5 comments about It Rains Fishes: Legends, Traditions and the Joys of Thai Cooking.

1. "It Rains Fishes" is a wonderful example of a cookbook that relates a nation's cuisine in terms of the culture that creates it. The book is as much a testament to the author's love of Thailand as it is a presentation of Thai recipes. You can enjoy reading it even if you never cook a single dish. But if you do choose to take it into the kitchen, you will find the recipes straightforward and obviously refined by many years of implementation by students. Perhaps the most valuable lesson is the author's description of how Thai dishes are put together, less by recipe than by balancing the five dimensions of taste (sweet, salt, bitter, sour, hot). One cannot recreate Thai dishes with a quarter teaspoon of this and an ounce of that. It must be done in the moment by taste. That very philosophy, along with the use of fresh local ingredients, underlies much of New American cooking. The book's downfall, then, is obvious -- the availability of ingredients local to Thailand. If you live in an area with a good collection of Asian markets, you might have some luck. But if you rely on the "Asian" section of your local supermarket, you won't. It's pretty much that simple.



2. First and foremost the book presents a series of recipes, easy to follow and in every instance a delight to prepare and to serve. The preparation of the ingredients, their traditional uses, and helpful information about potential combinations provide the reader with a banquet of information about the preparation of food in the traditional Thai style. Moreover, the book contains helpful suggestions on preparation techniques, for locating and purchasing ingredients, and for ultimate presentation of the dish. Loha-Unchit clearly strives to prepare the reader for the Thai cooking experience: providing basic instruction for those just beginning and important details to more experienced Thai cooks.

   The book also is visually beautiful. Numerous line drawings and beautiful images (apparently watercolors) provide the reader with beautiful images ranging from market scenes in Bangkok to illustrations of people working in the countryside. I found myself going back to the pictures and imagining myself observing the scenes they depicted.

   Finally, this book is a feast for the mind. Loha-unchit provides the reader with a history of the foods, their origins, and their place within the Thai cuisine. Loha-unchit guides us through a process that enables us to obtain and employ ingredients to produce authentic and traditional Thai cuisine with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of results. For example, although the book contains recipes for making your own curries from scratch it also provides suggestions for commercially available curries that provide the flavors closest to Thai home-made.

   This is not a cookbook for those who think you can label a dish Thai by adding a few peanuts and a bit of lemon grass. It is a book that provides the reader with a taste of the sensibility of Thai cuisine and Thai culture, a journey for both the mind and the palate.

   Experienced cooks will benefit from the insights Loha-unchit offers; inexperienced cooks will find their skills grow through use of the book. All will delight in the flavors, both visual and gustatory, that "It rains fishes" provides.




3. The prose in this book is so charming, and so well written. Kasma's stories of her youth sometimes almost brought a tear to my eye!

   More cookbooks should contain the cultural essays and autobiographical information that Kasma uses to explain why she loves the recipes shes shares with the reader.

   Enchanting!




4. The author of this cookbook goes out of her way to present not only traditional recipes, but enough knowledge and technique to help you achieve traditional taste. This is no mere recipe book, it's more of a guide to Thai cooking.

   From the very start, Loha-Unchit explains everything about the essential components of Thai cuisine and exactly what they do to each dish. Interspersed amongst her recipes are stories related to the dishes that may seem sappy to some, but generally help explain what the cook is trying to achieve with each recipe.
   
   This book will definitely challenge and enhance your cooking skills. After preparing a few of the selections she presents, you won't just know how to whip up several dishes by rote- you'll have a very good understanding of the essentials of Thai cooking.




5. This book is excellent for beginners (like me). It gives so much details about cooking techniques that it can get you started real quick and yet keep you going back to the book for little nuances and finer touches that could keep you recreating your favourite dish in yet another wonderfully different way. Kasma's love for her culture, her deep understanding of Thai cuisine and her intuitive knowledge of what a reader wants makes this book a must have for anyone venturing into Thai cuisine. As for me, the very first curry paste that Kasma's words walked me through paid for the cost of the book. Everything else I got out of the book is a sheer bonus of a pleasure. By the way, thanks to Amazon.com for helping me discover this book...!

1 comments about Game on the Grill: The Art of Barbecuing, Grilling, and Smoking Wild Game (The Fish and Game Kitchen).

1. Eileen Clarke's Game On The Grill is a beautifully illustrated, specialty cookbook focusing entirely on the outdoor cooking of game. This superbly produced compendium of seventy-five mouth-watering recipes covers a variety of dishes for barbecued, grilled, and smoked game animals, upland birds, and waterfowl. From No-Brainer Frozen Whitetail Roast; Spice-Crusted Elk Steaks; and Butterflied Leg of Veal; to Alder-Smoked Turkey Salad; Spring-Cleaning Goose with Smoked Garlic Bread; and Glazed Duck Legs, Game On The Grill will quickly become a favored and indispensable culinary reference for the family table meals or hunting trip campfire dining.

1 comments about Scandinavian Style Fish and Seafood Recipes.

1. Scandinavian Style Fish and Seafood Recipes is a full "kettle of fish," from cold to hot and saucy and more-basic methods to prepare and cook fish along with recipes to prepare, even the most common catch, in savory, tasty dishes.

   To find the best of the best, Melinda Bradnan compiled this collection of recipes from a number of sources: old, authentic Scandinavian cookbooks from a time when the bounty of the sea was a main staple in the Scandinavian diet; contributions from some of the best Scandinavian cooks, and her own cache of recipes. Noted for her creative offerings, Melinda knows her way around the kitchen, working with husband Mike in their food service consulting business.

   Several recipes of the late Margaret I. Bergquist, an outstanding Scandinavian American of Cloquet, Minnesota, who sought to put a "little bit of Scandinavia in every home in America," are included in this book which is dedicated to her memory. Tips and hints for the right preparation-the key to delicious fish dishes from caviar to crayfish-are noted throughout the book. Cold Table foods feature appetizers, salads, dressings and open-face sandwiches; Hot and Saucy Fish recipes include boiled, poached, broiled, baked, and fried fish dishes with a variety of savory sauces, for example, Salmon with Lingonberry Glaze; Soups and Chowders presents hearty fare such as a Crab Stew; On the Hook and In the Net is a miscellany of not only traditional foods such as Lutefisk Pudding, but also some of the most unique-Carp Burgers.

   Delightful drawings of happy, friendly fish, all too eager to leap into the pan, are by David Fitzsimmons, cartoonist of Tucson, Arizona. Bernhard Hillila, Valparaiso, Indiana author and poet, shares a recipe for life in his "Cook's Prayer." "My Fish Dish Wish," a whimsical poem by David Mather of Iowa City, Iowa, adds to the bountiful feast of this book.

   Excellent for personal collections and as a special gift.

1 comments about The Mostly Mullet Cookbook: A Culinary Celebration of the South's Favorite Fish.

1. This is a good cookbook and also quite humorous! I am putting it to good use.

5 comments about Sushi Making at Home.

1. I have been making sushi for about a year and bought this book in the hopes of obtaining a reference for basic techniques and a guide to new new techniques. Overall I am happy with the book, but not as happy as I had hoped. Although there are some good ideas for exotic sushi, there really isn't much included in the way of basic techniques. Techniques for preparing Nigiri-zushi aren't even discussed. Novices would be better off looking elsewhere for instruction; I would recommend The Book of Sushi. Still this can be a vaulable book for intermediate sushi chefs and does include a variety of interesting sushi ideas such as squid sushi. Aditionally, this book is written by a japanese author seemingly for a japanese audience; western readers may have trouble finding some ingredients.



2. After being introducted to traditional sushi in a Japanese home many years back, I have searched for the right book that would help me replicate what my memory serves me. After purchasing this book and trying several recipes, I have definitely found what I was looking for. The instructions are quite clear with concise listings of ingredients and utensils. Although the color pictures are beautifully done, sometimes their layout can be a bit confusing to the actual "process" of sushi making. I am also fond of the different types of sushi that the book covers... most think sushi consists of "raw fish" only; this book squashes that myth. I have this book at my arm's reach when I am in the mood to recreate my past....the recipes are timeless.



3. This is NOT a book for those hoping to learn how to make restaurant-style nigiri-zushi. Instead it's filled withfull of pictorial step-by-step directions and color photos for making the kinds of easy-to-do sushi Japanese friends might make at home and serve as party fare. You'll find recipes for chirashi-zushi (a bowl of rice with ingredients scattered over the top), maki-zushi (rolled sushi), inari-zushi (sushi rice in fried tofu bags) and oshi-zushi (pressed sushi). Included are a lot of simple but decorative tricks, such as turning fried tofu pockets inside-out for visual variety... and, yes, a sushi "birthday cake."



4. For quite some time now I have loved going to various sushi places and trying out all different types of Sushi. One day I decided I wanted to make my own, so I picked up this book at a local store, and I must say I am completly satisfied. this book is a great refrence guide on how to make many different types of sushi. It aslo shows you how to prepare the basic ingredients such as the rice. I can recomend this book for a newbie interested in making their own sushi.



5. After taking a class on how to make basic sushi I bought this book for some new ideas. I love the colorful decorative Maki-Zushi recipe! They also have very good visual layouts for how to make thick sushi rolls, hors d'oeuvres sushi, Ichimatsu Oshi-Zushi & other great meal ideas. Lots of pictures, colorful illustrations, decorative sushi & meals prepared which is great for those of us who are visual people! I recommend this book as a great way to create great looking as well as tasting sushi! :)

2 comments about American Cookery: Or, the Art of Dressing Viands, Fish, Poultry and Vegetables, and the Best Modes of Making Puff-Pastes, Pies, Tarts, Puddings, Custards and Preserves; and All Kinds of Cakes, from the Imperial Plumb to Plain Cake; Adapted to this Country and All Grades of Life.

1. This is a great, fun little look at the past of American cooking. But, boy, were they not worried about cholesterol and calories like we are now! If you do attempt making any of the recipes found in the book, I would just recommend reducing the amount of sugar and the amount of butter (especially in the 'pudding' recipes). It is great fun to experiment with to see what our ancestors ate.



2. American Cookery is a book of firsts. First book of "receipts" written by an American, published in America, and containing uniquely American food options. First published recipe for cakey gingerbread, first publication of the word "cookie", first documented use of pearlash as a leavening agent. Printed in 18th century format, with the use of the long s (f) and with original spelling, it provides the reader with a peek into the daily life of the early American housewife. Many recipes call for immense amounts of flour and sugar, sometimes more than 5 lbs., with measures such as "a teacup full" and "a slow oven". Author Simmons helpfully provides instructions about how to decide whether to acquire beef from oxen or dairy cattle, and how to "dress" a turtle. The amount of information contained in this brief little volume is amazing. Worth a careful perusal even if none of the recipes catches your fancy.

3 comments about Pheasant & Quail (Game & Fish Mastery Library).

1. This is quite a good recipe colloction, with plenty of old favourites, plus quite a few suprising flavour combinations that I have used with great results. As far as specialist gamebird cookery books go, this is a definite must buy!



2. I tried a pheasant and a quail recipe. Both came out great. But... Be very careful with the madeira pheasant recipe. It calls for a tightly-placed lid in an oven of 400 degrees. This caused an alcohol distillation fireball in my grandmother-in-law's oven. Singed a cousin too. Use common sense.



3. This is a good cookbook! Several of the recipies are at the Pro level, but after owning several wildlife cookbooks, it's nice to have one soley dedicated to Pheasant and Quail

3 comments about The Eve of Seven Fishes: Christmas Cooking In The Peasant Tradition.

1. I have yet to see the actual book but being a long time friend of Robert's, I had the opportunity to review his final draft while back in the "Burg" this past July. A great christmas gift for everyone,,,, even if you are not Italian! This book made my Christmas shopping a cake-walk this year! Janet Lee Knizner-Enders



2. THE EVE OF SEVEN FISHES
   
   Life is funny. Once upon a time I set out to write FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES - a story set against the backdrop of an Italian-American family cooking the Christmas Eve seafood feast. Much of the inspiration for writing the story, in addition to my wonderful childhood memories of my family dinners, came from my first Christmas Eve with my wife Shannon - who was then my girlfriend. That was a very special time - the first time I ever told her I loved her. Now, like I said, life is funny. Robert Germano is someone I've known for years. But unbeknownst to me, at the same time I was writing my book, Robert was doing the same, albeit in a different fashion. Not a fictional book - but a cookbook dedicated to his family's take on the Feast. More with the funniness: it was Robert who played matchmaker and introduced me to Shannon. Shannon who wrote the cookbook portion of my Feast book. Did I mention life is funny?
   
   So obviously I owe the man, which I disclose freely. You can stop reading now if you're worried my review will be in some way tainted.
   
   Okay, for those of you who have faith in my impartiality and general integrity here's the skinny on Robert's book:
   
   If you like those slick, smug cookbooks put out by celebrity chefs and snobby foodies move along. You don't want to come to Robert's dinner party. However, if you enjoy someone who very simply and lovingly bares their soul through their actions and obvious affections, sit down and pour a glass of chianti. On the surface THE EVE OF SEVEN FISHES is a collection of recipes for the Feast as practiced by folks from the Molise region of Italy. But it's more than that. Reading both the text and between the lines you experience one man's plaintive plea to re-connect - not only with his immediate family and childhood and holiday memories - but with a more ancient past. Robert Germano wasn't content to simply scribble down what his mom and aunts and so on had to say. No, Robert got on a plane and went to Italy to get things straight from the source. I think it blew his mind.
   
   When I did Feast one of my main motivations was to capture the moment where we're on the verge of losing our ethnicity as Italian-Americans - that was part of the story in a sense. Robert, however, refuses to surrender. He's passionate about preserving and celebrating these culinary traditions. He does it in the voice of your dad, your uncle or your next door neighbor. He's not trying to impress you - he's too desperate for that. Desperate to try and preserve something that is beautiful and delicious and real.
   
   If that's not reason enough to buy the book I don't know what to tell you (actually, I'd buy it just for the pasta with anchovies - but maybe that's just me).



3. This book is wonderful! Full of stories and delicious recipes. I have the book, and it is one of my treasures!

1 comments about Fish and Shellfish A to Z.

1. I have had this book for several years.It is the most helpful that I have seen on fish and shellfish.It does not have a lot of recipes but the information on the different varieties of seafood and fish makes up for the number of recipes. As a Fisherperson, this book has been great to identify the different methods of cleaning and cooking my catch, whatever it is.I am happy to give it"Five Stars".

No comments about Sushi: Easy Recipes for Making Sushi at Home.