5 comments about Dead Heat.

1. Loved this book. Max is a great hero, the world of find cuisine provides a perfect backdrop to the crime, and the bad guy truly bad. I hope Dick Francis writes many more books, and the addition of Felix Francis to the mix only makes the books better. Bravo!



2. Just finished the book and I must say it is an engaging read. Okay - so it's not "To The Hilt", but it is a good Francis book. I was so pleased that Dick Francis began writing again after his long hiatus. However, I do agree with the people who recognize a change in his writing. The first book released after his return - "Under Orders" was missing something. This collaboration with his son has D. Francis closer to the 'old voice'. As always - the research behind the book is excellent. However - I think what is still missing is the character insight/development/perspecitive that perhaps came from Francis' wife.



3. I'm really surprised at all of the good reviews for this book. Granted, I listened to it on the audio version (it was a gift; not a choice I would ordinarily make), but I thought the plot was fairly boring and the protagonist was unconvincing in both his investigative exploits as well as his romantic ones. In addition, the performer who did the audio version was badly miscast, I thought. He sounded really old. It was jarring, in that the main characters were supposedly in their early 30s. I would suggest re-reading some of the old Francis books rather than taking a stab at this one.



4. Max Morton is sick. He thinks it's food poisoning and he's not the only one affected, so he's worried, because last night he was the chef at a black tie dinner event. He's the youngest chef to receive the "Michelin Star" which is a true chiefly honor. He not only owns a popular restaurant in New Market, but he also operates his own catering business. So when an environmental health office shows up to investigate the poisoning, he's got cause for concern. The inspector does too, so she shuts down his restaurant, despite the fact that the food had not been prepared at his restaurant and that all of the leftovers are gone.
   
   Fortunately Max still has his catering business. He's catering a function held in the viewing box at the 2000 Guineas horse race when a bomb goes off. Several people are killed, but luckily for Max, he suffers only minor injuries, however the woman who put on the event is badly injured and one of Max's staff does not survive the blast.
   
   Despite this tragic event, Max still has to try and save his restaurant. He discovers kidney beans caused the poisoning. However there were no kidney beans on the menu, nor were they used in anything served that night, so how could they have been in the food? Now Max has to wonder if he'd been set up. He also begins to wonder if the bombing was somehow connected to the food poisoning. Was the food poisoning an attempt to keep someone away from the bombing, if so who? And who was the bomb intended for? These are just a few of the questions you'll be asking yourself as you page through this satisfying mystery.
   
   I've long been a fan of Dick Francis and missed him dearly when he stopped writing. Then when he came back after so long off with Under Orders, I bought it straightaway. Now a year later we have this story. It's good to have Dick Francis back and I hope he and Felix have many more mystery thrillers in them.
   
   Reviewed by Vesta Irene



5. I am surprised by the reviews here which claim this doesn't read like a Dick Francis novel. I haven't read all his later books, but I found the style still ehre, maybe aged and matured, but unmistakeable.The title, as usual, has about three possible applications. The race track application of course is his trademark, and the restaurant application is equally obvious. The third application comes in the later part of the story. The racetrack connection is peripheral in this, but no more so than in several of his previous mysteries. The food preparation background isn't new with him. The wry humor and coincidental happenings are ever present along with his brand of brutality, the tinges of sadness at the loss of a couple of characters. The brutality, the betrayal of trust are themes that of course are not his alone, but the flavor of those elements is still the Francis we know and love. The richness of background detail is still the Francis we know.One always picks up some unusual knowledge in his books and this one is no exception. I did feel that he did a somewhat better job of tying up even the smallest of threads at the end although I was slightly disappointed at on character not being mentioned at the end.In my case though, he certainly did not disappoint.

5 comments about A Baker's Odyssey, includes DVD: Celebrating Time-Honored Recipes from America's Rich Immigrant Heritage.

1. Golden baked goods never looked so good. What pushes this cookbook a head of the pack is the enclosed DVD. The author takes time to demonstrate some of the recipes enclosed in the book that some might find challenging. Starting with pie crust, he also includes, Swedish cake, motza, cannoli and about 4 other recipes on the DVD. Having a DVD demonstrating some of the recipes with a cookbook is long overdue. I'm glad the cookbook world is finally attempting to incorporate technology where it can really benefit. Pairing this type of visual instructional manual with a diversity of recipes makes a great cookbook, a fabulously useful one. Not only does it basically begs you to try the recipes because you don't have an excuse with the enclosed demonstrations. But is helps insure success of the recipes it demonstrates. This should be the standard for most cookbooks.
   
   Another thing that sets this cookbook apart is that it's a diverse offering of international baked goods. Mexican, Jewish, Italian, Hungarian, Thai, Chinese, Norwegian, Middle Eastern (Iraqi, Lebanese), Nigerian and so much more. Technology meets culinary diversity in the cookbook world, I hope this is the beginning of many.
   
   This is a great gift for any occasion for someone who is afraid to bake and needs a little help. It will aslo be of interest to the seasoned baker who would enjoy a diversity of recipes added to their collection. This is also a great cookbook for parents to work on with their kids as a family activity because of the demonstrations. These types of activities can inspire creativity, critical thinking skills, and lead one to making a Basic Home Economics Course right in your own home!
   
   Hopefully this book's use of of technology will become the standard and not the exception.



2. "A Baker's Odyssey" is thick with recipes of all kinds---fried sweet pastries and doughs, flatbreads, savory & sweet pastries, yeast breads & pies (both sweet and savory), cookies, cakes, tortes, and more.
   
   There are a few small bundles of color photos in the book. Most of the time I'm happy either way when it comes to the presence of photos---they aren't a must-have for me the way they are for some folks---but given the wide array of unusual (to me, anyway) treats in here, I would have loved more photos. The ones that are here are gorgeous, though.
   
   There are plenty of notes on ingredients, which is incredibly helpful given that, for example, you might not have worked with lard before. Mr. Patent even includes instructions for rendering your own so it'll be of better quality than that found in your average grocery. There are also plenty of notes on equipment; just because these are traditional recipes doesn't mean you have to forgo modern convenience appliances!
   
   A Baker's Odyssey includes recipes from all over the world---Kahk from Iraq; Puff Puff from Nigeria; Casatelli from Italy; Lebanese pita; Norwegian lefse; and on and on. I'd say that hands-down the biggest hit out of the recipes we've made so far was the Kachauri, fried flatbreads stuffed with a spiced split pea mixture. Cheese Sambouseks were quite popular as well---pockets stuffed with an egg-and-cheese mixture. We made a delightful whole wheat oatmeal bread as well as the tasty, crunchy little Kahk nibbles.
   
   The recipes are clear and easy to read. So far I've only found one editing snafu (two slightly different sets of instructions to divide up a dough in one paragraph, such that it took a moment to realize I wasn't supposed to try to divide up the dough multiple times) and it was easily recognized and dealt with. All in all, I expect this will become one of our more treasured bread books. I just love being able to try out the vast wealth of recipes from around the world.



3. `A Baker's Odyssey' by professional Zoologist, Greg Patent is a sequel to his excellent `Baking in America' and is also different from the rich selection of books we have on American desserts from the likes of Nancy Baggett, Wayne Harley Brachman, and Judith Fertig. It is most similar to `A Baker's Tour' by noted baking author and teacher, Nick Malgieri, except that Professor Patent limits himself to baking imported into the United States by Immigrants.
   This book successfully emulates the virtues of `Baking in America' in many ways. First, it is a superior reference on how to recreate authentic recipes for many classic international dishes, plus some great homegrown dishes, especially from my favorite Pennsylvania Dutch corner of the world. Second, its discussion of the fundamentals is far more nuanced than one would expect in a book intended to be a collection of traditional recipes.
   The very first recipe I checked, for the Russian Easter bread, kulich, is a fine example of both how thorough and how `ethnic' Patent's recipes can be. I have found and made similar recipes in both Betsy Oppenneer's `Celebration Breads' and in `The Best of Gourmet, 20th Anniversary Edition', and it is fascinating to see what the three recipes have in common and what is different. The most surprising common feature is that all three recipes call for baking the bread in two pound coffee cans. And, I can testify from experience that one strays from this recommendation at your own risk. I have mad kulich in three quart soufflé dishes and in 1 quart soufflé dishes, and neither one came out quite as good as I expected. There is something about the metal and the tall thin shape of the container which seems to be needed. The problem is that all 2 lb coffee cans today come with easy open tops, with pronounced lips, which make them virtually unusable as baking pans. I found that small metal springform pans are a reasonable substitute to the metal coffee cans. One simply has to carefully follow the directions on how to determine when the baking is done. The primary difference between Patent and the two more `modern' recipes is that Gourmet and Oppenneer both call for two rises of four hours or less while Patent's grandmother's recipe calls for three rises totaling up to eight hours. Less significant differences are that the modern recipes add saffron. I constantly puzzled over how Russian peasants could get or afford saffron. Patent's ethnically accurate recipe achieves the yellow coloring form using plenty of eggs and butter.
   The second recipe I checked was the classic Pennsylvania Dutch shoo fly pie. Not only does Patent include one, he includes two, both from authentic sources, Betty Groff and William Woys Weaver. So, Patent remedies the omissions in practically every other authors' book(s) on `American' baking.
   Another ethnic recipe very important to me are the Hungarian Walnut Torte, classically flourless, with `body' provided by walnuts and bread crumbs and lift provided by egg whites. Patent gives ample instructions on being careful not to over bake, but I'm surprised he gives no special instructions on how to avoid droopy centers. I'm totally amazed that my grandmother was able to make this cake without a droopy center. When my aunt took over the duties of making it for my birthday, her cake always drooped.
   The last recipe near and dear to my heart I found was for Apple Strudel. Like every other recipe, this one comes from an authentic German recipe, relayed by an authentic German! The highlight of the recipe is that it includes instructions for making strudel dough from scratch. There is a family resemblance between strudel dough and the Greek Phyllo dough, but anyone who has improvised strudel with Phyllo knows they are simply not the same thing. German / Austrian strudel dough is a bit easier to make, and has more body to it.
   As I have intimated above, every recipe comes from an authentic source. Patent had a good start for his cosmopolitan sources, as his parents were Iranian and Russian, and he was born in China. And, virtually all the recipes have a basis in home baking. There is not a trace of artisanal baking from ambient wild yeasts, something which can only be done effectively with a commercial bakery which specializes in such breads. Thus, the whole world of artisanal breads is left for other writers. But this is no loss, as this is a very well-tilled field of writing.
   It is just a bit surprising to find no hot cross buns, especially since it did not appear in `Baking in America'. It is not surprising to find no buttermilk biscuits, since that did appear in `Baking in America'. But Irish Soda Bread, even the `Spotted Dick' variety is here.
   The obligatory list of sources at the back of the book is as good or better than I've seen elsewhere. If you love baking `ethnic', this book and its predecessor are a superb pair of references, especially if you don't have lots of room for a dozen baking books.
   The book includes a DVD which, I am happy to say, includes techniques on two of my favorite recipes cited above, the apple strudel and the Hungarian walnut cake.
   There are many, many good baking books these days. If traditional recipes are your thing, there is nothing better than these two.



4. Baking is made easy with the enclosed dvd. I always prefer to bake instead of fry, this gives me more options. I also recommend Finger Licking different.



5. After hearing the author on NPR, I was expecting the book to have a bit more in the way of savory recipes. That being said, this book contains the only recipe I've ever found for the real Russian kulich I had as a child. While time consuming,the recipe is easy enough to follow for an experienced baker. The result was magnificent-the only perfectly scented and textured kulich I've ever managed to make.

5 comments about Tea with Jane Austen.

1. This is - and there is no doubting this - the vag-iest book I've ever seen.



2. This is a good history on tea. It explains lots of things I never knew before. I questioned the validity of a couple of stories in here, but that doesn't mean they're not true...just hard to imagine. It's small enough that it won't get tedious, but long enough that you actually learn some things.



3. I bought this as a gift but I wanted to buy it for myself. It is so charming and full of recipes. I'm getting it soon...



4. I collect books on tea and this was a must with my fondness for Jane Austen and tea.



5. This lovely book was a pleasure to read, with an engaging style and full of interesting tidbits. The author probes the social history of tea in Regency England, and along the way, she illuminates new aspects of familiar passages from Jane Austen's novels by explaining the social context that readers of that time would have automatically understood. What does it mean that Mr. Darcy chooses coffee over tea when he dines at Longbourn? After reading this book, I have a new understanding of that scene.

5 comments about Happy Days with the Naked Chef.

1. This is absolutely the best cookbook I have ever owned. Usually I own a cookbook and prepare maybe one or two recipes before it sits of the shelf and begins to collect dust.

   Happy Days is chock full of simple, low fuss recipes that taste as though hours of work have been spent in the kitchen. Simple, accessible ingredients and winning combinations. A recipe has yet to disappoint me. For someone who's life is too busy for long hours in the kitchen and want flavorful recipes with flair and originality - this is the book for you!




2. I don't know why the recipes in this book don't turn out right. Every recipe I tried has been a disaster, not to mention required an extremely expensive list of ingredients (porcini mushrooms and arugula anyone?). Jamie Oliver puts on a great show, but the food just doesn't seem to live up to the "easy peasy" hype. His "My favorite curry" with "Lemon rice" took almost 3 hours from prep to finish and tasted horrible. I won't be buying another Jamie Oliver book.



3. In every way imaginable, this third Jamie Oliver cookbook proclaims that he has arrived as a celebrity chef, husband, father, and all around swell lad made good. His name on the cover is about three times the size of the book's title, `Happy Days with the Naked Chef', the book is dedicated to his two children, Little Henners and Jakey Bakey, and photos his nibs with his wife, Jools appear throughout the book. On top of all this, there is a much broader representation of international flavors in these recipes based on trips to the Orient, echoing the influence of Japan on the culinary thinking of Joel Robuchon.
   
   At the risk of laying it on just a little too thick, I really believe Oliver shows the kind of passion about good food and cooking which I have seen in very few other TV culinary personalities. Stopping short of a comparison with Julia Child, as Saint Julia did say she couldn't quite understand him most of the time, I would compare his enthusiasm with that of Mario Batali and Jacques Pepin, although he does not have the depth of technique of Jaques or the extensive knowledge of local Italian cuisines as Mario.
   
   Oliver does not simply dedicate to his children for schmaltz value as he devotes a sizable section of the book on the value and attitudes to use when cooking with your kids. These few pages alone are worth the price of the book. Emeril just published a whole book on techniques for cooking with your kids, and as good a job as he did in telling you how to do it, Jamie does a much better job of telling you why you do it and what benefits will arise from the effort. Jamie also gives a few insights into his cooking with Jools as well when he says that once upon a time, every little suggestion on Jools' cooking from world famous chef Jamie was taken as a criticism and tended to dampen her enthusiasm for doing something she did not especially enjoy anyway. The whole picture changed when Jamie simply praised everything Jools did in the kitchen. The quality of her cooking and her attitude improved dramatically. I can think of a few of my relatives I would love to feed the wisdom in this book.
   
   In reviews of Oliver's other books, I have warned that while Jamie preaches simplicity, this is not the same as quick or easy. Jamie does lean a bit toward quicker and easier in some chapters in this book, keeping to the cooking with the kids theme. He has a chapter on `Quick Fixes' and `Comfort Grub' plus `More Simple Salads'. And, he leaves out any recipes for homemade pasta, with all pasta dishes being based on dried pasta, which he always says is not inferior to fresh, just different. There is also a very short chapter just after the introduction on using fresh herbs, which for the entire world sounds like a sermon from Pastor Oliver exhorting you to use fresh herbs. This homily is understandable if you recall that Jamie Oliver's writing and televising about food is all about lifestyle, not just how to cook. His lesson is that fresh herbs are necessary to good cooking.
   
   As always, Oliver's most appealing recipes are for salads, pasta dishes, and seafood. I sometimes wish that all of his books would be reissued collecting all like chapters into individual volumes and I would buy the salad and pasta volumes simply to have all these recipes together. They are by far the most original of his dishes, although there is one pasta dish Jamie attributes to Mario Batali and there are a few in his books that are attributed to his experiences at the River Café.
   
   Bread is one of my favorite culinary subjects and Jamie is one of the very few superstar chefs who gives special emphasis to bread baking. His basic bread recipe is a classic fast method he probably got from Gennaro, as Contaldo uses a very similar recipe in his book `Passione'. The recipe violates the recommendation from experts like Peter Reinhart who promote little yeast and long rise times, but I have made Jamie's bread and I find it just fine, especially as a medium for rolling in savory additions such as onions and salami. To atone for his fast yeast bread, Jamie adds a recipe for artisinal sourdough bread with natural yeast and a classic Italian bega. Read this recipe very carefully before starting, as it takes a FULL WEEK to complete. If you are serious about bread, check out books by Reinhart, Joe Ortiz, or Nancy Silverton, but you could do a lot worse than getting your first taste of bread baking from Sir Jamie.
   
   When someone has an engaging TV personality, I fear their enthusiasm may not transfer to a skill with the written word, especially with Jamie, as I have heard him say he dictates all his books into a tape recorder, as he never really learned to write properly in school. Let me assure you here that even his chapters with low culinary interest such as his chapters on mixed drinks are a joy to read.
   
   Jamie has a habit of labeling certain recipes as `the best ever'. Well, I have made his `best ever' recipes and I agree with him. They have all become standards in my repertoire. He continues to match or exceed the very high quality of recipes you will find from the River Café or even from Signoir Batali himself.
   
   On the remote chance that Hyperion editors read this review for constructive criticism, I will point out that the layout of ingredient lists makes reading the recipes a bit annoying, as does the absence of ingredient lists from some of the simpler recipes.
   
   If one wishes to get more out of their cooking, they could not do much better than to work their way through Jamie Oliver's cookbooks.



4. The first few times I made things from this book, they seemed off. But Jamie is such the grab and go and not really measuring cook. So I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Then I tried one of his bread recipes... the Banana and Honey Bread (p.245) and using the basic bread recipe (p. 236). Starting with the banana recipe, he says to puree 6 bananas and add water to equal two cups. 6 bananas pureed came out to way more than two cups... then I didnt know what to do about the water. In the basic bread recipe, there it calls for 2 TABLESPOONS of level salt and 2 TABLESPOONS of level sugar. The sugar I could understand, but I had to read the salt one over and over again. I dont even use 2TBS of salt for a roasted chicken and I like salty foods. Then the banana recipe did not call for the removal of the salt from the original recipe. Needless to say, the bread did not turn out well was quite salty, among other things. In retrospect, I think this book has suffered from the conversion from the British system of metrics to the American measurements. I was really disappointed in how much energy and time and enjoyment I had poured into this book and Jamie Oliver, when someone did not care enough to proof the book and ensure that recipes were accurate and usable. I was so disappointed that despite the small fortune I used to collect the books, I decided to give them away with the belief that you should use the book for inspiration, and for recipes that do not call for exact measurements, otherwise, this is not really a cookbook but a selling of a celebrity or personality. I was truly disappointed.



5. I really enjoy Jamie Oliver. He is more down-to-earth than many of the other food network chefs and I just love the food he prepares. This is a wonderful book! buy it!

5 comments about Great British Cooking: Wellkept Secret, A.

1. Like a previous reviewer I too have spent time in the U.K. (as I married a Scotsman). The recipes in here are the standards to British cooking. I've tried many other and this is by far the best for anyone wanting to cook British meals in the U.S. The measurements have all been scaled for an American kitchen and every recipe I've tried has come out wonderful. A LOVELY BOOK!!!!



2. I am an American who loves Britain and who has lived in England. I think British cooking gets a bad rap, and that's just what the author points out. Just yesterday I made the Brown Windsor soup and it's wonderful, so I'd say I'm off to an excellent start with this excellent book. Hooray!



3. The delight in this book is not only in the recipes, which I have enjoyed immensely. Jane Garmey's wit in the presentation makes one sense a wink at the poor reputation British food generally holds, just as her recipes give it the lie. Generally, British food at its best is wonderful... trouble is that finding it 'at its best' often requires a journey.
   
   The volume is not exhaustive, but presents many classic dishes, most easily prepared (and some which would appeal to, for example, one so avidly traditional as to spend the two months it takes for genuine plum pudding.) It is a pleasant sampler of varied main dish, savoury, pudding, and tea favourites.
   
   I would highly recommend this book to those who enjoy cooking. There are many items here which do not require unusual effort or odd ingredients, and can have wonderful results.



4. Although the book has no pictures, the recipes taste and look like authentic British foods. The measures have been converted to standard American measures and some traditional British ingredients have been changed to easier to find American ingredients such as sour cream instead of creme fraiche; however, this book would be easy to use in any country. A good basic 'What the English really eat' cookbook!



5. I like to cook but don't have as much time for it as I'd like. I can do the recipes in this book on the weekends, but on workdays, they just take too long.
   
   That's too bad, because the food is very good.

5 comments about Cook 1.0: A Fresh Approach to the Vegetarian Kitchen.

1. I know she does in fact have one other book that I also own. This book is great for basics - you're encouraged to be creative. Also, great to find a vegetarian book that can so easily be adapted to meat eaters as well and doesn't rely on tomatoes or peppers or squash for every recipe. You'll find great biscut recipies, pot pies, etc., and dialogue for each recipe grouping. Her other book, "Super Natural Cooking", is my favorite - same reasons, different style of book completely. This book is definitely versatile and very usable.



2. this book is great for foodies & those who need to tackle the challenges of being vegetarian. great ideas, easy to read, easy to implement, just an excellent resource for your cookbook library.



3. I first discovered Heidi on her website 101cookbooks when I was looking for gluten free recipes. From there I discovered she published two books: this one and Super Natural Cooking. I bought both.
   
   This book is, simply put: BRILLIANT. She takes the book and breaks it up into sections such as main dishes, side dishes, desserts, beverages. But that is as traditional as she gets. In each section she covers one type of food and gives you several ways of preparing it. For example, she does a section on panini sandwiches. She will introduce what the panini is, tips for cooking (such as what type of bread to use), then she will have two or more pages of different panini sandwiches such as brie/apple/ cranberry/"fake" bacon. The recipes are read left to right instead of the standard up and down, in an excel-like format. And all of her recipes only take a handful of ingredients and are made in usually 3 steps or less.
   
   Some other foods covered are pizzas, risottos, pot pies, salads, pocket sandwiches, soups, pastas, stir-frys, dressings, flavored butters, ice cream, sorbets, sherberts, beverages...and the list goes on.
   
   Simple, concise, fun to read, and the recipes themselves taste phenomenial! Highly recommended!
   
   Gluten-free note: as I am vegetarian and my kids are gluten free I found this cookbook appealing on many levels. For me, I can follow the recipes directly, for the kids I can substitute bread and pasta for the gluten free type and make a similar dinner so the kids don't feel left out. And they love the food!



4. This is great for anyone especially those who want to try to eat vegan. It is simple with variety of options offered for each created dish! This is a keeper.



5. This cookbook is my current favorite. It's like music; in each section, the author creates a theme and variations upon it. There is a core recipe with at least four different versions that taste completely different. In doing this, it manages to give you great ideas for what ingredients you can swap to make something new without having to learn a new skill set for each recipe. I have made the parmesan & basil drop biscuits, broken lasagna with cherry tomatoes, salsa verde and two smoothie recipes, and each has been easy to make with simple 3-step instructions and delicious every time. This book hasn't left my kitchen counter since I got it last week! I plan to make just about everything in here.
   
   The best part is that I'm not a vegetarian and there's not a single recipe in here that turns me off. The author isn't pretentious about being vegetarian the way many vegetarian cookbooks are (you know what I mean, "2 organic tomatoes, free range eggs, etc"). It just happens to be food without meat or meat-replacements, which is great because I am not a fan of tofu either.

5 comments about Nanny Ogg's Cookbook (Discworld Series).

1. I haven't actually tried any of these culinary delights as yet. This is a cookbook, so it will not satisfy all of his readers. I'm from the U.K (living in Tx) and have to say, I have a soft spot for Nanny and Granny Weatherwax. I recognize in these two, a very particular kind of character from the northwest of England (very fond memories/yet they both remind me at times of my late Scots mother). Nanny is just being herself, in this unusual collection of dishes, some of which sound almost familiar from my distant childhood ! This is a fun item, not for anyone other than the hardened Discworld Fan.



2. If you have read all of Terry Pratchett's Disc World series, particularly those books that deal with Granny Weatherwax and her sometimes sidekick Nanny Ogg, you will not find anything new here. This is due to publishers coming up with new ways to market old material. This is not wrong if they would 'fess up when they do this. However, if you like Nanny Ogg, then you might enjoy this collection of her sayings and recipes which are very humorous.
   
   One suggested use for this book is to keep it in the kitchen next to the real cookbooks and the next time you have a guest bothering you while you are trying to cook you can pretend to be using this cookbook. Note down some arcane ingredient and then ask them to get it from the grocery store on the other side of town. By the time they have given up, you can have the real dinner ready.



3. This book is a must have for any Terry Pratchett fan! Although I have yet to try any of the recipes, (I don't have the courage...), it's still an incredibly funny read. all the various 'Author notes' and comments from 'the editor' make it seem like a portal opened up from the discworld itself, and this dropped through! Highly recommended!



4. I suppose you could call this a cookbook, but it's much more about Nanny Ogg than it is about the recipes. And let's face it--I bought it for the fantasy, not for the food.
   
   There are "recipes" for a lot of the foods you'll find in the Discworld books: dwarf bread, rat onna stick, dried frog pills... You could even quite possibly make some of the recipes in here for a lovely Discworld party and invite some of your savvier friends.
   
   But it's mostly lovely little tidbits about various Discworld characters--primarily Nanny Ogg, but a few other characters get some space here, too.
   
   If you're familiar with the Discworld, you won't find it at all surprising that it's been "heavily edited"--they tried to take out the innuendos, but I think they found that was a losing proposition, and settled for taking out just the blatant stuff.
   
   And if you're not familiar with the Discworld, and happen to find a copy of this at your library, go ahead and pick it up, and see if it doesn't just convince you that the Discworld is a place you'd like to visit.



5. I would say a "Must Have" for any Discworld fanatic, but unfortunately it's not a "Must Have"... what it is however is a very fun, whimsical cookbook assembled by our favorite dirty minded witch of Lancre - Nanny Ogg. Though this book does contain recipes (and most of them appear fairly legit) the reason to buy this book is for the old fashioned wisdom that used to come in cookbooks. The more of the Discworld books that you have read, the more you will recognize the names and people mentioned in the recipes. Everyone from the Patrician, to Nobby's Mum, to The King of Lancre have contributed their favorites (Even CMOT Dibbler has contributed his "Sausage-inna-bun recipe). There are also a series of "Ethnic" foods from Klatch, Quirm, Lancre, and many other of the Discworld lands including multiple Dwarven recipes which (include the ever popular "Dwarf Bread.")
   
   Throughout the cookbook you will find not only recipes, but also Nanny's quips, and advise, as well as notes from the "editors" who are very concerned about Nanny's tendency towards the vulgar. It is safe to have around the house because the kiddies won't get the references as Nanny always states them with double meaning and a wink. At the end of the book there is a section on life and etiquette which is absolutely hysterical. Having just been married two years ago, the section on weddings nearly had me in tears, specifically the instructional part about how to have the obligatory wedding fight among the guests.
   
   Note to those of you wavering about the purchase of this book. It's cute, it's funny, but it is by no means a novel. If you plan to sit down with it and read it as a book, you will be done in less than an hour and will probably be disappointed. If you are the type who has a few "Discworld junkie" friends, this is the perfect help to any party... you can all get together and make dwarf bread and see who's flies the farthest. This would also make an excellent gift for a Discworld fan. If you are planning to put it in your kitchen with the rest of your cookbooks, I would advise getting the hardcover version.

5 comments about Scotland and its Whiskies: The Great Whiskies, the Distilleries and Their Landscapes.

1. A couple of years ago I was blessed by being given one of the best, if not the best job in the world. "Brand Ambassador" for one of the finest and best known Scotch Whisky Brands. After an all too brief trip to Scotland, I have dedicated most of my free time to reading everything about Scotland and her Whiskies that I can get my hands on.
   Mr. Jackson's wonderfully poetic description of the land that now owns my heart has served to make a return trip much more than a wish.
   I so loved this book that I made a gift of it to the library of Cardhu Distillery.
   Thank you Mr. Jackson for making Scotland come alive to Whisky lovers everywhere.
   Slainte bha
   Charles Swett



2. I got hooked on single malt scotches a few years ago--not hooked in an AA "higher power" sense--but hooked on sipping and savoring Balvenie, Oban, Cragganmore, and others.

   As an adoptee who recently learned of his Scottish heritage, this handsome book with its lovely pictures of the highland countryside makes me proud. The Scottish have given the world the telephone (Graham Bell), the bicycle (Dunlop), the game of golf (St. Andrew's), cloning (Wilmut), penicillin (Fleming), and capitalism (Adam Smith)...not to mention some fabulous hooch

   Our author is a foremost specialist on the subject of single malts discussing the subtle differences based on barrel-wood and mineral earth that make each scotch unique to its region. Besides, with someone like Michael Jackson says a 12 year old is tastier than a 16 year old, you better believe him.




3. An excellent book about my favourite all time drink! That's how I would describe this well written, beautifully photographed and intricate journey through Scotland, describing its whiskies.
   
   Working together, Jackson and Wright have put together a combined piece of verbal and photographic artwork. The information provided is very educational, but enjoyable, with historic and technical information entwined with Jackson's fireside conversational style making this a pleasure to read. I can't reproduce the photography but I can give you a sample of the style of writing from page 63:
   
   "After I had breathed the air of early Christianity and Celtic myth, the journey back was slow. It was not just the two hours' drive from Fionnphort to Tobermory, the main town of Mull, but also the otherworldliness of the landscape."
   
   This book has been broken up with the chapters as follows: Overture; The Islands; The East; Coda; Directory of distilleries; Glossary, Index and Acknowledgements. I liked the maps each section had that showed where distilleries were either operating, operating with visitor centre, mothballed or operating intermittently; or closed. This information would come in handy if you are planning on visiting the areas yourself.
   
   `Scotland and its Whiskies' is the perfect gift for that special person who has everything (including you!). It is an informative and enjoyable read; while pleasing the eye at the same time.



4. This is a quality production. The photos and the descriptions are fantastic. I found myself pouring a glass of scotch from whichever region I was reading that night, ie. Islay, Speyside, etc, and enjoying the dram more than usual.



5. This book was purchased along with MJ's 5th Edition Whisky guide. I found it an excellent read while enjoying a nice glass of single malt. The pictures are beautiful and MJ's commentary make me want to visit Scotland and tour the distilleries myself.

5 comments about Naked Chef, The.

1. Just the kind of book you'll love to give to your wife, fun, food written



2. The book is really good. I love this so much I bought Happy Days with the Naked Chef too. The recipes I have tried out so far have worked every time and the instructions are clear. Although I loved cooking, I was not what anyone would call a professional in the kitchen. I would have balked at anything that sounded too complex. The mushroom risotto and the chickpea and leek soup are two of the recipes I make most often. I also tried the Roasted butternut squash in a risotto just as he suggests. It was brilliant and had to be one of the most economical meals I have made. Spotted Dick pudding, minestrone, Fruit crumble, marinated chickpeas, roast chicken have all turned out very well. Such an encouragement for me, the cook..



3. its very interesting and have lots of ideas.Very easy to prepare the food . no need to weight the ingredient.



4. jamie oliver is the best! he is funny, cute, and most inportantly passionate about food. i am currently in culinary school, and jamie's first book.... the naked chef, is the reason i am doing what i am doing. his book makes cooking look so fun and relaxed... exactly what it should be!!!! (i should know... i spend 7 hours in cooking class every day.) the pictures are colorful and artistically taken. give this book as a present to anyone, chef or not. i remember staying up way late at night reading his words and looking at pictures..... mmmmmmm its to bad hes married already!



5. Jamie Oliver clearly knows what he is doing as far as Italian cuisine goes, the recipes were good, not all that simple though very authentic. My major dissapointment was the text quality, I've skimmed through its pages about five times, by the third time its pages were falling out of it.

5 comments about The Gastronomical Me.

1. Do the former critics not read Tolstoy because he was a Count? I was born into a working class neighborhood in New York, and this is one of my favorite books. Being a gourmand is an enlightened point of view, a matter of personal taste. In my opinion this is Ms. Fisher's very best book. The writing, and the personality, are exquisite. Especially in the chapter about her Father and a childhood journey, and the discovery of her crush on a fellow boarding school student (female) and her love of oysters, at the same time! Am I the only one who feels that I've shared all of those wonderful meals with her when I put down this book? Great to pack along when you are traveling, even if you've read it before!



2. First I should admit I'm not a usual fan of MFK Fisher. I find her rambling and neurotic style a bit unsettling. Even in this book, one minute she's a snob and the next minute ... well I don't want to give it away. Nonethless, I loved it through and through. Much less neurotic or rambling than her other stuff. Marvelous stories. Wonderful points of view coming through. I really loved the story about that cook in her childhood who ... okay, I won't tell. If you like autobiography, this is a good one.



3. like many of the other reviewers, i found that ms. fisher's account of some events exquisite while others were confusing. as a food lover myself, i really enjoyed her descriptions of meals in various countries. but as an autobiography, i found that i didn't necessarily know more about ms. fisher after reading the book. the essays jumped around different years, and i felt that some of the most important events in her life lacked the background information for the reader to truly understand the significance they had on ms. fisher's life. all in all, i *did* enjoy the book, however. it made for quick reading, especially since every essay was a story onto itself. it inspired me to read more of ms. fisher's essays in hopes of finding out more about her.



4. no one could have turned the culinary world into literature. she shames these narrow consumer-oriented marketeers like martha stewart. this is an artist and craftswoman at her best.



5. Fisher recounts her life through her intimate association with food, growing up, travelling alone to meet her formidable uncle (knowing when to order consomé,) eating blue point oysters at a sorority banquet, falling in love with her first husband, living with him in 1930s Dijon at a boarding house where the landlady made ananas au kirsch, divorcing him, nursing another sick husband, being wooed while still married, travelling on cruise liners, watching the rise of the Nazis in Europe, and finally travelling to Mexico in her widowhood. Fisher reveals food as a civilizing force, revelling in its sensual pleasure while remaining starkly aware of a world going wrong. She writes real characters; it's journalism in a short story style, using that technique of fiction. With remarkably serene prose, delicate and sensuous, Fisher shows herself to be a singular woman who understands all too well the foibles of humanity and gracefully counteracts them with an almost pious devotion to the riches and possibilities of elegant cuisine.