5 comments about Chez Panisse Vegetables.

1. 
   This book is not only wonderful, it is also very useful. Just have a look at the index, and you want to rush to the closest grocer to get some fresh seasonal vegetables. Not the easiest recipes ever, but good guidelines. I myself make most of these recipes as main courses - that's sophisticated enough.



2. good gift for my dad who had heart surgery and likes vegetables
   very informative and easy to read



3. Alice Waters made her mark on the culinary world more for her pioneering efforts in sourcing and championing high quality local and organic ingredients than for her culinary skill and imagination, and that's reflected in this book. It's really helped me pick out the best vegetables at the local grocery store or farmers market, and has encouraged me to try new vegetable with sometimes delicious results. Thanks to her, I appreciate the wonders of braised chard or baby garlic soup, things I never expected to explore.
   
   While this book has helped me find the right vegetables at the market, it's had less of a positive effect in the kitchen. The recipes are simple, largely French and Italian inspired, and to my palate, a little too restrained. I prefer a little more lively seasoning or creative flavor combinations in my food. Water's doesn't provide a lot insight on how to use vegetables in cooking, or provide any insights as to the best way to prepare them. That's what I was hoping for here, and often get in other cook books. There's a solid group of recipes here, but I never found any great recipes in those I tried. I rate cook books by how they improve my cooking and this book has encouraged me to experiment with new vegetables and be a better vegetable shopper. Once I got back to the kitchen, it wasn't as helpful.



4. These arrived timely and in perfect condition. Nice packaging. Cards on on the plain side, not as pretty as I expected.



5. This is an excellent book. Alice Waters' love of the ingredients shows and she makes you love them too. Very good explanations of what to do with each vegetable.

5 comments about Fish Forever: The Definitive Guide to Understanding, Selecting, and Preparing Healthy, Delicious, and Environmentally Sustainable Seafood.

1. This book is really a great seafood cookbook. I learned how to search out healthy seafood and then cook it in a simple but tasty way.



2. FISH FOREVER: THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING, SELECTING, AND PREPARING HEALTHY, DELICIOUS AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD is for neo-pros and chiefs who would choose sustainable seafood, and is written by the owner of the Monterey Fish Market in San Francisco who has supplied such seafood to some of the nation's best chefs. His guide blends an international recipe book with in-depth profiles of both fish types and discussions of fish health issues and concerns. Access to a range of fish types is required, but any library catering to patrons who love to cook seafood must have this, with its bright centerfold of photos and detailed fish cooking insights.



3. I have always enjoyed fish when I go to restaurants but the fish market and cooking fish scared me. 'Fish Forever' gives me the information to select and cook great seafood dishes. The results of the recipes are spectacular. I am lousy cook, but the recipes are so easy to follow, they improved my cooking. The book is also an interesting look at fishing and the seafood business.



4. As both an amateur home cook and a devotee of sustainable seafood, I think this is the best sustainable seafood cookbook on the market. The recipes are simple and healthy, and the factual information is well-balanced. I highly recommend this cookbook!



5. This is an absolutely essential cookbook for your kitchen if you are a serious cook. The recipes are beautifully presented, and are not difficult to prepare. They don't require a lot of hard to find ingredients. You know you are eating wonderful food, as it was meant to be prepared. Taste the fish. Can't recommend it more highly.

4 comments about The Summertime Anytime Cookbook: Recipes from Shutters on the Beach.

1. WOW! What a fresh, accessible cookbook. It's my new favorite on the bookshelf, right next to the Barefoot Contessa series. I was hungry for easy, hip recipes I could use in cooking for my family and having friends over, and this book really delivered just what I was looking for.



2. Each recipe is delish and easy too. With Summertime, Anytime even the most ordinary cook can feel like a gourmet chef. The recipes are healthy, easy to follow and my kids cant get enough. This cookbook is a "must have" in your kitchen!We Plan, God Laughs: Ten Steps to Finding Your Divine Path When Life is Not Turning Out Like You Wanted



3. Crazy delicious and easy to use recipes. My new staple is the sweet corn chowder. The book is also loaded with great cooking tips and is so beautiful to look at, I bought a dozen copies to give out as hostess gifts this summer! The summertime vibe is now very much alive in my home(and it isn't even summer yet!).



4. i just recieved this cookbook for a gift and went straight out and purchased it for my friend!Whether or not you are cooking for your hungry family or hosting a cool little dinner party this healthy cookbook is awesome!

5 comments about Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's.

1. This is a fabulous cookbook! Most importantly, the recipes are delicious! I've been happy with every single one I've tried so far. The instructions are clear, the photos are gorgeous, the steps involved are few, the prep time is short. And my kids & husband have been enjoying the variety of dinners recently. My 9-year-old helped me make the peanut sauce for Peanutty Sesame Noodles and kept telling me how yummy the sauce is. It's now a staple in our house, used for baking chicken, on veggies, on noodles, just about anything. When she saw the cookbook on the counter a couple of days later, she said, "I know dinner's going to be good, if you've got that cookbook out!"
   
   I'd always shopped at Trader Joe's but not that regularly, since I often didn't want to spend the money to try something that we might not like. And I'm not creative enough to know what to do with the various sauces. This cookbook has helped me discover items in the store that I never would have seen or thought to buy before and it's helped me become a bit more creative. I've been more adventurous in trying out variations on the recipes, since it seems so simple and straightforward. I've been happy with the results so far!
   
   I highly recommend this cookbook for anyone who has a Trader Joe's store nearby!



2. I'm always intrigued by all the tasty-looking things at Trader Joe's, but not really creative enough to know what to do with them. This cookbook solves that! It is loaded with great, simple recipes that make both the shopping and the preparation completely easy. I had a dinner party where every recipe, from the appetizers to the desserts, was from this cookbook, and everyone just raved!



3. This is an amazing book -- better than anything by Rachael Ray or Martha Stewart. I shop at Trader Joe's all the time, but but as a novice cook, never really got to take advantage of all the great ingredients they have. Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's was a revelation.
   
   All the recipes were fast and easy, and tasted great! Not only is it a great way to start cooking with Trader Joe's ingredients, it's also a great recipe book to learn healthy cooking.
   
   I'm not sure if Trader Joe's corporate policy allows them to endorse any cookbooks, but this is one they should consider endorsing -- all the recipes I've tried are excellent, and it would get a lot more of their customers cooking with Trader Joe's.



4. This cookbook does so many things right -- the photos are beautiful, the recipes easy to follow, the dishes delicious! What I like most are the variety of meals and how quickly and easily they can be prepared (a great way to get the kids involved). This cookbook incorporates many different flavors -- whether you enjoy Italian, Asian, or Latin inspired dishes, there's something here for everyone. A great guide for eating well!



5. I'm just home from my first shopping trip with the book. It took as long to shop as it would have to cut up veggies and make sauces myself. The problem is that my TJs didn't have essential ingredients (e.g frozen green garbanzos for the green garbanzo salad; refrigerated Balsamic Vinaigrette for the Balsamic Green Bean dish.) So I would be all over the store gathering the other ingredients, then look for the missing ingredient only to find they didn't have it, so then I was all over the store replacing the ingredients I couldn't use after all. I had read that the authors would update the book online, but I've googled and can't find any update that would have warned me of missing ingredients or suggested alternatives.

5 comments about Bouchon.

1. Don't fear the bistro.
   
   The book contains recipes that, with some forethought and prep, are amazingly approachable for the home cook in the home kitchen. The secret really is in the Basic Prep & Technique section... spending the time to make the good building blocks makes the recipes in the book a breeze to prepare, and the building blocks can be used to elevate some of your own kitchen staples (like the garlic and tomato confit). And the book also contains the recipe for the best, and easiest, roast chicken that I have ever made.



2. I work in the trade - this book is very inspirational.
   As with all books - use moderation in its appliance.
   Adopt the recepies to your own need.
   
   Be well and make food with love
   
   T



3. This was bought as a gift. Rarely do you get a chance to give a gift that keeps on giving. In addition, it shows careful thought. The recipes outlined in the book can be accomplished and make the "chef" who cooks them a star. So the giver is one too!!!



4. My immediate reaction on unpacking this was 'yuck'. This is the book equivalent of a roast chicken with little paper toques on the legs - the target audience looks to be the sort of people who enjoy reading in-flight magazines, and who store the major part of their libraries under the coffee table. This first reaction was immediately reinforced by sentences that told me things like that 'a good quiche is like sex' (or maybe 'a quiche is like good sex' - I'm not sure, I quote from memory), and a general impression that Keller is to Bistro food what Marie-Antoinette was to cheese making.
   
   Nevertheless, if you can muscle your way past the gag reflex, there are a healthy number of good ideas and recipes here within a coherent (if somewhat Baroque) framing perspective.
   
   In summary, technical content is actually very good, but I won't be filing it beside Elizabeth David, where people can see it.
   
   One other thing - does Keller have a watch endorsement deal? A large chunk of expensive looking (but not actually identifiable) steel is on display on his wrist in many of the pictures - I don't think I have ever seen a watch on a chef's wrist before in technique photos, never mind displayed so prominently).
   
   Note added (31.05.08) W.r.t. watches, it appears Keller is just ahead of the curve: I just got Heston Blumenthal's two 'Perfection' books in the mail, and he also sports a large chunk of mechanical timepiece. Blumenthal's books are infinitely more attractive than Keller's - if nothing else, Blumenthal has a well-developed sense of irony, something Keller appears completely to lack.



5. Beautiful book with a special atmosphere and story. The format, pictures, text are really interesting and worth to see and read.

5 comments about The Way to Make Wine: How to Craft Superb Table Wines at Home.

1. This book is easy to understand and should enable a novice to walk through the wine making process with ease.



2. I loved reading this book, Warrick really knows his wine-making. He explains when, how, and in what order to ad this and that, temperatures to keep, tools and equipement to buy etc., after reading this book, I feel that I have enough knowledge to make a few gallons of bubbly delicious red wine. This book is very comprehensive and easy to read with more than enough information to enable you to make wine.



3. This material takes you from the unpicked grape to the finished product. The importance of sanitizing equipment, what you should have and what you can do without are all covered. The only drawback is that fruits other than grapes are not mentioned. The author believes that non-grape wines are lesser than grape wines. As is true in just about any other field two winemakers will producr three or more opinions on each aspect of the art. This book does not agree with any other wine making information source thus it is very valuable. I would recommend this book to the beginning wine maker along with the several others offered for sale at Amazon (this is not a paid advertisement) such as The art of making wine. Remember that every one has their own point of view and do that which works for you.



4. If you want to make home made wine and you actually want to make something decent this book is great. You shouldn't really need another book.



5. This is a well-written book detailing the steps for producing quality wines at home. I have made wine for several years now and I found many helpful suggestions to make my vintage even better. It works well for the novice as well as the veteran wine-maker.

5 comments about The Complete Keller: The French Laundry Cookbook & Bouchon.

1. Service was great. I recieved the package 2 days after i ordered it. Everything turned out great and I apprechiate it.



2. These books are outstanding - the level of description, the quality of the books themselves, the full color pictures of what the dishes look like... I gave it as a Valentine's Day gift to my girlfriend who loves them - and keeps calling the books "Food Porn".



3. The Complete Keller is completely wonderful. Beautifully written and photographed, these books are a wonderful escape to Keller-world.



4. So much more than just cookbooks! It's very visual, makes you excited about cooking and partaking. Emphasizes simple flavors of food, don't complicate what can easily achieve perfection on its own.



5. Beautiful coffee table book. Limited is use for an amateur, or even a serious amateur. But it's fun to read and the photography is stunning.

5 comments about The Wines of Burgundy: Revised Edition.

1. Clive Coates' previously published "Cote d'Or" is unsurpassed in its comprehensive research on Burgundy's vineyards, vintages, history, and profiles of Burgundy's domaines. He was a much younger man then, active in his profession and in better health, hence the gargantuan effort he poured into that epic volume is impossible to duplicate over a decade later by a man in retirement for several years now and in lesser health. I don't view his just published "The Wines of Burgundy" a "revised edition" as the subtitle states, but rather a sequel. In this sense he has published a fine volume that extends the reach of his first book on Burgundy. Both volumes should be on every Burgundy lover's desk.



2. Written by a Master of Wine who's lived in Burgundy for decades, this is the most valuable book that I have found on the subject. It is consisely written, yet very comprehensive. In addition to the Cote d'Or, the book now includes sections on Chablis and Cote Chalonnaise. Vintage assessments and tasting notes are thourough and reliable. I highly recommend this book.



3. This is the very best book on wines from this reagon that I have ever read.
   
   If you are interested on wines from Burgundy - just get it. It is well worth the money.
   
   A good example is that there is a very detailed section on wines from Chablis. Chablis is perhaps a small part of Burgundy and yet this book treats these wines in great detail... if it does this good a job on Chablis then imagine what a job is does on Cote d'or for example.



4. I was eagerly awaiting Clive Coates update to the wines of burgundy as I love red burgundy in particular. I will say from the outset that it is quite different and not as monumental an effort as volume one but what a hard act to follow!It was good to have the tasting review update on the wines over the last 10 years as a reference as well as the vintage assessments but I have the impression that it takes up too much of the new volume and somehow detracts from it.I would have loved more details on the domaine profiles that he has upgraded or included for the first time,especially the younger vignerons e.g. Fourrier.It would have added so much to the book.There's something about the typesetting I don't like compared to the old volume but perhaps I'm being too picky.The colour maps are very good and better than the black and white ones of the first volume.Overall still worth getting to have as a reference for burgundy lovers.



5. For newcomers to Burgundy, I would imagine the scant detail on the individual domaines could be frustating (compare the style of the Domaine overviews to Stephen Brook's similarly styled book covering Bordeaux). Nonetheless, an essential guide to the thoughts of 30+ years covered by one of the best Burg palates there is. The tasting notes are excellent for those with Burg's in the cellar, or shopping at auction. Further, I found the general descriptions of the various Cru's and climats most valuable.

5 comments about The French Laundry Cookbook.

1. even tho i dont cook much, i love giving this gorgeous gift as a special wedding birhday xmas gift. its beautiful on a table, to savored and appreciated as art to eat. and i do love to eat. great combined with some fun kitchen item, gorgeous french towels, cake server or plate, wonderful serving bowl or plate. we are blessed to be able to have chef keller sign ours, an even more special gift



2. Keller steps out and does something amazing with this book. An absolute pleasure to read and learn new ideas from.



3. Beautiful in its design, photography, inspirational story telling and food. There is wonderful attention to detail and accuracy in terms of the recipes and methods. A timeless classic from one of the world's best.



4. Physically speaking, "The French Laundry Cookbook" is dense, somewhat cumbersome, and teetering on intimidating--it will surely be the largest cookbook you'll ever own, and the statement is clear; this is not a cookbook for amateurs. On the contrary, this is a dense, meticulously-structured culinary opera aimed at those courageous enough to attempt to recreate 4-star dishes out of the home kitchen. Visually, the cookbook features countless, beautiful, full-page photographs of food so perfectly conceived that it comes off as easy, although once you read through any one recipe, you're sure to realize the difference between fantasy and reality. Keller is quite obviously a food perfectionist, and takes every extra step, every precaution, every effort, to make every component of every dish as flawless as possible. If this sounds like your cup o' tea, then you should order this cookbook with no delay. Granted, some recipes are on the easier side, but that's on the French Laundry spectrum, where easy is still more difficult than what you're probably used to. On the opposite end of the spectrum, this cookbook features recipes that, despite Keller's obvious and applaudable efforts to make his masterworks' a possibility for the at-home chef, are nearly impossible to pull-off, unless you have skill, patience, and around 4 days with nothing else to do.
   
   If you're very serious about cooking and want to take the difficulty level up quite a bit, then consider this cookbook. Every recipe you complete will make you a more well-rounded, knowledgeable cook, and that's the bottom line--this cookbook is like a portable culinary school. Just be aware that unless you go into the cooking process dedicated, patient, and determined, frustration could take over and the dish might not be worth the effort. If done right, some of the dishes in this cookbook, from sight to taste, are simply stunning, and like nothing else out there.



5. This is book is amazing. It came just as described and shipping was on time. I'm so glad that it was all wrapped up as promised in the original plastic seal.

5 comments about The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution.

1. Love it! Yes it is simple..but that's great because with three kids under seven simple is the order of the day. My favorite thing is it is real food. No processed short cuts. Yet the recipes I've made have been fast-even with beans the actual hands on time was minimal. More importantly my kids love it. Also it is very budget friendly. Her list of staples and the numerous recipes you can make from them are a godsend. It is so great to have a list of dishes I can make from a few different panty.
   It is often said that budget friendly and healthy don't go together, however I find with this book the opposite is true. Seasonal foods are often on sale, and because she has so many simple bean and grain based foods I can cut down on expensive meats.



2. I choose cookbooks very carefully, I take it quite seriously. If I could only keep one, it would be The Art of Simple Food. The best version of everything. Give it as a wedding or house warming gift.



3. I heard about this book in our local newspaper. I don't usually read cook books, but this one is really interesting and readable like a good novel. She describes many ways to use natural ingredients. I haven't cooked with this book yet, but it is good reading.



4. I think the average cookbook reader/cook has really moved beyond these very basic techniques and recipes. It might be a better purchase for someone just starting out. None of the recipes moved me to try them--indeed, it felt as if I'd already done some variation on most of them.



5. I really enjoyed Chez Panisse Fruit. So much so that I have asked my husband for it for my birthday. When I came across this book at the library, I got it out in high anticipation. Having read the reviews and having been so happy with the Fruit book, I can barely describe how disappointing this book is. First of all, Alice really needs to stop being so damn self congratulatory. I should have taken the title "Recipes from a Delicious Revolution" more seriously and realized that mostly the chatty comments are her saying how great she and her restaurant is.
   
   Am I wrong here or is local food pretty much what everyone ate before refrigerated trucks. So Basically she went back to cooking the way people cooked prior to WWII. Congratulations, how innovative.
   
   The book lacks the charm of her Fruit book. There are only small paragraphs at the beginning of each section and not enough comments. I really liked how she would talk about the different fruit or the different recipe. I wish she had done that with this book.
   
   Also, the lack of pictures is also a major pet peeve for me. I didn't try any of the recipes. They just didn't inspire me. You want a good book on how to cook food simply, get something by the folks at Cook's Illustrated.