5 comments about Cora Cooks Pancit.

1. Although "Cora Cooks Pancit" is likely to be viewed as a children's book by many, in truth it is much more than a children's story. For anyone who grew up in a Filipino family (I did not,though I am happily a part of one now) or who has made pancit or other Filipino dishes(I have) or simply grew up in a large, loving family, I believe that this book will feel more a memory from a childhood long ago than simply a child's story. Why? First, the author has wonderfully included shared memories from childhood- jobs given to older children, the longing by younger children to help, the chance to lick the spoon, etc. Secondly- the author has woven into the story specific details that authenticate the Filipino experience, e.g. lumpia and adobo, the size of the family and the names of the children,the description of the pancit pan, "salamat", the mother's experssion and reaction upon the spill, etc. More importantly is the inclusion of the reflections upon "Lolo"- his life as a boy in the Philippine countryside, his work with immigrant farm laborers, etc., all help to create a memory shared by many Filipinos today for cherished loved one long gone. Finally, the author's description of the creation of pancit is completely authentic and mirrors my own lessons from my Pinay wife- shredding chicken with a fork, soaking noodles, stirring in the ingredients, and finally sending carrots and mushrooms and chicken out of the all-to-full pot when stirring! I am sure I am not alone in these memories..
   
   Lastly, illustrations in this book accurately and wonderfully capture the Filipino persona (appearance, expressions, stance, smiles) as I have come to know it. The illustrator has also captured other details- the Filipino flag side-by-side with the American flag on the refrigerator, the tsinellas on the family's feet, images of tropical fruit on the walls, spoons and forks, but no knives on the table, and lastly, Cora's look as she awaits the response from her family as they try the pancit. I am sure I had the same look as I presented my first pancit to family and friends!
   
   I recommend this book unconditionally to children of all agaes who still remember what it was like to gain new responsibilities within their family.



2. "Cora Cooks Pancit" presents a kitchen tale about a daughter who yearns to learn to cook her favorite Filipino noodle dish, pancit. Because her older siblings are gone, Cora is given the chance to help by shredding chicken, soaking noodles, and chopping vegetables, even stirring the noodles carefully while adding the other ingredients while the pancit is still on the burner. Cora is allowed to wear a special red apron that comes from her Lolo, or grandfather, who was a cook for Filipino farmworkers who picked strawberries and grapes. Lolo taught Cora's mother to cook and also told her stories about the Philippines where he was born while he was cooking. Even though Cora makes a few little detours in her cooking activities, she follows directions carefully, including washing up thoroughly, and when her siblings return, they enjoy a fine Filipino meal of pancit. They even decide it tastes just like Lolo's pancit! "Cora Cooks Pancit" is enriched by warm golden tones in its full page, full color illustrations by illustrator Kristi Valiant. Details of Filipino culture and life are highlighted. Designed for ages 4-8, "Cora Cooks Pancit" is both a careful cook's guide and a culturally rich tradition-laced story. A helpful Glossary at the end defines Filipino words and a final page of Lolo's Pancit Recipe contains the added instruction, "Children should make pancit with the help of an adult. Preparation involves chopping, cutting and sauteing on the stove (p. 32)."



3. When the young girl Cora's older siblings are not around as they usually are to help her mother prepare dinner, she steps in. The family is a Filipino American family. She and her mother prepare the favorite Filipino dish of noodles with vegetables, spices, and chicken called pancit. As Cora is doing some of the more involved tasks, the mother talks a little about how Cora's grandfather back in the Philippines would prepare pancit for field workers. The preparation of the meal thus becomes an activity bringing together different generations of the family. With the central activity of the story and the recipe for pancit following it, the book also relates to the current interest in teaching young children about food, diet, and cooking.



4. This is a very nice children's book about a young Filipino-American girl who wants to cook like her mother and older siblings. She finally gets a chance and with mom's guidance, makes her favorite dish Pancit. The book comes with a great description of the creation of the dish along with the recipe. A very nice multicultural book which tells a simple, great story.



5. If I say this was a delicious book I would not be kidding. The story is about a young Filipino child who is too small to help cook in the kitchen. One day her sisters and brother leave the house and she is left to help her mother cook. Her mother lets her choose what they will eat. She chooses Pancit, her favorite dish. She gets to put the noodles to soak to soften them, help shred the chicken and check when the noodles are done. She also gets to help stir the pancit. Her sisters and brother are surprised to learn that she did their grown up jobs. They and their father tell her how proud they are of her. I loved the glossary of words that explain some of the foods. The end of the book contains the recipe for the noodle and chicken dish called Pancit. I loved the pictures. They were fun, but realistic enough that they made me hungry.

5 comments about Kaiseki: The Exquisite Cuisine of Kyoto's Kikunoi Restaurant.

1. This is the most beautiful cookbook I own. Stunning photography and lovely design captures the spirit of this immaculate cuisine perfectly. Many of the ingredients used in the recipes will be hard to find if you're not living in Japan, but this is unlikely to be a book you'll cook from on a daily basis anyway. It acts more as a source of inspiration and has changed and informed the way I think about technique and presentation, not just of Japanese food, but everything I cook. A must-buy.



2. There is no way anyone outside of Japan will be able to make any of the recipes in this book. Don't even try. Just enjoy the beautiful photos and the charming descriptions of a very exotic cuisine that is inaccessible even to the Japanese!
   
   I rated it high because most people will never get the chance to have a Kaiseki meal so this is the next best thing. Just gorgeous.



3. Kaiseki is reputedly an exquisite Japanese cuisine that I had hoped to explore in this volume. The book is lavishly produced and a feast for the eyes. The next time I am in Kyoto or Tokyo, I will book a table.
   
   Unfortunately, the ingredients needed for most of these dishes are either unknown or unavailable to the Seattle area where fresh seafood abounds. If you have ready access to sea bream milt, salted cherry blossoms, fresh sea cucumber roe, and tosa-zu vinegar jelly, ingredients from the first four recipes for illustration, then you should have this book in your kitchen. No substitute ingredients or resources are provided. Although lavishly produced, it is destined for a dusty corner of my pantry, being fairly useless as a practical resource.



4. A beautiful book. My criticism would be that there are a lot of ingredients that I wouldn't be able to find easily, but lovely descriptions of the food and culture of kaiseki.



5. I would consider this book as a guidebook to Japanese kaiseki cuisine rather than a cookbook. The author's restaurant received three stars in the new Michelin Kyoto red restaurant guide. If you are going to a kaiseki restaurant for the first time, this book will give you a bit more information what it is about. This food is expensive so another USD30 for this book is well spent money! I wish the book would have provided much more contextual information as well as more guidebook-like information about kaiseki. For instance how the dishes are designed visually to represent seasons, etc. The kind of stuff that discerning Japanese foodies already understand. You get a bit of this knowledge when reading between the lines, but I would like to have it more spelt out.
   
   It is this reviewer who consider the book a guidebook. The book itself is organised as a standard celebrity chef cookbook and recipes are provided. As such it is less successful. Even if you find all ingredients, the book doesn't say anything about how to get the visual display right (except for the pictures).
   
   So this book is for those who are going to eat proper kaiseki food and want to learn more, or those who just want to learn more and don't have a chance to eat. I would not recommend this book as a cookbook at all.

5 comments about Fortune Cookie Fortunes.

1. Hard to keep a young toddler (or an adult) interested in the storyline...it's mostly a long list of fortunes, but Grace Lin's illustrations are wonderful, as always. My toddler loves just looking at the packed pages of beautiful birds, origami animals, and lots more!



2. For older kids, even high school, this would be a great starter story for them to read and then make their own fortune cookies, inserting their own fortunes before the hot smooth cookies harden. A nice end note explains some of the original of the Fortune cookie as Japanese, not Chinese, but the overall charm of the book is its celebration of the traditions of the messages inside the cookies. If you didn't want to make fortune cookies from scratch in a classroom, you might just settle for everyone having a fortune cookie (available in most large groceries) and sharing their fortunes over a cup of nice tea. Also, check out Dim Sum for Everyone, also celebrating cultural food experiences for all ages.



3. I bought this book for a lesson on Multiculturalism in the classroom. I incorporated a puppet with the story, and the students loved it. This is a must for any classroom.



4. My two-year-old daughter and I just LOVE Grace Lin's books. With each new Grace Lin book that we buy, it immediately becomes my daughter's favorite, until we get another Grace Lin book! There is so much to see in the book, and the story is adorable. Highly recommended!



5. My 3-year old daughter loves Grace Lin books. Kite Flying, Dim Sum and this one are in her current reading rotation (sometimes 10 times a day!) The illustrations are just wonderful.

5 comments about An Invitation to Indian Cooking.

1. I have read this cover to cover several times, and am totally impressed. Not only with the content, but how well she lays it out.



2. This is my second copy of Jaffrey's book. The original, well-used paperback met with a bad kitchen accident resulting in swelling pages and mildew. I tried to do without it, but none of my other Indian cookbooks provide adequate substitutes for her wonderful and reliable recipes.



3. I was so pleased to find this cookbook. It is an essential item to have in your cookbook library. I have made several dishes from this book. In particular, I appreciate Jaffrey's insight on the proper heating and layering of spices in Indian Cuisine. No other Indian cookbook illustrates this as well.



4. I can certainly agree with other readers that this cookbook is outstanding. Madhur Jaffrey has written a cookbook that thus far I have found to be foolproof. I've had this cookbook for a few years now, and everything I have made so far has been utterly outstanding. This is the rare cookbook that I can pick up, choose a recipe, and be completely confident that I can serve the results to guests, even if it's a recipe I've never tried before. For 15 years I've cooked Americanized versions of Indian food, now with Madhur Jaffrey's cookbooks, I no longer need to settle. A classic!



5. I've been using this cookbook for 25 years and I've never found a single mistake. I like that the ingredients are listed before the instructions rather than introduced in the body of the text, so you can have everything checked off and ready. The introductory remarks are interesting and informative, and the layout is very logical - beef, fish, chicken, vege, barbeque etc. Besides recipes for "curries" (a word Jaffrey doesn't approve of) there are great recipes for marinades and fresh chutneys.

5 comments about 1,000 Indian Recipes.

1. I love this cookbook! There are so many really good recipes in it, and they are not too complicated. It is the Indian cookbook I reach for first.



2. What a wonderful and helpful work this was! We live in a rather isolated area and the closest Indian restraint is over 40 miles from our home and our favorite one just closed. With that in mind I felt it was time to go on a mission and learn to cook some of the dishes of what is my favorite of all ethnic foods. Now I have read several of the negative reviews of this book and I think I should address some of the complaints stated in them from my little view of the cooking world:
   
   The first complaint is that the book is not "authentic." To be quite frank, if this is true, I really could care less! Over the years my wife and I have eaten in probably over 200 different Indian eating establishments and at the home of a number of Indian friend's homes. To be honest we have yet to find a single dish, prepared by different people in different locations to taste the same. Having never lived or traveled in India, I have not a clue as to what is truly "authentic" and what is not and I suspect that if you had a dozen people in a room directly from that country, there would be twelve different answers to that question. If you think about it, ask yourself what answers you would get if you asked 100 people in this country to give you a recipe for a truly "authentic" American cheeseburger! I will bet you that you would get 100 different answers. India, like America is an extremely diverse country; a true melting pot. Give the authentic thing a break.
   
   Secondly, I do agree that the author has pandered somewhat to American taste. Well duh! This book is being marketed in America, sold in American and used my Americans. I see nothing wrong in this. If the end result is a dish that is pleasing to my palate, then I could care less who the author is pandering to. To serve friends a dish and hoot and holler that it is "truly authentic" is merely an ego thing and most people could care less as long as the food tastes good! If it is unpleasing and the taste is terrible you can call it authentic all you want, but is is still yuk!
   
   Not everyone will agree with the above statements, and rightfully so; I just felt it was necessary to state how I approached this book. Many will want to approach it differently an being "authentic" is important to them, if indeed they know what authentic truly is.
   
   There are indeed 1000 Indian recipes in this work and if you include the many spice combinations, there are probably many more. I was immediately taken with this work right from the start when the author presented 41 spice blends, many of which were curry. She has also given us a very nice overview of the different spices uses, their properties and interactions with other spices. This is extremely valuable information and I have seldom seen this so well addressed.
   
   The entire work includes 41 spice blends, 238 starters, snacks, soups and salads, 282 curries and entrees, 272 chutneys and sides and numerous flat breads and cooking tips. There is something here for everyone. I was especially impressed as to the value this book is to vegetarians and the author has gone so far as to mark with a special symbol those dishes that are fit for those who are strictly Vegan.
   
   The cooking directions are quite precise yet the author has given plenty of room for the user of the book to be creative, and in fact has encouraged this. I found this one of the strongest aspects of her arsenal of recipes. The one thing that may throw some readers is the authors stressing that in many cases a pressure cooker can and should be used to prepare some of these dishes. Many people are a bit intimidated when it comes to pressure cooking but this should not be a big fear to overcome. Just give it a try. The new cookers are not all that complicated.
   
   Most of the recipes found in this book are quite simply and extremely easy to prepare at home. But the reader should be warned that there are many extremely complex dishes presented here that require multiple steps and clued recipes within recipes. Cooking many of these dishes takes some planning, organization and research. The author has provided directions in each case, but it will take some digging on the reader's part. This again is a good thing as far as I am concerned as it forces the budding Indian Cook to actually learn new things.
   
   Okay, as to the various spices and other ingredients. Yes indeed, it is extremely helpful if you live near an Indian specialty store. Many of the spices and ingredients called for here are simply not on the shelves of our supermarkets. We are unfortunate in that we are far, far away from any such store. The good news though is that I have yet to be unable to fine one spice that I needed after a quick search on-line. Even here on Amazon, most of these things can be found and quite often at a very reasonable price. Do not me put off by lack of ingredients locally. If you are computer literate enough to be reading this review, then you are literate enough to find and purchase what you need. We have also found that when we do get to go to the "big city," if we buy in bulk it saves a lot of shipping charges and is cheaper. The one area we do have problems with in our area is lamb! This meat is extremely hard to find and extremely expensive when you do find it. We have to special order it from the butcher we use and order way ahead of time. It costs dearly. We love lamb, but you have to work with what you have. Chicken and veggies and a bit of beef are more often found when we cook these dishes than anything else.
   
   As I said at the beginning, I am on a mission here and digging through Indian Cook Books like a crazed gopher. This work is one we are most certainly adding to your list of ones to actually buy and include in our collection. I found almost nothing to complain about, learned a lot, and found that the dozen recipes we have tried actually worked and were delicious. I can fully and highly recommend this wonderful cook book.
   
   Don Blankenship
   The Ozarks



3. I had been searching for an Indian cookbook with really good recipes for a while. I stumbled across this book about a year ago and could not be happier! It is an excellent book with tons of delicious recipes.
   
   Like others have said, there are no pictures, but that is really of little concern to me. I am interested in well written recipes that put good food on the table and this is exactly what I got with this book.



4. I have been using this cookbook for over 2 years and absolutely love it. It has the largest variety of recipes i have ever seen and my family has enjoyed almost all of them. I joke that I will someday make every recipe in this book, but I think it would take until I am old and grey! Some of the recipes are very time consuming, so I would suggest reading through to figure out time length first, and yes, you do need an Indian grocery store to make most recipes. Luckily we live in Chicago and I have found the ingredients easily. The food is very healthy, and the author makes a real effort to use less oil and butter than is traditional, which is a welcome change. There is a recipe for zucchini balls that are outstanding, and will help use up all the extra zucchinis you end up with at end of summer.



5. I love this book- it's so much better than any Indian cookbook I own including Madhur Jaffrey, the Noon book, etc. I hate to say it but it's the only one that tastes better than my Indian grandma's cooking. Everything in it comes out tasty and quite authentic if you follow the recipe to the letter, which is very rare because Indian cooking is never done "by measurement". I also like that she includes recipes from all over India, rather than just the North Indian Mughlai style which everyone serves in restaurants that people think is the "real Indian food" from such a diverse country.

4 comments about Out of the East: Spices and the Medieval Imagination.

1. Professor Freedman examines Medieval Europe and its metamorphosis into Modern Europe from the perspective of spices...as condiments, as medicine, as perfumes, and as stimulants to world exploration. This fascinating book provides some novel historical perspectives - Genghis Khan as a facilitator of European travel to East Asia, for example. Its description of medieval cuisine will surprise most readers by how very unfamiliar medieval taste would be to contemporary Europeans. This is a very enjoyable read. I recommend it highly.



2. This is a learned book, and a pleasure to read. Freedman succeeds admirably in describing and explaining Medieval Europe's passion for spices. But the most interesting part of the book is his analysis of Europe's voyages all over the world to obtain spices for domestic consumption. It's an ambitious project, and he pulls it off in a style that is lucid and also fun.
   
   I also very much enjoyed another book on food that Freedman recently edited, "Food: The History of Taste" (University of California Press, 2007). The essays in the book are consistently insightful and entertaining. Here's to more academic work on the history of food!



3. This is one of the best cross-over books (appealing to both academic and lay audiences) that I've ever read. It unobtrusively explodes many myths about the "unsophisticated" Middle Ages while providing a well informed picture of medieval food and economic practices. It is a genuine pleasure to read. Freedman is an engaging writer who never wastes his reader's time (no academic jargon here). A wonderful book.
   
   A little quibble: Why is his name listed as "Professor Paul Freedman"? Yes, he is a professor, but so are many authors, and that professional fact does not usually get registered as part of an author's name; this makes it sound like his first name is "Professor."



4. This is a wonderful book that tells you why the medievil people expended so much energy and adventure to pecure spices. Reading the menues and seeing how the spelling has changed was great. There was also the sadness that came over me when I realized how many of the birds, animals and fish that the population were able to eat that are now extinct. This bookwas a wonderful refresher to remember the richness of the medievil people.

5 comments about Filipino Cuisine: Recipes from the Islands.

1. I know how to cook some Filipino food already (from my dad's recipe). But my cooking is still different if you eat on a filipino restaurant. So I bought a cookbook. I cooked Adobo today and I felt like I wasted it. I followed the CHICKEN ADOBO on this book and it does not taste or look like adobo at all. I added some coconut milk for variation (page7) but certainly, it does not taste like ADOBO at all! Too sour. Typical adobo is brownish in color but this recipe is yellowish white (maybe because of coconut milk)but still even before I mixed the coco milk its not brown. Im so disappointed!



2. I really enjoy this recipe book. There's so much recipe that I never find in other books. It is also very informative for non-Filipino cook like my husband.



3. This cookbook turned out to be the most helpful cookbook I own. My father is Filipino and my mother is German. Now that they both live with us, I was at a loss as to what I can cook for him that he would remember from his youth. This book had all the recipes I needed and my father was very happy sampling the finished dishes. My mother even tried a few. After leafing through the cookbook, we had to go to the Asian market and buy bihon pancit, squid and sweet rice. This book has a nice selection of recipes and a good book to give an overview of Filipino foods. I recomend it to everyone.



4. I left home and joined the navy when I was 19. My first duty station was in Italy. After a few months, I got really homesick, and so I set off to the store in hopes to make some food that reminded me of home. Big mistake! First off, I didn't even know how to cook rice in a rice cooker! I didn't know what a spatula was, and I didn't know how to pick quality meat or produce from the grocery store. I had no knife skills.. nothing. I was completely lost in the kitchen. I asked my mom for help, but her instructions were so unclear. Just put patis, and soy sauce until it taste good. Cook the chicken until it's done. What?
   So I went on amazon and I bought this book! I am so glad I did! Now, the recipes aren't the best. You will have to make some adjustments depending on your taste (and the recipe). For example, the pancit bihon does not call for soy sauce, but my family always cooks it with soy sauce. Yes, I know it's a hassle, but at least it gives you the base recipes and directions to filipino food. This is the best filipino cookbook out there right now, and if you are filipino or have some experience with the food, then this book is better than nothing.
   Now, I saw complaints for the adobe, and yes, you may have to add more vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, brown sugar, or may have to cook it a little longer to make the flavors concentrate. Pinoys cook differently depending on which region they are from, so this may be the reason to why it doesn't taste the same as other adobes you have tasted, but if you have an idea to what the outcome is suppose to taste like, then this book is for you. However, if you have no idea to what you are suppose to be tasting, then steer clear of this cookbook. You will not like filipino food.
   I give this book five stars because it helped my three years overseas bearable. I even cooked at a lot of parties using this book. Of course, I had to tweak a few recipes, some doesn't need tweaking. All the food I cooked were a hit! This cook book taught me how to cook, and in my opinion is worth every penny!



5. 
   This is the best cookbook on Philippine cuisine and the ONLY ONE that you will need. I was born in the Philippines and was raised by masters of Philippine cooking (from Pampanga) and I KNOW GOOD FILIPINO FOOD. Save your money, BUY THIS.

5 comments about American Masala: 125 New Classics from My Home Kitchen.

1. It's true that not all the recipes in this book are Indian-inspired, but in a way, that's the beauty of it: it's a great blend of "American" cooking techniques and familiar dishes with pops of Indian flavor. I made the lentil orzo soup and was blown away. I'm no master chef, but the soup tasted like I am! With so few ingredients, it tasted really rich. The cabbage salad was likewise outstanding, even though it contained no fats. I was less successful with the veggie burgers, but I won't hold it against the book. The fact that I could make three recipes for the first time and serve the meal to pleased houseguests--vegan ones at that!--makes me appreciate this book.



2. American Masala has enriched the masala of my family in wonderful ways. My sister, Gail, who is a good cook but never takes the time, was given American Masala by my niece. Gail was so inspired by by the photos in the cookbook, that she came early to my house on Easter to prepare the corn bread and the red potatoes. The three of us had a memorable time preparing those dishes - it was the first I had ever seen my niece cook! I was their sous chef and loved every minute of it.
   Then, and perhaps best of all, the fussy eaters in the family would not stay out of the potatoes until dinner! Even my mother, who hates richly flavored foods, loved both dishes. My heart sang, as the reason I ever took up a wooden spoon was total boredom with my mother's WASPy efforts in the kitchen.
   All this totally reinforces a point I always talk about on my cooking show - that food and the kitchen are where many special family memories are cooked up. Memories that last a lifetime and beyond.
   I haved thoroughly enjoyed using American Masala, too!
   The recipes are well written and easy to follow. The meatloaf recipe alone is worth the purchase price. It's moist and delicious enough for company. And I've never been one to get excited about meatloaf!
   Also loved the Shrimp Poha Paella - it's different, easy and absolutely scrumptious. Even the fussy teenagers in my family loved it.
   I've been a caterer for 20 years, but this cookbook is teaching me new things about how to enhance the flavor of food with spices. I have tried eight different recipes so far, and loved them all.
   You can't go wrong with this book.



3. I collect cookbooks. I live in NYC and have eaten at Devi and wanted to eat that amazing lamb dish again and again (Hemant's lamb chops), which is worth buying this book for. But since then i have made some of these dishes, for which i have had "wow" comments. i love reading cookbooks - these are not "interesting" recipes- just have some yum factor. the pepper spread got raves, the telouet omelet, fig flan, brussel sprouts were all "my favorites" the so so were the shrimp curry, the lamb burgers, the lentil Immjadara were good (not great cuz i'm not crazy about lentils it turns out). The quesedillas are to die for and I make them whenever I have a quesedilla craving. Who would have thought a indian cookbook would give me a killer quesedilla recipe? For one cookbook to have so many favorites, i would say this is a great book to have. The recipes seem to be "boring" but wait til you try them. I can't wait to work through all the recipes. I own most of James Beard award winners and this one is the one i keep coming back to over and over again..
   
   try the tamarind and tomato chutneys (ADDICTIVE - my 3 year old dips anything in them) and the potato dumplings..its a grand adventure making these dishes with all the funky spices but its so good!



4. Awesome! In the one month since I received American Masala, I have already made the potato and pea poha every weekend.
   I enjoyed reading Chef Suvir's stories that go with each recipe.



5. I borrowed the book from the library to check it out. One of the few books that I felt I would go back to periodically. I have decided to purchase the book. Recipes are simple, the ingredients are basically what an Indian would stock at home, seemed to me that the food would taste fresh and simple. I also like the author's writing - the little snippets that he provides with the recipes.

5 comments about Real Vegetarian Thai.

1. To date, all of the reviews here grant four or five stars to this book - and I am no exception. This little red book contains the most delicious selection of vegetarian Thai recipes that I have encountered in my 15 years of cooking vegetarian meals. Not only are the recipes quite easy in preparation, but they also are based on easily available ingredients and are very quick to make. The outcome is almost always exceptional - both in taste and presentation. I can wholeheartedly recommend this book as a valuable addition to anyone's collection of cookbooks. As you can see from the other reviews, I am not alone. So, what are you waiting for? It's rare to find such a unanimously positive opinion about anything.



2. I have used many different recipes in this book and every one turns out consistently great. I definitely would recommend this cookbook.



3. This is a nice cookbook. All the recipes that I have tried have turned out exactly as I expected (not common for all cookbooks offered for sale). It is very handy that the author gives recipes for 4 different types of curry paste. I also appreciate the glossary of Thai terms.
   
   The Fried Cashews with Chilies and Green Onions is a particularly good recipe.
   
   If you like Thai food this is a nice cookbook to have in your library. Also, if you like spicy food or Chinese food, I suggest that you give this book a try.



4. I have tried about seventy percent of the recipes in this book - sometimes even substituting ingredients - and yet had success each and every single time. Friends and family think I took classes in Thai cooking - thanks to the authoress, for a truly wonderful book! Also I did not realise how much better the food tastes - I suspect most restaurants do use a 'tad-bit' of fish-sauce or oyster-sauce - because without these, I find my dishes turn out with richer flavours and taste.
   
   I do wish there were pictures in colour though, because after all, isn't half the fun in cookbooks about lusting at the beautifully laden dishes, having your mouth water and then rushing in a frenzy to cook 'em up and dig your hungry paws (um, I mean chopsticks) in 'em :)?



5. Like the review "Worth it for the Pad Thai recipe" - which is true - to me it could also be worth it for the Satay Peanut Sauce recipe. I have become obsessed with this sauce and add it to tofu and a large assortment of vegetables several times a week. It is absolutely delicious and satisfies me more than anything else; it is sweet, rich, spicy, salty, and tangy all at once! I have been eating it as part of the Schwarzbein Principle Program (low carb, high veg) and have been losing weight even using regular full-fat coconut milk. This satisfies my need for sweetness. The Paht Thai recipe is also superb. A really fun and delicious cookbook!

5 comments about Growing up in a Korean Kitchen: A Cookbook.

1. I bought this book and few other Korean cookbooks after traveliing to Seoul several times (my wife and I adopted three childen there). This is has been my favorite because of the range of recipes, the detailed instructions, and the intimate stories. It's rare for a cookbook to excel on so many levels. I only wish the book had more photographs (and color ones), but this is the Korean food I have enjoyed in Seoul and it's what I'm teaching my children to cook. They are as happy with it as I am.



2. Actually, I haven't read the entire book yet, but her recipes are features on www.hmart.com, the marvellous Korean supermarket. I am so amazed by her knowledge and her clear explanation of Korean food. This is the missing piece of the puzzle to Korean cooking that I have been searching for. I feel very priviledged that she shares her knowledge with us.



3. To be fair, I've only made two recipes so far: the cucumber salad and the spinach salad. I should have known that something was not quite right when the recipe called for lemon juice and parsley, two ingredients that are never found in the Korean kitchen! Still, I toiled away for nearly 40 minutes, only to be told by my (very Korean) mother that it is too sweet and that I had wasted my time squeezing the cucumbers! She quickly threw together her Korean cucumber salad in about 10 minutes! Tasting them side by side, it really hit home that the version I made was definitely Americanized.
   
   So if you're looking for unnecessarily labor-intensive, Korean-fusion cookbook, then this is the one for you. If you're looking for a good, solid, everyday Korean food cooking, then this is NOT it.
   
   And what's up with the walnuts added to everything? My theory is that the author's family must have had a large walnut tree. ; )
   
   And yes, I am Korean for those of you wondering.



4. I have at least half a dozen Korean cookbooks, and this is the only one that I don't use. Every recipe is at least twice as complicated and time consuming as the other recipes--many requiring ingredients that have been made days, weeks or months in advance. There's a lot of interesting info, but with very few pictures, color, and a bland design, you're not going to end up using this cookbook for much.
   
   However, if you aren't just looking to make Korean food and want old-fashioned, traditional recipes, this is definitely the book for you. I found it too complicated to use, but it was certainly interesting.



5. I wanted to continue growing my knowledge of Korean cuisine and this book helped me a lot. I love the history on the authors background as well it makes the recipes and food much more special. One thing that was lacking was more pictures of the food! I would have loved to see the end result of what the author had made. But all the same I got some really good recipes and new ideas on Korean food.