5 comments about More From Magnolia: Recipes from the World Famous Bakery and Allysa Torey's Home Kitchen.

1. This is well written book about old fashion dessert recipes, the hints and tips are great if you have just started baking.
   
   I gave it four stars just for the fact that it doesn't have pictures to go along with the recipes, it only has a few pictures in the center.
   
   So far i baked the following:
   
   -Vanilla cupcakes > they are wounderful
   -Chocolate cupcakes > light and yummy
   -Hello dolly bars > maybe it was me but i didn't like them at all
   -Blondies with white and dark chocolate and walnuts > really liked them
   -Peanut butter chocolate chip pecan cookies > great
   -Black bottom cupcakes > so and so
   -Apple cake with butterscotch cream cheese frosting > the best
   
   I also made the white chocolate buttercream frosting and it was nice but what i really liked was the dark chocolate buttercream icing specially on the the vanilla cupcakes.
   
   overall a really good book.



2. I have never been to the Magnolia bakery, though it sounds wonderful. The cookbook is very good, easy to follow and has many helpful tips. I like that many of the recipes are traditional and old fashioned......fewer expensive and unusual ingredients. Most of these are easy to make and fine to make with kids.
   Especially nice is the chocolate Buttercream and the seven-minute icing. The blueberry pie is quite good (we made six of them at Thanksgiving). The Devil's food cake was a little heavy and not very sweet, but the devil's food cupcakes were better.



3. I've tried the red velvet cake (made them into cupcakes to fill that craving) with the cream cheese frosting. These were fabulous! I keep the frosting in a bag in the refrigerator and eat them when I have the urge. (I keep the cupcakes in the freezer and defrost when the craving strikes.) They are very light and fluffy and were the best "from scratch" cake I've had.
   
   I just baked this morning the vanilla vanilla cupcakes with signature frosting and, after just moments ago tasting one, was disappointed. It turned out dense and with a strange subtle taste to them that I suspect was imparted by the self-rising flour. I've never used self-rising flour and was shocked to find salt among the many ingredients in the flour. The cupcakes just tasted a little funny, and even a tad salty despite my using less than the recipe called for (again, maybe the flour??). The frosting was a little sweet for me. Perhaps adding some cream instead of all milk would have mellowed it a tad. I usually make my frostings with some cream for consistency and taste.
   
   I read the cautionary reviews that these turn out great for baking novices and disappointing for those with lots of baking experience. I'm an avid baker, and so this was unfortunately a correct predictor in my case. I'll keep trying the others, but will continue to hunt for another recipe.



4. I loved almost every recipe in this book. Just what I was looking for, tasty "comfort food" desserts. Easy recipes and helpful hints. The photos looked good enough to eat! The preface was even well worth reading. It gave me a down home, flash back to my childhood. I highly recommend it.



5. 1 - the easy Blueberry pie recipe
   2 - the easy cupcakes recipes (duh)
   3 - the easy instructions/explanations

5 comments about The 1200-Calorie-a-Day Menu Cookbook : Quick and Easy Recipes for Delicious Low-fat Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners, and Desserts.

1. I love this cookbook. I've been using it for about a month and so far we've liked every recipe. Usually recipes in diet cookbooks are so boring. I like that you can pick any breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert and still get 1200 calories without thinking about it.



2. I like the format of this cookbook, but I haven't gotten to try any of the recipes. I'm looking for simple recipes to use what I have on hand at the moment. It's layout is very well thought out and it's easy to understand the nutritional data.



3. This book has a lot of great tasting recipes. My family and I prepared a couple of recipes so far, and it's great because it doesn't feel like you're on a diet. In addition, the great tasting food provides a great meal for others who don't know that they're getting a low calorie meal. I love the varied selection from breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. The only drawback is that all the meals are prepared for a serving of four...a lot of leftovers if you're by yourself!



4. I guess it is my own fault for not investigating the actual recipes in the book, but I thought there would be standard "diet" food fare utilized in a 1,200 calorie a day format. Not so much. The book DOES deliver 1,200 calorie a day recipes it's just that none of them seem appetizing or practical. I perused it and quickly relegated it to my yard sale box of books. I mean how practical is "Wild Rice-Sausage Chowder and Fresh Tomato Slices"? There are 16 ingredients listed! Someone who can whip up a 16 ingredient dish doesn't need help putting together a 1,200 calorie day. Here is one that looks inviting..."Individual fruit platters with hot popovers" Oh wait, I don't want to whip up popovers! I wanted something to help me get OUT of the kitchen and grocery store. Sort of like a do-it-yourself Jenny Craig plan. If anyone knows of such a thing, please post it for me.



5. Great recipes! But a little strange- alot of the recipes use the butter seasoning: Molly McButter- I am not even sure what that stuff is made out of. The Open-faced Turkey Meatball Sandwich recipe is incredible!!! Tasted just like the greasy ground beef version! Yum. I am excited to try more-especially the breakfast menu items. GREAT BOOK!!

2 comments about The Modern Baker: Time-Saving Techniques for Breads, Tarts, Pies, Cakes and Cookies.

1. This book is full of wonderful recipes. All his books have great recipes.
   
   Since my house is not air conditioned I do not bake in the summer. I have marked a number of recipes in the book "to try". And, no that fall is here I will work my way through the list.



2. I'm a bit of a cookbook geek with over 300 in my collection. I have purchased several of Nick Malgieri's books through the years. I have to say that "The Mondern Baker" is by far his best yet. It seems like the book he was meant to write. As with all his books, the instructions are clear and the recipes well tested to make sure they work every time in the home kitchen. What sets this book apart from his other works and most other baking books on the market is the wide range of recipes. They really do resonate with the modern cook. I highly recommend this book and I hope more people will give it a try.

5 comments about The Gluten-Free Vegan: 150 Delicious Gluten-Free, Animal-Free Recipes.

1. I first checked this book out of the library, but it contained so many recipes that my family enjoyed that I decided to buy it! The granola recipe is absolutely fantastic! It (and the desserts) contain more sweetener than I normally use, but I adjust to my preference. A must have if you're vegan and gf; definitely worth it even if you're not! :)



2. This vegan and gluten free cookbook is straightforward, uncluttered and pretty informative about eating gluten free and vegan. The recipes are reasonably easy to accomplish, and the listed resources are quite helpful. I will use this cookbook as a base upon which to build some meals, in that I am augmenting her ingredients with spices and herbs, as any good cook will do.



3. I'm not a vegan, but I have food intolerances to a number of foods that vegans would not eat as well as to gluten, and I have a family history of diabetes. This author makes use of brown rice syrup and agave nectar as the primary sweeteners. She uses bean flours and sorghum rather than the usual potato starch and corn meal that so many gluten-free recipes use, which is great for me since I can't ingest corn or potato either. She has great recipes for everything from quinoa salad to chocolate chip cookies, and the HOLY GRAIL of gluten-free recipes, a yeast-free pizza crust recipe that is very, very good. Anyone who struggles with gluten intolerance in addition to other food restrictions should take a look at this book. It might be just the ticket you've been looking for.



4. I am a Gluten-Free Vegan. There was not one recipe I wanted to make out of this book. Nothing appealed to me at all. I did make the pie crust because I thought I had to get my money out of it. It didn't work at all and I followed the recipe exactly. Don't waste your money. Use the Internet and your own common sense for recipes. I have plenty of cookbooks I would recommend to be a gluten-free vegan - but this is NOT it.



5. The Gluten-Free Vegan dishes up more than it's fair share of healthy, fast and tasty recipes that will keep any carnivore satisfied! The front of the book talks briefly about alternative flours (watch that liquid content!) and grains available to gluten-free diet followers. The recipe section is divided into Appetizers, Soups, Salads, Vegetable & Side Dishes, Main Dishes, Breakfast, a Bread section, Desserts, Beverages and Sauces & Condiments.
   There are several recipes in this book that I have adapted to use easily on a regular basis. I do agree with other reviewers that the ingredient list can be a little burdensome at times, especially when you're on a budget.
   I thoroughly enjoyed this book and feel that it brings great ideas and options to any gluten-free kitchen trying to eat a little healthier, vegan or not!
   Enjoy!

5 comments about Eat, Drink & Be Vegan: Great Vegan Food for Special and Everyday Celebrations.

1. I own several vegan cookbooks and like many of them. But what sets this one apart is the overall consistent deliciousness of the meals, as well as great suggestions for what dishes to serve alongside each other to make a complete meal.



2. Not the most extensive review but I wanted to add my 5 stars to this book's review. I made the Sweet & Sour Chipolte Tempeh with Sweet Potatoes tonight and it was amazing! I have all of Dreena's books and have found many additions for The Rotation though that rotation is getting pretty wide... :o) Thanks Dreena for all your delicious recipes and thoughtful insights. Best from NC!



3. Since our family has egg, milk and other food allergies, we have searched for a very long time for a cookbook of this caliber. Although we are not vegan, we were thrilled to see the many recipes that would allow us a wide
   variety of yummy foods without knocking ourselves silly to find the ingredients!
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone who is searching for TRULY healthy recipes and/or who wants to cook & bake without using eggs!
   
   
   Joyce S.



4. This is my go-to cookbook when I want something I know I will enjoy. I feel like this book was meant just for me. This book uses limited wheat, refined sweetners and plenty of sweet potatoes, tempeh, quickpeas, chocolate - all my favorite foods wrapped in a cute, colorful and modern looking little book. I have never made anything I didn't enjoy from this book but here are my favorites with recommendations:
   
   Hemp-anola: This is way better and healthier than any granola you could buy at Whole Foods. I use quinoa flakes instead of barley flakes and a little extra blackstrap molasses and leave the nuts out (I feel like the hemp seed nuts are a lot) and serve with lots of blueberries or bananas and vanilla hemp or soymilk!
   
   Kids Dynamo Hummus: I'm 20 but the title appealed to me. The addition of cashews really adds creamyness. My only recommendation is to add more garlic. I also use Vega oil instead of flax oil.
   
   Balsamic Maple Sauce & Back to Basics Balsamic Vinaigrette: Dreena knows her balsamic vinegar. I use these all the time. I recommend using maple syrup with the dressing and I use extra virgin olive oil.
   
   Thick n Rich Gravy: This is just delicious. Its a cross between gravy and a "cheezy" sauce. I add a little extra nutritional yeast and use sweet white miso. My only problem is the thickness doesn't hold when I added it to hot pasta. It worked better the next day after refridgerating and drizzling over tofu and rice.
   
   Beats a BLT Sandwich!: My favorite sandwich. Period. I use basil, veganaise, romaine and big slices of Whole Wheat.
   
   Sweet & Sour Chipotle Tempeh with Sweet Potatoes: I love how healthy this sweet and sour sauce is. Sweet potatoes and tempeh go well together and it tastes even better cold the next day.
   
   Seared Portobello Mushrooms: Basic but really impressive. Its worth using a little extra oil (I fry in coconut oil)
   
   Chocolate Pumpkin Pie: 2 of my favorites foods combined and so easy to make. It might be a little spicy or "different" tasting for some.
   
   "Nicer" Krispie Squares: You could shock someone with the ingredients of these but they taste so authentic. Macadamia nut butter and agar powder (seaweed)?!
   
   Super-Charge Me! Cookies: No sugar, healthy, easy to mix-and match ingredients.
   
   I also make the Acai Antioxidant & Drink Your Greens Smoothie (tastes way better than it sounds trust me) often.
   
   I'm really thankful for books like these that make being vegan that much easier.



5. I received ED&BV for my birthday last month. It wasn't even on my wish list but it caught my stepdaughter's attention and I'm thrilled that it did! I've made about 7 or 8 of the recipes so far and they've all ranged from "Huh, that's pretty darn good" to "HOLY SMOKES! That's the most insanely delicious thing I've ever tasted!!!" (If you want an example of the latter, make the Rawesome Dip. It will blow your mind. You've been warned.) A BIG bonus for me: I also got an immersion blender for my birthday, and ED&BV provides a ton of opportunities for me to use it.
   
   Pros:
   --The notes in the margin are extremely helpful and detailed, and offer great ideas for variations, serving suggestions, etc.
   --The recipes are all user-friendly enough for a less-experienced home cook
   --A lot of the recipes will freeze and reheat well, which is great for moms who work full-time or anyone who's just short on time
   --Many of the recipes are downright surprising (Cocoa Coconut Chili??? Yes. Really.) and genuinely unique, which is fun for any cookbook junkie who's gotten to the "Been there, cooked that" stage. Flipping through the pages of ED&BV, I lost track of the number of times I thought "Wow, I've never seen anything quite like that before ..."
   
   Cons:
   --No nutritional info.
   --A significant amount of obscure ingredients that you will probably only find in specialty ethnic shops. I already had fenugreek seeds in my pantry, but that's only because I'm lucky enough to have an Indian grocery store near my job. But neither my favorite well-stocked supermarket nor the local health food store carries these. (There are other authors, however, who are far worse in this regard.)
   --Poor index. If you look up "chickpeas," for example, you'll get a list of the page numbers where chickpea recipes can be found, but not a list of the specific recipe names and their page numbers.
   
   Overall, a definite must-have for anybody who loves veg or vegan cooking, or even an adventurous non-veg who just wants ideas for easy-to-make dishes that are as delicious as they are different. I am extremely impressed with this book, and I'm putting Dreena Burton's other books at the very top of my wish list right away.

5 comments about The Cook's Country Cookbook: Regional and Heirloom Favorites Tested and Reimagined for Today's Home Cooks.

1. For those of you who know me or have followed my reviews you know that I review a lot of cookbooks, that I spend a good part of my time each year living on a sailboat in the Caribbean, that I love to cook, that I consider myself somewhat of a gourmet chef. If you've looked at my Amazon "So You'd Like to Guides" you know that I like to post some of my favorite recipes. So when I got the chance to get and review this book, I leapt at it.
   
   I've got quite a collection of cookbooks and a lot of them, like this one, are pretty hefty tomes, but this outweighs most of them. And unlike a lot of them, there are now pretty color pictures of completed and delicious meals. Okay, I've been doing this for a long time, I don't need a picture, I can almost see the finished product, by just looking at the recipe. But I think there are those out there who would like shiny, color photos.
   
   In the intro on the inside dust jacket flap you learn that the Cook's Country people have done a lot of detective work, searching out and finding blue ribbon recipes from America's country kitchens past and present. These recipes have been lovingly preserved and updated, cooked and recooked in their kitchens till they are mouth wateringly, tasty good. Over five hundred country recipes.
   
   So, did they achieve their task? Are these recipes that good? It'll take several years of cooking and eating to find that out for sure, but to run a test I skimmed through the book, settled on the Turkey Tetrazzini on page 262 and cooked it up for hubby Dub and friends. Wowie, was it ever good. We don't eat a lot of beef, hardly any at all, so when we do it's gotta be gooood! I did the Sunday-Best Garlic Roast Beef and son of a gun if it wasn't as good, maybe even better, than my Spanish mama's and she really loves her garlic.
   
   But the real test for me for a book like this is how are the shrimp and fish recipes. The Shrimp Jambalaya on page 393 was as good as anything I've had in New Orleans and I've had it there a lot. The Crab Imperial on the next page is smoking good too. I would have like to see more seafood recipes as Dub and I are big fish eaters (not big people, but big on seafood), but you can't have everything. That's about it as far as the recipes I've tried, but from the results, I'll be cooking up more.
   
   Did I say it's heavy, it is, so it can't come to the boat, because Dub and I have a very simple rule, you can bring on whatever you want, but you have to take off something of equal size and weight and I sure don't want to jettison my scuba tank. Still, I've already typed quite a few of the recipes into my aging iBook (PowerBook died). Because I sure love to cook at sea and I'll be cooking up recipes out of this book for some time to come.
   
   Review submitted by Captain Katie Osborne



2. Anyone who knows the America's test kitchen gang knows they are tireless in pursuit of excellence. This book does not disappoint. Less home cooked comfort and more regional small restaurant or diner food, but a solid collection. As always, there are the over the top lists of procedures they tried in the test Kitchens, and recommendations. For this reason I would not consider this book for a beginning cook, there is simply too much to worry about for some of the more complex dishes.
   
   But for a solid overview of regianl American cooking, this book delivers.



3. If you are a cook that likes cookbooks, or you are looking for a present for a person that likes to cook, then look no further as you have found the ultimate cookbook!
   This cookbook not only had recipes (like every other cookbook on the planet), but had the most interesting commentary's for each recipe. How they developed the recipe, why they changed the original recipe, what the results of each attempt was, and eventually the final result. This was as interesting as the recipes themselves!
   The only downside of this cookbook was the sparseness of color pictures of the food. Now this did not bother me in the least as I am interested n the recipes, the reasons behind each recipe. But if pictures are your thing, then this may not be the cookbook for you.



4. If you are searching for fancy-schmancy, this will not be the book for you. However, if you are looking for a cookbook that covers the basics of comfort cooking with good pictures of finished recipes and "how-to" pictures with text this is an excellent cookbook for the beginner and beyond.
   
   America's Test kitchen goes through many variations of a recipe in order to get to the one that they believe is the best of the best, and that is what they bring to you in this book. I tried the beer bread and used the smoked gouda cheese variation (sans the bacon, but that would have been good too). The bread came out great and I liked the explanation before the recipe of some of the other variations that they tried before coming to the final recipe-why they suggest a lighter beer, how much butter they thought should be used and why it seemed to work better.
   
   As you thumb through the book there are old favorites, chicken soup, macaroni and cheese, snickerdoodles, red velvet cake and regional cooking from the South etc.
   
   I think this cookbook will make a great addition to my kitchen library that I will turn to again and again for their clear, concise instruction and reliable recipes.
   
   This would be a nice cookbook for a beginner to have as many of the recipes are basic and the instruction on technique is very good.
   It would also make a nice gift for a newlywed, along with some of the kitchen basics.



5. I am a big fan of the Cooks Illustrated franchise, I enjoy reading the work that goes into each recipe and have several of their cookbooks. This one left me luke-warm.
   
   The font size in TINY, not good for trying to read without your face 10 inches from the book.
   
   The recipes didn't really stand out, too simple and common to be any better than whipping something up yourself on the fly.
   
   Photos were not next to the corresponding recipes; why why why is it that cookbooks still have the grouping of photos instead of having them with the recipes? The printing costs of color are not what they used to be and I would expect a cookbook to take advantage of this for the sake of the cook and to ensure success of the dishes. Charge a couple bucks more and have the photos with the recipes!
   
   Nothing in the book has prompted me to go out and shop for it yet, I am too busy going through one of their other books that is much better!

5 comments about Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments.

1. This is the best ice cream book i have ever read. I have enjoyed making the different kinds of "ice cream". Lots of information to help understand the ingredients.



2. This is an awesome book of recipes for ice creams, sorbets, sherberts, granitas and misc. other things that have to do with ice cream. It is a well put together collection and the author's writing style is not only interesting but downright fun...almost as fun as tasting the finished melting masterpeices that he describes. This book gives you all the essentials, the basic must-have ice cream recipes and then it goes on to include recipes that are imaginative and sound absolutely sinful. I really like that most of the recipes don't require ingredients that are hard to find or never heard of. I also like that the author tells you when to use specific high quality ingredients that make a difference in the end product and that are actually worth your time and money to use. These recipes are simple yet elegantly luscious. This book has expanded not only my waistline but also how I think about the possibilities of frozen confections.



3. Granted, ice cream recipes are all variations on a certain theme... but Dave Lebovitz has taken the trial-and-error out of figuring which variation makes the perfect chocolate ice cream, and which is good for fruit sorbet. I've tried 7 recipes from this book so far, and all of them have come out brilliantly. Buy it!



4. If you love to make ice-cream and enjoy all kinds of unique flavors then this book is for you!!! I've made so many different flavors and each turns out like magic!!! Never store bought ice-cream again!!! Love this book!



5. I decided to purchase this cookbook after buying a new ice cream machine. After reading the reviews I thought to give it a try. This is a great source for everything related to making your own frozen desserts. The additional sections on toppings etc. was a great bonus. KC

5 comments about 15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes: Instant Recipes for Dinners, Desserts, and More.

1. I love this cookbook. The title is not misleading: recipes are really ready that fast. And who knew cauliflower could be so tasty? If you are trying to maintain low carb eating, these recipes are a delight. There is great variety and they're delicious. There were a couple of odd ball ingredients in a few recipes, but those were surprisingly quite easy to find in my local grocery store once I knew to look for them. This book makes it nearly effortless to cook low carb and keep meals interesting. After years of devotion to Cooking Light (which I still like) this is my new go-to book for meals.



2. I purchased this book at COSTCO for very cheap. I've been on the lowcarb lifestyle off and on.
   
   The recipes are 15 minutes start to finish and taste great. I am considered a very good cook by friends and family and have been impressed with the wide range of flavors. Other reviews of "very hard to find ingredients" is just not true. This has become our go-to recipe book for the week when we come home from work.
   
   Favorite recipes:
   
   Easy Mexican Chicken
   Microwaved Fish and Asparagus with Terragon Mustard
   Sweet and Sour Pork (also we've made with chicken)
   Balsamic Lamb Skillet (also made with Beef)
   Chicken Skillet Roma
   Chili Burgers
   Asian Pork and Cabbage
   Unstuffed Cababage
   
   Get this book---it's great!



3. Sorry.. but very disappointed In the use of Artificial Sweeteners in so many of the recipes.. especially the deserts.. In a healthier world we should be getting away from the chemicals.. It's only a matter of time till we find out what the latest man made sweetener is doing to our bodies.. I wish the author would have used another ingredient..



4. When I first received this book, I was a little disappointed because its a small book (approx. 6" x 8") with paperback-type pages. This is not the full-color, glossy pictures of recipes cookbooks. As soon I began scanning the pages of the recipes, I was no longer disappointed.
   
   The book has page after page of delicious, mouth-watering recipes. It isn't filled with makeover recipes that require hard to find ingredients but foods that are naturally low-carb. Dana Carpender does use Splenda in her recipes so beware if you do not like to use Splenda.
   
   If you are looking for a cookbook offering quick, easy, delicious, low-carb recipes then you will enjoy Dana Carpender's 15 minute Low-Carb recipes.



5. This item was completely cheap in price, it was in excellent condition, and it arrived in less than a week. I am extremely satisfied with my purchase.

5 comments about Baking: From My Home to Yours.

1. So far I've only made a couple of recipes from this book (shortbread cookies, cheesecake, brown sugar blueberry cake, brioche, and pecan honey sticky buns). Cheesecake and brioche are two of my favorite things to make (and consume) and the cheesecake and brioche I made using Dorie Greenspan's recipe were the best I've ever had. The shortbread cookie dough was simple to make. I used it as the base for my cheesecake and got rave reviews. The pecan honey sticky buns and brown sugar blueberry cake were made for a bake sale and sold out. One lady bought a bun in the morning and came back a couple of hours later for a second. The brioche is hard work but so worth it. I think next time I'll make a big batch and freeze it. Besides the recipes, I like that Dorie Greenspan includes a section on how to make slight variations. I will definitely be trying more of the recipes from this book.



2. I had high hopes because I've loved so many of the other books that Dorie has worked on, especially the Pierre Herme books and Baking with Julia. I had expectations that her book would be full of chic but accessible version of "home" baking.
   
   My first complaint is that there are very few compelling recipes here. The cake chapter, for instance, just isn't that inspiring. Likewise with the cookie chapter. There are many good-looking recipes recipes, but very few that would send me into the kitchen.
   
   My second complaint is that the recipes I've tried have been a bit lackluster and/or exceedingly sweet. I tried the most classic brownie recipe and did not like it at all, the texture was almost sandy, hard to explain. Pierre Herme's brownie recipe blows it out of the water, and it's really not anything complicated.
   
   I also tried the perfect party cake and the black and white cake from the cover. Again, both were way too sweet and little else.
   
   The other day I tried a batch of the dulce de leche cookies, which I hoped to bring to work. The cookies, plain, tasted okay but not so special--they need something, maybe some cinnamon, I don't know. Once they were filled and sandwiched, they went overboard with jaw-clenching sweetness. The next day they were mush, and 3 days later they are still sitting on the kitchen table, waiting until I can allow myself to throw them out.
   
   The World Peace cookies didn't impress me much either, and I much prefer the chocolate sables from the Herme book. Like the black and white cake, it suffers from the chocolate chip bits.
   
   I was really surprised to notice this trend with her book, and I still haven't given up on it. But I have to admit that, were it not for the esteem I have for Greenspan, I would have quit this book a while back. It seems like she was aiming for as large a book as she could put together, and it shows in some of the uninspiring recipes. I would have much preferred a book half the size with a more discriminating choice of recipes.



3. baking from my home to yours is great. i've used a couple of recipes from it already and so far all's good. one gripe that i might have is that im in singapore and certain ingredients are not easily available (like buttermilk) but i can't blame it on anyone! overall an excellent buy.



4. I've made three things from this book so far, and it's highly unlikely I'll be making any more.
   
   The Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream was excellent, but the instructions were not. It's amazing that Dorie left out the most crucial step in making any kind of custard. She failed to note that the custard needs to be strained before adding to the melted chocolate. Now since I've made custards and custard-based ice creams before, I was fully aware of the necessity of that step, but I'm sure there are lots of other people who are not. If they're not aware of the necessity to strain out the custard, they will be left with little pieces of scrambled eggs in their ice cream. Real appetizing.
   
   The Cinnamon Squares were very good, but too cinnamony, even for me, and I'm a cinnamon lover. That wasn't really a problem, however, since I could always cut it down the next time around. But... something very strange happened after I froze the leftover pieces. When I defrosted them, they were absolutely gooey, sticky, and inedible. Needless to say, they went into the garbage. Now, that has NEVER happened before with any other cake recipe at any time in all the years I've been baking (this is actually a regular cake, not a typical bar or square, even though the title says "squares"). So, why didn't Dorie simply indicate that these don't freeze well? Another real irritation.
   
   And lastly, the Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies were very good, but nothing outstanding, and probably not something I'd make again. As usual, the instructions were terrible.
   
   Overall, this book is a real disappointment. The best part is the beautiful photography.



5. This is a fabulous book with wonderful recipes. I have made many of them with unusual (for me!) success! It is the perfect new bride, new apartment, or engagement gift. I would wholeheartedly recommend it.

5 comments about Baking with Agave Nectar: Over 100 Recipes Using Nature's Ultimate Sweetener.

1. ...and I needed a book to help me use it when baking. The recipes are easy to follow. I've only made a few and I love this cookbook! My husband hasn't noticed a difference in the taste. He doesn't know I've stopped using sugar. Can't wait to try the brownies tonight! There are recipes for candies, frostings and ice creams, too! Definitely a great buy.



2. I am a French pastry chef and my mother, who lives with us, was recently diagnosed with diabetes. I just received this book and am looking forward to trying some of these recipes. I have never baked with some of the ingredients listed in this book....sprouted spelt flour, agave nectar, agar flakes, silken tofu, soy milk powder, and arrowroot powder are all new to me. I'd like to research these ingredients to better understand their properties....before I start baking. Overall the recipes look relatively simple and there are photographs throughout the book. I hope my attempts at these recipes will have better results than some of the other reviewers have noted.



3. I'm glad this book has the "search inside" feature so you can see what you're buying before you order it. The front matter includes interesting information about Agave Nectar, which I've enjoyed for the past year or so. I wish Ania Catalano had included nutritional information (like the number of calories and carbohydrates per serving) with her recipes. While many of the recipes look great, it's hard to know whether they are really "healthy" for someone who is diabetic and needs to loose weight. Also, I'd like to know what I could use instead of some of the harder to locate ingredients. While she does provide places where at least some of the ingredients can be ordered, sometimes you want to be able to make something with what's readily available. (This is especially true when you live overseas.) As a whole, the price of the book seems reasonable.



4. I was extremely excited to find this book. I use agave nectar in my coffee, in dressings and in sauces and I was thrilled at the possibility of being able to bake with it. I ordered the book and read it from cover to cover. I then set to spend over $150 on ingredients listed in the book. I ordered the sprouted flours from one store, the oat and barley flours and other items from an amazon seller, the essences and dried fruits from another store and I patiently waited for everything to arrive, giddy at the thought that I will bake these wonderful bars, cookies and cakes.
   
   Well, I first tried the zucchini drops. Inedible. My four year old spit it out, my 10 year old said there were awful and my husband put it down after one bite. In retrospect I think it was the sprouted flour, which gives an unbearable vegetable taste to everything you put it in. It's the first desert that I had to throw away in 20 years of baking. I thought it was just bad luck and the next day I tried the coconut bars. How can something which includes coconut, chocolate and walnuts not turn out good? I'll spare you the details but this was the second desert of my life who ended up in the trash can. I didn't even dare to try it on my family anymore. Using the 9x13 pan that the author suggested the crust ended up being a 1mm deep crumbly, vegetable-tasting mess and the filling didn't taste any better.
   
   In my house, we eat healthy and we love agave nectar. But something is seriously wrong with these recipes. I should have paid more attention to the fact that some of the 5 star reviewers did not yet try the book but some of the lower rating reviewers had experiences similar with mine. Oh well, I'm now turning to the other book I bought along with this one, "Sugar-free and fruit sweet" by Janice Feuer and hope to have better luck with it.



5. When I first saw that there was a book about baking with agave nectar, I became intrigued. As like the majority of people in the US, I too need to lose weight. I do eat a healthful diet, but I am easily seduced by desserts! This, coupled with family members that need to minimize their simple carbohydrate consumption, I could not wait to see this book!
   
   Ania Catalano is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet School of New York. She is also the owner of her own catering and cooking school in Connecticut, Gourmet Whole Foods.
   
   Maybe you have no idea what agave nectar is. Well, it is a natural unrefined sweetener that has a lower glycemic index. It comes in a syrup form and is sweeter than sugar. Safe for children and adults, it is allergen-free and vegan. Because it is high in fructose, it does not stimulate insulin secretion when consumed. Unlike honey, agave nectar will not crystallize and can be stored on your shelf for 2 years!
   
   Catalano demonstrates a wide variety of ways to utilize agave nectar while still managing to keep flavor and texture of the final product. All of the recipes that I tried were extremely successful and no one was able to tell that sugar was not used.
   
   Chapters in this book include: Muffins, Tea Breads and Breakfast Dishes; Cookies and Bars; Cakes and Cupcakes; Pies, Tarts and Crisps; Ice Creams, Frozen Yogurts and Sorbets; Special Treats; Frosting, Fillings and Sauces. She also includes a glossary, a list of sources, as well as information about agave nectar.
   
   Each recipe will indicate whether that recipe is vegan, gluten-free, neither or both. This is helpful as I do have a friend that enjoys vegan baking, and yet another that is gluten-intolerant. Examples of the recipes that my family enjoyed were: Quinoa Corn Blueberry Muffins, Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies, Mocha Hazelnut Cake (gluten-free), Chocolate Almond Silk Pie (vegan) and Chocolate Gelato.
   
   I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars, not giving it a full five stars due to limited photographs