broken down and understandable.

No comments about Not Just for the Money: An Economic Theory of Personal Motivation.

5 comments about Delilah's Everyday Soul: Southern Cooking With Style.

1. Any reviewer rating this cookbook higher than one star is rating how Delilah's personality and the story of her success comes across in the book...it is certainly NOT because of the success of the recipes.
   
   Not enough attention was paid to documenting and testing the book's recipes. I have now tried two recipes (at great additional expense to serve the (gi-normous) macaroni and (multiple exotic) cheese casserole and bake the lemon cake only to discover that both recipes have missing steps and/or ingredients.
   
   I feel the publishers owe those who (like me) purchased this book for full price a place where we can see the corrected recipes. On the publisher's website there is no place where they receive/post the corrections, and to add insult to injury, are still selling the book for full price.
   
   Be forewarned! There is a reason why a new (non remaindered) copy of this cookbook sells for less than $2...spend the money for the back story and pretty pictures. It is not worth the investment if you seek new soulfood recipes.



2. I bought this book, after hearing about how wonderful a cook Delilah is, to add to my library. While looking through the book, I decided to test some of her recipes, well...needless to say just as other "celebrity" chefs, she left off steps to certain recipes. Interestingly enough, just as a previous reviewer found, one was the mac'n'cheese which made her famous. I believe in most cookbooks by well-known chefs, this is done intentionally, it's sort-of like giving away a personal secret.



3. I was really excited at first and to be honest, just a tadbit apprehensive. I had read some other reviews and thought I'll go ahead and give the book a try so I could be fair and judge for myself. Well... I should have listened. I found this cookbook a delightful read, her personal stories are funny and heartwarming. I even appreciated some of her insightful tips on entertaining, and I found the "Essentials of Soulful Southern Cooking" somewhat informative. I did find some recipes that were new and inspiring such as the Collard Green Rolls (pg 67) and the Jerk Shrimp with Grits (pg 72) but I was sorely disappointed in the substance or shall I say the lack of substance regarding some of her recipes. For intstance, do we really need a cookbook to tell us how to fry bacon (pg 182) or french fries (pg 160)? I'm from the South as well and I think some things just come with the territory so I wasn't as impressed with this book as I had hoped. For the novice cook, maybe Cheesy Scrambled Eggs (pg 185) or Deviled Eggs(pg 132) is impressive but to call this "Southern Cooking with Style", I ask ... So what's new?



4. The book is so, so. It is not so great, and not so bad. Great recipes and helpful with tips and advice. I wasn't crazy about how the table of contents was set up. The index section was better when trying to find a certain recipe. All in all though the recipe's are great. Love the Mac and Cheese!!!!



5. Thanks for a great mac and cheese dish. I had had something similar in a restaurant while traveling and couldn't figure out what the ingredients were so thanx to this book I now make great mac & cheese. Its also very entertaining. Its one to have on your shelf.

4 comments about Modern Moroccan: Ancient Traditions, Contemporary Cooking.

1. This book is the rare combination of stunning coffee table pictography and invaluable recipe collection. Every recipe is perfect and restaurant-ready but simple enough to shine at home. Perhpas my favorite cookbook, and definitely in the top 5!



2. This cookbook by Ghillie Basan shows Moroccan cuisine at its best: flavorful dishes which are quite easy to prepare. If you have never tried Moroccan food and like bold flavors, you should really give this cookbook a try. If you have been on holiday in Morocco and you are craving for some of the food you had over there, you will be pleasantly surprised with the quality of these recipes.
   
   Recipes are divided in 6 chapters:
   
   -- mezze & soups (with a recipe for cinnamon-scented chickpea and lentil soup with fennel and honey buns)
   -- street food (among other recipes the bus-station kefta with egg and tomato)
   -- couscous & tagines (I love this chapter, but will just mention four highlights: casablancan couscous with roasted summer vegetables, couscous with lamb cutlets, harissa and fennel, tagine of spiced kefta with lemon and spices, and (the obligatory but oh so good) tagine of lamb with crunchy country salad (add some almond slivers to make it even better!)
   -- roasts, grills & pan-fried dishes (the butternut squash with caramelized pink shallots is amazing, as is the fiery chicken wings with blood oranges)
   -- salads & side dishes (lentil salad with red onion and garlic)
   -- sweets, pastries & drinks (poached pears in scented honey syrup).
   
   On the opposite side of each recipe there's a beautiful fullpage photo of the dish itself, making browsing the book a mouthwatering experience.
   
   To conclude, I highly recommend this book for anyone: the recipes are relatively easy, and the results stunning.
   
   (Some info on me, to put the review in perspective: I love to cook and would describe my skill level as intermediate. I went to Morocco because I love the food in this particular cookbook --- and although the food in Morocco was great, the food I make at home using the recipes in this book is often even better.)



3. This is a beautiful book with easy to understand recipes - I've had a blast cooking so many new and diffrent things!



4. The Moroccan kitchen has become my favorite since this cooking book. All recpies are very easy to make. The recipes with a combination of cilantro, garlic and lemon are the best. Tajines with preserved lemon, kalamata olives and safran, grilled fish with a hot sweet and sour dip with mint, it is all wonderful.

2 comments about A Taste of Africa: Traditional & Modern African Cooking.

1. Dorinda Hafner, a Ghana-born cook, is a witty, urbane presence in this pan-African collection of recipes, handily arranged by country rather than food type or course (you can use the index for listings the in the latter fashion.) Dorinda is one of those cookbook authors who is well-traveled, with many friends from many different national and ethnic origins, friends upon whom she calls for recipes and to whom she gives credit.
   
   Each recipe is prefaced with background info on the country, the origins of a dish, regional variations, etc. Some of the information she includes is clearly anecdotal and perhaps a little archaic--local creation myths, for example--but they add to the overall "flavor" of the book, provided you don't assume they represent the views of all peoples of a specific country.
   
   African Countries included (each gets its own chapter with several recipes): Egypt, Morocco, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Mali, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe,
   
   Non-African (own chapter, as well): Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Cuba, Louisiana (USA).
   
   What Dorinder is good at is showcasing the diversity of Africa's peoples, cuisines, religions, and cultural traditions. She makes a few overly broad distinctions--e.g. "Africans south of the Sahara do not like fruits mixed with savory dishes;"--but she also provides from useful connections, noting that the African-indigenous okra vegetable is popular in every region of Africa and throughout West African-influenced Louisiana (U.S.A.) and the Caribbean.
   
   The recipes are simple and most of them are extremely filling/satisfying, combining in one dish meat, chicken, or fish with starch (plantain, sweet potato, couscous), greens (spinach, collards), or other vegetables (pumpkin, okra).
   
   Note: there are no pictures in this book, only maps of each country at the beginning of country chapters.
   
   The book is well worth the price for the recipes, many of which you will make over and over and will learn to vary based on your own tastes and creative urges.
   
   Recommended.



2. I really love this book. I am glad that I added it to my ever increasing number of African cookbooks. The book is really full of wonderful recipes and a lot of great information about the continent of Africa itself. I make various recipes that are given in this book throughout the week now.

5 comments about Essence Brings You Great Cooking.

1. This cook book is a must have in every African American kitchen. Every recipe I used got rave reviews



2. Jonell Nash is simply wonderful. This book is creative, attractive, practical and health-smart. Never before have I seen a cookbook offer so many different ways that soul food lovers can enjoy their favorites and cut the fat at the same time. Every southern and soul food cooking kitchen should have this book close by.



3. This is the book that made my reputation as a good cook. I had recently moved and was looking for some fun stuff to make for an impromptu summer housewarming party, so I turned to Essence. I have always loved carribbean food, so I opted for the jerk chicken, rice and peas and ratatouille. Boy were my guests impressed! Okay, so the chicken was a bit hot and a few folks were gulping down water between bites, but that jerk chicken was pretty authentic for a yankee gal. lol. Even folks who do not like okra were loving that ratatouille. That is a great vegetable dish and it went beautifully with the chicken.

   This is a good all around cookbook because the author presents recipes from different segments of the diaspora. There is of course plenty of soul food represented here, but there are also caribbean dishes and maybe even an African inspired dish or two.

   Nash, long-time food editor for Essence Magazine, does a good job in presenting straightforward recipes and techniques. There is even a section on how to set up a kitchen for all those who may be just setting up house. I especially like the fact that she has revised many classic recipes using less fat and salt. I don't eat pork, so I have no problem doing with out the salt pork, hamhocks and the like.

   Use this book and you too will be known as a good cook.




4. Most of the cookbooks I've bought just sit on my kitchen shelf. The pictures are pretty, but the recipes are too intricate and time-consuming. The Essence cookbook, in contrast, contains recipes for delicious *and* easy to prepare food. And the pictures are beautiful too! I actually use this cookbook almost every week.

   Jonell Nash also includes tips for cooking with less fat, but the food still comes out tasting wonderful. This is soul food that's good for both body and soul.

   While emphasizing African-American recipes, people of *all* races would enjoy this cookbook.




5. I bought this book when it was first published. It's so well used and bookmarked, too many of the pages have separated from the binding, so I'm looking to buy a new replacement copy. I've also bought this book as a gift to others over the years. The recipes I've used have all produced very tasy dishes.

5 comments about Feast for 10.

1. This book has been around for a long time, but it continues to be a favorite in my classroom. It's one of those simple books that sparks so many different curriculum paths! Counting, number groupings, nutrition, cooperation, family activities, word choices, story writing, and more. It has also initiated collage art projects, quilt making, and paper mache vegetables! FEAST FOR 10 is a goldmine. I see that it's coming out in a board book soon, too. We have both the hardcover and several paperbacks in my class.



2. 
   A sweet 1-10 counting book that has a nice rhyme scheme and builds its story by counting to ten, not once, but twice. The art designs feature a black extended family, however, this is not central to the story. What is emphasized is the feeling of family warmth and cooperation throughout as everyone pitches in to create the feast for ten. Children can also count the items in each picture that correspond to the poem. Well done.



3. My son actually pick this book out by himself in a bookstore when he was 18 months old. He fell in LOVE with it. We had to read it every morning. We loss it transit and I finally remember to get it from Amazon this summer. At 2 1/2 it is still his favorite book. He loves the counting and the actvities reminds him of when "Granny-Gran" comes to visit. Thank you so much for this book.



4. A very sweet and very simple book. Nice to see a family of color in a book for a change.... so my daughter gets a nice variety. My daughter's teacher requested books for the classroom as her Christmas Gift this year... so that should be a selling point! So sweet that the teacher wanted it! :)



5. Or about living in Africa, or living in the past, or some sort of troubles (modern or historical). It's so nice to just see a family doing what families *do*. (They even recycle!)
   
   My nieces ask me to read this book to them often. It's a very fast book, suitable both for very young children and for slightly older ones. We love looking at various details - like the fact that "five kinds of beans" includes JELLY beans, or the fact that the baby sits on a lap at dinner. It's just a quick, sweet book.

5 comments about Neo Soul: Taking Soul Food to a Whole 'Nutha Level.

1. I saw Lindsey Williams featured in Newsweek and I went immediately and bought this book for a friend of mine. She's been trying to find ways to lighten up her down-home cooking and I thought this was right up her alley.
   
   We paged through the book together and checked out the recipes - which are fantastic. Mr. Williams' personal story was also a highlight, as were tidbits like celebrity favorites. My friend recognized familiar recipes immediately and was pleased her new cookbook.
   
   Naturally, being health conscious, we looked at the nutritional information. That's when we started to get confused.
   
   For one, the calorie and fat counts for some of the desserts were very high. I know - it's DESSERT! If the re-done version was still bad, I figured it must mean the "original" version must have been far worse. And I know you don't eat it all the time, anyway. But I've never seen a "light" cookbook feature a recipe with 4 sticks of butter in the ingredient list. As tempting as the pound cake sounds, I'm afraid it would be something I couldn't eat on my plan.
   
   Secondly, I'm convinced that the nutritional counts are inaccurate. Some recipes had 40 or 50+ grams of fat in them - which is just astronomical for one serving. The calorie count would seem appropriate for a serving, but fat (and sometimes sodium) seemed like it might actually apply to the whole dish. There were so many great LIGHT recipes that we looked at, scanning the ingredient list only to find healthy ingredients but non-attractive nutritional counts. It didn't make sense.
   
   It's such a good cookbook with really great re-mixes of traditional recipes. Even after the confusion, my friend still liked the book. I just wish I could pick Mr. Williams' brain over some of the recipes & techniques.........Why not reduce the amount of high-fat coconut in the coconut cake recipe? Why actually FRY the fried apples when there are other ways to cook them without 3 cups of oil? Do we really have to use 4 sticks of butter in the pound cake or is there a way we can sub out some calories? Why would chicken & peaches have 24g of fat?
   
   Bottom line: the book has some fantastic recipes. I would just recommend for those who are nutritionally aware to do your own calculations (and maybe make a few more of your own substitutions) and I'm sure the numbers won't look so bad.



2. Book gives good ideas but nothing new - recylced old ideas - the author gives too much personal information - good for him that he lost weight but enough already ~!



3. Lyndey Williams is a remarkable person who has come a long way. His journey from unhealthy and obese to fit and eating well is fantastic. His word is just as good as anybodies because he has been "there." I purchased two cookbooks, 1 for me and 1 for my mother. We tried numerous recipes and they turned out great. With these recipes you can substitute the high fat without substituting the great flavor. If you aren't looking for low fat try regular Syvlia's Soul Food in Harlem, hands down some of the greatest soul food available.



4. Other books have been written on soul food but here's something with a difference: it comes from the godson of Harlem's soul food cook Sylvia Woods and adds a healthy twist to a cuisine often associated with unhealthy fats. Author Lindsay Williams struggled with weight all his life and had to make some drastic changes when at 400 pounds he found food affecting his health. NEO SOUL reflects these changes, which caused him to lose more than half his weight, and provides readers with a new brand of healthy soul cooking which retains the ethnicity without the dangers.
   
   Diane C. Donovan, Editor
   California Bookwatch



5. This book was very encouraging. I've eaten in Sylvia's Restaurants in Atlanta and New York and the food was GRRRRREAT!!!!!!! Being a Southerner I know the challenges of resisting good old down home stick to your ribs cooking! I love books like this one and Pattie LaBelle's Lite Cuisine because many of the recipes offer good options for making food that taste good and at the same time is good for you. I think that this book can stimulate the thought processes regarding changing how you prepare the standard recipes you typically eat at home. Most people cook a standard rotation of menus in their homes. Books like this make you think about healthy options and how to substitute ingredients for your meals at home.