5 comments about The Best Fryer Cookbook Ever.

1. is a good book lots of fun recipes i realy like the doghnut section but theres lots of others to choose from i would recomend this book if you like to deep fry



2. This book does a good job of covering the basics of frying, but I confess I wanted more detailed knowledge of frying. I wanted to understand better the ramifications of using different oils, or different batters, and what temperatures were the best for specific use.
   The recipes cover a broad range of different types of food, and look like simple, solid recipes. They are certainly not too complex for any cook to undertake.
   The discussion of the advantages of the different models of fryers is already dated, but offers some good pointers on what to look for.
   If you have not done a lot of frying or do not own a deep fryer, this is a good basic investment. Otherwise, you may want something with more details.
   
   RECOMMENDED



3. Have only made a couple of receipes in this so far, but so far, so good.



4. Loaded with recipes off all sorts. We just got a deep fryer recently and really hadn't thought about anything to make except for basics like fries, fish, and chicken. The book has helped us to experiment more and deepen my appreciation of my fryer. Even if you find just one recipe that you like the book pays for itself. The only downside is my expanding waistline. Oh, well.



5. I don't care how you cut it, deep frying is not the most healthy way to go. I was hoping this book would give me clues to how to utilize my new fryer in a healthy way. I now think that's not possible. I have put the deep fryer and this book on a back shelf.

5 comments about Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors.

1. I was looking for a serious Vietnamese cookbook. This one together with the one by Mai Pham (Pleasures of the Vietnamese table) were the best I could find. The key problem with both of these books is that they are written by Vietnamese-Americans living in the US. It is unclear to what extent the recipes are adaptations for an American audience or genuine. The recipe for cha ca is stated to be a simplified version - I'd much prefer the original version (and then the simplified version as an alternative). I would prefer a book by somebody who has spent at least ten years living in Vietnam and knows the current (and historical) cooking inside out. But writing in 2009 and not 2019 this book is still pretty good. The book has a number of nice colour pictures. Still it is a toss-up between Nguyen or Pham



2. My first cooking experience, long ago, was with a Vietnamese immigrant who was absolutely thrilled that her daughter had brought home a boy who liked to cook. Since then I've picked up a little bit from a lot of cuisines, but hadn't done much with Viet cooking in years. Sadly, I no longer have access to my then-mentor; looking for help from other sources, I stumbled across this.
   
   Most of the contained recipes contain bits of context regarding where you might actually find them in Vietnam, which cuts of meat are traditionally used (and, from time to time, which ones you might have to substitute when they're hard to find), and, where appropriate, which ingredients might take some work to find -- and how to go about doing so.
   
   Perhaps my favorite thing about this book is the inclusion of various recipes for kho, which is an absolutely excellent dish based on caramelized sugar and fish sauce. It's far outside of any experience I've ever had, and it's one thing that helps set this apart from many you've-probably-had-this-in-a-restaurant cookbooks out there.
   
   A very solid find for anyone interested in one of the most intriguing but lesser-known Asian cuisines.



3. i actually first saw this book at my sister's house, and while flipping through it i decided that i wanted one too. there are many beautiful color photos and i like that the book is square and doesnt take up as much counter space as my other cookbooks. i have only tried a couple of recipes, but they came out very nicely. pho was quite involved, but i already expected that recipe to be a bit difficult. i am excited to try out more. i want to take this home to my mother so she can tell me if the recipes are close to the traditional authentic recipes that she uses.



4. This book is full of great history of the author and vietnamese food. She makes it easy to find the correct products when you are shopping for contents of these recipes. Great for beginners and TASTY!



5. i typically buy a book because i want more than what a google search will uncover. in the case of this book, i was disappointed to learn that i was fine with just the internet. my biggest complaint is that there aren't enough photos (approx 1 full-page photo for every 8 pages of text). ideally, i'd like to see every recipe be accompanied by at least one photo. it's especially important for exotic cuisines such as vietnamese. i'm fortunate to live in an area where streets are lined with pho joints, but for most of america pho is a mystery for which this book does not offer any visual insight. there's no doubt to the authenticity of the recipes and the author, but this book could've been so much more had it not skimped on the visuals. even the CIA book had more photos, each of which were incredibly useful.

5 comments about Healthiest Meals on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What Meals to Eat and Why.

1. An excellent book full of great menus, easy to follow recipes and a wealth of information that will clear up a host of misconceptions about which food is good for you and which food isn't. The pictures are mouthwatering and lead you from one delightful recipe to the next. The book is a veritable pantheon of of good food and education for health and good eats.



2. This is a beautiful book,glossy filled photo's,and packed with information that is sound,all the while enjoyable to read and apply.



3. i was really surprised the book did not include nutritional info. i really wish he would release an addendum on his website with that info.



4. Interesting book from a well respected author. Unfortunately the recipes don't include nutrient breakdown. To make a wise food decision it would be helpful to have protein/carb/fat breakdowns as well as calorie information. Still worth buying.



5. The book is a sumptuous banquet of colorful photos, entertaining and instructional content and great recipes! Jonny makes me eat and cook better! I am feeding myself and my family in a much healthier way. And the food is absolutely delicious!
   
   This week I made "African Peanut Soup" which is creamy and so satisfying on a cold fall day. Very easy to make - from start to finish in 40 minutes - and freezes well for a healthy "grab and go" lunch.
   
   Last week I made the Curried Quinoa with Kale. It was really good!
   
   I think I will be giving copies of this book as Christmas gifts this season.

5 comments about A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines.

1. This book doesn't evoke hunger, or foodie delight. It's a semi-abashed (because he's traveling with a camera crew, and has to cooperate) account of him going around the world seeking food without often finding it.
   
   This is not a terrible book. It just doesn't measure up to the standards set by any other foodie book I've ever encountered.
   
   Pick another at random and you'll have a more enjoyable and more educational read. If you already have this book, read it once and then (you will anyway) give it away and move on to a different author.



2. A humorous, dark and entertaining read. After becoming obsessed with his travel channel show "No Reservations" I was drawn to delve deeper into the depths of Mr. Bourdain's twisted brain. I would say that the subtitle of my 2001 edition, "in search of the perfect meal" is slightly inaccurate. I see that the 2002 edition was renamed "Global adventures in extreme cuisines." While that may be more accurate, I would say that the book is more of a personal journey for Tony. The food descriptions are delicious, the stories are shocking and funny (sometimes in a dark way) and the book is terribly hard to put down. I loved it will probably tear through a few more Bourdain books.



3. This was good, but I didn't enjoy it as much as Kitchen Confidential. I've been trying to decide why & I think it's because ultimately this isn't so much a food book as it is a travel book. That's okay, but the notion of hunting down the perfect meal has an appeal to me & led me to expect something different.
   
   Having said all of that, I enjoyed the book. It's hard not to love someone who hits the jackpot with a best seller & says to themselves, "Hmmm ... I think I'll see if I can get someone to pay for me to travel around the world eating cool stuff & looking at cool & interesting places." That someone actually did agree to pay for this & that it was the Food Network makes it all the more amusing since he spends much of Kitchen Confidential slagging the Food Netwok & many of its chefs.
   
   If you've seen No Reservations you know the schtick - Tony visits exotic locale, meets interesting people, talks a lot, & eats cool food. Often there is is drunkenness & there is the occasional oblilgatory inspired by the producers moment of Eat-This-Weird-Thing-While-We-Film-You-It'll-Be-Great-Remember-We're-Paying.
   
   I like that Bourdain gets that great food doesn't all happen at 5-star restaurants. It can, but it doesn't happen only there. Great food also happens at people's houses, from street vendors, down at the local. It was fun to read about his meal at The French Laundry, but I'm not dropping $400-$500 on a meal anytime soon & I much more enjoyed his writing about his adventures in Mexico with the families of some of his cooks from his New York restaurant.
   
   All in all I think that this kind of thing works better as a TV series. Ultimately with travel I want to actually see the place, the food, the people. What works as voiceover makes for okay reading, but just okay.



4. "A Cook's Tour" by the wonderfully worldly and well-traveled Anthony Bourdain, is a book about food like no other, and it is simultaneously entertaining, exciting, and revolting. Tony travels the world in search of the perfect meal; it's an exciting quest for any chef to ponder, but along the way he comes across numerous local delicacies that can be best described as only for the strong of heart.
   
   Although he encounters several problems with dishes from around the world (the Mexican sautéed ant eggs and Scottish deep-fried haggis with curry sauce and deep fried egg stand out), the most stunning for my money are the things he eats in Asia, and especially Vietnam. I for one would not be able to eat the traditional Vietnamese breakfast of soft-boiled duck embryo complete with feathers, followed by a steaming bowl of "chao muk", a hearty soup made from ginger, sprouts, cilantro, shrimp, squid, chives, pork-blood cake, and croutons; later Tony enjoyed some braised bat ("imagine braised inner tube, sauced with engine coolant"). Even worse than that, though, is the concept of eating a still-beating cobra heart, after a very special snake disemboweling ceremony.
   
   While Vietnam takes the proverbial cake, the book features other gastronomic nightmares from around the globe, with Japan coming in second in the contest for unusual and disturbing foodstuffs. The foodie tour of Japan started out benignly enough, with an appetizer of "amuse-gueule of hoshigaka goma-an" (dried persimmon and fried soy curd with sesame paste), but quickly progressed to things like "suppon-dofu" (a soft-shell turtle in egg pudding with green onion and turtle broth), and culminated in the classic and beloved Japanese delicacy, "natto", which Bourdain describes as "an unbelievably foul, rank, slimy, glutinous, and stringy goop of fermented soybeans". After the natto, Bourdain finished with a dish described as "mountain potato": of this he said, "I could only handle a single taste. To this day, I have no idea what it really was.... The small, dark, chewy nugget can only be described as tasting like salt-cured, sun-dried goat rectum".
   
   Throughout the book, Bourdain maintains his wry, sarcastic sense of humor, possibly as a survival tool to get him through his next meal. He mocks a vegan potluck dinner as the "real heart of darkness", discusses fabled and exotic foods such as the unbelievably rank durian fruit, and always manages to do it while being respectful of local traditions and cultures very different from his existence in New York City. This is a great book for anyone interested in foods and cultures of the world, and I recommend it highly!



5. I'm a huge Bourdain fan. Kitchen Confidential is one of my favorite books of all time. His initial foray into TV on the Food Network was ok at best. This book reveals some of why that was the case, giving insights into the tv production process here and there.
   
   However, what I love about this book is that it has a soul and is revealing and emotional in ways that Food Network probably wasn't interested in. This book is much more akin to what No Reservations has become - a show about exploring food and foreign cultures and being open to learning and experiencing new things in the world.
   
   This book is at times moving (the chapter in France - if you've lost a parent, you'll feel the same way) funny and always interesting. A great read, which I've returned to many times over the years.

4 comments about Raw Energy: 124 Raw Food Recipes for Energy Bars, Smoothies, and Other Snacks to Supercharge Your Body.

1. I'm very impressed with Raw Energy. I've been looking for ways to add more raw food to my diet, but not necessarily at dinner. And I don't have time, nor the organization, for raw food cookbooks that make you start an entree 3-5 days ahead of time to sprout, soak and dehydrate the creation. This book focuses on snacks.
   
   I like that most recipes use ingredients I already have around the house. There are a few with more exotic ingredients like spirulina powder, but these are easy to skip over if you don't wish to buy the ingredient. Each recipe is fairly simple and straight forward. Most use a blender or food processor, a few use a dehydrator (but if you're into raw food, you probably already have these anyhow). There are lots of recipes that omit frequently allergic ingredients such as dairy, egg or gluten so I can make snacks for my friend with food allergies.
   
   I just made Cashew Maple Oatmeal Squares and they taste just like an out-of-the-oven oatmeal cookie, but cold. There's also recipes for breakfast cereals, "milk"shakes and smoothies, dips, trail mixes and lots of desserts.
   
   This book is going to be getting a lot of use at my house.



2. Great book for snackers. Lots of good ingredient information. The recipes are simple enough for beginners and really delicious. It was good to have some recipes that didn't require special equiptment. The Pecan Pick-Me-Up Bites are especially good!



3. Heavy on idealism, light on research, yet loaded with fresh fruits and nuts, //Raw Energy// is what the author calls an "uncook" book. The raw food movement has seen mounting popularity, particularly in trendy diet fads that swear by its health benefits. //Raw Energy// is no exception.
   
   Author and licensed holistic esthetician Stephanie Tourles claims, "Unlike animals in the wild, which live their entire lives on raw foods, man attempts to build healthy cells out of primarily deficient, dead foods that are lacking in enzymes..."(18). Unfortunately, Tourles doesn't offer much evidence to back her claims, and her suggested reading list doesn't provide any references more recent than 2007. So, don't read the book for its scientific strengths.
   
   Yet, the recipes found in //Raw Energy// are certainly appealing. You'll find lots of date, nut, and fruit ingredients. Unlike other raw cookbooks which attempt crackers, breads, and even entrees, //Raw Energy// provides only snacks. Expect plenty of smoothies, cold soups, salsas, and juices.
   
   Some of Tourles's better ideas include Fabulous Coco-Walnut Fudgy Brownies made with dates and raw cocoa powder; Autumn Glow Persimmon Pudding Parfait using pureed persimmons; and Banana-Chocolate Chip Frozen Fruit Cream using frozen bananas.
   
   Reviewed by Amber K. Stott



4. I have been researching and eating Raw Foods for almost two years now and this is one of the best books I have found yet! Simple, easy, normal ingredients and so fun! Definately worth it!

5 comments about How to Boil Water.

1. I am neurotic and am often anxious when cooking different things for fear of not following the directions accurately. I know I need to work on this and realize that unless baking recipes don't need to be followed exactly. That being said this book is very helpful to me. I have made many recipes in it and found them all to be pretty easy. My only complaint is that the binding is falling apart and some of the pages are falling out.



2. The title of this cookbook made me laugh, and its awesome recipes have had me coming back to it almost daily! This book is fun, colorful and extremely helpful. The recipes are AWESOME and I've already entertained using them (with many compliments I might add). There are recipes for everything from pesto pasta to awesome breakfast smoothies (I'm actually drinking one right now.) If you are beginner-ish you will love this! And if you're a pro you will still love the helpful hints and delicious recipes. I feel like if I can master this book then I can officially call myself a cook.



3. This was purchased as a gift for my post-college niece who had requested a cookbook for someone who was cooking-challenged. This book fit the bill! Everything about this cookbook was done well, especially the pictures and instructions. Nice hardback cover and quality paper was used. I wouldn't mind having one for myself (and I've been cooking for over 40 years)



4. I bought this cookbook in order to help teach my son how to cook and give him something to take with him when he leaves the house. We used it for just a couple months and pages just fell out. We have to carry it around carefully in order to stop whole sections from falling out when you walk from the shelf to the table (for example). I thought my son was just mistreating the book, but since I bought 4 or 5 other cookbooks at the same time and none of them have had the same problem, I have to believe it's a binding issue with this one.
   
   The content is really good though. I love the way things are broken down and all the pictures that go with the recipes. This is an excellent book for a beginning cook - I just wish they would have done a better job on the binding.



5. Very good and easy to follow step by step directions for a first time cook. Great pictures on cooking basics.
   The tofu sesame is out of this world yummy!!!!

5 comments about The Scout's Outdoor Cookbook (Falcon Guide).

1. A super resource for planning an outing using Dutch Ovens or Cast Iron Cookware. Simple easy to follow steps.



2. I bought this book for the dutch oven recipes and I really like that it told me (a novice dutch oven cook) specific steps, including how many coals to use. I've made the basic bread recipe twice and it is fantastic! Made me feel pretty good to be successful with a recipe rated "moderate"!



3. If you search out my reviews you will see that I have written up opinions on more than a dozen outdoor cookbooks. Cooking around an open fire, especially one pot dinners, has been a life long passion of mine. Some of the best meals I will ever come to remember have been created over an open fire on a hike or camping trip in years past. It has been my experience that most campfire cookbooks are all about a writers style. That is, a presumption from the author of just how much true pioneer spirit you posses. Most have pretty much the same recipes, give a teaspoon of this and a dash of something or other of that. The true diversity comes in the writing style. The best books lie somewhere between an author assuming you have never step foot in the savage wilderness with a pot and utensils in hand, and one that assumes we are all descendants of Daniel Boone. The Scouts Cookbook is one that balances both those extremes very well, as well as one I have owned and enjoyed for quite some time. It has always been one of my favorites for it is very elementary in its description, tips, common sense, and above all, possessing a wealth of very clear and in most cases truly delicious recipes of all kinds. Even though I consider myself well past the need to read the basics of campfire cooking 101 included in this book, I still enjoy browsing it anyway on occasion. I just happen to find the authors common sense so easy and entertaining to read and digest that I have come to enjoy it often. The actual recipes in this book are both very easy to follow and diverse. Everything from a wealth of one pot dinners, to campfire pizza and apple squares. And the other things that other reviewers here have mentioned, like the number of coals to use and the distance over the fire to consider with certain recipes are correct in their being numerous and helpful. Whether you are a true novice as to the outdoor culinary arts, or are such a true master that you own a custom made tool belt for your cooking performance, I consider this book to be one of the best outdoor cookbooks I own. I highly recommend it to all...



4. I am an amature dutch oven person.
   I have looked at a lot of the reciepes in this book and can hardly wait for winter to be over so I can get started. My nephew will be 11 years old in February and he loves to help me dutch oven. He is in the Scouts. He has been looking thru the book. I decided that I am going to let him pick out several of the receipes and let him be in charge of making them this year.



5. Being new at Dutch Oven cooking, this cookbook has some practical recipes that are easy for the beginner. Lots of helps for the novice and more recipes for the experienced!

5 comments about The Beer Book.

1. I bought this book for my boyfriend, who is a growing beer fanatic, and he absolutely loves it. I am a huge fan of DK's encyclopedias, and this book lives up to my standards for them. It has enough pictures to keep him (and me, a non-beer drinker) interested, as well as enough information about the beers so that he can find them to buy when he wants. A great reference for beer drinkers looking to expand their "repetoire".



2. This is a beautifully designed, comprehensive guide to the world's greatest drink.
   
   There are many reviews here that can offer detailed insight into this book, so I won't repeat. I can simply confirm that it's the best beer manual out there. It's a beautiful book done to very high standards, unlike some other beer books out there.



3. I got this book for my birthday last year and it's absolutely the best light reading beer book out there. Very fun book that you can look at and read again and again, and never get bored with it. Excellent pictures and paper quality. Love it.



4. This book is amazing. It features hundreds of beers, categorized by country and brewery. Great descriptions, full color photos of the labels. It is interspersed with other great beer facts, details of the ingredients, how brewing is done, etc.
   
   This is a must for anyone who enjoys beers and wants to try as many different ones as they can. There are several pages at the back for your own notes, but I'm going to get a pad of post-it notes and sticky them as I go.
   
   Buy it!



5. This guide has more than just a listing of breweries by country and geographical areas: it has guides on what glassware to use, vignettes on famous breweries, beer tour guides, guides to beer styles, beer and food pairings, etc. Although craft beer is the major focus, the book does not slam major breweries as the collaborators do not want to turn away readers. This helps get more into craft beer! Some breweries have four featured beers and others have two which kind of shows which craft breweries the authors really dig. (or were there space considerations?) Beer geeks will be happy to see craft breweries like 3 Floyds, Russian River, Nogne, Mikkeller, Troegs, Portsmouth, Alesmith, Descutes and others are listed among the hundreds of breweries featured. There is a section in the back for tasting notes. But the book seems more like a coffee table fixture than one I'd carry to the stores, tastings or beer events. The illustrations are bright, vivid, and easy to peruse.
   I have to hen peck to list small changes I see needed: put Paulaner in section of German breweries, take Ireland out of "British Isles," add Dark Star to the list of UK breweries, and keep cranking out this book every few years!

5 comments about Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals: What to Keep on Hand, What to Buy Fresh for the Easiest-Ever 30-Minute Meals.

1. Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals is geared toward young people with limited incomes, and limited pantry/refrigerator space. It's all about ease, with some emphasis on health.
   
   As usual, Ray's Express Lane meals isn't truth in advertising. She goes for expensive and hard-to-find ingredients. She also makes complicated and unpalatable combinations. Soup mix cookbooks are easier and more budget-friendly in comparison.



2. Rachael is my girl. But I often question how she keeps all the stuff she needs in her kitchen. Don't get me wrong, I know she has a TV kitchen with dozens of assistants but what does she have at the house? Well, this cookbook answers all of those crazy questions.
   
   Question #1: How do you shop like a super star cook?
   Always look at the unit price
   Shop when items are on sale and stock up then
   Time is money so know your worth
   Do a little at a time
   Keep everything ready to cook
   
   Question #2: What do you need to keep on hand?
   There are certain basics you should keep. This book provides a cheat sheet in the back of the book. Things for the spice rack, fridge, freezer, kitchen, wine rack and cabinet.
   
   Question #3: How do the dishes look when plated?
   There are only five pages of glossy colorful finished dishes.
   
   Question #4: What do I cook when I'm so sleepy, you can't think straight?
   There are 27 recipes to choose from...that's nearly an entire month.
   
   Question #5: I'm not real tired but I still don't know what to do for dinner?
   There are over 50 recipes that have some chopping, more steps but low stress. You can choose from those on these types of nights.
   
   Question #6: I need to prepare something extra special for unexpected guests but I will have in less than an hour and I still need to get showered and dresses. What do I do?
   22 recipes will help you win over the boss's wife and make a good impression with the in-laws.
   
   Rachael has laid it all out - shopping list, delicious meals and great tidbits then dinners done, all in 30 minutes. Rachael's wit and style will make you smile while those yum-o meals will make your belly full. Finally a cookbook done right!
   
   Deltareviewer
   Reviewing for Real Page Turners



3. I just started making one of the recipes in this book, its now 50 minutes later, the meal is done, I've eaten, it was delicious and all thats left are the dishes!
   If you cook, you will have many of the products in your pantry and fridge that are listed in the beginning of the book to have on hand. Some items you will need to pick up (for me for this meal - Rachel's cupboard spaghetti with clam sauce - it was anchovies and whole baby clams).
   The portions are large (I had enought for 5-6 people to eat) but hey the leftovers help towards the next busy night's meal. Overall the recipes are easy to follow for a seasoned cook, easy to make, and very tasty. She even makes it easy for beginners - instead of measuring out the tablespoons of olive oil, she suggested "three swirls around the pan".
   If you're a beginning cook, you may not find the recipes all that easy, but just follow the directions to success.
   This is my first Rachel Ray cookbook and I plan to buy more.



4. The concept of this book is a good one, but RR uses too many expensive ingredients. I think she forgets that we aren't all millionaires like she is.



5. I actually got this cookbook for free with some wheat thin proofs of purchase, so I wasn't expecting much, but of all my cookbooks (including other Rachael Ray cookbooks), I use this one the most. I don't really like to cook, but I love to eat, so I love that these recipes are not too fussy. On average, it takes me about 40 minutes to do a 30 minute meal. My three favorite things about this cookbook: 1) The food tastes great, 2) Portion sizes are HUGE (expect to eat heartily and have leftovers). Nothing frustrates me like when I plan to cook for guests, a recipe says "serves 6" and there is barely enough food for 4. And 3) Because of the limited number of ingredients, these recipes are super-cheap to make. The other night, I made Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage with a Ricotta Surprise which claims to serve 4. I served 4 adults plus 2 kids. We all ate until we were satisfied, I had enough leftover for 2 of us to have lunch the next day and the whole meal cost me about $20 to make (including a bottle of wine and a baguette).

5 comments about BakeWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking with Over 200 Magnificent Recipes.

1. I bought this book for a project for school and got much more. This book gives you the insight on what might have happened to the a product if something went wrong and how to fix it. and has great recipes.



2. When you can have all (or as much as you can take, anyway) the instruction right here, for $27 (or howevermuch Amazon is charging).
   
   Things to love:
   
   *) the organization. Lesson, recap, demonstrative recipe(s), debriefing.
   *) explanation. You won't find better. In so far as baking is an art and science, you need to know how it works to be good at it. How the ingredients interact, how they do what they do. Then you can call yourself a baker.
   *) the recipes. Third in importance, and OK, I haven't even tried half of them. But I've bowled people over with a few I've tried. Not your average, "hey, this is good" bowling over, either. I'm talking eye-popping reactions.
   
   Someone was complaining in a review that this isn't really a traditional cookbook, by which they mean a recipe book. No, it's not. This is a manual, a schoolbook. You sit down with this book, and read, and underline, and memorize, and reread, and reread. Because it's here to teach you. This book is offering you secrets, not paint by number. But if you're teetering about buying, think about what kind of baker you are: alchemist or follow-the-instructions? This book is for the former.
   
   ONE word of caveat: when Shirley refers to her "severe sweet tooth" she is NOT KIDDING. That is, to me, the one big flaw in this book. The sugar amounts are not for mortal men. I cut the sugar in almost every recipe. But, thankfully, because of what I've learned in this book, I'm not afraid to do that.



3. I bought this book for my husband. He is planning on attending culinary school and becoming a pastry chef. So one of the first things that he made was the Chocolate Pie with Italian Meringue. The crust came out terrible, and did not match the picture that was in the book. The picture in the book clearly shows a graham cracker crust that is pressed into a springform pan. The recipe that he followed calls for a plain pie crust with graham crackers pressed into the surface. This made a very dry salty extremely unappetizing crust. So we gave it another go with the Whipped Cream Pound Cake. It was good but I have tasted better. I did like the baking science but the techniques seem lengthy and a waste of time. I have not read Cookwise but I hope that it's not like this book.



4. I heard lots of positive commnents regarding this book but it has surpassed my expectations. "Whys and hows" aspect of this book is a valuable asset for those who want to go into details of baking. It helps you in moving toward the directions you wish to head in baking cakes.. Those who like baking won't afford to miss it



5. This is a great book for those who want to understand the science behind baking. I learned a lot from reading this book and was able to apply what I learned into my baking. The reason why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because the book is rather repetitive.