5 comments about Pure Chocolate: Divine Desserts and Sweets from the Creator of Fran's Chocolates.

1. By the time that I bought the ingredients for one of the recipes I had spent more money than if I had gone to her shop and bought the dessert. Beautiful book with enjoyable details from Fran like her inspirations. Makes a lovely coffee table book.



2. I love to bake and especially with chocolate. This book is worth its weight in Scharffen Berger! Such a good book...generally easy recipes if you are able to be patient, read the recipes thoroughly and follow the instructions to a "T". :) I've made every birthday cake out of this book, hosted several parties featuring the truffles in here, as well as the brownies...ice creams...it's just a fantastic book. I've tried almost all of the recipes and none have fallen short of delicious.



3. I have a nice collection of cookbooks but as it can get a little "out of hand", I try to limit my new purchases...but: this one was a must and although I have only made the Chocolate Sables so far (they actually developed an even better depth of flavor after a day or two!), just reading this book is worth the price! It helps, of course, that I became familiar with Fran's incredible chocolates when I lived in Portland, OR! I knew her high standards and had faith the cookbook would follow suit. It did!!



4. I'm from Seattle and I'm familiar with Fran's Chocolate's. This book is the quality I expected from such a high quality chocolate shop. If you're a Chocoholic, this book is required reading.



5. This book is pretty but I have yet to make anything from it. The recipes are too unusual. There doesn't seem to be anything "normal" in the book. I guess I'll have to check again but thus far the book is just a decoration for my bookshelf.

5 comments about Sweeten Your Life the Xylitol Way.

1. Inventive book just make sure your system can handle Xylitol first though as I had a severs reaction to the stuff



2. made the lemon cheesecake, was told by many that it was the best cheesecake they had ever eaten (trust me, not because I'm a good cook whatsoever). the xylitol makes the cheesecake sweet but not overpowering, as many cheesecakes tend to be. perfect blend of health and taste, excited to try to make other desserts from it



3. I made the Chocolate Squares recipe (which is basically a single layer sheet cake), and I frosted it with the vanilla cream cheese frosting recipe. The cake was moist and delicious without being too sweet. I am excited to try more recipes!!



4. Xylitol is a natural sugar (from birch trees) that is a healthy substitute for cane sugar. This book describes its uses and effects. Dentists recommend it for its restorative effect on tooth enamel. Very informative and useful book for those wanting to cut down their sugar use.



5. Childhood Diabetes isn't just from lack of exercise! We are sugar-holics in this country. Xylitol is an easy way to transist from sugar to something that tastes great but doesn't upset the pancreas. Treats should be limited, but once in awhile something deliciously sweet is in order. The recipes in this book make it easy.

5 comments about The 50 Best Cheesecakes in the World: The Winning Recipes from the Nationwide "Love that Cheesecake" Contest.

1. I did not like the fact that I had no pictures, the printing was small, selections of cheesecakes were not that great.



2. i love that book! First of all, the recipes are great, i tried one of the recipes this weekend and result was wonderful. I got some requests from my friends for more cheesecakes in the future gatherings!
   And also it is very practical in size, you can put it in your bag and go to the supermarket for shopping, or put it on the kitchen counter without reserving too much space.
   And I saw there are a couple of egg-free recipes, which i have not tried yet (but i will soon). That gives some options for egg-allergics, or to the lacto-vegetarians..



3. I do a bit of catering, and needed some interesting cheesecake recipes for a luncheon. Ordering this little book, was the best idea! There are no photos, but it really was not an issue for me. The text was interesting, and I also learned some tips on how to slice and serve the cheesecake. Four cheesecakes later, folks are talking about the luncheon, mainly the cheesecakes! I think I will get the other books by this author, they surely will be great too!



4. Please excuse me. I thought I had sent the review shortly after receiving the book.
   I received the book in good shipping time and is was in excellent condition.
   Definitely would buy from seller again.



5. No New York Cheese Cake in this little ditty! But you are only out 10 bucks or so. I am still looking for a "real" cheese cake receipe without Graham Crackers in the crust. This collection was a waste of time and money.

2 comments about Jell-O, Cool Whip, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Baker's Chocolate 3 Books in 1: Favorite Desserts Cookbook, Cheesecakes and More Cookbook, Desserts for Chocolate Lovers Cookbook.

1. This is a fun book. If you are of the right age, the recipes in this book will bring you directly back to the 70s. While many of the dishes of the 70s should probably remain buried, there is great fun to be had in recreating your very own version of Jello 1-2-3, that magical (though somewhat scary) concoction that came out of a box, and turned into a 3 layered dessert right before your eyes. The book is a fun trip down memory lane, but also has some truly refreshing desserts that just about everyone will enjoy, and they happen to be easy and actually very pretty to serve.



2. This book was hard to find an well worth the money. It provides loads of quick recipes for a busy family and the book is well made and shpped fast!!!

5 comments about Tastefully Small -- Dessert Canapes: Bite-Size Sweets for Easy Entertaining.

1. This is a deliciously simple yet elegant dessert book made especially
   
   for the little things in life. Kim Hendrickson gives us recipes for
   
   all the tasty sweets you can think of. Fruit, classic, cookie, even
   
   bread and pastry canapés are presented in this book. There's
   
   pomegranate caviar canapés, strawberry pineapple dots, and even mini
   
   watermelon swirls! Containers for the desserts, such as stuffed figs,
   
   are given to you at the end of the book.
   
   Not only are you given recipes, but Kim also gives you tips and advice
   
   for presentation and substitutions! For example, she'll make sure you
   
   don't ruin your Melon Flowers by using fresh ginger instead of
   
   candied. You should always use powdered instead!
   
   The book also has a lovely design, not intrusive but still noticeable
   
   and quite stylish. This is the perfect book for anyone who likes the
   
   to, as Kim says, go small and tasty!



2. Tastefully Small Dessert Canapes (bite size sweets for easy entertainment) by Kim Henderson is a truly charming book that feeds the eye and stomach from one creative platter. The author's experience in teaching culinary arts and testing the products comes through with graciousness, gentle humor, simply stunning recipes, helpful hints and various ways to "change up" and personalize the blends.
   
   From refreshing mango almond lychees and frozen lemon-lime bites to rich classic truffles, hazelnut mousse and whimsical tropical berry kabobs that look like a blossoming garden, Ms. Henderson has given us a treasure trove of little yummy gifts sure to please a wide variety of people. Delicious and delightful. My rating 5 Stars



3. I love variety as much as I love sweets so this is the perfect book for me. Recipes are straightforward with many interesting and delicious tastes. The variety is wonderful as well as creative suggestions so you can personalize the recipes and presentation.
   
   This is a wonderful book and I can't wait to read more from this author.



4. Tastefully Small Dessert Canapés (Bite- Size Sweets for Easy Entertaining)
   is exactly what every hostess trying to survive the economic climate right now needs. It provides tiny doses of elegance at an affordable price. It is illustrated with pictures of absolutely gorgeous food that looks like art.
   But don't let the beauty fool you into thinking they are not edible. The frozen lemon lime bites are delicious. The toffee nut bites will make you forget your diet. The good thing is their size...they are bite sized. You can eat one and not feel guilty at all.



5. Finally! A dessert book for the home chef. Forget about fancy French pastry schools and decadent New York patisseries. You can make the desserts in "Tastefully Small: Desert Canapés" without all that professional training. Kim Hendrickson's passion for the after-dinner hors d'oeuvre shines through in this work of recipes that is sure to become a staple in many hostesses' kitchens.
   Hendrickson offers detailed instructions for her recipes so that even a novice baker can follow along. Photos of the completed desserts, though scattered throughout the book and not necessarily next to their respective recipes, offer an idea of what your finished product should look like. She artfully takes on traditional large-scale recipes like those for cheesecake, tiramisu and apple crisp and delivers a new twist in bite-sized pieces that is sure to satisfy your guests.
   As an added bonus, some of the proceeds from Hendrickson's "Tastefully Small" books will go to America's Second Harvest Network, which supports food charities all over the U.S. Isn't that sweet?

5 comments about A Baker's Field Guide to Cupcakes: Deliciously Decorated Crowd Pleasers for Parties and Holidays.

1. This small book is packed with a fantastic assortment of cupcake decorating ideas. I found that a couple were way too involved and time consuming for most home bakers, but for the vast majority of the recipes this book is perfect to dress up a holiday or birthday (or just a rainy weekend!). Overall this is a great addition to any baker's bookshelf!



2. Recipes didn't work and neither did some of the tips for the frostings. Very disappointed in the size of the book with few recipes.
   
   Silvana



3. I had recently checked this book out at the library and never in my life have I loved every page of a cupcake book. It's awesome and it has different cupcake ideas for every holiday and things such as baby showers and weddings. It even included April Fool's Day. The cupcakes are simple enough to make on your own and you don't need to be a professional to make these great looking cupcakes. I made April Fool's Day cupcakes and they were a great success. I had no problems and the people I made them for loved them! I would suggest this book if you love making cupcakes that are creative.



4. I've always wanted to decorate cakes or cupcakes so when my boyfriend bought me this book for Christmas, I was thrilled. At first I hoped there would be more decorating ideas but I realized how valuable the recipes for cake and frosting were. My friends love the cupcakes I make and I love the brownie cupcakes. This book gives you tips to make the recipes your own.



5. I am very pleased with the cookbook. I was looking for ideas for my daughter's wedding and bridal shower. While there were only a couple recipes that were appropriate for that, I am still happy with the other decorating ideas and recipes. I would recommend it to anyone.

5 comments about Sylvia Weinstock's Sensational Cakes.

1. This is a beautiful book, with the simpler designs being the stand outs!
   I have been a sugar artist for about a decade and this was really inspirational.



2. I am also disappointed. This might be personal but this is the kind of book I dislike, glossy compilation of pictures with a cold and distant narrative, not the kind of book that draws you in at all. This is not a book that will end up lovingly battered and covered in flour butter and chocolate splatters, rather the kind of book you would find languishing in a 5 star hotel room. I did not even particularly find the pictures of high quality as many of them are snapshots of clients' wedding cakes in situ rather than purposely photographed and lit for the book, and there are many pictures used as fillers. This is essentially designed like a slightly pretentious coffee table book perhaps but that to me makes limited sense because those interested in the subject are generally practitionners and not just admirers, and will therefore expect such a book to provide some insight into replicating the creations, rather than just inspiration from what is a faily large and expensive book. The editing of it is shocking, no section really makes any sense under its title, and the very few recipes at the end of the book ironically seem even incongruous. I still have to read much of the text but so far, I found what I read moderately interesting and self serving and I do not even think that the designs in this particular book are actually that awe inspiring. I really think Mrs W. missed a chance to provide an interesting insight into the business and the craft, even if she didn't want to reveal all. There is obviously an elite in the industry who make the best designs, have better skills, better clients and better funds, and for us more simple cake designers, their story is interesting and some of their tricks of experience so interesting, but honestly, this is not craft on such a scale as to pretend to devotion or that the artistry is enough to fill an art book. So, if you are a sugarcrafter in need of inspiration, this book will be interesting to see of course, but don't expect it to be a bible of any kind, and even less a point of reference for any techniques or recipes.



3. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but was somewhat disappointed, since I would have loved to know how to cut a cake that is over eight feet tall! How do you wheel a cake that big though a doorway to slice in another room?
   Also, it would have been nice to have rudimentary instructions, but I understand that to give away creative business secrets isn't a favored practice.



4. wow, Sylvia!!
   She definitely has her own cake decorating style! I have seen alot of gumpaste flowers but not like this!! The way she uses flowers and buttercream cakes is nothing short of amazing!! You will definitely see cakes like you've NEVER seen them before:(and believe me, I have seen ALOT of cakes!) This book is very inspirational but has almost no instructions. However, I knew that when I bought it. You will not find pictures of cakes like this on the internet. They really are breathtaking!! Reading this book is like spending an afternoon with Sylvia! I would only dream of such things!!



5. Do not buy this book if you are looking for an instructional-type book. There are beautiful pictures in this book and some recipes, but that's it.

5 comments about Grand Livre De Cuisine: Alain Ducasse's Culinary Encyclopedia.

1. A quotation from the Introduction, written by Jean-Francois Revel, of the Academie Francaise: "By imitating the masters, one cannot of course reach their level of perfection, but one often escapes the routine of one's own banality. You are going to discover the French art, one which has never been so alive, in the following pages. May then and from now on your dream, inspired by Alain Ducasse, direct your hands, as fallible as they may be!" Rather edgy, I think, but probably accurate.
   
   First, this is a thousand page volume, genuinely a Culinary Encyclopedia, pulled together by a team of chefs under famed chef, Alain Ducasse. There are some wild elements to it, such as lobster recipes from page 422 through page 491 (almost 70 pages worth of lobster works!). Some nice features at the close of this volume: a glossary of terms, some basic recipes (consomme, stocks, jellies, juices, etc.), serving quantities associated with different dishes, and a seasonal table of meats, vegetables, fruits.
   
   Second, though, it's the recipes that make this book fascinating. Here, I'll say it at the outset. There are some (many, even most) recipes here that I would never try. I'm too impatient and don't know all the skills needed for some of the dishes. Take, for example, Wild Roasted Hare Saddle. The process of preparation and cooking is complex--from cutting up the hare and reserving its lungs, kidneys, heart, etc. Next, each segment of the recipe is complex, with steps one does not usually experience, such as shredding the hare's shoulders with pliers. You create a sauce, with a first and a second thickener, plus a garnish for the finale. I imagine that this would be delicious when eaten, but I get exhausted looking at the process of preparation.
   
   However, there are some recipes that seem like they are doable and would be fun and taste good. Acacia Blossom Fritters for one. You begin with a bunch of acacia flowers and then create a fritter batter Put the acacia flowers in the batter and fry in grapeseed oil. Looks tasty!
   
   This is an absolutely massive volume, and even though many recipes won't get into my household's menus, they are enchanting to read. For one thing, I admire the work of the team that would put these dishes together in a restaurant. For another, it makes me appreciate more what goes into the work of a "starred" restaurant.
   
   So, even though the bulk of these recipes don't fit my modus operandi of cooking, I will try some and will appreciate what goes into fine dishes more than I ever did before.



2. The book came quickly. It was packaged very well. The product was in excellent condition and I wouldnt know the difference beween a the book I recieved and one purchased at full price



3. This could have been a wonderful book. There are many exciting recipes, both in concept and execution. Alas, where some techniques are explained ad nauseam, as if to a five year old, others have no explanation at all. Fortunately the original French titles appear alongside the English versions and quantities are given in metric as well as American measurements. There are a number of errors in the English version. Of particular interest are the recipes for sous-vide cooking. But,even here,timing is often omitted. I shall use the book but it is a disappointment. I wish I had bought it in the original French although there is no guarantee that the editors were any more attentive to its production



4. A must have book for any passionate Chef that takes their career serious.
   The book contains some of the most spectactular pecipes and th photos are truly picture perfect.



5. This is a brilliant reference for Professional Chefs, I say Professional chefs because of the basis knowledge one would need to really appreciate the valve of this superbly constructed piece of work.
   
   This book is more than a book it is an investment for Chefs, especially for the next generation of young chefs. For the amount of information one can extract and the quality of photos and recipes the price is not to heavy.

5 comments about Simple Treats: A Wheat-Free, Dairy-Free Guide to Scrumptious Baked Goods.

1. Simple treats has a lot of variety and good recipe ideas, but almost every recipe I have tried I have to alter in some way the next time I make it so that it turns out well. It is almost like the authors did not actually bake the treats before putting the recipes in this book! As an experienced baker, I know how to alter the recipe so that it works, but it would be hard for someone who does not have experience in the kitchen to do this. I would not recommend this book to a novice baker!



2. If you are allergic or sensitive to wheat AND Vegan. This is the book for you. The carrot cake is TO DIE FOR!!!!!



3. I own a lot of vegan cookbooks (I stopped counting at 100) and this is my absolute favorite dessert cookbook.
   I like it that this cookbook doesn't use any hardened fats, like margarine. That's always the first thing I look at when buying a dessert cookbook.
   What I love most though is that the recipes just absolutely taste great!
   Many people I've made the brownie recipe for, have told me it's the best they've ever tasted.
   The cookies I've made from this cookbook have also received a lot of praise, both from kids and adults.
   I do often replace the barley flour with whole wheat pastry flour, because in some recipes I find the barley flavor a bit too overpowering (especially for the cake recipes).
   I've almost made every recipe from this cookbook and haven't come across a bad one yet.



4. My all time favourite cookbook when it comes to making cookies! These recipes never fail, are quick and easy to make, and good for you too! Whenever i feel like cookies, this is the first book i pull out of my bookshelf, and the results are always delicious. Most of the recipes use Maple Syrup as a sweetener, with a few using Sucanat. Barley Flour is the wheat free flour used, and oats are also used widely. The yummiest and healthiest cookies you'll ever have!



5. I bought this book 4 years ago when I first went vegan and I still reach for it regularly. I have yet to try a recipe that did not work, which is more than I can say for some other vegan/gluten-free cookbooks. I just wish the author would give us another one!

1 comments about Fried and True: Crispy and Delicious Dishes from Appetizers to Desserts.

1. OK, so all of us have steered ourselves away from fried foods & towards poached chicken breasts (skinless, of course) and steamed vegetables. How about just a little taste of good eating from the past? No one is recommending a return to deep-fried foods as an everyday meal, but the taste treats in this book are just too good to ignore!

   Rodgers' chatty writing style and well-tested recipes combine to provide accurate and easy-to-follow instructions. Since working with a deep fryer is something that many us have not done in years (if EVER!), he provides detailed background info on the types of equipment available, different varieties of oil & shortenings, and many good tips to avoid excess greasiness and off-tastes in cooked foods. Appetizers, entrees, and desserts are all covered, with great photos of completed items.

   Some of the recipes are incredibly simple, such as the Cornish game hens (hens, oil, lemon, salt, pepper) and can be prepared in under 15 minutes. Others are a little more involved, but well worth it (the apple fritters, with just a light dusting of powdered sugar, are fantastic). There's even a foolproof recipe for doughnuts with a cider glaze--great for weekend mornings!

   I have to say it again--I'm not going to be cooking deep fried foods every day, but when I want to prepare something just a little bit special, this is a book that I will turn to time after time.