1 comments about Doin' Dutch Oven: Inside and Out.

1. This book is ok if you just want a list of recipes. It doesn't say anything about setting up the fire or conditioning the dutch ovens. It just says: put some coals underneath and on top; or put on stove or in oven. In the later part of the book, most recipes include items that are already pre-made - in cans or in pouches - not really what I'm looking for (and it doesn't even list them specifically). This would have gotten 2 stars if it weren't for the chapter on 'special seasonings'. All that chapter does is offer a list of seasoning ingredients for $100 - pathetic.

No comments about Pork and Sons.

1 comments about EUROPEAN PEASANT COOKERY.

1. Not only is Elizabeth Luard a fine cookery writer, one of the very best, she is also an excellent cook (the two talents, perhaps not surprisingly, are rarely found together). Her knowledge of the dishes about which she writes in this book is neither superficial nor derived from seconday sources, but the product of living in Europe and studying, preparing and eating the entrees included in her book. This is more than just a book with a lot of pretty photographs of food presented in unusual and photogenic ways. It is about real food and how it has been prepared traditionally with clear guidance so that you and your family or guests may dine well as ordinary Europeans have for centuries.

2 comments about Joel Robuchon Cooking Through the Seasons.

1. A large formated book with some sketch plates of shellfish, vegetables etc. Instead of a cookbook I would term the work a walk through the food classes. A noble attempt at conitinuing to educate the reader on the different ways to look at food. However, for a chef of Robuchon's quality and popularity, the reader is left with a feeling of being jipped. Not really getting any more personal cooking tips, or recipes that made him famous. This might have been a better third effort, not second. Your money is better spent elsewhere.



2. While I agree with the other reviewer that this is not your conventional cook book- I think it's a wonderful resource for every cook. Great for "I just saw this wonderful asparagus on the market- what's the best way to cook it?." A rare opportunity to learn from the great master book is based on an weekly column written for a French magazine over a year. Each article includes a discussion about a single ingredient- from asparagus to wild hare. Robuchon writes about history, shopping tips, proper treatment and provides a few receipes that celebrate that ingredient.

No comments about 'Round the World Cooking Library - Central European Cooking (Orignial recipes from Switzerland, Austria, Czechoslovankia, Hungary and Rumania).

3 comments about Haute Cuisine: How the French Invented the Culinary Profession.

1. How did the French invent the culinary profession and rise to culinary heights? Haute Cuisine: How The French Invented The Culinary Profession charts the history of French cooking and French chefs, providing reviews of the pioneers of the field and their achievements. A fine survey of French food and culture, and how it influenced the world.



2. OK, the topic of the book is french cuisine. But Ms Trubek writes so simplistically worshipful that I think the book is not informative any more. She gives as a fact that until today french cuisine has been on top in every respect - and that's too narrow a view in the year 2000. The book should be displayed in every french cultural center and maybe in all the cooking schools mentioned which propagate french cooking - maybe that was the main motivation to write it anyway.



3. For readers interested in either France or cuisine of any kind, Haute Cuisine is a worthwhile and enjoyable read. Offering insight into the efforts of French chefs to establish their trade as a profession, the book explains how and why the French style of haute cuisine came to dominate within France and, more inportantly, far beyond its borders. The book studies the trade associations and journals of chefs, primarily in the 19th century. The rivalry between France and Britian in terms of culture and cuisine is discussed. It also describes the culinary expositions of the day. I highly recommend Haute Cuisinefor the casual reader as well as academics in history, anthropology, sociology, or cultural studies.

No comments about Book of European Wines (A Quintet Book).

No comments about Cooking Around the World: Romanian, Bulgarian & Balkan (Cooking Around the World).

3 comments about Brew Classic European Beers at Home.

1. This book was brought to my attention by my local homebrew store. It has lots of good recipes for brand name beers - some that you even buy in the U.S. It has the recipe for one of my favorites - Paulaner Salavator. Nearly all recipes are for grain brewing but a there are some (maybe 1/3) that give sketchy info on brewing with malt extracts.



2. I was pleasantly surprised by this book, as the author not only presents a great many recipes, but also includes a very good discussion of brewing techniques (after saying that to do so would be redundant!) I found his discussion of mashing techniques to be one of the more organized I have read in a homebrewers manual. He is also upbeat about the possibility of culturing yeasts from such Belgian beers as Orval and Chimay--this has definitely encouraged me to try to do so. Read this if you like "clone brews" and are willing to tackle the necessary mashing schedules for lagers, especially pilsners.



3. An extensive and excellent collection of recipes extrapolated from the information supplied by the breweries, not fantasy like some other clone books. Most major (and many less well known) German, Belgian, Austrian, British and Czech beers are here. The instructions are clear and concise, and are reprinted from his book "Homebrewing: A CAMRA Guide". There is a very good section on souring beers to replicate Berliner Wheats, Lambics and other soured ales. Recipes are given in metric, UK and US units. All recipes are for grain brewers, but Wheeler provides extract alternatives where possible. A must have.

No comments about Jane Grigson's book of European cookery.