No comments about Soups & stews (California Culinary Academy series).

3 comments about Only in California.

1. This is a wonderful book, with recipes that feature unusual combinations of familiar ingredients. It (of course) includes recommendations of which California wines to serve with the dishes. If you enjoy ethnic cuisine, there is much to find here to like: Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Thai, etc. Don't be a loser--buy this book. Chicks dig guys who can cook.



2. We had a baby shower today and made 2 appetizers and 3 salads from this book. All the guests wanted the recipes and when I showed them the book we got them from all were interested in getting their own copy. Although we have hundreds of cookbooks this is the one we chose to use for the shower. We tried all new recipes and were not dissappointed.



3. I have this book at home(California) and love it. I bought a copy as a thank you gift for friends we visited in another state. They too, loved the book. Great recipes, lovely water colors, reader friendly!

1 comments about Lonely Planet World Food California (Lonely Planet World Food Guides).

1. California is certainly known for its wealth of culinary pleasures, and I should know since I am a native. However, judging from this pocket-sized book, I don't feel it has as distinct a food culture as the foreign countries that are normally the subject of Lonely Planet's exemplary World Food series. Berkeley-based food adventurer Richard Sterling, who did a fine job covering Vietnam, attempts to make Californian cuisine come across as unique by moving fluidly from the history of the state's food through the staples and specialties you would find in a typical kitchen to the nuances of regional fare, mainly between northern and southern parts. According to the author, the net result is that Californians are fortunate to have the world on their plates given the ideal climate conditions and a reputation for pioneering new food trends for the rest of the country.
   
   Sterling's prose is well-informed, but its 2003 publication already feels somewhat dated since the restaurant scene changes so often in San Francisco and Los Angeles. For his sample recipes, he relies on old standbys such as the Brown Derby's invention of the Cobb Salad or the original Caesar Salad from the Cardini eatery in what is now Tijuana. It's inevitable that he pays homage to Alice Waters (Chez Panisse in Berkeley) and her impact on California cuisine. On the upside, there are enticing photographs to accompany what is genuinely an easy-to-read guide to the variety of tastes and sensations to be experienced. Sterling includes city maps highlighting his favorite eateries, and special sections devoted to subjects such as tipping and corkage, food trends like home barbecuing and the herbal renaissance, and profiles of selected food experts like M.F.K. Fisher. This is a lesser entry in the World Food series, but it still upholds the Lonely Planet brand.

No comments about The California Seafood Cookbook: A Cook's Guide to the Fish and Shellfish of California, the Pacific Coast and Beyond.

No comments about Great Chefs of San Francisco.

No comments about Christmas Is Cookies: And Gingerbread and Spice Cake and Fudge and More (Everyday Cookbooks).

1 comments about Hidden Wineries of Southern California (Hidden Wineries).

1. 
   HIDDEN WINERIES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA appeared some time ago, but deserves ongoing recommendation to wine connoisseurs as it's one of the few covering Southern California wineries rather than the usual Northern California focus. Featured wineries go into Central California somewhat as they feature Temecula, Santa Ynez, Los Angeles and Orange County wineries. From the grape varietals which grow well in these areas to overviews of the process of growing grapes and making wines, HIDDEN WINERIES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA is at its best when pairing large-size color photos of wineries with discussions of their offerings and contrasts with other California regions. A highly recommended, 'must have' pick for any comprehensive California wine book collection.
   
   Diane C. Donovan, Editor
   California Bookwatch

No comments about Modern California Cooking.

1 comments about California Cooking - Parties, Picnics, and Celebrations.

1. With gorgeous photos and well tested recipes, California Cooking is the most important and thoroughly reliable cookbook for a modern home chef. Especially one interested in the vast variety of California and the freshness of California cuisine.
   Each chapter begins by describing the mystery of a unique California region, then provides a creative menu suitable to the region's aura and lifestyle and finally gives every recipe needed to serve the complete menu with suggestions for beverages.
   In the 5 years that I have used this book, it has never failed to give me dinner parties with "WOW". Each recipe is natural, fresh, interesting and uncomplicated. Each menu well planned with photos to show how to beautifully serve and garnish. It is a visual and practical gem.

No comments about California Bed & Breakfast Cookbook.