5 comments about JELL-O: A Biography.

1. Jell-O blends a culinary history with a recipe book, following the story of jello's evolution as a famous desert and offering recipes for both main dishes and desserts. It lacks an index, so you'll have to read the book if you want the recipe for Spider cakes and other classics. Humor also blends in as chapters discuss the promotion of jell-o.



2. Filled with TONS of interesting (and hilarious) info about Jell-O. A real riot!



3. This book is amusing and informative. It is full of more facts about Jell-O than you can shake a stick at! The history of Jell-O and the marketing of Jell-O are explored in great detail (did you know that 500 million packages of Jell-O are sold each year?).

   But, best of all, this book is full lots of amazing Jell-O recipes. As soon as I finished this book, I went thrift shopping for Jell-O molds!




4. After 107 years on the market,Jell-O gelatin continues to sell well in many parts of the world. Thirty thousand boxes are sold every nine seconds in the United States according to kraftfoods.com(the company that owns the trademark brand). This book is filled with various recipes involving Jell-O gelatin and pudding mix. In 1939,Jell-O pudding debuted in three flavors:vanilla,chocolate and butterscotch. Today,there are fifteen. The others are lemon,pistachio,french vanilla,banana cream,coconut cream,devil's food,chocolate fudge,white chocolate,cheesecake,chocolate cherry,chocolate mint and cookies and cream(white chocolate with bits of Nabisco Oreo cookies). The 18 gelatin flavors are cherry,strawberry,raspberry,orange,lemon,lime,cranberry,black cherry,berry blue,wild strawberry,mixed fruit,peach,apricot,island pineapple,grape,mango,strawberry banana and strawberry kiwi. Comedian Bill Cosby has endorsed the brand since 1974,starting with only the pudding. In 1987 he began endorsing the gelatin. Today he endorses every Jell-O item including the Smoothie Snacks(fruit and milk medleys) available in 3 flavors:peach mango,strawberry banana and mixed berry. The late Roy Rogers and the late Kate Smith previously endorsed the pudding and previous spokesmen for the gelatin include the late Jack Benny and Andy Griffith. Cosby,the longest-tenured spokesman,has done a multitude of commercials and print ads for the brand. Cosby said in a 1987 commercial for the gelatin,"You can't be a kid without it.". There are about 200 different Jell-O items on the market today. The gelatin inventor's wife came up with the name Jell-O. Today's Jell-O slogan is "because it's magic".



5. This is book is fun and informative. I bought it some time ago along with its companion volume 'Spam'. Both are awkward, square books that are too wide for any average shelf- but that's not the real production problem. It lies instead in the quality of the paperstock used in the cover which is too light and cheap- subsequently both books have curling covers which takes away from them. The embossed inks and raised fonts are attractive but they simply need better stock to carry them. Get it right in the next edition and charge 50 cents more if necessary!

2 comments about Caribbean Desserts.

1. After two trips to the Caribbean I have fallen in love with the food and the people and the ambience and now I can enjoy the wonderful flavors and colors of Caribbean desserts all year long. Even reading the names of these recipes is a sensory treat, Ginger Beer, Mango Wine, Caramelized Mango Cream, Tropical Sundae with Ginger Lime Sauce, Mango Daiquiri Sorbet, Soursop Ice Cream, Ginger Creme Brulee, Tropical Chocolate Mousse, Gulab Jamoon, Rasmalai, Rum and Raisin Cake, Browm Sugar Chocolate Cake. I've made over a baker's dozen of these recipes and they're great. Now, whenever I get a yen for the Caribbean I'll just pull out Caribbean Desserts.



2. After two trips to the Caribbean I have fallen in love with the food and the people and the ambience and now I can enjoy the wonderful flavors and colors of Caribbean desserts all year long. Even reading the names of these recipes is a sensory treat, Ginger Beer, Mango Wine, Caramelized Mango Cream, Tropical Sundae with Ginger Lime Sauce, Mango Daiquiri Sorbet, Soursop Ice Cream, Ginger Creme Brulee, Tropical Chocolate Mousse, Gulab Jamoon, Rasmalai, Rum and Raisin Cake, Browm Sugar Chocolate Cake. I've made over a baker's dozen of these recipes and they're great. Now, whenever I get a yen for the Caribbean I'll just pull out Caribbean Desserts.

No comments about The Washington Inn Cooks for Friends: 350 Favorite Recipes from Cape May's Premier Restaurant.

3 comments about Lion House Desserts.

1. This collection of desserts is right in line with the Lion House tradition. The Lion House is an historic monument that was originally designed for Brigham Young of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The house now is home to tours, a restraunt, and is available for gatherings. The food here is great and the desserts in this collection should make any mouth water. Excellent reference for desserts



2. This book is truly a jewel! I have used and used the recipes, with great sucsess. I have many cookbooks, about 45 of them, and this is the one I go back to every time. It's quite rare to find so many great deserts in one place. When you buy this book your search is over.



3. If you want to make the best desserts around you need this cookbook. Easy to follow recipes with beautiful illustrations help you create a masterpiece!

No comments about Phil Vickery's Puddings.

5 comments about Gingerbread: Things to Make and Bake.

1. Photographs of "creations" cluttered by miscellaneous "stuff" and there are very few good, professional quality samples to be inspired by.

   I would definitely pass on recommending this particular book.




2. I purchased this book several years ago and have used it every holiday season (I make 3 villages using a total of 14 houses, most of which are from this book or the author's other one on the same subject). Of all the books on the market on the subject, this and the author's other book are by far the best. The house designs are great and with some imagination, you can customize them for any season. Rolling out the dough then freezing it helps alot when cutting the intricate details. I have also modified the patterns by removing some of the panes so the windows aren't as detailed yet still look nice. I would highly recommend this book!



3. There is no better Gingerbread Book on the market. It is worth seeking this out of print book out. Teresa Layman details projects and gives all the templates. She is amazing and has put together the best books on Gingerbread period!



4. This is a great collection of gingerbread projects.
   I love the clean designs and creativity!
   A wonderful resource for any one interested in gingerbread.
   I'm a pastry chef and have made many seasonal gingerbread displays over the years and I'm happy to add this book to my collection for creative inspiration.



5. Fun! Fun! Fun! I ordered this book so that I could try making my very first Gingerbread House... I picked the PERFECT book. I chose the Woodsman's Cabin. Each house has full size patterns to trace and transfer to card stock, it made it so convenient. I love how everything is so detailed. Knowing that I am slow I set time aside to create this Gingerbread House and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. A friend even dropped by and when she saw what I was making she stopped and helped for awhile and wanted to make one for her family. My husband cut out the board that I needed for the base and my 18 year old son even helped with some great ideas for my "trees" (we couldn't find two different sizes of sugar cones in our area). It is so nice to come across people and books that have something beautiful and worthwhile to share. Teresa Layman does beautiful work and is a true artist. It sure brought a couple days of complete happiness as I constructed the building and grounds. It was an achievement for me since I have scleroderma and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Great Book! Great Author! Hint!!! Don't chill the dough!!!

1 comments about Sticky & Steamed Puddings.

1. Growing up in Canada with creamy, refrigerated 'pudding', I didn't know what was meant by 'pudding' when the term was mentioned by older folk or heard in old movies. The Joy of Cooking states that in England, pudding refers to a 'hot dessert'. That didn't help me.
   
   When my husband was stationed in Australia, I picked up an interesting looking pot with a clip-on lid at the local K-Mart which I had never seen anywhere before. The saleslady told me that it was a 'pudding basin'. Coincidentally, as soon as I got back home I happened to notice this book at the Deli section of my local supermarket. "Aha!" I thought, "Here's my chance to try out that nifty little pot".
   
   WOW.
   
   Every Recipe is Fantastic. The book is well organised. Every recipe has an accompanying photograph. The recipes are easy to execute. The book is well bound and durable. My family and guests eagerly gobble up anything I've made from this little gem of a cookbook. Nothing I've tried from this book has failed, or even tasted 'average'. In addition (except for 'custard powder') most recipes don't call for fancy, hard-to-find ingredients. I had some old dates sitting around in my fridge for months that were too hard to eat anymore but weren't 'throw-awayable'. Presto! On page 26 is a wonderful, easy to make and quick recipe for sticky date pudding that didn't last more than 1/2 hr after it came out of the oven!
   
   Why have these types of desserts fallen out of favour here in North America? They're marvellous, especially in the winter.
   
   By the way, puddings really are 'hot desserts'.
   
   I heartily recommend this book, it is truly excellent.

1 comments about Designer Desserts.

1. I like how this book is done in three parts, But it takes some getting used to. First section is step by step techniques, i.e. Sugar work, and chocolate work and such. The second part is the plate designing, and third are the recipes.
   
   MOST professional dessert books have only one picture and a recipe, making it hard to follow or duplicate. This book has many pictures for each dessert along with diagrames of said dessert. This is almost like a Dessert text book, but in a good way. The techniques are advanced, so I would not recommend this for a new cook.
   
   My biggest complaint is that the pictures are not the best quality and they look like a low res digital camera was used. They are shadowy, grainy, and dark. (The little doodle drawings with each dessert were of better quality) Otherwise this book is a five star for me. - Best dessert book I own!

3 comments about Gifts in a Jar: Cakes & Cobblers.

1. This holiday season is the perfect time to start thinking about what to give those people to whom you want to express a little appreciation but for whom you don't want to make uncomfortable with anything too deluxe (next door neighbors, kid's teacher, postal carrier that actually smiles and knows your name, brother-in-law's girlfriend, etc). You might also need ideas for add-on gifts if you are giving somebody a bit closer a kitchen-related gadget. Gifts In A Jar is a great solution for those Under Five Dollars is Appropriate occasions.
   
   The deal is, you layer ingredients into a wide-mouth, quart sized jar according to the order listed so that they stay separate and the presentation is pretty. Seal, top off the jar with ribbons or fabric and tie a preprinted tag to the rim that has baking instructions. You cut these tags directly from the book; there are six for each recipe. These mixes are supposed to stay fresh from 3 to 6 months, but I assume that a lot of that depends on how fresh the maker's ingredients were before being added to the jar. A hint for the wise: use the freshest possible nuts, dried fruits and spices or your recipient will open the jar a month from now to find it rancid, crystallized and/or faded. This is after all supposed to be delightful and delicious.
   
   Now this is my second venture into the Gifts in a Jar series and all my expectations were exceeded this time around. Apparently the author was paying attention to the comments of previous customers (from the GIAJ Muffins book, an earlier contribution) who complained about the prevalent use of Bisquick, because I have yet to run into an ingredient in this book that asks for anything but scratch. And every one of the 10 recipes I have tested turned out either decently or downright fabulous. Standouts: Pumpkin Chocolate Cake, Peach Cobbler, Chocolate Coffee Cake, and Peach Crumb Cake. I only tried the one peach cobbler recipe (there is rhubarb and blueberry too), but the others look similar and I must say it was the best I've ever had.
   
   I have one issue with the author(s) of the recipes. About half of them require several additional ingredients that the recipient must provide when s/he makes the cake or cobbler. Obviously "wet" ingredients like eggs, oil and fruit fillings can't be put into the jars but when the recipient has to add her own sugar, baking soda, corn starch etc. in addition to these I think it gets to be a little too much. Isn't the idea to be giving a gift of *convenience*, not a hassle? So I have marked the recipes in my book that I feel are appropriate as gifts and once in a while I test in my own home the ones that have too many other requirements to be true gifts. Eleven useable gift recipes make this book well worth the price still.
   
   Good for bake sales too. Solidly recommended.
   -Andrea, aka Merribelle



2. Item arrived quickly and in great shape. Very professional business relations. I recommend this buyer and this book.



3. Item never came, emailed seller twice with no response. I am presently waited for a refund.

1 comments about Oreo with a Twist: 75 Easy recipes and fun to make food crafts.

1. If you like the chocolate cookie that has become world famousover the past 100 years, this is a book for you. There are manyrecipe ideas to use for desserts, parties...even entertaining. Also, your kids will enjoy some of the craft ideas.