2 comments about The Best of Ukrainian Cuisine (Hippocrene International Cookbook Series).

1. Excited to find the best of Ukrainian cuisine won't work with this book unless you're still on a farm in some other decade. Or you like cooking with lard, grinding meat, and of course removing organs and bones from pigs - oh, yum! The author's translations in the back of the book from English to Ukrainian for ordering meals are worth a laugh. However, I think he's serious. Pass this book up.



2. An American with family members who make regular trips to Ukraine, I have some knowledge of the hearty and delicious cuisine of that wonderful country. I love this book because it presents the cuisine as it actually is in the towns of Ukraine. You are not presented with bastardized, Americanized recipes, but with the authentic cookery you would experience during a visit to a normal, middle class home.

   The book starts with a brief foreword on Ukrainian food traditions. In the back there is an 8-page bilingual dictionary of food terms and phrases to use in restaurants. In between, the book is packed with both traditional and contemporary recipes for everything from appetizers to main dishes to sweets and even a substantial section on beverages both alcoholic and not, and recipes for making several different kinds of beer.

   I highly recomment this book.

5 comments about Food: A Culinary History (European Perspectives).

1. The book has good content and great detil. It is a must read

   for any person that want to learn where the food came from and

   how it got there. The only bad thing, is the book was kind of

   hard to understand at some part. Overall is a great book.




2. This is an academic study filled with essays by forty contributing authors. "FOOD: A culinary History" has been compiled by two of Europe's great food historians. This is more of a textbook than a book you can simply enjoy reading one afternoon on the couch. It is a hefty 553 pages plus Index. This is for the serious student or overly ambitious cook. I read it because I'm darn curious.
   
   This book took me about a week to read. It is extremely well written and yet somewhat dry in places with the occasional oasis. You cannot skim over the pages, you have to analyze the sentences at times and then look up a few words here and there. I also thought the organization of the essays could have been greatly improved to provide more interesting reading. I wanted maps, timelines and perhaps more pictures of actual food from the time periods. There are a few pictures of famous art displaying food.
   
   While reading, you will soon realize how fortunate we are to live in America in the present day. In general, the world has not eaten very well according to the descriptions in this book.
   
   Some comments on the essays:
   
   Some of the authors neglect to take religious beliefs into consideration when they discusses why man became an omnivore although he does touch on some facts about the Ancient Hebrews.
   
   Evolution is presented as a "fact," while creation is presented as a "myth." I feel we have more evidence that points towards a creator and evolution seems somewhat illogical to me at least. Cooked meat is a natural byproduct of forest fires? Oh, I had a good laugh over that one. Sure, it could have happened, but what about considering what we do know about the past.
   
   What about cooked meat being a natural result of sacrifices to the creator or even a goddess? I guess it is just a different way of looking at the past. I'd say you should take the first few chapters with a grain of "Fleur de Sel/French Sea Salt."
   
   Francis Joannes writes a wonderful essay on "The Social Function of Banquets in the Earliest Civilizations" and mentions the epic of Gilgamesh and explains some details about a marriage in Assyria.
   
   Jean Soler writes a fascinating chapter on "Biblical Reasons: The Dietary Rules of the Ancient Hebrews." I had never understood the concept of "culinary incest" which completely awakened my curiosity and Jean Soler provided well-thought out explanations as to why prescribed rituals had to be observed. I didn't realize that many cultures in history actually only consumed meat after ritual sacrifice. The taking of an animal's life takes on an entirely new meaning after reading this chapter. There are reasons why humans did not originally eat meat and they are very complex and have to do with a Creator having the power over life and death. In a way, humans were given the right to take away life in certain instances.
   
   I enjoyed reading Chapter 18 which deals with "Mediterranean Jewish Diet and Traditions in the Middle Ages." Here you can learn the basics of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkoth, Purim and Passover.
   
   If you are especially interested in Medieval Life, then you will love this book for the content on Medieval Cooking. It really is extensive.
   
   Things you might learn from this book:
   That the sycamore tree has fruit. Who knew.
   How beer played a role in the invention of yeast breads
   That the Etruscans had cheese graters
   What "Dionysiac possession" means.
   How we have the luxury of avoiding wheat while the Romans embraced it
   as a buffer against famine.
   That ale was used in pagan rituals since wine was sacred to Christianity.
   That the cultivation of oats and other wild grasses began in Medieval times.
   The reasons why peasants boiled meat and the nobles preferred roasting methods.
   How the Arabs contributed to Medieval European culture.
   Why Byzantine cuisine was mostly found in taverns.
   Insight into why Muslims don't consume alcoholic beverages.
   How Persia's culinary traditions influenced Arab cuisine.
   How the European conquest of the Seven Seas influenced cooking.
   How the tomato, potatoes and corn transformed European cooking.
   Lists of Table Manners from the past.
   That chestnuts are ground into flour and can be used to make polenta.
   That the bread in Europe contained "peas."
   Why people needed a kneading trough.
   
   It does seem that in the past, many ate to live while today we have the luxury of living to eat. The way we cook does seem to be a result of lifestyle choices. If you like to study and read, you will more than likely spend less time cooking and have simple methods of combining foods without recipes. If you want to spend time reading this book, may I suggest Lean Cuisine? I did not have as much time to cook while trying to read this book.
   
   However, you have to have a good laugh at all the "forbidden" foods and drink. Even today, this trend continues. One day we are told not to eat fat, the next not to eat as many carbohydrates. I'll say eating more protein and less carbohydrates does seem to have some charm and I'm seeing results. Bread = Bad in my present world of weight loss. At least, with certain diets, you are not supposed to eat bread or highly processed grains. They are also doing studies that point towards skin conditions caused by the way in which we process wheat. Time will tell. In the past, humans relied on bread in a big way. Today we have the luxury of saying no and reaching for a soy protein shake.
   
   If I learned anything from this book it is that most of us have slowly freed ourselves from "culinary" tradition and regulation. While still clinging to some semblance of food preparation, we are advancing into a world where food preparation seems less important than getting a meal on the table fast. We freely make use of canned foods and boxed mixes. I think the new term is "Semi-Homemade."
   
   Recommended for Serious Food Writers and Serious Students of Culinary History.
   
   ~The Rebecca Review



3. I tend to really enjoy books on culinary history; unfortunately this one left me wanting more. The chapters are disjointed, with no true unifying theme. The prose is stilted, though I suspect alot of this is due to poor translation. The information itself is good, but badly presented; overall a boring mess of a book. Pick up Tannahill's "Food in History" instead.



4. Had to buy this book for a class and its really interesting but its just really wordy and at some points not a easy or enjoyable read. Its got great information and is the book for you if you are into culinary/food history :)



5. This is a challenging text that appeals to the higher mind. It is highly crossed referenced. I have reviewed much of the source material and it is accurate. It ranks amongst the Norton Anthology of Literature as a text in culinary arts.
   
   Many texts that people read are enjoyable, but few will serve the reader as much during their lifetime.
   
   This text is tedious, in the same way that Organic Chemistry is tedious. This text is not a cook book but a true history. For this reason alone, it is to be respected.
   
   A student that reads this book in their twenties, and follows the sources in the thirties, will always be respected in their forties for their knowledge regarding cuisine.

5 comments about Culinaria: European Specialties.

1. I dithered for months whether to spend such a lot of money on 'just another cookery book', but I'm glad I did - it is definitely NOT 'just another cookery book' ... I've just spent most of my day off totally absorbed in these 2 books.
   There is plenty of interesting information, with superb photography and illustrations; well-researched commentaries on the various industries; snippets of little-known historical info (did you know that Britain's King Edward VII gave the name Crepe Suzette to a spoiled dessert?) and well-chosen recipes which highlight the particular country's culinary strong points.

   These are 2 weighty tomes (6lb/3kg each!), but only in the physical sense - they are very readable. With a chapter devoted to each of the European countries, the authors give an introduction, an overview of the country's specialities and an in-depth look at each speciality:- how it is grown/made; different varieties; anecdotes from the area; useful snippets of information, as well as some wonderful recipes (not all of them well-known).

   Obviously some countries get more coverage than others; France Spain & Italy each get far more attention than, say, Russia - but deservedly so, given their gastronomic heritage (although the wines of France are over-played, to my mind).

   While I would not recommend this as a working cookery book, it is certainly a valuable addition to anyone's culinary library - an ideal present for that friend of yours who has a love of food and cooking; anyone would be over the moon to receive such a present!




2. While I completely agree with all of the other reviewers (in that this is an excellent book), I do want to take the time to point out that this is not just a cookbook. Within each chapter (each dedicated to a certain country), there is history, education and just so much to learn. For example, the book tells you about the cheeses, wines, beers and other specialties of each country and special holiday meals and snacks. The traditions of the peoples are spelled out and almost makes you feel like you are there experiencing them. And, of course, great recipes of each country as well. This may be the BEST book I've ever owned. I highly recommend it. Unlike most cookbooks, you can just read this one and have a ball.



3. These books provide a nice history of the cooking techniques but the recipes are hard to reproduce because the ingredients are hard to find. If you read cookbooks like they are novels then this is for you.



4. This book is a steal at twenty bucks but you'll need a wheelbarrow to lug it around -- it's big and heavy! The book is 12 1/2" x 11" and 1 7/8 inches thick. It's 640 pages in length and there's a nice index to steer readers to where they need to go.
   
   The product description says that this book weighs just under eight pounds but it feels more like twelve to me. The paper is of excellent-quality stock, very thick and heavy. This volume is what we used to call a "coffee table book".
   
   Here's what the book is about:
   
   1. It details individual and exotic ingredients which serve to make traditional European ethnic dishes.
   
   2. It features, specifically, European recipes and dishes.
   
   3. It provides hundreds of beautiful color photographs and detailed descriptions which insure that the reader will know precisely what these regional products look like and how they fit in to particular dishes.
   
   Here is a list of the countries whose food and beverages are featured in this fine work:
   
   1. England
   
   2. Scotland
   
   3. Ireland
   
   4. Denmark
   
   5. Norway
   
   6. Sweden
   
   7. Finland
   
   8. Russia and other member states of the former Soviet Union
   
   9. Poland
   
   10. The Czech Republic and Slovakia
   
   11. Hungary
   
   12. Austria
   
   13. Switzerland
   
   14. Germany
   
   15. The Netherlands
   
   16. Belgium
   
   17. France
   
   18. Spain
   
   19. Portugal
   
   20. Italy
   
   21. Greece
   
   22. Turkey
   
   The book is bulging with tips, (e.g., how to cook crayfish, how to make tortellini, etc.) These recipes are not for the beginner, many are even difficult but they're the real deal. For that reason, it's not actually what I would term "a cookbook". Still, newbies can benefit from learning all about basic ingedients and the ethnic origins of our own American cookery.
   
   There's no use to say more. This book gets my highest recommendation.



5. This is a great reading book. The recipes seem a little bit off but the pictures help you with the presentation. This book completes my collection of the Culinaria series.

No comments about Balkan Cookbook, The.

3 comments about Favorite Swedish Recipes (Dover Cookbook Series).

1. I like this little book and hope to make some great dishes for my family.



2. International cooking is yet another way to indulge in armchair travel---so, sparked by the WALLANDER series on PBS, I thought it would be intriguing to try some Swedish recipes.
   Wifstrand's small cookbook is a useful look into Swedish cookery---I was a bit surprised to find that American interpretations of some of the dishes are rather amped up in the way of spices, because these recipes are hearty, but plain. The sweets recipes rise above those of the main courses, but I have enjpyed everything I have tried.



3. You'll find a wide range of Swedish recipes, some that are common with almost all Scandinavian cooking, in this older cookbook. Some of the recipes would probably appeal to an older generation of cooks. There are recipes too that would fit modern tastes.
   
   Overall, if you are starting to collect Swedish or Scandinavian cookbooks this cookbook would make an excellent choice.
   
   Recommend.

3 comments about Cuisines of the Alps: Recipes, Drinks, and Lore from France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Slovenia (Hippocrene Cookbook Library).

1. "Cuisines of the Alps" is a culinary journey filled with recipes and lore from France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.
   
   Kay Shaw Nelson shares her passion for food from the Alps in this book. She is a food writer and author of eighteen cookbooks.
   
   Hippocrene Books is known for their cookbooks from exotic countries, such as, "Argentina Cooks!", "Icelandic Food and Cookery" and "Tastes of the Pyrenees". Here is yet another addition!
   
   Nelson's introduction takes us on a mini-tour of the beautiful Alps! Her description of the region helps the reader envision such a lovely area with snow-capped mountain peaks, trees, people and homes. Her recipes are easy-to-follow and extremely tasty!
   
   The chapters included in this book are: Appetizers; Soups; Eggs and Cheese Dishes; Fish; Meat, Poultry and Game; Vegetables and Salads; Pasta, Rice and Other Grains; Desserts; and Drinks and Wine. Some of the more delectable recipes are: goulash, linzer torte, Liechtenstein Corn-Bean Salad, walnut cake, Wine Cream, dumplings, Bavarian Beer Soup, and Fondue!
   
   For people interested in a comprehensive cookbook on cookery in the Alps, Nelson really brings home the passion!



2. This cookbook is very good; I am looking forward to trying several of the recipes. The information about the region the recipe comes from in additon to the history of the recipes themselves makes this book a keeper.



3. The recipes I have tried (paprika potatoes and poulet morengo) are delicious! Easy to follow recipe guide and a nice history of each recipe.
   Only downside is that there are no pictures but I really like this book!

5 comments about The Gingerbread Boy.

1. This is a timeless classic enjoyed again and again. Illustrations are great and the story capivates young & old audiences alike.



2. My two-year-old daughter says:
   
   It's funny. Run away and catch the cow. And catch the horsie. And catch the guys. And a guy talking. And a cookie talking. The food talking. A cow run away. And a fox eat the cookie man.



3. We selected this book and several others because we want our grandchildren to have classics.



4. I'm 27 years old, & I came across this book when I was at the library two days ago. My niece (now age 28) & I used to read this book together when we were kids. I'd forgotten all about it! I saw the cover & slooooowly started flipping through the pages....I was surprised that I could remember every single image! I almost started crying right there in the aisle as tons of childhood memories instantly flooded my mind. I don't have any children YET, but I plan on buying this book for myself!!



5. A favorite book for my children. Wish it was called the Gingerbread MAN instead of boy, though. Also - wish it included the rhyme: "Run, Run, as fast as you can, you can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man" a little bit more often - but overall a classic book for your kids! Highly recommended! Paul Galdone's THE THREE LITTLE PIGS is even better!!!!

1 comments about Winter in the Alps: Food by the Fireside.

1. Travel, cooking, and winter life in Switzerland. Excellent photography and background information. The book includes Christmas in Zürich. Also covered is the burning of the Böögg snowman during the Sechseläuten festival which symbolizes the burning of winter. The book covers everything from cheese to chocolate and includes healthy eating. I really liked the book because it had more than recipes. The photos and travelogue were very interesting. The book is both a coffee table book and a cook book.

2 comments about Prost!: The Story of German Beer.

1. I purchased this book because of my love for all types of beer. I have always been fascinated by the stories behind German beers. I had never realized, until I read this book, how each individual style evolved on its own and the politics behind it. I have purchased three additional copies of "Prost" to give as gifts to my friends who truly appreciate a great beers and the stories behind them. The author is both technically and intellectually competent, and surprisingly well written for someone whose native language is German. I would like to have, if given the opportunity, the pleasure of meeting him and meeting him and autographing my book.



2. A micro-brewer lent us his copy, and we immediately ordered one for us. It is a "must have" for beer lovers. It presents wide-ranging information about the history and manufacture of beer in a most engaging style. A definite page-turner!

5 comments about The Medieval Cookbook.

1. If you are looking for good tasting period recipes, this book is for you. Sometimes cookbooks that have recipes that are from times past offer recipes that taste quite differently than what our modern expectations are. This book will deliver you good recipes. Two of the favorite ones I have tried from this book were the Almond Chicken and the Golden Leeks and Onions. The instructions are very clear, and easy to read. The book does offer lovely art work as well. My only complaint about this book while the recipe that it has are very good, I just with their were more of them. This is a good book to start or even add to a Medieval recipe collection.



2. This is the perfect gift book for those interested in the Middle Ages. It is beautifully presented, and organisation of recipes with references to historical incidents or literary works is clever and winning. The recipes are easy enough to prepare, and I assumed the variations from the originals were intended to make obtaining ingredients simple.

   There were several reasons I withheld a 'five star' rating. First, though the author makes reference to how a particular dish would have been prepared in several different ways, only one variation is offered, in some cases markedly unlike the original. Secondly, and to a greater degree, there are not many recipes included. Those provided are illustrations of a category, not collections of, for example, varied main dishes, desserts, or savouries.




3. `The Medieval Cookbook' by Maggie Black is very similar to the slightly older book, `Pleyn Delit' by Constance B. Hieatt, Brenda Hosington, and Sharon Butler. It even cites this book and other works by these authors as references. Aside from the fact that the two books deal with almost exactly the same subject, English and French recipes from the late Middle Ages, and both are serious, scholarly works, there are two important differences.
   
   The positive differences in Ms. Black's book is that it is organized by source and that it has many more pictures, both black and white and color photographs of scenes from medieval sources, and line drawings or etchings of food plants and other botanicals. `Pleyn Delit' has virtually no pictures.
   
   The two books share several major sources. Dominating the sources and background of both books is Geoffrey Chaucer's `Canterbury Tales'. While this work contains no recipes itself, if has numerous references to food and beverages, and Ms. Black devotes an entire chapter to recipes cited in this great literary work. The second major work cited in Ms. Black's volume is a pedagogical volume by an upper middle class member of the gentry identified as `The Goodman of Paris'. The narrative identifies him as probably a civil servant, with houses in both the city and the country. After chapters on proper moral deportment, the author gives both menus and recipes for the training of his staff of servants. The book also gives several directions to wife and staff on proper kitchen economics and the care of domestic and captured animals. The third primary source is documents associated with the very sybaritic court of the English king Richard II, whose death started the War of the Roses. I am green with envy at my image of the author's working on this book among the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library and at the British Museum, two shrines of English language scholarship for sure. I have seen both as a tourist and my most persistent fantasy career is one of a scholar.
   
   The pictures in the book are very well chosen to illustrate the literary sources. Pictures of medieval life are taken largely from tapestries such as the famous Bayeux tapestry and similar sources. They are very well selected and, unlike so many other incidental pictures in books on cookery, they are actually given meaningful captions.
   
   Ms. Black and the authors of `Pleyn Delit' take almost exactly the same approach to translating their recipes from old English and identifying the sources of the original text. The recipe translations are equally fine in both books while the scholarly method of citing sources is equally dismal. I simply do not understand these authors use of a plainly obscure method for connecting source in the bibliography to the text in the main part of the book. I am certain these Brits and Canadians use the same scholarly conventions as we Yanks as codified in things like the `Chicago Manual of Style'. This little quibble is for the scholars among us.
   
   The most serious lapse in Ms. Black's book compared to `Pleyn Delit' is in the fact that the latter book has a much more interesting collection of recipes that a modern amateur cook would really find interesting. The very first recipe in `The Medieval Cookbook' is for Frumenty, a simple porridge of cracked wheat, water, stock, and salt with an optional addition of eggs and saffron. The second is Girdle `Breads' which is an unleavened, saffron coloured biscuit of flower, lard, and salt with no leavening. The third recipe is for grilled steaks brushed with either verjuice (an ur-vinegar made from specially grown grapes) or juice from Seville oranges. The fourth recipe is for rabbit. While these four recipes, taking up seven pages of the book are all very interesting from an historical point of view, it makes the book less valuable as a source for modern cooks who may want a good source for a medieval theme menu. To be sure, there are recipes in this book that are worth making today, but `Pleyn Delit' is a better source for actual cooking.
   
   I am very happy to see that the two books agree almost exactly on the use of ingredients and techniques. If you have an interest in history in general and culinary scholarship in particular, get both books. If you are only interested in a source for recipes, get `Pleyn Delit'. It is authentic and a richer source of interesting recipes.



4. Not only is The Medieval Cookbook a beautifully illustrated resource on the eating habits of Medieval folk, but the recipes are easy to follow with scrumptious results.I could hardly put this book down. [...] Very useful for hands-on projects when teaching children about medieval history. Wholeheartedly recommended.



5. As a medieval historian and living history enthusiast, this book was everything I'd hoped it would be. Not only are there authentic recipes, but actual recipes reprinted from the original sources. It's great to read a 14th century Italian recipe for soup in the chef's origianl recipe. It also contains general info about types of dishes and other things like that for the non-historians out there. It's a lot of fun, and is organized just as any modern cookbook is, which is one of the best things about it.