4 comments about DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style.

1. What's not to love about the taste of New Orleans? Cooks from all over the world think of the best and most exciting classic desserts when they hear the name of this famous city and its region. That is just what a home cook finds in the Dam Good Sweet (Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style) cookbook. Recipes include: Bananas Foster; Crepes du Vieux Carre; Pecan Pie; Black and Blue Crumble; Lemon Icebox Pie; Red Velvet Cake; Pralines; Turtles; and Peanut Brittle. There are 50 delicious recipes; family and travel stories; and numerous color photographs in this unique volume. The book is gorgeous; the recipes are outstanding. I can't wait to try my hand at making the Pralines! This will also make a wonderful gift.



2. A Southern masterpiece exists in David Guas and Raquel Pelzel's DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style. Through the pages of this informative cookbook you will be swept away to discover the true essence of delicious New Orleans cuisine.
   
   The fifty recipes that make up DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style are derived from historic recipes of times past. Each one serves as a tribute to the true New Orleans culture.
   
   Some of my favorite recipes that bring New Orleans to my own kitchen included:
   
   Buttermilk Beignets
   King Cake
   Red Velvet Cake
   Pralines
   
   Just the mention of the above listed recipes puts a smile on my face as I remember the last time I visited New Orleans. Each recipe brings back fond memories of a city that I can't wait to revisit.
   
   What is so unique about this book is the author intertwines the recipes with famous New Orleans landmarks. With the Buttermilk Beignet recipes a history lesson of the French Market and Cafe Du Monde is presented. This historic detail gives a greater appreciation of the recipe and its origin.
   
   DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style is a cookbook that you absolutely will fall in love with. Each recipe captures the magical beauty and radiance of New Orleans. This book will become a priceless addition to your cookbook collection. You will find yourself consulting it when you want to make an extra special dessert.



3. Some of my favorite food memories relate to a pre-Katrina visit to New Orleans. Beignets at the Cafe du Monde, pralines at Aunt Sally's, hurricanes(the drink) just about everywhere, what's not to love?
   
   This book is part memoir, part cookbook and part tribute to the legends who have fallen to the ravages of time, natural disaster and the economy. The author, a renowned pastry chef was a rambunctious child living in New Orleans. In an effort to deter him from a path of juvenile delinquency, his family sent him off to stay with his Aunt Boo. While in exile he learned to love cooking and after a few missteps found a profession as a pastry chef. Now living in DC, he is a consultant. The book contains appetizing color photographs of the food and black and whites of the New Orleans of the past. The author has a fresh, engaging style devoid of sappy sentimentality but full of sincerity.
   
   The real test of any cookbook are the recipes. As the arctic chill hit New York, I made the double chocolate bread pudding, substituting challah for the brioche. The bread soaked up most of the custard and the bourbon caramel sauce was a delight. It was an elegant riff on an old favorite. February is a big birthday month for me and this year it was my turn to bring the cake. Red Velvet cakes are always impressive although the cake itself can be a bit bland. This one set a new standard. Rich and moist, you can taste the chocolate and it is visually stunning. Finally, I tried the pralines. They were creamy and delicious and surprisingly easy to make. The recipes are not particularly difficult although some are labor intensive. Most of the ingredients required are available at the local supermarket or natural foods store. The author is generous with his tips and resources.
   
   This is a great little book that captures the taste and spirit of New Orleans. Fun to read and attractive to look at, I highly recommend it. Just make sure you've renewed your gym membership--this is not cooking light.



4. New Orleans dessert traditions are explored in DAMGOODSWEET, a dessert cookbook devoted to New Orleans sweets and written by a local pastry chef who blends a travelogue and memoir with 50 recipes. From Vanilla Bean Pudding and Red Velvet Cake to Lemon Poppers, this is packed with outstanding fare perfect for any dessert cookbook collection.

5 comments about Dessert FourPlay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef.

1. There are tons of pictures, each featuring four or known as quartets. Defined by seasons. Gives you information where to buy ingredients, where you can get the tools. Who to use specific items, and great detail in all. The recipes are easy to follow, but maybe complex for the at home baker.



2. The title of my review really says it all. Iuzzini showcases his awesome skill in this book, and the excellent photography backs it up. I just wish he had found a different way to make the chocolate spaetzle, because honestly, it looks like fat, black crispy chow mein noodles, and I think that visual should be enough for you.
   
   He has tons of exceptional ideas, and executes them with the skill of a true master. Everything looks and sounds delicious, and each recipe is unique. I only wish I had thought of them myself!
   
   It should be noted, however, that the recipes in this book are not for someone who is looking to cook for the first time. Some of the techniques are advanced, use ingredients that you certainly aren't going to find in your local grocery store, and several recipes have multiple parts gone over elsewhere in the book. Luckily for the layman, he offers several simple replacements for a good number of ingredients in several of the recipes.
   
   If none of that phases you, then get this book. You will not regret it.



3. An amazing book. My husband and I loved it so much we bought another copy for my mother-in-law. worht every penny



4. 
   When I first saw Johnny's cookbook Dessert FourPlay Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef ($35.00 Clarkson Potter) I figured I had a winner of a book, but not a cookbook - just a "lookbook".
   
   Several weeks later, FourPlay, is still on my kitchen table - not covered in a film of dust as I might have expected, but doused in sugar, caramel and tuile batter. FourPlay turns out to be quite a clever book; it's a book that you can actually use...
   
   Let's start back at the beginning.
   Johnny Iuzzini is the Executive pastry Chef of the three-starred Michelin Restaurant Jean Georges in New York. At Jean Georges, Johnny's desserts arrive as four mini tasters served together. These creations may be inspired by a single ingredient or by the season, each a collection of delicious tastes, textures and techniques.
   
   His desserts in FourPlay follow the same methodology as those at Jean Georges, so, when you look at the pictures in the book you might think that you are set for a visual feast and nothing more. But when you look a little deeper, the chef has written a book that puts the creative ball in the reader's court. It's a book of options.
   
   You can choose to recreate one of the many quartets such as the Strawberry FourPlay; Strawberry Soda, Strawberry Ice Cream with Strawberry-Lavender Leather, Strawberry Shortcake with Roasted Strawberries & Strawberry Gelée, Coconut Cream & Crispy Chocolate or follow a simpler route and be inspired by one these components each of which shape up to be a great standalone dish.
   
   I have used several of the recipes in the book over the past few weeks each of which have been accurate, well written and tasty.
   
   Johnny Iuzzini has published a unique cookbook, one that serves up a magnificent concoction of style and substance - what appears to be a "lookbook" is, actually a cookbook!



5. The idea of the book is neat, but this book is not for the home baker. Most of the recipes have ingredients I can not acquire. Even if I got all the ingredients they would cost too much and I wouldn't have other uses for them. I generally bake a lot, but this book isn't for me.

5 comments about Pink Princess Cookbook.

1. My experience with this seller was very good. I would buy from them again. My daughter got this cookbook as a gift and I thought it was great so I then bought it as a gift for someone else!



2. I bought this book for my 9 year old grandaughter and was not disappointed. It has some very fun recipes that will be easy for her to do with very little supervision. The illustrations are great and made her want to begin right away.



3. This is perfect for my 4 year old daughter! She LOVES looking at the colorful pictures and the recipes are not that difficult. This book is filled with a bunch of really cute ideas for little girls parties. Highly recommend!



4. My 3-year old daughter received this cookbook as a gift last Christmas. She LOVES it! She will sit and look through this wonderful book almost daily! And all of the recipes have wonderful pictures, taste yummy and best of all they are EASY! This is a great cookbook for your lil' princess or a seasoned tea party chef. Have fun and enjoy!



5. Haven't tried all the recipes yet, but so far they have been simple and fun. This book gets kids excited about helping out in the kitchen and learning how to cook. It does require a few special ingredients you may not find at your local supermarket such as powdered food coloring insted of gel and make sure you've got lots of fancy sprinkles and decorations on hand before you get started.

5 comments about Bake Me I'm Yours Cupcake: Over 100 Excuses to Indulge (Bake Me Im Yours).

1. I expected more "how to's" from this book. I got the impression that I'd have instruction on prep, but alas NO!
   Nice ideas if you know how on your own thought



2. a very nice book although it was not what I was looking for it made a nice addition to my cookbooks



3. After reading the reviews on this book I decided to buy it anyway and I'm happy I did. I love the fact that it's a decorating book instead of a recipe book, the ideas are really cute and easy to accomplish!



4. Great book to bake cupcakes! several ideas to decorate cupcakes for every occasions. photos are wonderful.



5. Very pleased with this little cookbook! Was sent very quickly and a bargain prize. Recommended!

5 comments about The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread: Cakes, Cookies, Bars, Pastries and More from New York City's Favorite Bakery.

1. As a lucky owner of Amy's first book, Amy's Bread, I could not wait to get my hands on her newest volume. I have not been disappointed. It is written with the same warm, engaging style and is full of recipes for the delicious sweet treats her NYC bakeries are famous for. The Cinnamon Challah Knots are heavenly. I also made the White Chocolate Cherry Chunkers. A huge hit at my house. Each recipe has an inticing intro and the whole book is filled with helpful "Tips and Techniques". There is also a quiche chapter that full of winners! This book is a must have for any lover of baked goods.....and who isn't?????



2. I've tried the cake frostings from this cookbook and they have all been outstanding. I have no doubt the other recipes will be just as wonderful. Although the authors give a lot of tips and techniques before each chapter, I wouldn't call this a book for beginners. (most beginners don't have a heavy duty stand mixer or scale) However, I believe someone with a little bit of experience would be successful with most of these recipes using the volume measurements. The authors sprinkle in just enough "behind the scenes" details of the bakery and their clients to make you feel like you are a regular guest yourself.



3. I first checked this book out of the library and then decided I needed to purchase so I could use anytime I wanted. The recipes are amazing and everything I have tried has been wonderful and I have gotten rave reviews.



4. This book is a must have for those who love to bake. I have never weighed my ingredients until reading this cookbook. I have tried several recipes and all have turned out perfectly. Amy sets you up for success. My favorites- Red Velvet and Coconut cream cake.



5. I checked this book out of the library and liked it so much that I decided to test some recipes to determine if it was worth buying. I made the Double Chocolate Chip Cookies with the hopes that they would be like the Double Chocolate Pecan Chubbies they sell at the bakery. Though they came out more delicate, they baked beautifully and tasted great. I wish they had included the Chubbies recipe in the book, though. The second recipe I tried was not as successful. I made the Banana Blueberry Quickbread, and it came out salty and dry. Though it calls for 1 pound of bananas, their taste was hardly discernible. The amount of flour and oatmeal (almost 6 cups total for two loaves) overwhelmed the more delicate flavors. The recipe calls for 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, and I am left wondering if this was a mistake. I have never tasted the banana bread in the bakery to compare flavors, but I cannot imagine that this would be a crowd-pleaser.
   
   Since I am one for two, I will have to try at least one more recipe to see if it breaks the tie.

5 comments about 50 Easy Party Cakes.

1. The pictures are amazing. You have to already know what your doing because there isn't a whole lot of instruction. The ideas are sensational, and fairly easy to accomplish good results.



2. I made the Noah's Ark cake from this book, and the result was amazing. I didn't even think I could make something like that. The instructions provided are helpful but I think you still have to use your own imagination. I am going to try tackling cakes from her enchanted book next. Debbie is AWESOME!



3. This is a great resource for creating adorable cakes! Simple, concise instructions make producing edible art easy!



4. This is a great book for beginners in the art of cake sculpting, has really easy to follow instructions and the pictures are awesome.
   If you want to check Debbie Browns books (you can even see here the pictures of each book)enter her site[...]
   
   Buy it you won't regret it!



5. Just received this book yesterday and have already look through it three times! I'm new to cake decorating and was looking for a book that would help build some of my basic skills like cake sculpting. This book has very easy to follow instructions and great photos. Best of all you can take almost any cake and leave the design as is or spruce up by adding your own elements. So far this is the best book I've purchased to date and I can wait to get started making the fun designs.

5 comments about Pop It in the Toaster Oven: From Entrees to Desserts, More Than 250 Delectable, Healthy, and Convenient Recipes.

1. This cookbook is great. So far all the recipes have turned out really good and were easy to make.
   The only problem I have had is trying to figure out how the oven rack should be placed for each
   recipe so it cooks properly. So far I have figured it out mostly but it would be easier if the recipes
   suggested the best oven rack position for cooking. The toaster oven experience is very new for
   me and my family and we never owned one growing up so I am a new user and could use all the
   help I can get. I love the little tips and suggestions in the book too. I purchased this with my
   toaster oven b/c of all the great reviews. I am so glad I got it. It is wonderful.



2. The breakfast section of this book is inspiring. The downside is no pictures in this book at all.



3. We could not find a cook book for a toaster oven in the local Montgomery area. I went online and found this great cook book. It provides great recipe's that you will love.



4. I am so glad I bought this. This summer it is going to be great, I won't have to start up the oven and heat the whole house to cook something. The kids love it, makes mini pizzas in a hurry and I don't scream because the house is getting to hot from the oven. Wonderful to use on most day items anything that cooks for 30 minutes or less. And it helped lower the house gaas bill because of not turning on the oven. Great idea



5. I bought my first toaster oven, figuring that I needed to learn the basics. Lots of people who bought the Cuisinart oven bought this book.
   
   It didn't tell me anything I didn't know about the device, and was mostly inane recipes combining ingredients that would occur to any modestly talented pre-teen junior chef.
   
   Possibly the worst cookbook I've ever read; certainly -- by far -- the worst I ever purchased. I can't imagine this would be of use to 1 in 20 people.

5 comments about Baking Illustrated.

1. What's so wonderful about this book is that there is a story to go with each recipe. Instead of me looking at the recipe and saying, well.. this would be a good thing to try, or maybe this... or that... etc etc, they have all the things they tried and why they didn't like the outcome. Finally a book of recipes that has all the mistakes already made for me, so I can just enjoy the baking part! :D My favorite recipe is the "White Cake" It's splendid, and is much like a traditional wedding cake. I've made dozens of them and every time I get the same response... THIS IS AMAZING!!!! I even purchased the book for my Mom, as she Loves to bake as well. I haven't had anything out of this book yet that wasn't great! :)



2. This book is very precisee, which is exactly what I was looking for in a baking book. I like that the measurements of the flour are also given by weight and that an instant read thermometer is used to check if the bread is done (otherwise, how is one supposed to know how "hollow" a loaf should sound?). I also like the blurbs about what qualities the editors are looking for when determining what is "best." A most excellent book on baking!



3. Every recipe we have tried from this book has become our new standard. The vanilla pastry cream impressed the former owner of a bakery, and she wanted the recipe. The Key Lime Pie is perfect, just tart enough. The German Chocolate Cake surpasses the original recipe in taste. The format, though, is a little awkward to deal with. I appreciate all the explanatory text, but it often makes the recipes continue onto the next page, so you have to flip back and forth from ingredients to method. The Maple Pecan Pie variation on Pecan Pie is to die for (try it as Maple Walnut pie, too), but I finally wrote the substitutions in the margin of the original recipe to avoid all the flipping. I really do like the content of this book, though, and am giving one to a beginning baker.



4. I have been baking recipes from this book for over a year and I am still in love with this book. The recipes are so clearly explained and everything I have made turned out delicious. I now refer to this book as "the book I trust." I can't imagine my baking hobby without it!



5. Let me start by saying, if you like lots of pictures in your cookbooks, this may not be a good choice for you. That said, this has some fantastic recipes in it: pizza crust dough, cream biscuits, buttermilk biscuits, chewy chocolate chip cookies, double/triple chocolate cookies...I could go on & on.
   This is the first time I've been able to make a pizza crust that's actually good & tastes like a pizza crust. My husband loves it!
   One of my favorite things about this cookbook is the wonderful "why" information. It explains why certain ingredients are preferred (like bread flour over all-pupose flour). It give step-by-step directions for how to stretch pizza dough, make giant cookies, form biscuits, etc.
   The friend who recommended this cookbook to me, told me she had loved every recipe she had used. I totally agree with her.
   (By the way, this book was purchased for me from Amazon as a gift.)

5 comments about The Patisseries of Paris: Chocolatiers, Tea Salons, Ice Cream Parlors, and more.

1. I didn't like this book because it is just a pocket book, I would like to have more information and even some recipes of the products sold on the shops.



2. Makes a few days in Paris have a purpose. Choose a cafe, and then choose your museum!



3. The book was cut in the cover and went thru a few pages, look like they cut it with a knife in 3 ways. very bad



4. The author's enthusiasm is palpable-beautifully photographed and conveniently arranged according to arrondissements. The index is very helpful since it's divided into shops with seating, what is open on Sunday, glaciers, etc. I was delighted to learn about " A Day in the Life of a Patissier" and explanations of the various types of coffee, ice creams and more. Since I have been to quite a few of the shops highlighted I found the reviews extremely accurate; one exception is Angelina that I found to be totally without charm and was not overly impressed with the pastries or hot chocolate. This is a book that I will definitely pack along with "The Plan" and Pudlo's restaurant reviews.



5. This is a wonderful book that combines a very organized review of a wide variety of pastry/ sweet/ snack shops in Paris, and a stunning collection of pastries and sweets that can be found at each shop. The book is not only gives respect to the pastry chefs as true artists, but can also serve as a tour guide while visiting the City of Lights- albeit a guide of the most wonderful sweet shops in Paris. The chapters of the book are divided into the regions- or arrondissement that Paris is divided into. A visitor to the city can simply look up the area or areas that they are in, such as closest to a favorite hotel- and visit the most fun looking shop in the chapter for that area! I simply can't do justice in trying to adequately describe the wonderful full-color photos of the beautiful pastries featured throughout the book. Suffice it to say the author gives credit in the book to the professional photographer who contributed. The photos would be suitable to proudly display framed on a wall! After reading this book, I dare you to pick just a few shops you "just have to visit!" Death- by chocolate- in Paris, sounds like something I could live with!

5 comments about Betty Crocker's Cooky Book.

1. Unlike many of the reviewers, I did not grow up with this book, although I did grow up in the 60's. My Mother was a fan of the Red Plaid Better Homes and Gardens Cookbooks. There are some good recipes there, but seriously, the woman did not know what she was missing! I bought this book because I have an interest in old cookbooks, but I was delighted to discover that the recipes were nothing short of fantastic. The snickerdoodles recipe alone is worth the price of the book -- sheer perfection. I've tried quite a few of the recipes, and I've had no failures. None. Even the pumpkin cookies were devoured by my daughter's fellow elementary students. When you add great recipes to pure nostalgia you have a perfect winner. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to bake and eat cookies. Yum!



2. I love this cook book. We grew up with all these cookies. My mom has an original Betty Crocker Cooky Book that she still uses. She copied a few of my childhood favorites for me but it's not the same as having your own copy. This has so many great recipes. They are not lowfat or healthy so if that is what you are looking for, keep looking. A few of the recipies call for shorting which I never use, but most seem to be butter recipes. This is a great book for those of us who are nostalgic about Mom's cookies.



3. I own an original copy of this book. When my daughter found it on your website I ordered one for each of my three daughters for Christmas. They were thrilled. The recipes are a lot of old favorites, easy and fun to make. My children and now my granddaughters have fun making and decorating cut-out Christmas cookies.



4. I loved this cookbook as a child. Loved looking at all the cookies and helping choose the ones to make for special occasions. Now, as an adult, I find that this old cookbook is in some ways better than newer ones. For traditional, seasonal and old-world inspired cookies and bars, this is a great book to have. Simple to make recipes and comfortingly consistent results, using simple ingredients that never go out of style. Lacking the on-trend low-fat substitutions and fusion creativity of newer recipes, it is classy and transporting to make these classics.
   
   Outstanding book for young and aspiring bakers of all ages and skill levels.



5. [[ASIN:0764566377 Betty Crocker's Cooky Book]
   
   This is the best cookie book--ever. Nothing like those processed phoney cookie mixes that all taste
   the same. My kids & i had so much fun making cookies from this book in the '60's & i wanted to
   hand down the tradition to my granddaughter. i was
   thrilled to find it on Amazon.com. We had a blast
   making cookies--the hardest part was choosing which
   ones to make the first!